N00814:410
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. What will you do if you shift hearty transacting with God in Christ, & do not accept His peace as it is offered? You have not a Second of it in the world; either you must •o this or perish forever: and if you do it with your Heart, you may also with your Tongue.
3. If people may scar at Covenanting with God because they will afterwards transgress; Then not one man should Covenant with God: for surely every one will transgress afterwards, if they live any length of time after the transaction; and we know no way like this to secure men from falling: for if you Covenant honestly with Him, he engageth, beside the new heart, to put His Fear & Law therein, to give his Spirit to cause you to walk in His way: And when you Covenant with God, you deliver up your self unto Him to be sanctified, and made conform to His will. It is rather a giving up of your self to be led in his way in all ⟨p. 221⟩things, and kept from every evil way, than any formal engagement on your part, to keep His way, and to hold off from evil. So that you need not f•ar at the Covenant, the Language whereof is, W•l• thou not be made clean• Jer 13.27. And all that shun to strike Covenant with God, do thereby declare, that they do not desire to be made clean.
4. As it is hard for any to say confidently they will transgress, if such a temptation did offer, so & so circumstantiate, because men men may think that either God will keep a temptation out of their way, or not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, or give to them a way of escape, Psal 46.1