The fourth time is, when he is put to some hard and difficult duty. Before Abraham be put to forsake his native land, and become a stranger and a wanderer, he meeteth with sweet intimations of his interest, Gen. xii. 2, I will make of thee a great nation; and verse 7th, The Lord appeared unto Abraham. And before Jeremiah be sent a preacher unto a rebellious people, he will have that word spoken unto him, I knew thee before thou wast brought forth.

The fifth time is, when a Christian hath done some singular act of obedience ;-when Abraham had obeyed the Lord, and was content to offer up his Isaac, he meeteth with a sight of his interest and covenant renewed to him with an oath, Gen. xxii. 16, 17,—By myself have I sworn, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thee as the stars of heaven.

The sixth time is, when a Christian is to meet with hard trials, difficulties and afflictions in the world, then he usually meets with assurance; and so, Gen. xxviii. 14, 15, 16, before Jacob go to serve Laban, he meeteth with intimation of his peace with God.

The seventh time is, when a Christian is under sad persecution and affliction, then will the Lord give a word from heaven to comfort him, and assure him of his fatherly love and mercy. When was it that Christ left that noble legacy to his disciples, John xiv. 27,— My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you? Was it not when he himself was to leave them to troublesome and sorrowful days in a persecuting world?

The eighth time is, at some solemn ordinances and approaches to God; the days of a communion to a tender Christian have been sweet days, when Christ hath come to the soul, and said, Behold me, behold me. I think the eleven apostles met with much assurance of their interest in Christ, at the communion they were at with him. O! what sweet intimations were these,-This is my body, which is broken for you; and this cup is the New Testament in my blood, shed for you?—and a little after, Ye are they who have continued with me in my tentation, and I appoint unto you a kingdom.

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We come now to the second point which we proposed from the words, viz. :-That, as assurance is a thing which may be attained, so to seek after it, is a necessary duty. Let me not be mistaken, as if I had said-the having of assurance were simply necessary to salvation; no, that were a doctrine as comfortless, upon the one hand, as the Popish doctrine of impossibility of assurance, is upon the other but the thing, I say, is, that the Christian's seeking after assurance, and his real endeavouring to attain unto it, is a necessary command of God, which he hath bound upon the consciences of his children, among other gospel duties. And certainly, we need go no farther for the clearing of this, than to the text itself; what mean these peremptory injunctions, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith or not; prove your own selves know ye not? &c. But if ye will, ye may add that word, 2d Pet. i. 5, and 10, compared ;-what can be more expressly commanded, and more strongly pressed, than that Christians should lend their utmost endeavours for attaining unto that blessed condition of

assurance? Give all diligence; yea, give all diligence; yea, rather give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.

From this we shall only lay before you these considerations :— -1. If the seeking after assurance be a necessary duty, then these three things are most lamentable-First, That there are so many in this generation, who are so pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their iniquity. They flatter themselves with a rotten assurance that hath no other foundation but their own imagination; they never knew since the first day they were baptized, and did begin to profess Christ, what it was to mortify one lust, nor seriously to wrestle against one temptation, and yet they want not a strong persuasion of their interest in Christ. But ah! will ye stand in awe, lest ye meet with such a dreadful disappointment, as when ye think ye are in the very gate of heaven, even then to fall backward to the very bottom of hell; and when ye expect a kindly welcome from the Lord of glory, as one who thinks ye have been in covenant with him these many years, ye meet with that dreadful summons, depart from me, ye cursed, I know ye not.

2. How sad may we be upon this account, that howbeit, assurance be an attainable thing, and a great many dare not say they have attained it, yet so little diligence is used in pursuing after it. Is it not very lamentable, that many of you to whom I am speaking, since first you gave up your names to Christ in a visible way, and were reputed amongst the generation of the seekers of his face, scarce ever set a day or an hour apart, to examine whether ever indeed you were in Christ or not? Alas! is heaven of so little moment? Is the having or wanting all the enjoyments which are there of so small concernment to you, that ye will not be at the pains once to inquire after your interest in the matter? What if any of you were but possessors of a thousand pounds, and your interest or right unto it uncertain and questionable, would not your sleep depart from you, and your rest be unquiet, till you had made it more secure? What think you shall the men of this generation answer in the day of the Lord, for neglecting that one thing necessary, when they have been so vexing themselves about many things, and have been so serious in so many consultations to make such a worm-eaten portion in a perishing world, that the whole wit of men and angels cannot secure for one moment? It is certain, the root of all slothfulness is atheism. It is not possible that we believe as really there is a heaven, as we believe there is an earth, or that the world to come is as real, as that which is present; or else it must be a strange power in the lusts that keeps us captive, that we are never suffered to think upon eternity, nor to ask where we must lodge when this cottage we carry about shall fall about our ears. O will you think upon it! how serious and pressing that command is, 2d Pet. i. 10, Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. When the Lord saith, Give all diligence, will ye give no diligence? And when he saith, Make your calling and election sure, will ye leave all upon uncertainty?—I said to the foolish, deal not so foolishly.

3. It is most lamentable, that since assurance is attainable, yet men live contentedly under the want thereof. How strange is it,

that many are so seldom on their knees complaining of their uncertainty ? If Christ were precious unto you, would it be so? I am sure there are some of us here that have had the name of Christians, I know not how long, that never had one sad thought about the want of assurance. When we look upon the desolations, devastations, and plundering in the world, how many of us can cry out, They have taken away my gods, and what have I more? But when we speak of heaven, we care not who deprive us of our portion there. I will not limit the Lord, nor determine what he may do ; but believe it, it is one to a thousand, if many Christians of this age have a pleasant night, and comfortable closing of their eyes, they are such undervaluers of assurance; I may fear that lamentation shall be heard upon the death-beds of many,-O poor wretched, wandering soul! where art thou going? And it is no wonder it come to this, when we are so long in beginning to ask this question. And now I close with this one thing, that I think beyond all question, the souls that live contentedly under the want of assurance, are the careless daughters that dwell at ease: Christ and they are at a remarkable distance: it must be a cold winter, and dark night, at best, as to their present fellowship with God.

A second consideration, from this point, is, that, if the seeking after assurance be so necessary a duty, then let me beseech you to ponder with your yourselves, what means are fit for you to use that ye may attain it; and if ye inquire what these means are, I shall only lay before you a few.

1. That ye would be much in the exercise of faith-I mean the direct acts of faith, whereby the sinner, from the sense and feeling of his wants, layeth hold on Jesus Christ, closing with him, and leaning upon him for a full supply out of his fulness: for indeed there are two great faults among the Lord's people:-First, Some do seek assurance of faith, before they ever seek to have faith. Second, Somé are much more taken up in debating their evidences, whether they be real or not, than they are in strengthening their evidences; so that most of their time is spent in questioning-O! is this a real evidence of assurance ?-whereas more actual believing in Christ, and gripping to the promises, and less disputing, were the shorter and surer way. That word is most clear, Eph. i. 13,— After ye believed, ye were sealed with the spirit of promise; that is, ye got assurance, but not before ye believed. And ye know it is said, Matth. ix. 2,-And when Jesus saw their faith, he said, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. So then it is clear, that to be much in believing, is the nearest way to assurance.

2. Ye should be much in believing the general truth and promises of the gospel, and frequently meditating on them all assurance is by practical syllogism, the first whereof must needs be a scripture truth; and certainly, the firm assent to that truth, and the soul's delightful meditation on it, is often blessed of the Lord, as a special means whereby the conscience is helped to make the assumption, and also to bring forth the conclusion; for instance, we see with what strength of affection Paul acteth his faith on that word, 1st Tim. i. 15,-This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all

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acceptation, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners; and presently see what followeth on it, of whom I am the chief;-there is his assurance, for doubtless he meant that he was the chief of saved sinners. Yea, certainly, a sinner thus exercising himself, will often find so much sweetness in the general truths, that he cannot but put to his

own name.

3. Be diligent in the exercise of all spiritual graces, and Christian duties; that this is amongst the best means of attaining to assurance, is manifest from 2d Pet. i. 10,—Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure; for indeed, it is very observable, that the diligence there mentioned, is not a diligence in disputing and questioning about our election, but a diligence in the practice of duties and graces; as is clear from verse 6th,―Give all diligence, saith the Apostle, whereto? In adding to your faith virtue; to your virtue, knowledge; and to your knowledge, temperance, &c.; and then verse 8th,-If ye do all these things, ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He doth not say, in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, simply, but of our Lord Jesus Christ; importing, that the result of diligence in these graces shall be in the knowledge of Christ as ours, and of our interest in him And then he addeth, upon the other hand,—he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see afar off; that is, he cannot see far in any spiritual matter, and so not in the matter of his interest. O! therefore, think not that ye will get assurance by lying down with the sluggard upon your bed, or by your formal prayer, or your anxious debates; but if ye ever come to assurance, ye must be striving as in an agony, for so the word importeth, which is used to express our diligence in Christian duties.

4. As ye should be diligent, so if ever ye would come to assurance, ye should be tender and circumspect in your walking ; that is a clear word, Psalm 1. last verse,-To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God; and Isa. xxxii.,—The effect of righteousness is peace and assurance for ever. Ah! the untender walk that many of us have-it is no wonder to see us walk in darkness; such stinking, gross vapours that arise from our conversation but engender clouds that hinder us from seeing God, and certainly such pearls of assurance are not given to dogs and swine, lest they tread upon them.

SERMON II.

2D COR. xiii. 5.-Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves; know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

THERE are two great balances in which men do weigh themselves : -1. There are some that weigh themselves in the balance of deceit,

who think that, in all their labour, there is no iniquity to be found; yet God, who is the weigher of the spirit, when he shall weigh them, will engrave upon the forehead, Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found light. O! but there are many that approve themselves, whom Christ shall never approve; there are many that call God Father, whom he will not call children; and many that call Christ husband, whom he will not call spouse. 2. There are some who weigh themselves in the balance of the sanctuary, who, upon solid and most spiritual grounds, do draw this conclusion, I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me: who can with boldness and confidence look Christ in the face, and say, thou art mine; and with much spiritual confidence take him in their arms, and cry out, he shall be eternally mine; and sure there is not a more pleasant life than to be taking him every day in our arms, and to be crying out,—am I not made up in him? am I not made up in him?

And

Before I come to the words, there are three great and most soulconcerning errors amongst the Christians of these days, that we desire ye may consider :-1. There are many that are more desirous to know what they are, than what they should do: there are some that are more taken up to know whether they be justified and sanctified, than to be indeed justified and sanctified; and they are more desirous to know if they be in Christ, than indeed to be in him: and therefore, we do find many who do spend a great deal more time disputing that question,-whether am I in Christ or not?than they do in using those means by which real union and communion with him may be attained: but Oh! will you once study to be more in him, and that shall be the shortest way to attain to the knowledge of your being in him. The second great error is, that some are more desirous to know what they should do, than they are desirous to do what they know. Are there not many of us that have this question, wherewith shall I come before the Lord? yet we do not know his commandment is with us, that we should do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. A third error is, that we are more in talking of Christ, than in believing in him, or closing with him: some of us think to win to heaven by discourses, if we can talk of Christ, we think all is without debate or controversy; but alas! there are many who were sweet talkers of Christ, that are cursing him this day in hell. And I would only say this by the way,-if there be any of you that have win to any soul-persuasion of your interest in Christ, I entreat you, if ye can, put the conclusion upon record, that, in such a day of such a month, and such a year of God, you did win then to cry out, I am my beloved's, and he is mine. It seemeth to have been David's practice, Psalm xvi. 2,-O my soul! thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord and it was Jeremiah's practice, Lam. iii. 24,-The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. I say, ye should even mark that conclusion as they did, that when temptations come, and begin to assault, you may look on your record that ye have set down, and be ashamed to misbelieve. It is true, that for a little while our assur ance, at best, will be but ebbing and flowing; but I hope, ere long, we shall be above the reach of misbelief, and above the reach of