The third Motive to stir you up to1 get a well-grounded assurance, is this, Consider that a well-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness ⟨p. 231⟩will ease you, and free you of a threefold burden: It will free you, first, from a burden of cares; secondly, from a burden of fears; thirdly, from a burden of doubts. Now the burden of cares, Ah Christian▪ causes thee to sit down sighing and groaning;2 ah, how doth the cares of getting this and that, and the cares of keeping this and that worldly content, disturb and distract, vex and rack the souls of men, that live under the power of carking cares. Oh, but now assurance of better things▪ makes the soul sing care away, as that Martyr said, My 3soul is turned to her rest, I have taken a sweet nap in Christs lap; and therefore, I will now sing away care, and will be careless according to my name. Assurance of a Kingdom, of a Crown, is a fire that burns up all those cares that ordinarily fill the head and distract the heart. There is no way to get off the burden of cares, but by getting assurance. Again, Assurance will free you from the burden of fears, as well as from the burden of cares. Now your hearts are filled with fears of possessing the Creature, with fears of ⟨p. 232⟩wanting the Creature, with fears of losing the Creature, &c. And these fears makes many men turn like the Chameleon, into all colours, forms, and4 fashions, yea, they make their lives a Hell. Oh, but now assurance will scatter all these fears, as the Sun doth the Clouds; it will extinguish these fears, as the Sun doth the Fire. Assurance made David divinely fearless, and divinely careless: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, they comfort me. Ah, how full of fears, and perplexities5 was Hagar, till the Lord opened her eyes to see the Well of Water that was near her. So the soul will be full of fears and perplexities, till it comes to see assurance, to enjoy assurance. Christians, When all is said, that can be, this will be found at last a most certain truth, That there is no way to be effectually rid of your fears, but by obtaining a well-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness. Again, Assurance will rid you of your burden of doubts; now you are still a doubting;
The third Motive to stir you up to1 get a wel-grounded assurance, is this, Consider that a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness ⟨p. 231⟩will ease you, and free you of a threefold burden: It will free you, first, from a burden of cares; secondly, from a burden of fears; thirdly, from a burden of doubts. Now the burden of cares, Ah Christian▪ causes thee to sit down sighing and groaning;2 ah, how doth the cares of getting this and that, and the cares of keeping this and that worldly content, disturb and distract, vex and rack the souls of men, that live under the power of carking cares. Oh, but now assurance of better things▪ makes the soul sing care away, as that Martyr said, My 3soul is turned to her rest, I have taken a sweet nap in Christs lap; and therefore, I will now sing away care, and will be careless according to my name. Assurance of a Kingdom, of a Crown, is a fire that burns up all those cares that ordinarily fill the head and distract the heart. There is no way to get off the burden of cares, but by getting assurance. Again, Assurance will free you from the burden of fears, as well as from the burden of cares. Now your hearts are filled with fears of possessing the Creature, with fears of ⟨p. 232⟩wanting the Creature, with fears of losing the Creature, &c. And these fears makes many men turn like the Chamelion, into all coulors, forms, and4 fashions, yea, they make their lives a Hell. Oh, but now assurance will scatter all these fears, as the Sun doth the Clouds; it will extinguish these fears, as the Sun doth the Fire. Assurance made David divinely fearless, and divinely careless: Yea, though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, they comfort me. Ah, how full of fears, and perplexities5 was Hagar, till the Lord opened her eyes to see the Well of Water that was neer her. So the soul will be full of fears and perplexities, till it comes to see assurance, to enjoy assurance. Christians, When all is said, that can be, this will be found at last a most certain truth, That there is no way to be effectually rid of your fears, but by obtaining a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness. Again, Assurance will rid you of your burden of doubts; now you are still a doubting;
- 1Motive 3.
- 2Matth. 13. 22.
- 3John Careless in a Letter to Mr. Philpot. Acts & Mon. fol. 1743.
- 4And men are apt to make Elephants of Flies, and Giants of Pygmies, till men reach assurance they will still crea•e fears, rather then want them. Psal 23. 3.And men are apt to make Elephants of Flies, and Gyants of Pigmies, till men reach assurance they will still crea•e fears, rather then want them. Psal 23. 3.
- 5Gen. 21. 16, 19. Vide.
