Assurance

The fear and faith of God ought to make you prepared for everything, whether it is the loss of private estate, the constant and cruel harassment of your limbs by agonizing disorders, or the deadly and mournful wrench from wife, from children, from departing dear ones. Do not let these things be offenses to you, but battles; nor let them weaken nor break the Christian’s faith, but rather show forth his strength in the struggle, since all the injury inflicted by present troubles is to be despised in the assurance of future blessings. Unless the battle has gone before, there cannot be a victory. When there shall have been, in the onset of battle, the victory, then also the crown is given to the victors. For the helmsman is recognized in the tempest; in the warfare the soldier is proved. It is a wanton display when there is no danger. Struggle in adversity is the trial of the truth.

Oh! if we did but truly believe that the promise of this glory is the word of God, and that God does truly mean as he speaks, and is fully resolved to make it good; if we did truly believe that there is, indeed, such blessedness prepared for believers as the Scripture mentions, surely we should be as impatient of living as we are now fearful of dying, and should think every day a year till our last day should come.… If a man that is desperately sick today did believe he should arise sound the next morning; or a man today, in despicable poverty, had assurance that he should tomorrow arise a prince; would they be afraid to go to bed, or rather think it the longest day of their lives, till that desired night and morning came?

Feeling always seeks something in itself; faith keeps itself occupied with what Jesus is.… Forget not that the faith, of which God’s word speaks so much, stands not only in opposition to works, but also in opposition to feeling, and therefore that for a pure life of faith you must cease to seek your salvation, not only in works, but also in faith. Therefore let faith always speak against feeling. When feeling says, “In myself, I am sinful; I am dark; I am weak; I am poor; I am sad,” let faith say, “In Christ, I am holy; I am light; I am strong; I am rich; I am joyful.”