N00814:217
The Christian's great interest. Or, A short treatise, divided into two parts. The first…
The Christian's great interest. Or, A short treatise, divided into two parts. The first whereof, containeth the [sic] trial of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly the [sic] way how to attain it: : Wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. / By William Guthrie, Minister of the Gospel, at New-Kilmarnock.The Christian's great interest. Or, A short treatise, divided into two parts. The first whereof, containeth te [sic] tryal of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly te [sic] way how to attain it: : Wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. / By William Guthrie, Minister of the Gospel, at New-Kilmarnock.
printed by T. Green for Nicholas Boone, 1701
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Fifthly, There is a thing called Liberty before God, and this properly is freedom, or free speaking unto God. Many do much question their state, because of the want of this now and then, since the Scripture hath said, Where the Spirit is, there is Liberty, 2 Cor. 3.17. but they do justly confine that liberty spoken of there, unto this free speaking before God. I grant where the spirit of the Lord doth savingly discover Gods will in the Scriptures to a man, there is liberty from any obligation to the Ceremonial-Law, and from the Condemning power of the ⟨p. 113⟩Moral-Law, and from much of that gross Darkness and Ignorance, which is on Natural hearts as a veil hiding Christ in the Gospel from them. I grant also, that sometimes, even this liberty which is a free communing with God, and ordering of our cause before him, and filling of our mouths with arguments, Job 23.4. is granted to the Godly, but not as liberty taken in the former senses. Although the Lord hath obliged Himself to pour out the Spirit of Prayer upon all the house of David in some measure, Zech. 12.10. yet this Communication of the Spirit, which we call liberty or free speaking unto God, dependeth much on the Lords absolute pleasure, when, and in what measure to allow it. This liberty which we call freedom, or free speaking with God in Prayer, is sometimes much abstracted from any great confidence in the time of Prayer, (at least until it draw toward the close of it) it standeth much in a vivacity of the understanding to take up the case which a man is to speak before God, so as he can order his cause; and next, there be words, or verbal expressions, elegant, suitable, and very emphatical or powerful, or pithy; there ⟨p. 114⟩is also joined a fervency of Spirit in Prayer whereof the Scripture speaketh; The Soul is hot and bended and very intent: there is also ordinarily in this liberty a special melting of the heart (often joined with a great measure of the Spirit of Grace & Supplication, Zech. 11.10) so the Soul is poured out before God as for a First-born: such is the liberty which many Saints get before God, whilst in much brokenness of Heart and fervency of spirit they are admitted to speak their mind fully to God, as a living God, noticing (at least) their Prayer. Sometimes this liberty is joined with Confidence, and then it is not only a free, but also a bold speaking before God: