1. Though many poor, weak, doubting, trembling Christians dare not say that they have grace, yet they dare say that they prize the least dram of grace above all the gold and silver of the Indies. If they had all the world to dispose of they would give it for grace. Now certainly no man can sufficiently prize grace, but he that has grace. Holy Bradford, writing to one, saith, "Thy sins are undoubtedly pardoned, &c. For God hath given thee a penitent, believing heart; that is, a heart which desireth to repent and believe."
2. Though many poor, doubting Christians dare not say that their condition is safe and happy, yet they dare say that they would not for ten thousand worlds change their condition with the vain men of the world who delight in sin. They would rather be like Lazarus than Dives.
3. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they do not sin, because there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not; yet they would not willfully, resolutely, and habitually sin against the Lord to gain the whole world.
4. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter; yet they dare say that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace, and glory were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours, pleasures, and profits of the world on the other hand, they would certainly rather choose God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and holiness, and everlasting happiness though their choice should expose them to the greatest afflictions in this world.
5. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they have such power against their sins as they would have, say, that when the Lord is pleased to give them grace to subdue their sins, these are the most joyful, comfortable, delightful, and refreshing seasons to their souls; and the language of their souls at such a time is, Oh that it may be always thus with them! Oh that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they enjoy as much advantage by the sermons they hear, or by their prayers, or by the Scriptures they read, or by the communion of saints that they enjoy as others do; yet they dare say that they would not for all the world cast off prayer, or hearing, or reading, or the communion of saints, and give themselves up to the ways of sin, and Satan, and the world.
7. Lastly, though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord; though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot close with the promises, yet they will close with the precepts; though they want strength to throw themselves into Christ's arms to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve Him; though they walk in darkness, and see no light, yet they will trust in the Lord, and walk in His ways (Isaiah 50:10).
These seven things are strong probabilities of grace, and it may also be said, that they are solid and sound evidences of true grace and of an interest in Christ and salvation; and therefore all those poor doubting, and trembling Christians, who find all these, or any of these seven things in their own souls, ought for ever to bless the Lord, and speak well of His name upon these accounts. And therefore, O my soul, be thou much in adoring and admiring of free and infinite grace that hath wrought all those things in thee and for thee.
Consider that, from probabilities in outward things, men commonly gather a great deal of comfort, support, quietness, and satisfaction; when the pysician tells the patient that it is probable, yea very probable, that he will recover, live, and do well, O, what a support, comfort, and refreshment is this to the languishing patient! When there is a good voyage, how do the merchants' and the mariners' spirits rise! When there is but a probability of a good harvest, how does the husbandman sing! Where there is but some hope, some probability of a pardon for a condemned man, how do his spirits revive, and how does his heart even leap and dance for joy! And so, when a Christian has but some hopes, some probabilities of grace, of an interest in Christ, and of being saved, he may well cheer up and maintain his ground against fears and temptations.
(The Gospel Magazine - January 1766 - John Gillie's Collections)
