The Forgiveness of Sin - 7 Every Believer Should Labor for Assurance

Few come up to gospel assurance. But yet most of our privileges, and upon the matter all our comforts, depend on this one thing. a little by the way, to encourage to this duty, I shall desire you to consider both whence this assurance is produced and what it produces—what it is the fruit of, and what fruit it bears. It is, in general, the product of a more plentiful communication of the Spirit than ordinary, as to a sense and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Christ, procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the atonement. It flourishes not without his sealing, witnessing, establishing, and shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts (see Rom. 5:1–5). And what believer ought not to long for and press after the enjoyment of these things? Nay, to read of these things in the gospel, not experiencing them in our own hearts, and yet to sit down quietly on this side of them, without continual pressing after them, is to despise the blood of Christ, the Spirit of grace, and the whole work of God's love.