A42363:33
The Christians great interest
The Christians great interest: or A short treatise, divided into two parts the first whereof containeth, the trial of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly, the way how to attain it: wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. By W. Guthrie, minister of the gospel in Scotland.The Christians great interest: or A short treatise, divided into two parts the first whereof containeth, the tryal of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly, the way how to attain it: wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. By W. Guthrie, minister of the gospel in Scotland.
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1681
The Trial of a Saving Interest in CHRIST.The Tryal of a Saving Interest in CHRIST.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The first thing which doth hinder many from the knowledge of their interest in Christ, is, their ignorance of some special principles of Religion: as, 1. That it was free love in Gods bosom, and nothing in man, that moved him to send a Saviour to perfect the work of Redemption. Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World, that he sent, &c. Men are still seeking some ground for that business in themselves, which leads away from suitable and high apprehensions of the first spring and rise of Gods Covenant-favour to his people, which hath no reason, cause, or motive in us, and so they cannot come to the knowledge of their interest. 2. They are ignorant how that love doth effectually discover it self to a mans heart, so as he hath ground to lay claim to it, viz. That ordinarily it doth first discover his broken state in himself because of sin and corruption defiling ⟨p. 5⟩the whole man, and any thing in him that might be called a righteousness; all these things are loss and dung, Phil. 3. 6, 7, Secondly, It discovereth Christ as the full and satisfying treasure above all things. The man finds a treasure, for which, with joy, he selleth all, &c. Mat. 13. 44, 46. Thirdly, it determineth the heart, and causeth it to approach unto a living God in the ordinances, Psal. 65. 4. and causeth the heart to wait upon him, and him alone, 62. 5. My soul, wait thou only upon God. Thus, having dropped in the seed of God in the heart, and formed Christ there, Gal. 4. 19. The heart is changed and made new in the aforesaid work, Ezek. 36. 26. and Gods Law is so stamped upon the heart in that change, Jer. 31. 33. that the whole yoke of Christ is commended to the man without exception, Rom. 7. 12. 16. The Law is acknowledged good, holy, just and spiritual: upon all which, from that new principle of life, there flow out acts of a new life, (