Berridge had received a letter from a certain J.S., who had asked: May I call Jesus mine, though I am not yet fully assured of an interest in him by the spirit [or Spirit?] of adoption? It seems that J.S. wanted to be able to say that he was a true believer, even though he did not have the witness of the Spirit, he was not assured that he was converted. In other words, he wanted to know and be able to say that he had assurance. In reply, in his letter of 20th September 1776, Berridge was unequivocal: By the tenor of your letter, I think you not only may, but ought. He gave his supporting argument: Let Jesus Christ answer, and rebuke your unbelief in the following precious words: ‘Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ [Matt. 11:28]. If J.S. is laden with the guilt and filth of sin, finding them a heavy burden, and is labouring to be delivered from that burden, and is coming on seeking to [sic] Christ alone for deliverance, then rest, blessed rest, heavenly rest, is promised to J.S., and J.S. may say with thankfulness: ‘Repentance is mine, faith is mine’. |