and affectionately to be, calling on others to praise and extol him, I thought it deserved a more particular consideration.

No Christian will make it an argument against a person, that he seems to have such a disposition. Nor can it reasonably be looked upon as an evidence for a person, if those things that have been already observed and proved, be duly considered, viz. that persons, without grace, may have high affections towards God and Christ, and that their affections, being strong, may fill their mouths, and incline them to speak much, and very earnestly, about the things they are affected with, and that there may be counterfeits of all kinds of gracious affection. But it will appear more evidently and directly, that this is no certain sign of grace, if we consider what instances the scripture gives us of it in those that were graceless. We often have an account of this, in the multitude that were present when Christ preached and wrought miracles; Mark ii. 12. And immediately he arose, took up his bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. So Matth. ix. 8. and Luke v. 26. Also Matth. xv. 31. Insomuch that the multitude wondered w they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. So we are told, that on occasion of Christ's raising the son of the widow of Nain, Luke vii. 16. There came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. So we read of their glorifying Christ, or speaking exceeding highly of him, Luke iv. 15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And how did they praise him with loud voices, crying, Hosanna to the Son of David; Hosanna in the highest ; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, a little before he was crucified! And after Christ's ascension, when the apostles had healed the impotent man, we are told, that all men glorified God for that which was done, Acts iv. 21. -When the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia, heard from Paul and Barnabas, that God would reject the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his people in their room, they were affected with this goodness of God to the Gentiles, and glorified the word of the Lord; but all that did so were not true believers; but only a certain elect number of them; as is intimated in the account we have of it, Acts xiii. 48. And

when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. So of old the children of Israel at the Red Sea, sang God's praise; but soon forgat his works. And the Jews in Ezekiel's time, with their mouth shewed much love, while their heart went after their covetousness. And it is foretold of false professors, and real enemies of religion, that they should shew a forwardness to glorify God; Isa. lxvi. 5. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified.

It is no certain sign that a person is graciously affected, if, in the midst of his hopes and comforts, he is greatly affected with God's unmerited mercy to him that is so unworthy, and seems greatly to extol and magnify free grace. Those that yet remain with unmortified pride and enmity against God, may, when they imagine that they have received extraordinary kindness from God, cry out of their unworthiness, and magnify God's undeserved goodness to them, from no other conviction of their ill-deservings, and from no higher principle than Saul had, who, while he yet remained with unsubdued pride and enmity against David, was brought, though a king, to acknowledge his unworthiness, and cry out, I have played the fool, I have erred exceed-ingly, and with great affection and admiration, to magnify and extol David's unmerited and unexampled kindness to him, 1 Sam. xxv. 16,-19. and xxvi. 21.: and from no higher principle than that from whence Nebuchadnezzar was affected with God's dispensations, that he saw and was the subject of, and praises, extols and honours the King of heaven; and both he, and Darius, in their high affections, call upon all nations to praise God, Dan. iii. 28, 29, 30... and iv. 1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37. and vi. 25, 26, 27.

XI. It is no sign that affections are right, or that they are wrong, that they make persons that have them exceeding confident that what they experience is divine, and that they are in a good estate.

It is an argument with some against persons, that they are deluded if they pretend to be assured of their good estate, and to be carried beyond all doubting of the favour of God; supposing that there is no such thing to be expected in the

church of God, as a full and absolute assurance of hope; unless it be in some very extraordinary circumstances; as in the case of martyrdom: contrary to the doctrine of Protestants, which has been maintained by their most celebrated writers against the Papists; and contrary to the plainest scripture-evidence. It is manifest, that it was a common thing for the saints, that we have a history or particular account of in scripture, to be assured. God, in the plainest and most positive manner, revealed and testified his special favour to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Daniel, and others. Job often speaks of his sincerity and uprightness with the greatest imaginable confidence and assurance, often calling God to witness to it; and says plainly, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall see him for myself, and not another, Job xix. 25, &c. David, throughout the book of Psalms, almost every where speaks without any hesitancy, and in the most positive manner, of God as his God: glorying in him as his portion and heritage, his rock and confidence, his shield, salvation, and high tower, and the like. Hezekiah appeals to God, as one that knew that he had walked before him in truth, and with a perfect heart, 2 Kings xx. 3. Jesus Christ, in his dying discourse with his eleven disciples, in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of John, (which was as it were Christ's last will and testament to his disciples, and to his whole church), often declares his special and everlasting love to them, in the plainest and most positive terms; and promises them a future participation with him in his glory, in the most absolute manner; and tells them, at the same time, that he does so, to the end that their joy might be full; John xv. 11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. See also, at the conclusion of his whole discourse, chap. xvi. 33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Christ was not afraid of speaking too plainly and positively to them; he did not desire to hold them in the least suspence. And he concluded that last discourse of his with a prayer in their presence, wherein he speaks positively to his Father of those eleven disciples, as having all of them savingly known him, and believed in him, and received and kept his word; and that they were not of the world; and

that for their sakes he sanctified himself; and that his will was, that they should be with him in his glory and tells his Father, that he spake these things in his prayer, to the end that his joy might be fulfilled in them, verse 13. By these things it is evident, that it is agreeable to Christ's designs, and the contrived ordering and disposition Christ makes of things in his church, that there should be sufficient and abundant provision made, that his saints might have full assurance of their future glory.

The apostle Paul, through all his epistles, speaks in an assured strain; ever speaking positively of his special relation to Christ, his Lord, and Master, and Redeemer, and his interest in, and expectation of the future reward. It would be endless to take notice of all places that might be enumerated; I shall mention but three or four: Gal. ii. 20. Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Phil. i. 21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 2 Tim. i. 12. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day.

And the nature of the covenant of grace, and God's declared ends in the appointment and constitution of things in that covenant, do plainly shew it to be God's design to make ample provision for the saints having an assured hope of eternal life, while living here upon earth. For so are all things ordered and contrived in that covenant, that every thing might be made sure on God's part. The covenant is ordered in all things and sure: the promises are most full, and very often repeated, and various ways exhibited; and there are many witnesses, and many seals; and God has confirmed his promises with an oath. And God's declared design in all this is, that the heirs of the promises might have an undoubting hope, and full joy, in an assurance of their future glory. Heb. vi. 17, 18. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have

strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. But all this would be in vain, to any such purpose, as the saints strong consolation, and hope of their obtaining future glory, if their interest in those sure promises in ordinary cases was not attainable. For God's promises and oaths, let them be as sure as they will, cannot give strong hope and comfort to any particular person, any further than he can know that those promises are made to him. And in vain is provision made in Jesus Christ, that believers might be perfect as pertaining to the conscience, as is signified Heb. ix. 9. if assurance of freedom from the guilt of sin is not attainable.

It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary cases, but all Christians are directed to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Peter i. 5,—8. And it is spoken of as a thing very unbecoming of Christians, and an argument of something very blameable in them, not to know whether Christ be in them or no, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Κποτυ ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? And it is implied, that it is an argument of a very blameable negligence in Christians, if they practise Christianity after such a manner as to remain uncertain of the reward, in that 1 Cor. ix. 26. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly. And to add no more, it is manifest, that Christians knowing their interests in the saving benefits of Christianity is a thing ordinarily attainable, because the apostles tell us by what means Christians (and not only apostles and martyrs) were wont to know this; 1 Cor. ii. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And 1 John ii. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. And ver. 5. Hereby know we that we are in him. Chap. iii. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. ver. 19. Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. ver. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. So chap. iv. 13. and chap. v. 2. and ver. 19. Therefore it must needs be very unreasonable to determine, that persons are hypocrites, and their affections wrong, because they seem to be out of doubt of their own salvation,

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