Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

4-5° ‘Direttions, how to State IV.
See. i John iii. 3. ^tnd every Man that bath thii .
Hop in him, purtfieth bimfelf, even as he is pure. \
Mac. v. 3. Bleffed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is ,
the Kingdom of Heaven. Phil. iii. 3. For we are the :
Circumafim which worfhip (oxferve) God in the'
Spirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no Con- •
fdence in the FleJJj. The Sum of the Evidence ari- j
fing from thefe Texts, lies here. A real Chriftian
is one, who loves God for himfelf, as well as for •
his Benefits ; and that with a fupreme Love, above
all Perfons, and all Things: He has an awful and
impartial Regard to God’s Commands: He opt
pofeth and wreftleth againft that Sin, which, of all
other, mod cafily befets him: He approveth and
loveth the holy Law, even in that very Point, wherein I
it ftrikes againft his moft beloved Luft : His Hope .
of Heaven engageth him in the Study of univerfal
Holinefs; in the which he aims at Perfe&ion, tho*
he cannot reach it, in this Life: He ferves the Lord,
not only in Afts of Worfliip, but in the whole of
his Converfation ; and as to both, is fpiritual in the
Principle, Motives, Aims, and Ends of his Ser¬
vice : Yet he fees nothing in himfelf to truft to, be- ;
fore the Lord: Chrift and his Fulnefsis the Stay or
his Soul: And his Confidence is cut off from all
that is not Chrift, or in Chrift, in Point of Jufti-
fication, or Acceptance with God ; and in Point
of Sanctification too. Every one in whom thefc
Chara&ers are found, has a Title to Heaven, ac¬
cording to the Word. It is convenient and profi- ;
table to mark fuch Texts, for this fpecial Ufe, as ■
they occur, while you read the Scriptures, or hear
Sermons. The Marks of a regenerate State thus
fixed • In the next Place, impartially fearch and
try your own Hearts, thereby, as in the Sight of