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fore an expression of the will of God. It is, then, his command. He commands us to "give diligence to the full assurance of hope;" that is, to use such a diligence as will result in this assurance.

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pet. i. 10. The "calling" here mentioned, cannot mean a 'common call,' or the general invitations of the Gospel; for none need use "diligence," to make it "sure," that he has such a call. It must, therefore, mean what theologians denominate Effectual calling, and which is spoken of in Rom. viii. 30; 2 Thess. ii. 14; and 2 Tim. i. 9. It includes no less than that renewing influence of the Spirit by which the sinner is brought to accept salvation.The command, then, to make our "calling" sure, is no less than a command to make it sure that we have accepted salvation. "Election" is God's "choosing us to eternal life through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." 2 Thess. ii. 13. Now, in order to bring this part of the passage to bear on our subject, we do not need to settle the much agitated questions, when the elect were chosen, whether "before the foundation of the world," or at the time of their accepting salvation? Neither, on what account they were chosen? whether "according to the good pleasure of his will?" or on account of their good works either done or foreseen? For in either case, nothing makes our election sure to us, but the assurance that we have been born again. The command to make our calling and election sure, is no less than a command to gain a full assurance of hope. How ample is the proof, then, that the full assurance of hope is attainable,

CHAPTER III.

SHOWING HOW THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE IS TO BE OBTAINED.

MANY seem to suppose that hope is entirely involuntary that whatever degree of it we have, whether a full assurance or the lowest degree of it, it must be produced in us without any resolution or exertion of our own: consequently, that we have no endeavours to make for the purpose of obtaining it; but have only to sit down and quietly wait, till God see fit to give it to us. Very different, however, is the account which the Scriptures give us of it. They tell us we have something to do in obtaining it; that we have much to do; yea, that we must be "diligent." Their directions are, "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet. i. 10. And "We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end." Heb. vi. 11. Hope, yea, the full assurance of hope, is an exercise of the understanding, and of the understanding alone.It is the judgment which the mind makes up concerning our own spiritual state: a judgment resting on certain evidences. Consequently it requires the exertion of the understanding to search out these evidences, and to make up the judgment upon them.

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The Scriptures do indeed tell us that, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God," Rom. viii. 16: that saints are "sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest (or pledge) of their inheritance," Eph.

i. 13, 14 and that God "hath sealed his saints, and given the earnest of the Spirit in their hearts." 2 Cor. i. 22. But these declarations of Scripture do not teach, as some suppose, that hope, or even assurance of hope, is produced by the immediate operations of the Spirit, and that therefore there is no need of exertions on the part of saints to obtain or to increase their hope. All the influence of the Spirit on man, is in perfect harmony with his free agency, and in no wise does it supersede the necessity of means. On the contrary, the object of the Spirit's operations is to give efficacy to means.But in the production of hope its operations are not so direct as in the production of love, faith, and other Christian graces. Though the Spirit produces these graces by the use of means, it produces them by a direct agency. But in the production of hope, its agency is indirect. It promotes hope by increasing the several Christian graces, thus rendering them more perceptible and plain, so that the understanding can the more easily examine them, and thereby gain the better evidence of a saving change. The Spirit, moreover, fits the mind to examine these graces with the more candour and earnestness. But let the Spirit operate ever so much upon the heart, and produce ever so many evidences of grace, still the understanding must contemplate them and make up its judgment upon them, or no hope is produced. Hope depends ultimately, then, upon the exertion of the understanding.

Thus we see, that the vigorous exertion of the understanding is necessary for attaining the full

assurance of hope. We are next to inquire how the understanding is to be exerted? As assurance depends on certain evidences, the mind, to attain this assurance, must be exerted in inquiring,

1. What are evidences of a saving change of heart? and

2. Whether we have these evidences?

Thus our subject resolves itself into two parts. We will attend to them in their order.

PART I.

What are evidences of a saving change of heart? ALL real Christians are heirs of salvation. This truth is so often declared in God's word, and so generally known and believed, that it needs no proof. Whatever proves a man a Christian, proves, then, that he will be saved. Hence that change of heart which makes a man a Christian, we call a saving change.

We shall, therefore, use the terms evidences of a saving change of heart, evidences of Christianity, evidences of grace, and evidences of salvation, &c. to mean the same thing.

Many things are supposed to be evidences of saving grace, which furnish but doubtful evidence, if any evidence at all. And as many are led astray by these supposed evidences, some of whom we fear are led down to final perdition, and as others are kept long in doubt and distress, who have a right to hope and rejoice in the saving grace of God, it is needful that we consider these doubtful or spurious ones, before we proceed to examine those which are certain and genuine.

There is a wonderful proneness in us to take the particular feelings and conduct of supposed Christians, as the only evidences of grace. Many seem to suppose that they must have just the same feelings, and the same shades, extent and degree of feelings, which others speak of having, else they cannot be Christians. Whereas the fact, that these Christians have these affections, is no proof that other Christians have them. Much less is it a proof that all who have them are Christians; and all who are destitute of them are not Christians. The apostle tells us, that if we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves among ourselves, we are not wise.' 2 Cor. x. 12. We must not take saints for our standard. We must take the word of God.In saints there are many evil as well as good things; and we cannot tell which of them are evidences of grace, unless the word of God informs us. To this "sure word of prophecy," and this alone, we must therefore "take heed."

There are several things which are supposed to be evidences while they are not, each of which ought to have a separate attention.

1. The great distress which a person may endure in conviction, is no evidence of a saving change of heart. Although this distress produces involuntary outcries, loss of strength, and even swooning, it furnishes no such evidence. "As these emotions may be, and often are, excited by natural as well as Evangelical causes: so when thus excited, they may exist in any supposable degree. The agonies and transports, the agitations of body and of mind, prove, indeed, the intensity of the feelings experi

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