ItueEs FOR OBTAINING FORGIVENESS. 279 one deserved, the other purchased. A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring a hell of wrath out of heaven, and yet see Christ bring a heaven of blessedness out of a hell of punishment ; and these must needs produce very divers, yea, contrary effects and operations in the soul. And he who knows not how to assign them their proper duties and seasons must needs be perplexed. The work of self-condemna- tion, then, which men in these depths cannot but abound with, is, in the disposition of the covenant of grace, no way inconsistent with nor unsuited to justifi- cation, and the enjoyment, through it, of peace with God. There may be a deep sense of sin where there is no fear of hell. David was never more humbled for sin than when Nathan told him it was forgiven ; and there may be a view of hell as deserved, which yet the soul. may know itself to be freed from. In pursuing my design, I shall briefly consider what we intend by gospel-assurance of forgiveness, that the soul may not be solicitous and perplexed about the utter want of that of which perhaps it is already in some kJ"- joyment. Some men seem to place gospel-assurance in a high confidence of acceptance with God. They think it is in none but such as, if you ask them, Are you certain you shall be savedl have boldness, and confidence, and os- tentation to answer presently, Yea, I shall be saved. But as the blessed truth of assurance has been reproach- ed in the world, under such a notion of it ; so such ex- pressions become not those who know what it is to have to do with the holy God, who is a consuming fire. Hence some conclude that there are very few believers
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=