Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
Ver. 27. He said, Yea] And withal he made it out (likely) by sufficient proof to be so; he produced some convincing evidence, though it be not here recorded. All God's people are fellow citizens with the saints, burgesses of the new Jerusalem, free denizens of heaven, Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 12:23; where their names are enrolled long since, as the manner was at Rome, and likewise at Jerusalem, Psalms 48:3. But they must look up their evidences, and be able to prove their interest by irrefragable arguments, when Satan shall roar upon them and shake his chain at them. It should be our care and study to find out that which Luke calls the certainty, Acts 1:4, and not be led by conjectural suppositions, but be fully persuaded, Acts 22:1, and get such a victorious faith as the gates of hell may not prevail against. God is no way wanting to us herein, as having made heaven ours both by covenant and his testament, his covenant he hath written not only in his word, but also in our hearts; and we have witnesses thereof, three in heaven and three on earth; his seals also and oath to confirm it. And lest we should think that covenant may break, he hath likewise given us heaven by testament, confirmed by the death of the Testator. A certainty therefore may be had of our interest in heaven, of our names written there; and that is an ignorant distinction among Papists, that men may have a certainty of hope, but not of faith in matters of salvation.