# Assurance



## AV1611 (Feb 29, 2008)

> *WCF xviii:2* This certainly is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God: which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.



As someone who is suffering from a lack of assurance, are the following three separate witnesses and how ought I be assured by them?

*A.* "promises of salvation" 
*B.* "inward evidence"
*C.* "the testimony of the Spirit"

As an aside, what do you think about personal covenanting as advocated by William Guthrie? 

*Q. 13 How shall I be sure that my heart does accept of God's offer, and does close with Christ Jesus? .
A.* Go make a covenant expressly, and by word speak the thing unto God.

*Q. 14 What way shall I do that?
A*. Set apart some portion of time, and, having considered your own lost estate, and the remedy offered by Christ Jesus, work up your heart to be pleased and close with that offer, and say unto God expressly that you do accept of that offer, and of Him to be your God in Christ; and do give up yourself to Him to be saved in His way, without reservation or exception in any case; and that you henceforth will wait for salvation in the way He has appointed.


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## greenbaggins (Feb 29, 2008)

The first means of assurance is the promises of salvation. They are the promises given to us in the Word. That is definitely distinct from the latter two. I would say that the promises of salvation gives us assurance inasmuch as we believe that God has written it. It throws the entire weight of God's own testimony behind our assurance. So, if you believe that God has written the Word, then you can believe that if you have repented of your sin, and trusted in Christ, then you are saved, and can never lose it. The story of Cromwell is instructive. He had doubts on his deathbed, and he inquired (either of Goodwin or Owen, I can't remember which right off) about assurance. The theologian replied that if he had ever been assured of grace, then he could be assured now, given the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. That was good enough for Cromwell. 

The inward evidence (I believe) is based primarily on what God has been doing in our lives. The proof texts are helpful here, to which I would add Romans 7. I believe that the evidence of our struggle with sin contributes to our assurance. The unbeliever does not struggle with sin as the believer does. Indeed, most of the time the unbeliever just gives right in to sin. 

The third testimony is that of the Spirit's sealing. This is again based on the Word, but with a slightly different focus: the application of the Word to us. 

I don't agree with Guthrie that we can work up our own hearts to close with the offer. Our faith is a gift from God. By all means, we should consider our lost estate apart from Christ, and be persuaded that Christ is the answer. However, I don't believe that the actual persuading comes from us, but from the Spirit. 

By the way, most people struggle with assurance because of sin in their lives. At least, that is when I most struggle with assurance. The answer is repentance. God WILL forgive the repentant sinner, no matter how many times he has sinned, and no matter how many times he has sinned the same sin. God allows us to struggle with the same sin all our lives sometimes to make sure that we know that the power to conquer sin does not come from us, but from God.


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## Amazing Grace (Feb 29, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> I don't agree with Guthrie that we can work up our own hearts to close with the offer. Our faith is a gift from God. By all means, we should consider our lost estate apart from Christ, and be persuaded that Christ is the answer. However, I don't believe that the actual persuading comes from us, but from the Spirit.



Exactly Lane. This is an issue I have had with many who have thought like this with Guthrie. There is no possible way an unbeliever can close with Christ without the spirit first regenerating him. Closing with Christ has led many to a flase assurance of walking an aisle or saying a prayer. Perhaps I find the Gospel too simple for all of this. The unregenerate will nt approach the throne with all his sins about him to lay on Christ. He will instead try to close from his own heart and make himself better before he comes. Or repent from the flesh. By this I mean a one time repenting which is not ever commanded in scripture. Everytime the command to repent is used, it is spoken as a continuous repenting. "Keep ye repenting, the kingdom is at hand.." Keep ye repenting or ye shall likewise perish"

Guthrie in this document question 14 sounds exactly like Billy Graham. I mean no offense, but if someone told me or anyone that Graham said the same thing, we would scream arminian from the rooftops. He could have easily said, "Make Him your personal savior, pray Him into your heart, etc etc "

Also in q 13, this sounds to me, and I may be wrong, a 'name it and claim it assurance" 

Personal covenanting need not be anymore than "As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord"


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## MW (Feb 29, 2008)

Unbelievers ought to think about and deeply consider the endearing qualities of Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour. This is not forbidden them until they "discover" a gift of faith in their souls. Their very thinking on Christ might be the means whereby the gift of faith is given.

Further, when assurance for a believer cannot be obtained by means of self-examination, it becomes necessary to turn the heart directly towards Christ as if one were an unbeliever; and here the process is the same as above. Christ is meditated upon in the various aspects of His redemptive work in order to work the heart into an acquiescence in Him.


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## greenbaggins (Feb 29, 2008)

armourbearer said:


> Unbelievers ought to think about and deeply consider the endearing qualities of Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour. This is not forbidden them until they "discover" a gift of faith in their souls. Their very thinking on Christ might be the means whereby the gift of faith is given.
> 
> Further, when assurance for a believer cannot be obtained by means of self-examination, it becomes necessary to turn the heart directly towards Christ as if one were an unbeliever; and here the process is the same as above. Christ is meditated upon in the various aspects of His redemptive work in order to work the heart into an acquiescence in Him.



I agree with this to a certain extent. I think that the Guthrie statements seemed to me to be more about how an unbeliever comes to Christ. I don't think he can work himself into closing with Christ, even though I agree that he ought to be thinking about Christ. The Holy Spirit can use an amazingly diverse number of things to bring someone to Christ. 

However, I must disagree that a believer must turn the heart towards Christ as if he were an unbeliever. Of course, he must turn his heart towards Christ. However, to say that he must do so the same way as an unbeliever would seems to me to avoid using the very foundation of one's assurance in seeking assurance: the fact that one is saved. I am reminded of the West Wing episode in which much was made of the President's re-election campaign basing itself on the fact that he already was president, and what an advantage that gave him. If a believer must act as though he were not a believer, then are we not stripping him of the best advantage he can have in this struggle?


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## MW (Feb 29, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> However, I must disagree that a believer must turn the heart towards Christ as if he were an unbeliever. Of course, he must turn his heart towards Christ. However, to say that he must do so the same way as an unbeliever would seems to me to avoid using the very foundation of one's assurance in seeking assurance: the fact that one is saved. I am reminded of the West Wing episode in which much was made of the President's re-election campaign basing itself on the fact that he already was president, and what an advantage that gave him. If a believer must act as though he were not a believer, then are we not stripping him of the best advantage he can have in this struggle?



This advantage is based on his assurance that he is in fact a believer; but if that is the very point he is doubting then he must go back to square one. If he can't find assurance through self-examination that Jesus Christ is in him, his only hope is to look again to the objective work of Christ for sinners as such. If he can't conclude he is a believer, he can at least agree he is a sinner, and hence find comfort through Christ's work for sinners. When a man suffers snake-bite, it does him no good to say he is in the hospital where a cure may be had. He must go straight to emergency and obtain the cure he desperately needs.


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## greenbaggins (Feb 29, 2008)

Hmm. Do not believers usually have some experience of grace before their seasons of doubt? The Puritans made much of previous seasons of grace being brought to mind (I think of Brooks here in particular). According to your position, the believer needs to ignore these seasons of grace, or am I reading you wrongly?


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## MW (Feb 29, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> Hmm. Do not believers usually have some experience of grace before their seasons of doubt? The Puritans made much of previous seasons of grace being brought to mind (I think of Brooks here in particular). According to your position, the believer needs to ignore these seasons of grace, or am I reading you wrongly?



Yes, one element is to remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. But this really only strengthens the assurance one already has. If one really lacks assurance, such seasons of grace can have no bearing, (1.) because the person will likewise doubt that these were true visitations of God; a person who doubts their present state will also doubt the steps which have brought them to their state. (2.) The objective work of Christ is what is especially needed in the case. For a person struggling with the consciousness of sin and guilt it is the objective work of Christ which alone can bring forgiveness of sin. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."


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## greenbaggins (Feb 29, 2008)

armourbearer said:


> greenbaggins said:
> 
> 
> > Hmm. Do not believers usually have some experience of grace before their seasons of doubt? The Puritans made much of previous seasons of grace being brought to mind (I think of Brooks here in particular). According to your position, the believer needs to ignore these seasons of grace, or am I reading you wrongly?
> ...



Okay, I grant the point in some of the most extreme cases of doubt. But even in my most serious times of doubt, I don't doubt the previous goodness and genuineness of God's grace. I can always travel back to those for an additional (for we agree that it is not the only or the primary means of assurance) prop to my faith. Even there it is really extraspective, since what I am really remembering is what God has done for me in the past. And I absolutely agree that the objective work of Christ, done outside of me, is far more determinative for my assurance than the inward workings. As M'Cheyne says, "For every one time you look at yourself, look ten times at Christ." At the same time, doubt can also encompass the question of whether that objective atonement has really been applied to me. How would you answer then?


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## MW (Feb 29, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> As M'Cheyne says, "For every one time you look at yourself, look ten times at Christ." At the same time, doubt can also encompass the question of whether that objective atonement has really been applied to me. How would you answer then?



Thanks for reminding me of that M'Cheyne gem.

I think Hebrews 10:19-25 gives us some direction for answering this case. There we have Christ presented as our great high priest who has opened the way to the holy presence of God through His own blood and body (objective work), accompanied with the invitation to come boldly (openly, freely) to God. Based on this objective work and open invitation, there is the exhortation to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (the subjective appropriation). One barrier to this is the consciousness of sin, and so this approach should be with the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, that is, applying the virtue of Christ's death to one's own sins, original and actual, and laying hold of the word of promise sealed through baptism. Next, there is the exhortation to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, knowing that doubts of all kinds might be brought to bear on the person's confidence that he has been brought near to God through the death of Christ; and the especial attribute of God which is mentioned for encouragement is the faithfulness of God. Here, regardless of one's personal feelings to the contrary, the person can find assurance in what God has spoken. Finally, there is the means of grace in the synagoguing of believers together for their mutual encouragement in faith and fulfiment of loving duty.


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## Amazing Grace (Feb 29, 2008)

armourbearer said:


> Unbelievers ought to think about and deeply consider the endearing qualities of Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour. This is not forbidden them until they "discover" a gift of faith in their souls. Their very thinking on Christ might be the means whereby the gift of faith is given.
> 
> 
> 
> Further, when assurance for a believer cannot be obtained by means of self-examination, it becomes necessary to turn the heart directly towards Christ as if one were an unbeliever; and here the process is the same as above. Christ is meditated upon in the various aspects of His redemptive work in order to work the heart into an acquiescence in Him.



But they cannot. Oughts are never thoughts that bring peace to the person. Noone has ever thought of Christ as a savior who has not been regenerated by Grace of the Spirit of God. IT is forbidden in the sense they have no ability to do this in an unregenerate state. It is foolishness to them...


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## Barnpreacher (Feb 29, 2008)

Amazing Grace said:


> armourbearer said:
> 
> 
> > Unbelievers ought to think about and deeply consider the endearing qualities of Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour. This is not forbidden them until they "discover" a gift of faith in their souls. Their very thinking on Christ might be the means whereby the gift of faith is given.
> ...



AG,

But we preach and encourage unbelievers to look to Christ and consider him as an all-Sufficient Savior, for we do not know the point of regeneration. Is it not the Spirit using the preached Word of God about the finished work of Jesus Christ that regenerates an unbeliever's heart? We do not encourage unbelievers to sit in a service as if they were in a vacuum where their minds are just blank and not thinking at all. And we certainly do not encourage them to think about acts of fornication or acts of greed while Christ is being preached. We encourage them to look to Christ for we know not when the Spirit will take away the blinders and allow them to see Him for who He is.

You're right in that the qualities of Jesus Christ as an all-Sufficient Savior are foolishness to the unbeliever until their hearts are quickened, but I'd rather an unbeliever read Paul's Epistle to the Romans as opposed to reading Playboy magazine.


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## MW (Feb 29, 2008)

Amazing Grace said:


> But they cannot. Oughts are never thoughts that bring peace to the person. Noone has ever thought of Christ as a savior who has not been regenerated by Grace of the Spirit of God. IT is forbidden in the sense they have no ability to do this in an unregenerate state. It is foolishness to them...



I think your approach will leave you struggling to understand passages such as James 1:18. "Of his own will begat he us *with the word of truth*;" and 1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, *by the word of God*, which liveth and abideth for ever."


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## AV1611 (Mar 1, 2008)

greenbaggins said:


> I don't agree with Guthrie that we can work up our own hearts to close with the offer. Our faith is a gift from God. By all means, we should consider our lost estate apart from Christ, and be persuaded that Christ is the answer. However, I don't believe that the actual persuading comes from us, but from the Spirit.



Guthrie is talking to someone who has professed faith but who doubts the reality of his interest in Christ. He recommends self-examination followed by the saying of this (or similar) and so renewing the covenant you entered with God by baptism/confession previously:

O Lord, I am a lost and fallen creature by nature, and by innumerable actual transgressions, which I do confess particularly before Thee this day: and although, being born within the visible church, I was from the womb in covenant with Thee, and had the same sealed to me in baptism; yet, for a long time, I have lived without God in the world, senseless and ignorant of my obligation by virtue of that covenant. Thou hast at length discovered to me, and impressed upon my heart, my miserable state in myself, and hast made manifest unto my heart the satisfying remedy. Thou hast provided by Christ Jesus, offering the same freely unto me, upon condition that I would accept of the same, and would close with Thee as my God in Christ, warranting and commanding me, upon my utmost peril, to accept of this offer, and to flee unto Christ Jesus; yea, to my apprehension, now Thou hast sovereignly determined my heart, and formed it for Christ Jesus, leading it out after Him in the offers of the gospel, causing me to approach unto the living God, to close so with Him and to acquiesce in His offer, without any known guile. And that I may come up to that establishment of spirit in this matter, which should be to my comfort, and the praise of Thy glorious grace; therefore, I am here this day to put that matter out of question by express words before Thee, according to Thy will. And now I, unworthy as I am, do declare, that I believe that Christ Jesus, who was slain at Jerusalem, was the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world. I do believe that record, that there is life eternal for men in Him, and in Him only. I do this day in my heart approve and acquiesce in that device of saving sinners by Him, and do intrust my soul unto Him. I do accept of reconciliation with God through Him, and do close with Thee as my God in Him. I choose Him in all that He is, and all that may follow Him, and do resign up myself, and what I am, or have, unto Thee; desiring to be divorced from everything hateful unto Thee, and that without exception, or reservation, or anything inconsistent within my knowledge, or any intended reversion. Here I give the hand to Thee, and do take all things about me witnesses, that I, whatever I be, or have hitherto been, do accept of God's offer of peace through Christ; and do make a sure covenant with Thee this day, never to be reversed, hoping that Thou wilt make all things forthcoming, both on Thy part and mine, seriously begging, as I desire to be saved, that my corruptions may be subdued, and my neck brought under Thy sweet yoke in all things, and my heart made cheerfully to acquiesce in whatsoever Thou dost unto me, or with me, in order to these ends. Now, glory be unto Thee, O Father, who devised such a salvation, and gave the Son to accomplish it: Glory be to Christ Jesus, who, at so dear a rate, did purchase the outletting of that love from the Father's bosom, and through whom alone this access is granted, and in whom I am reconciled unto God, and honorably united unto Him, and am no more an enemy or stranger: Glory to the Holy Ghost, who did alarm me when I was destroying myself, and who did not only convince me of my danger, but did also open my eyes to behold the remedy provided in Christ; yea, and did persuade and determine my wicked heart to fall in love with Christ, as the enriching treasure; and this day does teach me how to covenant with God, and how to appropriate to myself all the sure mercies of David, and blessings of Abraham, and to secure to myself the favour and friendship of God for ever. Now, with my soul, heart, head, and whole man, as I can, I do acquiesce in my choice this day, henceforth resolving not to be my own, but Thine; and that the care of whatsoever concerns me shall be on Thee, as my Head and Lord, protesting humbly, that failings on my part (against which I resolve, Thou knowest) shall not make void this covenant; for so hast Thou said, which I intend not to abuse, but so much the more to cleave close unto Thee, and I must have liberty to renew, ratify, and draw extracts of this transaction, as often as shall be needful. Now, I know Thy consent to this bargain stands recorded in Scripture, so that I need no new signification of it; and I, having accepted of Thy offer upon Thine own terms, will henceforth wait for what is good, and for Thy salvation in the end. As Thou art faithful, pardon what is amiss in my way of doing the thing, and accept me in my Lord Jesus Christ, in whom only I desire pardon. And in testimony hereof, I set to my seal that God is true, in declaring Him a competent Saviour.​
For myself; the syllogistic reasoning does not work in that I agree that I am a sinner, that Christ died for sinners, that if you have faith then you will be saved. I know that I believe in Christ but I am not assured that my faith is saving faith. Prior to my "conversion experience" I was not in tears over my sin, so I am led to question the reality of that "conversion experience" though I have since then mourned my sin, but then was that a legal mourning over fear from hell or an evangelical mourning our hatred of sin and anger at it knowing that it displeases God? (Rhetorical question for if I am not sure then you will not know).

I read The Inward Experience of Believers by Robert Murray M'Cheyne last noght which helped a little. 

_'Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought,
Do I love the Lord or no?
Am I His, or am I not?_


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## Amazing Grace (Mar 1, 2008)

Barnpreacher said:


> Amazing Grace said:
> 
> 
> > armourbearer said:
> ...



I agree Barny, that we do. But I feel we are getting off topic here regarding assurance. Richard put the words of Guthrie in there about assurance, not regeneration. They were connected in the sense when Guthrie mentions in his question 14 _Q. 14 What way shall I do that?
A. Set apart some portion of time, and, having considered your own lost estate, and the remedy offered by Christ Jesus, work up your heart to be pleased and close with that offer, and say unto God expressly that you do accept of that offer, and of Him to be your God in Christ; and do give up yourself to Him to be saved in His way, without reservation or exception in any case; and that you henceforth will wait for salvation in the way He has appointed._

In the above, I still disagree this assurance can be wrought from our own heart. And the prahse "Accepting Christ" reeks of self will arminianism does it not? The coice of words is poor, very poor. 

I will also correct and clarify my comment about the unregenerate, in their self righteous way, they do look to Christ and believe they are serving him and have assurance. I meant a true biblical Spirit wrought conversion based soley on His obejective work. The inward evidence of assurance can be the same for the un regenerate and regenerate, that is why I do not give much weight to this, other than between man and man.


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## Puritan Sailor (Mar 1, 2008)

AV1611 said:


> As an aside, what do you think about personal covenanting as advocated by William Guthrie?
> 
> *Q. 13 How shall I be sure that my heart does accept of God's offer, and does close with Christ Jesus? .
> A.* Go make a covenant expressly, and by word speak the thing unto God.
> ...



I think you need to remember a fundamental assumption in Guthries argument which he hasn't stated. He assumes it is the Spirit of God bringing this person to this point of making a covenant. In these questions he is assuming the man has been regenerate and just needs direction as to how to gain assurance. At least that's how I am understanding this. He's not calling a dead unbeliever to do any of this in his own strength. This is how effectual calling works. Psychologically, we are turning our hearts to Christ. But we understand that it is the renewing grace of the Spirit enabling us to do that. He doesn't save us against our will but renews our will so that we desire him.


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## Amazing Grace (Mar 1, 2008)

AV1611 said:


> I know that I believe in Christ but I am not assured that my faith is saving faith. Prior to my "conversion experience" I was not in tears over my sin, so I am led to question the reality of that "conversion experience" though I have since then mourned my sin, but then was that a legal mourning over fear from hell or an evangelical mourning our hatred of sin and anger at it knowing that it displeases God? (Rhetorical question for if I am not sure then you will not know).




This is a prime example of why one should never have faith in their faith as a condition for assurance. Also it is not always the case that one is broken to tears prior to conversion. I personally do not cry(shed literal tears) much about anything, therefore this cannot be a barometer of what I feel in my heart.


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## Theogenes (Mar 3, 2008)

Richard,
Here's a great essay on assurance from Bonar's The Everlasting Righteousness:
Trinity Foundation: Explaining God, man, Bible, salvation, philosophy, theology.
The last few sentences are priceless.
Hope it helps!


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## AV1611 (Mar 4, 2008)

THe following from the Sum of Saving Knowledge helped me greatly:

*Hence he who hath closed bargain with God may strengthen his faith, by reasoning after this manner: *

"Whosoever doth heartily receive the offer of free grace, made here to sinners, thirsting for righteousness and salvation: unto him, by an everlasting covenant, belongeth Christ, the true David, with all his sure and saving mercies: But I (may the weak believer say) do heartily receive the offer of free grace made here to sinners, thirsting for righteousness and salvation: Therefore unto me, by an everlasting covenant, belongeth Christ Jesus, with all his sure and saving mercies."​
*Hence may a weak believer strengthen his faith, by reasoning from this ground after this manner:*
"He that, upon the loving request of God and Christ, made to him by the mouth of ministers, (having commission to that effect,) hath embraced the offer of perpetual reconciliation through Christ, and doth purpose, by God's grace, as a reconciled person, to strive against sin, and to serve God to his power constantly, may be as sure to have righteousness and eternal life given to him, for the obedience of Christ imputed to him, as it is sure that Christ was condemned and put to death for the sins of the redeemed imputed to him: But I (may the weak believer say) upon the loving request of God and Christ, made to me by the mouth of his ministers, have embraced the offer of perpetual reconciliation through Christ, and do purpose, by God's grace, as a reconciled person, to strive against sin, and to serve God to my power constantly: Therefore I may be as sure to have righteousness and eternal life given to me, for the obedience of Christ imputed to me, as it is sure that Christ was condemned and put to death for the sins of the re deemed imputed to him."​
*Hence may a weak believer strengthen himself, by reasoning from this ground after this manner:*

"Whosoever, in the sense of his own sinfulness, and fear of God's wrath, at the command of God, is fled to Jesus Christ, the only remedy of sin and misery, and hath engaged his heart to the obedience of the law of love, his faith is not presumptuous or dead, but true and saving faith: But I, (may the weak believer say) in the sense of my own sinfulness, and fear of God's wrath, am fled to Jesus Christ, the only remedy of sin and misery, and have engaged my heart to the obedience of the law of love: Therefore my faith is not a presumptuous and dead faith, but true and saving faith."​
*Hence may the weak believer strengthen his faith, by reasoning from this ground after this manner:*

"Whosoever believeth the doctrine delivered by the Son of God, and findeth himself partly drawn powerfully to believe in him, by the sight of life in him, and partly driven, by the fear of God's wrath, to adhere unto him, may be sure of right and interest to life eternal through him: But sinful and unworthy I (may the weak believer say) do believe the doctrine delivered by the Son of God, and do feel myself partly drawn powerfully to believe in him, by the sight of life in him, and partly driven, by the fear of God's wrath, to adhere unto him: Therefore I may be sure of my right and interest unto eternal life through him."​


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## AV1611 (Mar 4, 2008)

Thomas Goodwin on Assurance (Part 1) « Reformed Anglican


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## Mushroom (Mar 4, 2008)

Richard, all these are good and helpful expositions of a believer's cause for assurance, and my prayer is that they have helped to remove the doubt that has darkened your days of late. If it would be of any encouragement to you, let me just add to those wonderful 'apples of gold in pictures of silver' my feeble and dusty vagabond's testimony that our Shepherd is faithful, unfailing, and positively _dogged_ in His pursuit of His sheep. He will not abandon His own, but will seek them to the farthest reaches of sin and unbelief to retrieve those of His fold who are strayed and are injured by the snares of the flesh and the enemy of our souls. And when He seeks, He always finds. I can attest to this because of nearly 30 years of firsthand experience, brother. Times of testing will come where the dross of doubt is refined out of us, but still He holds us fast. Those tears for your sin will multiply exponentially with time, my brother. Don't gauge your assurance by them, but rather by the true and unshakeable promises of our Redeemer.

We're praying here.


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