The apostle Paul, through all his epistles, speaks in an assured strain; ever speaking positively of his special relation to Christ, his Lord, and Master, and Redeemer; and his interest in, and expectation of, the future reward. It would be useless to take notice of all places that might be enumerated. I shall mention but three or four. Gal., ii:20: “Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Phil., i:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” II. Tim., i:12: “I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” II. Tim., iv:7,8: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day.” … It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary cases, but that all Christians are directed to use all diligence to make their calling and election sure; and are told how they may do it. II. Peter, i:5-8. And it is spoken of as a thing very unbecoming of Christians, and an argument of something very blamable in them, not to know whether Christ be in them or no. II. Cor., xiii:5: “Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates?” And it is implied that it is an argument of a very blamable negligence in Christians, if they practice Christianity after such a manner as to remain uncertain of the rewards, in I. Cor., ix:26: “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly.” And to add no more, it is manifest that for Christians to know their interests in the saving benefits of Christianity is a thing ordinarily attainable, because the apostles tell us by what means Christians (and not only apostles and martyrs) were wont to know this. I. Cor., ii:12: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are fully given to us of God.” And I. John, ii:3: “And hereby do we _know_ that we know him if we keep his commandments.” And verse 5: “Hereby _know_ we that we are in him.” Chapter iii:14: “We _know_ that we have passed from death unto life.” … Verse 19: “Hereby we _know_ that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” Verse 24: “Hereby we _know_ that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us.” So chapter iv:13, and chapter v:29, and verse 19.—_President Edwards._[3] [_March 29._]