Chap. 8.] THE SAINTS' REST. 115 covered your condition, and pass sentence on yourself ac- cordingly ? But because this is a work of so high impor- tance, and so commonly neglected, I will therefore show, that it is possible, by trying, to come to a certainty ; what hinders men from trying and knowing their state ? then offer motives to examine, and directions ; together with some marks out of Scripture, by which you may try, and certainly know, whether you are the people of God or not. 1. Scripture shows, that the certainty of salvation may be attained, and ought to be laboredfor, when it tells us so fre- quently, that the saints before us have known their justi- fication and future salvation : when it declares, that " who- soever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have ever- lasting life ;" which it would be in vain to declare, if we cannot know ourselves to be believers or not : when it makes such a wide difference between the children of God and the children of the devil; when it bids us "give dili- gence tomake our calling and election sure;" and earnestly urges us to "examine, prove, know our own selves, whether we be in the faith, and whether Jesus Christ be in us, ex- cept we be reprobates ;" also, when its precepts require us to rejoice always, to call God our Father, to live in his praises, to love Christ's appearing, to wish that he may come quickly, and to comfort ourselves with the mention of it. But who can do any of these heartily, that is not, in some measure, sure that he is the child of God ? 2. Among the many hinderances which keep men from self-examination, we cannot doubt but Satan will do his part. If all the power he hath, or all the means and in- struments he can employ, can do it, he will be sure, above all duties, to keep you from this. He is loath the godly should have the joy, assurance, and advantage against cor- ruption, which the faithful performance of self- examination would procure them. As for the ungodly, he knows, if they should once earnestly examine, they would find out his de- ceits and their own danger, and so be very likely to escape him. How could he get so many millions to hell willingly, if they knew they were going thither ? And how could they avoid knowing it, if they did but thoroughly try; hav- ing such a clear light and sure rule in the Scripture to dis- cover it ? If the snare be not hid, the bird will escape it. Satan knows how to angle for souls better than to show
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