An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

But though we know not how to get into Christ; ¹it would be some comfort to know, that we are in him: But this is as impossible as the other; As the only foundation of our Faith in coming to Christ (according to these mens notions) ⟨p. 527⟩is a special call of the Spirit; So the only infallible assurance that we are in Christ, is the testimony of the Spirit: The spirit of adoption, which teaches us to cry, Abba, Father: And yet God doth not afford this Testimony to all; but suffers many good Christians, to walk in darkness, and hides his face from them; for no other reason, but because they are desirous of it, and would be quiet, if they should know it; this is somewhat hard measure: But suppose you have, or think you have this testimony of the Spirit; how can you be sure, that it is not a cheat and delusion, the imposture of the Devil, or of your own self-flattering imagination? to satisfy this we are directed to marks: Thus this infallible assurance from the testimony of the Spirit must in its last resolve be founded upon some Moral evidence: As it is with the Church of Rome; who after a great noise and cry of infallibility, are at last forced to resolve their Faith into some Motives of credibility, or to dance round in an endless circle: Well, what are the marks of our being in Christ? You must enquire whether you have the Spirit of Christ; And it is just as easy to know this, as whether you be in Christ: But are you true Believers? Is your Faith ⟨p. 528⟩of the right stamp? is it wrought by the Almighty Power of God? Or is it such an easy, common, presumptuous, false faith, as that which is in the generality of men? This is as easy to know, as any of the former: For if there be such a false presumptuous faith as takes Christ, when he does not belong to us, and rests and relies on Christ only for pardon and salvation, and yet shall never have Christ: How shall we know whether our Faith be true and genuine, such as will make Christ ours? and the answer to this brings us to that great mark of Sanctification. You must consider the effects of Faith;² doth it purify the Heart? overcome the World? work by Love? are you new Creatures? Is the state of your person changed from a Child of wrath to an Heir of Grace? (which is the thing to be proved) Or is your nature changed? Do you walk in newness of life? Have you crucified the flesh with its lusts? Do you bring forth fruit?