An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…

Christ came into the World to engage in a War with God's Enemies, Sin and Satan; and a great War there is maintained between them; which War is concerning us; and the Contest is, who shall have the Possession of OUR HEARTS. Now 'tis reasonable, under these Circumstances, that we should declare on whose Side we are, whether on Christ's Side, or on the Side of his Enemies. If we would be admitted among Christ's Friends and Followers, 'tis reasonable, that we should profess we are on the Lord's Side, and that we yield OUR HEARTS (which the Contest is about) to him, and not to his Rivals. And this seems plainly to be the Design and Nature of a public Profession of Christ. If this Profession is not made, no Profession is made, that is worth regarding, or worth the making, in such a Case as this is, and to any such Purpose as a being admitted among his visible Friends. There is no other being on Christ's Side, in this Case, but a being so with an undivided Heart, preferring him to all his Rivals, and renouncing 'em all for his Sake. The Case admits of no Neutrality, or Luke-warmness, or a middle Sort of Persons with a moral Sincerity, or such a common Faith as is consistent with loving Sin and the World better than Christ. He that is not with me (says Christ) is against me. And therefore none do profess to be on Christ's Side, but they who profess to renounce his Rivals. For those who would be called Christians, to profess no higher Regard to Christ than ⟨p. 43⟩what will admit of a superior Regard to the World, is more absurd than if a Woman pretending to marry a Man, and take him for her Husband, should profess to take him in some Sort, but yet not pretend to take him in such a Manner as is inconsistent with her allowing other Men a fuller Possession of her, & greater Intimacy with her, than she allows him. The Nature of the Case, as it stands between us and Jesus Christ, is such that an open solemn Profession of being entirely for him, and giving him the Possession of our Hearts, renouncing all Competitors, is more requisite in this Case, than a like Profession in any other Case. The Profession […] intermediate Sort of State of our •ind, is very disagreeable to the […] of Christ's Errand, Work, and Kingdom in the World, and all that belongs to the Designs and Ends of h•• ••ministrations;

Christ came into the World to engage in a War with God's Enemies, Sin and Satan; and a great War there is maintain'd between them; which War is concerning us; and the Contest is, who shall have the Possession of OUR HEARTS. Now 'tis reasonable, under these Circumstances, that we should declare on whose Side we are, whether on Christ's Side, or on the Side of his Enemies. If we would be admitted among Christ's Friends and Followers, 'tis reasonable, that we should profess we are on the Lord's Side, and that we yield OUR HEARTS (which the Contest is about) to him, and not to his Rivals. And this seems plainly to be the Design and Nature of a publick Profession of Christ. If this Profession is not made, no Profession is made, that is worth regarding, or worth the making, in such a Case as this is, and to any such Purpose as a being admitted among his visible Friends. There is no other being on Christ's Side, in this Case, but a being so with an undivided Heart, preferring him to all his Rivals, and renouncing 'em all for his Sake. The Case admits of no Neutrality, or Luke-warmness, or a middle Sort of Persons with a moral Sincerity, or such a common Faith as is consistent with loving Sin and the World better than Christ. He that is not with me (says Christ) is against me. And therefore none do profess to be on Christ's Side, but they who profess to renounce his Rivals. For those who would be called Christians, to profess no higher Regard to Christ than