一、雖然假冒為善的人和其他未重生的人，可憑虛偽的盼望和肉體的自負，自欺蒙上帝喜悅，以得拯救﹔ 但這種盼望終必落空。相反地，但那真信主耶穌，誠摯愛祂，竭力以無虧的良心在上帝面前行事的人，今生可以有把握確知他們是蒙恩的，並且歡歡喜喜盼望上帝的榮耀，這盼望永不致使他們羞恥。
Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and fleshly presumptions that they are in God’s favor and in a state of salvation (a), this hope of theirs will perish (b). Nevertheless, those who truly believe on the Lord Jesus, love him sincerely, and strive to live in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace (c) and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, a hope that shall never make them ashamed (d).
二、這種把握不是出於不實的盼望，不是憑空想像的臆測，也不是或這或那的說法，而是不會落空的信仰確據，其基礎是 （1）救恩的應許，這是從上帝而來的真理，（2）所應許恩典的內證，我們領受兒子的靈，聖靈與我們的心同證我們是上帝的兒女。這聖靈是我們得基業的憑據，我們受了他的印記，等候得贖的日子來到。
This certainty is not merely a conjectural and probable persuasion grounded on a fallible hope (e), but an infallible assurance of faith, founded on the divine truth of the promises of salvation (f), on the evidence in our hearts that the promised graces are present (g), (and) on the fact that the Spirit of adoption witnesses with our spirits that we are God’s children (h). The Holy Spirit, by whom we are sealed for the day of redemption, is the pledge of our inheritance (i).
三、這不會落空的確據實在不屬於信仰的本質，真信徒可能要長久等待，經過許多困苦奮鬥，才有此確據；然而，既然聖靈使真信徒得知上帝開恩白白賜給他的事，他就可以不用特殊的啟示，只正確使用正當的方法，便可有此確據；所以信徒都當竭力慇勤，使自己所蒙的恩召和揀選堅定不移；因此可以在聖靈的平安與喜樂中、在愛上帝與感謝上帝上，因順服上帝吩咐的責任而得能力與喜樂，使他的心開廣，這些都是因有這確據而結的果子。這確據決不會使人偏於放蕩 。
This infallible assurance does not so belong to the essence of faith but that a true believer may wait long and contend with many difficulties before he partakes of it
四、真信徒可能因各種原因，對自己得救的確據產生不同程度的動搖、 減少，或中止，這些原因包括：疏忽持守，陷入特別的罪，以致良心受傷，聖靈擔憂，突然或猛烈的試探，上帝收回祂的面光，上帝甚至讓敬畏祂的人行在黑暗中，而無亮光。 但他們決不會完全沒有上帝的道、信仰的生命、愛基督和愛弟兄的心，內心的誠實、 盡責的良心；而上述這些德行藉著聖靈的運行，可使得救的確據在適當的時候得以恢復，同時他們有上述這些德行扶持，不致完全絕望。
True believers may have the assurance of their salvation shaken, diminished, or temporarily lost in various ways: as by negligence in preserving it, by falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit, by some sudden or violent temptation, or by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance and allowing even those who reverence him to walk in darkness and have no light (p). Yet, true believers are never completely deprived of that seed of God and life of faith, that love for Christ and fellow believers, that sincerity of heart and conscience concerning duty, out of which – by the operation of the Spirit – this assurance may in due time be revived (q); and by which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair (r).
