Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…

I meditated this Night upon CHRIST, and saw (1) That there was a necessity of a Mediator in Regard of God's Truth and Holiness. (2) That this was the Messiah by the Witnesses given of him. (3) I saw not that he was mine, because I saw no Promise absolute of it. But the Lord graciously cleared up to me John 1.12. That they who receive Christ were Sons. (Christ himself, though they had no Promise.) Now to receive Christ I saw was contrary to them that did not own him when he came to his own. (1) They did not acknowledge, This is he. (2) They did not see any Glory in him. (3) They did not embrace him with all their Hearts to be that to them for which End he came; viz. To be King, Prophet and Priest. So I saw what it was to receive him. And upon a fresh Persuasion that this Messiah is he, the Lord gave me to embrace me him with my Affections, as if present; viz. To guide me as a Prophet, to rule me as a King, to take away Sin and Death as a Priest.—Now here I saw two Things, [1] That true Faith was not to guide one's Self, rule and conquer Sin, and obey one's Self; (for this is to make our selves our own Saviours;) But to cleave to Christ that will do all this, nay that he would draw out our Faith of embracing him for this. And hence I saw Neglect of Duty as vile a Sin as actual Sin; because Christ is not so much offended with us for actual Sin, as for not coming to him and clasping about him to take these away. The one, viz. to do the thing is his Work; but to cleave to him is our chief Work.—And I was confirmed, that this is the right Act of Faith; (1) Because Faith is a bare Receiver; (2) From John 4.10. If thou wouldst ask, he would give. [2] I saw Faith weak and divided, and many Sins would be still in me; that with this Faith there was a Necessity of daily Repentance. This ⟨p. 55⟩Repentance, I saw, consisted chiefly in mourning for the Sin which Christ by Faith had not yet removed. Now I saw I was to mourn; (1) For not going to Christ to take away my Sin, which I daily forget; (2) For the Evil of my Sin, (and it's Crossness to him) which he takes not away; (3) For his not taking it away, that I give him Cause to leave me; so (4) As having crucified him. And here I saw I had no Reason to continue in Sin; (1) Because it had wounded Christ; (2) Because Christ died that it might die and not live.