HOW TO ATTAIN UNTO A SAVING INTER EST IN CHRIST. PART II. HAVING, in the former part of this treatife, put every man's state to trial, it now remains that in this following part, we give advice to thofe, who neither can nor dare lay claim to the marks formerly mentioned. QUESTION II....What fhall they do who want the marks of a true and faving intereft in CHRIST already fpoken of, and neither can nor dare pretend unto them? ANSWER....If men mifs in themselves the marks of a faving intereft in Chrift, fpoken of before, then it is their duty and of all that hear this gofpel, perfonally and heartily to close with God's device of faving finners by Chrift Jefus, and this fhall fecure their state. Chapter I. Some Things premifed for the Information of thofe who are more Ignorant. FOR the better understanding of this we fhall premise fome things for information of those who are more ignorant, and then speak more directly to the thing. As for the things to be premised : ift. The Lord did, at the beginning, out of his bounty, make a covenant with man in Adam, and did enable man to abide in that covenant; "God hath made man upright;" but man, by eating of that forbidden fruit, 1 66 did break that covenant: "They, like Adam, have tranfgreffed the covenant," and made it void for ever: By the deeds of the law there fhall no flesh be justified in his fight;" and involved himself into all mifery thereby: "As by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned." 2dly. The Lord did moft freely, from everlasting, purpose and intend to fave men another way, viz. by Chrift Jefus, and the covenant of grace, in which he intended reconcilement with the elect through Chrift Jefus, God and man, born of a woman in due time, to make this agreement effectual. And this device of fatisfying his own juftice, and faving of the elect by Christ, he did at firft intimate to our parents in Paradife, where he faith, "That the Seed of the woman fhall bruise the ferpent's head." And the Lord hath in all generations made this known to his church. 3dly. The Lord hath in all ages covenanted to be the reconciled God of all thefe, who by their fubje&tion to his ordinances did profefs their fatisfaction with this device, and oblige themfelves to acquiefce in the fame, and to feek falvation by Chrift Jefus, as God doth offer him in the gofpel; fo all the people of Ifrael are called the Lord's people, and are faid to avouch him to be their God, and he doth avouch them to be his people: Yea, the Lord doth alfo engage himself to be the God of the feed and children of those who do so fubject themselves to his ordinances. The covenant is faid to be made between God and all the people, young and old, prefent and not prefent that day; and all are appointed to come under fome feal of that covenant, as was enjoined to Abraham Not only was it fo in the Old Teftament, but it is fo in the New Teftament alfo. The Lord : makes offer of himself to be our God in Chrift Jefus ; and the people profeffing their fatisfaction in that offer, and in teftimony thereof fubje&ting themselves unto the ordinances, they are reckoned a covenanted people, and are joined unto his church in thoufands, receiving a feal of the covenant, without any further particular previous trial Then Peter faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins. Then they that gladly received the word were baptifed; and the fame day there were added unto them about three thousand fouls." 4thly. Many do deal treacherously with God in this covenant;"Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they ftedfaft in his covenant." And although they profefs their eftimation of Chrift the Saviour, and their heart fatisfaction with that device of faving finners by him,and having the image of God restored by him in them : yet their heart is not right with God, and they do content themselves with an empty title of being in a fealed covenant with God; "Abraham is our father," say they. For although the Lord obligeth every man, who profeffeth his fatisfaction with Chrift Jefus, the devifed ranfom, to be cordial and fincere herein and only to these who are fo doth he make out the fpiritual promises of the covenant, they only being "privileged to be the fons of God who do really receive Chrift," yet the Lord doth permit many to profefs their clofing with him in Chrift, both in the Old and New Teftament, whilft their heart is not engaged and he doth admit them to be members of his church, granting unto them the use of ordinances, and many other external mercies and privileges denied unto the heathen, who are not in covenant with him. : 5thly. Although the greater part of the people do foolishly fancy, that they have clofed with God in Chrift Jefus fincerely and heartily; or, at leaft, they do, without any ground or warrant, promife a new heart to themselves before they depart this life; yet there be but very few who do really and cordially clofe with God in Chrift Jefus, as he is offered in the gofpel; and fo L . there be but very few faved; as is clear," Strait is the gate, and narrow, is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be who find it." "Many are called, but few are chofen." If people would believe this, it might help to alarm them. 6thly. Although none at all do cordially clofe with God in Chrift Jefus, and acquiefce in that ranfom found out by God, except only fuch as are elected; " But the election hath obtained it, and the reft were blinded :" and whose hearts the Lord doth fovereignly determine to that bleffed choice; "No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath fent me draw him ;" yet the Lord hath left it as a duty upon people who hear this gospel, to clofe with his offer of falvation through Chrift Jefus, as if it were in their power to do it: and the Lord, through thefe commands and exhortations, wherein he obligeth men to the thing, doth convey life and ftrength to the elect, and doth therein convey the new heart unto them, which pointeth kindly towards this new device of faving finners, and towards Chrift in his covenant relations; or, it is the Lord's mind, in thefe commands and invitations, to put people on fome duty, with which he ufeth to concur for accomplishing that bufinefs between him and them: fo then, it is a coming on our part, and yet a drawing on his part, John vi. 44; it is a drawing on his part, and a running on our part, Cant. i. 4; it is an approaching on our part, and yet a "chufing and caufing to approach on his part," Pfal. lxv. 4: it is a believing or receiving on our part, John i. 12, and yet "it is given us to believe,” Phil. i. 29. Chapter 11. SECTION I. What it is to clofe with God's Device of faving Sinners by Chrift Fefus, and that it is a neceffary Duty. HAVIN AVING premifed thefe things, I fay If men mifs in themfelves the marks of a faving interest in Chrift, fpoken of in the former part of the treatise; then for fecuring their ftate, they are obliged, with all diligence, perfonally and heartily to accept of and close with God's device of faving finners by Chrift Jefus, held out in the gospel. In handling of this, we fhall, 1ft Shew what it is to accept of and close with that noble invention. adly, We fhall fhew that it is the neceffary duty of thofe who would be in favor with God, and fecure their fouls. 3dly, What is previously required of those who perform this duty. 4thly, What are the qualifications and properties of this duty, if rightly managed. 5hly, What be the native confequences of it, if it be performed aright. As for the first, What it is to clofe with God's device of faving finners by Chrift Jefus, held out in the gofpel. Here we must remember, as we fhewed before, that at firft God willed man to abide in his favour, by holding faft his firft integrity in which he was created; but man by his tranfgreffion loft God's favour, made void that covenant of works, and put himself in an utter incapacity to regain the Lord's friendfhip, which he had loft by his fin, and to refcue him felf from the curfe and wrath now due to him for the fame, or any way to procure his own falvation but the Lord freely hath manifefted another way of repairing man's loft eftate, viz. by fending his Son Chrift Jefus in the flefh, to fatisfy his juftice for the fins of the elect, and to restore in them his image now defaced, and to bring them unto glory and he hath made open proclamation in the : |