TO THE SAINT'S REST. 133 awake or asleep ? What do they think on ? Where are their hearts? If they have but a weighty suit at law, how careful are they to know whether it will go for or against them ! If they were to be tried for their lives at an earthly bar, how careful would they be to know whether they should be saved or con- demned, especially if their care might surely save them ! If they be dangerously sick, they will inquire of the physician, What think you, sir, shall I escape or not? But in the business of their salvation, they are content to be uncertain. If you ask most men a reason of the hope that is in them, they will say, '' because God is merciful, and Christ died for sin- ners," and the like general reasons, which any man in the world may give as well as they : but put them to prove their interest in Christ, and in the saving mercy of God, and they can say nothing to the pur- pose. If God or man should say to them, What case is thy soul in, man ? Is it regenerate, sanctified and pardoned, or not ? He would say, as Cain of Abel, " I know not; am I my souls keeper? I hope well; I trust God with my soul; I shall speed as well as other men do; I thank' God, I never made any doubt of my salvation." Thou hast cause to doubt, because thou didst never doubt ; and yet more, be- cause thou hast been so careless in thy confidence. What do thy expressions discover, but a wilful neg- lect of thy own salvation ? As a ship - master that should let his vessel alone, and say, " I will venture it among the rocks, and waves, and wind; I will trust God with it ; it will speed as well as other ves- sels." What horrible abuse of God is this, to pretend to trust God, to cloak their own wilful negligence! If thou didst really trust God, thou wouldst also be ruled by him, and trust him in his own appointed way. He requires thee to give diligence to make thy calling and election sure,(b) and so trust him. Ike bath marked thee out a way in scripture, by which thou art charged to search and try thyself; and mayest (b) 2 Peter i. 10.
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