SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 293 younot, after sinning, resolve to be more watchful for the time to come ? Are you not resolved to stick to Christ and his holy laws and ways, whatever changes or dangers come, and rather toforsake friends and all that you have, than to forsake him.? Yet in a godly jealousy and distrust of your ownheart, do renounce your own strength, and resolve to do this only in the strength of Christ, and therefore daily beg it of him? Is it not your daily care and business to please God and do his will, and avoid sinning in your weak measure?' I hope.that all this is so, and your own case ; which if it be, you have infallible evidences, and want but the sight and comfort of them; you have the true grounds for assurance, though you want assurance itself; your chief danger is over, though your trouble remain. Your soul is at the present in a. safe condition, though not in the sense of it. You are in the state ofsalvation, though not ofconsolation. Itmust be your next work, therefore, to studyGod'smercies, and takenotice what he hath done for your soul. Let notso blesseda guest as the Holy Ghost dwell inyou unobserv- ed. Shallhe do such wonders inyou, andforyou, and younot know it, or acknowledge it? Shall he new-beget you, and new-make you, and produce a spiritual and heavenly nature in you, who of yourself were so carnal and earthly, ahtl will yod not observe i? Had you any of these holy desires, endeavors, or resolutions of yourselfby nature? Or have the ungodlyabout you anyof them ? O that you knew what a work of wonderful mercy, wisdom, and power, the Spirit performeth in the renewing of a soul ; then sure you would more observe and admire his love to you herein ! Direct. XII. The next rule for Your direction for the right settling of your peace, is this. ' You must know, that .assurance of justification, adoption, and right ofi6alvation, cannot be gathered from the smallest degree of saving grace.' Here. I must say something for explaining my meaning to you ; and then give you my reasons of this assertion. 1. Understand that I ,speakof God's ordinary workingby means, not denying but God may, by a voice from heaven, Or an angel, or other Supernatural revelation, bestow assurance on whom he pleas= eth., But I hqpe all wise Christians will take' heed of expecting this, orof trusting too much to seeming revelations, unless they could prove that God useth to confer assurance in this way ; which I think they cannot. 2. By. the smallest degreeof grace, I mean, cif faith, love, obe- dience, and those saving graces, whose acts are the condition of our salvation, and .which in the fore-expressed marks I laid down to you. DO not, therefore, so mistake me, as to think that I 'speak of a small measure of those common gifts which are separable from true sanctification; such as are extensive knowledge, memory,
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