how us the power of divine grace, and the efficacy of the inter cession of Christ Jesus. He prayed for Peter that his faith might not fail. And this was effectual for his recovery from these back sliding enormities.

Moreover, Peter had great experience of sorrow and genuine repentance, so that he was hereby fitted in a special manner to encourage weak christians, and preach the doctrine of pressing after assurance. He had received this in commandment from his master, That when he should be converted," that is recovered from his falls, "he should strengthen his brethren."

They are cha

The persons to whom the Apostle gives this exhortation, were not graceless or unconverted sinners, but they were such who were in favour with God and united to Christ. racterized thus in the verses preceding our text. tained "like precious faith, had a saving knowledge; they had a "divine power in all things pertaining to life and godliness; they

They had ob

had exceeding great and precious promises, were partakers of "a divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the "world through lust." From all these considerations, he deduces this conclusion, "Wherefore the rather brethren, give all dili "gence to make your calling and election sure." He addresses them by the tender appellation of brethren, because many of them, being Jews, were his brethren according to the flesh, and all of them were brethren in the common salvation as children of the same heavenly Father, and heirs of the same inheritance :"Give all diligence," that is, be earnest, sincere, sedulous, faithful and persevering to accomplish this important purpose. By the word calling, here is meant effectual calling, or conversion, grace and sanctification. By election is intended the chosen and favourites of God. These things we are to make sure. We are to endeavour after scriptural evidences of grace in our souls, and this is the only way in which we can obtain the comfortable hope that we are the elect of God.

Various observations from these words might be usefully considered, but the single one to which your attention is invited at present, is this,

That assurance of grace, or a satisfying and comfortable hope that we are in peace and friendship with God, united to Christ Jesus by faith, and interested in the promises of eternal life, is attainable by christians in this world.

All the measure of time that a pulpit discoure will admit, can be nothing more than

First, To make a few remarks for the explanation of the doctrine of assurance; and

Secondly, Produce some of the arguments in favour of its confirmation.

First, We are to make some remarks explanatory, and illustra tive of this doctrine.

The First remark is, That a gospel assurance cannot be acquired by any Christless or unconverted sinner, while continuing such, Graceless persons may arrive at strange things in religion. This has been the case of wild enthusiasts in modern, and pharisees in ancient times. All these have enjoyed the highest assurance, but by our Lord's doctrine, were farther from the kingdom of heaven than harlots and sinners. To have a persuasion of being the the distinguished favourites of heaven without any foundation, is the worst state in the world. View his account of the Pharisees, stony ground hearers, Laodicean church, &c. they had assurance, but it was all delusion. All impulses, fancies, and unscriptural persuasions will only usher their unhappy possessors into ruin. A gospel assurance always arises from reason, light and evidence. No person can receive comfort, hope and satisfaction, only from proper evidence. As far as his pleasures deviate from this, they are unfounded. It is impossible, in the nature of things, for any persen to believe any matter or fact farther than he has just evi

dence thereof. I know our wishes, desires, and passions hurry us into the delusive belief of many things, of which we are afterwards ashamed. All these things are comprehended by scripture phrase, in a false hope, which will perish, with the subject of it. As no unbeliever can be saved, therefore, no assurance, not founded in faith and love, can yield the consolation which God affords his people.

Secondly, We remark, that though assurance is a peculiarity appropriated solely to the children of God; yet all those who are converted and sanctified, do not enjoy it. As there are persons of several ranks, orders and degrees in the world, so there are of several ages, from the infant of the day, to the man loaded with years bending into the grave. Thus, in the church, there are fathers, young men, children and babes, All have true faith, yet all have not equal evidences of grace. It is true the promises of the covenant are sure to all who have faith, and they are not confined to the evidences of it. Those who have grace, though destitute of assurance, eternal life is as certain to them as to any others, However certain their state may be in reality, yet without evidence of grace, they can have no sweet consolation.We remark,

Thirdly, When we speak of assurance in a gracious state, we do not mean an absolute perfect assurance, or an assurance that can admit of no further evidence. This is the sole property of heaven. Perfect creatures have perfect assurances, but imperfect creatures must submit to those measures of satisfaction, hope and comfort, of which the various degrees of their imperfection admit. Assurance, like all other graces and virtues in this life, is imperfect, yet the christian may arrive at much joy, peace and consolation in believing.

Fourthly, By assurance is not meant exemption from all manner of doubts and fears. These may and do take place in this embodied state in a way not easily accounted for.

Suppose a person

not used to such an elevation, to have ascended into the high tow er of a lofty steeple, within the banisterades, and feels assurance he cannot fall, yet looking over the battlements fills him with fear and doubt, and he falls back from the sight. While he looks to the sky, no terrors trouble him; but when he casts his eyes over the railing, and views his distance from the ground, his heart trembles, his face gathers paleness, and he flies from the view. Thus it is with the christian, while he looks to heaven, and the eye of faith is fixed on things invisible and eternal, his hope, his expectation, his comforts are strong; but when he turns his eyes downwards and contemplates the abyss of destruction, notwithstanding all the securities of the covenant of grace, and the firm bannisterade of all the promises, his heart misgives him, and fears and doubts arise in his soul.

weight more than the really the heaviest, as if Thus it is with holy and

Fifthly, Let it be remarked, that it is proper and christian assurance, which usually and habitually prevails over diffidence, desponding doubts, and irrational fears. Where two scales of a ballance, the one having only an ounce other, yet the one descends and is as weighed down by an hundred weight. gracious souls. If they have so much grace as raises them above irrationable fears and doubts, and affords them a prevailing hope, they may be said to have a measure of assurance; the greater their increase of grace, the greater will be their satisfaction, and the stronger their hopes. Those who experience much faith and love, their hearts will be filled with joy and comfort, that they are the children of God. In order to assurance, it is necessary to keep up an holy frame, and maintain a savoury conversation and a godly practice. When the christian becomes cold, formal, neglects his watch, and deviates from the path of duty, what can be expected but that his hopes must languish, his comforts vanish, and fears and doubts arise. David, when he went off into evil courses, "the terros of the Lord made him distracted." So our Apostle, after having given way to temptation," he went out

and wept bitterly." God has wisely ordered things, that when we depart from him, we should lose our comfort; and while we walk with him, we may go on our way rejoiceing.

These things being said, explaining the nature of assurance, we are lead to the

Second thing, to wit, To evince the truth of the doctrine, that assurance of grace is attainable by all true believers in this life.

This is established from the whole current of the sacred oracles. All the scripture saints, of whose experiences we have any particular retail were favoured with this grace, though not at all times. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, &c. had no doubt of their being in peace with God. David declares this matter in the most positive terms. "Bless the Lord, O my "soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who redeemeth thy life "from destruction." This supposes, he had obtained satisfaction on this head.

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Job in all his calamities, and in the face of the cruel assertions of bis friends, is an eminent instance hereof. "I know says he, my "Redeemer liveth, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes "shall behold and not another." The blessed Jesus often administers this consolation to his disciples. "These things have I "spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. These things have I spoken unto you, "that in me ye might have peace; in the world, ye shall have tri"bulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Thus it appears there is abundant provision made for the consolation of all the friends of Jesus. St. Paul declares his consolation throughout all his letters to the churches. "I know in whom I "have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that "which I have committed to him, against that day. Christ liv"eth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith 4 of the Son of God. For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain.