Direct. 10. Next, review your own believing, and thence ga-
ther assurance
The witness of the Spirit, and Spirit of adoption, what they are?
Whether it be a legal departing from Christ, or any sinful
trusting in our own righteousness, to gather peace, comfort
or assurance from signs within us?
Twenty arguments, proving it lawful to gather comfort or as-
surance from God's graces in us
Direct. 11. Make use, in trial, of none but infallible signs
Five certain signs, together comprising the description of a
true Christian
Twenty observable explicatory points for the right under-
standing of these signs
Direct. 12. Know, that assurance of justification, or right to
salvation, cannot be gathered from the least degree of
saving grace
Proved from the many exceeding difficulties that must be over-
come by all that will have assurance in ordinary ways; and
from other reasons.
Direct. 13. The first time of our receiving or acting saving
grace, and so of our justification and adoption, cannot or-
dinarily be known.
To affirm that saving sincerity of grace lieth but in a gradual
natural difference, is no diminution of the glory of grace
Direct. 14. Know, that assurance is not the lot of the ordinary
sort of true Christians, but only of a few of the strongest,
most active, watchful and obedient: proved
The observation of the confessions of the godly in this
Direct. 15. Know, that even many of the stronger and more
obedient, who have assurance of their conversion, are yet
unassured of their salvation, for want of assurance to per-
Direct. 16. There are many grounds to discover a probability
of saving grace, where we cannot yet discern a certainty.
And you must learn, next to the comforts of general grace,
to receive the comforts of the probability of special grace,
before you expect or are ripe for the comforts of assurance
Proved that a Christian may live a joyful life without assu-
Direct. 17. Improve your own and others experiences to
strengthen your probabilities.
Direct. 18. Know that God hath not commanded you to be-
lieve that you do believe, nor that you are justified, or shall
be saved (but only conditionally), and therefore your assur-
ance is not a certainty properly of Divine faith
It is not unbelief or desperation in Christians which is com-
monly called so