A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

Quest. But how shall I know, whether the Lord Jesus Christ hath dominion over my soul or no? How shall I know whether the Lord Jesus Christ be my Lord, or no? For if I can but groundedly conclude, that Christ is my Lord, then I may very boldly, safely and undoubtedly conclude, that sin is not my Lord; but if Christ be not my Lord, I may more than fear that sin is certainly my Lord.

Ans. Sol. Canst thou truly say, in the presence of the great and glorious God,¹ that is the trier and searcher of all hearts, that thou hast given up thy heart and life to the Rule, Authority and Government of Jesus Christ, and that thou hast chosen him to be thy Sovereign Lord and King, and art truly willing to submit to his dominion, as the only precious and righteous, holy and heavenly, sweet and pleasant, profitable and comfortable, safe and best dominion in all the world, and to resign up thy heart, thy will, thy affections, thy life, thy all, really to Christ, wholly to Christ, and only to Christ. Canst thou truly say? O dear Lord Jesus, other Lords, viz. the world, the flesh, and the devil, have had dominion too long over me;² but now these Lords I utterly renounce, I for ever renounce, and do give up my self to thee, as my only Lord, beseeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever: O Lord, though sin rages, and ⟨p. 47⟩Satan roars, and the world sometimes frowns,³ and sometimes fawns, yet I am resolved to own thee as my only Lord, and to serve thee as my only Lord; my greatest fear is of offending thee, and my chiefest care shall be to please thee, and my only joy shall be to be a praise, a name, and an honour to thee: O Lord, I can appeal to thee in the sincerity of my heart, that though I have many invincible weaknesses and infirmities that hang upon me, and though I am often worsted by my sins, and overcome in an hour of temptation, yet thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts, thou dost know that I have given up my heart to the obedience of Jesus Christ, and do daily give it up to his rule and government, and 'tis the earnest desire of my soul, above all things in this world, that Jesus Christ may still set up his Laws in my heart, and exercise his dominion over me. Now doubtless there is not the weakest Christian in the world, but can venture himself upon such an appeal to God as this is, and without all peradventure, where such a frame and temper of spirit is, there the dominion of Jesus Christ is set up; and where the dominion of Christ is set up, there sin has no dominion;