To the Professors of Christ and His Truth in Ireland

The Importance of Making Our Profession Sure — and of Self-denial

Aberdeen. Feb. 4th, 1638

Two special things ye are to mind. (1) To try and make sure your profession; that ye carry not empty lamps. Alas, security, security is the bane and the wreck of the most part of the world! Oh, how many professors go with a golden lustre, and gold-like before men, who are but base metal! Consider how fair before the wind some do ply with upsails and white, even to the nick of illumination, “and tasting of the heavenly gift, and a share and part of the Holy Ghost; and the tasting of the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come,” Heb. 6, 5. And yet this is but a false show of renovation, and in a short time such quickly broken upon the rocks, and never fetch the harbour, but are sanded in the bottom of hell. O make your heaven sure, and try how ye come by conversion; that it be not stolen goods, in a white and well-lustred profession! A white skin over old wounds! making an undercotting conscience. False under-water, not seen, is dangerous, and that is a leak at the bottom of an enlightened conscience, often falling and sinning against light. Wo, wo is me, that the Holy Profession of Christ is made a stage garment by many to bring home a vain frame; and Christ is made to serve men’s ends; this is, as it were, to stop an oven with a king’s robes.

Know. (2) Except men martyr and slay the body of sin, in sanctified self-denial they shall never be Christ’s martyrs and faithful witnesses. Oh that I could be master of that house-idol, my self, my own, mine, my own will, wit, credit and ease! How blessed were I; Oh but we have need to be redeemed from ourselves rather than from the devil and the world! Learn to put out yourselves, and to put in Christ for yourselves.

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