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Faith

there is a weak, and a strong, faith; they differ, not in kind, but only in degree. is compared to a grain of mustard feed*, which, under the cultivation of the heavenly husbandman, who firft fows the feed in the heart, grows up to affurance. But in its infant, and weak ftate, it is true, and acceptable faith. Far from breaking the bruised reed †, he will strengthen it. quench the Smoking flax, but time, fan it into a flame.

He will not will, in due

2. I will go a step farther. Were I to define the affurance we are speaking of, I should perhaps fay, It is, in our prefent ftate, the combined effect, of faith and ignorance. That affurance which does not spring from true faith in the Son of God, wrought by the operation of the holy Spirit, is no better than prefumption. But I believe, what we call assurance, even when it is right, is not entirely owing to the ftrength of our faith, but in a great measure, to our having fuch faint and flight views, of fome truths, which, if we had a more powerful impreffion of them, unless our faith was likewife proportionably strengthened at the same time, might

*Mat. xvii. 20.
7

+ Ifa. xlii. 3.

poffibly

poffibly make the strongest affurance totter and tremble. I will explain myself. Admitting that I had a right to tell you, that I am so far affured of my intereft in the gospel falvation, as to have no perplexing doubt either of my acceptance, or of my perfe verance; you would much overrate me, if you fhould fuppofe this was a proof that my faith is very strong. Alas! I have but a very flight perception of the evil of fin, of the deceitfulness of my own heart, of the force and fubtlety of my fpiritual enemies, of the ftrictness and spirituality of the holy law, or of the awful majefty and holiness, of the great God, with whom I have to do. If in the moment, while I am fpeaking to you, he fhould be pleased to imprefs thefe folemn realities upon my mind, with a conviction and evidence, tenfold greater than I have ever known hitherto (which I conceive would ftill be vastly short of the truth) unless my faith was alfo ftrengthened, by a tenfold clearer and more powerful discovery, of the grace and glory of the Saviour, you would probably fee my countenance change and my fpeech faulter. The Lord, in compaffion to our weakness, fhews us these things, by little

and

and little, as we are able to bear them; and

if, as we advance in the knowledge of ourfelves, and of our dangers, our knowledge of the unfearchable riches of Chrift, advances equally, we may rejoice in hope, we may even poffefs an affured hope. But let not him who hath put on his harnefs, boaft as though he had put it off. We are yet in an enemy's land, and know not what changes we may meet with, before cur warfare is finished.

3. How far our affurance is folid may be estimated by the effects. It will surely make us humble, fpiritual, peaceful and patient. I pity those who talk confidently of their hope, as if they were out of the reach of doubts and fears, while their tempers are unfanctified, and their hearts are visibly attached to the love of the prefent world. I fear they know but little of what they say. I am better pleased when perfons, of this character, complain of doubts and darkness. It proves at least that they are not destitute of feeling, nor, as yet, lulled into a spirit of careless fecurity. And there are profeffors, whom, instead of endeavouring to comfort in 1 Kings xx. II.

*

their prefent ftate, I would rather wish to make still more suspicious of themselves, than they are; till they are convinced of the impoffibility of enjoying true peace, while their hearts are divided between God and the world. For though fanctification is not the ground of a good hope, it is the certain concomitant of it. If it be true, that without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord *, it must likewife be true, that without holinefs no man can have a scriptural, and well-founded hope, of seeing him.

4. But to give a direct answer to the enquiry, How fhall I know that he is my Re deemer? I may use the prophet's words, Then fhall ye know, if you follow on to know the Lord. Our names are not actually inferted in the Bible, but our characters are described there. He is the Redeemer of all who put their trust in him.

You will not

trust in him, unless you feel your need of him; you cannot, unless you know him, as he is revealed in the word; you do not, unlefs you love him, and are devoted to his cause and service. If you know yourself to be a finner deferving to perish, if you fee + Hof. vi. 3.

* Heb. xii. 14. VOL. II.

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and little, as we are able to bear them; and if, as we advance in the knowledge of ourfelves, and of our dangers, our knowledge of the unfearchable riches of Chrift, advances equally, we may rejoice in hope, we may even poffefs an affured hope. But let not him who hath put on his harness, boast as though he had put it off *. We are yet in an enemy's land, and know not what changes we may meet with, before cur warfare is finished.

3. How far our affurance is folid may be estimated by the effects. It will surely make us humble, spiritual, peaceful and patient. I pity those who talk confidently of their hope, as if they were out of the reach of doubts and fears, while their tempers are unfanctified, and their hearts are visibly attached to the love of the prefent world. I fear they know but little of what they fay. I am better pleafed when perfons, of this character, complain of doubts and darkness. It proves at least that they are not destitute of feeling, nor, as yet, lulled into a spirit of careless fecurity. And there are profeffors, whom, instead of endeavouring to comfort in 1 Kings xx. 11.

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