Free grace, or, The flowings of Christs blood free to sinners being an experiment of Jesus Christ upon one who hath been in the bondage of a troubled conscience ... / by John Saltmarsh.

XXXIX. The way of assurance for beleevers.

THe surest knowledge that any one hath that they have received the promise, is, the closing of their heart with Christ; the real receiving and beleeving; the relying and going out of the heart upon Christ; The just shall live by faith, Rom. 1.17. We walk by faith, and not by sight. This was the assu∣rance the Father of the faithful had, who staggered not at the promise, but gave glory to God: Yet this assurance is such, as the soul cannot be content with onely; there is something in man beside faith to be satisfied; reason will have more light to see by; and therefore the working of the spirit in new obedience, and love, and repentance, and self-denial, are such glimmerings as the soul may be refreshed by, though not strengthned by, and comforted by, though not supported by: Works though they cannot assure by them∣selves, yet raised up by faith, may with it cheer up the soul; if we beleeve more of

those works then we see or feel, and so strengthen them by faith, they may be like the tokens and change of raiment by which Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive; by these we may be better perswaded that we live, and live in Christ: Therefore the soul being a reasonable and discoursive spirit, is much satisfied in such a way, when the Spirit of God helps it to reason, and draw conclusions, as thus,

The Word sayes, Whosoever beleeves, shall not perish.

But, I beleeve, saith the Soul; and therefore according to this Word, shall not perish.

The Word sayes, To beleeve, is to receive, or put confidence in, or trust, as in John 1.12.

But, I receive Jesus Christ for mine, I trust in him for salvation; therefore I be∣leeve.

The Word sayes, Repentance, love, self-denial, obedience to the Will of God, are all the fruits of the spirit; but these are in me; I can repent and love, and deny my self, and obey.

The Word sayes, That we are compleat in Christ, and righteous in Christ; but when I repent, or love, or obey, I beleeve I am in

Christ; and therefore, my love, and repent∣ance, and obedience is such as I may beleeve, though not in themselves, yet in him to be good and spiritual.

And thus a beleever may beleeve for assu∣rance, and yet reason for assurance; and some other questions a beleever may put to his own spirit, and draw it out into more conclusions for beleeving; Am I Christs, or my own? If I be Christs, do I walk with Christ? And live to Christ? And obey Christ? Do I delight in Christ, and those that are Christs? Or do I live to my self? to my lust? To my profit, or credit? To others or the world?