The assurance of hope follows upon true peace of conscience and a strict walk with God by faith. Hypocrites may deceive themselves with false hope and a carnal presumption of being in the favour of God and in a state of salvation, but their hope shall perish.1 But all that believe in Christ, and love him in sincerity, and endeavour to walk before him in all good conscience, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God; and their hope shall never be put to shame.2 This is not a doubtful conjecture, grounded on a false and feeble hope: it is ‘the full assurance of faith,’ resting on the blood and righteousness of Christ, as it is revealed in the gospel; an inward evidence of saving grace in the soul; and the witness of the Spirit to their adoption. The effect of this assurance is to make their hearts more humble and holy.3 A true believer may have to wait long and strive with many difficulties before he enjoys this assurance;4 but being enabled by the Spirit rightly to use the means of grace and divine ordinances, and being taught to know the things which are ‘freely given him of God,’ he can attain it without a miraculous revelation of any kind;5 and it is the duty of every Christian to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that he may largely experience the love of God and joy in the Holy Spirit, and more boldly, usefully, and cheerfully walk in the path of duty.6 The Christian’s assurance may in divers ways be shaken and impaired: if he falls into any sin and grieves the Spirit, he loses the light of God’s countenance, and walks in darkness.7 But the Christian can never lose that seed of God which is in him, or the life of faith, or the love of Christ. The Spirit restores him in God’s good time, and meanwhile keeps him from utter despair. The evil of his sin is revealed to him, and he is chastened by the Lord, that he may not be condemned with the world. But he is strengthened in all his affliction to hope in God; yea, he has hope in his death.8
1 Job 20:5; Prov.11:7; Luke 6:49; Matt. 25:11-12. 2 Heb. 6:11, 17-19; 1 John 2:3; 2 Cor. 5:1; Rom. 5:2, 5. 3 1 John 1:3-4,7; 3:2; Heb. 10:19-23; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 4:17; 5:5; Phil. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:5; Rom. 8:16; 15:13. 4 1 John 2:28; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 Cor 3:2; Heb. 5:12-14. 5 John 14:26; Rom. 8:26-27; 15:13; 1 Cor. 2:10-12. 6 2 Peter 1:10; Titus 3:5; Psa. 119:32; Eph. 3:17-19; Rom. 14:7; Acts 9:31. 7 Psa. 31:22; 51:8,12; 77:2-9; Matt. 26:69-72; Isa. 57:17; Eph. 4:30. 8 1 John 3:9; Luke 22:32; Job 13:15; Psa. 73:14; Mic. 7:8,9; Isa. 54:7-10.
