have really " fled to Christ for refuge as to the hope set before them," are disquieted from day to day, because they do not feel in themselves that assurance. But God does not require us to believe more than he himself has revealed : and where has he revealed that any particular individual amongst us is in a state of salvation ? or where has he said that the belief of our own personal interest in Christ is necessary in order to our obtaining an interest in him ? Indeed, such a declaration would be absurd : it would be a contradiction in terms : it would require us to believe that a thing does exist, in order that it may exist; which is as absurd, as to believe that we are well, in order that we may he well; or that we are in heaven, in order that we may he in heaven. A thing must exist, before we can know that it exists ; and therefore the knowledge of our acceptance with God cannot precede that acceptance ; much less can it be necessary in order to our acceptance with him. As for straining metaphorical expres- sions in order to found doctrines upon them, it is injudicious in the extreme. It is far better to examine what that faith was, which was exercised by the saints of old, and which they found effectual to their salvation : and if we do that, we shall always find, that the faith by which they were saved, was a faith of affiance, and not that which is generally (but impro- perly) called a faith of assurance. Assurance is necessary, so far as it relates to Christ's ability and willingness to save us; but it is not necessary in relation to our own personal accept- ance with him : this is desirable, no doubt, and a great source of comfort to the person who possesses it : but they who do not possess it, may yet be in a state of salvation, and enjoy much consolation in the hope that they shall not finally be cast out.
Is there any one then amongst us under such circum- stances; let him be of good courage, and in humble confidence cast himself upon the mercy of a reconciled Godc. If he perish at the foot of the cross, he will be the first that ever perished there ]
2. For want of distinguishing at all, many insincere persons are ruined —
[The generality of persons seem to have no idea of any faith beyond that of a mere assent to certain propositions : and, if they have never set themselves to oppose Christianity, they take for granted that they are believers. They were born in a Christian land, and have been educated in the Christian faith, and therefore they suppose that all is well. If they are licentious in their conduct, they will allow perhaps that they
c Isai. I. 10.
31G JOHN, IV. 41,42. [l622.
are deficient in their morals ; yet they never suspect that they are materially wrong in their faith. But let them look around, and see what is the fruit of such faith as they possess : do they find it productive of any such effects as resulted from the faith of the first Christians ? No: it leaves the possessors of it under the influence of the world, the flesh, and the devil, as much as the heathens themselves. How then can this be saving faith, of which it is said, It " purifies the heart," and "overcomes the world?" Yet under this delusion the gene- rality of Christians both live and die Is it not im- portant then that they should be told, that " He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh d ?" Surely, whatever such persons may imagine, if ever they be brought to a saving knowledge of Christ, they will say, Now we believe in Christ, not because we have been told by our Parents that Christianity is true, but because we have heard him ourselves speaking to us in his word, and have felt that he is exactly such a Saviour as our necessities require.]