(1.) Why, if thou art born again, then thou knowest that thou wast not born a Christian at first (Eph 2:1-3). 'You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.'
(2.) Thou knowest that once thou hadst no faith in the Lord Jesus; and wert convinced of sin because thou didst not believe in the Son of Mary (John 16:9).
(3.) Thou seest all true joy through the blood and righteousness of the Son of Mary (1 Cor 15:57; Rom 7:25).
(4.) Art thou born again? Then thou canst not be quiet till thou seest God smile, and lift up the light of his countenance upon thee (2 Cor 4:6; Psa 4:6) and that through the face of the Son of Mary, the Son of God.
(5.) Thou knowest that God hath given thee thy faith (Phil 1:29; Eph 2:8).
(6.) Art thou born again? Then thou knowest that the doctrine of the Son of Mary the Virgin, is a right doctrine (2 John 9).
(7.) Then also thou lookest for the personal appearing of the Son of Mary from heaven in the clouds, the second time (Heb 9:28; Rev 1:7).
These things, though plain, yet if the Lord set them home upon thy conscience, may be profitable both to thee and me. Therefore let us examine the matter a little. And
Examine 1. Thou thinkest that thou art a Christian; thou shouldest be sorry else: Well, But when did God shew thee that thou wert no Christian? When didst thou see that: And in the light of the Spirit of Christ, see that thou wert under the wrath of God because of original sin? (Rom 5:12). Nay, dost thou know what original sin means? Is it not the least in thy thoughts? And dost thou not rejoice in secret, that thou art the same that thou ever wert? If so, then know for certain that the wrath of God to this very day abideth on thee (John 3:36). And if so, then thou art one of those that will fall in the judgment, except thou art born again, and made a new creature (2 Cor 5:17).
Exam. 2. Thou thinkest that thou hast been born again, ('tis well if thou hast) but least thou shouldest deceive thy poor soul, I pray thee consider, when did the Spirit of the Lord Jesus shew thee, that thou hadst no faith in thee by nature? And when did the Spirit of Christ convince thee of sin, because thou didst not believe in him? It may be thou hast been convinced of sins against the law, by the law, and thine own conscience, as the Pharisees were (John 8:9; Rom 3:20). Ay, but when didst thou see thyself a lost creature for want of faith in the son of Mary? If not, thou hast not yet been savingly convinced by the Spirit of Christ; for that, when it convinceth effectually of sin, it convinceth of unbelief; though thou hast been never so much convinced of sins against the law, if thou hast not seen thyself under the power and dominion, guilt and punishment of sin, because thou didst not believe in Christ, thou hast not yet been savingly convinced; for that's one work of the Spirit to convince of sin, 'Because they believe not on me,' saith Jesus the Son of Mary, who was espoused to Joseph the carpenter: But on the contrary, dost thou not say in thy heart, thou never hadst thy faith to seek, but hast always believed with as good a faith as any one alive? If so, then know for certain that thou hast no faith of the operation of God in thee, according to God's ordinary working; and if so, then know, that if the Son of Man should come to judge the world at this moment of time, that thou with all thy faith (thou thinkest thou hast) wouldst fall in the judgment (2 Thess 2:12).