The Best Interest, Chapter 1 · Section 3 · Subsection 1
Motives to examine our ſelves, whether we have a ſaving intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt.
If it be ſo, that intereſt in Chriſt is a ground of ſtrong Conſolation, under all the troubles of this Life, and againſt the fears and terrors of Death, then let us examine our ſelves, whether we have a ſaving intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt? whether we have an actual right to, and a propriety in Chriſt and his ſaving benefits? can we ſay that Chriſt is ours, and that we are his, and can we ſay this upon good grounds? Have we Evidences, ſatisfactory, and ſure evidences out of Gods word, that Chriſt is ours and we are his? I ſhall here propoſe ſome motives to ſtir us up to examine our ſelves about our intereſt in Chriſt. And then mention ſome ſure evidences of a ſaving intereſt in Chriſt, by which we may examine and prove our ſelves, whether we have a real ſaving intereſt in Chriſt.
1. All men have not a ſaving intereſt in Chriſt. Some men are Chriſts. 1 Cor. 3.23. Ye are Christs. and Chriſt is theirs. Joh. 20.28. Thomas ſaid unto him, my Lord and my God. But ſome men are none of Chriſts, and Chriſt is none of theirs. Rom. 8.9. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. There are multitudes that live under the hearing of the Goſpel of Chriſt, that have not the Spirit of Chriſt; and whoſoever he be, that hath not the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his. Some men have a part in Chriſt, ſome have no part in him, or with him. Joh. 13.8. Jeſus anſwered him, if I waſh thee not thou haſt no part with me.
2. Such as make a profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion, but are Hypocrits, and have not ſound and ſincere hearts in the ſight of God, they have no part nor portion in Jeſus Chriſt or his ſaving benefits. Act. 8.21. Thou haſt neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the ſight of God. Now there are multitudes that profeſs themſelves to be the Diſciples of Chriſt, and are Baptized as Simon Magus was, whoſe hearts are not right in the ſight of God, and ſo have no part in Chriſt, and therefore we had need examine whether it be not ſo with us. It is a reproach in the Chriſtian World, not to own Chriſt, and therefore to take away the occaſion of reproach, many are content to give their names to Chriſt, that deny him their hearts: Many are deſirous to be called Chriſtians, that will not walk in the ways of Chriſt. Like thoſe women ſpoken of, Iſa. 4.1. We will eat our own Bread, and wear our own Apparel, only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. So there are many that deſire to be called Chriſtians to take away their reproach, but they will walk in the way of their own hearts, and follow their own wills, and will not walk in the ways of God, and fulfill the will of Chriſt.
3. A man may have recieved great gifts from Chriſt, and do many great things in the name of Chriſt, he may propheſie in the name of Chriſt, be able to caſt out Divels, and do ſuch works as may cauſe thoſe, that behold them, to wonder at them, and yet not have a ſaving intereſt in Chriſt. He may be one that Chriſt doth not, will not own for one of his. Mat. 7.22, 23. Many will ſay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy name? and in thy name caſt out devils? and in thy name done many wonderfull works? and then will I profeſs unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Here are great pretences, fair plea's, and there are many that will expect to be owned by Chriſt, having ſo much to ſay for themſelves, yet Chriſt will ſay unto them, I never knew you, that I never owned you for mine, I never approved you, I do not, nor ever did own you for mine.
4. There is nothing in this World of higher and greater concernment to every one of us, than to get an intereſt in Chriſt, and to get the knowledge and aſſurance, that we have an intereſt in Chriſt. Our Eternal Life dependeth upon our having or not having Jeſus Chriſt. If we have Chriſt we ſhall moſt certainly have Eternal Life; but if we have not Chriſt, all that he or we ever did or ſuffered, will avail us nothing, we ſhall not have Eternal Life. 1 Joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath Life, but he that hath not the Son of God, hath not Life. There is nothing of higher concernment, than to get Eternal Life, and this obtained only in Chriſt, and through an intereſt in him. He, and he only that hath the Son, hath Life. And as the getting an intereſt in Chriſt, is of the higheſt concernment in order to our Eternal Welfare, ſo the knowledge of our intereſt in Chriſt, is of ſingular advantage for our comfort, and well-being in this World. This was a great comfort to Job in his great afflictions, to know that Chriſt was his Redeemer, and that he ſhould after Death and the Reſurrection from the dead, live with him for ever. Job 19.23. I know that my Redeemer liveth. To know our intereſt in Chriſt and in God, through Chriſt is a ground of the higheſt joy, and of everlaſting joy and gladneſs. Pſal. 89.1, 26. I will ſing of the mercies of the Lord for ever; He ſhall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation. Sing is an expreſſion of the higheſt joy, when a man can't contain his joy within his heart, but it breaks forth into ſinging. Iſa. 65.14. Behold my Servants ſhall ſing for joy of heart. Now among thoſe mercies which cauſed him to ſing for joy, and for which he was ſo filled with joy, that he reſolved to ſing for evermore, this was a choice one, the clearing of his intereſt in Chriſt, and in God through Chriſt, that he was enabled to cry, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my Salvation.
5. We may attain to ſure and ſatisfying evidences of our intereſt in Chriſt. We may attain to this knowledge that Chriſt is ours, and we are his. Cant. 2.16. My Beloved is mine, and I am his. It is not ſpoken by way of deſire, Oh that my Beloved were mine, and I were his, nor by way of probability, it may be, I have ſome hope that he is mine, and I am his, but by way of Confidence, my Beloved is mine, and I am his. So David could with much confidence appeal unto the Lord that he was his. Pſal. 119.94. I am thine, ſave me. So 1 Joh. 2.5. We know we are in him. 1 Joh. 5.19.20. We know that we are of God— We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jeſus Chriſt.
6. Examining our ſelves by thoſe Characters that are given in the Scriptures, concerning ſuch as have an intereſt in Chriſt, is the ready way to come to the knowledge of our intereſt in Chriſt. 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your ſelves whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be reprobates. The Apoſtle here p…ts a queſtion; Know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you? And gives them direction how they ſhould attain this knowledge, namely by examining themſelves, and tells what they ſhould examine themſelves about, namely about their Faith, becauſe Faith is one evidence of an intereſt in Chriſt. And it is obſervable when he puts this queſtion; know ye not how Jeſus Chriſt is in you, yea he addeth, except ye be Reprobates, that is, except ye be blame-worthy, they are juſtly blameable that neglect the making ſure ſuch a weighty point as this, whether Chriſt be in them or not. They that have Faith in their hearts, have Chriſt dwelling in their hearts. Eph. 3.17. Our Souls when enlightned by the word and Spirit of God, are able to diſcern, and to give a judgment of our eſtate towards God, and of the moſt inward workings both of Sin and Grace. Pro. 20.27. The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord, ſearching all the inward parts of the Belly. By the inward parts of the Belly, we may undeſtand all the ſecrets of the heart, the inclinations, diſpoſitions, and motions of the heart both to good and evil. Theſe are all ſearched out, and diſcovered by the Spirit of a man, which is as the Candle of the Lord; but to effect this ſearching of our inward parts, this Candle of the Lord, muſt be lighted by the Word, and the Spirit of the Lord: for till that be done, it gives ſuch a dim and uncertain light, that we can diſcern but little of our own ſtate. Therefore beſides Communing with our own hearts, and making uſe of our own Spirits, we muſt make uſe of the Word of God, that we may diſcern the ſtate of our own Souls towards God. Prov. 6.23. The Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is light. Pſal. 119.130. The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth underſtanding to the ſimple. ver. 105. Thy word is a Lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. There are plain and clear Characters laid down in the Scriptures, of ſuch as are Chriſts, the knowledge of theſe (which I ſhall mention in the next Section) are requiſite for us to examine our ſelves by. And beſides making uſe of our own Spirits, and having recourſe to the light of Gods word, it is needful that we ſhould implore the illumination and aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit, becauſe it is his enlightning our minds that gives us light. Pſal. 36.9. In thy light, ſhall we ſee light. Job. 32.8. But there is a Spirit in man, and the inſpiration of the Almighty giveth them underſtanding The eyes of our underderſtandings are ſhut, till the Spirit of God doth open them. Eph. 1.17, 18. And as we need the Spirit to enlighten our underſtandings, ſo alſo to witneſs to and with our Spirits, or being the Children of God. Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſs with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God