Lord's name, thou ought not to question thy sincerity in transacting with God, but to "have confidence before God, since thy heart doth not condemn thee:" and thou art bound to believe that "God dealeth uprightly with the upright man, and with the pure doth show himself pure." If a man intend honesty, God will not suffer him to beguile himself; yea, the Lord suffereth no man to deceive himself, unless the man intend to deceive both God and men. 4. Therefore impute your unfruitfulness to your unwatchfulness and your unbelief, and impute your want of full assurance unto an evil heart of unbelief, helped by Satan to act against the glorious free grace of God; and charge not these things to the want of sincerity in your closing with Christ. And resolve henceforth to abide close by the root, and you shall bring forth much fruit; and by much fruit, you lay yourselves open to the witness of God's Spirit, which will testify with your spirit that you have sincerely and honestly closed with God, and that the rest of your works are wrought in God, and approven of him; and so the witness of the Spirit and the water joining with the blood, upon which you are to lay the weight of your soul and conscience, and where alone you are to sink the curses of the law due to you for all your sins, and failings in your best things. These three do agree in one, namely, that this is the way of life and peace, and that you have interest therein, and so you come to quietness, and full assurance: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.""He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” "There are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three O blessed bargain of the new thrice blessed Mediator of the same! agree in one." covenant, and Let him ride prosperously, and subdue nations and languages, and gather in all his jewels, that honourable company of the first-born, that stately troop of kings and priests, whose glory it shall be to have washed their garments in the blood of that spotless Lamb, and whose happiness shall continually flourish in following him whithersoever he goeth, and in being in the immediate company of the Ancient of days, one sight of whose face shall make them in a manner forget that ever they were in the earth. Oh if I could persuade men to believe that these things are not yea and nay, and to make haste towards him who hasteth to judge the world, and to call men to an account, especially concerning their improvement of this gospel? "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" CONCLUSION. The whole Treatise resumed in a few Questions and Answers. Quest. WHAT is the great business a man hath to do in the world? Answ. To make sure a saving interest in Christ Jesus, and to walk suitably thereto. Q. 2. Have not all the members of the visible church a saving interest in Christ? A. No verily; yea, but a very few of them have it.. Q. 3. How shall I know if I have a saving interest in him? A. Ordinarily the Lord prepareth his own way in the soul by a work of humiliation, and discovereth a man's sin and misery to him, and exerciseth him so therewith, that he longs for the physician Christ Jesus. Q. 4. How shall I know if I have got a competent discovery of my sin and misery? A. A competent sight of it makes a man take salvation to heart above any thing in this world: it maketh him disclaim all relief in himself, even in his best things: it maketh Christ, who is the Redeemer, very precious to the soul: it makes a man stand in awe to sin afterwards, and makes him content to be saved upon any terms God pleases. Q. 5. By what other ways may I discern a saving interest in him? A. By the going out of my heart seriously and affectionately towards him, as he is held out in the gospel; and this is faith or believing. Q. 6. How shall I know if my heart goes out after him aright, and that my faith is true saving faith? A. Where the heart goes out aright after him in true and saving faith, the soul is pleased with Christ alone above all things, and is pleased with him in all his three offices, to rule and instruct as well as to save; and is content to cleave unto him, whatever inconveniences may follow. Q. 7. What other mark of a saving interest in Christ can you give me? A. He that is in Christ savingly is a new creature, he is graciously changed and renewed, in some measure, in the whole man, and in all his ways pointing towards all the known commands of God. Q. 8. What if I find sin now and then prevailing over me? A. Although every sin deserves everlasting vengeance, yet if you be afflicted for your failings, confess them with shame of face unto God, resolving to strive against them honestly henceforth, and flee unto Christ for pardon, you shall obtain mercy, and your interest stands sure. Q. 9. What shall the man do who cannot lay claim to Christ Jesus, nor any of those marks spoken of? A. Let him not take rest until he make sure to himself a saving interest in Christ. Q. 10. In what way can a man make sure an interest in Christ, who never had a saving interest in him hitherto? A. He must take his sins to heart, and his great hazard thereby, and he must take to heart God's offer of pardon and peace through Christ Jesus, and heartily close with God's offer, by betaking himself unto Christ the blessed refuge. Q. 11. What if my sins be singularly heinous, and great beyond ordinary? A. Whatever thy sins be, if thou wilt close with Christ Jesus by faith, thou shalt never enter into condemnation. Q. 12. Is faith in Christ only required of men? A. Faith is the only condition upon which God doth offer peace and pardon unto men; but be assured, faith, if it be true and saving, will not be alone in the soul, but will be attended with true repentance, and a thankful study of conformity to God's image. Q. 13. How shall I be sure that my heart doth accept of God's offer, and doth close with Christ Jesus? A. Go make a covenant expressly, and by word speak the thing unto God. Q. 14. What way shall I do that? A. Set apart some portion of time, and, having considered your own lost estate, and the remedy offered by Christ Jesus, work up your heart to be pleased with, and close with that offer, and say unto God expressly, that you do accept of that offer, and of him to be your God in Christ; and do give up yourself to him to be saved in his way, without reservation or exception in any case: and that you henceforth will wait for salvation in the way he hath appointed. Q. 15. What if I break with God afterwards? |