A Body of Practical Divinity

Effect 3. Assurance would make us Active and Lively in Gods Service; it would excite Prayer, quicken Obedience; as Diligence begets Assurance, so Assurance begets Diligence. Assurance will not (as the Papists say) breed Security in the Soul, but Industry. Doubting does discourage us in Gods Service, but the Assurance of his Favour breeds Joy, And the Joy of the Lord is our strength, Nehem. 8.10. Assurance makes us mount up to Heaven as Eagles in Holy Duties; it is like the Spirit in Ezekiel's Wheels, that moved them and lifted them up. Faith would make us Walk, but Assurance would make us Run: We should never think we could do enough for God. Assurance would be as Wings to the Bird, as Weights to the Clock, to set all the Wheels of Obedience a running.

Effect 3. Assurance would make us Active and Lively in Gods Service; it would excite Prayer, quicken Obedience; as Diligence begets Assurance, so Assurance begets Diligence. Assurance will not (as the Papists say) breed Security in the Soul, but Industry. Doubting does discourage us in Gods Service, but the Assurance of his Favour breeds Joy, And the Ioy of the Lord is our strength, Nehem. 8.10. Assurance makes us mount up to Heaven as Eagles in Holy Duties; it is like the Spirit in Ezekiel's Wheels, that moved them and lifted them up. Faith would make us Walk, but Assurance would make us Run: We should never think we could do enough for God. Assurance would be as Wings to the Bird, as Weights to the Clock, to set all the Wheels of Obedience a running.

Effect 4. Assurance would be a Golden Shield to beat back Temptation: Assurance Triumphs over Temptation: There are two sorts of Temptation Satan useth. 1. He tempts to draw us to Sin: Now the being assured of our Justification would make this Temptation vanish. What Satan, shall I Sin against him who hath loved me, and washed me in his Blood? Shall I return to Folly after God hath spoken Peace? Shall I weaken my Assurance, wound my Conscience, grieve my Comforter? Avoid Satan, Tempt no more. 2. Satan would make us question our Interest in God, he tells us we are Hypocrites, and God doth not love us. Now there is no such Shield against this Temptation as Assurance. What Satan, have I a real Work of Grace in my Heart, and the Seal of the Spirit to witness it, and dost thou tell me God doth not love me? Now I know thou art an Impostor, who goest about to disprove what I sensibly feel. If Faith resists the Devil, Assurance would put him to flight.