ing it, must, to be consistent, say, that from the time of their regeneration they have absolutely known that they were Christians. But if it is not true that all Christians must necessarily know they are Christians,' we have reason to fear, that many of those who profess to know themselves Christians are deceived. Their deception, then, has most probably grown out of this erroneous opinion.How pernicious, therefore, must this opinion be.

This error leads, on the other hand, to needless and distressing despondency. While native corruption fosters self-ignorance, self-conceit, pride, and arrogance; grace produces self-acquaintance and humility, and thence self-distrust. And when, by regenerating grace, men are brought to "know every one the plague of his own heart," and to know that this heart is "deceitful above all things;" and when deeply humbled at the sight of it, they are very distrustful of themselves. Nay, many newborn souls are jealous, and suspicious of themselves even to excess. Now, with such a temper of mind, how difficult will it be for them to believe at once and without doubt, that they are the objects of God's approving love and saving grace. And if such are made to believe, that saving faith consists in their believing that God loves them, and designs to save them-Christ is theirs, and that therefore they shall assuredly be saved, how will they be distressed, because they cannot have this full and undoubting confidence in the favour of God? With their deep sense of guilt and unworthiness, how difficult will it be for them to exercise this appropriating faith; yet in proportion to their sense of

guilt and unworthiness, will be their desire of salvation. How painful, then, will be their persuasion that they cannot exercise the faith by which alone they can be saved?

Equal distress will it give them, to believe that they cannot be Christians without knowing it.They will say within themselves, "I cannot be a Christian, for I do not know that what I have experienced is a saving change of heart. I must look for something more wonderful and striking than any thing that I have experienced." This is not uncommon language; especially with those whose conversion is not so clear and striking as that of others. The writer has often heard it; and probably many of his readers have heard it also; and heard it too, from those who manifest, both by conversation and conduct, that they are the regenerated followers of Christ. There are many despise the day of small things." They are looking for something great, something that will be so plain an evidence that they can no longer doubt their regeneration and they do so, because they suppose that they can have no evidence, but certain, irresistible evidence. And thus they go on in painful despondency for months, perhaps for

years.

"who

How much painful despondency is then occasioned by a belief of this erroneous opinion: despondency not only painful but needless. Needless, because, if they did not believe that saving faith consisted in a vague, indescribable, yet bold and unhesitating confidence, that they should be saved; nor yet that a change of heart was of such

a nature, that none could have it without knowing it; but believed on the contrary, that the question whether they are Christians or not, 'rests on the nature of the exercises of their own hearts;' and that these exercises needed to be examined, and carefully examined, before they can know whether they are Christians :-Were such their belief, instead of sitting down heartless and hopeless, they would proceed to self-examination; and self-examination, if thorough, would soon lead to a joyful and assured hope that they had passed from death unto life.

I trust that the reader is now convinced, that the opinion that saints must of necessity know they are saints, is FALSE, is HURTFUL, and DANGEROUS; and that he is therefore guarded against its pernicious effects. I would hope too, that he is prepared for the inquiries, whether the full Assurance of Hope is Attainable? and, How it is to be obtained? To these inquiries let us then proceed.

CHAPTER II.

FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE SHOWN TO BE ATTAINABLE.

THE question whether it be possible for saints to gain a Full Assurance that they are in a state of salvation, has long been a matter of dispute. It was one point of controversy in the great Reformation. The possibility of attaining to this Assurance, the Papists denied; and the Reformers asserted and supported it. [See Calvin's Institutes, Book iii. Chap. 2.]

In later times too, and even down to the present day, it has been a subject of dispute. The grounds of the controversy, however, are considerably different from that occupied in the Reformation. The Papists resting their expectations of salvation on their own works, denied that Assurance was possible, because it was not possible for a man to know that he should do good works enough to secure salvation. The Reformers, resting their expecta tions of salvation on the grace of God received by faith in Christ, affirmed that this assurance was possible, because God was unchanging in his designs and promises of grace. But the point now in question is, whether we can know that we have secured this unchanging grace of God? Whether we have that faith on condition, of which God promises salvation? Whether we are those saints whom, in his unchanging purpose, God desigus to save?

The possibility of gaining the Full Assurance of Hope, is asserted in the Ecclesiastic Standards of

most denominations, who are considered Calvinistic. It makes a part of the "Larger Catechism," adopted by that noted "Assembly of Divines," who met at Westminster, in the year 1643; as will appear from the following quotations.

"Question 80.-Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and that they shall persevere therein unto salvation!

"Answer. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all good conscience before him, may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God's promises, and by the Spirit enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which the promises of life are made, and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God, be infallibly assured, that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation.

66 Quest. 81.-Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?

"Ans. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith, true believers may wait long before they obtain it; and after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions: yet are they never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God, as keeps them from sinking into utter despair."

This Catechism is adopted by several Protestant churches, and this doctrine makes, therefore, one article in their several Creeds. Such is especially