Of ASSURANCE

1. Are not justification, adoption, and sanctification pregnant with many blessings?

Yes: their name may well be called GAD, Genesis 30:11 for troops of blessings attend them; some in this life, some at death, and the best of all in the life to come.

2. What are the benefits which do flow from them in this life?

There are five of them mentioned in the answer, namely, assurance of God’s love; Romans 5:5 peace of conscience; Romans 5:1 joy in the Holy Ghost; Romans 14:17 increase of grace; Proverbs 4:18 and perseverance therein to the end. 1 Peter 1:5

3. Which of these benefits flow from a sight and sense of justification, adoption, and sanctification?

[Assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost.]

4. Which of them belong to the being of a justified, adopted, and sanctified state?

[Increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.]

5. Do all justified, adopted, and sanctified persons, enjoy assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, at all times?

Though they have them radically in their justification, adoption, and sanctification, yet they have not always the sensible possession of them, but are frequently filled with doubts and fears about their gracious state.

6. Whence is it, that they who have assurance, peace, and joy in the root, have not always the sensible possession of these benefits?

This flows sometimes from a sovereign cause in God, to keep down a spirit of pride after special manifestations; 2 Corinthians 12:7 and sometimes from a sinful cause in believers; such as, untenderness in their walk, Isaiah 59:2 resting upon a manifestation, Luke 9:33–34 or quenching the kindly motions and operations of the Spirit. Ephesians 4:30

7. Whether is it the assurance of sense, or the assurance of faith, that is mentioned in this answer?

It is the assurance of sense, or the sensible [assurance of God’s love.]

8. What is the difference betwixt the assurance of faith and the assurance of sense?

The object of the assurance of faith is Christ in the promise: James 2:23 but the object of the assurance of sense is Christ formed in the soul: 2 Timothy 2:12 or, which is the same thing, the assurance of faith is grounded on the infallible word of God, who cannot lie; but the assurance of sense upon the person’s present experience of the communications of divine love.

9. How may assurance of God’s love be said to [accompany or flow from justification]?

In so far as therein we see his love to us, in pardoning our sins, and receiving us into his favour.

10. How may it be said to accompany or flow from [adoption]?

In so far as therein we see his love to us, in bringing us into his family, and pitying us, like as a father pitieth his children.

11. How may it be said to accompany or flow from [sanctification]?

In so far as therein we see his love to us, in killing our corruptions, and quickening his graces.

12. How do you prove that the sensible assurance of God’s love is attainable?

From the command to give diligence to attain it: 2 Peter 1:10 and from its being actually attained by many of the saints; such as, Job, Job 19:25–26 David, Psalm 73:26 Paul, 2 Timothy 4:7–8 and many others.

13. How are the saints brought unto this privilege?

Sometimes by a track of holy and self-denied diligence in the way of commanded duty; Isaiah 32:17 and sometimes by the Spirit itself, bearing witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God. Romans 8:16

14. What may afford comfort to a believer, when, at any time, he loses this assurance?

That the covenant stands fast with Christ; Psalm 89:28 that the love of God is invariably the same; Zephaniah 3:17 and that he will, in his own time, return with wonted loving kindness. Isaiah 54:7–8

15. What is incumbent on believers for recovering the assurance of God’s love, when they have lost the present sense of it?

To be humbled for sin, as the procuring cause of the Lord’s departure; Psalm 40:12 to justify God, and condemn themselves; Daniel 9:7–8 and to wait, in the exercise of prayer and fasting, for the returns of his love. Isaiah 8:17

16. Of what advantage to believers, is the assurance of God’s love?

It animates to the practice of every commanded duty; Psalm 119:32 it supports under all trials and afflictions; Psalm 23:4 and it fills the soul with the love of God, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

17. How may we know if we have the well-grounded assurance of God’s love?

If it flow from faith acted on Christ in the promise; Ephesians 1:13 if it fill the soul with an humble and holy wondering at the condescending goodness of God; 2 Samuel 7:18 and if it beget ardent desires after nearer conformity to God here, and the full enjoyment of him hereafter. 1 John 3:2–3

18. What is the difference betwixt a true assurance of God’s love, and a false and presumptuous confidence?

True assurance makes a man more humble and self-denied; Galatians 2:19–20 but presumptuous confidence puffeth up with spiritual pride and self-conceit: 2 Kings 10:15–16 the one excites to the practice of every commanded duty; Psalm 119:32 but the other encourages sloth and indolence: Luke 11:21 the man who has true assurance, wants to be searched and tried as to the reality thereof; Psalm 26:1–2 but they who are stuffed with presumptuous confidence hate the light, neither come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved. John 3:20