1689 Confession, Assurance of Grace and Salvation, paragraph 3

1689 CONFESSION, CH. 18, "ASSURANCE OF SAVING FAITH."
PARA. 3: ASSURANCE IS ATTAINABLE.

Waldron: There are three points in this paragraph: the difficulty of attaining assurance, the provision for attaining assurance and the duty of attaining assurance.

I: THE DIFFICULTY OF ATTAINING ASSURANCE.
A. (Full) Infallible assurance doesn't belong to the essence of faith.
B. A believer may wait long for assurance.
C. A believer may conflict with many difficulties before partaking of a full assurance.

II: THE PROVISION FOR ATTAINING ASSURANCE
A. Provision defined.
B. Enabled by the spirit.

1. To know the things which are freely given him of God.
2. To know without extraordinary revelation.
3. In the right use of means.
   C. Attain unto

III: THE DUTY OF ATTAINING ASSURANCE.
A. Duty defined
B. Diligence to make our calling and election sure.

1. So that his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
2. In love and thankfulness to God.
3. In strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience.
4. These are the proper fruits of assurance.
   --These fruits don't incline men to looseness.