514 CHARACtER OF A SOUND, whether the interest of this world or that to come do bear the sway. So that he is often in perplexities and fears, and more often in a dull uncertainty. And if he seem at any time to have assur- ance, it is usually but an ill-grounded persuasion of the truth', though it be true which he apprehendeth, when he taketh himself to be the child of God, yet it is upon unsound reasons that he judgeth so, or else upon sound reasons weakly and uncertainly dis- cerned ; so that there is commonly much of security, presumption, fancy, or mistake, in his greatest comforts. He is not yet in a condition fit for full- assurance, till his love and obedience be more full. 3. But the seeming Christian cannot possibly,in that estate, have either certainty or good probability that he is a child of God, be- cause it is not true: his seeming certainty is merely self-deceit, and his greatest confidence is but presumption, because the Spirit of Christ is not within him, and therefore he is certainly none ofhis ; Rom. viii. 9. XXV. 1. The assurance of a confirmed Christian doth increase his alacrity and diligence in duty, and is always'seen in his more obedient, holy, fruitful life. The sense of the love and mercy of God is as the rain upon the tender grass : he is never so fruitful, so thankful, so heavenly, aswhen he bath the greatest certainty that he shall be saved. The love of God igthen shed abroad upon his heart by the.Holy Ghost, which maketh him abound in love to' God ; Rom. v. 1-4. He' is the more steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work ofthe Lord, when he is most certain that his labor shall not be in vain in the Lord; I Cor. xv. 58. 2. But the weak Christian isunfit yet to manage assurance well, and therefore it is that it is not given, him ; graces must grow pro- portionably together. If he be but confidently persuaded that he is justified and shall be saved,be is very apt to gather some conse- quence from it that tendeth to security and to the remitting of his . watchfulness and care. He is ready tobe the bolder with sin, and stretch his conscience, and'omit some duties, and take more fleshly liberty and ease, and think, ` Now 'I am a child of God ; I am out of danger; I am sure I cannot totally fall away.' And though his judgment conclude not, 'therefore I may venture further upon worldly, fleshly pleasures, and need.not be so strict and diligent as I was,' yet his heart and practice .thus conclude. And he is most obedient when he is most in fear of hell, and he is worst' in his heart and life when he is most confident that all his danger is past; Heb. iv. 1-, 2. iii. 14-16. 3. But .the seeming Christian, though he have no assurance, .is hardened in his camal state by his presumption. Had he but as- surance to be saved without a holy life, he would cast off that very
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