2. Presumption; men hope all is well; men will not take their land upon trust, but will have it surveyed; yet they will take their spiritual estate upon trust, without any surveying. They are confident their case is good*; 'Tis a thing not to be disputed on, and this confidence is but conceit. The foolish Virgins, though they had no oil in their lamps, yet how confident were they? ⟨p. 111⟩They came knocking; 'twas a peremptory knock, they doubted not of admittance; so, many are not sure of their salvation, but secure; they presume all is well, never seriously meditating whether they have oil or no. Oh, Christian, meditate about thy soul. See how the case stands between God and thee; do as Merchants, cast up thy estate, that thou mayest see what thou art worth; see if thou art rich towards God, Luke 12.21. Meditate about three things 1. §1About thy debts, see if thy debts be paid or no, that is, thy sins pardoned; see if there be no arrearages, no sin in thy soul unrepented of. 2. §2Meditate about thy Will; see if thy Will be made yet: Hast thou resigned up all the interest in thy self? Hast thou given up thy love to God? Hast thou given up thy will? This is to make thy Will. Meditate about the Will; make thy spiritual Will in the ⟨p. 112⟩time of health; if thou puttest off the making of thy Will till death, it may be invalid; perhaps God will not accept of thy soul then. §33. Meditate about thy evidences. These evidences are the graces of the Spirit; see whether thou hast any evidences. What desires hast thou after Christ? what faith? see whether there be no flaw in thy evidences; are thy desires true? dost thou as well desire heavenly principles, as heavenly privileges? Oh meditate seriously upon your evidences.
2. Presumption; men hope all is well; men will not take their land upon trust, but will have it surveyed; yet they will take their spiritual estate upon trust, without any surveying. They are confident their case is good*; 'Tis a thing not to be disputed on, and this confidence is but conceit. The foolish Virgins, though they had no oyle in their lamps, yet how confident were they? ⟨p. 111⟩They came knocking; 'twas a peremptory knock, they doubted not of admittance; so, many are not sure of their salvation, but secure; they presume all is well, never seriously meditating whether they have oyle or no. Oh, Christian, meditate about thy soul. See how the case stands between God and thee; do as Merchants, cast up thy estate, that thou mayest see what thou art worth; see if thou art rich towards God, Luke 12.21. Meditate about three things 1. §1About thy debts, see if thy debts be paid or no, that is, thy sinnes pardoned; see if there be no arrearagies, no sinne in thy soul unrepented of. 2. §2Meditate about thy Will; see if thy Will be made yet: Hast thou resigned up all the interest in thy self? Hast thou given up thy love to God? Hast thou given up thy will? This is to make thy Will. Meditate about the Will; make thy spiritual Will in the ⟨p. 112⟩time of health; if thou puttest off the making of thy Will till death, it may be invalid; perhaps God will not accept of thy soule then. §33. Meditate about thy evidences. These evidences are the graces of the Spirit; see whether thou hast any evidences. What desires hast thou after Christ? what faith? see whether there be no flaw in thy evidences; are thy desires true? dost thou as well desire heavenly principles, as heavenly priviledges? Oh meditate seriously upon your evidences.
- *Prov. 14.16
