the heart on JESUS CHRIST, or a trufting in him for righteoufnefs, life, and falvation.

It is likewife evident from Scripture, and matter of fact, that many true believers, whose faith is proved by their works, have not the affurance of the pardon of their fins, nor the certain knowledge of their personal interest in Chrift, and yet they depend upon him only.

It is true, be that believeth bath the witness in bimfelf; which witness is the record that God gave of his Son, And what that is, the Apostle immediately tells us, in the next words; this, faith he, is the record, or witnefs, that God hath given to us ́eternal life, and this life is in his Son: fo that this witness is the thing witnessed; and is the very fame with that eternal life which God hath given us in his Son, and which is in all believers. But every be liever doth not affuredly know that he hath it, as is plain from the following words; for the Apostle adds, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God, that je MAY KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Here 'tis plain that these perfons did believe in CHRIST, and had eternal life in them,

1 John v. ro.

and

and yet did not know it: But he writes thus unto them that they might know it, and to prevent their being feduced, and led away with the errors of thofe falfe and feducing teachers, who denied that believers had compleat and eternal falvation given to them of GOD, in CHRIST JESUS.

It is certain that every one who heareth CHRIST's word, and believeth on him that fent him, bath ever lafting life, (which I conceive is the witness, or teftimony above-mentioned) and fhall not come into condemnation, but is paffed from death unto life": but every one who hath this witness in himself is not affured of it, or doth not know that he hath it. In the Scripture indeed he reads, and thereby may know that eternal life is given to him in CHRIST thro' faith: but he cannot be fully fatiffied in himself that he hath this faith of God's elect, and confequently hath eternal life abiding in him, fave by the power of the HOLY GHOST Atrengthning his foul in believing, or bearing witness with his fpirit that he is a child of God. -But here

he

fome one may object alfo, and fay, Can a man be regenerated, or have faith in CHRIST, and not know it? I will answer this queftion by afking another: Can a man be an unbeliever, and under the wrath of GOD, and not know it? The latter is certain,

John v. 24.

-There

certain, and why not the former also ? are many carnal perfons and infidels who have no certain knowledge of their being under the wrath and curfe of GOD, altho' they frequently hear and read God's word, which declares them to be so: But when God's wrath, which is revealed from heaven in his word, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, is by the Spirit alfo revealed in their confcience, they then know, and feel it in truth; yea, they cannot but know it.—In like manner, there are many Chriftians that truly believe in CHRIST, and are accepted in GoD's fight by the faith of him, who are not certified of it in their own minds, and confciences; but are in doubt concerning it, and fear left it should not be fo, especially in times of temptations, and when indwelling fin discovers itself with much deceit and power: But when the Spirit of GOD, which helps their infirmities, and ftrengthens their inward man in believing on Jefus, and especially when he makes a difcovery of God's love to them in CHRIST, hedding it abroad in their hearts, they are then fatisfied, and know affuredly the love that God hath to them, and that they themselves love God because he bath firft loved them. Which large communications of GOD's fpecial love to our fouls, that our joy may be full, the Scripture teacheth us not to expect until, after being juftified by faith, we have known that

tri

pa

tribulation, which worketh patience; and that tience, which worketh experience; and that experience, which worketh hope, thro' the power of

the HOLY GHOST *.

The wicked are faid to be like the troubled fea when it cannot reft. But this is far from being always their cafe in the felt fenfe and certain knowJedge of it.

1

On the contrary, the rest and joy of believers is faid to be great and glorious; but, do they always know, and feel it to be thus? By no means; for fometimes they have no rest in their flesh, by reafon of their fint, and their fpirit is overwhelmed within them. If the Lord hideth his face, they are troubled and when the Comforter which fhould comfort their hearts is far from them, or not perceived by his enlivening and gracious influences to be near unto them; they are troubled on every fide: without are fightings, and within are fears.

Thus fome perfons have reprefented faith not to ith no be a believing what God hath revealed, and caufed to be written in his word: but a believing that GOD is reconciled to them in CHRIST, and hath for

Rom, X13, 4, 5; Pfal. xxxviii. 3.

given

Pfal

exlii. 3.

given them all trefpaffes; which is not written in God's word concerning any that believe not, nor promised to any one but to them that believe only: nor can any perfon truly know it of himfelf until he hath believed, and then alfo he is certified of it, not by faith only, but by the power of the Holy Ghoft, thro' faith.

Some perfons believe that their fins are pardoned, that God hath made a faving change, and wrought a good work in them, when it is far otherwife; and fome there are who think, or at least are afraid that they are not true believers, and that GOD is not their GoD, at the fame time that they are new creatures in CHRIST, and followers of GOD as his dear children. Thus many are in fear concerning the state of their fouls, when there is no just cause for that fear; and, on the other hand, others are confident of the safety of their state, and have no fear about it, when there is great caufe for their being afraid that their faith is but fancy, because it brings not forth fruit unto God.

It is certain that GOD makes a faving change, and works a good work in the minds, and hearts of all those that are faved: But the fure and undoubted knowledge of this change is not that grace which the Scripture calls faith; nor doth it necef

farily