onsider ye are under the condemnation of it. Ye do not believe that ye
have not yet fled to Jesus Christ to escape it; and these two keep souls
in a deep sleep, till judgment awake them.

But unto every one of you, I would give this direction: Let not
examination of what you are, hinder you from that which is your chief
duty, and his chief commandment,--to believe in him. I know many Christians
are puzzled in the matter of their interest, and always wavering, because
they are more taken up with that which is but a matter of comfort and joy,
than that which is his greatest honour and glory. I say, to consider the
precious promises; to believe the excellency and virtue of Jesus Christ,
and love him in your souls, and delight in him, is the weightiest matter
of the gospel. To go out of yourselves daily into his fulness, to
endeavour new discoveries of your own naughtiness and his grace, this is
the new and great commandment of the gospel. The obedience of it is the
most essential part of a Christian walk. Now, again, to know that ye do
believe, and to discern your interest in Christ, this is but a matter of
comfort and of second concernment. Therefore, I say, whenever ye cannot be
clear in this, ye should be always exercised in the first. For it is that
we are first called to; and if souls were more exercised that way, in the
consideration and belief of the very general truths and promises of the
gospel, I doubt not, but the light of these would clear up their
particular interest in due time. "These ought ye to have done, and not to
leave the other undone." It is still safest to waive such a question of
interest, when it is plunging,(165) because it puts you off your special
duty, and this is Satan's intent in it. It were better if ye do question,
presently to believe and abide in him, till it were put out of question.

Sermon IV.

Verse 1.--"Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Christ is made to us of God both righteousness and sanctification; and
therefore, those who are in Christ do not only escape condemnation, but
they walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. These
two are the sum of the gospel. There is not a greater argument to holy
walking than this,--there is no condemnation for you, neither is there a
greater evidence of a soul having escaped condemnation, than walking
according to the Spirit. We have spoken something in general of the
evidence that may be had