Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

VI. Lastly, In these Characters you have some help in the work of Self-examination, for the trial both of the Truth and Strength of grace. I suppose it will be objected, that in other ⟨p. 179⟩Treatises I have reduced all the infallible Marks of Grace to a smaller number. To which I answer, I still say, that the predominancy or prevalency of the Interest of God as our God, and Christ as our Saviour, and the Spirit as our Sanctifier, in the estimation of the Understanding, the Resolved Choice of the Will, and the Government of the Life, against all the worldly interest of the Flesh, is the only infallible sign of a justified regenerate soul. But this whole hath many parts, and it is abundance of particulars materially in which this sincerity is to be found: Even all the sixty Characters which I have here named, are animated by that one, and contained in it. And I think to the most the full description of a Christian in his essential and integral parts, (yet showing which are indeed essential) is the best way to acquaint them with the nature of Christianity, and to help them in the trial of themselves. And as it were an abuse of Humane Nature, for a Painter to draw the picture of a man, without arms, or legs, or nose, or eyes, because he may be a man without them: so would it have been in me to draw only a maimed picture of a Christian, because a maimed Christian is a Christian. Yet because there are so many maimed Christians in the world, I have also showed you their lamentable defects; not in a manner which tendeth to encourage them in their sins and wants under pretence of comforting them, but in that manner which may best excite them to their duty in order to their recovery, without destroying their necessary supporting comforts.

VI. Lastly, In these Characters you have some help in the work of Self-examination, for the tryal both of the Truth and Strength of grace. I suppose it will be objected, that in other ⟨p. 179⟩Treatises I have reduced all the infallible Marks of Grace to a smaller number. To which I answer, I still say, that the predominancy or prevalency of the Interest of God as our God, and Christ as our Saviour, and the Spirit as our Sanctifier, in the estimation of the Vnderstanding, the Resolved Choice of the Will, and the Government of the Life, against all the worldly interest of the Flesh, is the only infallible sign of a justified regenerate soul. But this whole hath many parts, and it is abundance of particulars materially in which this sincerity is to be found: Even all the sixty Characters which I have here named, are animated by that one, and contained in it. And I think to the most the full description of a Christian in his essential and integral parts, (yet shewing which are indeed essential) is the best way to acquaint them with the nature of Christianity, and to help them in the tryal of themselves. And as it were an abuse of Humane Nature, for a Painter to draw the picture of a man, without arms, or legs, or nose, or eyes, because he may be a man without them: so would it have been in me to draw only a maimed picture of a Christian, because a maimed Christian is a Christian. Yet because there are so many maimed Christians in the world, I have also shewed you their lamentable defects; not in a manner which tendeth to encourage them in their sins and wants under pretence of comforting them, but in that manner which may best excite them to their duty in order to their recovery, without destroying their necessary supporting comforts.