Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

4. Let us Hope in Jesus, carrying on the great Work of our Salvation at his first coming, or incarnation. Only here remember, I speak not of every hope, but only of such an hope as is grounded on some certainty and knowledge. This is the main question, whether Christs incarnation belongs unto me? the Prophet tells us, that Unto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given. ¹But how may I Hope that this Child ⟨p. 148⟩is born to me? and that this Son is given to me? what ground for that? Out of these words of the Prophet, I shall draw a double Evidence, which may be instead of all: our first Evidence from the former words, Unto us a Child is born; our second Evidence from the latter words, unto us a Son is given. 1. From the former words I lay down this position, unto us a Child is born, if we are new born; the surest way to know our interest in the birth of Christ, it is to know Christ born in us, or formed in us, ²as the Apostle speaks. The new birth is the effect of Christs birth, and a sure sign that Christ is born to us. Say then, O my soul, Art thou born anew? is there in thee a new nature, a new principle? is the Image of God, and of Christ in thy soul? so the Apostle stiles it,³ the bearing of the Image of the heavenly; why then was Christ incarnate for thee; if thy new birth be not clear enough, thou mayest try it further by these following rules?

4. LEt us Hope in Jesus, carrying on the great Work of our Salvation at his first coming, or incarnation. Only here remember, I speak not of every hope, but only of such an hope as is grounded on some certainty and knowledge. This is the main question, whether Christs incarnation belongs unto me? the Prophet tells us, that Ʋnto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given. ¹But how may I Hope that this Child ⟨p. 148⟩is born to me? and that this Son is given to me? what ground for that? Out of these words of the Prophet, I shall draw a double Evidence, which may be instead of all: our first Evidence from the former words, Ʋnto us a Child is born; our second Evidence from the latter words, unto us a Son is given. 1. From the former words I lay down this position, unto us a Child is born, if we are new born; the surest way to know our interest in the birth of Christ, it is to know Christ born in us, or formed in us,