Another direction of Christ is, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick," Matt. ix. 12. There are, in my apprehension, two things in a sick person that have need of a physi- cian: First, He hath an uneasiness. A man who is sick, though he would shift it, yet his uneasiness will cause him to send for a physi- cian. Saith Christ, " I come to such persons who say they can find
CONVICTION OF SIN. 361
no rest nor ease in their present condition.''' It may be they have often tried this and that, and see all will not do, — they are sick still ; conscience reflects, and their hearts are burdened, and they must have relief, or they shall not be free. Secondly, There is a fear that it will end in death. This puts the sick person upon sending for a physi- cian. When the soul is made uneasy in its state and condition, can find no rest nor ease, it thinks, " If I abide here, I shall be lost for ever." This soul doth Christ call; this man will be at the charge of a physi- cian, cost what it will.
There is another word of Christ [which] very remarkably speaks just to the same purpose, Matt. xi. 28, '< Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," — a soul finding itself under want, labouring after something whereby it may be accepted with God. I will not confine this to extraordinary instances, for sometimes he is found of them that sought him not ; but the ordinary case of a labouring soul, before closing with Christ, is to abstain from sin, pray more or less, be found in duties, and under strong desires to be accepted with God. And what is the end of these labours and endeavours? They labour and are weary; — that is, they see their labour comes to no effect; they do not find rest, and peace, and acceptance with God. And here is the turning point; Isa. lvii. 10, " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way ; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope." When the soul hath laboured for acceptance with God, and comes to be weary, saith Christ, " Come unto me." "No," saith the light of nature, <( come unto me; trust unto your own endeavours." Saith the soul, " I will try what it will do ; I will not say, ' There is no hope/ " Saith another, " I will not say so; I will go unto Christ : " — =this is he whom Christ calls.
Now, these things I do account indispensably necessary, antece- dently to believing, as to the substance of them. And this, I hope, hath been found in all our souls. And if we have obtained so far, we need not then question whether our closing with Christ be sin- cere or not. This is all that I dare assert to be absolutely and indis- pensably necessary. Many pretend to believe, though they never were convinced thoroughly that they were not righteous, — never were sick in their lives, — never had fears that they should die. These are contrary to the express rule Christ hath given, " I came not to call the righteous, but sinners;" — not those that say, " There is hope," but those that say, " There is no hope."
S62 EVIDENCE OF AN INTEKEST IN CHRIST.
DISCOURSE II.1
Question. Seeing the act of closing with Christ is secret and hidden, and the special times and seasons of our conversion unto God are unknown unto most, what are the most certain evidences and pledges that we have cordially and sincerely received Christ, and returned unto God ?
Answer. I do acknowledge the inquiry is veiy large, and such as we may he straitened in, through the abundance of it. I shall only speak plainly some few things that to me are an evidence of a sincere closing with Christ, and receiving of Christ, — such as I know have been of use unto some.
First. When there is a permanency and abiding in the choice we have made of Christ, notwithstanding opposition against it that Ave shall be sure to meet withal. I do not speak to the nature of the choice, or the means of it, — how the mind is prepared for it ; but I speak unto the poorest, the weakest of the flock, that may be inquir- ing whether they have made a sincere choice of Christ or not: I say, they may try it by the permanency and abiding in their choice against opposition.
And there are two sorts of oppositions that will try us and shake us, as to our choice, as I have found it, if I have had any experience of these things* — 1. Opposition from charges of the guilt of sin and the law. 2. Opposition from temptations unto sin : —
1. There will, even after sincere believing and closing with Christ, be many a heavy charge brought against a soul from the law, and the guilt of sin in the conscience. Now, hi such a case, the inquiry is, What the soul abides by when it is shaken ? Wh}^ truly, if a man go only upon mere convictions, on such shaking impressions of the guilt of sin, he will be very ready and inclined in his own mind to tack about to some other relief. He puts out fair for his voyage, — the storm arises, — the ship will not cany him; — he must tack about for another harbour. I have known it so with some ; and experienced, when the wind hath set very strong that way with myself, — when the guilt of sin hath been charged with all its circumstances, — the soul hath been very hardly able to keep its hold, yet notwithstanding resolved, " I will trust to Christ :" but it hath been tacking about to self again, — "I must remedy this, — have relief for this from myself; I cannot abide by it, and live wholly upon Christ ; and when the storm is over, then I will out to sea again." I say, this is no good sign to 1 Delivered February 7, 1672.