1.32 HOW TO DISCERN OUR TITLE ìi CHAPTER VIII. How to discern our Title to the Saint's Rest. § 1. The folly of men in not inquiring after a title to the saint's rest ; 2. and their cause for terror as long as they are destitute of a title. § 3. Self- examination is urged upon them ; § 4. (1) from the possibility of arriving at a certainty ; § 5 9. (2) from the hinderances which will be thrown in our way by Satan, sin- ners, our own hearts, and many other causes ; § 10. (3) from considering how easy, common, and dangerous, it is to be mis- taken ; that trying will not be so painful as the neglect ; that God will soon try us ; and that to try ourselves will be profit- able: § 11. and therefore the reader is entreated no longer to delay the trial. § 12. Then (4) directions are given how to try ; § 13. (5) marks for trial are added : particularly, § 14. Do we make God our chief good ? § 15. Do we heartily accept of Christ for our Lord and Saviour ? § 16, 17. The chapter con- cludes with illustrating the great importance of these two marks. 1. IS there such a glorious rest so near at hand; and shall none enjoy it but the people of God ? What mean most of the world then, to live so con- tentedly without assurance of their interests in this rest, and neglect the trying of their title to it ? When the Lord hath so fully opened the blessedness of that kingdom, which none but obedient believers shall possess ; and so fully expressed those torments, which the rest of the world must eternally suffer ; methinks they that believe this to be certainly true, should never be at any quiet in themselves, till they were fully assured of their being heirs of the kingdom. Lord, what a strange madness is this, that men -who know they must presently enter upon unchangeable joy or pain, should yet live as uncertain what shall be their doom, as if they had never heard of any such state;' yea, and live as quietly and merrily in .this un- certainty, as if all Were made sure, and there were no danger ! Are these men alive or dead ? Are they
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