RIGHT REJOICING. 371 2 Pet. i. 10. If this night thy soul be called away, canst thou truly say that thou art an heir of life, and hast laid up thy treasure there beforehand ? If thou say that thou hopest well, and no man can do more, and thus dost desperately cast thy everlasting life upon a careless venture, I must tell thee first that assurance may be had.: Would God .bid us rejoice that our names are writ- ten in heaven, if it were a thing that could not by any means be known? Would he bid us give diligence to make our calling and election sure, if it were a thing that could not by any diligence be attained? And I must add that presumption is no sign of a safe condition. It shall not go w211 with you, because you imagine it shall go well. Aman ina dropsy or consumption will not live by saying he hopes he shall not die. Yea, more, I must add, that a careless venturousness is a mark ofmisery. For a man that valu- eth God and his salvation, cannot put off a matter of such eternal consequence so slightly and disregardfully. And a fear and care about your salvation would be a far better sign. For the most part, they are safest that fear their danger, and they are in the sad-. dest ease that are never sad at the consideration of their case. It is not your bold and confident conceits that will open heaven to you; and therefore, I beseech you, presently. look out for surer grounds of peace than these. If you say, How can it be known to me whether my name be written in heaven or not ? I shall briefly, but satisfactorily, an- swer it. In general, if thou know that thou art one that God bath prom- ised heaven to, thou mayest know thy title, which is meant by the writing of thy name in heaven, and thou mayest know that this promisè shall be made good. More particularly, 1. If thou hast had such an effectual sight of the vanity of earth, and or the heavenly felicity, that heaven bath the preeminence in thy practical estimation and choice, and thou hast resolved that heavenor nothing shall be thy happiness, and art so far at a point with all things under the sun, as that thou art resolved to stick closer to. Christ than unto them and, whatever it cost thee, to take the fruition of God forever as thy portion; if, upon consideration of the difference between heaven and earth, God and the creatures, eternity and time, thouhast heartily devot- ed thyself to God, and art willing to be his servant upon the terms that he inviteth thee on, thou mayest be assured that thy name is written in heaven ; Matt. vi. 19. 21. and xvi. 24-26. and xiii. 45, 46. Luke xviii. 33. But if earth be the place of thy highest estimation and choice, where thou placest thy chief affections, and which thou adherest to more resolutely than to God, and which thou wilt not leave
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