which teacheth all things," muft make us "know the things freely given us of God." Shall the Lord impart a bulinefs of fo great concernment, and not fo much as" be inquired after to do it for men ?" Be afhamed, you who fpend fo much time in reading of romances, in adorning your perfons, in hawking and hunting, in confulting the law concerning your outward ftate in the, world, and it may be in worfe things than thefe; be afhamed that you spend fo little time in the fearch of this, whether ye be an heir of glory or not? Whether you be in the way that leadeth to heaven, or that way which will land you in darkness for ever? You who judge this below you, and unworthy of your pains any part or minute of your time, it is like, in God's account, you have judged yourfelves unworthy of everlasting life, fo as you fhall have no lot with God's people in this matter. The fourth thing that doth darken the knowledge of an intereft in Chrift is, Men do not condefcend upon what would fatisfy them. They complain that God will not thew unto them what he is about to do with them, but cannot yet fay they know what would fatisfy concerning his purpofe. This is a fad thing. Shall we think thefe are ferious who have never as yet pitched on what would fatisfy them, nor are making earneft inquiry after what fhould fatisfy? If the Lord had left us in the dark in that matter, we were lefs inexcufable; but fince the grounds of fatisfaction, and the true marks of an intereft in Chrift, are fo clear and frequent in fcripture, and fo" many things written, that our joy may be full," and "that those who believe may know that they have eter nal life," and fince "he that believeth hath a witness of it in himself," none can pretend excufe here. We may not here infift to fhow what may and fhould fatisfy concerning our intereft, fince we are to fpeak directly to it afterwards.

The fifth thing that helpeth much to keep men in the dark concerning their intereft in Chrift is, they pitch. upon fome mutable grounds, which are not fo appofite proofs of the truth of an intereft in Chrift as of the com

fortable ftate of a triumphing foul failing before the wind and marks, which I grant are precious in themfelves, and do make out an intereft clearly where they are: yet they are fuch as without which an intereft in Chrift may be, and be known alfo in a good measure. We fhall touch a few of them.

1ft, Some think that all who have a true intereft in him are above the prevailing power of every fin: but this is contrary to that of "Iniquities prevail againft me ; as for our tranfgreffions thou fhalt purge them away:" where we find that holy man laying juft claim to pardon, in the cafe of prevailing iniquity; and that where "Paul thanketh God through Chrift, as freed from the condemnation of the law, even whilft a law in his members leadeth captive unto fin."

2dly, Some think that ali true faints have conftantly accefs unto God in prayer, and fenfible returns of prayer at all times; but this is contrary to the many fad exercises of his people, complaining often that they are not heard nor regarded of God," How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? For ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me? Why art thou fo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night-feafon, and am not filent."

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3dly, Some think that all who have any true interest in him have God witneffing the fame unto them by a high operation of that witneffing Spirit of his, fpoken of Rom. viii. 16. "The Spirit itfelf beareth witness with our fpirit that we are the children of God;" whereof afterwards; and fo they ftill fufpect their own interest in Chrift, because of the want of this. But they do not remember that they muft firft believe and give credit to that "record which God hath given of the Son, that there is life enough in him" for men, and then look for the feal and witnefs of the Spirit; "in whom, after ye believed, ye were fealed with that holy fpirit of promife. As long as people hold faft thefe principles, and the like,

they can hardly come to the knowledge of their gracious ftate, which God hath warranted people to prove and clear up to themselves, otherways than by these forefaid things.

SECTION III.

Some mistakes concerning an Interest in Chrift removed.

THE fifth thing to be premised is, the removal of fome mistakes whereinto people may readily run themfelves, when we are about to prove their interest in Chrift.

As 1ft, It is a mistake to think that every one who is in Chrift doth know that he is in him; for many are truly gracious, and have a good title to eternal life, who do not know fo much, until it be made out afterwards: "These things are written to believers, that they may know they have a true title to eternal life;" that is, that they may know they are believers, and so it is fuppofed they knew it not before.

2dly, It is a miftake to think that all who come to the knowledge of their intereft in Chrift do attain an equal certainty about the fame. One may fay, he is perfuaded nothing prefent, or to come, can feparate him from the love of God," another cometh but this length "I believe, help my unbelief."

3dly, It is a mistake to think that every one who attaineth a strong perfuafion of his intereft doth always hold there; for he who to-day may fay of the Lord, "he is his refuge," and "his portion," will at another time fay, "He is cut off," and will afk, if the truth of God's promife doth fail for evermore ?"

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4thly, It is alfo a mistake to think that every one who doth attain a good knowledge of their gracious ftate can formally answer all objections made to the contrary; but yet they may hold faft the conclufion, and fay, "I know whom I have believed." There be few grounds of the Chriftian religion, whereof many people are fo perfuaded, as that they are able to maintain them formally a

gainft all arguments brought to the contrary; and yet they may and will hold the conclufion fledfaftly and juftly fo it is in this cafe in hand.

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5thly, It is no lefs a mistake to imagine that the vain groundless confidence, which many profane ignoranti Atheifts do maintain, is this knowledge of an intereft in Chrift which we plead for. Many do falfely avow him to be their Father," and many look for heaven who will be beguiled with thofe "foolish virgins," yet we must not think, because of this, that all knowledge of an intereft is a delufion and fancy, although thefe fools be deceived; for, whilft thoufands are deluded, fome can fay on good and folid grounds, "We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lieth in wickedness."

Chapter II.

SECTION I

The Ways by which the Lord draweth fome to Chrift, without a fenfible preparatory Law-work.

HAVING premifed thefe things, it now

followeth that we give fome marks by which a man may know if he be favingly in covenant with God, and hath a fpecial intereft in Chrift, fo as he may warrantably lay claim to God's favor and falvation. We fhall only pitch upon two great and principal marks, not willing to trouble people with many.

But before we fall upon thefe, we will fpeak of a preparatory work of the law, whereof the Lord doth ordinarily make ufe to prepare his own way in men's fouls. This may have its own weight, as a mark, with fome perfons. It is called the Work of the Law, or, the Work of Humiliation. It hath fome proportion to that "fpirit of bondage," and doth now under the New Teftament anfwer unto it, and ufually leadeth on to the "Spirit of adoption."

Only, here, let it be remembered, 1. That we are not to speak of this preparatory work of the law as a negative mark of a true intereft in Chrift, as if none might lay claim to God's favor who has not had this preparatory work, in the several steps of it, as we are to speak of it; for, as we fhall hear, the Lord doth not always keep that path with men. 2. The great reason why we fpeak of it is, because the Lord dealeth with many, whom he doth effectually call, by fome fuch preparatory work: and to thofe, who have been fo dealt with it may prove ftrengthening, and will confirm them in laying the more weight on the marks which follow. 3. It may help to encourage others, who are under fuch bondage of fpirit, as a good prognoftic of a gracious work to follow; for, as we fhall circumftantiate it, it will be rarely found to mifcarry and fail of a gracious iffue. 4. Where God useth fuch a preparatory work, he doth not keep one way or measure in it, as we fhall hear.

For the more diftinct handling of this preparatory work, we shall shortly hint the most ordinary ways by which the Lord leadeth people in unto the covenant favingly, and draweth them unto Chrift.

Firft, There are fome called from the womb, as John the Baptift was, or in their very young years, before they can be deeply engaged actively in Satan's ways, as Timothy; it cannot be fuppofed that thofe have fuch a preparatory work as we are to speak of. fpeak of. And because fome perfons may pretend to this way of effectual calling, we offer thefe marks of it, whereby thofe who have been fo called may be confirmed.

1ft. Such ufe from their childhood to be kept free of ordinary pollutions wherewith children ufually are defiled; as fwearing, lying, mocking of religion and religious perfons, &c. Thofe whom God called effectually he fanctifieth them from the time of that effectual calling : Sin cannot have dominion over them" as over others," because they are under grace."

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2dly. Religion is, as it were, natural to them; I mean, they need not be much preffed to religious duties even

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