about the pardon of their sins, because they content themselves with such poor mean Evidences; for had they a high esteem of it, they would labour to make pardon of sin surer than any thing in the world. To wind up all, those that know what pardon of sin is; how do they spend their time, and lay out themselves to get assurance? Take this one note, Because God sees those that are his own people understand what forgiveness is, have a high esteem of it, and are very solicitous about it, he condiscends in his kindness to assure them by all sorts of ways and means; methinks God deals with them in this manner, the poor soul stands shaking and trembling, crying our, Oh! that I might have my sins forgiven, and have assurance of it; Why, says God, what way do you take to make things sure from one to another? says you, first we give our word one to another, says God you shall have that, I give you my Word; What have you else? Secondly, say you, we cause it to be written; well says God, you shall have it written, and this is a great mercy, the Covenant of grace is written; we have it not from hand to hand, as our fore-fathers had: What do you else require? Thirdly, you say to have witnesses; well, says God, you shall have witnesses, in things between man and man, In the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing is established, Matth. 10.16. Now God in reconciling a Soul to himself, brings no less than six witnesses to confirm a Believer in assurance of his grace and favour to him, 1 Joh. 5.7, 8. There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and three that bear witness on Earth, the Spirit, Water, and Blood; three in Heaven, and three on Earth to assure thee of forgiveness of sin, that is a third way; Is there any other way? yea Lord: Fourthly, we use not only to have a word, and this word put in writing, and witnesses af∣fixed to it; but we use to take an Oath: Well, says God, I will swear and take an Oath, to make my Covenant of grace sure to your souls, Heb. 6.13. when God made a Promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, and this is in the 18. verse, (an admirable Text of Scripture) That we might have strong Consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us; there is hope of Gods grace through the Reconciliation of Christ Jesus, and this hope the soul runs to as to a City of Refuge, when his guilt, like the persuer of blood