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inheritance。
Let no man mistake my meaning when I dwell strongly on the reality；
privilege； and importance of assurance。 Do not do me the injustice to
say； I teach that none are saved except such as can say with Paul； 〃I
know and am persuadedthere is a crown laid up for me。〃 I do not say
so。 I teach nothing of the kind。
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ a man must have； beyond all question； if
he is to be saved。 I know no other way of access to the Father。 I see
no intimation of mercy； excepting through Christ。 A man must feel his
sins and lost estatemust e to Jesus for pardon and salvationmust
rest his hope on Him； and on Him alone。 But if he only has faith to do
this； however weak and feeble that faith may be； I will engage； from
Scripture warrants； he shall not miss heaven。
Never； never let us curtail the freeness of the glorious Gospel； or
clip its fair proportions。 Never let us make the gate more strait and
the way more narrow than pride and the love of sin have made it
already。 The Lord Jesus is very pitiful； and of tender mercy。 He does
not regard the quantity of faith； but the quality： He does not measure
its degree； but its truth。 He will not break any bruised reed； nor
quench any smoking flax。 He will never let it be said that any perished
at the foot of the cross。 〃Him that eth unto Me；〃 He says； 〃I will
in no wise cast out。〃 （John vi。 37。） ＇25＇
Yes！ Though a man's faith be no bigger than a grain of mustard seed； if
it only brings him to Christ； and enables him to touch the hem of His
garment； he shall be savedsaved as surely as the oldest saint in
paradisesaved as pletely and eternally as Peter； or John； or Paul。
There are degrees in our sanctification。 In our justification there are
none。 What is written； is written； and shall never fail： 〃Whosoever
believeth on Him；〃not whosoever has a strong and mighty
faith〃Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed。〃 （Rom。 x。 11。）
But all this time； be it remembered； the poor believing soul may have
no full assurance of his pardon and acceptance with God。 He may be
troubled with fear upon fear； and doubt upon doubt。 He may have many an
inward question； and many an anxietymany a struggle； and many a
misgivingclouds and darknessstorm and tempest to the very end。
I will engage； I repeat； that bare simple faith in Christ shall save a
man； though he may never attain to assurance； but I will not engage it
shall bring him to heaven with strong and abounding consolations。 I
will engage it shall land him safe in harbour； but I will not engage he
shall enter that harbour in full sail； confident and rejoicing。 I shall
not be surprised if he reaches his desired haven weather…beaten and
tempest…tossed； scarcely realizing his own safety； till he opens his
eyes in glory。
I believe it is of great importance to keep in view this distinction
between faith and assurance。 It explains things which an inquirer in
religion sometimes finds it hard to understand。
Faith； let us remember； is the root； and assurance is the flower。
Doubtless you can never have the flower without the root； but it is no
less certain you may have the root and not the flower。
Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the press；
and touched the hem of His garment。 （Mark v。 25。） Assurance is Stephen
standing calmly in the midst of his murderers； and saying； 〃I see the
heavens opened； and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God。〃
（Acts。 vii。 56。）
Faith is the penitent thief； crying； 〃Lord； remember me。〃 （Luke xxiii。
42。） Assurance is Job； sitting in the dust； covered with sores； saying；
〃I know that my Redeemer liveth〃 （Job xix。 25）； 〃Though He slay me； yet
will I trust Him。〃 （Job xiii。 15。）
Faith is Peter's drowning cry； as he began to sink： 〃Lord save； me！〃
（Matt。 xiv。 30。） Assurance is that same Peter declaring before the
Council in after times； 〃This is the stone which was set at nought of
you builders； which is bee the head of the corner。 Neither is there
salvation in any other： for there is none other name under heaven given
among men； whereby we must be saved。〃 （Acts iv。 11； 12。）
Faith is the anxious； trembling voice； 〃Lord； I believe： help Thou my
unbelief。〃 （Mark ix。 24。） Assurance is the confident challenge； 〃Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect？ Who is he that
condemneth？〃 （Rom。 viii。 33； 34。） Faith is Saul praying in the house of
Judas at Damascus； sorrowful； blind； and alone。 （Acts ix。 11。）
Assurance is Paul； the aged prisoner； looking calmly into the grave；
and saying； 〃I know whom I have believed。 There is a crown laid up for
me。〃 （2 Tim。 i。 12； iv。 8。）
Faith is life。 How great the blessing！ Who can describe or realize the
gulf between life and death？ 〃A living dog is better than a dead lion。〃
（Eccles。 ix。 4。） And yet life may be weak； sickly； unhealthy； painful；
trying； anxious； weary； burdensome； joyless； smileless to the very end。
Assurance is more than life。 It is health； strength； power； vigour；
activity； energy； manliness； beauty。
It is not a question of 〃saved or not saved；〃 that lies before us； but
of 〃privilege or no privilege。〃It is not a question of peace or no
peace； but of great peace or little peace。It is not a question
between the wanderers of this world and the school of Christ： it is one
that belongs only to the school： it is between the first form and the
last。
He that has faith does well。 Happy should I be； if I thought all
readers of this paper had it。 Blessed； thrice blessed are they that
believe！ They are safe。 They are washed。 They are justified。 They are
beyond the power of hell。 Satan； with all his malice； shall never pluck
them out of Christ's hand。 But he that has assurance does far
bettersees more； feels more； knows more； enjoys more； has more days
like those spoken of in Deuteronomy； even 〃the days of heaven upon the
earth。〃 （Deut。 xi。 21。） ＇26＇
III。 I pass on to the third thing of which I spoke。 I will give some
reasons why an assured hope is exceedingly to be desired。
I ask special attention to this point。 I heartily wish that assurance
was more sought after than it is。 Too many among those who believe
begin doubting and go on doubting； live doubting and die doubting； and
go to heaven in a kind of mist。
It would ill bee me to speak in a slighting way of 〃hopes〃 and
〃trusts。〃 But I fear many of us sit down content with them； and go no
further。 I should like to see fewer 〃peradventurers〃 in the Lord's
family； and more who could say； 〃I know and am persuaded。〃 Oh； that all
believers would covet the best gifts； and not be content with less！
Many miss the full tide of blessedness the Gospel was meant to convey。
Many keep themselves in a low and starved condition of soul； while
their Lord is saying； 〃Eat and drink abundantly； O beloved。〃 〃Ask and
receive； that your joy may be full。〃 （Cant。 v。 1； John xvi。 24。）
（1） Let us remember then； for one thing； that assurance is to be
desired； because of the present fort and peace it affords。
Doubts and fears have power to spoil much of the happiness of a true
believer in Christ。 Uncertainty and suspense are bad enough in any
conditionin the matter of our health； our property； our families； our
affections； our earthly callingsbut never so bad as in the affairs of
our souls。 And so long as a believer cannot get beyond 〃I hope；〃 and 〃I
trust；〃 he manifestly feels a degree of uncertainty about his spiritual
state。 The very words imply as much。 He says 〃I hope；〃 because he dares
not say； 〃I know。〃
Now assurance goes far to set a child of God free from this painful
kind of bondage； and thus ministers mightily to his fort。 It enables
him to feel that the great business of life is a settled business； the
great debt a paid debt； the great disease a healed disease； and the
great work a finished work； and