N00814:385
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.
2. When people are in hazard, and difficulties are present or foreseen, then it were good that they should se•d out their hea•t after him, and express their adhering unto him, for securing their own heart: We find Joshua doing so, when he was to settle in the Land of Canaan, in the midst of snares, Josh. 24. So David doth in his straits. Psal. 57.1.
3 When men apprehend God to be at a distance from them, and their Soul to be under withering and decay, then it is safest heartily to close with Christ, and embrace him by Faith for securing of the Soul, and it were good to put it out of question, by the expression of the thing: This is the ready way to draw sap from Christ the root, for recovering of the Soul, & for establishing the heart before Him. The Spouse in the Song of Sol•on doth so, thus asserting her interest in Him when in such a condition; professing and avowing Him to be her beloved, Cant. 5
4. At the celebration of the Lords Supper, men should thus cordially close with God in Christ, and speak and express so much: For, that is a Feast of Love, and then and there we come under a solemn profession of closing with God in Christ personally ⟨p. 207⟩and openly, and do receive the Seal of it: it is therefore beseeming, at that time, to bring up both heart and tongue to second and answer our profession, apprehending God to be our God, and resigning over our selves to be his, and at his disposing. We shall not confine the Lords People to times and seasons of this duty: the Lord may bind it upon them at his pleasure; only there is hazard, that by too frequent express Covenanting with God, men turn too formal in it, therefore, it is not so fit that people should cordially at full length renew that explicit transaction with God, but rather to declare unto God, that they adhere unto the Covenant made with Him, and that they do maintain & never will revoke nor recall the same; and withal, they may hint the sum of it, in laying claim unto God in Christ, as their own God; and this they may do often, even in all their addresses to God, and probably this is the thing designed by the Saints in their so ordinary practice in Scripture, whilst they assert their interest in God, as their God and Portion; and it is fit that men in all their walk, hold their heart at the business, by heart-cleaving