"From this assurance of faith springs lively hope of our own interest in the promised blessings. A man who has such a view of the internal glory of divine truths, as to be habitually and assuredly persuaded that they are from God, has indeed that very experience which might convince him that the salvation of the gospel belongs to him, and produce assurance of hope, if he did but know how justly to reason from the premises: for that God who caused the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into his heart, to give him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But generally this light is small at first; much darkness remains; and many things prevent the soul's judging accurately in its own case: so that it is not only very possible, but very common, for persons to be so deeply convinced of the truth of the gospel, and to be so influenced by the conviction, as to be evidently proved true and assured believers-persons who have no allowed or prevailing doubt of its being the truth of God—who are yet very far from the full assurance of hope; yea are greatly discouraged by fears that they have no part or lot in the matter. That the gospel is true they assuredly believe, and do not scruple to stake their all upon it, and risk their dearest interests for it: that all true believers shall be saved they doubt not: but whether they are themselves true believers they much doubt; indeed their hopes of it are comparatively feeble.-Now this, at first sight, may appear very strange: but, when we consider what cautions the Bible. gives against deceiving ourselves; what deceitfulness there is in the heart of man; what subtlety Satan employs to deceive; what numbers are actually deceived; when these things are laid together, no wonder that a sincere humble person, who respects the word of God, is acquainted with, and jealous of his own heart, and greatly afraid of delusion where so much is at stake, should hesitate in this matter; should not be apt to conclude at once that his faith is living and effectual, or to be over-confident. However, his faith produces a degree of hope of the right sort. My soul longeth for thy salvation, and I hope in thy word. He is assured that God is infinitely merciful; that he gave his Son to die for sinners; that there is forgiveness with him, consistently with his justice, and to his glory, for even the chief of sinners; that sinners are invited to come and receive freely; that all who come rightly are accepted; he is conscious that he desires to come aright: he hopes

that the Lord will teach him so to come-for good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way: and so he hopes, though diffidently, that he shall be saved.

"Further; supposing his judgment sound, and his conduct conscientious and diligent, his hope grows stronger. Comparing daily his prevailing desires, experiences, affections, and dispositions with what he reads in the Bible concerning those which are peculiar to true Christians, as distinguished from hypocrites and self-deceivers, he is conscious that there is an agreement between them. Feeling stronger aversion to sin, and more earnest desires after holiness, love to God and man, zeal for the divine honor in the world, and other dispositions of the children of God; accompanied with tenderness of conscience, mourning for sin, distaste for former carnal delights, and longing after spiritual pleasures, he becomes more and more satisfied that, though he be but a feeble Christian, just beginning to be a Christian, yet assuredly he is one. Thus he comes to an assured hope, settled in his judgment; and is satisfied habitually, from the testimony of his conscience, compared with the word of God, that his state is safe. But at times he feels more sensibly love, gratitude, delight, confidence in God, zeal for his cause, through the immediate influence of the Spirit of adoption, who, thus witnessing with his spirit that he is a child of God, gives him a more delightful assurance, yea foretaste of salvation; which not only is a present refreshment, but a confirmation of his assured hope for the future.

TRUE AND FALSE CONFIDENCE.

"But this full assurance of hope is not of that overbearing nature that nothing can shake it. It will maintain its vigor by means of daily exercised repentance and faith, amidst all the infirmities incident even to a thriving Christian. But, as it springs from conscious sincerity in choosing, trusting, and living to Christ, and from the immediate influences of the sanctifying Spirit; none but the thriving Christian can preserve it. Flagrant sins, or great declensions, or even allowed slothfulness, will not only enfeeble but destroy it: nor can it be restored or recovered but by deep repentance and renewed diligence.-Herein it differs from a false confidence. A false confidence does not spring

from evidence. They who possess it cannot give a reason of the hope that is in them. They are not confident in proportion to their conscientiousness and activity in the service of God; but without any regard to it. They do not arrive at their confidence in consequence of deep self-examination, and prayer to God to search them; but without it. They do not maintain it by constant and daily watchfulness, tenderness, and diligent examination by the rules of the word: to this they are averse; and they do not love that word which puts them upon it. They do not lose their confidence by slothfulness and sin."

REASONS FOR INSISTING ON THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH AND THE ASSURANCE OF HOPE.

(1.) "Because they are produced by very different evidence: the neglect of observing which causes much confusion in the judgment, and much perplexity in the experience of true Christians, and is a great hindrance to their establishment; and leaves Satan an open door by which to enter to deceive others.

"All assurance, which is not egregiously enthusiastic and delusory, must arise from evidence seen and perceived by the mind. If there be no evidence that a proposition is true, or if the mind perceive none, any degree of assent, and much more all confidence respecting it must be irrational and absurd. A wise Christian believes nothing without evidence, or with confidence disproportioned to the evidence. Does he assuredly believe the Bible to be the word of God? His assurance arises from clearly perceiving the evidence, external and internal, that it is so-particularly the excellence and glory of its contents. Doth he believe any particular doctrine? He believes it because he perceives evidence of its being contained in the scriptures: and, when on mature examination he is fully convinced that it is so, his objections are silenced, his doubts vanish, and he believes it with full assurance.—In like manner, bath he the full assurance of hope? that is, doth he with full assurance believe himself a renewed man, and consequently in the way to heaven? He believes this on evidence clearly perceived. Having learned from God's word what that work on the mind is, in which conversion to God consists; and what are the desires, experiences, conflicts, and character of a true servant of God; on

a careful, daily examination of his own past and present character and experience, with many prayers to the Searcher of hearts to render him impartial in the solemn inquiry, and to lead him to a just conclusion; he perceives such an agreement between the two, as is evidence to him that he is the servant of God. Proportioned to the clearness with which he perceives this evidence is the degree of his confidence: and, when conscious integrity and lively actings of grace have put this matter beyond doubt, he is fully assured of it; has the full assurance of hope; and, if he be acquainted with the scriptural security which God has given that he will not forsake his people, he is fully assured of everlasting salvation. He is certain that he is a Christian, though deeply abased that his grace is so little, and his corruption so great: for full assurance of hope always, if scriptural, springs from consciousness of the reality of sanctification, though never from an apprehension of a large degree of it. The former is consistent with the profoundest humility: the latter, being a proud thought, is not apt to rise, much less to prevail in the heart of an assured Christian: and, when it does, it clouds his evidence, and weakens his assurance.

"But sin of any sort, both by grieving the Holy Spirit, and by preventing the soul from perceiving the evidences of its conversion, always interrupts assurance, and introduces doubting in a truly gracious soul, which nothing can exclude, till deep repentance and lively actings of faith and grace have removed the obstacles, and, the evidence being clearly perceived, assurance is restored. What then shall we say to that sort of full assurance which is avowedly without evidence, and against evidence-for an unholy life is stronger evidence against a man's conversion, than any story of experiences can be for it? What can we say, but that it is gross enthusiasm and Satanical delusion? So I deliberately judge; and thus I would avow my judgment, because the credit of the gospel and the interest of souls are at stake; otherwise I would not wish to offend. Only let the scriptures be searched to see whether these things be so or not."

DOUBTING.

(2.) "I insist on this distinction, because it makes it evident that doubting is not always unbelief, but often the contrary.

"For want of attending to the distinction which has been laid down, persons at the commencement of their religious course are hurried on to assurance, by being taught that doubting (of their own safe state) is unbelief and a great sin. Hence they try by all means to excite in their own minds a confidence of their safety; and, being impatient of uneasiness and uncertainty, they are in a great hurry to be delivered from their doubts, and comforted, by any means. This puts them off their guard, and gives Satan an opportunity of deluding many into false comfort and vain confidence. Being now very happy, there follows a wonderful flow of affections, all springing too often from self-love under the influence of delusion.* By and by these affections subside; and, having no abiding principle of divine life, those who had been the subjects of them become habitually dull, dead, and worldly. Now their hopes are shaken, and they have great difficulty to keep up their confidence; and all this is called struggling against unbelief and a legal spirit: and, though their consciences are not very tender in other things, yet in this point they are very conscientious. All doubting of their good estate they studiously shun; they strive to keep up their confidence; run from place to place to find something to comfort them; want ministers to soothe them; abuse the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints-though they have no evidence of their being saints; and, in a word, having once been deluded, they must never be undeceived, but must live and die fighting against supposed 'unbelief'—with a lie in their right hands!-For the love of Christ and of souls, let all ministers guard against such a dreadful delusion!

"Now let what has been discoursed be impartially considered, and it will evidently appear that the doubting which the scripture condemns is not doubting our own good and safe state, but doubting whether what God hath spoken be true; whether he be able, faithful, and willing to be as good as his word; to save true believers, and to provide for and preserve his people in dangers and difficulties. I would challenge any one to point out a single exception to this rule.-Unbelief makes God a liar; but to doubt whether I am a Christian or not does not do so; for

The reader must by no means suppose it meant, that in all cases lively affections and great happiness in the early stages of religious profession are thus delusive: he must attend carefully to the particulars of the case here described.