281 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. nothing of objections, and free and quiet it from all assaults, are neither mentioned in Scripture, nor are they consistent with that state wherein we walk before God, nor possible, on account of Satan's will and ability to tempt, or of our own remaining unbelief. Assurance encourages us in our combat, it delivers us not from it. We may have peace with God when we have none from the assaults of Satan. Now, unless a man duly consider the tenor of the cove- nant wherein we walk with God, and the nature of that gospel-obedience which he requires at our hands, and our state whilst we live in this world; the daily sense of these things may keep him in the dark unto himself, and hinder him from that establishment in believing to which otherwise he might 'attain. On this account, some as holy persons as any in this world, being wholly taken up with the consideration of these home-bred perplexities, and not clearly acquainted with the way and tenor of assuring their souls before God, according to the rule of the covenant of grace, have passed their days in bondage of spirit, and without that strong con- solation which God is abundantly willing that all the heirs of promise should receive. Again, evangelical assurance is not a thing incapa- ble of variation. It may be higher or lower, greater or less, obscure or attended with more evidence. It is not quite lost when not at its height. God sometimes mar- vellously raises the souls of his saints by some near approaches to them ; gives them a sense of his eternal love, a taste of the embraces of his Son, and the in- dwelling of the Spirit, without the least intervening dis-
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