2 Though he be in Christ, yet he must examine himself, whether he be particularly prepared, quickened, and fitted; whether his heart be put into such a trance of grace, or fashioned so as it ought to be, when he comes to the immediate performance of such a duty as that is. Now because I handle this point, but only for this particular occasion, I will not enter into such a manner of handling of it, as I was wont to do at other times, but only take up so much of it as may serve for the present occasion; Therefore because I say this to you: That except a man be in Christ, he ought not to take any privilege to himself: we will, First exhort every man to consider whether he be in Christ: for this is the present question which any […] heart would ask, when he hears this […]; Why, if all the privileges be […] upon my being in Christ, my main […] to examine whether I be in Christ or no. […] because a man may be in Christ and yet […] by some interveniall sin, by […] disposition of mind and heart, that may […] on him, from the actual enjoying of the present fruit and benefit of that privilege which belongs to him: therefore we will first give you rules to examine your selves whether you be in Christ or no. It is very useful to all that now are to receive, or at any other time; its useful you know too, not only upon such an occasion as this, but upon all occasions; and therefore a point, […] ⟨p. 277⟩that men magnify so much, I say, there was a time when they were exceeding good: but sin hath blowed upon them, it hath blasted the beauty and vigour of them, so that now when the Lord looks upon them, this is the sentence that is pronounced of them, you know, in Eccl. 1.14. They are all vanity and vexation of spirit. Consider if thou be able to look on all these things (even the best things the world hath) as things being but mere vanity; things wherein the Lord sowed not mens happiness, and therefore thou canst not think to reap it there. If you mark but the expression the wise man useth in […] saith he; All things under the Sun are but […] there is a reason contained in those […] are but vanity; for waters you […] not higher than the […] carry not any thing higher than […]; so all the creatures that be […] be but under the Sun, […] ascend to that happiness […] the Sun, nor carry you to that […] is above, for happiness is […], laid up in Heaven.
2 Though he be in Christ, yet hee must examine himselfe, whether he be particularly prepared, quickned, and fitted; whether his heart be put into such a trance of grace, or fashioned so as it ought to be, when he comes to the immediate performance of such a duty as that is. Now because I handle this point, but onely for this particular occasion, I will not enter into such a manner of handling of it, as I was wont to do at other times, but onely take up so much of it as may serve for the present occasion; Therfore because I say this to you: That except a man bee in Christ, he ought not to take any priviledge to himselfe: we will, First exhort every man to consider whether hee be in Christ: for this is the present question which any 〈…〉 heart would aske, when he heares this 〈…〉; Why, if all the priviledges be 〈…〉 upon my being in Christ, my maine 〈…〉 to examine whether I be in Christ or no. 〈…〉 because a man may bee in Christ and yet 〈…〉 by some interveniall sinne, by 〈…〉 disposition of minde and heart, that may 〈…〉 on him, from the actuall injoying of the present fruit and benefit of that priviledge which belongs to him: therefore we will first give you rules to examine your selves whether you be in Christ or no. It is very useful to all that now are to receive, or at any other time; its usefull you know too, not onely upon such an occasion as this, but upon all occasions; and therfore a point, 〈…〉 ⟨p. 277⟩that men magnifie so much, I say, there was a time when they were exceeding good: but sinne hath blowed upon them, it hath blasted the beauty and vigour of them, so that now when the Lord looks upon them, this is the sentence that is pronounced of them, you know, in Eccl. 1.14. They are all vanity and vexation of spirit. Consider if thou be able to looke on al these things (even the best things the world hath) as things being but meere vanity; things wherein the Lord sowed not mens happinesse, and therefore thou canst not think to reape it there. If you marke but the expression the wise man useth in 〈…〉 saith he; All things under the Sun are but 〈…〉 there is a reason conteined in those 〈…〉 are but vanity; for waters you 〈…〉 not higher than the 〈…〉 carry not any thing higher than 〈…〉; so all the creatures that bee 〈…〉 be but under the Sunne, 〈…〉 ascend to that happinesse 〈…〉 the Sun, nor carry you to that 〈…〉 is above, for happinesse is 〈…〉, laide up in Heaven.
