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save him； and seeing no other way of succour but that； ventures his
life upon it。 This man； so soon as he has fastened on this bough； is in
a safe condition； though all troubles； fears； and terrors are not
presently out of his mind； until he es to himself； and sees himself
quite out of danger。 Then he is sure he is safe； but he was safe before
he was sure。 Even so it is with a believer。 Faith is but the espying of
Christ as the only means to save； and the reaching out of the heart to
lay hold upon Him。 God hath spoke the word； and made the promise to His
Son： I believe Him to be the only Saviour； and remit my soul to Him to
be saved by His mediation。 So soon as the soul can do this； God
imputeth the righteousness of His Son unto it； and it is actually
justified in the court of heaven； though it is not presently quieted
and pacified in the court of conscience。 That is done afterwards： in
some sooner； in some later； by the fruits and effects of
justification。〃Archbishop Usher's 〃Body of Divinity。〃 1670。
（21） 〃There are those who doubt； because they doubt； and multiply
distrust upon itself； concluding that they have no faith； because they
find so much and so frequent doubting within them。 But this is a great
mistake。 Some doublings there may be； where there is even much faith；
and a little faith there may be； where there is much doubting。
〃Our Saviour requires； and delights in a strong； firm believing on Him；
though the least and weakest He rejects not。〃Archbishop Leighton's
Lectures on the first nine chapters of St。 Matthew's Gospel。 1670。
（22） 〃Many formerly； and those of the highest remark and eminency； have
placed true faith in no lower degree than assurance； or the secure
persuasion of the pardon of their sins； the acceptation of their
persons； and their future salvation。
〃But this； as it is very sad and unfortable for thousands of
doubting and deserted souls； concluding all those to fall short of
grace who fall short of certainty； so hath it given the Papists too
great advantage。
〃Faith is not assurance。 But this doth sometimes crown and reward a
strong； vigorous and heroic faith； the Spirit of God breaking in upon
the soul with an evidencing light； and scattering all that darkness；
and those fears and doubts which before beclouded it。〃Bishop Hopkins
on the Covenants。 1680。
（23） 〃A want of assurance is not unbelief。 Drooping spirits may be
believers。 There is a manifest distinction made between faith in
Christ； and the fort of that faithbetween believing to eternal
life； and knowing we have eternal life。 There is a difference between a
child's having a right to an estate； and his full knowledge of the
title。
〃The character of faith may be written in the heart； as letters
engraven upon a seal； yet filled with so much dust as not to be
distinguished。 The dust hinders the reading of the letters； yet doth
not raze them out。〃Discourses by Stephen Charnock； of Emmanuel
College； Cambridge。 1680。
（24） 〃Some rob themselves of their own fort by placing saving faith
in full assurance。 Faith； and sense of faith； are two distinct and
separable mercies； you may have truly received Christ； and not receive
the knowledge or assurance of it。 Some there be that say； Thou art our
God；' of whom God never said； You are my people'； these have no
authority to be called the sons of God： others there are； of whom God
saith； These are my people；' yet they dare not call God their God'；
these have authority to be called the sons of God； yet know it not。
They have received Christ； that is their safety； but they have not yet
received the knowledge and assurance of it； that is their
trouble。 。 。 。 The father owns his child in the cradle； who yet knows
him not to be his father。〃Method of Grace； by John Flavel； Minister
of the Gospel at Dartmouth； Devon。 1680。
（25） 〃It is confessed weak faith hath as much peace with God； through
Christ； as another hath by strong faith； but not so much bosom peace。
〃Weak faith will as surely land the Christian in heaven as strong
faith； for it is impossible the least dram of true grace should perish；
being all incorruptible seed； but the weak； doubting Christian is not
like to have so pleasant a voyage thither as another with strong faith。
Though all in the ship e safe to shore； yet he that is all the way
sea…sick hath not so fortable a voyage as he that is strong and
healthful。〃The Christian in plete Armour； by William Gurnall；
sometime Ejector of Lavenham； Suffolk。 1680。
（26） 〃Be not discouraged if it doth not yet appear to you that you were
given by the Father to the Son。 It may be； though you do not see it。
Many of the given do not for a long time know it； yea； I see no great
danger in saying that not a few of the given to the Son may be in
darkness； and doubts； and fears about it； till the last and brightest
day declare it； and till the last sentence proclaims it。
〃If； therefore； any of you be in the dark about your own election； be
not discouraged： it may be； though you do not know it。〃Sermons on the
Lord's Prayer； by Robert Traill； Minister of the Gospel； in London； and
sometime at Cranbrook； Kent。 1690。
（27） 〃Assurance is not essential to the being of faith。 It is a strong
faith； but we read likewise of a weak faith； little faith； faith like a
grain of mustard seed。 True saving faith in Jesus Christ is only
distinguishable by its different degrees； but in every degree and in
every subject； it is universally of the same kind。〃Sermons； by the
Key。 John Newton； sometime Vicar of Olney； and Rector of St。 Mary；
Woolnoth； London。 1767。
（28） 〃There is no reason why weak believers should conclude against
themselves。 Weak faith unites as really with Christ as strong faithas
the least bud in the vine is drawing sap and life from the root； no
less than the strongest branch。 Weak believers； therefore； have
abundant cause to be thankful； and while they reach after growth in
grace； ought not to overlook what they have already received。〃Letter
of Rev。 Henry Venn。 1784。
（29） 〃The faith necessary and sufficient for our salvation is not
assurance。 Its tendency doubtless is to produce that lively expectation
of the Divine favour which will issue in a full confidence。 But the
confidence is not itself the faith of which we speak； nor is it
necessarily included in it： nay； it is a totally distinct thing。
〃Assurance will generally acpany a high degree of faith。 But there
are sincere persons who are endued with only small measures of grace；
or in whom the exercise of that grace may be greatly obstructed。 When
such defects or hindrances prevail； many fears and distresses may be
expected to arise。〃The Christian System； by the Rev。 Thomas Robinson；
Vicar of St。 Mary's； Leicester。 1795。
（30） 〃Salvation； and the joy of salvation； are not always
contemporaneous； the latter does not always acpany the former in
present experience。
〃A sick man may be under a process of recovery； and yet be in doubt
concerning the restoration of his health。 Pain and weakness may cause
him to hesitate。 A child may be heir to Ms estate or kingdom； and yet
derive no joy from the prospect of his future inheritance。 He may be
unable to trace his genealogy； or to read his title…deeds； and the
testament of his father； or with a capacity of reading them he may be
unable to understand their import； and his guardian may for a time deem
it right to suffer him to remain in ignorance。 But his ignorance does
not affect the validity of his title。
〃Personal assurance of salvation is not necessarily connected with
faith。 They are not essentially the same。 Every believer might indeed
infer； from the effect produced in his own heart； his own safety and
privileges； but many who truly believe are unskilful in the word of
righteousness； and fail of drawing the conclusion from Scriptural
premises which they would be justified in drawing。〃Lectures on the
51st Psalm； by the Rev。 Thomas Biddulph； Minister of St。 James's；
Bristol。 1830。 134
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＇19＇ 〃Full assurance that Christ hath delivered Paul from condemnation；
yea； so full and real as produceth thanksgiving and triumphing in
Christ； may and doth consist with plaints and outcries of a wretched
condition for the indwelling of the body of sin。〃Rutherford's Triumph
of Faith。 1645。
＇20＇ We do not vindicate every vain pretender to the witness of the
spirit'； we are aware that there are those in whose professions of
religion we can see nothing but their forwardness and confidence to
remend them。 But let us not reject any doctrine of revelation
through an over…anxious fear of consequences。〃Robinson's Christian
System。 〃True assurance is built upon a Scripture basis： presumption
hath no Scripture to show for its warrant； it is like a will without
seal and witnesses； which is null and void in law。 Presumption wants
both the witness of the Word and the seal of the Spirit。 Assurance
always keeps the heart in a lowly posture； but presumption is bred of
pride。 Feathers fly up； but gold descends； he who hath this golden
assurance； his heart descends in humility。〃Watson's Body of Divinity。
1650。 〃Presumption is joined with looseness of life； persuasion with a
tender conscience； that dares sin because it is sure； this dares not
for fear of losing assurance。 Persuasion will not sin； because it cost
her Saviour so dear； presumption will sin； because grace doth abound。
Humility is the way to heaven。 They that are proudly secure of their
going to heaven do not so often e thither as they that are afraid of
going to hell。〃Adams on Second Epistle of Peter。 1633。
＇21＇ 〃They are quite mistaken that think faith and humility are
inconsistent； they not only agree well together； but they cannot be
parted。〃Traill。
＇22＇ 〃To be assured of our salvation；〃 Augustine saith； 〃is no arrogant
stoutness； it is our faith。 It is no pride； it is devotion。 It is no
presumption； it is God's promise。〃Bishop Jewell's Defence of the
Apology。 1570 〃If the ground of our assurance rested in and on
ourselves； it might justly be called presumption； but the Lord and the
power of His might being grounded thereof； they either know not what is
the might of His power； or else too lightly esteem it； who account
assured confidence thereon presumption。〃Gouge's Whole Armour of God。
1647。 〃Upon what ground is this certainty built？ Surely not upon
anything that is in us。 Our assurance of perseverance is grounded
wholly upon God。 If we look upon ourselves； we see cause of fear and
doubting； hut if we look up to God； we shall find cause enough for
assurance。〃Hildersam on John iv。 1632。 〃Our hope is not hung upon
such an untwisted thread as； I imagine so；' or It is likely'； but the
cable； the strong rope of our fastened anchor； is the oath and promise
of Him who is eternal verity。 Our salvation is fastened with God's own
hand； and Christ's own strength； to the strong stake of God's
unchangeable nature。〃Rutherford's Letters。 1637。
＇23＇ 〃Never did a believer in Jesus Christ die or drown in his voyage
to heaven。 They will all be found safe and sound with the Lamb on Mount
Zion。 Christ loseth none of them； yea； nothing of them。 （John vi。 39。）
Not a bone of a believer is to be seen in the field of battle。 They are
all more than conquerors through Him that loved them。〃 （Rom。 viii。
37。）Traill。
＇24＇ The reader who would like to hear more about this point is
referred to a Note at the end of this paper； in which he will find
extracts from several well…known English Divines； supporting the view
here maintained。 The extracts are too long for insertion in this page。
＇25＇ 〃He that believeth on Jesus shall never be