Especially, 1. In the time of great
backsliding, people were wont to renew the covenant with God, and we should do
so also. Our heart should go out after Christ in the promises of reconciliation
with God: for He is our peace upon all occasions, and our Advocate; and we are
bound to apprehend Him so, when we transgress - 'If any man sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous' (1 John 2: 1); and to
express so much by word, as the saints did in their formal renewing of the
covenant.
2. When people are in hazard, and difficulties are present or
foreseen, then it were good that they should send out their hearts after Him,
and express their adherence unto Him for securing their own hearts. We find
Joshua doing so, when He was to settle in the land of Canaan, in the midst of
snares: - 'Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in
truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the
flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to
serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served, that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve
the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake
the Lord to serve other gods; for the Lord our God, He it is that brought us up
and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which
did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we
went, and among all the people through whom we passed; and the Lord drave out
from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land:
therefore will we also serve the Lord; for He is our God. And Joshua said unto
the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for He is an holy God; he will not
forgive your transgressions nor your sin. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve
strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He
has done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the
Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves,
that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve Him. And they said, We are
witnesses. Now, therefore put away (said he) the strange gods which are among
you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said
unto Joshua, the Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey. So
Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an
ordinance in Shechem.' (Josh. 24.)
So did David in his straits - 'In the
shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.'
(Psa. 57: 1.)
3. When men apprehend God to be at a distance from them, and
their soul to be under withering and decay, then it is safest heartily to close
with Christ, and embrace Him by faith for the securing of the soul; and it were
good to put it out of question by the expression of the thing. This is the
ready way to draw sap from Christ the root, for recovering of the soul, and for
establishing the heart before Him. The spouse, in the Song of Solomon, does so;
thus asserting her interest in Him when in such a condition, professing and
avowing Him to be her beloved. (Cant. 5.)
4. At the celebration of the
Lord's Supper, men should thus cordially close with God in Christ, and speak
and express so much; for that is a feast of love; and then and there we come
under a solemn professing of closing with God in Christ personally and openly,
and to receive the seal of it. It is, therefore, especially proper, at that
time, to bring up both heart and tongue to second and answer our profession,
apprehending God to be his, and at his disposal. We shall not confine the
Lord's people to times and seasons for this duty; the Lord may bind it upon
them at His pleasure; only there is hazard, that by too frequent express
covenanting with God, men turn too formal in it. Therefore, it is not so fit
that people should ordinarily at full length renew that explicit transaction
with God, but rather to declare unto God that they adhere unto the covenant
made with Him, and that they do maintain and will never revoke nor recall the
same; and withal, they may hint the sum of it, in laying claim unto God in
Christ as their own God; and this they may do often, even in all their
addresses to God. And probably this is the thing designed by the saints in
their so ordinary practice in Scripture, whilst they assert their interest in
God as their God and portion; and it is fit that men, in all their walk, hold
their heart to the business, by heart-cleaving to God in Christ - 'The life we
live in the flesh should be by faith in the Son of God.' (Gal. 2: 20.)
II. - The preparation needed
As to the second thing, namely,
what preparation is required of him who is expressly to transact with God here.
Besides what we mentioned before, as previous to a man's closing with Christ
Jesus, we only add,
1. That he who would explicitly bargain with God, must
know, that to do so is warranted, and allowed by God, as we showed before. If
this be wanting, a man cannot do it in faith, and so it will be sin unto him -
'Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' (Rom. 14: 23.)
2. Then man must labour
to bring up his heart to the thing, that it do not belie the tongue; it will be
a great mocking of God, so to 'draw near to Him with the lips, whilst the heart
is far from Him.' (Isa. 29: 13.)
III. - How the duty of covenanting is
to be performed
The third thing to be considered in this express verbal
covenanting with God is, the way how it is to be performed and managed. And
besides what was said before in heartclosing with Christ, I add here, -
1.
The man should do it confidently; not only believing that he is about his duty
when he does it; but also, that God in Christ Jesus will accept his poor
imperfect way of doing his duty: He does 'accept a man according to what he
has, if there be a willing mind.' (2 Cor. 8: 12.) A mite is accepted, since it
is 'all the poor woman's substance.' (Mark 12: 44.) Yea, if it can be attained,
the man should believe that the issue and consequence of this transacting shall
prove comfortable, and all shall be well; and that God, who engageth for all in
the covenant (since He has determined the man to this happy choice), will in
some measure make him forthcoming, and will perfect what concerns him -
'Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.' (1 Thess. 5: 24.) If
this confidence be wanting, the matter will be done with much fear and
jealousy, if not worse: and will still prove a disquieting business to the man.
2. It should be done holily. It is called 'the holy covenant' (Luke 1: 72);
'the sure mercies (or holy things) of David.' (Acts 13: 34.) Here it were
fitting that what is done in this express transacting with God should not be
done cursorily and by the bye, but in some special address unto God; the thing
should be spoken unto the Lord - 'I cried unto Thee, O Lord; I said; thou art
my refuge and my portion.' (Psa. 142: 5.) It is proper, in so great a business,
that a portion of time were set apart for confession and supplication before
God; yea, also, the person so transacting with God should labour to have high
apprehensions of God's greatness and sovereignty - 'Thou art great, O Lord God;
for there is none like unto Thee, neither is there any God beside Thee.' (2
Sam. 7: 22.) Although He thus humble himself to behold things in heaven and
earth; and these high and holy thoughts of Him will and should be attended with
debasing and humbling thoughts of self, although admitted to this high dignity
- 'Then went King David in, and sat before the Lord: and he said, Who am I, O
Lord God; and what is my house that Thou hast brought me hitherto?' (2 Sam. 7:
18.) It is no small thing to be allied unto, and with, the great God of heaven
and His Son Christ; as David speaketh, when King Saul did offer his daughter to
him. (2 Sam. 18: 22.)
Yea, further, there should be special guarding and
watching that the heart keep spiritual in transacting with God. There is great
reason for this holy way of performing the duty, for men are ready to mistake
themselves, and to think of the Lord according to their own fancy, and to turn
carnal in the business, since it is a marriage transaction held out in all the
ordinal expressions of love, as in the Song of Solomon. (Isa. 62: 5; Zeph. 3:
17.)
IV. - What should follow this solemn act
The fourth thing
we shall speak a word unto is, What should follow upon this express verbal
covenanting with God. I say, besides that union and communion with God in
Christ, following upon believing, if a man explicitly by word transact with God
-
1. He should thenceforth be singularly careful to abide close with God,
in all manner of conversation; for, if a man thenceforth do anything
unsuitable, he does falsify his word before God, which will stick much in his
conscience, and prove a snare. If a man henceforth forsake God, and take on him
to dispose of himself, since he is not his own, and has opened his mouth unto
the Lord, he makes inquiry after vows, and devoureth that which is holy. (Prov.
20: 25.)
2. He who so transacteth with God should hold steadfast that
determination and conclusion. It is a shame for a man whose heart has closed
with God, and whose mouth has ratified and confirmed it solemnly before Him, to
contradict himself again, and to admit anything to the contrary; he ought
boldly to maintain the thing against every enemy. Then, let me entreat you, who
desire to be established in the matter of your interest in God, that, with all
convenience, you set apart a portion of time for prayer before God, and
labouring to work up your heart to seriousness, affection, and the faith of the
duty to make a covenant, and to transact with God by express word, after this
manner: - 'O Lord, I am a lost and fallen creature by nature, and by
innumerable actual transgressions, which I do confess particularly before Thee
this day: and although, being born within the visible church, I was from the
womb in covenant with Thee, and had the same sealed to me in baptism; yet, for
a long time, I have lived without God in the world, senseless and ignorant of
my obligation by virtue of that covenant. Thou hast at length discovered to me,
and impressed upon my heart, my miserable state in myself, and hast made
manifest unto my heart the satisfying remedy. Thou hast provided by Christ
Jesus, offering the same freely unto me, upon condition that I would accept of
the same, and would close with Thee as my God in Christ, warranting and
commanding me, upon my utmost peril, to accept of this offer, and to flee unto
Christ Jesus; yea, to my apprehension, now Thou hast sovereignly determined my
heart, and formed it for Christ Jesus, leading it out after Him in the offers
of the gospel, causing me to approach unto the living God, to close so with Him
and to acquiesce in His offer, without any known guile. And that I may come up
to that establishment of spirit in this matter, which should be to my comfort,
and the praise of Thy glorious grace; therefore, I am here this day to put that
matter out of question by express words before Thee, according to Thy will.
And now I, unworthy as I am, do declare, that I believe that Christ Jesus,
who was slain at Jerusalem, was the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world. I
do believe that record, that there is life eternal for men in Him, and in Him
only. I do this day in my heart approve and acquiesce in that device of saving
sinners by Him, and do intrust my soul unto Him. I do accept of reconciliation
with God through Him, and do close with Thee as my God in Him. I choose Him in
all that He is, and all that may follow Him, and do resign up myself, and what
I am, or have, unto Thee; desiring to be divorced from everything hateful unto
Thee, and that without exception, or reservation, or anything inconsistent
within my knowledge, or any intended reversion. Here I give the hand to Thee,
and do take all things about me witnesses, that I, whatever I be, or have
hitherto been, do accept of God's offer of peace through Christ; and do make a
sure covenant with Thee this day, never to be reversed, hoping that Thou wilt
make all things forthcoming, both on Thy part and mine, seriously begging, as I
desire to be saved, that my corruptions may be subdued, and my neck brought
under Thy sweet yoke in all things, and my heart made cheerfully to acquiesce
in whatsoever Thou dost unto me, or with me, in order to these ends.
Now,
glory be unto Thee, O Father, who devised such a salvation, and gave the Son to
accomplish it: Glory be to Christ Jesus, who, at so dear a rate, did purchase
the outletting of that love from the Father's bosom, and through whom alone
this access is granted, and in whom I am reconciled unto God, and honorably
united unto Him, and am no more an enemy or stranger: Glory to the Holy Ghost,
who did alarm me when I was destroying myself, and who did not only convince me
of my danger, but did also open my eyes to behold the remedy provided in
Christ; yea, and did persuade and determine my wicked heart to fall in love
with Christ, as the enriching treasure; and this day does teach me how to
covenant with God, and how to appropriate to myself all the sure mercies of
David, and blessings of Abraham, and to secure to myself the favour and
friendship of God for ever. Now, with my soul, heart, head, and whole man, as I
can, I do acquiesce in my choice this day, henceforth resolving not to be my
own, but Thine; and that the care of whatsoever concerns me shall be on Thee,
as my Head and Lord, protesting humbly, that failings on my part (against which
I resolve, Thou knowest) shall not make void this covenant; for so hast Thou
said, which I intend not to abuse, but so much the more to cleave close unto
Thee, and I must have liberty to renew, ratify, and draw extracts of this
transaction, as often as shall be needful. Now, I know Thy consent to this
bargain stands recorded in Scripture, so that I need no new signification of
it; and I, having accepted of Thy offer upon Thine own terms, will henceforth
wait for what is good, and for Thy salvation in the end. As Thou art faithful,
pardon what is amiss in my way of doing the thing, and accept me in my Lord
Jesus Christ, in whom only I desire pardon. And in testimony hereof, I set to
my seal that God is true, in declaring Him a competent Savior.' Let people
covenant with God in fewer or more words, as the Lord shall dispose them - for
we intend no exact form of words for any person - only it were fitting that men
should before the Lord acknowledge their lost state in themselves, and the
relief that is by Christ; and that they do declare that they accept of the same
as it is offered in the gospel, and do thankfully rest satisfied with it,
intrusting themselves henceforth wholly unto God, to be saved in His way, for
which they wait according to His faithfulness. If men would heartily and
sincerely do this, it might, through the Lord's blessing, help to establish
them against many fears and jealousies; and they might date some good thing
from this day and hour, which might prove comfortable unto them when they fall
in the dark afterwards, and even when many failings do stare them in the face,
perhaps at the hour of death - 'These be the last words of David: although my
house be not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my
desire.' (2 Sam. 23: 5.) It is much if a man can appeal unto God, and say, Thou
knowest there was a day and an hour when in such a place I did accept of peace
through Christ, and did deliver up my heart to Thee, to write on it Thy whole
law without exception; heaven and earth are witnesses of it - 'Remember the
word unto Thy servant, upon which Thou hast caused me to hope.' (Psa. 119: 49.)
X. - A want of proper feeling considered as an obstacle in the way of
covenanting
Object. I dare not venture to speak such words unto
God, because I find not my heart coming up full length in affection and
seriousness; so I should but lie unto God in transacting so with Him.
Ans. It is to be regretted that men's hearts do not, with intensity
of desire and affection, embrace and welcome that blessed offer and portion.
Yet, for answer to this objection, remember,
1. That in those to whom the
Lord gives the new heart, forming Christ in them, the whole heart is not
renewed; there is 'flesh and spirit lusting against each other, the one
contrary unto the other, so that a man can neither do the good or evil he would
do,' with full strength. (Gal. 5: 17.) It is well if there be a good part of
the heart going out after Christ, desiring to close with Him on His own terms.
2. That there is often a rational love in the heart unto Christ Jesus,
expressing itself by a respect to His commandments - 'This is the love of God,
that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous' (1 John
5: 3); when there is not a sensible prevailing love which maketh the soul sick
- 'I am sick of love.' (Cant. 2: 5.) Men must not always expect to find this. I
say, then, although somewhat in your heart drawn back, yet if you can say that
you are convinced of your lost state without Him, that you want a righteousness
to cover your guilt, and that you want strength to stand out against sin, or to
do what is pleasing before God, and that you also see fulness in Him; in both
these respects, if you dare say that somewhat within your heart would fain
embrace Him upon His own terms, and would have both righteousness for
justification, and strength in order to sanctification; and that what is within
you contradicting this, is in some measure your burden and your bondage - if it
be so, your heart is brought up a tolerable length; go on to the business, and
determine the matter by covenanting with God, and say with your mouth, 'That
you have both righteousness and strength in the Lord,' as He has sworn you
shall do - 'I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in
righteousness, and shall not return. That unto Me every knee shall bow, every
tongue shall swear.
Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness
and strength: even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him
shall be ashamed.' (Isa. 45: 23, 24.) It is according to Scripture to say unto
God, I believe, when much unbelief is in me and the heart is divided in the
case 'Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief.' (Mark 9: 24.) Withal show unto
God how matters are in your heart, so that you may be without guile before Him,
concealing nothing from Him; and put your heart as it is in His hand, to write
His law on it, according to the covenant: for that is the thing He seeks of
men, that they deliver up their heart to Him, that He may stamp it with His
whole will, without exception; and if you can heartily consent unto that,
judging Christ's blood a sufficient ransom and satisfaction for man's
transgression, you may go and expressly strike a covenant with God, for your
heart and affection is already engaged.
XI. - The fear of backsliding a
hindrance
Object. I dare not so covenant with God lest I break with
Him; yea, I persuade myself, that if such a temptation did offer, so and so
circumstantiated, I should fall before it: therefore, to transact so with God
whilst I foresee such a thing, were but to aggravate my condemnation.
Ans. 1. You have already entered into covenant with God, as you are
a member of His visible Church; and what is now pressed upon you is, that you
more heartily, sincerely, particularly, and expressly covenant and transact
with Him: you are already obliged heartily to close with God in Christ: and if
you do it in heart, I hope the hazard is no greater by saying that you do so,
or have done so.
2. What will you do if you decline sincerely closing with
God in Christ, and do not accept of His peace as it is offered? You have no
other way of salvation; either you must do this or perish for ever: and if you
do it with your heart, you may also say it with your tongue.
3. If people
may be afraid of covenanting with God lest they should afterwards transgress,
then not one man should covenant with God; for surely every one will transgress
afterwards, if they live any length of time after the transaction; and we know
no way like this to secure men from falling; for if you covenant honestly with
Him, He engageth, beside the new heart, to put His fear and law therein, to
give His Spirit to cause you to walk in His way. And when you covenant with
God, you deliver up yourself unto Him to be sanctified and made conformable to
His will. It is rather a giving up of yourself to be led in His way, in all
things, and kept from every evil way, than any formal engagement on your part
to keep His way, and to hold off from evil: so that you need not be afraid of
the covenant, the language whereof is, 'Wilt thou not be made clean?' (Jer. 13:
27.) And all that shun to join in covenant with God, do thereby declare that
they desire not to be made clean.
4. As it is hard for any to say
confidently they shall transgress, if such a temptation did offer, so and so
circumstantiated, because that men may think that either God will keep a
temptation out of their way, or will not suffer them to be tempted above what
they are able to bear, or give to them a way of escape - 'God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.' (Psa. 46: 1.) 'There has no
temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear; but will
with the temptation also make a wsy to escape, that ye may be able to bear it'
(1 Cor. 10: 13); so the question is not, what I may do afterwards, but what I
now resolve to do. If my heart charge me presently with any deceit or
resolution to transgress, I must lay aside that deceit before I covenant with
God; but if my heart charge me with no such purpose, yea, I dare say I resolve
against every transgression; and although I think I shall fall before such and
such temptation, yet that thought floweth not from any allowed and approved
resolution to do so, but from a knowledge of my own corruption, and of what I
have done to provoke God to desert me: but the Lord knows I resolve not to
transgress, nor do I approve any secret inclination of my heart to such a sin,
but would reckon it my singular mercy to be kept from sin in such a case; and I
judge myself a wretched man, because of such a body of death within me, which
threatens to make me transgress; in that case I say, My heart does not condemn
me, therefore, I may and ought to have confidence before God. (1 John 3: 21.)
If this then be the case, I say to thee, although thou shouldst afterwards fail
many ways, and so perhaps hereby draw upon thyself sad temporal strokes, and
lose for a season many expressions of His love, yet there is an 'Advocate with
the Father' to plead thy pardon (1 John 2: 1); who has satisfied for our
breaches - 'He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we
are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his
own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all' (Isa. 53: 5, 6.)
And for His sake God resolves to hold fast the covenant with men after their
transgression - 'If his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments;
if they break My statutes, and keep not My commandments: nevertheless My
loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to
fail: my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My
lips. Once have I sworn by My holiness.' (Psa. 89: 30-37.) Else how could He be
said 'to betroth us to Himself for ever?' (Hos. 2: 19, 20.) And how could the
covenant be called 'everlasting, ordered in all things and sure,' if there were
not ground of comfort in it, 'even when our house is not so with God?' (2 Sam.
23: 5.) Yea, it were no better than the covenant of works, if those who enter
into it with God could so depart from Him again, as to make it void unto
themselves, and to put themselves into a worse condition than they were in
before they made it - 'And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that
I will not turn away from them, to do them good' (Jer. 32: 40) - compared with
Heb. 8: 6, 'But now has He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also
He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better
promises.' 'The Lord hateth putting away.' (Mal. 2: 16.) No honest heart will
stumble at this, but will rather be strengthened thereby in duty - 'I will heal
their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from
him. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things: prudent, and he shall
know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in
them.' (Hos. 14: 9.) For other ties and bonds, besides the fear of divorce, and
punishment by death, do oblige the ingenuous wife unto duty; so here men will
'fear the Lord and His goodness.' (Hos. 3: 5.)
XII. - Objection arising
from past fruitlessness considered
Object. I have at the celebration of
the Lord's Supper, and on some other occasions, covenanted expressly and
verbally with God; but my fruitlessness in His ways, and the renewed jealousies
of my gracious state, make me question, if ever I transacted with God in
sincerity, and I think I can do it no otherwise than I have done it.
Ans. 1. Men are not to expect fruitfulness according to their
desire, nor full assurance of God's favour immediately after they have fled
unto Christ, and expressly transacted with God in Him; these things will keep a
man at work all his days. The saints had their failings and shortcomings, yea,
and backsliding, with many fits of dangerous unbelief, after they had very
seriously and sincerely, and expressly closed with God, as their God in
Christ.
2. Many do look for fruitfulness in their walk, and establishment
of faith, from their own sincerity in transacting with God, rather than from
the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. They fix their hearts on their own honesty and
resolutions, and not in the blessed root, Christ Jesus, without whom we can do
nothing, and are vanity altogether in our best estate. Men should remember,
that one piece of grace cannot produce any degree of grace: Further, nothing
can work grace but the arm of JEHOVAH; and if men would lean upon Christ, and
covenant with Him as their duty absolutely, whatsoever may be the consequence,
at least looking only to Him for the suitable fruit, it would fare better with
them. God pleaseth not that men should retake themselves unto Christ, and
covenant with Him for a season until they see if such fruit and establishment
shall follow, purposing to disclaim their interest in him and the covenant, if
such and such fruit does not appear within such a length of time. This is to
put the ways of God to trial, and is very displeasing unto Him. Men must
absolutely close with Christ, and covenant with Him, resolving to maintain
these things as their duty, and a ready way to reach fruit, whatever shall
follow thereupon; they having a testimony within them, that they seriously
design conformity to His revealed will in all things; and that they have closed
covenant with Him for the same end, as well as to be saved thereby.
3. Men
should be sparing to bring in question their sincerity in transacting with God
unless they can prove the same, or have great presumptions for it. If you can
discover any deceit or guile in your transacting with Him, you are obliged to
disclaim and rectify it, and to transact with God honestly, and. without guile:
but if you know nothing of your deceit or guile in the day you did transact
with Him; yea, if you can say that you did appeal unto God in that day and that
you dealt honestly with Him, and intended not to deceive; and did entreat Him,
according to his faithfulness, to search and try if there was any crookedness
in your way, and to discover it unto you, and heal it - 'Search me, O God, and
know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way
in me, and lead me in the way everlasting' (Psa. 139: 23, 24); and that
afterwards you 'came to the light, that your deeds might be manifest' (John 3:
20, 21); and if you can say, that God's answers from His words to you, in so
far as you could understand, were answers of peace, and confirmations of your
sincerity; yea, further, if you dare say, that if, upon life and death, you
were again to transact with Him, you can do it no other way, nor intend more
sincerity and seriousness than before; then I dare say unto thee in the Lord's
name, thou ought not to question thy sincerity in transacting with God, but to
'have confidence before God, since thy heart does not condemn thee' (1 John 3:
21); and thou art bound to believe that 'God dealeth uprightly with the upright
man, and with the pure does show himself pure.' (Psa 28: 25, 26.) If a man
intend honestly, 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 man.
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 approved of Him; and so the witness of the Spirit and the water, joining
with the blood, whereupon you are to lay the weight of your soul and
conscience, and where alone you are to sink the curses of the law due unto 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.' (John 15: 4, 5.) 'He that has 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.' (John 14: 21, 23.) 'The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.' (Rom.
8: 10.) 'There are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water,
and the blood; and these three agree in one.' (1 John 5: 8.)
O blessed
bargain of the new covenant, and thrice blessed Mediator of the same! Let him
ride prosperously and subdue nations and languages, and gather in all His
jewels, that honourable company of the firstborn, 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 goes, 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 on 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.
1. What is the great business a man has to do in this world?
Ans. 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 anything in this world: it maketh him disclaim all relief in
himself, seen 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 the 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 Him three offices, to rule and instruct as well as to save; and
is content to cleave unto Him, whatsoever 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 see 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 it?
A. Let him not take rest until he make sure unto himself a saving
interest in Christ.
Q. 10. 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 retaking himself unto Christ, the blessed refuge.
Q.
11. What if my sins be singularly heinous, and great beyond ordinary?
A. Whatsoever 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 does 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 does accept of God's offer, and does
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 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 has
appointed.
Q. 15 What if I break with God afterwards?
A.
You must resolve in His strength not to break, and watch over your own ways,
and put your heart in His hand to keep it and if you break, you must confess it
unto God, and judge yourself for it, and flee to the Advocate for pardon, and
resolve to do so no more: and this you must do as often as you fail.
Q.
16 How shall I come to full assurance of my interest in Christ, so that it
may be beyond controversy?
A. Learn to lay your weight upon the
blood of Christ, and study purity and holiness in all manner of conversation:
and pray for the witness of God's Spirit to join with the blood and the water;
and His testimony added unto these will establish you in the faith of an
interest in Christ.
Q. 17. What is the consequence of such closing
with God in Christ by heart and mouth?
A. Union and communion with
God, all good here and His blessed fellowship in heaven forever afterwards.
Q. 18. What if I slight all these things, and do not lay them to
heart to put them in practice?
A. The Lord comes with His angels, in
flaming fire, to render vengeance to them who obey not His gospel; and thy
judgment shall be greater than that of Sodom and Gomorrah; and so much the
greater that thou hast read this Treatise, for it shall be a witness against
thee in that day.
The End .
Guthrie, The Christian's Great Interest
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