# books on Assurance?



## thistle93 (Feb 8, 2010)

HI! What are some on the best books on Assurance of salvation for those that struggle that they are not good enough? Especially for them to know it is Christ rightousness not theirs that perserves them. Thank you!

For His Glory-
Matthew Wilson


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## py3ak (Feb 8, 2010)

Walter Marshall, _The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification_.


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## rbcbob (Feb 8, 2010)

thistle93 said:


> HI! What are some on the best books on Assurance of salvation for those that struggle that they are not good enough? Especially for them to know it is Christ rightousness not theirs that perserves them. Thank you!
> 
> For His Glory-
> Matthew Wilson


 
The Christian's Great Interest by William Guthrie


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## Galatians220 (Feb 8, 2010)

"All Things for Good" (The Divine Cordial) by Thomas Watson; "A Lifting Up for the Downcast" by William Bridge; "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes; "The Mystery of Providence" by John Flavel. And too many more to list here.

Margaret


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## a mere housewife (Feb 8, 2010)

It's more of a book_let_, but I think "Not Faith But Christ" by Horatius Bonar is very clear on Christ's righteousness saving us, rather than our own work of faith etc.

Not Faith, But Christ by Horatius Bonar


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## uberkermit (Feb 8, 2010)

John Bunyan's _Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners_ has been quite helpful for me.

I would add that I was not long a Christian when I first read this book and, at the time, it appeared to me to be a little bit of a depressing read. It also seemed that there was much, concerning the experiences Bunyan wrote about, that I had trouble relating to. Years later I was at a low point in my faith when I read it again, and found it to be a tremendous blessing and encouragement.


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## lukeh021471 (Feb 9, 2010)

I found "How Can I Be Sure I'm A Christian?": What the Bible Says About Assurance of Salvation by Donald Whitney to be a very good book on assurance


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## David Heesen (Feb 9, 2010)

*Assurance*

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Thomas Brooks' unparalleled work on the subject, _Heaven on Earth_. Just reading the table of contents can do wonders.


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## David Heesen (Feb 9, 2010)

If you're curious about the contents, here it is:
CONTENTS
Epistle to the Saints	9
Preface: The Nature of Assurance	14
CHAPTER I: PROOFS THAT BELIEVERS MAY IN THIS LIFE
ATTAIN UNTO A WELL-GROUNDED ASSURANCE OF
THEIR EVERLASTING HAPPINESS AND BLESSEDNESS	16
The basis of assurance	16
The purpose of Scripture is to help believers to
obtain assurance	16
Many believers have obtained assurance	18
God has promised assurance to his people	20
The springs of assurance are in the saints	21
The Spirit of God exhorts to assurance	24
Means to be used to obtain assurance	26
The Lord’s Supper as related to assurance	27
The relation of assurance to rejoicing in the Lord	28
The clarity of Scripture on the differences between
the righteous and the wicked	29
Assurance is not for Arminians	30

CHAPTER II: WEIGHTY PROPOSITIONS CONCERNING
ASSURANCE	33

Seven reasons why God denies assurance for a time to some believers
Words used in Scripture to express assurance
True believers are saved even though they lack
assurance 40
Six reasons why some do not attain assurance 41
God requires some believers to wait long for assur¬-
ance 47
Assurance may be possessed and afterwards lost 49
Assurance is a personal matter 52
Nine special seasons when assurance is enjoyed:
1.	At conversion	53
2.	Before engaging in hard or dangerous service	58
3.	During times of waiting	63

3
4.	During times of suffering	65
5.	During “hearing and receiving” times	73
6.	During times of personal afflictions	82
7.	During seasons of prayer	84
8.	Before conflicts with Satan	90
9.	After conflicts with Satan	90


CHAPTER III:	HINDRANCES AND IMPEDIMENTS THAT

KEEP POOR SOULS FROM ASSURANCE; WITH THE

MEANS AND HELPS TO REMOVE THOSE IMPEDIMENTS
AND HINDRANCES	92
The despairing of obtaining mercy	92
The disputing about things too high for our
thoughts	103
The lack of self-examination	105
The entertaining of mistaken views about God’s
work of grace	107
The grieving of the Holy Spirit by the believer	108
The judging of spiritual matters by mere feelings	109
The indulging of laziness and carelessness	110
The neglect of duties	112
The love of the world	114
The cherishing of secret sins	116

CHAPTER IV: MOTIVES TO PROVOKE CHRISTIANS TO BE RESTLESS TILL THEY HAVE OBTAINED A WELL-GROUNDED ASSURANCE OF THEIR ETERNAL HAPPINESS AND BLESSEDNESS	126
Eleven motives why Christians should earnestly
seek after a well-grounded assurance:
1. Many have been lost who thought they
were saved	126
2.	The world is full of deceivers	127
3.	Assurance delivers from the burden of
cares, fears, and doubts	129
4.	Satan labours to keep Christians from
assurance	130
5.	A well-grounded assurance is of great value
to a believer	132
6.	Woridlings labour hard to secure the things
4
of this life; saints should show equal
ardour for better things	134
7. Assurance renders burdens light	135
8. God urges Christians to get assurance	136
g.	Christians are seriously injured by the lack
of assurance i
io. Ten advantages which accompany assur¬
ance: 139
1.	It produces heaven on earth	139
2.	It sweetens life’s changes	139
3.	It keeps the heart from desiring the world	140
4. It assists communion with God 141
5.	It preserves from backsliding	142
6.	It produces holy boldness	142
7.	It prepares a man for death	143
8.	It makes mercies taste like mercies	145
9.	It gives vigour in Christian service	145
10.	It leads to the soul’s enjoyment of Christ	146
11. A well-grounded assurance will keep a
Christian from being deceived by
counterfeits 148
CHAPTER V: WAYS AND MEANS OF GAINING A WELL-
GROUNDED ASSURANCE 150
i.	Be active in exercising grace	150
2.	Assurance is obtained by obedience	151
3.	Follow diligently the instructions of the Holy
Spirit	152
4. Be diligent in attendance upon ordinances 154
5.	Pay particular attention to the scope of God’s
promises of mercy	154
6.	Six matters in which Christ’s true followers are
distinguished from all others	i6x
7.	Seek to grow in grace	171
8.	Seek assurance when the soul is in its best
frames	172
9.	Ascertain whether you have the things that
accompany salvation; notably Knowledge,
Faith, Repentance, Obedience, Love, Prayer,
Perseverance, and Hope	173
The things that accompany salvation: KNOWLEDGE.
It is operative
177
5
It is transforming	178
It is experimental	180
It is heart-affecting	183
It is world-despising	185
It is soul-humbling	187
It is appropriating	189
Knowledge has attendant graces	191


The things that accompany salvation: FAITH.
The objects of Faith:	194
1.	The Person of Christ	195
2.	The righteousness of Christ	195
3.	The promises of God	198
4.	The future glory	200
The properties of Faith: 201
1. It promotes vitality 202
2.	It grows	204
3.	It belittles the glories of the world	2o6
4.	It purifies the heart	207
5.	It melts the soul	210
6.	It overcomes the world	212
Strong Faith and Weak Faith 213


The things that accompany salvation: REPENTANCE.
Repentance: its properties:	2 16
1.	It effects a change in every part of a man	216
2.	It is a turning from all sin	217
3.	It is a turning to God	218
4.	it strikes particularly at the sins to
which a man was formerly most prone	220
5.	It is comprehensive in its scope	221
6.	It has appropriate attendants	224
7.	It is a continued act	224


The things that accompany salvation: OBEDIENCE.
1.	it is hearty	226
2.	It seeks to perform all God’s will	227
3.	It flows from faith	229
4.	It is ready, free, willing, and cheerful	231
5.	It is resolute	233
6.	Its aim is the divine glory	234
7.	It is constant	234
8.	It is passive as well as active	236


The things that accompany salvation: LOVE.
The	qualities of Love: 237
1. It is superlative	237
2.	It is obedient	238
6
3.	It is sincere	239
4.	It is vehement	241
5.	It is permanent	241
6.	It is abounding	242
7.	It cannot be hid	244
8.	It delights to see the divine image in
fellow-believers	248
g.	It enables the soul to receive Christ’s
rebukes	252
10.	It laments over dishonours done to Christ	253
11.	It keeps the heart for Christ alone	254
12.	It delights in secret communion with
Christ	255
13.	It longs for the full assurance of Christ’s
love	256
14.	It enables the believer to commit his all
to Christ	257
The things that accompany salvation: PRAYER.
The requisites of prayer as a form of divine
worship 258
Prayer betters the whole man 265
Eight differences between the prayers of the
godly and those of the ungodly 266
The things	that accompany salvation: PERSE¬
VERANCE.
The properties of Perseverance: 272
x.	Perseverance appertains to a holy pro¬
fession	272
2.	It appertains to holy and spiritual prin¬
ciples	272
3.	It is an abiding in the doctrine of Christ	273
4.	It is a continuance in gracious actions	274

The things that accompany salvation: HOPE.
The nature of Hope	275
Hope expects and waits patiently for prom¬
ised good	276
The properties of Hope:	279
1.	It raises the heart to live above 280
2.	It strengthens the soul against afflictions
and temptations	280
3.	It makes the soul lively and active	281
4.	It gives the believer great quietness	282
5.	It causes the soul to wait patiently for
delayed mercy	283
6.	It purifies the soul	284
7.	It never dies	285
7
CHAPTER VI: THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A TRUE AND A COUNTERFEIT ASSURANCE, BETWEEN SOUND ASSUR¬
ANCE AND PRESUMPTION	288
A	well-grounded assurance bears these following marks:
1. It is attended by a deep admiration of
God’s love and favour in Christ	288
2.	It causes the soul ever to seek a fuller
enjoyment of God and Christ	289
3.	It is usually strongly assaulted by Satan	289
4.	It makes a believer bold	291
5.	It makes a believer seek the happiness of
other men	292
6.	It strengthens a believer against all sin	293
7.	It is attended by love, humility, and joy	295
8.	It springs from the witness of the Holy
Spirit	297
The characteristics of the Holy Spirit’s witness:
1.	It is inward and secret	298
2.	It is gained in holy ways	299
3.	It is clear, full, and satisfying	299
4.	It is not operative in all believers	300
5.	It is a sure testimony	301
6.	It is always accompanied by the testimony
of our own spirit	302
7.	It is always according to Scripture	302
8.	It is holy	303
g.	It is only bestowed on renewed hearts	304

CHAPTER VII: ANSWERS TO SEVERAL SPECIAL QUES¬
TIONS ABOUT ASSURANCE	306
Nine methods whereby assurance may be strength¬
ened and maintained	306
Six methods whereby souls which have lost assur¬
ance may be kept from fainting	311
Five methods whereby souls which have lost assur¬
ance may recover it	315
Conclusion	317


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