them a future participation with him in his glory, in the most absolute manner; and tells them at the same time, that he does so, to the end, that their joy might be full, John 15. 11. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." See also at the conclusion of his whole discourse, chap. 16. 33. "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Christ was not afraid of speaking too plainly and positively to them; he did not desire to hold them in the least suspense. And he concluded that last discourse of his with a prayer in their presence, wherein he speaks positively to his Father of those eleven disciples, as having all of them savingly known him, and believed in him, and received and kept his word; and that they were not of the world; and that for their sakes he sanctified himself; and that his will was, that they should be with him in his glory and tells his Father, that he spake these things in his prayer, to the end, that his joy might be fulfilled in them, ver. 13. By these things it is evident, that it is agreeable to Christ's designs, and the contrived ordering and disposition Christ makes of things in his church, that there should be sufficient and abundant provision made, that his saints might have full assurance of their future glory.

The Apostle Paul, through all his epistles, speaks in an assured strain; ever speaking positively of his special relation to Christ, his Lord, and Master, and

Redeemer; and his interest in, and expectation of the future reward. It would be endless to take notice of all places that might be enumerated; I shall mention but three or four. Gal. 2. 20. "Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Phil. 1. 21. "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." 2 Tim. 1. 12. "I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me at that day."

And the nature of the covenant of grace, and God's declared ends in the appointment and constitution of things in that covenant, do plainly shew it to be God's design to make ample provision for the saints having an assured hope of eternal life, while living here upon earth. For so are all things ordered and contrived in that covenant, that everything might be made sure on God's part. "The covenant is ordered in all things and sure:" the promises are full, and very often repeated, and various ways exhibited; and there are many witnesses, and many seals; and God has confirmed his promises with an oath. And God's declared design in all this is, that the heirs of the promises might have an undoubting hope, and full joy, in an. assurance of their future glory. Heb. 6. 17, 18. "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew

unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us." But all this would be in vain, to any such purpose as the saints' strong consolation, and hope of their obtaining future glory, if their interest in those sure promises in ordinary cases was not attainable. For God's promises and oaths, let them be as sure as they will, cannot give strong hope and comfort to any particular person, any further than he can know that those promises are made to him. And in vain is provision made in Jesus Christ, that believers might be perfect as pertaining to the conscience, as is signified, Heb. 9. 9, if assurance of freedom from the guilt of sin is not attainable.

It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary cases, but that all Christians are directed to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Pet. 1. 5-8. And it is spoken of as a thing very unbecoming of Christians, and an argument of something very blameable in them, not to know whether Christ be in them or no, 2 Cor. 13. 5. "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" And it is implied that it is an argument of a very blameable negligence in Christians, if they practice Christianity after such a manner as to remain uncertain of the reward, in that 1 Cor. 9. 26.

"I

therefore so run, as not uncertainly." And to add no more, it is manifest, that Christians' knowing their interests in the saving benefits of Christianity is a thing ordinarily attainable, because the apostles tell us by what means Christians (and not only apostles and martyrs) were wont to know this; 1 Cor. 2. 12. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." And 1 John 2. 3. "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." And ver. 5. "Hereby know we that we are in him." Chap. 3. 14. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." Ver. 19. "Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." Ver. 24. "Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." So Chap. 4. 13, and Chap. 5. 2, and ver. 19.”*

Such are the strong and well sustained statements of one, in whom Congregationalists have been accustomed to place a high degree of confidence. But this form of Christian experience, and under this specific name, has not been limited to one denomination. Instances of assurance of faith appear to have been frequent among the United Brethren or Moravians, especially in the early periods of their religious history. Mr. Wesley, the founder of the Methodist societies, relates, in the Journal of his Life, that he visited, in the year 1738, the United Brethren or Moravians at Hernhuth, the place * Edwards on the Affections, Part II.

where they were first collected and organized into a society. At that time, as well as in later periods of his life, Mr. Wesley was a careful and philosophic observer of men; and was particularly interested to notice and to analyze the varieties of Christian experience and character. And accordingly he took pains to converse privately and very intimately with a number of the Moravian brethren, who appeared to be leading men both for their intellectual capacity and their piety; and in his Journal has recorded what he learnt from them. We will here give an abstract of some of these statements; particularly of those parts, which may be considered as illustrating historically the doctrine and the nature of ASSURANCE OF FAITH, retaining precisely the sentiment, and as far as possible, the expression.

CHRISTIAN DAVID.-Having given us to understand, that in early-life he was a Roman Catholic, this person proceeds to say, "I was much troubled at hearing some people affirm, that the Pope was Antichrist. I read the Lutheran books written against the Papists, and the Popish books, written against the Lutherans. I easily saw that

the Papists were in the wrong; but not that the Lutherans were in the right. I was in the city of Berlin, when I renounced the errors of Popery. After this I led a very strict life; read much and prayed much. I did all I could to conquer sin; yet it profited not. I was still conquered by it. At length, not knowing what to do, I enlisted as a soldier. I had a Testament and a hymn book;