CHAP. I.

CHAP. II.

1 FIrst, There are some things in regard of sin, and a Christians actings about it, that speaks out a graci­ous estate, and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul. I shall instance in these Eleven particulars.

1 First, A universal willingness to be rid of all sin, is an [Page 89] infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in a mans Soul;Isa. 28.15, 18. Isa. 30.22. Hos. 14.8. Rom. 7.22, 23, 24. the first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul, is the divi­ding between sin and the soul, tis a making an utter breacl betwixt sin and the soul, tis a dissolving of that old League that has been between the sinner and his sin. The first work of the Spirit, is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy, to hate it as an enemy, to loath it as an enemy, to fear it as an enemy, and to arm against it as an enemy. When the holy spirit takes possessi­on of the Soul, from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil, and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on Da­vid when the evil spirit was upon him. O, saith Saul, that I were but once well rid of this David; and O (saith the gra­cious Soul) that I were but once well rid of this proud heart, this hard heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this froward heart, this earthly heart of mine, &c.Gen. 26.35. Look as the daughters of Heth even made Rebeccah weary of her life, so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life. Many a day have I sought death with tears (said bles­sed Cowper) not out of impatience, distrust, or perturbation, Restraining grace doth only suppress and abate the acts of sin, it doth ne­ver alter the dis­position and will of a man as to sin. You may chain up a Lyon, but you cannot change the na­ture of a Lyon. but be­cause I am weary of sin, and fearful to fall into it. Look as when Christ hath won the will, he hath won the man: So when sin hath lost the will, it hath lost the man. The will is the heart; My Son give me thy heart, is, My Son give me thy will; the will is the Fort-Royal of the Soul, tis that strong hold that stands out stoutest, and longest against all the Assaults of Heaven; when the will is won all is won, the Castle is won, the heart is won; the man is won when the will is won. A mans judgment and reason may say, I ought t [...] [...]rn from sin, and his Conscience may say, I must turn from sin, or it will be bitterness in the end, and yet the work not done, nor the Soul won; but when the heart sayes, the will sayes, I will turn from sin, then the work is done, and the man is won. Where reason saith these lusts ought to be subdued, and the Conscience saith these lusts must be subdued, and the Will saith these lusts shall be subdued, (Psal. 65.3. As for our transgressions, thou sha [...]t purge them away) there is a saving work upon the Soul. When [Page 90] the will ceases to sin, as Ephraim said to his Idols, Get you hence, what have I any more to do with you, then the work of God is begun in power upon the Soul.

A universal willingness to be rid of all sin, speaks the heart to be sound and sincere with God; the enmity that Grace works in the heart against sin, is against the whole kind, tis against all sin, as well profitable and pleasurable sins, as dis­paraging and disgracing sins; and as well against small sins as ag [...]inst great sins; true Grace strikes at root and branch, at head and members, at father and son. A true Israelite would not have one Canaanite left in the Holy Land, he would have every Egyptian drowned in the Red Sea of Christs bloud, Psal. 119.104. I hate every false way, Psal. 139. ult. Search me O Lord, and see if there be any wicked [way] in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Saving Grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts, as a Slave is willing to leave his Gally, or a Prisoner his Dungeon, or a Thief his Bolts, or a Beggar his rags. But now take a man that is in his natural condition, and he is as unwilling to part with his sins, as Abraham was to turn Hagar and Ishmael out of doors. Am­brose reports of one Theotimus, that having a disease upon his body, the Physician told him, That except he did abstain from intemperance, drunkenness, uncleanness, &c. he was like to lose his eyes; his heart was so desperately set upon his lusts, that he answered, Vale lumen amicum, Farewel sweet Light then, he had rather lose his eyes, than leave his sins. So they in Micha 6.6, 7. do make very large offers for a dispensation to live in their sins, They offer Calves of a year old, they offer thousands of Rams, and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl; yea, they offer their first born for thei [...] [...]ansgressi­ons, the fruit of their bodies for the sin of their souls. Sin­ners hearts are so glued to their lusts, that they will rather part with their nearest, dearest, and choicest enjoyments, than part with their sins; yea, when they are put hard to it, they will rather part with God, Christ, and all the glory of another world, than they will part with some base bosom lust; witness that young man in the Gospel, who went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions, Matth. 19.21, [Page 91] 22. Look as a man leaves his Wife and Children,Gen. 21.11. Matth. 19 21, 22. 2 Sam. 3.15, 16. Augustin in his youth (before his Conversion) pray­ed thus, I said in­deed with my lips, Lord give, and yet in my heart I was too willing to give longer day, and could have said, Lord, pray not yet, I was even afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon, and too soon heal and subdue my cor­ruption for me. Aug. Con. his Countrey, Estate, and Trade, with tears in his eyes, and sorrow in his heart; so does an unregenerate man leave his lusts, with tears in his eyes, and sorrow in his heart. Very observable is the story of Phaltiel, David had Married Michol, Saul injuriously gave her to another; when David came to the Crown, and was able to speak a word of command, he sends for his wife Michol, her Husband dares not but obey, he brings her on her journey, and then, not without great re­luctancy of spirit, takes his leave of her: But what was Phal­tiel weary of his Wife that he now forsakes her? O no, he was forced to it, and though she was gone, yet he cast many a sad thought after her, and never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Bahurim, weeping and bemoaning her absence. And just thus tis with carnal and unregenerate men, who though for fear, or some other reasons, they shake hands with their sins, yet they have many a longing heart after them, they part, but tis upon a force; they part, and yet they are very loath to part asunder. Look as the Merchant throws away his goods in a storm, because he cannot keep them; so carnal [...]en in times of sickness and distress, or in times of horror and terror of Conscience, or when death (the King of terrors) knocks at their doors, or when they see Hell ga­ping to devour them, and God as a terrible Judg standing ready to pass an eternal doom upon them, then they are wil­ling to cast overboard their usury, their drunkenness, their Swearing, their Cursing, their Lying, their Flesh-pleasing, &c. but not out of any hatred to their lusts, but out of love to themselves, and out of fear of being damned, &c. for could they but enjoy their sins and Heaven too, sin and they would never part. But now, were there no danger, no wrath, no hell, no damnation, no seperation from God at­tending sin, yet a gracious Soul would be heartily willing to part with all sin, and to be rid of all sin, upon the account of the vile nature of sin, upon the account of the defiling and polluting nature of sin; of all things in the World, sin is the most defiling thing, it makes us red with guilt, and black with filth, tis compared to a menstruous cloath, Isa. 30.22. [Page 92] which of all unclean things in the Law was the most unclean, as some observe; and upon this very account a gracious soul would be willingly rid of it.

2 Secondly, A constant habitual willingness to be rid of all sin, is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in the Soul; 'tis not a transient willingness to be rid of sin, when a man is either under some outward trouble, or some inward distress, that speaks out the truth of saving grace, but a permanent, lasting, and abiding willingness to be rid of sin does. Pha­raoh in a fit, in a fright, when Thunder, and Hail, and Frogs, and Flies were upon him, was then willing to let Israel go, but when his fright was over, and the Judgments removed, he grew prouder and harder than before. So many men, when they are a little Sermon-sick, or under some smart pangs of Conscience, or under some startling or amazing Judgments, O then they will be willing to let Israel go, then they will be willing to let drunkenness go, and pride go, and uncleanness go, and worldliness go, &c. but when their sick­ness is over, and the pangs of Conscience abated, and Judg­ments removed, O then they return with the Dog to his vo­mit,2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. and with the Sow to the wallowing in the Mire again. There was a man well known to a Minister in this City, who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his Conscience for his sins, that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay, and cryed out all night long, I am damn'd, I am damn'd, I am damn'd; and this man in the dayes of his outward and inward distresses, made many and great protestations of amendment of life, if God would be pleased to recover him; in a little while he did recover, and being recovered, he was as bad, and as wicked, if not worse than he was before. So in the time of the great sweat in King Edwards dayes, as long as the heat of the Plague lasted, all sorts and ranks of people were still a crying out, Peccavi; Mercy good Lord, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Then Lords and Ladies, and other persons of quality cryed out to the Ministers, For Gods sake tell us what we shall do to avoid the Wrath of God, take these bags, pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived, and so much re­store [Page 93] unto another, whom in bargaining I over-reached; O give so much to the Poor, and give so much to such and such Pious uses. But after the sickness was over, they were just the same men that they were before. Men in time of trouble are very rea­dy to cry out, Arise and save us, Jer. 2.27. And with them, Deliver us this time, Judges 10.15. And with the Samaritans, who when God had sent Lyons among them, enquired after the manner of his Worship, 2 King's 17.25, 26. And yet af­ter all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did, Jer. 2.20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidest, I will not transgress, when upon every high hill, and under every green tree thou wandredst, playing the Harlot. A wick­ed mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient, not constant, 'tis like the morning Cloud, and the early dew that passeth away, Hos. 6.4.Hos. 11.7. Psal. 78.34, 37, 57. Hosea 7.16. The Jews were a very unstable peo­ple, a people bent to backsliding, a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow. Sometimes when the Judg­ments of God were heavy upon them, or when they were un­der the reign of some good Kings, then down went their Groves, their Altars, their Idols, and their High places; but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before; sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols, and at other times they were mad to go a whoring af­ter their Idols. But now a godly man (when he is himself) he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins, yea, to be rid of all his sins, the fixed, standing, and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul, of a godly mans will, is to be rid of every sin; and thrice happy is that man that is habitu­ally under such a choice and blessed frame.

Thirdly, A transcendent willingness, a superlative wil­lingness, 3 an overtopping willingness to be rid of sin, is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in the Soul. When a mans willingness to be rid of his sins overtops his unwil­lingness; when a man is more willing to be rid of his sins, than he is to continue in sin, then his spiritual state is certain­ly good. A gracious heart had much rather, if it were put to his choice, live without all sin, than to have allowance to [Page 94] wallow in any sin; he had rather live without the least sin, than to have liberty to live in the greatest, or the most flesh­pleasing sin. 'Tis certain that sin is more afflictive to a gra­cious Soul, than all the losses, crosses, troubles, and tryals that he meets with in the World.2 Sam. 24.10. David cryes not perii, but peccavi; not, I am undone, but, I have done foolishly. He does not cry, Take away the pestilence, but take away the iniqui­ty of thy servant.Dan. 9.5. Nor Daniel cries not out, O we are sadly reproached, we are greatly distressed, we are wofully op­pressed;Hos. 14.2. but, We have rebelled. And the Church cryes not out, Take away our Captivity, but take away all iniquity; 'tis not take away our chains, but take away our sins; 'tis not take away our afflictions, but take away our pollutions; 'tis not take away all our enemies lives, but take away the lives of all our lusts.2 Cor. 11.16. ult. And so Paul cryes not out of his re­proaches, or persecutors, or bonds, or chains, or stripes, or perils,Rom. 7.23. or prisons (he rather glories in these). But he cryes out of a Law in his Members, rebelling against the Law of his mind, and bringing of him into Captivity to the Law of sin, which is in his Members. Paul does not cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from all my sorrows and sufferings;Verse 24. But O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. A sincere heart (when he is himself) had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings; yea of the least sins, than of the greatest suffer­ings. 'Twas a sweet saying of Bernard, I had rather (saith he) that God should better my heart, than remove his hand; I had ra­ther that God should continue my strokes than my sins. And the same noble spirit was working bravely in Job, when he was under the heavy hand of God,See Job 7.20, 21. Job 34.31, 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done ini­quity, I will do no more.

But now graceless men are much more willing to be rid of their affl [...]ctions,See Exod. 10.17. than to be rid of their sins, witness Pha­raoh, who cries out, take away the Frogs, Exod. 8.8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me, and from my people, and [Page 95] I will let the people go, that they may do Sacrifice unto the Lord. 'Tis not intreat the Lord, that he would take away this proud heart, or this hard heart, or this besotted heart, or this blind mind, or this perverse will, or this benummed Conscience that is in me and my people, but intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and my people. A grace­less heart is more abundantly willing to be freed from pu­nishment the effect of sin, than 'tis willing to be freed from sin, the cause of punishment. A gracious heart sees more filthiness in sin than in Frogs, and had rather be rid of his sins, than of all the Frogs or Toads that be in the World. See what a sad spirit was upon the children of Israel, in that Numb. 21.6, 7.Heb. Burning Ser­pents, thus they are called, from the effect of their biting, which cau­sed a mortal bur­ning, and conse­quently such an excessive thirst as killed them. And the Lord sent Fiery Serpents among the people, and they bite the people, and much people of Israel dyed. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee, pray unto the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us. Now mark, in the fifth verse you have them murmuring against God, and Moses, and divine dispensations, and nauseating of the Wheat of Heaven as light meat, because they came lightly by it; they distrust the Providence of God, they let fly at God, their spirit swels against the holy one of Israel, and they scorn, deride, revile, and contumeliously and despitefully speak against Moses; and though they had often smarted for these sins, yet they are at them again; upon this God sends an Army of Fiery Serpents among them, and they bite and devour many of them. And now they run to Moses (who but a little before they had despised) and are very importunate with him to pray to the Lord to take away the Serpents from them. They do not desire Moses to improve his interest in Heaven, that God would take away their proud hearts, their distrustful hearts, their murmuring hearts, &c. but that God would take away the Serpents; they were much more desi­rous to be rid of their Serpents, than they were to be rid of their sins. So those in Jer. 30.15. Why cryest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable, for the multitude of thine iniqui­ty; because thy sins were encreased, I have done these things unto thee. They do not cry out of their sins, but they cry out of [Page 96] their afflictions. Why cryest thou for thine affliction? un­sound hearts are more ready and willing to be rid of their afflictions, than they are willing to have their Souls better­ed, or their lives mended, or their lusts subdued by them.

Pilate was unwilling to condemn Jesus, witness his seek­ing to release him, and his washing his hands, and his plea­ding his innocency, &c. Matth. 27.17, 18, 22, 23, 24. but yet the prevailing part of his will carryed him forth to deli­ver up Jesus to be scourged and Crucified, v. 26. So Herod was unwilling to behead John Baptist, witness that word, The King was exceeding sorry, Mark 6.26. But yet the prevailing part of his will carried him forth to cut off John's head, v. 27. whose head was more worth than Herods Kingdom. So Dari­us was very unwilling to cast Daniel into the Lyons Den, wit­ness his being sore displeased with himself, and witness his setting his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and witness his great unquietness of spirit, for he could neither eat nor drink, nor sleep, the night after he was cast into the Lyons Den; and witness his great joy at Daniels safety, Dan. 6.14, 18, 19, 20. All which did clearly argue a very great un­willingness that Daniel should suffer, and yet the prevailing part of Darius his will carried him forth to sacrifice Daniel to the Lyons; yea to that which was worse, viz. the lusts of his enemies, v. 16, 17. By all these instances, 'tis most evident that the prevalent part of a wicked mans will, stands most strongly byafs'd towards sin. But now the prevalent part of a Christians will, is to be rid of sin: If the Lord should say to a gracious Christian, Ask what thou wilt, O Christian, and it shall be granted to thee; the Answer would be, Lord rid me of my sins, Lord take away mine iniquities, Lord mortify my corruptions, Lord whoever lives, let these lust dye, Lord drown these Egyptians in the Sea of thy Sons blood, who have so violently and unweariedly pursued after the Blood of my precious Soul; Lord kill and crucify all these sinful evils, that have killed and Crucified the Lord of life and glory.Psal. 5.2, 7. Lord wash me throughly from mine iniqui­ty, and cleanse me from my sin. Lord purge me with Hysop, [Page 97] and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow: Lord, carnal reason, and flesh and bloud, would fain have such and such pleasurable sins, and such and such profi­table sins indulged and spared, but Lord, the earnest, the ar­dent desires of my soul are, that I may be rid of them, and that Justice to the heighth may be done upon them. Lord be but the death of my sins, and my soul shall say, My lot is fallen in a pleasant place, and verily I have a goodly heritage. Lord cleanse me but from all filthiness, both of flesh and spirit, and I shall cry H [...]sanna to thee, Matth. 21.9.Psal. 16.6. 2 Cor. 7.1. Lord let me but out live my lusts, and follow them to the Grave before others follow me to my Grave, and I shall say it is enough. And thus every gracious Soul is more willing to be rid of his sins, than he is to keep his sins. A Porter cannot be more willing to be rid of his burden, nor a sick man to be rid of his disease, nor a Beggar of his nasty louzy rags, nor a Prisoner of his chains, than a gracious Soul is willing to be rid of his lusts, &c.

Fourthly, That Soul that does not (nor, through Grace 4 assisting, will not) allow himself, or indulge himself in a course of sin, or in the common practise of any known sin, that Soul is certainly a gracious soul. The evil that I do, Rom. 7.15. I allow not. So Psal. 119.1, 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the Law of the Lord, they also do no iniquity; that is, they allow not themselves in the practice of any ini­quity. Blessed souls live not in the service of sin, they live not in an ordinary practice of any iniquity. 1 John 3.9. Who­soever is born of God, doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. He that has the seed of God, the seed of Grace and Regeneration in him, he cannot allow himself in away of sin, he cannot give him­self over to a voluntary serving of sin, he cannot make a Trade of sin. So Prov. 16.17. The highway of the upripht is to depart from evil, (that is) it is the ordinary, usual, constant course of an upright man to depart from ev [...]l. An honest Traveller may step out of the Kings Highway into a house, a Wood, a Close, but his work, his business is to go on in the [Page 98] Kings Highway. So the business, the work of an upright man is to depart from evil; 'tis possible for an upright man to step into a sinful path, or to touch upon sinful facts; but his main way, his principal work and business, is to depart from iniquity: As a Bee may light upon a Thistle, but her work is to be gathering at Flowers; or as a Sheep may slip into the dirt, but its work is to be grasing on the Mountains, or in the Meadows. Certainly there is no man in the world so abominable wicked, but that he may now and then (when he is in a good mood, or when he is under distress of Con­science, or bleeding under a smarting rod, or beholding the hand-writing upon the Wall, or under a sentence of death) depart from evil; but this is not his course, this is not his business, this is not his work, this is not his highway. Thieves do but now and then step into the Kings Highway to take a purse, they do not keep the Kings Highway. But now the upright mans Highway, his common and ordinary course, is to depart from evil, and therefore he cannot allow himself liberty to walk in an evil way. Titus 2.11, 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, (without distinction of Nations, Sex, Age, or condition) teaching us, that denying ungodlyness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World. Under the name of ungodliness, he compriseth all the breaches of the first Ta­ble; and under the name of worldly lusts, he compriseth all inordinate desires against the second Table; and those three words, soberly, righteously, and godly, have a threefold re­ference; the first to our selves, the second to our neighbour, and the third to God. We must live soberly in respect of our selves, righteously in respect of our neighbours, and god­ly in respect of God. And this is the sum of a Christians whole duty. Now if the Grace of God which bringeth Sal­vation, teaches Saints to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, then certainly Saints that are taught by that Grace, cannot live, nor allow themselves in ungodliness or worldly lusts; without all peradventure Heaven is for that man, and that man is for Heaven that can appeal to Heaven, that he allows not himself in the practice of any known sin. Thus Da­vid [Page 99] did, Search me O Lord (sayes he) and know my heart, Psal. 13 [...].24. try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me. 'Tis a most sure sign, that sin hath not gained a mans heart nor consent, but committed a rape upon his Soul; when he al­lows not himself in it, but cryes out bitterly to God against it, as Paul did, Rom. 7. If the ravished Virgin under the Law cryed out, she was guiltless, Deut. 22.25, 26, 27. Cer­tainly such as cry out of their sins, and that would not for all the world allow themselves in a way of sin, such are guilt­less before the Lord. That which a Christian does not al­low himself in, that he does not do in divine account, &c.

But now the whole Trade, the whole life of formal and carnal Christians, is nothing else but one continued web of wickedness; there is no wicked unregenerate person in the world, but lives in the daily practice of some known sin or other; but allows himself in some Trade or way of wicked­ness or other, as you may evidently see by comparing of these following Scriptures together, Prov. 1.20. to 33. Jer. 5.3. Jer. 44.16, 17, 18, 19. Jer. 9.3, 4, 5, 6. Jer. 7.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Psal. 50.16, 17. Isa. 66. 3. Matth. 7.23. Rom. 6.12, 13, 19. Rom. 8.5. Luke 13.27. Ephes. 2.2, 3. Phil. 4.19. Titus 3.3. 2 Pet. 2.14. Sin is a sinners absolute work, it is his main work, and the sinner is besides himself, besides his Calling (as it were) when he is besides his sin.

Fifthly, He that conflicts most with heart-sins, and is most 5 affected with spiritual sins,Psal. 19.12. Psal. 119.113. I hate vain thoughts. Psal. 30.6, 7. Isa. 64.7. and that laments and mourns most over secret sins, invisible sins, sins that lye most hid and remote from the eyes of the World, he is certainly a graci­ous soul; Grace in truth, and grace in power, will rise and conflict, and make head against the most inward and secret vanities of the Soul, as against secret self-love, and secret hardness of heart, Isa. 63.17. and secret unbelief, Mark 9.24. and secret carnal confidence, and secret hypocrisie, and secret envy, and secret malice, and secret vain-glory, and secret fretting and murmuring, and secret lustings, and se­cret runnings out of the Soul after the meat that perisheth, [Page 100] and secret pride; hence Hezekiah humbles himself for the pride of his heart;2 Chron. 32.25. 2 Sam. 24.10. Psal. 42.11. and so David, he humbles himself for the pride of his heart in numbring of the people. And how does the same Prophet chide himself for sinful dejection of spirit,Psal. 73.22. Why art thou cast down O my Soul, and why art thou disquited in me? And how does he at another time be-fool himself, and be-beast himself, for his secret grudging and fretting at the prosperity of the wicked. So foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee. And so Paul was most affected and affli­cted with a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind; Inward pollutions and defilements did sit closest and sadest upon his spirits. And the same Apostle in that 2 Cor. 7.1. is for keeping down the filthiness of the spirit, as well as the filthiness of the flesh; he is for inward cleansing, as well as for outward cleansing.Rom. 7.22, 23, 24. Having therefore these Pro­mises, (dearly beloved) let as cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God: So Mr. Bradford was a man that had attained to so great and eminent a heighth of holiness, that Doctor Taylor (the Mar­tyr) calls him, That Saint of God John Bradford; and yet O how sadly does he bewail his secret hypocrisy. True Grace makes opposition as well against the being of sin in a mans nature,Col. 3.5. as against the breakings out of sin in a mans life. True Grace will make head against the corruptions of the heart, as well as against the excursions of the feet; 'tis as willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted heart, as 'tis wil­ling and desirous to be rid of a polluted hand. It would fain have, not only sinful acts, but also sinful dispositions; and not only irregular actions, but also inordinate affections mortified and subdued. O friends! heart-sins are root-sins, they are the springs that set all the wheels a going, the Foun­tain that sets all the streams a running, the fire that sets the Furnace a smoaking, the Bellows that sets the fire a burn­ing. Certainly a proud heart hath more of Satan in it than a proud look, and a wanton heart is more vile than a wanton eye, and a murtherous or adulterous heart, is worse than a murtherous or adulterous act, &c. And therefore true grace makes head against heart-sins, against spiritual sins, [Page 101] against the most inward secret sins, against those very sins that lye not within the reach of reason, or the Sword of the Magistrate, or the piercing eye of the most knowing or ob­serving man in the World, but are only obvious to an omni­scient eye. But now carnal men, as they make little of outward sins, so they make nothing of heart-sins, of spiritual sins. If they are not drunkards, nor swearers,Matt. 19.16-27. nor extortio­ners, nor whoremasters, nor cursers, nor cheaters, nor op­pressors, nor lyars, nor persecutors; if they are good nega­tive Christians, then they think themselves very good Saints, and in a very fair way for heaven, and that no man can say Black is their eye; when their hearts are as full of evil thoughts, and secret lusts, as Ignorance, Atheism, unbelief, pride, envy, discontent, anger, formality, hypocrisy, indif­ferency, lukewarmness, deadness and hardness, &c. as the Sun is full of light, or as Hell is full of darkness. Restrain­ing grace, common grace, only makes head against gross enormities, against palpable vanities, as you may see in the Scribes and Pharises; but saving grace makes head against heart-sins, against spiritual sins. Common grace is all for washing the outside, but Saving grace is for washing the in­side as well as the outside. Common grace is only for wash­ing the feet and the head, but Saving grace is for washing both feet, head, and heart. Look as in a dark night we can only see those stars that are of the greatest magnitude;Matth. 23. John 13.9, 10. so by the star-light of natural Conscience, the natural man can on­ly see those sins that are more great and gross. Natural con­victions can reach no further than natural light, but spiritual convictions reach to the most inward, secret, spiritual, and undiscernable sins. Certainly that is a sincere heart, a heart more worth than gold, that smites a man for inward sins as well as for outward sins; for sins done in a corner, as well as for sins acted upon the house top; for spiritual sins as well as for fleshly sins; for sins against the Soul, as well as for sins against the body; for sins committed in a Closet, as well as for sins committed on the most publick Stage. Cer­tainly that trouble and grief that springs from heart-sins, from spiritual sins, from secret sins, bears a more imme­diate [Page 102] relation to the holiness of God, who only observes them, and is offended by them, and so is a most sure and in­fallible evidence of saving Grace, and of the work of the spi­rit in power upon the Soul. When open commissions do humble and abase the heart, and secret inclinations to sin do even break and burst the heart asunder, then the heart is certainly sincere with God. A Christian will readily grant that his God is a good God, and that Jesus Christ is the chief­est of ten thousand, and that the Gospel is a glorious Gospel, and that the Promises are precious Promises, and that the Ordinances are blessed Ordinances, and that the lively com­munion of Saints is the Sweetest communion in all the world. But yet he will say, I have such a proud heart, such a hard heart, such a flight heart, such a carnal heart, &c. and I am so vexed and molested with sinful motions, and with sinful imaginations, and with sinful inclinations, and with Atheisti­cal risings, and with private murmurings, and with secret unbelievings, and that in despite of all my conflictings, and strivings, and prayings, and mournings, and sighings, and groanings, and complainings; that I am oftentimes even weary of my life: And if this does not speak out Christ within, and grace within, and the Spirit within such a Soul, I know nothing. O friends! remember this once for all, viz. That the main Battle, the main warfare of a Christian lyes not in the open field, it lyes not in visible skirmishes, but his main quarrels and conflicts are most within, and his worst and greatest enemies are them of his own house, they are them of his own heart. A little grace at first conversi­on, may reform an ill life; but it must be a great deal of grace that must reform an ill heart. A little grace may make a man victorious over outward gross sins, but it must be a great deal of grace that must make a man victorious over inward sins, secret sins, spiritual sins, heart-sins, yea, a through conquest of these sins will hold a man play all his dayes. But,

6 Sixthly, He that abstains from sin, he whose heart rises against sin, he that sets himself against sin, because of the evil [Page 103] nature of sin,2 Cor. 7.1. I have read of the Ermin, that she will rather dye than be got into the dirt to defile her beautiful skin. And rather than Joseph will defile his beautiful soul by defiling his Masters bed, he will to a dirty Dungeon. He had rather that the Irons should en­ter into his Soul, Psal. 105.18. than that sin should enter into his Conscience: He had rather that his chains should eat into his flesh, than that sin should pollute his soul. Isa. 59.1, 2. Amos 3.6. Acts 5.39. because of that vileness and filthiness that is in sin; he certainly has a principle of Grace, a seed of God in him. He who refrains from sin, and whose heart rises more against sin, because of the purity of the Law which forbids sin, then because of the severity of the Law which condemns sin, is certainly under the power of renewing Grace, of saving Grace. Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it: 'tis only pure Grace that can inable a man to love the Word for its purity. The A­postle to set forth the formidable evil that is in sin, expresses it thus, Rom. 7.13. That sin might appear to be sin. He could find nothing more evil and odious to express it by than it self. Sin is so great an evil, that it cannot have a worse Epithet given it. Paul can call it no worse than by its own name, sinful sin. Had the Apostle said that sin might appear to be a snare, a Serpent, a Viper, a Toad, a Plague, a Devil, a Hell, &c. he had said much, but yet not enough to set forth the transcendent evil that is in sin, and therefore he calls it sinful sin. All other evils are but outward, they only reach the name, the body, the estate, the life, but sin is an inward evil, a spiritual evil, an evil that reaches the precious and immortal Soul, and therefore is the greatest evil. Death puts an end to all other troubles, viz. poverty, sickness, dis­grace, scorn, contempt, crosses, losses, &c. but sin is so great an evil, that death it self cannot put an end to it, Eter­nity it self shall never put a stop, a period to this evil of evils. All outward evils can never make a man the subject of Gods wrath and hatred. A man may be poor, and yet precious in the eyes of God, he may be greatly abhorred by the World, and yet highly honoured by God; he may be de­based by men, and yet exalted by God. But now sin is so great an evil, that it subjects the sinners Soul to the wrath and hatred of God; all other evils do but strike at a mans present well-being, but sin strikes at a mans eternal well-being; all other evils can never hinder a mans communion with God, a man may have communion with God in pover­ty, in sickness, in Prison, in Banishment; but sin is so great an evil, that it interrupts communion with God, it cuts off [Page 104] communion with God. All outward evils are Gods crea­tures, Is there any evil in the City that the Lord hath not done. But sin is the Devils creature, 'tis a brat of his own begetting, yea, 'tis worse than the Devil, 'tis that which has turn'd glo­rious Angels into infernal Devils. All other evils do not fight against the greatest good, but sin is that grand evil that fights against the greatest good, it fights against the being of God, the essence of God, the glory of God. Peccatum est Dei-cidium, sin is a killing of God, 'tis a murthering of God; Sin is a universal evil, 'tis all evil, 'tis nothing but evil, there is not one drop, one spark of good to be found in any sin; but now in all outward evils, there is some good, there is some good in poverty, in sickness, in war, in death, but there is not the least good in sin, sin is the sole object of Gods hatred, he hates nothing but sin, he is angry with no­thing but sin, he has forbid nothing but sin, he has revealed his wrath from heaven against nothing but sin, so great an evil is sin. Sin is that grand evil that has Midwiv'd all other evils into the world. 'Twas sin that drown'd the old world with water, 'twas sin that destroyed Sodom with fire and Brimstone,Judges 5.8. Psal. 107.34. Deut. 28.21. 'twas sin that laid Jerusalem on heaps, 'twas sin that has Midwiv'd Sword, Famine, and Pestilence into the World, 'twas sin that laid the Foundation of Hell, that laid the corner-stone in that land of darkness, for before sin there was no Hell. 'Twas sin that Crucified the Lord of glory. Now O how great must that evil be that has ushered in all these great evils into the World.Rom. 8.7. Sin is enmity against God, God hath no enemy in the World but sin, and those whom sin hath made him; Sin hath set all the World against the Lord of glory; 'tis sin that has turn'd men into incarnate Devils, and that has drawn them out to fight against God, and Christ, and their own Souls, and the things of their everlast­ing peace. Now when a man looks upon sin as the greatest evil in the world, and his heart rises and is enraged against it, because of the vile, filthy, odious and hainous nature of it; 'tis a clear evidence that such a man has the Divine nature in him, take that one instance for all, Psal. 19.12, 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins. But why does David [Page 105] pray thus, So (sayes he) shall I be innocent from the great trans­gression. Mark, he does not pray thus, Lord keep me from presumptuous sins, that so I may be free from troubles with­out, and from terrors within, or from Hell beneath; but Lord keep me from presumptuous sins, that so I may be in­nocent from the great transgression. He does not say, so shall I be free from the great correction, but so shall I be free from the great transgression. Thats a heart worth gold, that is more sensible and more affected with the evil that is in sin, than with the evil that comes by sin.Aug. Epist. 144. 'Twas a weigh­ty saying of Austin, That man (sayes he) which fears Hell, he doth not fear to sin, but fears to burn; but that man fears to sin, that fears sin as he would fear Hell. Common Grace never works a man thus to fear sin, but renewing grace doth. Common convictions carry the Soul out to look more on the evil that comes by sin, than on the evil that is in sin; and hence it comes to pass, that Souls under common convictions, are more affected and afflicted at the fear of Hell, and dread of wrath and damnation, than they are affected or afflicted at the vileness, odiousness, and hainous nature of sin. When an unsanctified person is angry with sin, and chides sin, and falls out with sin; and makes some head against sin, 'tis ei­ther because it hath crackt his credit, or clouded his honour, or hindered his profit, or imbittered his pleasure, or provo­ked his friends, or incensed the Magistrate, or enraged his Conscience, or exposed him to shame, disgrace, or contempt here, and Hell hereafter. B [...]t never because a holy God is dishonoured, a righteous Law transgressed, a blessed Saviour frequently Crucified, or the blessed Spirit greatly grieved. The child will not touch the Coal because it will burn him, and the prudent man will not touch the Coal because it will s [...]t him. A gracious heart rises against sin because of its defiling and polluting nature, but an unsanctified heart rises against sin because of its burning and damning nature. A sanctified person hates sin, because it pollutes his soul, but an unsanctified person hates it because it destroyes his soul. A sanctified person loaths sin, and abhors sin, because it fights against Gods holiness; but an unsanctified person [Page 106] loaths it, and abhors it, because it provokes and stirs up Gods Justice. A sanctified person detests sin, because of the Hell that is in sin; but an unsanctified person detests sin, because of the Hell that follows sin, &c. But,

7 Seventhly, Where there is an irreconcileable opposition in the Soul against sin, there is a saving work of God upon that mans heart. Where there is such a detestation of sin, and such an enmity raised in the soul against sin, as that the Soul cannot,The contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian, arises from an in­ward gracious na­ture which is op­posite to the whole species or kind of sin, as contrarie­ties of nature are to the whole kind. As light is contra­ry to all darkness, and fire to all wa­ter. So that this contrariety to sin arising from the inward man, is universal to all sin, &c. nor will not, upon no terms in the World, ad­mit of any Truce or Reconcilliation with sin, there is Christ and Grace formed in the heart. The War between a graci­ous heart and sin, is like the War between Rehoboam and Je­roboam, 1 Kings 14.30. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their dayes. The Oracle said to the Cirrheans (Noctes diesque belli gerendum), they could not be happy unless they waged war night and day; no more can we, except we perpetually fight against our lusts. O friends! A gracious heart that is weary of sin, will certainly and habitually fall a striving against it, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the Spi­rit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these two are contrary the one to the other. Now contraries are naturally expulsive each of other: Such a pair as a Jacob and an Esau; such Twins as an Isaac and an Ishmael, cannot lye quietly together in the same womb; no nor live quietly together in the same house, but there will be a mutual prosecuting and persecu­ting each of other. Fire and Water may as well agree in the same Vessel; as grace and sin in the same heart. True Grace hath a real repugnancy and contrariety to all sin; and remember this once for all, that saving Grace is not contra­ry to sin because it is open and manifest, nor to sin because it is private and secret, nor to sin because it is of this or that consequence, but to sin as sin, whether publick or private, because both the one and the other are contrary to the Law of God, the will of God, the glory of God, the nature of God, the designs of God, &c. As it is with true light, though it be but a beam, yet it is universally opposite to all dark­ness; or as it is with heat, though there be but one degree of [Page 107] it, yet it is opposite to all cold. So true Grace, it is oppo­site to all sin, it cannot comply with any known sin. Look as sin and Grace were never born together, and as sin and Grace shall never dye together, so sin and Grace can never be reconciled together. There is a natural contrariety be­tween sin and Grace, and therefore you can never reconcile them in the heart. The opposition that Grace makes against sin, is inward as well as outward, 'tis against sin wheresoever it is. Nothing will satisfy a gracious soul but the destructi­on of sin, Rom. 6.6. Knowing this, that our old man is Crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. The Greek word [...], that is here rendred destroyed, signifies weakned, and the strength of it broken, and made idle, fruitless, and uneffectual. So Psal. 51.2. Wash me throughly (or multiply to wash me, or play the Fuller upon me) from mine iniquity. (David looked upon his sin, his stain, to be so inveterate, so ingrained, that it would hardly be ever gotten out till the cloth were almost rub'd to pieces) and cleanse me from my sin. David was as desirous to be cleansed of the Leprosy of sin, as ever any poor Leper was willing to be cleansed of his Leprosy under the Law; And so ver. 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than Snow. All the Sacrifices of expiation of sin in the old Law, were done by blood, and that blood was sprinkled upon the people by a bunch of Hyssop, so called from the Hebrew word Ezob, by reason of the nearness of the sound. In the legal sprinklings made with Hyssop, was shadowed out the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ.Rev. 1.14. Job 9.30. The Brides garments are made white in the blood of the lamb, and not by any washings in Snow water: When a gracious Soul looks upon sin, he cries out, Lord raze it, raze it down to the ground, Lord let not one stone be left upon another. In every gracious Soul, there is such a detestation and such an indignation against sin, that neither Mountains of Gold, nor Rocks of Pearl, nor honour, nor applause, nor favour on the one hand, nor frowns nor threats, nor neglects, nor scorns, nor contempt on the other hand, [...] win the Soul over to sin, or make the Soul [Page 108] one with sin. Look how it was between the Lord and Ama­lek, so it is between a gracious soul and his sins. Now if you turn to that Exod. 17.16. you shall find how it was between the Lord and Amalek, Because the Lord hath sworn, that the Lord will have war with Amalek from Generation to Generation; Or as the Hebrew has it, The hand upon the throne of the Lord, Gods hand is la [...]d upon his own Throne, as swearing to root out Amalek; or because Amaleks hand is lifted up against Gods Throne, that is the Church, (so called in Jer. 4.21. and Crown of Glory, Isa. 62.3.) therefore God will have perpetual wars with Amalek. God could as soon be recon­ciled to Amalek, as a gracious Christian can be reconciled to his sins. Others sense the words thus, that Moses had a so­lemn Oath (as it were laying his hand upon Gods Throne) for asseveration and assurance, that he and the people will have an irreconcilable war with the posterity of Amalek. And so every gracious soul is resolved to make an irrecon­cileable war with sin. But now where there is only com­mon Grace, there a man deals by his sins as David did by his son Absolom, banish him his Court for a time, and afterwards receive him into full favour, and court him as much or more than before. An unsound heart may fall out with his sin, and be very angry with its sin, for the consequence of it, for the shame it brings upon his person, for the blot it leaves up­on his name, and for the stinging guilt and convulsion fits which it causeth in his Conscience, and yet this very person be in a very close and strict league with sin, and his heart in­wardly and strongly adhering unto sin. But a gracious heart will be still a restraining of sin, a curbing of sin, a crossing of sin, a making head against sin, and a withstanding it in all its workings. Anger may be reconciled, but hatred cannot.

8 Eightly, Where the very prevailings of sin are ordinari­ly made serviceable to high and holy, to gracious and spiri­tual ends,Ezek. 16.61, 63. Ephes. 2.7, 6, 7. there certainly is a saving work of God upon that mans soul. As when they produce more Soul-loathing, Soul-humiliation, Self-judging; Self-abasement, Self-abhor­ring; or when they fill the Soul with a grea [...] [...] admiration [Page 109] of the freeness and riches of Grace, or when they keep down pride, and prevent the despising of others, or produce holy shame, or when they make the blood of Christ more preci­ous and dear to the Soul, or when they engage a Christian so much the more to watch and pray, and pray and watch, that he may either be kept from the hour of temptation, or in the hour of temptation, or when every fall makes sin more bit­ter to the soul than ever, and Christ more sweet to the Soul than ever, and all the means of Grace more delightful to the Soul than ever, and heaven more desirable to the Soul than ever; or when sin is made the prevention of sin, or when sin through the over-ruling hand of Grace is made an occasion of more Grace; as that good man said, As I get hurt by my Graces, So I get good by my sins. You know all the falls and knocks, and blows, that children get that are learning to go, do but make them cleave the closer and hang the faster upon the Nurses skirts, or about the Mothers neck. So when all a Christians falls do but work him to cleave the closer, and hang the faster upon the strength of Christ, and to be still a drawing more and more vertue and power from Christ; then is the prevalency of sin made serviceable to holy and gracious ends; and where God ordinarily thus works, there is certainly a work of God in power upon that Soul, 2 Cor. 7.11. For behold, this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a god­ly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your selves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehe­ment desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge, in all things you have approved your selves to be clear in this matter (this Scrip­ture I have fully opened in my eighth sign of godly sorrow, in this book, and to that I refer you). The Mother by suffering the child to get one fall, keeps the child from many a fall, and so 'twas with these Corinthians. Adams fall was an inlet to abundance of grace; and his unrighteousness did usher in­to the world the most glorious Righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hezekiah falls, and by his fall,2 Chron. 32.25, 26, 31. God gives him a clearer and fuller sight of his own heart than ever he had before in all his dayes. Sin is no gainer, but a loser by every fall of the Saints. God does, and will, by the over-ruling hand of his [Page 110] grace, make the very miscarriages of his people to be glori­ous inlets to more eminent degrees of Grace and holiness. God hath a great Revenue of glory from the very infirmities of the Saints; and the Saints have a great Revenue of com­fort from their very miscarriages, by the wise, powerful, over-ruling, and sanctifying hand of God. God is that powerful, that skilful Physician, that can make an Antidote, and Sovereign remedy of sin, that is the most deadly poyson in all the World. God does and will make the very sins of his people to further the Salvation of his people, according to that golden promise Rom. 8.28. God never suffers his people to fall into any sin, but out of a design to break the neck and back of that sin they fall into: God suffered David to fall into those two great sins of Murder and Adultery, but by these very falls he broke the very back of those sins, for we never read that ever he fell into those sins the second time. And so God suffered Peter to deny him once, but by that sore fall God broke the neck of that very sin, for we never read that ever he denyed Christ any more at the voice of a Damsel; yea, 'tis very observable, that Peters courage and boldness for the truth, received a very high advance by those deep wounds that he had formerly given them, when he denyed the Lord that bought him. After his sore falls, for courage and boldness he carries the Bell from all the Apostles, as you may see in Acts 4.12. It is the nature of true Grace to gather strength by every wound. Grace ga­thers strength by contraries, as Fire doth when it is compas­sed about with coldness by an Antiper stasis. By all a Ch i­stians falls his graces grow brighter and stronger. At the long run, a Christian by all his falls loses nothing but his dross, his chaff, his scum, his filth. Now he that finds his sins thus over-ruled for the good of his soul, he is certainly a gracious Soul. O Sirs! remember this for ever, viz. That the oftner an Hypocrite, or a Formalist falls, the more ground and strength his sins get upon him, and so will con­tinue to do, till all that Grace and goodness which he seemed to have had, be quite extinguished. But,

Ninthly, Where a bare naked command of God is com­monly, 9 ordinarily of that power, force and authority with the soul, as to curb sin, and restrain the soul from sin, and to arm and fence the soul against the encroachments and commands of sin, there is certainly a saving work, a power­ful work of God upon that Soul. When a man can say to Heaven and Hell, stand you by for the present, and to preci­ous Promises, stand you by for the present, and to Divine threatnings, stand you by for the present, here is a Com­mand of God that forbids such and such actions, and there­fore I cannot, I dare not do this or that wickedness,Gen. 39.9. and sin against the Lord, there is certainly a principle of Grace in that mans heart. That is a great word of David, Psal. 119.161. My heart standeth in awe of thy word. When a naked command from God does so over-awe the heart, as that it dares not sin against God, then doubtless the heart is sincere with God. A child does not stand in more awe of the rod, nor a servant of a beating, nor a Favourite of his Princes frowns, than a real Christian (when he is himself) stands in awe of the Word. So Psal. 119.11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart, that I might not sin against thee. When a man hides the Word in his heart as a Treasure, that he may not lose it, and as a Rule that he may not transgress it, then his heart is indeed right with God. When the Law of God in a mans heart, arms him against the lusts of his heart and life, then doubtless his heart is sound with God. So Psal. 17.4. By the words of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroy­er; or as some read the words, According to the command and charge of thy words, I have kept me from the sinful wayes, manners, behaviours, &c. of the destroyer, or the cruel man.Matth. 28.18, 19, 20. Acts 10.41, 42. Christ commanded his Apostles to make him known to the World, and to Preach the everlasting Gospel, and to make known those Mysteries and Riches of Grace that were hid in former Ages. The Jewish Authority threa­tens them and commands them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus, Acts 4.17, 18. But the command of Christ carries it with the Apostles against all their threat­nings and commands, verse 19.20. But Peter and John an­swered [Page 112] and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more then unto God, judg ye; For we cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen. When the commands of Authority run counter-cross to the commands of God, the commands of God must be obeyed, though the greatest Au [...]hority under Heaven should be displeased and enraged. God never gave the greatest Authority in the world, any Authority to act contrary to his commands. Dis­obedience to unlawful commands, is no disobedience. Wo to h [...]m that obeyes the commands of men in opposition to the commands of God, 1 Cor. 9.16. For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of; For necessity is laid upon me, yea, wo is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel. Now 'tis infinitely better to fall under the displeasure of men, than to fall under the woes of God. The Jews under a pretence of their Au­thority, command the Apostles not to Preach Jesus to the people; but the commands of Christ carry it with the Apo­stles against all their contrary commands. The Apostles (who were like to Bottles of new Wine, that must either vent or burst) knew very well that 'twas not obedience to mens commands that could excuse their disobedience to Gods commands. So in that third of Daniel, the commands of the great God carried it with the three Children against all the dreadful threatnings, proud boasting [...], and Idolatrous commands of King Nebuchadnezzar. Certainly the com­mands of sin are of all commands the vilest commands, they are all illegal, sin hath no ground, no reason to command our souls; Sin is but a Usurper, a Traitor, and therefore h [...]s no Authority over us. All sins commands are purely sinful, they are plain and notorious rebellions against the Laws of Christ, the life of Christ, and against the Crown, Honour, and Dignity of Jesus. All sins [...]ommands are grievous, bur­thensome, and painful commands; of all yoaks, none so heavy as that which sin layes upon the sinner; hence sin is compared to a talent of Lead, Zach. 5.7. to shew the weigh­tiness and burthensomness of it; and hence 'tis that sinners are said to weary themselves in committing iniquity, Jer. 9.5. And hence 'tis that wicked men are laid to travel with [Page 113] iniquity, Psal. 7.14. to shew what anxious pain and trou­ble they have in bringing about their wickedness. Behold he travelleth with iniquity; or as the Hebrew has it, he shall tra­vel, or he continually travelleth, he takes as great pains to go to Hell, as a travelling woman doth to be delivered. Wicked men are as laborious, and as restless and unquiet in the practice of wickedness,Prov. 4.14, 15, 16. as a woman in labour is when the pangs of Travel are upon her. Sugred poisons go down pleasantly, O but when they are down, they gall, and gnaw, and gripe the very heart-strings asunder, 'tis so with sin. Lastly, the commands of sin are extreamly unreasonable, what an unreasonable thing is it to command a man to run into the fire, or to drown himself in the water, or to strangle himself, &c. Now all the commands of sin tend directly and intentionally to the burning, drowning, strangling, and destroying of the sinner. All sins commands tend to the dishonour of God, the breach of his righteous Laws, and the damnation of the precious and immortal Soul. Now where the commands of God do commonly carry it, against all the commands of sin, there the Soul is certainly sincere with Go [...]. That we owe perfect obedience to Gods will, to Gods commands, is evident enough several wayes, and in particular from the universal obedience of all Creatures, I mean those which are without reason, sense, or life, for they inviolably observe his commands, Isa. 48.13. Mine hand hath laid the Foundations of the earth, and my right hand hath spann'd the Heavens; when I call to them they stand up together, as prepared to execute his commands. The insensible parts of the world are so compliant with his will, as to contradict their proper natures to serve his glory. Fire descends from Hea­ven at his command, Gen. 19.24. 2 Kings 1.10, 11, 12. And the fluid Sea stands up at his command, Exod. 14.22. Now what a sad thing is it that Christians should at any time prove disloyal and rebellious, when all inferiour Creatures do with one consent serve and glorify the great God. But, &c.

10 Tenthly, Constant desires, and earnest and constant en­deavours to avoid and shun all known appearances of sin,Where do you read in all the Scriptures, of any one Hypocrite that ever made Conscien [...]e of shunning and a­voiding the ap­pearances of sin. ev [...]dences the truth and reality of Grace in the Soul. Cer­tainly that man is a true Nathaniel that makes it his business his work, to abstain from all appearances of evil. An Hy­pocrite loves the appearance of good more than goodness it self, and a sincere Christian hates the very appearance of evil, as well as the evil it self. He who hates a person, loaths his very picture. A wicked man may abstain from broad-fac'd evils, but commonly he is very bold and ventrous upon ap­pearing evils. O what vain Apologies do many make in these dayes for long hair, gaudy Apparel, Antick Fashions, Spotted Faces, Naked Breasts, Wanton Behaviours, Effe­minate Dalliances, and a thousand other suspicious practices and vanities. But now a man that is truly gracious, he makes Conscience, not only of shunning real gross, known evils, but also of shunning the very likeness of evil. His heart does not only rise against real sins, but he is very shy of that which looks like sin. When Josephs Mistris took hold of him and said, Lie with me, he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got him out, Gen. 39.12. Joseph would not be found in the company of his impudent brazen-fac'd Mistris, that could so barely and basely, so boldly and frequently, solli­cite him to defile his Masters bed, and to damn two Souls at once, her own and his, that so he might avoid the very ap­pearance of evil, the very suspition of sin. By wanton tou­ches and dalliance, mental Adultery is often committed, and therefore Joseph flies, as being unwilling to touch her, or to be touched by her.1 Cor. 9.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And so Paul refused the using his liberty in taking a lawful maintenance for his labours, lest a sinister interpretation of covetousness and mercenary affection should have been put upon it by his Adversaries. And so the same Apostle would needs have Titus and two others cho­sen by the Church, to joyn with him in carrying the bene­volence of the Church of Macedonia to Jerusalem, because he was very careful to avoid all suspition of dealing ill in that business, 2 Cor. 8.20, 21. Avoiding this, that no man should blame us, in this abundance that is Ministred by us: Providing for [Page 115] honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men. So Daniel would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat (that is, say some,Dan. 1. [...]. he would not defile his Conscience by eating such unclean meats as were forbidden under the Law, for the Babilonians did eat of divers meats, as of Swine, Hares, &c. and of sundry sorts of Fishes and Fowls which were forbidden by God unto the children of Israel, Levit. 11. Deut. 14) nor with the wine which he drank (but in the He­brew the plural number is used, of his drinks, whence some gather, that the King drank divers sorts of Wines, which were also set before Daniel and his companions), therefore he re­quested of the Prince of the Eunuchs, that he might not defile himself. Daniels living at a full Table, and his feeding upon Kingly dainties, might have been, not only a means to en­snare him, and drown him in the sensualities of the Court, but it would have carried with it also too great a shew of Da­niels conformity to the Courts manners and customs, and have been too great an appearance of Daniels forgetfulness of the sore and miserable calamities and matchless miseries of the captive Church, who sate sighing and groaning and mour­ning in her cruel bondage, and had none to comfort her, or speak peace unto her; and therefore Daniel purposed in his heart (or set it upon his heart, or laid it upon his heart, as the Hebrew may be read) that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat, &c. that so he might avoid all shews or suspition of evil. 'Tis very observable, that in the Law of the Nazarite (who did for a time special, consecrate himself to God, that besides his not comming to the dead, and suffering his hair to grow.) 'Twas ordained of God that he should abstain from these six things. 1. From Wine and strong drink. 2. From the Vinegar of Wine or strong drink. 3. From any Liquor of Grapes, though it were but the water wherein they were steeped. 4. From the green or moist Grape. 5. From the dryed Grape or Raisin. 6. From the husk or kernel of them, Num. 6.3, 4. Had the Nazarite eaten but the skin of the Grape or Raisin, he had broken the Law. Now hereby the Lord would teach us, that those that separate themselves from the world, to be [Page 116] in a special manner serviceable to the Lord, they must avoid not only that which is plain sin, downright sin, or such sins that men may run and read, but also that they must shun and be shy of the very appearances of sin. It was good counsel that Liv [...]a gave her husband Augustus, Dio in vita. It behoveth thee (said she) not only not to do wrong, but not to seem to do so, &c. We must shun and be shy of the very shew and shadow of sin, if either we tender our credit abroad, or our comfort at home, walk­ing in the power of holiness lyes much in shunning the very appearance of sin. The Primitive Christians would not en­dure that any Christian should look towards Jerusalem pray­ing, because they would avoid the least shew of Judaism. And indeed there are great reasons why every Christian should avoid whatever may have the suspition of sin; and this will be evident, if you please but seriously to consider of these eight following particulars.

1 First, Consider those clear and plain commands of God which makes this duty to be a duty, as that 1 Thess. 5.22. Ab­stain from all appearance of evil. God requires us not only to abstain from all apparent sins, but also from all appearance of sin; we must do nothing which hath a shew or shadow of sin; 'tis duty to abstain from whatever is of an ill shew, or an ill report. And so God commands us to hate the garment spotted with the flesh, Jude 23. Saints must abhor every thing that carries with it but a savour or suspition of unclean­ness.Hence that saying of the Jews, Re­move thy self from filthiness, and from all that which hath a shew of it. See Drusius prae­terit, in 1 Thess. 5.22. The Apostle alludes to legal uncleanness, which was contracted by touching the houses, the vessels, or the gar­ments of unclean persons, Levit. 15. Christians must not only hate uncleanness, but they must hate every thing that looks like it, or that has the least communion with it. So in that Deut. 12.30. Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared, by following of them, after that they be destroyed from before thee, and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, how did these Na­tions serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. God does not only command his people to abstain from gross Idolatry, but he also commands them to take heed of all those wayes and means, and enquiries that might tend to draw them to Ido­latry, [Page 117] or that might carry with them the least shew or appea­rance of Idolatry. 'Tis observable in the Law, that God commanded his people not only that they should Worship no Idol, but that they should demolish all the Monuments of them, and that they should make no Covenant, nor have any affinity with those who Worshipped them; and all to avoid the very shews of Idolatry, and to prevent his people from being drawn by those means to commit Idolatry with them. And so Exod. 23.7. Keep thee far from a false matter. Every good man must stand aloof off, he must keep at a di­stance both from the occasions of sin, and from the appea­rance of sin. So Prov. 5.8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house. He that is farthest from fire, is safest from burning, and he that is most remote from the water, is in least danger of drowning. It is no small wick­edness to approach near the door of wickedness; he who approaches near the door of a Whores house,Prov. 22 14. and ch. 23.27. is already in the door of whoredom. It argues too much mind to be in the house, for any one knowingly, willingly, to come near the door of it. O how should a man dread the comming in­to that house, where he must needs either perish, or else over­come? Certainly 'tis infinite better not to be in danger of perishing, than being in danger not to perish. So Hosea 4.15. Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear the Lord liveth. Gilgal was once the Key of Canaan, scituate between Jordan and Jericho, famous for sundry ser­vices there performed to God, as might be easily shewed by many instances; but now Gilgal was basely abused to Idol-Worship; and hence 'tis that God charges them not to come near it, that so they might avoid both the shew and danger of Idolatry; and 'tis upon the same account that God charges them not to go up to Beth-aven. By these Scriptures 'tis evident that God would have his people to abstain from all shews and appearances of sin. But, &c.

Secondly, The holiness of God, and the honour of God, 2 calls aloud upon all Christians to avoid the suspition of sin. [Page 118] God is so essentially holy, so unmixedly holy, so universally holy, so eminently, so transcendently holy, so superlatively holy, so originally, radically, and fundamentally holy; he is so Independantly holy, so unchangably, so constantly, and so exemplarily holy, that he cannot but hate and abhor the very appearance of evil. Look as apparent sins stir up the judici­al anger of God against sinners, so the appearance of sin stirs up the Fatherly anger of God against Saints. A gracious heart knows, That God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, Hab. 1.13. and therefore he keeps at a distance from the appearance of iniquity, of all men in the world none honour God at so high a rate as those that keep most aloof off from the appearance of evil. Many by their apparent evils have lived God, and Christ, and the Gospel, and their Profession, and precious Ordinances, into disgrace, scorn, and contempt; and O that we would all make it our great business, by ab­staining from all appearance of evil, to live God, and Christ, and the Gospel, and our Profession, and precious Ordinances, into a greater credit, praise, and honour than ever. He keeps farthest off from dishonouring God, that keeps farthest off from the appearance of sin. But, &c.

3 Th [...]rdly, This is the way of wayes for a man to keep him­self clear from other mens sins, that man that abstains from the appearance of sin, is very rarely guilty of other mens sins, Men many times by venturing upon the appearances of sins, come to wrap themselves up in the guilt of other mens sins. Effeminate Dalliance is an appearance of evil, and had Jo­seph been toying, and playing, and sporting with his Mistris in a wanton manner, how soon might he have wrapt himself up in the guilt of his Mistresses burning Lusts. He that would not tempt nor entice others to sin, must keep off from the very appearance of sin. Certainly there is not the ho­liest man in the World, but has sins enough of his own to sad him, though not to sink him; to humble him, though not to damn him; to abase him, though not to deject him; and therefore how much does it concern the best men in the World to abstain from the very appearance of sin, that so [Page 119] they may not bring upon themselves the guilt and burthen of other mens sins. 'Tis very well observ'd by some, that a more grievous punishment is reserved for them which cause others to sin, than for them which sin by their occasion; thus the Serpent was punished more than Eve, 2 Kings 9.30-ult. compared with 1 Kings 22.34, to [...]9. and Eve more than Adam. And so Jezabel who tempted and provoked Ahab to sin, was punished with a far greater and sorer punishment or Judgment than Ahab himself was. To sin (saith one) hath not so much perdition in it, as to make others to sin; and therefore as you would never draw others to sin, keep off from all appearance of sin; O that all Superiours, Inferiours, and equals, would lay this counsel to heart. But,

Fourthly, The keeping off from all appearances of evil, 4 is the best and noblest way under heaven, to keep a good Name, and to keep a good Conscience. Now a good Name, and a good Conscience are Jewels more worth than all the Scepters and Myters in the World, and there is no Wisdom in the World to that which leads a man by the hand to secure his Name and his Conscience, Prov. 22.1. A good Name is rather to be chosen than great Riches, and loving favour rather than Silver and Gold. So Eccles. 7.1. A good name is better than precious Ointment, the one being but a persume of the Nostrils, the other a perfume of the heart. 'Tis observ­able the Princely Preacher does not say, A great Name is bet­ter than Precious Oyntments, but a good Name is better than precious Oyntments. Oyntments are here named, be­cause in those Eastern parts they were laid up in the Kings Treasury, even among his most precious things, Isa. 39.2. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed him the house of his precious things, the Silver, and the Gold, and the Spices, Exod. 30 22-23. Exod. 28.41. 1 Sam. 16.13. Psal. 89.20. Heb. 1.9. Isa. 61.3. Amos 6 6. Esth. 2.12. Psal. 23.5. Luke 7.46. Psal. 92.10. Deut. 33.24. Prov. 21.20. and the precious Oyntments, &c. Precious Aromatical Oyntments were things greatly in use and esteem amongst the Israelites, and a special part of their Treasures, as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent. And yet a good Name (which hath its Foundation in vertue, and in a holy, innocent, blame­less, harmless, and exemplary life) is better than those most precious Oyntments. And 'tis observable that the initial [Page 120] letter of the Hebrew word [...] Tob, that is here rendred Good, is bigger than ordinary, to shew the more than ordi­nary excellency of a good name and fame amongst men. 'Twas good counsel the Moralist gave, when he said, what­soever commodity you lose, be sure yet to preserve that Jewel of a good Name. A good renown is better than a gol­den girdle, say some. And a mans eye and his good Name, can bear no jests, say others. And if I may but keep a good Name, I have wealth enough, said the Naturalist. O friends! as ever you would keep a good Name, keep off from the ve­ry appearance of evil, for the very appearance of evil will both Eclipse and wound a mans name and his Conscience at once. Certainly a man were better not to live, than to out­live his good Name. A mans good Name is like a piece of white Paper, which if once blotted, will very hardly be got out again, so as to leave no Print of it behind; it is like a fair structure long time a rearing, but quickly ruin'd; or like a Merchants estate, long a getting, but lost in a moment. And therefore how much does it concern every Christian to keep his Name as he would keep his life, and this he can ne­ver do, except he keeps off from the appearance of evil. 'Tis his Name only that shall be kept green and flourishing, like the Rod of Aaron, that was laid up in the Tabernacle, who keeps off from the appearance of evil. He takes the best and the wisest course under heaven to preserve his good Name in the World, and to maintain the peace of his Con­science, who is most studious and industrious to abstain from all appearances of evil. But, &c.

5 Fifthly, The appearance of evil may very much offend, scandalize, stumble, and tempt weak Christians, and there­fore it highly concerns us to keep off from the very appea­rance of evil. The more Grace any man hath in his own heart, the more fearful he will be of stumbling or offending those that have less. Venturing upon the appearance of evil, may not only defile my own Conscience, but also wound my weak Brothers Conscience, and therefore it concerns me to be very shy of the appearance of evil. If in things of an [Page 121] indifferent nature, I must deny my own liberty,1 Cor. 8.11, 12, 13. chap. 10.25, 28. (as I must) rather than grieve or offend, or wound the Conscience of a weak Brother for whom Christ hath dyed. O how much more then I must I shun the very resemblance of sin, consider­ing how wonderful apt weak Christians are to be offended, and stumbled, when they see others so bold as to venture up­on the appearance of evil. Alexanders Macedonians having offended him, laid by their Arms, put on mourning Apparel, and came running in Troops to his Tent, where, for almost three dayes together, they remained with loud cries and tears, to testify their remorse for offending him; and shall we make nothing of offending those weak Christians that are the price of Christs bloud, and the travel of his soul, the Lord forbid.

Besides, our venturing upon the appearance of evil, may prove a great temptation to weak Christians, not only to venture upon seeming evils, but also to venture upon real evils; doubtless many weak Christians have been drawn to apparent evils, by observing others to venture upon the ap­pearance of evil. 'Tis commonly seen, that when strong Christians will adventure upon appearing evils, weak Chri­stians will be emboldned thereby to commit real evils, 1 Cor. 8.8, 9, 10. But meat commendeth us not to God, for nei­ther if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stum­bling block to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledg, sit at meat in the Idols Temple, shall not the Consci­ence of him which is weak, be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols? When the weak shall see men of know­ledg communicating with Idolaters in their Feasts, their Consciences will be emboldned and confirmed in their old Superstition about those Idols, which they were beginning to leave, returning now a fresh to a more reverent esteem and service of them than ever, &c. O friends, as you would not offend the weak, as you would not tempt the weak, keep off from all shews and appearances of evil, &c. But,

6 Sixthly, Christians venturing upon appearing evils, will exceedingly harden and encourage wicked men to commit real evils. 'Tis very natural and customary with wicked men to make use of the appearing infirmities of the Saints, as excuses and Apologies to bear them out in their greatest enormities and wickednesses. Why did not such and such knowing eminent Christians do thus and thus! and we have gone but one step beyond them, and is that so great and hainous a crime? they have been playing and sporting them­selves about the pit, and we are but slipt or stept into the pit. They have been sitting and bibbing with such and such com­pany, and we have but taken two or three merry cups more than ordinary in the same company, and is that so great a sin? &c. O Sirs! As we should walk wisely towards those that are without,1 Thess. 4.12. Jude 22. so we should walk compassionately towards those that are without. Of some have compassion, making a difference.Jer. 9.1. Did not Jeremy wish that his head were waters, and his eyes a Fountain of tears, that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people? Did not Samuel mourn for Saul? 1 Sam. 15.25. Luke 19.10. Luke 10.30-35. Phil. 3.20. Levit. 19.17. 1 Sam. 17.34. Gen. 31.40. Did not Christ weep over Jerusa­lem? Did not the compassionate Samaritan bind up his wounds, pouring in Oyl and Wine, who fell among Thieves in his going from Jerusalem to Jericho. Did not Paul weep over those that were enemies of the Cross of Christ: Yea, shall we shew pity and compassion to an Ox or an Ass that is fallen into a Ditch. Nay, shall David rather venture upon a Lyon than lose a Lamb? Shall Jacob rather endure heat by day, and cold by night, than neglect his Flock? Shall Moses fight with odds, rather than the Cattle shall perish with thirst. Nay, shall Xenocrates a Heathen, shew compassion to a poor Sparrow, that being scared and pursued by a Hawk, flew into his bosome for succour, &c. And shall not we have that compassion on poor sinners precious and immortal Souls, as to abstain from the appearance of sin, which may more wayes than one prove so exceeding prejudicial to them, &c.

Jer. [...].50.Wicked men are wonderful prone to watch for the Saints haltings; Christians are lights upon a high Hill; yea, they [Page 123] are Stars in the Firmament of the Church, and therefore eve­ry mans eye is upon them, and if wicked men can but discern the least indecency, the least appearance of any excentrick, or irregular motion, O how readily will they let fly against God, and the Gospel; against Religion, and against all that have a Profession of Religion upon them. Now the honour of God, and the credit of the Gospel, should be so dear and precious in the eyes of every Christian, that he should ra­ther chuse to dye, than to venture upon the least apparition of sin, whereby the honour of God may be clouded, or the credit of the Gospel impeached or eclipsed; or the Soul of a poor sinner endangered or worsned; both the least sin, and the least appearance of sin must be avoided and prevented, the Cockatrice must be crushed in the Egg, else it will soon become a Serpent; the very thought of sin, if not thought on, will break out into action, action into custome, custome into habit, and then both body and Soul are in the ready way of being irrecoverably lost. Camerarius tells us a sad story of two Brothers, who walking out in the evening, and seeing the Element full of bright spangling Stars, one of them be­ing a Grasier, wished that he had as many Oxen as there were Stars in the Firmament; then said the other Brother, If I had a Pasture as big as all the World, where would you keep the Oxen? he answered, In your Pasture: What said the other, whether I would or no? Yes said his Brother. The matter was very light, 'twas but a little evil, or an appearing evil, but it fell out very heavily, for presently they fell to words, and then drew one upon another, and in the close kil­led one another. O friends, as you love the lives of sinners, and as you love the Souls of sinners, keep off from all appea­rance of evil. But,

Seventhly, Other precious Saints have abstained from all 7 appearances of evil, witness Joseph, Paul, Daniel, &c. but 8 lately cited. And to these let me add that great instance of Augustine, who retracted even Ironies because they had the appearance of evil. And so the Primitive Christians would not let up Lights and Bayes at their doors, though for this [Page 124] they were persecuted as enemies to the Emperour,Tertullian. because the Temple, and the doors of Idolaters were wont to be thus garnished.2 Sam. 24.21, 22, 23, 24. And so David refused to take the Threshing floor, and Threshing instruments, and Oxen, &c. of Arau­nah as a gift, but would needs buy them at a price, and this he did, partly out of a Divine nobleness, and partly to avoid the very shew of Covetousness. Now why has God left all these famous Presidents upon Record, but on purpose to en­courage his Saints in all Ages, to abstain from all appearing evils, as well as from all apparent evils. Certainly God looks that we should so eye the best, the highest, the worthy­est, and the exactest examples, as that we should make it our great business and work to come up to them, and to imitate them to the life. O friends! the examples last cited should be very awakening, very perswading, very convin­cing, and very encouraging; because in them you may see that though abstinence from the appearance of evil be a diffi­cult thing, yet 'tis a possible thing. Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our friends, and shall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of those eminent Saints that had the lively picture of Grace, and the lovely Image of Christ fairly stampt upon their hearts and lives. 'Tis both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples, and to follow the footsteps of those Christians that have been most eminent in Grace, as you may plainly see by compa­ring of these Scriptures together, Prov. 2.20. Heb. 6.12. 1 Thes. 1.6. Phil. 4.9. 2 Tim. 3.10, 11, 12. Heb. 12.1. Phil. 3.17. 1 Cor. 11.1. Titus 2.7. He that would fain write a fair hand, had need have his eye often upon his Co­py; and he that would fain abstain from all appearance of evil, he had need often to eye the gracious examples of such who have made Conscience of abstaining from appearing evils as well as from apparent evils. But,

8 Eighthly and lastly, Consider what some refined Heathens, and civilized Pagans have done in this very case; There are stories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent Beau­ties, lest they should be ensnared. D [...]mocrit [...] pluckt out his [Page 125] own eyes to avoid the danger of uncleanness. Socrates speak­eth of two young men that flang away their Belts, when be­ing in an Idol-Temple, the lustrating water fell upon them, detesting, saith the Historian, the garment spotted by the Flesh. Alexander would not see the woman after whom he might have lusted. Scipio Africanus warring in Spain, took New-Carthage by storm,Aure victor. at which time a beautiful and noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her Chastity, he being four and twenty years old, (and so in the heat of youth) hearing of it, would not suffer her to come into his sight, for fear of a temptation, but caused her to be restored in safety to her Father. So when Dem [...]sthenes the Oratour, was asked an excessive sum of money to behold the beautiful Lais, he answered, He would not buy repentance so dear, neither was he so ill a Merchant as to sell eternals for temporals. Nor Caesar would not search Pompeyes Cabinet, lest he should find new matters of revenge. Memorable is the story of the children of Samos [...]ta, that would not touch their Ball, but burnt it, because it had touched the Toe of a wicked Here­tical Bishop, as they were tossing and playing with it. Now shall some refined Heathens, shall civilized Pagans abstain from the appearance of evil, from occasions and temptati­ons to sin? and shall real Christians fall short of them? Shall blind nature do more than Grace? Shall men fallen in the first Adam, do more than those that are raised and enlivened by the second Adam? But to prevent all mistakes, let me add, though many Heathens have abstained from the appear­ance of some evil, yet they have not abstained from the ap­pearance of all evil; neither have they abstained from the appearance of any evil out of a hatred of evil; nor from any principles of saving light, or life, or love; nor out of any regard to any Royal Law of God; nor out of any regard to the honour or glory of God, but either out of vain-glory, and popular applause, the Pole-stars by which they steered all their actions, or out of Hypocrisy, which set a tincture and Dy upon all their actions; what Writer hath more golden Sentences than Seneca, against the contempt of Gold, yet (if Tacitus, and others of his contemporaries may be credi­ted) [Page 126] none more rich, none more covetous than he, as if out of design he had perswaded others to cast away their money, that he himself might come and gather it up again, &c. And thus you see that there are very great reasons why every Chri­stian should avoid the very shew, suspition, or appearance of evil, &c. But,

11 Eleventhly and lastly, He that sets himself resolutely, mostly, habitually, against his bosome sins, his constitution sins,Psal. 18.26. his most prevalent sins, &c. he has certainly a saving work, a powerful work of God upon his Soul. True Grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side, and work the heart to take part with him, against the most dar­ling sins, though they be as right hands or as right eyes. True Grace will lay hands upon a mans most beloved lusts, and cry out to Heaven, Lord Crucify them, Crucify them, down with them, down with them even to the ground. Lord do Justice, do signal Justice, do speedy Justice, do exemplary Justice upon this Head-lust, this Master-sin. Lord hew down root and branch, let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces. Lord curse this wild Fig-Tree, that never more Fruit may grow thereon. Certainly God and Christ is set up highest in that mans heart, who bends most of his thoughts, strength, and endeavours against his constituti­on sins, against the sins of his Place, Calling, condition and complexion. 'Tis very observable, that the Jews, after they had been in the Babilonish Furnace for Idolatry, they ever hated and feared that sin as much as the burnt child dreads the Fire; yea, they would dye any death rather than admit an Idol. Josephus tells us how stoutly they opposed Pilate and Petronius, that would have set up Caesars Statue in their Tem­ples, offering their throats to the Swords of the Souldiers, rather than they would endure that Idol in Gods house. O when once the heart of a Christian comes thus to be set against all his Golden and Silver Idols, then we may safely say, Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile. He that finds his lusts, his bosome, his darling lusts, begin to fall be­fore him, [...]. 6.1 [...]. as H [...]m [...] once begun to fall before Mor [...]eoai; he [Page 127] may safely and confidently conclude that he is of the seed of the Jews, and that the seed of God abideth in him.1 John 3.9. (But ha­ving discoursed so largely as I have concerning bosome sins, darl [...]ng lusts, head-corruptions, in my other writings, I need say no more at this time) And thus you see that there are Eleven particulars in regard of sin, and a Christians act [...]ngs about it, that speaks out a true saving work of Grace to be in the Souls of the Saints. But, &c.

Secondly, Where the constant, ordinary, standing, and 2 abiding purpose, disposition, frame, and general bent of a mans heart, soul, spirit, desires, and endeavours are fixed and set for God, for Grace, for Holiness, in heart and life, there is a most sure and infallible work of God past upon that mans soul; the constant bent, and the setled purpose of a true child of God, is for God, for Grace, for Holiness in heart and life, Psal. 119.112.Psal. 40.8. Psal. 39.1. Psal. 101.3. 2 Cor. 1.12. Psal. 119 4, 5, 20. 2 Chron. 19.3. 2 Chro. 30.18, 19 Neh. 1.11. Isa. 26.8, 9. I have inclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alwayes, even to the end. Verse 38. Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Verse 44. So shall I keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever. Verse 45. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy Precepts. Acts 24.16. And herein do I exercise my self, to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. Heb. 13.18. Pray for us, for we trust we have a good Conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. Gracious Souls do strongly affect that which they cannot easily effect, Psal. 119.57. Thou art my Portion O Lord, I have said that I would keep thy words. Some read this Verse thus, Lord I have said, my portion shall be to keep thy words. Holy David was fully determined and resolved in himself, to keep Gods Royal Law, in spite of the World, the flesh, and the Devil. And so Barnabas exhorted the D [...]sci­ples, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord, Acts 11.23. As if all piety and truth of Grace consi­sted in Gracious purposes of heart. Certainly when the bent of a mans mind, and the setled purpose of a mans Soul, and the unfeigned desires of his heart, are for God, for Grace, for holiness, in heart, in life, then the estate and condition of that man is safe and happy. 'Tis very observable, that [Page 128] that great Apostle Paul, Though the Nee­dle or the Sea­mans Compass may jog this way and that way, yet the bent of the Needle w [...]ll still be Northward. So though a Chri­stian may have his particular sinful joggings, this way or that way, yet the bent of his heart will still be God-wards. Una actio non de­nominat. in his spiritual conflict, layes a very great stress upon these things, witness Rom. 7. ver. 16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the Law that it is good. So Verse 18. For to will is present with me. So Verse 19. For the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. So Verse 21, 22. I find then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. So Verse 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God. Certainly, the truth, the lise, and power of Grace, of Holiness, of Regeneration, is not so much seen in our actions, as in the renewing and san­ctifying of our minds and wills, according to that Rom. 12.2. Be ye transformed (or Metamorphosed, as the Greek has it) by the renewing of your mind. No man is to judg of the sound­ness or sincerity of his Spirit by some particular acts, but by the constant frame and bent of his Spirit, and by his general conversation in this world; If particular actions might de­termine whether a man had Grace or no Grace, whether he were in Christ or not in Christ; whether he were a Saint or not a Saint; whether he were sincere or unsound, we should many times conclude, that those had no Grace who indeed have, and that they were not in Christ who indeed are, and that they are no Saints who indeed are, and that they are not sincere, who certainly are true Nathaniels. The best Saints have had their extravagant motions, and have very foully and sadly miscarried as to particular actions, (even then when the constant course and bent of their spirits have been God-wards and Christ-wards, and Holiness-wards, and Heaven-wards, &c) witness Davids Murther and Adultery. Noahs Drunkenness, Lots Incest, Josephs Swearing, Jobs Cursing, Jonahs Vexing, Peters Denying, and Thomas his not believ­ing. Such twinklings do and will accompany the highest and fairest stars. As he who foots it best may be found sometimes all along, and the neatest person may sometimes slip into a slow. He that cannot endure to see a spot upon his Cloaths, may yet sometimes fall into a Quagmire. So the holiest and exactest Christians may sometimes be surpri­sed with many infirmities and unevennesses, and sad miscar­riages. [Page 129] Certainly particular sinnings are compatible with a gracious frame, though none are with a glorious condition. Though no darkness, no clouds can be mixt with the Sun in Heaven, yet both may be in the Ayre which is enlightned below. Our best estate on earth is mixt, and not absolute. Glory annihilates all sinful practices, but Grace only weak­ens them; the most sincere Christian is but an imperfect Christian, and hath daily cause to mourn over his infirmities, as well as he has cause to bless God for his Graces and mer­cies. Well Sirs! Look as every particular stain doth not blemish the universal fineness of the Cloth, so neither doth this or that particular fact disprove and deny the general bent of the heart; particulars may not decide the estate either way, 'tis true, a man by a particular sinning is denominated Guilty, but by no one particular can a mans Estate be chal­lenged, either for good or bad. He that shall judg of a Christians estate by particular acts, though notorious bad, will certainly condemn the Generation of the Righteous. We must alwayes distinguish betwixt some single good acti­ons, and a series of good actions.Meer particular actions do not conclude (either way) the estate of the Soul, an hy­pocrite may do some good act, and an upright person may do some sinful act. A man must give in Judgment for, or against himself according as the habitual purpose and temper of his heart stands, &c. It is not this or that par­ticular good action, but a continued course of holy Actions that denominates us holy. Certa [...]nly, as there is no man so holy, but sometimes he falls into this or that particular sin; So there is no man so wicked, but sometimes he falls in with this or that particular duty, witness Pharaoh, who in a fit de­sires Moses and Aaron to pray for him; and witness Balaam, who in a good mood desires to dye the death of the Righte­ous; and witness Saul, who under a pang condemns himself, and justifies David. And so witness Ahabs humbling of him­self, and Nineveh's repenting, and Foelix his trembling, and Herod's hearing of John Baptist gladly. Now look as every sin which a godly man falls into (through infirmity) doth not presently denominate him ungodly, so neither will a few good actions done by a wicked man prove him godly. 'Tis what the course and tenour of the life is, that must be most diligently and wisely observed, for every man is as his course is; if his course be holy, the man is so; if his course be wick­ed, the man is wicked. There is a Maxim in Logick, viz. [Page 130] that no general Rule can be stablished upon a particular in­stance; and there is another Maxim in Logick, viz. that no particular instance can overthrow a general Rule. So here, as no man can safely and groundedly conclude from no bet­ter Promises than from some few particular actions (though in themselves materially and substantially good) that his heart is therefore sincere;'Tis not a pang of the Soul, nor a mood, nor a fit of an Ague, nor a flash of Lightning nor a mans being as the morning dew, but his ha­bitual purpose, resolution and in­clination to good, that evidences the man to be re­ally good. Psal. 119.20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all times, &c. A sheep may slip into a slow as soon as a Swine; and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenness, as well as a Crab-tree. But the sheep loves not to wallow in the Mire as the swine does. And though the Apple-tree be barren one year, yet it brings forth fruit the next. so on the contrary, no man ought to conclude, because of some gross particular sinful actions, and extravagant motions, that his heart is unfound. O Sirs! we are not to make a Judgment of our states and conditions by some particular actions, whether they are good or evil, but we are to make a Judgment of our states and conditions, by the general frame, bent, and disposition of our hearts, and by the constant tenour of our lives. 'Tis certain, that God accounts every wicked man guilty of all those sins, wicked­nesses, and vanities, which the setled purpose, desire, bent, bias, and frame of his Soul inclined him to, though he doth not actually commit them, Matth. 5.28. He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery already with her in his heart. A man may commit Adultery, and yet not touch a Woman. There are many thousands that dye of the wound in the eye. So 1 John 3.15. Whosoever hateth his Bro­ther is a Murtherer. A man may commit Murther, and yet not kill a man, yea he may commit Murther and yet not touch a man. Prov. 23.7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. The man is as his mind is. God esteems of wicked men according to their hearts, and not according to their words. So 'tis as certain that the Lord accounts every god­ly man to do all that good, that the setled purpose, frame, bent, biass, and unfeigned desires of his Soul inclines him to, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be first a willing mind, 'tis accepted. So Heb. 11.17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the Promises, offered up his only Son; that is, in disposition and full purpose of heart, and willingness of mind, which God accepted for the deed; a true intent is in Gods account as a real act. So David had a purpose, a mind, a will to build God a house, and for this God commends him, 1 Kings 8.18. And the Lord said unto [Page 131] David my Father, whereas it was in thy heart to build a house un­to my Name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart; yea, God rewards him for it, as if he had actually done it, and tells him in his ear that he would build him an house, 2 Sam. 7.27. So when that servant that ow'd his Lord ten thousand Talents, had shew'd his readiness and willingness, and resolvedness to pay all. Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all, Matth. 18.26. (a thing as impossible for him to do, as 'tis for us to keep the whole Law, and not to fail in one point; but his desires, his mind, his will, his purposes was to do it) well, and what does his Lord do? why his Lord had compas­sion on him, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt, v. 27. his Lord took this for full and current payment, he accepted of the will for the deed. So when Zacheus had unfeignedly professed his purpose and willingness to make restitution, Christ presently replies, This day is Salvation come to thy house, Luke 19.9. Certainly the Lord accounts that Soul a true Believer, and a blessed Soul, that unfeignedly desires to be­lieve, witness that Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness, for they shall be filled. And 'tis as certain that the Lord accounts that sinner a true penitent, that doth unfeignedly desire, purpose, and resolve to repent, to break off his sins, and to turn to the Lord, as you may see in that great instance of the Prodigal, Luke 15.18, 19, 20. I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more wor­thy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired Servants. And he arose and came to his Father; But when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Assoon as ever the Prodigal did but purpose and resolve to repent, and return to his Father, the compassions of his Father are kindled and turned towards him, and he does not go, but runs and falls on his neck, and in stead of kicking and killing, there is nothing but kissing and embracing a returning Prodigal. God alwayes sets a higher value upon our dispositions, than upon our actions,2 Cor. 8.10. 1 Cor. 9.17. 1 Pet. 5.2. Exod. 25.2. Philemon 14 and in our best services he esteems more of our wills, than he does of our deeds, as is evident by the Scriptures in the [Page 132] Margent. Every good man is as good in the eye and account of God, as the ordinary frame and bent of his Spirit speaks him to be. Every man is as holy, as humble, as heavenly, as spiritual, as gracious, as serious, as sincere, as fruitful, as faithful, as watchful, &c. as the setled purposes, desires, re­solutions, and endeavours of his Soul speaks him to be. Hence Noah is said to be a just man, and perfect or upright in his Generation, Gen. 6.9. And hence Job is said to be a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil, Job 1.1.8. And hence David is said to be a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13, 14. And to fulfill all his wills, Acts 13.22. here the Greek word [...], is wills, to note the universality, and sincerity of his obedience. And hence Zacharias and Elizabeth are said to be both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordi­nances of God blameless, Luke 1.5, 6. Hence the Church is said to be all fair, Cant. 4.7. Thou art all fair my love, and there is no spot in thee. And hence those hundred forty and four thousand Saints that had their Fathers Name written in their Foreheads, Rev. 14.1. are said to be without fault, v. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault be­fore the Throne of God. God in the Covenant of Grace, and upon the credit of his Sons blood, and for the glory of his Free Grace and favour, is graciously pleased to accept of his people, and to approve of his people, and to delight in his people, and to interpret his people, according to the com­mon bent, frame, disposition, resolution, unfeigned desires, and constant endeavours of their Souls. But, &c.

3 Thirdly, If your obedience be the obedience of Faith, then your estate is good, then you have assuredly an infallible work of God upon your souls.

Quest. But how shall we know whether our obedience be the obe­dience of Faith or no? how may a man discern when his obedience springs from Faith?

Answ. You may certainly know whether your obedience be the obedience of Faith or no, by these following particu­lars.

First, That obedience that springs from Faith, is a full obe­dience, 1 a universal obedience. David did look upon his universal obedience as a special testimony of his uprightness, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect un­to all thy Commandments. Mark! the Psalmist doth not say, When I obey all thy Commandments, then shall I not be ashamed; but, When I have a respect to all thy Commandments, then shall I not be ashamed. Now a respect to all Gods Com­mandments, notes an inward awe and reverential eye to­wards every duty that God requires.The rule is good and true, Quic­quid propter deum fit, equaliter fit, he who doth serve and obey God for Gods sake, will equally obey all that God com­mands him. No one Command is unjust or unreaso­nable to him [...] whose heart is upright in obedi­ence, &c. Seneca describing a vertuous man, (Epist. 120.) saith of him, that he is Idem semper, et in omni actu par sibi. Bacharti from [...]a­char, the word notes a careful and diligent choice, upon good tryal and proof. The words according to the Hebrew, may be read thus, Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy Commandments. Now you know the Tra­veller hath his eye towards the place whither he is going, and though he be short of it, yet he is still a putting on, and pres­sing forwards all he can to reach it. So when the eye of a Saint is to all the Commands of God, and he is still a pressing forwards towards full obedience, such a Soul shall never be put to the blush; such a Soul shall never be ashamed in the great day of our Lord Jesus. So Acts 13.22. I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. [...]. all my wills, to note the sincerity and universality of his obedience. So Acts 24.16. And herein do I exercise my self, to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. So Heb. 13.18. We trust we have a good Conscience, in all things willing to live ho­nestly. That obedience that springs from Faith, doth neither dispute Divine Commands, nor divide Divine Commands one from another. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righ­teous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, Luke 1.5, 6. That obe­dience that springs from Faith, is a full obedience, a univer­sal obedience; It is universal in respect of the subject, the whole man, and 'tis universal in respect of the object, the whole Law. Mark! he who obeyes sincerely, obeyes uni­versally, though not in regard of practice (which is impossi­ble) yet 1. In regard of his will and desires, his will and desire is to obey all, Rom. 7.18. For to will is present with me. Psal. 119.5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes. [Page 134] 2. In respect of election or choice, he chooses to obey all. Psal. 119.173. Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy Precepts. The word here rendred chosen, signifies to choose upon tryal and examination, I have chosen thy Precepts be­fore all, and above all other things. I have chosen thy Pre­cepts for my chiefest good, and for my only treasure. I have chosen thy Precepts to own them, to follow them, and to obey them. 3. In respect of approbation, he approves of all the Commands of God, as holy, just, and good; he highly approves of those Royal Commands that he cannot perfectly obey, Rom. 7.12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, just, and good. And Verse 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good; He assents to the Commands of God as holy, and he consents to them as good. 4. In re­spect of affection, he loves all the Commands of God, he dearly loves those very Commands that he cannot obey, Psal. 119.97. O how I love thy Law! Such a pang of love he felt, as could not otherwise be vented, but by this pathetical exclamation, O how love I thy Law! Verse 113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. Verse 163. I hate and abhor ly­ing, but thy Law do I love. Verse 119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross, therefore I love thy testimonies. Verse 127. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold, yea above fine Gold. Verse 159. Consider how I love thy Precepts. Verse 167. My Soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceeding­ly. 5. In respect of valuation or esteem, he highly values all the Commands of God, he highly prizes all the Com­mands of God, as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together, Psal. 119.72, 127, 128. Psal. 19.8, 9, 10, 11. Job 23.12. 6. In respect of his purpose and resolution, he purposes and resolves, by divine assistance, to obey all, to keep all, Psal. 119.106. I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments. Psal. 17.3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 7. In respect of his inclination, he has an habitual inclination in him to keep all the Com­mands of God, 1 Kings 8.57, 58. 2 Chron. 30.17, 18, 19, 20. Psal. 119.112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Sta­tutes alwayes, even to the end. 8. In respect of endeavours, [Page 135] they endeavour to keep all, Psal. 119.59. I turned my feet un­to thy testimonies. There is no man that obeyes God truly, who doth not endeavour to obey God fully, and thus you see in what respects that obedience that flows from Faith, is a full obedience, a universal obedience. A child of God obeyes all the commands of God in respect of his sincere de­sires, purposes, resolutions, and endeavours; and this God accepts in Christ for perfect and compleat obedience. This is the glory of the Covenant of Grace, that God accepts and esteems of sincere obedience as perfect obedience. Such who sincerely endeavour to keep the whole Law of God, they do keep the whole Law of God in an evangelical sense, though not in a legal sense. In the work of Conversion,Ezek. 11.19, 20. God infu­seth all Grace together, and writes not one particular Law in the hearts of his children, but the whole Law, which is a universal Principle, inclining the Soul impartially to all. The gracious Soul sincerely falls in with every command of God (so far as he knows it), without prejudice or partiality, he dares not pick and chuse what commands to obey, and what to reject, as Hypocrites do; he hath an eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to obey the first Table as well as the second, and the second as well as the first; He doth not ad­here to the first, and neglect the second, as Hypocrites do; neither doth he adhere to the second, and contemn the first, as prophane men do. All Sauls, Jebues, Judas's, Demas's, Scribes, Pharises, and temporaries,Matth. 23.23. they are still partial in their obedience, for while they yield obedience to some commands, they live in the habitual breach of other Com­mands. Jehu boastingly calls out,2 Kings 10.29, 30. Come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts. But if Jehosaphat had gone a little further, he might have seen his Calves too, contrary to Gods Com­mands. Herod heard John Baptist gladly, and did many things; but if John will be close and plain with him,Mark 6. he shall then first lose his liberty, and then his head for his la­bour. A sincere Christian loves all the known Commands of God, and prises all the Commands of God, and sees a Di­vine Image, Majesty, and Authority stampt upon all the Commands of God: And therefore the main bent and dis­position [Page 136] of his Soul, [...]s to obey all, and to be subject to all the Commands of God. Let me in a few particulars open this great truth a little more fully to you. And therefore take me thus.

1 First, A sincere Christian will endeavour to obey God in suffering Commands, as well as in doing Commands, in lo­sing as well as gaining Commands; an unsound Christian, he loves cheap obedience, he is willing to fall in with those Commands that are not chargable or costly; he loves a cheap Gospel, and a cheap Ministry, and a cheap Membership, and a cheap Communion of Saints, &c. But when his obedience comes to be chargable, when his obedience to Divine Com­mands may cost him his health, his strength, his Liberty, his Riches, his Estate, his Friends, his Credit, his Name, &c. then he retires,John 6.60. then he cries out Durus sermo, it is a hard say­ing, who can bear it? this is a hard Commandment, who can obey it? When Religion is attended with freedom, honour, and safety; when Religion is attended with Riches, Pleasures, and Applause, then unsound hearts will put for­wards; but when these part, then they bid Religion farewel. As you see in the young man in the Gospel,Matth. 19.20. to 25. who was willing to follow Christ, so long as he might be no loser in follow­ing of him; but when it came to this, that he must part with his Riches, or with Christ, then he falls off, and went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions. But now a sin­cere Christian will obey even the most chargable and costly Commands of God, as you may see in that little book of Martyrs, tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Hebrews; and as you may see in the three Children in Daniel, in the Disci­ples,Matth. 19 27. in the Primitive Christians, and in the Martyrs in the Marian dayes. But,

2 Secondly, If your obedience springs from Faith, then you will endeavour to obey God in relative Commands, as well as in absolute Commands; you will not only hear, and pray, and read, and meditate, and fast, and mourn; but you will labour to be good in your Relations, both as a Husband, a [Page 137] Father, a Master, a Magistrate, a Minister. Remember this for ever, every one is that really that he is relatively. Many make a great Profession, and are under a great Name, and have great parts and gifts, and can discourse rarely well on any subject, whose houses are not Bethels, but Bethavens, not little Temples, but little Hells. One, writing of the Ita­lian women, saith that they were Angels in the streets, Saints in the Church, and Devils in their houses; this is very appli­cable to many high Professors this day, who are very forward in the general Duties of Religion, and yet make little Con­science of relative duties; but he whose obedience springs from Faith, he will make Conscience of relative commands as well as of absolute commands: Whatever Command hath the stamp of God, the Authority of Heaven upon it, though it seem never so small, he dares not disobey it; if he sees a beam of divine Majesty sitting upon the face of any Command, he will submit to it; you know men will not re­fuse a penny if the Kings stamp be upon it, so if the Authori­ty of God be stampt upon the least Command, a sound Chri­stian will yield subjection to it, as well as the greatest. Mark, if a man make no Conscience of relative Commands, though his general conversation as a Christian be never so admira­ble, yet he hath great cause to suspect himself and his estate, and that his heart is not right in the sight of God.Acts 8.21. O that you would seriously consider! that relative and domestical Graces and duties do more demonstrate true piety and god­liness than publick duties, than general duties do; for Pride, Vain-glory, Self-ends, and a hundred other outward, carnal considerations, may put a man upon the general du­ties of Religion, as you may see by the Scriptures in the Mar­gent,Isa. 58.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hos. 5.14. Zech. 7.4, 5, 6, 7. and as you may see in the Scribes and Pharises through­out the New Testament; but it argues both truth and strength of Grace to be diligent and conscientious in the dis­charge of relative duties, and this is the true reason why the Apostles in their Epistles, do so frequently, so earnestly, and so strongly, by variety of motives press Christians to the performance of those relative duties that lye upon their hands. But,

3 Thirdly, If your obedience springs from Faith, then you will endeavour to obey God in affirmative Commands as well as in negative Commands. You will not only lo [...]k upon what God would not have you to do, but you will also look to see what God would have you to do.Luke 16.19-29. Matt. 25.24-31. Dives was no [...] cast into Hell for oppressing Lazarus, but for not shewing mercy to Lazarus: He was not damn'd because he took any thing from him, but because he gave nothing to him. The evil servant did not riot out his Talent, but omitted the im­provement of it, for which he was cast into outer darkness Nor those Reprobates in the same Chapter did not rob the poor Saints, but omitted the relieving of them, which was their ruine.Deut. 23.3, 4. Moab and Ammon were banished the Sanctuary to the tenth Generation, for a meer omission, because they met not Gods Israel in the Wilderness with bread and water. Look as the omission of good diet breeds diseases, so the omission of Religious duties will either make work for Re­pentance,Luke 18.11. or for Hell, or for the Physician of Souls. Mark, there is many a mans Religion lyes meerly in negatives, he is no Swearer, no Drunkard, no Adulterer, no Oppressor, no Defrauder, &c. A formal Professors obedience to Di­vine Commands, does principally lye in negatives, he consi­ders not so much what the Command requires, as what it prohibits, and he pleases himself rather in abstaining from evil, than in doing of good; in being outwardly reformed, than in being inwardly renewed; he thinks it enough that he turns from sin, though he makes no Conscience of turning to God: If you ask him concerning affirmative Commands, there you will find him speechless. Ask him, art thou holy? art thou humble? art thou heavenly? art thou sincere? art thou a Believer? dost thou set up God as the great object o thy fear? dost thou love God with a superlative love? is the Sabbath of the Lord a delight unto thee? &c. Now here you strike him dumb, he looks upon the neglect of these things as no sins,Isa. 8.13. Psal. 18.1. Isa. 58.1 [...] because they are not such scandalous sins as the others are. Remember Sirs, sinful omissions many times leads to sinful commissions, as you may see in the Angels tha [...] fell from Heaven to Hell; and as you may see in Adam, who [Page 139] fell from his highest glory, into a woful gulf of sin and mi­sery. But,

Fourthly, If your obedience spring from Faith, then you 4 will endeavour to obey God in the Spirit of the Com­mand, as well as in the letter of the Command. In every Command of God there is an intra, and an extra, one part of Christs Law binds the Flesh, and another part binds the Spirit, Thou shalt do no Murther, Matth. 5.21.22. Verse 27, 28. there is the letter of the Command. Thou shalt not be angry with thy Brother without a cause, there is the Spirit of the Command. Thou shalt not commit Adultery, there is the letter of the Command: Thou shalt not look upon a Woman to lust after her, there is the Spirit of the Command. The Pharisees of old did not look to the Spirit [...]ality of the Law, but only to the Letter of the Law; they rested wholly upon an outward conformity to the Law, when their hearts were full of Hellish lusts, they were all for the outside of the Law, they regarded not the inside of the Law; they were all for washing of Platters and Cups, and for beautifying of Tombs, like an Adulteress,Matth. 23.23. Phil. 3.6. Rom. 7.9. Could a man come up to all affirmative and negative Precepts in his outward conversation; yet if he were not spi­ritual in all these, his obedience would be but as a body without a Soul. The Phari­sees rise high in their outward o­bedience, and yet Christ clearly and fully convinces them, that they were wretched Adulterers and Murderers, though they were not guilty of any such outward crimes, &c. whose care is to paint, and set a fair face upon a foul matter; they were all for paying Tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin; but they regarded not the inside of the Law, they omitted the weightier matters of the Law, viz. Judgment, Mercy, and Faith. While Paul walked by the letter of the Command, he was blameless in his own account; but when he came to walk by the Spirit of the Command, then sin revived, and he dyed. Friends, there are the more general duties of Reli­gion, as Hearing, Praying, Reading, Receiving, Fasting, Repeating, Discoursing, &c. Now these all lye in the very letter of the Command, and there are the more inward and spiritual duties of Religion, as the exercise of Faith, fear, love, hope, joy, patience, contentation, humble submission, and chusing of God, and cleaving to God, and delighting in God, and admiring of God, and exalting of God, and fol­lowing hard after God, and holy Meditation, and Self-exa­mination, &c. Now all these lye in the very spirit of the Command. Now in the exercise of these more spiritual [Page 140] duties, our fellowship and communion with God mainly lyes. In the more general duties of Religion, an hypocrite may manifest the excellency of his gifts, but in the more spiritual duties of Religion, a sincere Christian doth mani­fest, both the excellency and efficacy of grace. Mark, an un­sound heart looks no further than to the bare letter of the command, to bare hearing, and bare praying, and bare preach­ing, and bare fasting, and bare giving, and bare receiving, and bare suffering; he looks no further than to that part of the command which only binds the flesh, or outward man; and if he does but observe that in the gross, he thinks he hath done marvellous well; like a melancholy man that matters not what melody and harmony he makes, so he does but touch the strings of the instrument: But now, a found, a sin­cere Christian, he looks to the Spirit of the command; and if he does not come up to that, in sincere desires, in graci­ous purposes, in fixed resolutions, and in cordial endeavours, he can have no peace, no rest, no quiet, no comfort. O Sirs! as ever you would see God, and enjoy God another day, you must labour, not only to obey the letter of the command, but also to bring your hearts to the sincere obedience of the Spirit of the command. This is a very close, piercing, di­stinguishing and discovering sign. But,

5 Fifthly, If your obedience springs from faith, then you will labour, not only to obey God in the matter, but also in the manner of the command, not only in the substance of the command, but also in the circumstance of the command. God requires the manner as well as the matter; and God looks upon that work as not done, that is not done in a right manner. Did not the Lord command sacrifice? and did not Cain offer sacrifice?Gen. 4.5. and yet God had no re­spect to him, nor to his offering, because his sacrifice was not offered up in a right manner, his offering was not of­fered up by a hand of faith; he offered his offering, but be­cause he did not offer himself as an offering to God, his offer­ing was rejected by God. A work may be materially good,Luther. [Page 141] that is not formally and eventually good, and this was Cain's curse. How frequently did God command the Jews to pray?Isa. 1.15. and yet he plainly tells them, When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. He commanded them to sacrifice, and yet he saith, To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? Verse 11. and all because they did not manage their prayers, nor sacrifices, in a right manner; their hands were full of bloud, and their hearts were full of sins, and their lives were full of lewd­ness; and therefore all their services were vain oblations, yea, an abomination to God. An unfound heart looks no fur­ther than to the substance of the command; if he has heard, and prayed, and fasted, and read, and repeated, and given alms, and received the Lord's Supper, he strokes himself, and blesses himself, and hugs himself, and thinks all is well, and so he looks no further: But now a sound sincere Christian, he looks to the circumstance as well as the substance, to the manner as well as to the matter of the command; when he prayes, he labours to pray fervently, earnestly,Jam. 5.17, 18. he labours to get his heart into his prayers; when he hears, he will hear with attention and intention of spirit; when he walks,Mich. 6.8. 1 Pet. 2.12. & 3.1, 2, 3. 1 Thes. 2.10. 2 Cor. 1.12, Psal. 110.3. he endeavours to walk wisely, humbly, faithfully, fruitfully, circumspectly, exemplarily, winningly, convincingly, blame­lesly; when he obeys, he desires and endeavours to obey freely, willingly, cheerfully. O Sirs! if we pray, and pray not fervently; if we hear, and hear not fruitfully; if we obey, and obey not willingly; if we shew mercy,Isa. 58.13. and do it not cheerfully; if we sanctifie the Sabbath, and not with de­light, all is worth nothing, all will come to nothing. Mark, there are some circumstances accessary, some necessary, some wherein the being, and some wherein the well being of a duty doth consist; and if you abstract these from them, the duty is worth nothing; take away fervency and humility from prayer, take away faithfulness and fruitfulness from hearing, and take away willingness and delight from obedience, and all will be worth nothing. God regards not only the matter, but the manner. Criton the Papist could say, That God loved better Adverbs than Nouns, not to pray only, but to pray [Page 142] well; Non bonum sed bene agere, Not to do good, but to do it well, is the great wisdom of a Christian; what is the Sun without light, or the fountain without water, or the body without the soul, or wood without fire, or a bullet without a gun, or a Ship without a rudder? no more are words in prayer, without the spirit of prayer. God looks more at the manner, than at the matter of your prayers. And let thus much suffice to confirm the first particular. But,

2 Secondly, That obedience that springs from faith, is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God, the Commands of God, Ps. 119.4, 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently; O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes! Isa. 8.20. To the Law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Mat. 5.18. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. John 10.35. If he called them Gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken. Chap. 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, f [...]r reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the m [...]n of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Now the reasons why that obedience that springs from faith, is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God; the Commands of God, are these five.

3 And the first is drawn from the supremacy and soveraignty of God, who alone is to prescribe to man his duty; he is our great Lord and Master, he is our Lord and Law-giver, Isa. 33.22. For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-gi­ver, the Lord is our King, James 4.12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another? Now by the Laws of this Lord and Law-giver, we must square all our actions. Look, as it would be very absurd in a servant to do that work which he thinks meet, and not what his Ma­ster [Page 143] commands; so 'tis as absurd for men to think, that God will accept of this or that at their hands, when they can't plead his superscription and authority for what they do. God will one day say to such, Who hath required this at your hands? Isa. 1.12. O Sirs! you must lay the command of God as a foundation for what you do, or else all your buildings, though never so glorious, will certainly totter and fall; in all you do, you must be able to say, Thus saith the Lord; or else after you have done your best, you may be undone for ever. But,

Secondly, God's promise and blessing is only annexed to 2 God's command; he that will have the sweet of the promise, and the blessings of heaven, he must look that his obedience be bottomed upon divine commands; in holy actions 'tis not thy performance, nor thy grace, nor thy warmth, nor thy zeal, but the command and the promise that is annexed to it, that will bear thee out;Gal. 4.28. Heb. 6.17. therefore we are called children of the promise, and heirs of the promise. The children of God in all their obedience, should still keep an eye upon the com­mand of God, and the promise of God, as ever they would run the race that is set before them, Heb. 12.1. But,

Thirdly, Our obedience must be grounded and bottomed 3 upon a divine command, because of that great corruption, pollution, blindness and darkness which is upon our minds and understandings, which would carry us to what not, if we were not to steer our Christian course by divine commands.Col. 2.20, 21, 22. The Apostle condemns those things which had a shew of hu­mility and great mortification, because they were not bot­tomed upon a divine command; and Christ condemned ma­ny practises of the Scribes and Pharisees, because they were not bottomed upon a divine command. As you may see by comparing the 6, 15. and 23. Chapters of Matthew toge­ther. But,

Fourthly, Our obedience must be bottomed upon a di­vine 4 command, because else we can never be able to bear up our hearts comfortably, couragiously, confidently and reso­lutely, [Page 144] under all the afflictions,Psal. 44 9—ult. Ezek. 28.12, 22. oppositions, temptations, persecutions and discouragements that we meet with in the wayes of the Lord, and in doing the work of the Lord. All the Messages that the Prophets delivered, were still grounded upon a divine command,Acts 4.19, 20. & 5.29. Thus saith the Lord; and this steeled their spirits in the work of the Lord, this made them reso­lute and undaunted in the midst of all the afflictions and op­positions that they met with: And so 'twas a word of com­mand that raised the spirits, and encouraged the hearts of the Apostles in the work of the Lord, in the face of all the op­positions, threatnings and buffetings that they met with from the civil powers. You know Absalom layes his bloudy com­mand upon his servants, as their highest encouragement to that bloudy work of killing his brother Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.28. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, (his Assasines) say­ing, Mark ye now when Amnons heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be couragious, and be valiant; or sons of valour, as the Hebrew runs. And so a Christian must lay the command of God before him, as his highest encouragement to do what God requires of him, &c.

5 Fifthly and lastly, Our obedience must be bottomed and grounded upon the commands of God, to difference and di­stinguish our selves from all hypocrites, formalists, super­stitious and prophane persons, whose obedience is sometimes bottomed upon the Traditions of men, and sometimes upon the commandments of men. 'Twas the sin of the Ten Tribes, that they complyed with the command of Jeroboam and his Princes,Isa. 29.13, 14. Mat. 15.1 to 10. Mark 7.8 to 10. Hos. 5.11, 12. to worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel; and for this the wrath of the Lord fell heavy upon them. Ephraim is op­pressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. And sometimes their obedience is bot­tomed upon the examples of men, sometimes their obedience is bottomed upon the examples of their forefathers and an­cestors,Jer. 44, 17, 18, &c. Joh. 7.48, 49. Jer. 10.3. The customs of the people are vain, &c. and sometimes upon the examples of great men. This was that which the Pharisees objected against believing on Christ; [Page 145] Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? but this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed. And sometimes they bottom their obedience upon the example of the mul­titude. This was Demetrius his argument against Paul, Acts 19.26, 27. on the behalf of Diana, that all Asia and the world did worship her; and therefore the doctrine of Paul, that they be no Gods which are made with hands was falfe, and not to be suf­fered. This hath alwayes been, and is still the common plea of many, We do but as the most do; and sure a great many eyes can see more than one or two: And hereupon they ex­claim against others for their singularity, because they won't do as the rest of their neighbours do. But,

Thirdly, That obedience that springs from faith, is a grow­ing 3 obedience, 'tis an abounding obedience; such a man's desires, will, study and labour, is to get up to the highest pitch of obedience, to get up to the highest round in Jacob's lad­der, Rev. 2.19. I know thy work, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. The Angel of the Church of Thyatira, 'Tis not every be­lievers happiness always to make a progress in grace. Solomon and Asa, and o­thers, run retro­grade. Saints have their winter sea­sons; they have their decaying times, and wither­ing times, as well as their thriving times, their flou­rishing times, Rev. 2.4. is commen­ded, First, for his love. 2. For his charity. 3. For his faith. And, 4. For his patience: And in the general course of his life, he daily became more excellent; for his latter works were more than the first, that is, they were more manifest proofs of his constancy, and more worthy of praise than the first. This faithful Pastor is commended for his holy pro­gress in grace and holiness. So Paul, Phil. 3.12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am ap­prehended of Christ Jesus. Ver. 13. Brethren, I count not my self to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Ver. 14. I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The Greek word [...], doth emphatically import, a pressing, with an eager pursuit after the mark: It is the same word that signifies to perse­cute, because the earnestness of his spirit in pressing toward the mark, now is the same that it was in the persecution of [Page 146] those that pressed toward the mark before. Look, as good runners, when they come near unto the mark, stretch out their heads, and hands, and whole bodies, to take hold of them that run with them, or of the mark that is before them; so he in his whole race so laboured unto that which was be­fore, as if he were still stretching out his arms to take hold of it. If such a man might have his choice, he would be the most humble, the most holy, the most heavenly, the most mortified, the most patient, the most contented, the most thankful, the most fruitful, the most active, the most zealous, and the most self-denying Christian in the world;1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Mat. 5. if he might have his choice, he would be holy as God is holy, and perfect as his heavenly father is perfect; he would do the will of God on earth, as those Princes of glory, the Angels, do it now in heaven, viz. freely, readily, cheerfully, de­lightfully, universally, reverentially, and unweariedly, &c. if he might have his choice,Eccl. 9.10. he would exercise every grace, and perform every duty, with all his might; he sees so much excellency and beauty in God and Christ, that he can't be at rest till he be swallowed up in the enjoyment of them; he sees so much excellency in grace, that nothing but perfection of grace will satisfie him; he makes perfection not only his utmost end, but he also labours after perfection with his ut­most strength and endeavours. When God is made the one of a mans desires, the one of a mans affections, the one of a mans life and comfort, then will he be the one of a mans en­deavours too. That obedience that springs from faith (when 'tis not winter-time with a Christian) is a fruitful obedience, 'tis an abounding obedience, 'tis a progressive obedience. Look, as the mercy and favour of God to a believer, is not stinted nor limited, so the obedience of a believer to God is not stinted or limited; but now the obedience of hypocrites is alwayes stinted and limited; this command they will obey, but not that; this duty they will do, but not that; this work they will attend, but not that, &c.

4 Fourthly, That obedience that springs from faith, is the obedience of a son, not of a slave; 'tis a free voluntary evan­gelical [Page 147] obedience, and not a legal, servil, and forced obe­dience, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness; in the Hebrew, 'tis wil­lingness in the plural number, to shew their exceeding great willingnesses, Psal. 27.8. When thou saidest, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seek. By face is meant, 1. God himself, Exod. 20.3. Before my face; that is, before me. 2. His favour, Jer. 18.17. I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. Now, no sooner had God given forth a word of command, for the Psalmist to seek himself, and to seek his favour, but pre­sently his heart did eccho to that command; Thy face Lord will I seek. So Jer. 3.22. Return ye back-sliding children, and I will heal your back-slidings; behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. Every gracious soul hath the duplicate of God's Law in his heart, and is willingly cast into the mould of his Word, Rom. 6.17. Ye have obeyed from the heart, the form of doctrine that hath been delivered to you, or whereto you were delivered (as the words may be read) They did not only obey, but they obeyed from the heart, their hearts were in their obedience, Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy Law is within my heart, Col. 1.12. Phil. 1.8. Jer. 31.33. or in the midst of my bowels, as the Hebrew runs; these note the tenderest affe­ctions. There is the counterpane of the Law written, yea, printed upon every gracious heart; a godly man will live and dye with the Law of God stampt upon his heart. O [...]eata Apocalypsis (said that Martyr, catching up the Revelation that was cast into the same fire with him to be burnt) O Blessed Revelation! how happy am I to be burned with thee in my hands? It was Christ's meat and drink to do his Father's will; and the same mind is in all the Saints,John 4. Phil 2.5. Rom. 7.22. as was in Christ Jesus: They delight in the Law of God after the inward man. True obedience flows from principles of heartiness and love within, and not from by and base respects and ends, that are carnal and worldly. It is observable, that John's obedience was as ample and as large as God's command, 2 King. 10.30. And the Lord said unto Jehu, because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast [Page 148] done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation, shall sit on the throne of Israel. And yet because his heart was not in his obedience, and be­cause he did not purely act for God, but for himself, that he might bring about his own designs, he met with a revenge in­stead of a reward; as you may see in that, Hos. 1.4. And the Lord, said unto him, call his name Jezreel, for yet a little while, and I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Jehu's heart was not in his obedience, he had a dispensatory conscience; for though he rooted out Baals worship, yet the golden Calves must still continue: He destroyed Idolaters, but not Idolatry; and this carnal policy brought down ven­geance and misery upon him and his posterity. Artaxerxes goes far, Ezra 7.23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done. To what a highth doth this Heathen Prince rise? He will do anything for God, he will do every thing for God that he requires. But mark, what is that which moves him to it? Is it love to God? is it delight in God? O no! all his obedience proceeded from nothing but fear of wrath and vengeance, as is evident in the latter part of the verse; For why should there be wrath upon the Realm of the King, and of his Sons? Or, as the Hebrew runs, Why should there be boyling or foaming anger, great indignation? As it is rendred and made the utmost degree of divine dis­pleasure, in that Deut. 29.28. Some read these words, Against the Realm of the King and his Sons, as distinct one from an­other, and not depending one upon another, thus; Against the Realm, the King and his Sons; and this reading the Ori­ginal will bear: And this reading shews, That as the King feared God's wrath against himself, so also against his Realm and Children; and accordingly he was the more studious and careful to escape it; blind nature was afraid of divine wrath, [...]zek. 26.25, 26, 27. and therefore was the more sedulous to prevent it. O, but now a true child of God, he has the Law of God writ­ten, not only in his understanding, but also in his heart and affections; and this is that which makes his obedience to be pleasing and delightful to him; so that if he might be free from the injunctions and directions of the Word (with the ser­vant [Page 149] in the Law) he would not value such a liberty;Exod. 21.4, 5, 6, &c. he would not swear, nor lye, nor be drunk, nor whore, nor dissemble, nor cheat, nor run into all excess of riot if he might, be­cause in his soul he has a principle of grace, and an inward contrariety and antipathy against it;Eccl. 9.2. he would not cease to hear, to read, to pray, to meditate if he might, because his soul takes a delight & sweet complacency in these things; there is a principle within him agreeable to the precept without him, which makes all religious performances to be easie and pleasurable to him. Look, as the eye delights in seeing, and the ear in hearing, so a gracious heart (except when 'tis un­der a cloud of dissertion, or in the School of temptation, or under some grievous tormenting afflictions, or sadly worsted by some prevalent corruption) delights in obeying: Actions of nature, you know, are actions of delight; and so are all those actions that spring from a new nature, a divine na­ture, &c.

Fifthly, That obedience that springs from faith, is a trans­forming 5 obedience; it mightily alters and changes a man, from impurity to purity, from sin to sanctity,2 Cor. 3.18. Rom. 12.1, 2. from unrigh­teousness to righteousness, from earthly-mindedness, to hea­venly-mindedness, from pride to humility, from hypocrisie to sincerity, &c. Such as please themselves with this, That they are no changlings, and that they are whatever they were,Acts 8.13. these are still in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. That obedience of the Romans, Rom. 16.19. which was said to have come abroad unto all men, was an exemplary obedience, and a transforming obedience. Certainly, Gospel-obedience is a grace of much worth, and of great force upon the whole man; for when it is once wrought in the heart, it worketh a conformity to all God's holy will. But having spoken more largely of this in my other writings, let this touch here suf­fice, &c.

Sixthly, That obedience that springs from faith, is a con­stant 6 obedience, 'tis a fixed and resolved obedience, not in respect of practise and continued acts (for in many things we [Page 150] offend all. Ja [...]. 3.2. Eccl. 7.20. Prov. 20 9. 1 Kings 8.46. 1 Joh. 1.8. Psal. 17.3. There is not a just man upon the earth, that doth good and sinneth not: Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? There is no man that sinneth not; If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us.) &c. But in respect of a Christians sincere de­sires, bent of will, purpose of heart, resolution of soul, and faithful endeavours, Psal. 119.20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Ver. 112. I have enclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alway, even to the end. Ver. 33. Teach me, O Lord! the way of thy Statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. Job 17.9. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands, shall be stronger and stronger. So Isa. 40.29, 30, 31. Job 2.3. Mark, the renewed man hath at all times a desire to fear the name of the Lord, Neh. 1.11. A will to live honestly at all times. Heb. 13.18. And it hath some endeavours and exercise of Spirit, to keep always a conscience void of offence towards God and men, Acts 24.16. The Israelites in their marches toward the holy Land, were many times interrupted by divers enemies; but yet they advanced in their course, as soon as they could get rid of their enemies: So though the believer be many times interrupted in the course of his obedience, by many fierce temptations, and strange working of corruptions; yet after the temptation is over, the believer returns to the course of obedienc [...] with greater forwardness,2 Cor. 7.1. and with redoubled strength and cou­rage, and in the end perfects his course of holiness in the fear of the Lord. Mark, the appearing motion, and walking of an unregenerate man in a way of righteousness and holiness, is but artificial from the engine of hypocrisie, and self-inte­rest, like the flying of Ar [...]hitus his artificial Dove; and therefore having no inward principle of life, it en [...]eth not; but the motion and walking of a man, renewed by grace in wayes of holiness and righteousness, is like the natural living motion of birds, it continues as long as life continues, and as e­very thing in motion, the nearer it comes to the center, the more swiftly it moves: So the nearer the believer, through time to his rest in heaven, the more propense he is in all his motions towards God; he forge is the things that are behind, and reach­eth [Page 151] forth unto those things that are before.Phil. 3.13. That obedience that springs from faith, is a fixed and resolved obedience, like Da­vids worthies, it will break through an host of Philistines, through an Army of difficulties, impediments and discou­ragements, that it may be found doing the will of God. To make this a little more clearly and fully out, observe with me these few things. 1

First, No contrary commands of men, shall take this man off from his obedience to the commands of God, Acts 4.19. Chap. 5.29. &c. 2

Secondly, No stream of evil examples, no current of cor­rupt times, shall bear them down in wayes of obedience, Josh. 24.15. I and my houshold will serve the Lord, though all Israel should serve Idols. And Noah was upright with God, and walked with God in his generation, when the whole world was overspread with violence, and all flesh had cor­rupted their wayes, Gen. 6.9. Chap. 7.1.

Thirdly, No worldly profit or advantage shall bribe this man from his obedience, Heb. 11.8. Abraham will obey and follow God, though he forsakes all the benefits and content­ments of his native Countrey, and of his Father's house, not knowing where his lot should fall, &c.

Fourthly, No carnal disputes or reasonings with flesh and bloud shall disswade him from his obedience, Heb. 11.7. Noah might have raised many objections against that strange attempt of building an Ark, a work of an hundred and twen­ty years continuance; but Noah waves all disputes, and falls upon building of the Ark, according to the command of God. So Paul, as soon as he was converted, he was command­ed by God to preach to the Gentiles; he might have made abundance of objections against that service, but instead of objecting, he falls closs to his Master's work, and never con­sults with flesh and bloud, Gal. 1.15, 16, 17.

Fifthly, No floud of natural affection shall hinder them in the way of their obedience. When God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac as a Burnt-Offering, he goes about it readily, and never acquaints Sarah with it, lest she should have hindered him in his obedience, and he goes three dayes journey to effect it, Gen. 22. compared with Heb. 11.17, 18, 19. When God commands, Abraham will not stick at it, though it be to offer up a Son, a natural Son, and not an adop­ted son; an only Son, and not one of many; a Son of the Free-woman, and not of the Bond-woman; a Son of his old age; a Son of the Promise; a Son in whom all the Na­tions of the earth should be blessed; a Son of his love and delight; a Son that made the good old man laugh and be merry; (Isaac signifies laughter) a Son that was grown up to some years, witness the Wood of the Burnt offering that he laid upon him, Gen. 22.6, 7. And this was the commenda­tion of Levi, By Urim and Thummim, some understand since­rity of life, and soundness of do­ctrine. Deut. 33.8, 9. And of Levi he said, let thy Thum­mim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, (Urim and Thummim, signify light and perfection according to their best derivati­on in the Hebrew tongue, and they are here put in the plu­ral number, lights and perfections, to note the plenty as well as the excellency of divine Graces) whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah. Who said unto his Father and to his Mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledg his Brethren, nor knew his own children. This relates to that Heroical fact of the Levites, Exod. 32.26.29. when at the commandment of Moses they slew their Idolatrous Brethren that had Worshipped the Golden Calf, not sparing those that were most nearest allyed to them, but did execute Gods Judgments upon Parents, Brethren and Children, as if they had been meer strangers to them: the Levites were so impartial in Gods cause, as not to acknow­ledg either Father or Mother, Brother or Children against his Command. Natural affections are strong, but superna­tural obedience is stronger. Some have well observed that the Married Martyrs, who were Parents of many children (as Rogers, Watts, Guest, Rawlins, &c.) suffered with most ala­crity.

Sixthly, No terrors, no threats, no reproaches, no affl [...]cti­ons, 6 no oppositions, no persecutions, no bonds, no banish­ments, no dangers, no deaths, shall deter them or affright them from their obedience; as will evidently appear by comparing of these Scriptures together, Psal. 44.16. to 21. Acts 20.23, 24. Acts 21.12, 13. and chap. 24.14. Dan. 3.14— 19. Rev. 12.11. This is most evident in the Histories of the ten Persecutions, and in all other Histories, both of a former and a later date, &c.

Physicians observe a difference 'twixt the natural and pre­ter-natural heat in mens bodies; the preter-natural heat, which ariseth from distemper, may be more for the present, but as it exceeds for measure, so it abates for time, because the natural heat is a more equal and moderate, and durable heat, every part hath an equal share, and it is not extream, and yet it continues. Thus it is with Hypocrites and up­right persons in the matter of obedience. The hypocrite may (in a kind of preter-natural heat) in a hot fit, in a pre­sent heat, fall upon hearing, and reading, and praying, and reforming of his Family, and upon leaving of this sin and that; and upon casting off this vain company and that, and upon associating of himself with this good company and that. B [...]t this hot fit does not last, the cold fit takes him again, and then he shakes hands with all his duties, and loses all his good inclinations, and layes aside all his warm resolutions.Job 27.8, 9. Hosea 6.4. Psal. 78.36, 37. Will the Hypocrite pray alwayes? Ephraims goodness was as a morning Cloud, which soon vanisheth, and as the early dew which is soon dryed up by the Sun-beams; they were both false and fickle, unsteady and unstable; constant only in inconstancy; their hearts were never right with God, for they were not stedfast in his Covenant. There are four times wherein an Hypocrite may express a great readiness and forwardness to Religious duties.

First, When he is under terrors and distress of Consci­ence; O how for a little ease! a little rest! a little quiet! 1 a little comfort! what wont the Hypocrite do? &c.

2 Secondly, When he is under sore and heavy afflictions, Hos. 5.15.So Pharaoh and Ahab, &c. In their affliction they will seek me early. Isa. 26.16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them. Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they sought him. It is a reproach to some, No Penny, No Pater-noster. And it is a shame to others, No Plague, no Pater-noster; no punishment, no Prayer, &c.

3 Thirdly, When Religion is in fashion, when 'tis a credit to be a Professor, and when Profession is the High-way to profit and preferment; in the warm Summer of prosperity, when there is no hazard, no danger, no loss to be a Christian, who then so forward in Religious duties as the Hypocrite? but when the Sun of Persecution is up, then he falls away, Matth. 13.5, 6.

4 Fourthly, When others presence, counsel, and examples, have an influence upon them,2 Chron. 24.2, 17-23. O now they keep close duties! Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiada the Priest; but when Jehoiada was dead, Joash serves Groves and Idols, and turns a deaf ear to those Prophets that testified against him, and gives Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada his Pasport out of the World, for inveighing against his evil manners, and the wicked courses of his Prin­ces and People. Whilest the good Judges lived, the Israe­lites kept close to the service of God, Judges 2.7. And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua, and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshuah, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. Judges 17.6. Chap. 21.25. But when the good Judges were dead, the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes, every mans lust was his Law. Whilest Moses was present, there was no talking of a Golden Calf, but no sooner was his back turn'd, but the Israelites make a Golden Calf, and worship it when they had done, Exod. 32.1-9. &c.

But now mark, that obedience that springs from Faith, that is a constant obedience, that is constant in opposition to fits and starts, and imports the course and bent of a Christi­ans [Page 155] life, which is alwayes to walk with God, to cleave to God, to follow God, and to obey God. But,

Seventhly and lastly, That obedience that springs from 7 Faith, is directed to right ends. Gospel obedience has al­wayes Gospel ends atttending of it. Quest. What are they? Answ. They are these nine.

First, To testify our thankfulness to the Lord for all his 1 favours and benefits that we have received from him, Psal. 103.1, 2, 3, 4. Psal. 116.12. &c.

Secondly, To recover the Image of God again to the 2 heighth of what we are able. The first Adam lost the Image of God by his disobedience. Now this Image of God we recover again in Christ our second Adam; but so, as that the more enlightned, the more holy, the more humble, the more heavenly, the more righteous, the more gracious, and the more obedient we are,Ephes. 4.24. the more we recover of this Image of God, which consists in knowledg, righteousness, and true holiness. Now saith the Believer, my intent is to recover that precious Image of God which I lost in the first Adam, and therefore do I labour to come up to the highest pitches of obedience, because the higher I rise in my obedience, the more I shall recover of the lost Image of God; I know that I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollu­tion of the first Adam; and I know that I have recovered in part the same Image, by partaking of the obedience and ho­liness of the second Adam: And I yet further know, that the more holy and obedient I am, the more I shall be like to that God, that is holiness it self, and the more I shall recover of that blessed Image, which consists in perfect holiness.

Thirdly, not for the justification of their persons, for that 3 is only by Christs compleat obedience, which is made theirs by Faith, 1 Cor. 1.30. Col. 2.10. But for the testification of their justifying Faith, according to that of the Apostle, Jam. 2.17, 18, 26. &c.

4 Fourthly, That they may imitate the Lord Jesus, that they may be the more conformable to Christ their head, who pro­poses his holiness to Believers as a pattern for them to fol­low, as a Copy for them to write after, 1 John 2.6▪ He that saith he abideth in him, Matth. 11.28, 29. ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Now saith the Believer, O how holy, how humble, how hea­venly, how meek, how compassionate, how zealous, how ex­emplary, how convincing, how winning, how obedient was he, when in this World! and therefore O my Soul! look to it, that thou makest it thy business, thy work, thy Heaven, to [...]mitate the Lord Jesus to the utmost that thou art able to [...]each too.

5 Fifthly, Though not for the obtaining of Salvation, that being made sure to us by Christ, yet for the obtaining of As­surance of Salvation, and for the making of our Calling and Election sure, according to that word, 2 Pet. 1.5 — 11.

6 Sixthly, That they may keep up their communion with God; for though the Union the Saints have with God by Christ, depends wholly upon that which is without, viz. their being married to Christ, and cloathed with his Righteous­ness; yet the Communion which the Saints have with God through the Spirit, hath much dependance upon a Saints wal­king, and upon his obedience: So that if a Saint shall dare to walk carnally and loosly,Jer. 3.14. Isa. 49.1, 2. though he shall not break the Marriage-knot, and lose his union, yet he will by such sinful practices grieve the Spirit, and lose his communion with God. But on the other hand, when a Believer walks spiritu­ally, graciously, obedientially, O what sweet communion! what delightful communion! what high communion! what commodious communion! what Soul-satisfying, Soul-ra­vishing, Soul-filling, Soul-contenting communion with God does he then enjoy! When the Child walks wisely, and obedientially before his Father, what sweet and delight­ful converses and communion is there between the Father and the Child? but if the child walk foolishly, stubbornly, rebelliously, disobediently, the prudent Father will carry it [Page 557] severely, strangely, frowningly, and at a distance, though his heart be still full of love to, his child; and though he won't disinherit him, yet he wont be familiar with him. The application is easie, &c.

Seventhly, To keep down the body, and to bring it into 7 subjection to the soul, 1 Cor. 9.27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. By spiritual exercises the Apostle d d subdue his flesh to the obedience and discipline of the spi­rit; in former times they had several exercises, as wrestling, and running for the prize. Now, such as were slow, pursie, unweildy, and lazy, were cashiered; they would not admit such to be of their society or company, who wrestled and run for the prize: Them that were admitted to those exer­cises, kept their bodies at an under, and did not pamper their bodies with dainties and delicates. To these the Apostle al­ludes, of idleness there comes no goodness; when the spirit is not acting in that which is good, that the flesh may be kept under, the flesh will take an advantage to be very active in those things that are evil, that the spirit may be kept under; the flesh is like an unruly beast, which through rest, idleness, and high feeding, grows wild and masterless. Now, the only way to tame this beast, is to work him hard; so the way of wayes to keep the body under, is to keep up the soul as much as may be, in the full exercise of holiness and obedience; such as have most pampered their bodies,Deut. 32.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Jer. 5.7, 8, &c. Rev. 3 16, 17, 18. have been the great­est enemies to their own souls; and how many are there this day, that pamper their bodies, but starve their souls? that adorn their bodies, but defiles their soul? that trick and trim up their bodies with gold, and silver, and silks, whilst their souls are naked of all grace, holiness and goodness? like the Laodiceans of old. The body it self, if you set too high a price upon it, will make a cheap soul; a man may be as hap­py in Russet, as in Tissue; and he is certainly an unhappy man, whose outside is his best side; our bodies are but dirt handsomly tempered, and artificially formed; we derive our pedigree from the dust, and are a kin to clay; and there­fore we need not scruple the keeping of it under by holy [Page 158] exercises, and by all wayes of Gospel-obedience, &c.

8 Eighthly, To the profit and advantage, both of sinners and Saints; 1. To convince sinners, to silence sinners, and to stop the mouths of sinners; let but one man that walks wisely, humbly, circumspectly, convincingly, exemplarily, blamelesly, come into a Town, a Parish, a Family, made up of drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, whore-masters, &c. and his holy walking, will convince them, and condemn them, 1 Pet. 2.12, 15. Chap. 3.13, 16. 2. To the profit, advantage and encouragement of the Saints. The strict ex­act walking Christian, provokes the slight loose Christian to mend his manners, and to order his steps and conversation a­right; and the lively active Christian, puts the dull, heavy, sluggish Christian to a blush, and spurs and quickens him up to a more lively walking with God; and the warm, flaming, zealous, burning Christian, puts heat and warmth into the cold, formal, frozen Christian; and the free, liberal, boun­tiful Christian, provokes others to be free, noble, and liberal, for the supply of the necessities of the Saints, 2 Cor. 9.1, 2. Chap. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 19, 20, &c.

9 The ninth and last (though not the least end) is the honour and glory of the great God. God's grace is the spring, and God's glory is the end of all a Christians obedience; God's glory is the ultimate end,Rom. 14.7, 8. Phil. 1.20, 21. the primary end, the universal end, the Sea to which all a Christians actions, like so many Rivers, move and bend: 'Tis true, many poor, low, mean, base ends, may creep into a Christians performances; but here mark, 1. They are disallowed. 2. They are loathed and abhorred. 3. They are resisted and striven against. 4. They are lamented and mourned over. 5. The gracious soul would willingly be rid of them; if a Christian might have his choice, he would never be troubled with any base end any more. Beloved, you must alwayes distinguish between a mans setled and his suggested ends; a mans setled end may be one things, and his suggested end another thing. Now for ever re­member this; That the great God alwayes makes a judgement [Page 159] of men according to their setled ends, according to the uni­versal frame of their spirits, and not according to those ends that may be suggested to them, by the world, the flesh, or the devil. It is in this case, as it may be with a man that shoots at a mark, he aims aright at the mark, but his elbow may meet with a jog, which may carry the arrow quite another way than what he intended; or as it is with a man that is sailing to such a Haven, or to such a Harbour, he steers a right course by his Compass, but the winds blowing contrary, and the Sea running high, he is forced into such a creek, or such a Harbour, which he never intended, &c.

Is it requisite for the clearing of the sincerity of our hearts, Qu. that we have a continual eye to the glory of God in every action we do?

First, Ans. You must distinguish between an actual aim and 1 intention, and an habitual aim and intention. For the first, an actual aim and intention of the Spirit, in every particular action that a man doth to the glory of God, is utterly impos­sible, whilst we carry about us with a body of sin and death: The Angels and spirits of just men made perfect, do thus actually aim at the glory of God in all they do; but 'tis a work that will be too high and too hard for us, whilst we are here in a polluted estate. This was so high a mark, that Adam mist it in his innocency; no wonder then if we often miss it in our sinful state and condition. But,

Secondly, There is an habitual inclination in us in every 2 action we do, to aim at the honour and glory of God, though there be not the actual intention of the spirit in every action we do; it is with us, as with a man travelling towards a Town or City, he thinks in the morning to go to such a Town, such a place, where he purposes to lye the first night, and therefore sets forth towards it; and though he doth not think of this every step he takes, yet it's his purpose in his journey, to rest there at night; or as it is with a man that comes to Church, his end is to hear the Word of the Lord; yet in every word he hears spoken, he hath not the thought [Page 160] of his end upon his spirit, but he is there by vertue of his first intention: So here, though in every particular there be not an intention of spirit to level this or that action to the glo­ry of God, yet it is the main drift and habitual scope of a mans spirit, that Gods glory may be the end of all his actions.

3 Thirdly, There is a mediate, and there is an immediate eying or looking to the glory of God; as when I forbear such or such a sin, because God by such a command hath for­bidden it, or I do such or such a duty, because God hath com­manded it. Now, in eying of the command of God, I eye the glory of God immediately, though not mediately. But,

4 Fourthly, In some particular or special cases, I ought actually to eye the glory of God: As, 1. In some eminent or extraordinary service that I am to do for Christ. Or, 2. In some special testimony that I am call'd to give for Christ or his Gospel. Or, 3. In some great thing that I am call'd to suffer for Christ, or his Gospel, or his interest. But,

5 Fifthly, The more a Christian actually eyes the glory of God in all he does, the more, 1. He glorifies God. 2. The neerer you are the life of heaven, and the more you act like the glorious Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. 3. The more will be your joy, comfort and peace, both in life and death, and in the day of your account. 4. The more strong will be your confidence and assurance, that your spi­ritual estate is good, and that you shall be saved for ever. 5. The better you will be able to bear up under all the false, hard, and sowre censures of this world. 6. The more you will be temptation proof. 7. The more glorious and weighty will be your crown of glory at last; he shall be highest in heaven, who has actually aimed most at the glory of God in this lower world. And thus you see how you may know whe­ther your obedience is such an obedience as springs from faith, or [...] Now, if upon trial you shall find, that your o­bedience is the obedience of faith, then you may safely and groundedly conclude, that you have a saving work of God upon your hearts. But,

Fourthly, A gracious heart is an uniform heart. Ubiquity 4 is a sure evidence of integrity. He that is truly good, will be good in bad times, and in the worst of places;Psal. 119.112. 1 John 3.9. Hosea 6 4. principles of grace and holiness, are lasting, yea, everlasting; they are not like the morning cloud, nor the early dew. A gracious soul will be steddy and fixed in his principles, in the worst times, in the worst places, and under variety of dispensa­tions; let times and places be what they will, he will not dishonour his God, nor blemish his profession, nor wound his conscience to preserve his safety, or to secure his liberty. An upright man is a right man: So [...] Jashar is rendred by the Septuagint, Judg. 17.6. He is one that will not be bowed or bent by the sinful customs or examples of the times and places where he lives.Gen. 6.9. Abraham was righteous in Chaldea, and Noah was perfect in his generation, though it was the worst in the world; and Lot was just in Sodom, Job 1. and Job was upright in the Land of Uzz, which was a place of much prophaness and superstition; and Nehemiah was couragious and zealous in Damasco, and Daniel was holy, yea, eminently and exemplarily holy in Babylon. The several generations wherein these holy men lived, were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition, and yet these precious, gracious souls had wholly devoted themselves to the Lord and his ser­vice:Psal. 119.20. So David, My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times! Let the times be never so dangerous, li­centious, superstitious, idolatrous or erronious, yet David's heart was strongly carried forth to Gods judgments; that is, to his Word (for under this title, Judgments, you are to under­stand the whole Word of God.) So there were some in Sardis that were of the same spirit, with the worthies last mentioned, Rev. 3.4. Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Psal. 119.1, 2, 3. In polluting times pure hearts will keep themselves pure; a holy heart will keep himself undefiled, even in defiling times, Rev. 14.4. These are they which were not defiled with women; when others are besmeared all over,Dan. 3.17, 18, 19, 20. he will keep his garments white and clean. The three Chil­dren, or rather the three Champions, were so highly resolved [Page 162] to keep themselves pure from the abominations of their day, that it was neither Nebuchadnezzars musick that would flatter them, nor his fiery furnace that could scare them from their God, or from their Duty, or from their Religion. Let the times never so often turn, you shall find that he that is really holy, he will be holy under every turn; no turns shall turn him out of a way of holiness, Job. 17.9. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands, shall be stronger and stronger. The Lawrel keeps its freshness and greeness in the Winter season; a gracious soul is semper idem, let the wind,Psal. 125.1. and the world and the times, turn which way they will, a gracious soul for the main, will still be the same; he is like mount Zion which cannot be removed, Job 27.5, 6. Till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me; my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. A gracious heart is (in some measure) like the heart of God, without variableness or shadow of changing. That Christian that is not for substance,Jam. 1.17. the same that once he was, was never what he ought to be. A gracious heart is firm and fixt for God and godliness, both in prosperity and in adversity; take him among the good or among the bad, take him in storms or calms, in Winter nights or in Summer dayes, take him among friends or foes, take him at bed or board, take him in health or sickness, take him in an Ordi­nance or out of an Ordinance, take him in his work or take him at his recreations, take him in his commerce or in his converse, take him living or take him dying, and you shall still find that the byass of his soul is still God-wards, Christ­wards, Holiness-wards, and Heaven-wards. A gracious man will stand his ground,Josh. 24.15. Psal. 112.7. Mal. 3.6. The poor Hea­then could say, that change of place causeth not any change of mind, &c. Calum non ani­ [...] [...] qui tr [...] [...]a [...]e c [...]rrunt Horat. l. 1. ep. 11. and hold his own in all changes, his heart being fixed upon an unchangable God. The Philoso­phers good man is (Tetra-gonos) four-sqaure; cast him where you will, like a Dye, he falls alwayes square and sure: So cast a gracious man where you will, and into what company you will, and into what condition you will, yet still he falls sure and square for God and godliness. Let the times be ne­ver so sad, nor never so bad, yet a gracious soul will keep his hold; he will let all go, he will let every thing go, before [Page 163] he will let his God go, or his Religion go, or his integrity go. A gracious Christian is like gold. Now, cast gold into the fire, or into the water; cast it upon the dunghil, or into the kennel; cast it among the poor, or among the rich; among the religious, or among the superstitious, &c. yet still it is gold, still it retains its purity and excellency: So cast a gra­cious Christian (who is the only golden Christian in the world) into what condition you will, and into what company you will, yet still he will retain his purity, his innocency Lapidaries tell us of the Chelydonian stone, that it will retain its vertue and lustre, no longer than it is enclosed in gold: A fit emblem of an hypocrite, who is only good while he is inclosed in golden prosperity, safety and felicity. An un­sound Christian like green timber shrinks,Mat. 13.6. when the Sun of persecution shines hot upon him. The heat of fiery trials, cools the courage of an unsound Christian. If you put wa­ter into a Tub, it will have the shape of the Tub that you put it into; or if you put water into a glass, it will have the shape of the glass you put it into. This is the very picture of an unsound heart; but a sincere Christian is like a massie vessel of gold, that keeps its own shape and figure, at all times, in all places, and in all companies; unsound hearts, they will be righteous among the righteous, and licentious a­mong the licentious; they will be as the company is amongst which they are cast; with the good they will be good, and with the bad they will be bad; with the zealous they will be zealous, and with the superstitious they will be superstitious; and with the lukewarm they will be lukewarm; they are for all times and tydes, they are for any turn that will serve their turn, they are for any Mode that will bring either pro­fit or pleasure to them; they are like Alcibiades, of whom it was said, that he was ( [...]nium horarum homo) a man for all times; for he could swagger it at Athens, and take any pains at Thebes; he could live most sparingly at Lacidaemon, and bib among the Thracians, and hunt among the Persians; they are like the Chamelion, ready to change their hue with every one they converse with; they are like Polypus, that resembleth every stone that it sticketh to; or they are like the Buskins [Page 164] anciently used in Tragedies,Lucian. that would serve either leg alike; they are as fit for one society as another; or like the Players that used them, such as acting Princely parts, wear royal apparel, keep state, and demean themselves gravely and soberly,Sen. ep. 76, &c. so long as they are in publick view upon the Stage; but when they have done acting, are no sooner off the stage, but they pass presently into another habit, and retain neither Princely behaviour nor apparel, but are most beggarly, base and debauched, either in private among them­selves, or among their companions like themselves. Unsound hearts can accommodate themselves to the times, and com­ply with them what ever they be; with Proteus they will transform themselves into all shapes, as the times change so will they; what the times favour, that they will favour; what the times commend, that they will commend; what the times cry up and admire, that they will cry up and ad­mire; and what the times frown upon and condemn, that they will frown upon and condemn. Look as curious and well-drawn Pictures seem to turn their eyes every way, and to smile upon every one that looks upon them; so these can turn with the times, they can look as the times look, and smile as the times smile, they can say with the times, and sail with the times; sometimes they can act one part, and some­times another part, as the times require; if the times require a large profession, they can make it; if the times be speak them to leave their Religion at the Church door, they can leave it. But now, a sincere Christian, he will labour to be so much the more gracious, by how much the more the times are licentious. A sincere Christian is like gold; if you cast it into the fire, it will not waste; if you throw it into the water, it will not rust, it will retain its own purity and ex­cellency, wherever you dispose of it. But

5 Fifthly, a gracious heart sets himself most against his dar­ling-sin, his bosom-sin; against the sin of his complexion, constitution,Heb. 12.1. inclination, and calling, &c. There is some one sinful quality that is more predominant in the heart of man,Paceatum in de­litiis. Aug. than any other; there is some one Dalilah, some [Page 165] one darling sin that a man is more apt to play withal, and to hug in own bosom, than any other; there is usually some one sin that is favourite, some one sin which the heart is most fond of, and which the byass of the soul doth most naturally and strongly incline towards. Pliny writeth of some families, that had privy marks on their bodies, peculiar to those of that line; and so every man hath as it were his privy sin, which is most justly and peculiarly called his; as in a ground that lyeth untilled amongst the great variety of weeds, there is usually some master weed, one among the rest that is rifer and ranker than all the rest: And as it is in the body of man, that although in some degree or other, more or less, there be a mixture of all the four ele­ments, not any of them wholly wanting, yet there is some one of them predominant that gives the denomination; in regard whereof some are said to be of a sanguine, some of a phleg­matick, some of a chollerick, and some of a melancholick constitution. Now thus 'tis in the souls of men; though there be a general mixture and medly of all evil and corrupt qualities, yet is there some one usually that is paramount, more powerful and prevalent, that swayeth and sheweth forth it self more eminently, and more evidently than any other of them do; and from this therefore, more frequently and apparently discovering it self, is the denomination wont to be given, whereby some are styled ambitious, some lasci­vious, some envious, some malicious, some haughty, some hasty, and the like; or as in every mans body there is a seed and principle of death, yet some are more prone to die of a Fever than of a Dropsie, and others are more prone to die of a Dropsie than of a Fever, &c. So though original sin hath spread it self over all our noble and ignoble parts, yet every man hath his particular inclinations, to one kind of sin rather than ano­ther; and this may properly be called a mans own sin, his own evil way. Now mark, a gracious heart makes most head, most opposition against his darling sin, against his complexion sin, against those sins that were once as dear to him as his right hand, or as his right eye, or as Dalilah was to Sampson. Herodias to Herod, Isaac to Abraham, and Joseph to [Page 166] Jacob, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and I kept my self from mine iniqu [...]ty: That is, from my darling sin, whereunto I was most inclined and addicted; what this bo­som sin was that he kept himself from,In that, 1 Sam. 21.2, 8. he tells three or four round lyes, and the like he did in that, 1 Sam. 27.8, 10. is hard to say: Some suppose his darling sin was lying, dissembling, for it is cer­tain he often fell into this sin, Psal. 119.29. Remove from me the way of lying; others suppose it to be some secret iniquity, which was only known to God and his own conscience; others say it was uncleanness, and that therefore he prayed, that God would turn away his eyes from beholding vanity, Psal. 119.37. Others juge it to be that sin of disloyalty which Saul and his Courtiers falsly charged upon him: Well, be it this or that, it is enough for our purpose, that his heart did rise against that very sin, that either by custom or complexion, or some strong inclination, he was most naturally apt, ready and prone to fall into. This is the laying of the ax to the root of the Tree; and by this practise David gives a clear proof of the integrity of his heart.Jer. 17.1, 2. Hos. 2. [...]. Isa. 31.6, 7. & 44.9. &c. Idolatry was the darling sin of the peo­ple of Israel; they called their Idols delectable or desirable things; they did dearly affect, and greatly delight in their Idols: But when the Lord in the day of his power, wrought savingly and gloriously upon their hearts, Oh! how did their hatred and indignation against their Idols rise? as you may see, Isa. 30.22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy moiten images of gold; thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth, thou sha [...]t say unto it, get thee hence. They were so delighted and enamou [...]ed with their Idols, that they would lavish gold out of the bag (or they waste or spend riotously, as the Hebrew runs) that they might richly deck them up,Isa. 46.6. After the return of the Jews out of Babylon, they so hated and ab­horted Idols, that in the times of the Romans, they chose rather to die, than to suff [...]r the Eagle, which was the imperial arms to be set up in their Temple. and set them forth in the greatest glory and bravery. O, but when the Lord should make a glorious turn upon their spirits, then they should readily and roundly deface, defile and disgrace their Idols, then they should hate and abhor them, then they should so detest and loath them, that in a holy indignation, they should cast them away as a menstrous cloth, and say unto them, get ye hence, pack, be gone, I will never have any more to do with you. And so in that, Isa. 2.20. In that day (that is, in the day of his people, [Page 167] vers. 17.) A man shall cast his idols of silver, and h [...]s idols of gold, which they made, each one for himself to worship, to the Moles and to the Bats: In the day when God should exalt himself in the souls of his people, and before the eyes of his people, they should express such disdain and indignation against their Idols, that they should not take only those made of Trees and Stones, but even their most precious and costly Idols; those that were made of silver and gold, and cast them to the Moles and to the Bats; that is, they should cast them into such blind holes, and into such dark, filthy, nasty and dusty corners, as Moles make under ground, and as Bats roust in: So when Christ, and grace, and holiness comes to be set up in mens hearts and lives, then all their darling sins, their bosom lusts, which are their Idols of silver, and their Idols of gold, these are with a holy indignation cast to the Moles and to the Bats, they are so loathed, abhorred, abandoned and cashiered, that they desire they may be for ever buried in oblivion, and never see the light more. Idols were Ephraim's bosom sin, Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned (or glewed, as the word signi­fies) to Idols, let him alone. But when the dew of grace fell upon Ephraim, as it did, in Chap. 14.5, 6, 7. Then saith Ephraim, What have I any more to do with Idols? ver. 8. Now Ephraim loaths his Idols as much or more than before he lov­ed them, he now abandons and abominates them; though be­fore he was as closly glewed to them as the wanton is glewed to his Dalilah, or as the enchanter is glewed to the Devil, from whom by no means he is able to stir; (as the words in the fountain imports) When it was the day of the Lords power upon Ephraim, then Ephraim cryes out, What have I any more to do with Idols? O, I have had to do with them too long, and too much already: O, how doth my foul now rise against them? how do I detest and abhor them?Deut. 13.6, 7, 8, 9. Surely I will never have more to do with them. The Scripture tells us, That if father, or mother, or brother, or sister, or kinsman, or friend, should go about to draw a man from God, his hand should be first upon him, to put him to death. Now, bosom sins, complexion sins, they seek to draw a mans heart from God; and therefore a gracious soul can't but rise up a­gainst [Page 168] them,Gen. 27.41. and do his best to stone them, and to be the death of them. The dayes of mourning for my father are at hand (saith bloudy Esau) then will I slay my brother Jacob; ('tis a bloudy speech of a vindictive spirit, whom nothing would satisfie but innocent bloud) So saith the gracious soul, The dayes of mourning for the death of my dear Saviour, are now at hand, and therefore I will slay my bosom lusts, my constitution sins; now will I be revenged on them for all the dishonours that they have done to God, and for all the wounds that they have made in my conscience, and for all the mercies that they have imbittered, and for all the favours that they have prevented, and for all the afflictions that they have procured, and for all the duties that they have hindered.Judg. 16.28. Sampson pleads hard with God, that he might be avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes; and so doth the gracious soul plead hard with God, that he may be avenged on his bosom lusts, on his com­plexion sins, which have put out his two eyes, which have so blinded him that he has not for a long time been able to see God, or Christ, or the things that belong to his external, in­ternal or eternal peace. The next of kin in the Law, was al­wayes the avenger of bloud, and to him it appertained to hunt after the murderer, to bring upon his head the innocent bloud that he had shed; if therefore we will shew our selves brethren or sisters of Christ, or any thing of kin unto him, we must even be the avengers of his bloud upon bosom sins, upon complexion sins; for, for them as well as others was his bloud shed. O Sirs! what bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a burning in hell for, or worth a shutting out of heaven for? surely none. This a gracious soul seriously weighs, and accordingly he sets himself against the Toad in his bosom, against his darling sins, against his complexion sins. But now, unsound hearts are very favoura­ble to bosom sins, to complexion sins; they say of them as Lot of Zoar, Gen. 19.20. Is it not a little one? and my soul shall live. And as David once said concerning Absalom, 2 Sam. 18.5. Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom; be­ware that none touch the young man Absalom, Ver. 12. And the King said, is the young man Absalom safe? Ver. 29. An un­sound [Page 169] heart is as fond of his bosom sins,2 King. 5.18. of his complexion sins as Jacob was of his Benjamin, or as Jeha was of his calves, or as Naaman was of his Idol Rimmon, or as Judas was of bearing the bag, or as Herod was of his Herodias, Acts 19. or as Deme­trius was of his Diana, or as the Pharisees were of devouring widows houses,Mat. 23. and of having the uppermost seats in the Sy­nagogues, and of being saluted in the market places, with those glorious titles, Rabbi, Rabbi. The besotted sinner is most engaged to his bosom sins, his complexion sins, and therefore 'tis as bitter a thing as death for him to part with them;Mich. 6.6, 7. he had rather part with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old; he had rather part with thousands of Rams, and with ten thousand Rivers of oyl; yea, he had rather part with his first-born, than with his bosom sin;Job 20.12, 13. he is ready to give the fruit of his body, for the sin of his soul. Let God frown or smile, stroke or strike, lift up or cast down, promise or threaten, yet he will hide and hold fast his bosom sin; let God set life and death, heaven and hell, glory and misery be­fore him, yet will he not part with his bosom sins; let God wound his conscience, blow upon his estate, leave a blot upon his name, crack his credit, afflict his body,Jer. 20.3, 4. write death upon his relations, and be a Magor-missabib, a terror to his soul, yet will he not let go his darling sins. An unsound heart will rather let God go, and Christ go, and heaven go, and all go than he will let his darling lusts go: But now a sound Chri­stian, a throuhgout Christian, he sets himself most against the Dalilah in his bosom, against the Benjamin, the son, the sin of his right hand. A sincere Christian looks upon bosom sins, upon complexion sins as the most God-provoking sins; there are no sins so provoking to Gods jealousies and justice, as bosom sins; he looks upon bosom sins, complexion sins, a the most dangerous sins; he looks upon bosom sins, com­plexion sins, as the worst thing in all the world; he looks up­on bosom sins, complexion sins, as more ugly and horrid than the devil himself, or than hell it self; he looks upon bosom sins as the great make-bates between God and his soul, and between his conscience and his comfort;Isa. 59.1, 2. Lamen. 3.8, 44. he looks upon bosom sins as those enemies that have provoked God often [Page 170] to turn a deaf ear to all his prayers; he looks upon his bo­som sins as so many Judas's that have often betrayed him into the hands of the devil; he looks upon his bosom sins as the waters of Marah, that has imbittered all his mercies; he looks upon his bosom sins as the only things that have often clouded the face of God; he looks upon his bosom sins as dead flies in the box of precious ointment that spoyls all, and accordingly with all his might he sets himself against them. 1. He fights most against these. 2. He weeps most over these. 3. He watches and a [...]ms most against these. 4. He prayes most against these. 5. He resolves most against these. And 6. He layes the axe of repentance most to these, &c.

But pray Sir, before you close up this Chapter, lay down some sure and infallible evidences of the goodness, gracious­ness and happiness of their estates and conditions, who are but weak in grace, who are but babes of grace, that so they may have their portion, satisfaction, support and consolation as well as others.

Ans. I shall endeavour to do it, and therefore thus.

6 Sixthly, True desires of grace is grace, true desires after Christ, and grace, and holiness, is grace; he who does sin­cerely desire to believe, he does really believe; and he that does sincerely desire to repent, he does really repent; and he that does sincerely desire to obey the Lord,1 Pet. 2.3, 4. 2 Chron. 30.18, 19 Mat. 7.8. Psal. 42.1, 2. Psal. 63.1. &c. and to fear the Lord, and to serve the Lord, he does really obey the Lord, and fear the Lord, and serve the Lord. It is the first step to grace, for a man to see his heart void of grace; and it is the first degree of grace, for a man to desire grace. Mark, all true desires of grace, have the very nature and truth of grace in them. As there is true fire in a spark, as well as in a flame, and true water in a drop, as well as in a stream, and true light in a beam, as well as in the Sun, and true gold in the very filings of gold, as well as in the whole wedge of gold; the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole.Isa. 55.1, 2. & 65. 1. John 7.37. True desires of grace argues a state of grace and salvation, Psal. 38.9. Lord thou knowest all my desire, my groanings is not hid [Page 171] from thee. Mat. 5.6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled; or as the Greek runs (after the participle of the present tense) they that are hun­gering and thirsting; intimating, that where ever this is the present disposition of mens souls, they are blessed, Rev. 22.17. And let him that is a thirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Augustin. Where there are sincere desires of grace, there are the seeds of grace, the con­ception of grace, the buds of grace. Sincere desires of grace are those holy seeds, those divine beginnings of grace in the soul, out of which grace springs and grows up to its measure and perfe­ction. O Sirs! look as no man can sincerely seek God in vain, so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain. A man may love gold, yet not have it; but no man loveth God, but is sure to have him. Wealth a man may desire, and yet be never the neerer for it; but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it: And why? it is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart, and he will never frustrate the desire that him­self hath there wrought; let no man say, I have no faith, no repentance, no love, no fear of God, no sanctifying, no saving grace in me. Doth he see a want of those things in himself? yes, that is it which so grieves him, that he cannot love God, stand in awe of him, trust in his mercy, repent of sin as he should; yea, but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus? yes, he desires it above all things in the world, and would be willing (as it were) to buy even with a whole world the least measure, or dram, or drop only of such grace. Now let me ask him, who is it that hath wrought this desire in him? Not the Devil, for he would rather quench it than kindle it in him; not his own corruption, for that is na­turally averse to every thing that is good, it must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God, who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure, and who pronoun­ceth all them blessed that thus desire after grace.Kemnitius, Ursi­ni Catechis. When I have a good desire, saith one, though it doth scarcely shew it self in some little slender sigh, I must be assured that the Spi­rit of God is present, and worketh his good work. Wicked men do not desire the grace of the holy Spirit, whereby they may resist sin, and therefore they are justly deprived of it; for he that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it al­ready, [Page 172] because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the Spirit.Taffnies Book of the marks of Gods children. Our faith, saith another, may be so small and weak, as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be lively felt in us; but if they which feel themselves in such an estate, desire to have these feelings (namely of God's favour and love) if they ask them of God's hands by prayer, this desire and prayer are testimonies that the Spirit of God is in them, and that they have faith already; for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the Spirit? it is of the holy Spirit, who bringeth it forth only in such as he dwells in, &c. Then those holy desires and prayers being the motions of the holy Ghost in us, are testimonies of our faith, although they seem to us small and weak. As the woman that feeleth the moving of a child in her body, though very weak, assureth her self that she hath conceived, and that she goeth with a live child: So if we have these motions, these holy affections and desires be­fore mentioned, let us not doubt but that we have the holy Ghost (who is the Author of them) dwelling in us, and con­sequently that we have also faith. Again, saith the same Au­thor. 1. If thou hast begun to hate and flie sin; 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and cor­ruptions; 3. If having offended God, thou findest a grief and a sorrow for it; 4. If thou desire to abstain from sin; 5. If thou avoidest the occasions of sin; 6. If thou doest thy endeavours against sin; 7. If thou prayest to God to give thee grace, all these holy affections proceeding from none other than from the Spirit of God,Phil. 2.13. 2 Cor. 8.10, 12. ought to be as so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee. It is as impossible for us naturally to do the least good, or to desire the least grace, as 'tis for a Toad to spit Cordials. Sincere desires af­ter God, and Christ, and Grace, is sometimes the all that the people of God find in themselves. This was all that Nehe­miah could say of himself, and the rest of his brethren, Neh. 1.11. That they did desire to fear God's name. And so the Church, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thy holiness. And vers. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night. So the Spouse, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. So David, Psal. 27.4. Psal. 42.1, 2. Psal. 63.1. They [Page 173] must needs be sure of grace that have an unfeigned desire of it. This is a Maxim that we must live and die with, viz. That no man can truly desire grace, but he that hath already grace; certainly he that desireth grace, hath grace to desire it. It is an infallible sign, that that man hath already some measure of grace that doth seriously desire to have it; he would never seriously desire to fear God, who stands not in some awe of him already; nor he would never seriously de­sire to love God, who has not in him some love to God al­ready; nor he would never seriously desire to believe, who has not in him some faith already; nor he would never se­riously desire to repent, that hath not repented already; nor he would never seriously desire sanctifying grace, whose heart in some measure is not already sanctified by the spirit of grace. It is the very essence of righteousness, saith one of the Ancients, for a man to be willing to be righteous.Angustine, Pars magna boni­tatis, est vell [...] fieri bo [...]um. Sen. Ep. 34. And the poor Heathen could say, It is a principal part of good­ness, for a man to be willing to be good. It is natural for e­very one to desire his own natural good, but to desire spiri­tual grace, holiness, sound sanctification, faith unfeigned, the true fear of God, serious repentance, &c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do. No man did ever desire to eat which had not eaten before, nor no man did ever desire to believe, that did not believe before; all true desires after faith spring from faith as the root of them. Certainly wick­ed men don't, nor can't so much as desire saving grace, Job 21.14. Isa. 53.2. and that,

First, Because grace is above the reach of nature, 1 Cor. 1 2.14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The water riseth no higher than the springs from whence it came; so natural men can ascend no higher than nature: Spiritual things can nei­ther be discerned nor desired, but by those that are anointed with the eye-salve of the Spirit. The natural man is dark and blind, and he sees no beauty nor excellency in grace, that he should desire it, or be in love with it. Man in his natural [Page 174] estate is without, Eph. 2.12. There are five withou ts, 1. Without Christ, 2. Without the Church, 3. Without the Promise, 4. Without hope, 5. Without God in the world. Now every natural man being under these five with­outs, how is it possible that he should have any serious desires after grace? Such is the corruption of our nature, that if you propound any divine good to it, it is entertained as fire by water, or wet wood with hissing; propound any evil, then 'tis like fire to straw, 'tis like the foolish Satyr that made hast to kiss the fire, 'tis like that unctious matter which Na­turalists say sucks and snatches the fire to it with which it is consumed.Rom. 8.7. The contrariety and enmity that is in every na­tural mans heart, against God, and Christ, and grace, and holiness, may sufficiently satisfie us, that the natural man is a meer stranger to serious and sincere desires after God, or Christ, or grace, or the great things that belong to his ever­lasting peace. Such sincere and serious desires as these, Oh, that Christ were mine, Oh, that I were married to his per­son, Oh, that I were cloathed with his righteousness, Oh, that my soul were adorned with his grace, Oh, that I was fil­led with his Spirit, Oh, that he would be my King to rule me, and my Prophet to teach and instruct me, and my Priest to make an atonement for me; Oh, that I might enjoy choice and high communion with him, Oh, that I might sin no more against him, Oh, that I may do nothing unworthy of him, Oh, that after death I might live for ever in the enjoyments of him, &c. I say such serious and sincere desires are not to be found in the natural mans breast.

2 Secondly, Because grace is contrary to nature. The wis­dom of the flesh is enmity against God, Rom. 8.7. Fire cannot desire water, nor water fire, because they are contrary, one expelling the other; for either the water will quench the fire, or else the fire will lick up the water: So here, nature would have a man love himself, and seek himself, and exalt himself; but grace will have a man love God, and seek God, and exalt God, &c. Take nature when 'tis most adorned, enriched, raised, elevated, &c. yet then you shall find it at enmity with God and grace. Ergo, &c.

Thirdly, Because grace is not only above nature, and 3 contrary to nature, but it is even a hell to nature; grace and holiness is a hell to a natural man.See my Treatise on holiness, page 64, 65, 66. Look as a glorified estate would be a hell to every wicked person, (Coelum est altera gehenna damnatorum, saith one of the Ancients; Heaven is an­other hell to the damned) so would a gracious estate also. Grace puts a man to take up the Cross of Christ, to deny his natural self, his sinful self, his religious self, his relative self, and to give up a mans self to the strictest and exactest wayes of God, and to crucifie his lusts, and to pull out his right eye, and to cut off his right hand, &c. And oh! what hard work is this, yea what a hell is this to nature? &c.

Fourthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't so much as truly and seriously desire saving grace; witness their daily with­standing 4 and slighting the offers of grace. Compare these Scriptures, Prov. 1.20.—ult. Chap. 8.1.—12. Ezek. 24.13. Mat. 23.37. Luke 19.41, 42, &c.

Fifthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't, so much as truly 5 and seriously desire saving grace; witness their common, or­dinary, habitual provoking, vexing, quenching, resisting and grieving of the spirit of grace. Turn to these Scriptures, Gen. 6.3. Isa. 63.10. Act. 7.55. Eph. 4.30.

Sixthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't truly and seriously 6 desire saving grace; witness that enmity, hatred, rage and madness that is in them against the Saints, whose hearts and lives are enamel'd with grace, Gen. 3.15. Psal. 34.21. Psal. 44.10. Job 31.29. Amos 5.10, &c. I have read of a desperate wretch, that when he came to die, he gave good portions to all his children but one, and to him he would give but twelve pence; and being asked the reason of it, he made answer, he was a Puritan; I have heard him say, said his wretched father, That he had a promise to live on; let us now see whether a promise will maintain him or no. Certainly, wherever there are true serious desires after grace, there is a dear love to those upon whose hearts the [Page 176] work of grace is past. Now by these short hints, 'tis evi­dent enough, that wicked men don't, nor can't sincerely, se­riously desire grace; certainly such that are poor in spirit, and that mourn for their spiritual defects, and that hunger and thirst after grace and holiness, after a righteousness im­parted and a righteousness imputed, must confess themselves to be in a blessed estate, and consequently in a state of grace; (for what true happiness is there out of it?) or else they must contradict our Saviour, and charge truth it self with untruth, who hath pronounced them blessed that are so qualified, so affected. Were this well weighed and seriously considered of, how would it comfort, refresh, support and stay up many a troubled soul? and what a well-spring of life would this be to many a wounded spirit? Doubtless the greatest part of a Saints perfection in this life (witness Pauls own ingenious confession after fourteen years conversion,Rom. 7.15, 18, 19, 21, 22. say some; and who ever went beyond him? and how exceedingly do most fall short of him?) consisteth rather in will than in work, and in desire and endeavour more than in deed. There is so much good in good desires, that it is the main that the godly have to speak of, and to reckon of; make an inventory of a Christians estate, and search every room, if you find not these you find nothing; and if you set these down in the inventory, you set down even all he is worth for another world. Daniel is called a man of desires, and so is every gracious man, a man wholly made up of gracious desires.Dan. 10 11. Mark, God makes a judgment upon the sons of men, according as their desires stand; he that desires to steal, he is a Thief in the account of God; and he that desires to commit adultery, he is an adul­terer in the account of God; and he that desires to oppress, he is an oppressor in the account of God; and he that de­sires to deceive, he is a deceiver in the account of God; and he that desires to persecute, he is a persecutor in the ac­count of God; and he that desires to prophane the Sab­baths of God, he is a prophaner of the Sabbaths of God in the account of God, &c. Look, as every wicked man is as bad in the account of God, as his desires are bad; so every godly man is as good in the account of God, as his desires [Page 177] are good; he that sincerely desires to believe, he does be­lieve in the account of God.Mr. Perkins in his grain of mu­stard-seed. The desire (saith one) to be­lieve in the want of faith, is faith; though as yet there want firm and lively grace, yet art thou not altogether void of grace; if thou canst desire it, thy desire is the seed, con­ception or bud of what thou wantest. Now is the Spring-time of the ingraffed Word or immortal seed cast into the fur­rows of thy heart, wait but a while, using the means, and thou shalt see that leaves, blossoms and fruits will shortly follow, &c. Another saith,Ursin. Faith in the most holy is not perfect, nevertheless, whosoever feels in his heart an earnest desire to believe, and a striving against his doubts, he both may and must assure himself, that he is indued with true faith. And he that sincerely desires to repent,Mr. Fox. he does re­pent in the account of God. Holy Bradford writing to Mr. Jo. Careless, saith, Thy sins are undoubtedly pardoned, &c. for God hath given thee a penitent and believing heart; that is, a heart which desireth to repent and believe,Let thy desires be before God, and he which seeth in secret, shall re­ward thee open­ly; thy desire is thy prayer, and if thy desire be continual, thy prayer is conti­nual, &c. for such a one is taken of him (he accepting the will for the deed) for a penitent and believing heart indeed. And he that sincerely desires to mortifie sin, he does mortifie sin in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to walk with God, he does walk with God in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to honour God, he does honour God in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to deny him­self, he does deny himself in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to be weaned from the world, he is weaned from the world in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to be conformable to God, he is comform­ab [...]e to God in the account of God; and he that desires to grow in grace, he does grow in grace in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to improve mercies, he does im­prove mercies in the account of God; and he that sincerely desires to glorifie God in the hour of his visitation, he does glorifie God in the hour of his visitation in the account of God. A gracious man may make a better judgment of his estate by his sincere desires, than he can by his duties; and so a wicked man may make a better judgment of his estate [Page 178] by his desires, than he can by his words or works. I have been the larger upon this ev [...]dence, because of its great usefulness to weak believers. But,

7 Seventhly, No man can sincerely desire grace for grace sake, viz. faith for faiths sake, and love for loves sake, and humility for humilities sake, and uprightness for uprightness sake, and meekness for meekness sake, and holy fear for ho­ly fears sake, and hope for hopes sake, and holiness for holi­ness sake, and self-denial for self-denials sake, &c. but he that has true grace. Mark, no man can sincerely and seri­ously desire grace, for the inward beauty, glory and excel­lency of grace,Psal. 45.13. 2 Cor. 3.18. but he that has true grace. The Kings daugh­ter is all glorious within, though within is not all her glory; grace differs nothing from glory but in name, grace is glory in the bud, and glory is grace at the full; grace is glory mi­litant, and glory is grace triumphant; grace has an inward glory upon it, which none can see and love, but such as have grace in their own hearts: Wicked men can see no beauty, no glory, no excellency in grace, why they should desire it, or be taken with it;Isa. 53.1, 2, 3, 4. and no wonder, for they could see no beauty, nor excellency, nor glory, nor form, nor comeliness in Christ the fountain of grace, why they should desire him, and be taken with him. Though next to Christ grace is the most lovely and desirable thing in all the world, yet none can desire it for its own loveliness and desirableness, but such as have a seed of God in them; though grace be a pearl of price, though it be a jewel more worth than the gold of Ophir, though it be a beam of God, a spark of glory, a branch of the divine nature; yet carnal hearts can see no glory nor excellency in it, that they should desire it. If car­nal eyes were but opened to see the excellency of grace, Mirabiles sui excitaret amores, it would ravish the soul in de­sires after it; but graces beauty and glory is inward, and so it is not discerned but with spiritual eyes. Plato was wont to say, if moral vertues could be seen with bodily eyes, they would stir up in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and love.1 Cor. 2.14—ult. I might say much more of grace; Grace, 1. Puts [Page 179] an excellency, it puts a lustre and beauty upon mens persons.Prov. 12.26. 1 Pet. 34, 5, &c. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour; and pray what makes him so but grace?Dan. 11.2 [...]. Wisdom makes a mans face to shine; riches, and honours, and dignities, and royal or­naments, and costly fare, and noble attendants, don't put an excellency and glory upon man; witness Antiochus, Saul, Haman, Herod, Dives, &c. but saving grace does; the gra­ces of the Spirit are that chain of pearl that adorns Christ's Bride. 2. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans duties; By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain; faith put an excellency upon Abels sacrifice. 3. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans natural and acquired ex­cellencies; it puts an excellency upon beauty, honour, riches, name, arts, parts, gifts. Now, how excellent and glorious must that be, that puts an excellency upon all our excellen­cies? 4. Grace makes a man conformable to God and Christ. 5.1 John 4.17. 1 John 1.1, 2. 2 Cor. 13.14. Zech. 3.7. Mal. 2.2. Prov. 2.11, 12. Grace fits a man for communion and fellowship with Father, Son and Spirit. 6. Grace fits a man for the choicest services. 7. Grace turns all things into a blessing. 8. Grace fills the soul with all spiritual excellencies. 9. Grace pre­serves a Christian from the worst of evils, viz. sin. 10. Grace sweetens death, it makes the King of terrors to be the King of desires. 11. Grace renders a man acceptable to God, and that's the heighth of a Christians ambition in this world, 2 Cor. 5.9. Wherefore we labour ( [...], we are ambi­tious) that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. The Apostles made it their ambition to get acceptance in heaven: riches, and honours and gifts, and arts, and parts, &c. may commend us to men; but 'tis only grace that commends us to God, and that renders us lovely in his eyes. 12. Grace will eternalize your names, grace will perfume and embalm your names, Heb. 11.2. By faith the Elders obtained a good re­port. Ver. 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise. Nothing raises a mans name and fame in the wo [...]ld like grace. A man may obtain a great re­port without grace, nothing below grace will perpetuate a mans name.Acts 6 5, 3. The seven Deacons that the Church chose were gra­cious [Page 180] men,Act. 10.1, 2, 3, 4, 22. and they were men of good report, they were men well witnessed unto, well testified of, as the Greek word imports.Act. 9.10, 20. compared with Chap. 22.12. Cornelius was a gracious man, and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews. Ananias was a gracious man, and he was a man of a good report. Gaius and Demetrius, they were both gracious men, and they were men of good report, witness that third Epistle of John. How renowned was Abraham for his faith? and Moses for his meek­ness? and Jacob for his plain-heartedness? and Job for his uprightness? and David for his zeal? and Joshua for his cou­rage?Heb. 11.4. Psal. 112.6. Prov. 10.7. Holy Abel hath been dead above this five thousand years, and yet his name is as fresh and fragrant as a Rose, to this very day. Grace will make your names immortal; The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance: The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. Wicked men many times out-live their names, but the names of just men out-live them; when a gracious man dies, he leaves his name as a sweet and as a lasting scent behind him, his fame shall live when he is dead. According to the Hebrew the words may be read thus; The memory of the just shall be for a blessing; the very remembring of the just shall bring a blessing upon them that remember them. When a gracious man dies, as he carries a good conscience with him, so he leaves a perfumed name behind him. Grace is the image of God, the delight of God, the honour of God, the glory of God; grace is the purchase of Christ, and the birth of the Spirit, and the pledge of glory; grace is the joy of Angels, the glory of man, and the wonder of the world; what's the body without the soul? what's the cabinet without the jewels? what's the Sun without light? what's the fountain without water? what's Paradise without the Tree of Life? what's Heaven without Christ? That's a soul without grace. Now every gracious soul sees a real, internal excellency, beauty and glory in grace, and accordingly it is carried out in its desires after it; it sees such an innate excellency, beauty and glory in that faith, wisdom, humility, meekness, patience, zeal, self-denial, heavenly-mindedness, uprightness, &c. that sparkles and shines in such and such Saints, that it many times [Page 181] strives with God in a corner, even to sweat and tears, that it may be bedecked and inriched with those singular graces that are so shining in others. O, that I had the wisdom of such a Christian, and the faith of such a Christian, and the love of such a Christian, and the humility of such a Christian, and the meekness of such a Christian, and the zeal of such a Christian, and the integrity of such a Christian, &c. O, that my soul was but in their case! I don't covet their riches but their graces: Oh, that I had but those graces! Oh, that I had much of those graces, that sparkles and shines in the hearts and lives of such and such Christians! I see a beauty and glory upon Sun, Moon and Stars, yea upon the whole Creation, but what's that to that beauty and glory that I see stampt upon grace? And this fires his heart with desires af­ter grace. But,

Eighthly, No man can sincerely desire all grace, every 8 grace, or the whole chain of graces, but he that has true grace.2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Vain men, when they are under some outward or inward distresses, may to serve their present turns, desire (in a cold, formal, customary way) patience, or contentation, or meek­ness, or hope, or faith, &c. but they don't, nor can't, whilst they are wicked, whilst they are in their natural estate,Act. 8.19. to 25. whilst they are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, sin­cerely desire every grace, especially those particular graces that are most opposite to their master sin, to their darling lusts, to their constitution sins, to their complexion sins, to those particular lusts that are to them as dear as their right eyes or right hands. Austin before his conversion, he was much given to whoredom, and he would often pray, Lord, give me continency, but not yet; Lord, give me continency, but not yet; he was afraid lest God should have heard him to soon, as himself confesseth. Wicked men would be very sorry if God should take them at their words, and in good earnest an­swer the cold and lazy desires of their souls: If when the drunkard in a good mood should desire sobriety, God should take him at his word, he would be very angry; or if when the unclean person should desire chastity, continency, God [Page 182] should answer his desires, he would not be very well pleased; if when the covetous person, should (under some pangs of conscience) desire a free, a charitable, a noble, generous spirit, God should take him at his word, he would be sore­ly displeased. The same may be said of all other sorts of sin­ners; but now a real Christian, though he be never so weak, yet he seriously desires every grace, he is for every link of the golden chain of graces, he finds in his own heart, sins that are contrary to every grace, and therefore he desires every grace, that he may make head against every sin; and he finds his heart and life so attended and surrounded with all sorts and kinds of temptations, that he earnestly, seriously, and frequently desires the presence and assistance of every grace, that so he may be temptation-proof, yea, victorious over every temptation; and he sees and feels the need of e­very grace, to fill up every place, station and condition wherein the Lord has set him, and therefore he begs hard for every grace; and he sees a beauty, and a glory, and an ex­cellency upon every grace, and therfore he desires every grace as well as any one single grace, which no hypocrite or pro­phane person in the world does. But,

9 Ninthly, No man can sincerely and seriously desire grace for gracious ends and purposes, but he that has true grace in his soul.Joh. 1.1, 3, 4 & 2.6. Mat. 11.29, 30. No man can truly desire grace, that he may enjoy communion and fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and that he may be made comformable to Christ, and that he may be serviceable and useful to the interest of Christ, and that he may walk even as Christ walked,Psal. 119.32. 1 Joh. 5.4, 5. Rom. 14.7, 8. Phil. 1.20. in the exercise of every grace, and that he may be rid of his sins, yea all his sins, especially his special sins; and that he may run the ways of God's commands more easily, more readily, more de­lightfully, more resolutely, more patiently, more unwearied­ly, and more zealously; and that he may be made vi­ctorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil; and that he may so live, as to be a praise, a name, an honour, and a glory to Christ; and that after all, and by all, he may be prepared and fitted for an eternal fruition and enjoyment of Christ, [Page 183] but he that has true grace in his soul. Now, every weak be­liever is able to appeal to God, that he desires grace for gracious ends and purposes, as for the ends last cited, and others of the like nature with them. Wicked men may in a fit desire grace,Act. 8.18, 19, 20. as Simon Magus did desire the holy Ghost to get money by it, or when they are under some pangs of con­science, they may desire grace to be rid of their horrors and terrors, or when they are upon a dying bed they may desire so much grace as may keep them out of hell, and bring them to heaven; but in all this they look no further than self, they are far from desiring of grace for gracious ends and purposes. There is nothing in all the world that the great God so much regards as man; All these things have my hands made, but to this man will I look, Isa. 66.2. Nothing in man so much as the heart; My son, give me thy heart. That is the Mount Sion which God loveth above all the dwellings of Ja­cob, and nothing in the heart, so much as the aim and end of it. Let a mans profession be never so glorious, let him be never so abundant in the performance of duties, let his de­sires after this and that good thing be never so strong, yet if his ends be wrong, all his pretentions and performances are but beautiful abominations. Did David pray three times a­day?Mark 12.40. Luke 18.12. Mat. 6.2. Luke 11.42. Mat. 23. so did the Pharisees. Did David and Daniel fast? so did the Pharisees, and that twice in the week. Did Corne­lius give alms? so did the Pharisees. Did Abraham pay tythes? so did the Pharisees, they tythed their very Mint and Rue, but their ends being wrong, their time was lost, and their pains was lost, and their duties was lost, and their alms was lost, and their souls was lost, and that for ever. God writes a nothing upon all those services wherein mens ends are not right, Jer. 32.23. But,

Tenthly, No man can sincerely desire & earnestly endeavour 10 after the highest pitches of grace, but he that has true grace; though the weak Christian has but a little grace in his heart,Phil. 3.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, &c. yet he has the top of grace, the perfection of grace in his sin­cere aims, in his sincere desires, and in his earnest and con­stant endeavours; and if the weakest Saint might have his [Page 184] desires, his mind, his wish, his will, his choice, he would ne­ver sin more, he would never dishonour Jesus Christ more, he would never grieve the spirit of grace more, he would yield unsinning obedience, he would obey in this lower world, as the Angels, and as the spirits of just men made perfect do obey in that upper world;Heb. 12.22, 23. Luke 17.5. the weakest Christian has his eye to the highest round in Jacob's ladder, and fain he would be at the top of it; and Oh, how sweet is every Providence, and every Ordinance, and every duty, and every mercy, and every opportunity, that helps his soul more Christ-wards, and heaven-wards, and holiness-wards! sincere desires, and seri­ous endeavours to grow in grace,2 Pet. 3.18. 1 Pet. 2.2. 1 Joh. 5.13. 1 Joh. 3.9. is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace. Look, as a man may have grace and not know it, so a man may grow in grace and yet not discern it. As in the lopping of a Tree there seems to be a kind of di­minution and destruction, yet the end and issue of it is better growth; and as the weakning of the body by Physick seems to tend to death, yet it produceth better health and more strength; and as the Ball by falling downward riseth upward, and water in pipes descends that it may ascend, so the Chri­stians spiritual growth, when seemingly dead and declining, and to stand at a stay, is still carried on by the hidden method of God to encrease; for every true Christian is a member of a thriving body, in which there is no Atrophy, but a con­tinual issuing of spirits from the head;The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree, Psal. 92.12, 13, 14. The Palm tree never loseth his leaf or fruit, Pliny. Grace grows not alike in all Saints; in the parable, some brought forth thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred fold. so that life being wrought by the spirit of life never dyeth, but is alwayes up­on the growing hand (except in the dark winter night of de­sertion and temptations) ripening and encreasing even in the midst of all ordinary troubles and trials. The Apostle tells us, that the whole body of Christ (whereof every true Chri­stian is a limb) is so compact together in it self, and so firmly fastned with certain spiritual nerves and ligaments to the head, that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual supply of spiritual grace, both sufficient to furnish it, and to further the growth of it. Let me give a little fur­ther light into this particular, by this similitude: A man is bound for the East-Indies, and shapeth his course thitherward, but by the way is put often off by cross winds to the West­ward; [Page 185] he is by contrary winds compelled to put into di­vers Harbours, and to make some stay by the way there, either to shift off stormy weather, or to take in fresh water, or to stop a leak, or to get some fresh provisions; and yet all this while we truly say, he is going on in his way in his voyage, because his setled purpose and constant resolution is to make to his Port, his Haven whither he is bound, and all these seeming lets shall help forward his voyage. It is so in spiritual things, for our very growth in grace consists much in sincere desires, in fixed resolutions, and in faithful endea­vours to grow in grace.Aristot. Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. Seneca l. 2. c. 27. Phil. 3.13. Aristotle makes it the mark of a good man, that he studieth how he may grow better than he is, not contenting himself with any degree or measure of goodness. And another Heathen observes, that the earnest de­sire of what men would have, maketh them forgetful of what they have. I forget what's past (saith the Apostle) and press on to what is before. Their eye is more upon what they want, than upon what they have. It is with good Christians in this case, as it is with rich worldlings; that like men in a race, have their eye on those that be before them, not on those that come after them, they are ever eying those that seem to out-strip and out-go them in wealth, and think they have nothing, and that they are but poor men, so long as they come short of such and such, who are rich and great in the world: And so it is with many precious Christians, they have still their eye fixt upon those whose examples they either read of, or whose courses and graces they are eye­witnesses of; and hereupon they think that they have no grace, or else that they make no progress in grace, at least worth speaking of, so long as they come behind and fall short of such and such, who are very eminent, or most eminent in grace and holiness; and upon this account it is, that they make such sore complaints of their spiritual wants, and of their slow progress in grace and holiness, and that they can hardly perceive but that they stand still at a stay. Now mark, these sad complaints of theirs, and their serious desires to grow in grace, is a sure and infallible evidence of the truth of grace in them; yea it is a sure argument that they love [Page 186] grace as it is grace, that they love grace for grace sake, which none can do but such as have grace. 'Tis a sure sign that he was never truly good, that desireth not to be better (ille non est bonus qui non vult esse melior) yea, he has very great cause to fear, that his heart is naught, very naught, if not stark naught, that desireth not to be as good as the best, to be as gracious as he that is most gracious, and to be as holy as he that is most holy. Well Sirs, this will be found an everlasting truth, viz. That no man can sincerely desire, and habitually endeavour after the highest pitches of grace, but he that hath true grace.

Eleventhly, No man can alwayes desire grace, but he that 11 has true grace, constant desires after grace, argues the reali­ty of grace;Isa. 26.7, 8, 9. Cant. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. Psal. 106.3. constant desires after grace, speaks out a state of grace, Psal. 119.20. My soul breaketh for the longeth that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Pliny speaks of a golden vine which never withereth. All gracious desires are such golden desires as never wither: Take a Christian when you will, and where you will, and among whom you will, and in what condition you will, and still you shall find his heart full of gracious desires.Num. 23.10. O, that I had grace! O, that I had much grace! &c. Balaam in a fit, in a good mood, desires to die the death of the righteous, but his desires were fleeting and flashy, they were transient, not permanent. Some poor sin­ners,Dan. 5.6. when they are in a good mood, or under some distress of conscience, or under some grievous trials, or when they see the hand-writing upon the wall; and when death, which is the King of terrors, and the terror of Kings knocks at their doors; O! then they cry out, O, that we had grace! O, what shall we do for grace! O, send to such a Minister, and to such a Christian, whom we have hated, scorned, re­proached and opposed, and desire them to be earnest with God,Hos. 6.4. Psal. 78.37. Psal. 5.9. that he would give us grace, for now we see, that with­out grace there is no escaping of hell, nor no coming to hea­ven. But all these desires of theirs are but like the morning cloud, or the early dew that quickly passeth away: But now if you look upon the weak Christian, as you shall commonly find a tear in his eye, a sigh in his breast, and a complaint in [Page 187] his mouth; so you shall alwayes find desires in his heart after grace, O, that I had grace! O, that I had much grace! O, that I did but excel in grace! O, that I had as much grace as such a Christian! O that I had a greater exercise of grace!Psal. 42.1, 2, 3. Psal. 63.1, 2, 3, 8. Whatever outward or inward changes may attend a Christi­an in this world, yet you shall still find him full of holy de­sires, and breathings, and hankerings, and longings after God, and Christ, and grace, and holiness; O, that I had more of these! O, when shall I have more of these! O, that God would cut me short in any thing, yea in every thing, rather than cut me short in these things, that the desires of my soul are so much running after! These desires of theirs may fur­ther be set forth by a spring between a couple of hills; the spring will alwayes run through those lets that stop it, or else it will run over those lets, for it cannot cease running if it be a living spring; so the desires of a gracious soul will still be running after God, and Christ, and grace, &c. The good desires of bad men after God, and Christ, and grace, and ho­liness, are like water in a Cistern, that quickly runs out; but the desires of a godly man after God, Christ, grace, holiness, are like water in a fountain that is still a running. An un­sound Christian is never good at all times, he is only good by fits, and starts, and turns sometimes when he is Sermon-sick, or under a smarting rod, or a gauled conscience, or when he is under some heavy cross, or sad loss; O, then he will be good! O, then he will have God, and he will have Christ, and he will have grace, and he will have heaven; but this good frame, this good temper of his is not lasting, 'tis not abiding, 'tis like a vapour that quickly vanishes, or like a wind-mill that goes as long as the wind fills the sails, but no longer. These are like Sigismund the Emperor, who when he was sick, would be very godly; but when he was well, none more wicked. But,

Twelfthly, No man can sincerely desire to abound and 12 excel most in those particular graces which are most oppo­site and contrary to those particular sins which his natural temper, constitution, complexion, calling, or condition, [Page 188] does most expose him and incline him to, but he that has true grace, but he whose heart is sincere with God, Psal. 18.23. I was upright before him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity. If passion be a sincere Christians head-lust, then his desires run most out for meekness; if pride, then his de­sires are most for humility; if earthliness, then his desires are most for heavenly-mindedness; if unbelief, then his de­sire,Luke 17.5. are most for faith; you shall then find him with the Disciples, crying out, Lord, increase our faith. But now, though a wicked mans heart rise against every grace, yet it rises most strongly against those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular lusts which are a wicked mans bosom lusts,Mat. 26.8, 9. his darling sins, &c. Hence the covetous heart rises and swells most against liberality, as you see in Judas, Rev. 3.15, 16, 17. Luke 19. What need this waste? Flesh and bloud looks upon all as lost that is laid out upon Christ, his servants and services. And the luke-warm Christians heart rises and swells most against zeal and fervency; and the griping Use­rers heart rises and swells most against restitution;Job 21.14, 15. and the adulterers heart rises and swells most against purity, chastity, continency; and the ignorant mans heart rises and swells most against light and knowledge;Eccles. 7.10. the ignorant man is wil­ling to go to hell in the dark, and ready, and bold enough to conclude, that we never had such sad and bad times as we have had, since there hath been so much preaching, and so much hearing, and so much fasting, and so much praying, and so much light and knowledge in the world. But now it is quite otherwise with a true child of God,Rom. 7.22, 23. for his heart rises and swells most against the Toad or Toads that are in his own bosom; and the daily and earnest desires of his soul are, that God would make him eminent in every grace, yea that God would make him most eminent in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those parti­cular lusts and corruptions which more peculiarly, more especially he hath cause to call his iniquity,Psal. 49.5. or the iniquities of his heart, and of his heels. Look, as we have some dirt, more or less, that will still cleave to our heels whilst we are in a dirty world; so there is some defilements and pollutions [Page 189] that will still be cleaving to all our duties, services, wayes and walkings in this world, which we may well call the ini­quity of our heels. Now a gracious heart rises most against these, &c.

Thirteenthly, No man can truly love grace in another, but 13 he that has true grace in his own soul.1 John 3.10. No man can love a Saint as a Saint, but he that is a real Saint; no man can love holiness in another, but he that has holiness in his own soul; no man can love a good man for goodness sake, but he that is really good; We know that we have passed from death to life, 1 John 3.14. This Text you have opened in the first Maxim of this Book. be­cause we love the brethren. Sincere love to the brethren is a most evident sign of a Christians being already passed or translated from death to life; that is, from a state of nature into a state of grace; such a poor soul that dares not say that he has grace in his own heart, yet dares say before the Lord, that he loves, delights, and takes pleasure to see the holy gra­ces of the Spirit sparkling and shining in the hearts, lives and lips of other Saints, secretly wishing in himself that his soul were but in their case; and that dares say before the Lord,Psal. 15.1, 4. Psal. 16.3. He that loves his brother (saith Augustine) better knows his love wherewith he loves, than his▪ brother whom he loves. that there are no men in all the world that are so precious, so lovely, so comely, so excellent, and so honour­able in his account, in his eye, as those that have the Image of God, of Christ, of grace, of holiness most clearly, most fairly, and most fully stampt upon them. When a poor Chri­stian can rejoyce in every light, in every Sun that out-shines his own; when he sees wisdom and knowledge shining in one Saint, and faith and love shining in another Saint, and humility and lowliness shining in another Saint, and meek­ness and uprightness shining in another Saint, and zeal and courage shining in another Saint, and patience and con­stancy shining in another, and then can make his retreat to his closet, admiring & blessing of the Lord for the various gra­ces of his Spirit shining in his children, and be frequent and earnest with God, that those very graces might shine as so many Suns in his soul; doubtless such a poor soul has true grace, and is happy, and will be happy to all eternity. In Ter­tullian's time, the Heathen would point out the Christians by [Page 190] this mark, See how they love one another. Now to prevent mi­stakes, I shall shew you the several properties of sincere love to the Saints.

1 First, True love to the Saints is spiritual, it is a love for the Image of God that is stampt upon the soul, 1 John 5.1. Every one that loveth him that begat, 1 John 4.7. loveth him also that is begot­ten of him. A soul that truly loves, loves the father for his own sake, and the children for the fathers sake. If the Image of God be the load-stone that drawes out our love to the Saints, then our love is real to them; he that does not love the Saints as Saints, he that does not love them under a spiri­tual notion he hath no true affection to them. Naturally we hate God,Gen. 3.15. 1 John 3.12. because he is a holy God, and his Law because it is an holy Law, and his people because they are a holy peo­ple. 'Tis only the Spirit of God that can inable a man to love a Saint for the image of God that is in him; many there are which love Christians for their goods, not for their good; they love them for the money that is in their purses, but not for the grace that is in their hearts; many like the Bohemian Cur, fawn upon a good suit. Love to the Saints for the Image of God stampt upon them, is a flower that does not grow in natures garden. No man can love grace in another mans heart, but he that hath grace in his own; men do not more naturally love their parents,Prov. 29.10. Ezek. 25.15. and love their children, and love themselves, than they do naturally hate the image of God upon his people and wayes. I have read of one who was so lusty and quarrelsom, that he was ready to fight with his own image so often as he saw it in a glass. O! how many are there in these dayes, that are still a quarrelling and fighting with the image of God wherever they see it? True love is for what of the divine nature, for what of Christ and grace shines in a man; it is one thing to love a godly man, and an­ther thing to love him for godliness: Many love godly men as they are Politicians, or Potent, or Learned, or of a sweet nature, or affable, or related, or as they have been kind to them; but all this is but natural love, but to love them because they are spiritually lovely, because of the [Page 191] seed of God in them, because they are all glorious within,John 1.3.9. Psal. 45.13. is to love them as becometh Saints, it is to love them at a higher and nobler rate, than any hypocrite in the world can reach too. The Wasps flie about the Tradesman's shop, not out of love to him, but the honey and fruit that is there. But,

Secondly, True love to the Saints is appretiating; a gra­cious 2 soul sets the highest price, and the greatest value and esteem upon those that are gracious, Psal. 15.4. He honours them that fear the Lord;Psal. 119.119. Psal. 1.4. he looks upon the wicked as lum­ber, but upon the Saints as jewels; he looks upon the wick­ed as dross, but upon the Saints as the gold of Ophir; he looks upon the wicked as chaff, but upon the Saints as wheat;1 John 12. he looks upon the Saints as sons, but upon the wicked as slaves;Heb. 1. ult. he looks upon the Saints as heirs of salvation, but upon the wicked as heirs of damnation. Gracious souls do not value persons by their great Places, Offices, Names, Professions, Arts, Parts, Gifts, gay Cloaths, gold Chains, Honours, Riches, but by what they are worth for another world. As the great God, so gracious souls look not how rational men are, but how religious; not how great, but how gracious; not how high, but how holy,Psal. 16.3. and accordingly they value them. My goodness extends not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Prov. 12.26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. 'Tis grace that differences one man from another, & that exalts one man above another. A gracious man, though never so poor, and low, and contemptible in the world, is a better man than his wicked neighbour (though he be never so great or rich in the world) in the eye, account, and esteem of God, Angels and Saints, there is no man to the gracious man: The Sun doth not more excel and out-shine the Stars, than a righteous man doth excel and out-shine his unrighteous neighbour.Prov. 28.6. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his wayes, though he be rich. A gracious man prefers a holy Job upon the dunghil, before a wicked Ahab upon the Throne: he sets a higher price upon a gracious Lazarus, though [Page 192] cloathed with rags and full of sores,Luke 16. than upon a rich and wretched Dives, though he be cloathed gloriously, and fares sumptiously every day. This is, and this must be for a lamen­tation,Psal. 45.13. Wicked men may highly prize and admire a the common gifts of the Saints, as Pharaoh admired at the wisdom of Joseph, and Ne­buchadnezzar ad­mired at the wis­dom of Daniel; but they never prize nor admire at their graces. Every one that doth evil, hateth the light, Joh. 3.20. that this poor, blind, mad, besotted world rates and values men according to their worldly interest, greatness, glo­ry and grandure; but gracious souls, they rate and value men by their graces, by their inward excellencies, and by what they are worth for eternity; in the eye of a gracious man; there is no wife to a gracious wife, no child to a gracious child, no friend to a gracious friend, no neighbour to a gracious neighbour, no Magistrate to a gracious Magistrate, no Minister to a gracious Minister, no Master to a gracious Master, nor no servant to a gracious ser­vant; internal excellencies carries it with a gracious man, before all external glories. The Jews say, that those seventy souls that went with Jacob into Egypt, were as much worth as all the seventy Nations in the world: Doubtless, seventy gracious persons in the esteem and judgment of those that are gracious, are more worth than a whole world, yea than seventy worlds of graceless persons. Well Sirs, remember this; No man can truly prize, and highly value grace in ano­ther, but he that hath grace in his own heart. Some prize Christians for their wit, others prize them for their wealth; some prize them for their birth and breeding, others prize them for their beauty and worldly glory; some prize them for the great things that have been done by them, others prize them for the good things that they have received from them; some prize them for their Eagles eyes, others prize them for their silver tongues, and others prize them for their golden parts; but he that is truly gracious, he prizes them for the grace of God that is in them, he sets the highest value upon 3 them for their holiness,No unregenerate person hath a love to all the Saints; for though he seems to love some, yet he loaths others; he is guilty of sinful partiality, having the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of per­sons. They seem to love the rich, and despise the poor, James 2. &c. But,

Thirdly, True love to the Saints is universal to one Chri­stian as well as another, to all as well as any, to poor La­zarus as well as to rich Alraham, to a despised Job as well as to an admired David, to an afflicted Joseph as well as to a raised Iacob, to a despised Disciple as well as to an exalted [Page 193] Apostle, Eph. 1.15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus, and love unto all the Saints. Col. 1.4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus, and of the love which ye have to all the Saints. Faith in Christ Jesus maketh love to all the Saints; therefore they go commonly coupled in Pauls Epistles. It was the glory of the Ephesians and Colossi­ans, that their faith and love reached to all the Saints; their love was not a narrow love, a love confined to some particu­lar Saints, but it was universal to all Saints, Phil. 4.21. Sa­lute every Saint in Christ Iesus; the meanest as well as the [...]ichest, the weakest as well as the strongest, the lowest as well as the highest, and those that have many infirmities as well as those that have fewer infirmities,Eph. 1.21, 22, 23 1 Pet. 2.17. and those that have but mean parts and gifts, as well as those that have the strong­est parts, and the most raised gifts. All Saints have the same Spirit, the same Jesus, the same Faith, &c. they are all fel­low-members, fellow-travellers, fellow-soldiers, fellow-Citizens, fellow-heirs, and therefore must they all be loved with a sincere and cordial love: Love is set upon the bro­therhood, upon the whole fraternity of Believers, and not here and there upon one. Divine love casts an eye of favour upon grace in rags, upon a dunghil, in a dungeon, a den, a prison, a fiery-furnace;Psal. 16.3. grace is as lovely in the illiterate as in the greatest Scholar, in the servant as in the Master, in the maid as in the Mistris, in the child as in the Father, in the subject as in the Prince, in the buyer as in the seller, &c. Look, as all our delight must be in the Saints, so our delight must be in all the Saints. 'Tis sad & sinful to contemn our poor brethren; and yet this was the very case of the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.21, 22. for they in their love-feasts carried it so unequally, that one was hungry, to wit, the poor; and another was drunken, to wit, the rich: And this made the Apostle put that question to them; What? have ye not houses to eat and drink in? or despise ye the Church of God, and shame them that have not? or put them to shame that have nothing? And the Apostle Iames doth very roundly reprove and condemn that partial love that was ge­nerally among the Jews in his dayes, Iam 2.1, 2, 3 4. My bre­thren, have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Lord of glory, [Page 194] with respect of persons; for if there come unto your assembly, a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing, and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool; are ye not then partial in your selves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Not that the Apostle doth simply or absolutely prohibit a civil differencing of men in place from others; for it cannot be denied but that there is a holy and warrant­able respect of persons, in respect of their age, callings, gifts, graces and greatness in the world; but when the rich mans wealth is more regarded than the poor mans godliness; and when men carry it so to the rich, as to cast scorn, con­tempt, disgrace and discouragement upon the godly poor. They that respect a rich man that has but a little grace, be­fore a poor man that is rich in grace, are worthy of blame. All true born sons love to see the image and picture of their father, though hung in never so poor a frame, and in never so mean a cottage: So the true born sons of God, they love to see the image of God, the picture of God upon the poor­est Saints. 'Tis sad to prefer a worldly lustre before heaven­ly grace, a gold ring before a rich faith, a chain of gold be­fore a chain of grace.Non ex personis fi­dem, sed ex fide personas. Tertul. Ver. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom? It is a vile thing, saith one of the Ancients, to have the faith of Christ in respect of persons. We do not judge of faith by persons, but of persons by faith. 'Tis the great wisdom of a Christian, not to judge of men by their outwards, but by their inwards; not by their externals, but by their internals; not by what they are worth for this world, but by what they are worth for that other world. The poor­est Saints are God's portion, Deut. 32.9. They are his plea­sant portion, Jer. 12.10. They are his peculiar treasure, Exod. 19.5. They are his jewels, Mal. 3.17. They are the apple of his eye, Zech. 2.8. They are his glory, Isa. 4.5. They are the crown of his glory and royal diadem, Isa. 62.3. and therefore 'tis a dangerous thing to flight them, to disown them, to look frowningly upon them, or to carry it unwor­thily [Page 195] towards them. Pompey told his Cornelia, It is no praise to thee to have loved (Pompeium Magnum) Pompey the Great, but if thou lovest (Pompeium miserum) Pompey the miserable, thou shalt be a pattern for imitation to all posterity: So I say, it is no great matter to love those that are rich and pi­ous, great and gracious, high and holy; but to love the poor Saints of God in their lowest and most miserable condition, when they have not a rag to cover them, nor a crust to re­fresh them, nor a fire to warm them, nor a friend to stand by them, nor a penny to help them; this is praise-worthy, this speaks our much of God, of Christ, of grace within. Romanus the Martyr, who was born of noble Parentage in­treated his persecutors, that they would not favour him for his Nobility; For it is not (said he) the bloud of my Ance­cestors, but my Christian faith that makes me Noble. 'Tis not race, nor place, but grace that makes a man truly noble; without a peradventure, he that loves one Saint for the image of God that is upon him, he cannot but fall in love with every Saint that bears the lovely image of the Father upon him; he cannot but love a Saint in rags as well as a Saint in robes, a Saint upon the dunghil as well as a Saint upon the throne; usually those Christians that have least of the world, have most of Christ; commonly those Christians that have least of the world, have most of heaven in their hearts, houses and lives. But,

Fourthly, True love to the Saints will extend to those that are most remote in respect of place,Rom. 5.26. as well as to those that 4 are near. They of Macedonia and Achaia made a contribution for the poor Saints at Jerusalem. 3 John 5. The Saints of Macedonia and Achaia did freely and cheerfully contribute to the poor Saints at Jerusalem, whose faces probably they had never seen. And Gaius is commended for his love to strangers. A graci­ous man that has an estate, a treasury, an inheritance, he is like a common fountain that freely gives out to strangers as well as to near neighbors. A great fire will warm those that sit far from it, as wel as those that sit neer unto it: So sincere love will extend and stretch out it self to those Saints that are most remote; gracious souls do dearly love and highly va­lue [Page 196] those Saints whose faces they have never seen, nor are like to see in this world, and from whose hands they have not re­ceived the least civility; and all upon the serious reports that they have had of the grace of God that has been spark­ling and shining in them,Rom. 12.9. 1 Pet. 1.22. 1 John 3.18. whose habitations are at a great distance from them. A sincere love, an unfeigned love, a hearty love will be running out towards those that live most remote from us, if we do but understand that God is in them and with them of truth. But,

5 Fifthly, Our love to the Saints is right, when we love them best, and most in whom the spiritual and supernatural causes of love are most sparkling and shining; where grace draws the affections, there the more grace we see, the more we shall love, Psal. 16.3. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Psal. 45.19. There are Saints, and there are excellent Saints. The Hebrew word that is here rendred excellent, signifies magnificent ones, noble ones, glorious ones, wonder­ful ones. O Sirs! there are some Saints that are magnifi­cent in grace, noble in grace, glorious in grace, wonderful in grace. Now this is certain, if grace be the true reason why we love any, then the more excellent, the more magnificent any are in grace,Psal. 15.4. the more highly we shall prize them, and the more dearly we shall love them, and the more abundantly in our hearts we shall honour them. Look, as grace rises higher and higher in the same person, so we shall rise higher and higher in our love to the same person;Dan. 9.23. John 21.20. Daniel was greatly beloved, and Iohn was singularly beloved; and why? but because they were more eminently gracious than others were. Where there is most grace, there God is most honoured, and there Christ is most exalted, and there the Spirit is best pleased, and there Religion is most adorned, and there Satan is most dethroned, and there the world is most conquered, and there sin is most subdued, and there du­ties are most exactly performed; and therefore, there the gracious soul can't but love best and most. There are some that seem to love such and such godly men, whose judgments [Page 197] are weak and light, little, and parts low, and grace small; who yet look with a squint eye, an envious eye upon every Sun that outshines their own, upon every ones graces and excellencies that are more sparkling than their own. Though pride and envy have received their deaths-wound at the souls first conversion, yet they are not quite slain in a be­liever; there is an aptness even in real Saints,Luk. 7.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. to grudge and repine at those gifts, graces and excellencies in others that outshine their own. John's disciples muttered and murmur­ed, because Christ had more followers and admirers than John; and that spirit that lived in John's disciples, is still alive to this very day. This is, and this must be for a lamen­tation. Well Sirs, look as the fairest day hath its clouds, the finest linnen its spots, the richest jewels their flaws, the sweetest fruits their worms; so when many precious Chri­stians are not themselves, when they are in an hour of tem­ptation, when their corruptions are up, and their graces down, they may and too often do,Num. 11.29. envy and repine at those graces, excellencies and abilities that do over-cast, cloud,Heb. 12.15. darken and outshine their own. The best of men are but men at the best, and there is still those bitter roots of pride, vain-glory, self-love, envy, &c. remaining in them, that occa­sions their hearts to rise and swell, yea sometimes to cast disgrace upon those excellencies in others that themselves want: As that great man that could not write his own name,Eusebius speaks of him, in his Ec­clesiastical Hist [...] ­ry, &c. and yet called the liberal Arts, A publick Poyson and Pesti­lence. This spiritual disease is mostly to be found among Christians that are got into some of the highest forms in Christianity; take your ordinary common Christians, and they commonly rejoyce most where they see most grace: And so do your Christians in a higher form too, when they come to themselves, and to make up their accounts, and have wept over those cursed roots of bitterness that are so apt to be sprouting out. Now, there is no greater argument that our grace is true, and that we do love others for grace sake, than our loving them best that have most grace, though they have but little of the world. A pearl is rich if found on a dunghil, though it may glister more when set in a ring of [Page 198] gold; so many a poor believer is rich in grace, and preci­ous, and glorious in the eye of Christ, and should be so in ours, though like Job he sits upon a dunghil; though in the eyes of the world he may seem to glister most, when adorned with riches, honour and outward pomp. If grace be the true reason why we love any person, then the more grace that person hath, the more we shall love him. A godly man loves all that are godly, but he loves them most, that excel most in the power, purity and practise of godliness, &c. But,

6 Sixthly and lastly, True love to the Saints is constant, 'tis permanent,John 13.1. & 15.12. &c. 1 Cor. 13.8. Love never faileth, Heb. 13.1. Let brotherly love continue. 'Tis a love like that of Christ's, who loved his to the end. 1 Joh. 4.16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Our love to our brother must not only lodge with us a night and away, but we must dwell in brotherly love. Look, as our love must be sincere without hypocrisie, so it must be constant without deficien­cy; that love was never true that is not constant; true love like the pulse, will still be beating, it will still be working and running out to the person beloved; true love will not fawn upon a Christian when high, and frown upon him when low; it will not kiss him upon the throne, and kick him up­on the dunghil. The grounds and causes of their love are constant, viz. God's commands, their spiritual relations, and the truth of grace in their souls; and therefore their love can't but be constant.Prov. 17.17. Christian friend­ship makes such a knot, that great Alexander cannot cut, &c. A friend (saith Solomon) loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Euripides hit it, when he said, That a faithful friend in adversity, is better than a calm Sea to a weather-beaten Mariner. He that truly loves, will love in adversity as well as in prosperity, in storms as well as in calms, in winter nights as well as in Summer dayes; he that sincerely loves the Saints, he will love them as well when men frown upon them, as when they smile upon them; as well when men strike them, as when they stroke them; as well when men cast them down, as when they lift them up; as well when men cry, Crucifie them, crucifie them, as when they cry Hosanna, Hosanna, to them. Consalvus (a Spanish Bi­shop [Page 199] and Inquisitor) wondred how the Christians had that Commandement, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, so in­delibly printed in their hearts, that no torture could blot it out, and make them confess and betray one another, or cease from loving one another.Hieron. I have read of one Ursinus a Chri­stian Physician, who being to suffer Martyrdom for the Gos­pel of Christ, began to waver and faint; which when Vitalis a holy man saw, he stept to him, and though he knew it would cost him his life, yet he thus comforted and encouraged him, saying, What, have ye been heretofore so industrious to pre­serve mens bodies, and will you now shrink at the saving of your own soul? Be couragious, fear not, &c. For which faithful counsel, he also was condemned to death, and suffer­ed accordingly.Ruth 1. A true friend is neither known in prosperi­ty, nor hid in adversity. True love is like that of Ruth's to Naomi, that of Jonathan's to David, permanent and constant.Job 6.15, 16. Many there be whose love to the Saints is like Job's brooks, which in the Winter, when men have no need of them, over­flows with tenders of service, and shews of love; but when the season is hot and dry, & the poor thirsty traveller stands in most need of water to refresh him, then the brooks are quite dried up. They are like the Swallow, that will stay by you in the Summer of prosperity, but flie from you in the Winter of adversity. It is observed by Josephus of the Samaritans, Joseph Anti. lib. 11. p. 286. that when ever the Jews affairs prospered, they would be their friends, and profess much love to them; yea, they would vaunt of their alliance, saying, That they were near akin, and of the race of Ephraim and Manasses the sons of Joseph: But when the Jews were in trouble and affliction, and brought to an under, then they would not own them,Lib. 11. p. 272. Lib. 12. p. 304. Lib. 13. p. 322, 323. &c. nor have any thing to do with them; yea, then they would set themselves with all their [...]ight against them, as the same Historian tells us. This age is full of such Samaritans; yet certainly, such as truly love, they will alwayes love; such as truly love the people of God, they will love them to the end. In the pri­mitive times it was very much taken notice of by the very Heathen, that in the depth of misery, when fathers and mo­thers forsook their children, Christians (otherwise strangers) [Page 200] stuck closs one to another, their love of Religion, and one of another, proved firmer than that of nature. They seem to take away the Sun out of the world (said the Orator) who take away friendship from the life of man; for we do not more need fire and water, than constant friendship. Though wicked men may pretend great love to the Saints, yet their love is not constant;Gen. 31.24, 29. & 33 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Dan. 6. God sometimes indeed over-rules their spirits with a very strong hand, as he did Laban's and Esau's, or as he over-ruled the spirits of the Lions to pre­serve Daniel, and of the Ravens to feed Elijah; but so soon as that over-ruling providence is over, they are as they were befo [...]e. God for a time gave the Israelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, but before and after they were their utter enemies. But now a gracious soul, he loves the Saints at all times, his love to them is constant. But,

14 Fourteenthly, That soul that dares not say that he has grace, yet can truly say before the Lord, that he prizes the least dram of grace above ten thousand thousand worlds, certain­ly that soul has true grace in him. Doubtless there are none that can prize grace in their understandings and judgments above all the world,Mic. 6.6, 7. Phil. 3.18, 19. Mat. 19.16. to 25. Psal. 2.21. but such as are first taken out of the world by grace. There is no man on earth whose heart is void and empty of grace, but sets a higher value and price upon his lusts, or upon his relations, or upon his honours, or riches, or pleasures, or upon this or that worldly enjoy­ment, than he does upon grace, or the fountain of grace; yea, how many thousands are there that set a higher price or value upon a Hound, a Hawk, a Horse, a Harlot, a good Trade, a fair Estate, a rich inheritance, yea upon the very toyes and trifles of this world, than they do upon God, or Christ, or grace? 'Twas never yet known in the world, that ever God sent such a man to hell, who prized grace above heaven it self, who had rather have grace and holiness with­out heaven, than heaven it self without grace and holiness.

15 Fifteenthly, That soul that dares not say that his condi­tion is good, yet can say in truth of heart before the Lord, [Page 201] that he would not change his condition with the vain, carnal, formal and prophane men of the world, for ten thousand worlds; that man is certainly for heaven, and heaven is cer­tainly for that man: we may be very highly, and groundedly confident, that God will never cast that man to hell among devils and damned spirits at the great day, who in his day of life would not chuse to be in the condition of the men of the world, for as many worlds as there be men in the world. Look, as none meet in heaven, but such as are like to like in their renewed natures, principles and practises; so none meet in hell but such as are like to like in their old natures,Deut. 22.10. 2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. principles and practises. That God that would not suffer an Ox to be yoked with an Ass in this world; nor a Believer with an Infidel; will never suffer such to be yoked with devils and damned reprobates in that lower world, who would not to gain many worlds be willingly yoked with wicked men in this world; certainly they shall never be a Christians companions in that other world, whose society and company, and whose wickedness and baseness have been a grief, a tor­ment, a hell to him in this world, Psal. 119.53, 136. Jer. 9.1, 2. Ezek. 9.4, 6. 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. When Mrs. Kathe­rine Brettergh was upon her dying bed, and most grievously assaulted by temptations; in the midst of her sore conflicts, this was no small support and comfort to her, That surely God would not send her to hell to live for ever among such wicked persons, whose company and whose sin was a burden to her in this world, &c. But,

Sixteenthly,James 3.2. Eccles. 7.20. Prov. 20.7. Joh. 1.1, 8. That soul that dares not say that he does not 16 sin, (For in many things we offend all; and there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not; and who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? And if we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us) yet can say in uprightness before the Lord, that he would not willingly, resolutely, maliciously, wilfully, wickedly and hab tually sin against the Lord to gain a world; that soul that don't nor won't through grace assisting,Psal. 119.1, 3. 1 John 3.9. allow himself or in­dulge himself in a course of sin, or in a trade of [...] in [Page 202] the common practise of any known sin, that soul is certainly a gracious soul.Rom. 7.15. The evil that I do I allow not. 'Tis one thing for a man to sin, 'tis an other thing for a man to allow himself in sin; 'tis one thing for a godly man to step into a sin,Psal. 139 24. and 'tis another thing to keep the road of sin. Search me and try me, and see if there be any way of wickedness in me (or as the Hebrew runs, Any way of pain, or of grief, or of provocation) that is, any course of sin that is grievous or provoking to the eyes of divine glory. A real Saint can neither allow of sin, nor wallow in sin, nor be transformed into the image of sin, nor mix it self with sin. 'Tis possible for a sincere Christian to step into a sinful path, or to touch upon sinful facts,Gal. 6.1. Prov. 16.17. and now and then in an hour of temptation, to slide, to trip, and to be overtaken unawares; but his main way, his principle work, is to depart from ini­quity. As a true traveller may now and then step a few steps out of his way, who yet for the main keeps his way, keeps the road; or as a Bee may now and then light upon a thistle, but her main work is to be gathering at the flowers; or as a Sheep may now and then slip into the dirt, or into a slow, but its main work is to be grazing upon the mountains. Cer­tainly, O soul, if sin be now thy greatest burden, it shall ne­ver hereafter prove thy eternal bane. God never yet sent any man to hell for sin, to whom sin has commonly been the greatest hell in this world. God has but one hell, and that is for those to whom sin has been commonly a heaven in this world. That man that hates sin, and that daily enters his protest against sin, that man shall never be made miserable by sin. Sin in a wicked man is like poyson in a serpent; it is in its natural place, it is delightful to a sinner; but sin in a Saint is like poyson in a man's body, it is offensive, and the heart rises against it, and is carried forth to the use of all divine Antidotes whereby it may be expelled and destroyed; nothing will satisfie a gracious soul, but the heart bloud of his lusts. Now, he shall never be damned for his sins, whose heart is set upon killing his sins.

Seventeenthly, Such a poor soul that dares not say, that God is his God; or that Christ is his Redeemer, or that he has a work of grace upon his heart; yet can say with some inte­grity [Page 203] of heart before the Lord, that if God and Christ, grace and glory, holiness and happiness were offered to him on the one hand, and all the honours, pleasures, profits, delights, and carnal contents of the world were offered him on the other hand, he had infinitely rather ten thousand thousand times chuse God and Christ, grace and glory, holiness and happiness, than the contrary. Certainly such a soul has true grace in him, and a saving work past upon him; for none can freely, seriously, habitually, resolutely, chuse God and Christ, grace and glory, holiness and happiness, as their (summum bonum) chiefest good, but such who are really good.1 John 4.19. Deut. 7.6, 7, 8, 9. & 26.17, 18, 19. Look, as our love to God is but an effect of his love to us; We love him because he first loved us; so our chusing of God for our God, is but an effect of God's chusing us for his people; we chuse him because he first chose us: Such, who in their serious choice, set up God and Christ above all other per­sons and things, such God will certainly make happy and bles­sed for ever. God never did, nor never will, reject those, or damn those, who really chuse him for their God, and for their great all. The greatest part of the world chuse their lusts rather than God, and the creatures rather than Christ;Luke 12.21. they chuse rather to be great than gracious, to be rich in this world than to be rich towards God, to be outwardly happy than to be inwardly holy,Mat. 10.42. to have a heaven on earth than to have a heaven after death, and so they miscarry for ever. That soul that with Mary has chosen the better part, that soul with Mary shall be happy for ever; every man must stand or fall for ever as his choice has been. But,

Eighteeenthly, Canst thou truly say in the presence of 18 the great and glorious God, that is the searcher of all hearts,Psal. 139.23, 24. that thou hast given up thy heart and life to the rule, autho­rity and government of Jesus Christ? and that thou hast cho­sen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King, and art truly wil­ling to submit to his dominion, as the only precious and righ­teous government, and as the only holy and heavenly, swee [...] and pleasant; profitable and comfortable, safe and best do­minion in all the world, and to resign up thy heart, thy will, [Page 204] thy affections, thy life, thy all, really to Christ, wholly to Christ,Isa. 26.13. and only to Christ? Canst thou, O poor soul! look up to heaven, and truly say, O dear Lord Jesus! other Lords, viz. the world, the flesh and the devil, have had do­minion too long over me; but now these Lords I do heartily renounce,Isa. 33.22. I do utterly renounce, I do for ever renounce, and do give up my self to thee as my only Lord, beseeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever: O Lord! though sin rages, and Satan roars, and the world sometimes frowns, and sometimes fawns; yet I am resolved to own thee as my only Lord, and to serve thee as my only Lord; and my greatest fear (by divine assistance) shall be of offend­ing thee, and my chiefest care shall be to please thee, and my only joy shall be to be a praise, a name, and an honour to thee. O Lord, I can appeal to thee in the sincerity of my heart,Psal. 65.3. Rom. 7.23. that though I have many invincible sins, weak­nesses and infirmities that hang upon me; and though I am often worsted by my sins, and overcome in an hour of tem­ptation, yet thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts, thou dost know that I have given up my heart and life to the obe­dience of Jesus Christ, and do daily give them up to his rule and government; and 'tis the earnest desire of my soul, above all things in this world, that Jesus Christ may still set up his Laws in my heart, and exercise his dominion over me. Now certainly, there is not the weakest Christian in all the world, but can venture himself upon such an appeal to God as this is; and without all peradventure, where such a frame and temper of spirit is, there the dominion of Jesus Christ is set up; and where the dominion of Christ is set up, there sin has no dominion; for the dominion of sin, and the domi­nion of Christ are inconsistent, and therefore such a soul is happy, and will be happy to all eternity. But,

19 Cant. 8.5. Acts 11.21, 22, 23 Psal. 71.16. Isa. 61.10.Nineteenthly, That man that will venture his soul upon Christ, and that will lean upon Christ, and cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart, and that will cleave to his bloud, and cleave to his righteousness, and cleave to his merits and satisfaction, in the face of all fears, doubts, disputes, cavils [Page 205] and objections; and though it cannot clear its title to Christ, yet will stay and hang it self upon Christ for life and happi­ness; that man is certainly a Believer, and will be ever­lastingly saved. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him; Job 13.15. if I must die, I will die at his feet, and in the midst of death ex­pect a better life;Mat. 15.22 to 28 that man acts faith to purpose that can love a frowning God, and hang upon an angry God, and fol­low hard after a withdrawing God,Psal. 63.1, 8. yea and trust in a killing God, as here. Job had his Feverish sits, and his impatient slips, and yet he kept up his heroical resolution to lean upon the Lord, whilst he had but one minute to live; and this speaks out not only the truth, but also the strength of Job's faith in the midst of his extraordinary combats; when the soul is peremptorily and habitually resolved to cleave to the person of Christ, and to cleave to the merits of Christ,Gen. 2.24. Ruth 1.14, 15, 16, 17. Est. 4.16. and to cleave to the transactions of Christ with the Father, for the salvation of sinners (as the wife cleaves to her husband, or as the child cleaves to the father, or as Ruth cleaved to Naomi, or as the Ivy cleaves to the Oak) with an If I perish, I perish, then 'tis safe, then 'tis happy, then 'tis out of the dan­ger of hell, then 'tis within the Suburbs of heaven. God never did, nor never will cast such a man to hell, whose soul is drawn forth to a secret resting, saying, leaning and rely­ing alone upon Christ, for the obtaining of all that good, and all that glory that he has purchased, and his father has pro­mised. But,

Lastly, That man that makes it his principle care, his 20 main business, his work of works, to look to his heart, to watch his heart, and to reform his heart, that man doubtless has a saving work of God upon his heart. There are two things which a gracious soul most looks at; his God and his heart. Though a gracious man looks to the cleansing of his hands, yet his principle care is the reformation of his heart, the cleansing of his heart, according to that of the Apostle James; Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts ye double minded. And that of the Prophet Jeremiah; James 4.8. Jer. 4.14. O Jerusa­lem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. [Page 206] Man must labour after a clean inside, as well as a clean out­side; the conversation must not be only unspotted before the world, but the heart also must be unspotted before God; the heart is as capable of inward defilements as the body is of outward defilements.2 Cor. 7.1. O Sirs! though heart-defilement is least taken notice of, yet heart-defilement is the worst de­filement, and the most dangerous defilement in the world; heart-defilement is spiritual defilement,Eph. 6.12. Vide [...]za. and spiritual defile­ment is the defilement of divels, which of all defilement is the most hateful, odious and pernicious defilement. The hy­pocrites only care is to keep his life from defilement, but the sincere Christians care is mainly to keep his heart from defilement; for he very well knows, that if he can but keep his heart clean, he shall with more ease keep his life clean; if the fountain be kept pure, the streams will run pure: The heart is the spring of all actions, and therefore every action is as the spring is from whence it flows; if the spring be good, the action is good that flows from it; if the spring be evil, the action is evil that flows from it.M [...]. 2.35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. Certainly, the great work of a Christian lieth with his heart; the reformation of the heart is the highest and choicest part of reformation,Prov 23.26. because it is the reformation of the noblest part of man, and is that which God looks most after: The reformation of the heart, is indeed the heart of reformati­on; there is nothing reformed to purpose, till the heart be reformed; if the heart be naught, all is naught; if that be very naught, all is very naught; if that be stark naught, all is stark naught; but if that be reformed, all is reformed. A gracious man's watch is mainly about his heart; Create in me a clean heart, Psal. 51.10. Psal. 86.11. Psal. 119.36. Psal. 119 80. Psal. 27.8. See Psal. 119.2. Acts 8 37. Heb. 8.10. Jer. 31 33. O God, and renew a right spirit within me; Unite my heart to fear thy name. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed. When thou saidest, seek my face, my heart answered, Thy face Lord will I seek. Psal. 119.10. With my whole heart have I sought thee. Ver. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto [Page 207] covetousness. Rom. 1.9. The heart of man is the fountain of life or death, and therefore sin in the heart, in some respects, is worse and more dangerous than sin in the life; and hence 'tis that the sincere Christian doubles his guard about his heart. Luther hit it, when he said, I more fear what is within me, than what comes from without; the storms and winds with­out do never move the earth, 'tis only vapours within that causeth earth-quakes, as Philosophers observe.Mat. 23.25-30. Hypocrites (as our Saviour testifies) are all for the outside, they wash the platters and the cups, and beautifie the tombs like an adul­teress, whose care is to paint and set a fair face upon a foul matter; but now a sincere Christian,Psal. 50.23. though he has a special respect to the well-ordering of his life, yet his main busi­ness and work is about his heart; O, that this ignorant heart were but more enlightned! O, that this proud heart were but more humble! O that this prophane heart were but more holy! O, that this earthly heart were but more heavenly! O, that this unbelieving heart were but more believing! O, that this passionate heart were but more meek! O, that this carnal heart were but more spiritual! O that this luke­warm heart were but more zealous for God, and Christ, and the Gospel, and the great concernments of eternity! O, that this slight heart were but more serious! O, that this dull heart were but more quickned! O, that this dead heart were but more enlivened! &c. The highest and hardest work of a Christian lieth with his heart. Mark, common light, common conviction, education, enforcement of con­science, principles of common honesty and morality, the eye of man, the fear of man, the examples of man, the laws of man, and the rewards of man, with a hundred other things, may be very prevalent to reform the life, to regulate the outward conversation, and to keep that in some due deco­rum; and yet all these things will be found too weak, too low to change the heart, to reform the heart, to mend the heart, to purifie the heart.Acts 15.9. To this great work there are principles of a higher nature required, Purifying their hearts by faith. 'Tis not a guard of moral vertues, but a guard of saving graces that can keep the heart in order; to reform [Page 208] the heart, to keep the heart in a gracious frame, is one of the best and hardest works in the world, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. The Text is about matter of life and death. The words are man­datory, for all counsels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command. In the words you have two things observable, 1. A duty enjoyned, Keep thy heart with all diligence. 2. The reason or motive inforcing it, For out of it are the issues of life. In the duty there are two things considerable, 1. Here is the subject matter, the thing that is to be done, and that is, Keep thy heart. This duty is charged upon all, in peremptory and undispensable terms. 2. Here is the manner how it must be done, and that is, With all diligence.

Keep. The Hebrew word [...] Natsar to keep, hath various significations, but the main is to keep in safe custody; we should keep our hearts as under lock and key, that they may be alwayes at hand when the Lord shall call for them, &c.

2 Thy heart. By the heart the we are not to understand that par­ticular vital member of the body, that in common speech we call the heart. Heart is not here taken properly for that no­ble part of the body, which Philosophers call the primum vi­vens, &c. ultimum moriens, the first that lives, and the last that dies. But by heart in a metaphor, the Scripture some­times understands some particular noble faculty of the soul; sometimes the heart is put for the understanding, Rom. 1.21. Their foolish heart was darkned, that is, their understanding was darkned; sometimes 'tis put for the will and affections, Mat. 22.37.So Prov. 23.26. Deut. 10.12. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; that is, with thy will, and with all thy affections. The will is the chiefest power of the soul, as the heart is the principal part of the body;Mat. 8. and it commands all the affections as the Centurion did his servants;Job 27.6. sometimes 'tis put for the conscience, 1 Joh. 3.20. If our heart condemn us, God is greater [...]han our heart, and knoweth all things; that is, if our conscience condemn us just­ly, then our case must be assuredly sad, because God knows much more by us than we know by our selves, and can charge [Page 209] us with many sins that conscience is not privy to;Psal. 19 12. sometimes 'tis put for the memory, Psal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart; that is, in my memory. So Luke 2.19. But here 'tis taken comprehensively for the whole soul, with all its powers, noble faculties and endowments, together with their several operations; all which are to be watched over.

With all diligence; or as the Hebrew runs, With all keep­ing. 3 The Hebrew word [...] Shamar signifies,Cato, Cicero, Se­neca, Socrates, and others, have laid down excellent rules for the go­vernment of the outward man; but n one for the go­vernment of the heart. to keep with watch and ward. A Christian is to keep a perpetual guard about his heart. A Lapide notes, that the Hebrew word is borrowed from military affairs. We should keep our hearts as soldiers keep a Garrison, with watch and ward. Lavater jumps with him, and tells us, that the word Shamar is taken from a besieged Garrison, begirt by many enemies without, and in danger of being betrayed by treacherous Citizens within; in which danger the soldiers upon pain of death are commanded to watch. Junius reads the word thus, Keep thy heart; Supra omnem custodiam, above all keeping. So Hierom reads, Prae omni custodia, above all keeping keep thy heart; that is, keep, keep, watch, watch, &c. So Rhodolphus reads it, Prae omni custodia; and so we read it in the Margin of our Bi­bles. And the Syriack reads it in the same manner that our English doth. Cum omni cautione, with all caution and wari­ness we are to keep our hearts. O, what guards and double guards! O, what watches, and double watches should men put upon their hearts! These words keeping, keep, import both a universal watchfulness over the heart, and a diligent watchfulness over the heart, and a constant watchfulness over the heart; and thrice happy are those persons who keep such a watch upon their hearts. A man is to keep his eye, and keep his mouth, and keep his feet; but above all keeping, he is to keep his heart. 'Tis a duty incumbent upon every Christian to keep his own heart; Keep thy heart, Thy self; thou mayest make another thy Park-keeper, or thy House-keeper, or thy Shop-keeper, or thy Cash-keeper, or thy Horse-keeper, or thy Nurse-keeper; but thou must be thy [Page 210] own Heart-keeper. Keep thy heart with all diligence; some understand this of all kind of watchfulness. The Hebrew word is applyed to several sorts of keeping. As,

1 First, It is applyed to those that are the keepers of a pri­son,Gen. 39.21, 22, 23 So Job 7.12. where dangerous Fellons or Malefactors are to be look­ed to, that they don't break away, 1 King. 20.39. Keep this man; so Joseph was made the Keeper of the prison. The Hebrew word is the same with that, in Prov. 4.23. Now, O [...]ow diligent! how vigilant are men in looking after their prisoners? even so should we be in looking after our hearts, &c.

2 Secondly, It signifies to keep, as men would keep a be­sieged Garrison,Hab. 2.1. or City, or Castle, in time of war. So 'tis used in that, Hab. 2.1. Now, what strong guards, what watchful guards do men keep up at such a time? A gracious heart is Christ's Fort-royal. Now, against this Fort Satan will imploy the utmost of his strength, art & craft; and there­fore how highly does it concern every Christian to keep a strong guard, a constant guard about his heart. But,

3 Thirdly, It signifies to keep, as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God, the Temple of God, and all the holy things that were committed to their charge: So the word is often used by the Prophet, Ezek. 44.8, 15, 16, &c. The Temple, and all the vessels of the Temple were to be kept pure, and clean, and sweet. Our hearts are the Tem­ples of God, the Temples of the holy Ghost; and therefore we should alwayes keep a strong and diligent guard about them, that nothing may pass in or out, that may be either displeasing, provoking or grieving to them. But,

4 Fourthly, The word signifies to keep, as a man keeps his life, Job 10.12. Thy visitation hath preserved (here is Shamar) my life. Now with what care, with what diligence, with what labour, with what watchfulness do men labour to preserve their natural lives? what a guard, what a watch do men daily [Page 211] set about their lives; the same they should set about their hearts. But,

Fifthly, Men should keep their hearts, as they keep a rich 5 treasure of money, or jewels, or plate. Now, to preserve a rich treasure, what locks, what bolts, what bars,All our spiritual riches are in our hearts. A good man may say with Bias, omnia mea mecum parto, all my goods I carry about with me. what chains are made use of? Our hearts are jewels more worth than all the Kingdoms, Crowns and Scepters of this world. There are few men that know how to value a God, a Christ, a Gos­pel, a Covenant of grace, a Heaven, or their own hearts, as they should. What are mountains of gold, and rocks of pearl, to the heart, the soul of man? The heart is that pearl of price for which a man should venture his all, and lay down his all. O then! what a guard, what a watch should a man continually keep upon his heart? The heart is Camera omni­potentis Regis, the presence chamber of the King of heaven; and upon this account it becomes a Christian alwayes to keep a guard upon his heart; he keeps his heart best who keeps it as his choisest treasure, &c. But,

Sixthly, Men should keep their hearts, as a fond father 6 keeps his only child; the fond father will still keep his child within doors, he will still have him under his eye, and in his presence, that so no hurt, no harm may befal him day or night. Our eye should be still upon our hearts, or else they will give us the slip, and play the wantons with us. But,

Seventhly, Men should keep their hearts, as Lovers keep 7 the love-tokens that are mutually sent one to another; they love to be often a looking upon them, and a thinking of them, and a talking of them; and will be sure to keep the strictest and the strongest guard upon them: So a Christian should still be a looking upon his heart, and a thinking upon his heart, and a speaking of his heart (either of the badness of it, or of the wants of it) and a keeping of the strictest and strongest guard upon his heart. But,

Eighthly, A man should keep his heart as a man keeps his 8 [Page 212] house, when he is afraid and in danger of being robbed by thieves in the night. O! how wakeful, and watchful, and active will a man now be? but what's a man's house to his heart? A mans heart is in ten thousand times more danger than his house, and accordingly his guard should be most about his heart. But,

9 Ninthly, A man should keep his heart, as men keep their gardens that are full of choice, rich, rare, ripe fruits and dowers. Now, what care, cost, and pains men are at to keep such gardens, you well know: And O, that you did but every day more and more experimentally know what it is to spend your greatest care and pains about your hearts, which are Christ's garden, his bed of spices, where all graces flourish! Cant. 4. ult.

10 Tenthly and last, A man should keep his heart, as spruce men and women do their fine cloaths; O, they won't endure a speck, a spot upon them! 'Tis your wisdom, and O, that you would more and more make it your work to keep your hearts from all sinful specks and spots! Let not others be more careful to keep their outsides clean, than you are to keep your insides clean; for what are clean cloaths to a clean heart? 'Tis better to go to heaven in ragged cloaths with a clean heart, than to go to hell in fine cloaths with an unclean heart. Doubtless that man that makes it his business to keep his heart as men keep dangerous Fellons or Traitors, or as soldiers keep their Garrisons or Castles when closly be­sieged, or as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God, or as a man keeps his natural life, or as a man keeps a rich treasure, or as a fond father keeps an only child, or as Lovers keep their love-tokens, or as a man keeps his house when he is in danger to be robbed, or as a man keeps his pleasant garden, or as spruce men and women keep their fine cloaths; that man is doubtless a true Nathaniel, a man that has a work of God past in power upon his soul; yea that man whose sincere desires, and whose gracious purposes, and fixed resolutions, and faithful endeavours is to guard and watch his [Page 213] heart, according to the particulars we have now hinted; that man without a peradventure is a gracious man, and one that has the root of the matter in him, and shall be happy to all eternity. Look, as no man can hear as he would and should, nor pray as he would and should, nor believe as he would and should, nor repent as he would and should, nor walk as he would and should; so no man can keep his heart as he would and should: but if a man makes it his great business and work to keep his heart, to watch his heart, to reform his heart, to better his heart, he is accepted of God, and shall be bles­sed for-ever. 'Tis one of the greatest and cleerest evidences of grace, for a man to make it his greatest business, work and concernment in this world, to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame,Cant. 5.2. 2 Kings 22.19. 2 Chron. 32.26. James 5.11. Eccles. 5.1, 2. Col. 3.1, 2. 2 Cor. 7.11. to keep his heart alwayes in a wakeful frame, in a watchful frame, in a tender frame, in a believing frame, in a repenting frame, in an humble frame, in a pati­ent frame, in a serious frame, in a heavenly frame, and in a jealous frame; for the more gracious the heart is, the more suspicious it will be. Satan has a strong party, a numerous party, an old party, a subtil party in all our hearts; and there­fore it highly concerns us to watch our hearts with a holy jealousie: O Sirs! God hath never said, Above all keepings keep your Shops, or above all keepings keep your Estates, or above all keepings keep your Flocks, or above all keepings keep your Bags, or above all keepings keep your Friends, or above all keepings keep your Bodies, or above all keep­ings keep your Names, or above all keepings keep your Conversations; but he hath said, above all keepings keep your hearts. Look,Fron. lib. 2. as the heart is the fountain of natural life, and if it fail life fails; and therefore it is strongly se­cured with ribs about it, it is guarded in a castle of flesh and bones; so is the soul the fountain of spiritual life,2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Thes. 5.13. &c. and runs invisibly through all the body. Fountains were to be kept pure by the Roman Laws of the twelve Tables; and the heart that is the spring and fountain of all actions, is to be kept pure by the Laws of the great God. Men keep the heart principally from hurt, because every wound there is mortal. O, that men were as wise for their souls! God's eye is main­ly [Page 214] upon the heart. The heart well guarded and watcht, keeps all in security. Alexander was safe while Antipater kept the watch; so all within that little world Man, will be safe while the heart is strongly guarded. The heart is the foun­tain, the root, the store-house, the primum mobile, the great wheel that sets all a going; and therefore above all keep­ings keep your hearts. 'Tis a foolish thing to watch the out­works, and leave the Fort-Royal without a guard; so 'tis a foolish thing to watch the out-works, the eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the feet (though these must all be watcht) and to leave the heart, which is a Christians Fort-Royal, without a guard.

He that makes it his business to watch, and weep, and sigh, and groan most over his own heart, he doubtless is in a gra­cious estate; he that makes it his work, his daily work, his greatest work,3 John 2. his work of works, to keep a continual guard upon his heart, he certainly is in a blessed estate; he that la­mentingly cryes out, O, that my soul did but prosper as my body! O, that my inward man were but in as good a frame as my outward man! O, that this proud heart were but more humble! O, that this hard heart were but more softned! O, that this carnal heart were but more spiritual! O, that this earthly heart were but more heavenly! O, that this un­believing heart were but more believing! O, that this passio­nate heart were but more meek! O, that this slight heart were but more sericus! O, that this blind heart were but more enlightned! O, that this dull heart were but more quickned! O, my heart, my heart! when wilt thou be better? O, my God, my God! when shall my heart be better? O, bring it into a gracious frame, and for ever keep it in a gracious frame! He that thus lamentingly cryes out of his heart, he certainly has an honest heart, and will be happy for ever. O Lord, my memory is weak, and my utterance is bad, and my [Page 215] understanding is dark, and my gifts are low, and my affecti­ons are flat, and my temptations are strong,Psa. 39 22, 23, 24 and my corrup­tions are prevalent; but thou who art the great heart search­er, thou knowest that I would fain have my heart in a better temper; I had rather have my heart brought into a gracious frame, and kept in a gracious frame, than to have all the riches of the Indies, than to be an Emperor, yea than to be King over all the earth. If it be indeed thus with thee, thou art blest, and shalt be blest for ever, 2 Cor. 8.12. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (I know the Apostle speaks this in point of alms, but 'tis applicable to the case in hand, and to a hundred other cases.) God measures his peo­ple not by their works, but by their wills; if their wills be to be more holy, humble, heavenly, and to have their hearts alwayes in a most gracious frame, then they are accepted of God; for every good man is as good in the eye of God, in the judgment of God, and in the account of God, as he would be. Not long before famous Mr. Banes died, some friends that were with him in his Library (which was an ex­cellent one) fell a commending of it; I, saith he, there stand my books, but the Lord knows that for many years lost past, I have studied my heart more than Books. O, no Minister to him, no Scholar to him who studies his heart more than his books; nor no Christian to him who studies his heart more than his day-books, or more than his Shop-books, or that studies his heart more than his counting-house, or that studies his heart more than a good bargain, &c. That man is for heaven, and heaven is for that man, who makes it his greatest business in this world to watch his heart, to guard his heart; the hypo­pocrite looks most to externals, but the sincere Christian looks most to internals; the hypocrites main watch is about his lips, but a sincere Christians main watch is about his heart; the hypocrites main work lyes without doors, but the sincere Christians main work lyes within doors. All know that know any thing, that both nature and grace begin at the heart, but art begins at the face. A painter doth not begin a picture at the heart; a picture hath but a face, but an outside. [Page 216] And as nature begins at the heart, but art at the face; so grace begins at the heart, but hypocrisie at the face, at the outside of Religion. Every man is that really that he is in­wardly.Rom. 2.28, 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. Cer­tainly, that man that makes it his great business to watch his heart, and to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame, that man is a gracious man. 'Tis true, our hearts are like our watches, seldom got to go well; and when they do go well, how hard a work is it to keep them going well? The motions of our watches are not constant; sometimes they go faster, and sometimes they go slower, and often they stand in need of mending. Though in these and many other respects, our hearts are like our watches, yet if we make it our grand work to keep a constant guard upon our hearts, and our main design in this world to have our hearts brought and kept in a gracious frame, our spiritual estate is good, and we shall be happy for ever, &c.

In my other Writings there are variety of special evi­dences, which the Christian Reader (if he please, and if need require) may make use of, in order to the further clear­ing up of his gracious estate; and therefore let these twenty suffice at this time. And thus much for this Chapter, &c.

CHAP. III.

NOw before I come to open my self more particularly, give me leave to premise this in the general, viz. That there is a repentance that does accompany salvation, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Jer. 4.14. O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. Acts 11.18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Mat. 18.3. And Jesus said, verily I say unto you, except you be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Having premised thus much in the general, give me now leave to say, That there are three parts of true, sound, saving re­pentance, [Page 218] unto all which forgiveness of sin is promised: And the

1 First is contrition or grief of heart for sins committed. Now this is called sometimes godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7.10. and sometimes a contrite spirit, Isa. 66.2. and sometimes a broken and contrite heart, Psal. 51.17. and sometimes the afflicting of our souls, Levit. 16.29. and sometimes the humbling of the heart, 2 Chron. 7.14. Lamen. 3.20. and sometimes a mourning, Zech. 12.10. and sometimes a weep­ing, Mark 14.72. All repenting sinners are mourning sin­ners. David repents and waters his couch with his tears, Psal. 6.6. Hezekiah repents and humbles himself for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. 32.26. Ephraim repents, and Ephraim be­moans himself and smites upon his thigh, and is even con­founded, Jer. 31.18, 19. Mary Magdalen repents, and weeps, and washes Christs feet with her tears, Luke 7.38. The Co­rinthians repented, and they were made sorry after a godly manner, 2 Cor. 7.9. Repentance in the Hebrew is called Nacham, an irking of the soul; and in Greek Metamelia, after grief; and Metanoia, after wit; and in the Latine, Poenitentia. All which do import, that contrition or sorrow for sin, is one part of true repentance. O! the sighs, the groans, the sobs, the tears, that are to be found among repenting sin­ners,Luth. Tom. 3.457. &c. Luther hit the Mark, when he said, What are all the Palaces of the world, to a contrite heart; yea, heaven and earth, seeing it is the seat of divine Majesty?

2 Secondly, 'Tis very observable, that all mourning persons for their sins, are within the compass of the promise of for­giveness of sins, Zech. 12.11. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, Zech. 13.1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness, Jer. 31.18. I have sure­ly heard Ephraim bemoaning of himself, &c. Ver. 20. I will surely have mercy on him; or as the Hebrew has it, I will having mercy, have mercy on him. As soon as Ephraims heart is [Page 219] troubled for his sins, Gods bowels are troubled for Ephraim; as soon as Ephraim, like a penitent child, falls a weeping at God's foot, God like a tender indulgent father falls a be­moaning of Ephraim. Ephraim could not refrain from tears, and God could not refrain from opening his bowels of mer­cy towards him. So Isa. 57.15. And how can the contrite heart be indeed revived and cheered without forgiveness of sins, without a pardon in the bosom? Melancthon makes men­tion of a godly woman, who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict, and afterwards much comforted, brake out into these words: Now, and not till now, did I understand the meaning of these words, Thy sins are forgiven. There is no comfort to that which arises from the sense of forgiveness, Isa. 40.1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her ini­quities are pardoned. And why is the mourning soul pronoun­ced the blessed soul, (Mat. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted) but because the mourning soul is the pardoned soul?

But what is that sorrow or mourning for sin, Qu. that is a part of true repentance? The resolution of this question is very necessary for the preventing of all soul-deceits and mistakes, and for the quieting, setling and satisfying of souls truly penitent; and therefore I shall give these eight following Answers to it.

First, It is a sorrow or grief that is spiritual, that is super­natural; 1 no man is born with godly sorrow in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. Godly sorrow is a plant of God's own planting, 'tis a seed of his own sowing, 'tis a flower of his own setting, 'tis of a heavenly off-spring, 'tis from God, and God alone: The spirit of mourning is from above, 'tis from a supernatural power and principle; there is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh, but the spirit of God, Ezek. 36.25, 26. Godly sorrow is a [Page 220] gift from God, Job 23.16. God makes my heart soft. No hand but a divine hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin. Nature may easily work a man to mourn, and melt, and weep, under worldly losses, crosses and miseries, as it did David's men, 1 Sam. 30.4. But it must be grace, it must be a supernatural principle that must work the heart to mourn for sin.

2 Secondly, godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin, 'tis a mour­ning rather for sin than for smart; 'tis not so much for loss of goods, lands, wife, child, credit, name, &c. but for that a holy God is offended, a righteous Law violated, Christ dishonour­ed, the Spirit grieved, and the Gospel blemished, &c. Pe­ter's sorrow was godly, but Judas his sorrow was worldly; Peter mourns over the evil of sin, but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment. David mourns over his sin, Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, Psal. 51.4. And so 2 Sam. 24.10. And David's heart smote him after he had numbred the people; and David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done, and now I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done foolishly. Da­vid does not cry out, take away the threatned famine, but take away the iniquity of thy servant; nor he does not cry out, take away the enemies of thy servant, but take away the iniquity of thy servant; nor he does not say, take away the pestilence from the Land, but take away the iniquity of thy servant. But now when Pharaoh was under judgments, he never cryes to the Lord to take away his sins, his pride, his hardness, his obdurateness, his envy, his malice, his hatred, &c. but he cryes out, take away the judgment, take away the judgment, take away the frogs, take away the lice, take away the caterpillars, &c. But under all these dreadful and amazing judgments that he was under, such a word as this never fell from his lips, take away my sin, O Lord, take a­way my sins; thy judgments do terrifie me, but my sins will damn me, and therefore what ever becomes of my life, king­dom and crown, take away my sins and save my soul. David saw sin to be a greater evil, than flying before his enemies, [Page 221] or than famine or pestilence was; and therefore he desires rather to be rid of his sins, than to be rid of the punishment that was due to his sin; but Pharaoh saw no such evil in sin, and therefore he cryes out, take away the plague, take away the plague. And Job upon the dunghil cryes out, I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Job Job 7.20. does not cry out, O, I have lost all my substance, I am bereaved of all my children, I am set as naked upon the dunghil as ever I was born; my friends reproach me, my wife tempts me to curse my God, which is ten thousand times worse than to curse my self; Satan persecutes me, and God has not only forsaken me, but is also become a severe enemy to me, &c. Job cryes out of his sin, and not of his sufferings; a deep sense of his sins swallows up as it were, all sense of his suf­ferings.

And so that great Apostle Paul does not cry out, O wretch­ed man that I am, that bonds attend me in every place, and that I have neither house nor home to go to, and that I am despised, scorned, reproached and persecuted, and that I am accounted factious, seditious, rebellious, erronious, and that I am lookt upon as the off-scouring of the world, &c. O no, but he cryes out of his sin; O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7.23, 24.

So the Prophet Micah, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned, Micah 7.9. Though of all bur­dens the indignation of the Lord be the greatest burden, yet divine indignation is but a light burden in comparison of sin. A gracious soul can better stand under the burden of God's indignation for sin, than it can stand under the burden of sin it self, which hath kindled that indignation, &c.

Thirdly, Godly sorrow is a great sorrow, 'tis a superla­tive 3 sorrow, 'tis a sad and serious sorrow; a sincere mourn­ing is a deep mourning, it springs from serious and deep ap­prehensions of the great anger and deep displeasure of God, and of the woful nature, demerit, burden, bitterness, vile­ness and filthiness of sin, &c. The blessed Scripture seems to make godly sorrow a superlative sorrow, calling it a great [Page 222] mourning, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, and a bitterness, as one is in for his first-born, Zech. 12.10, 11. And so the Church, My bowels are troubled within me, mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously re [...]elled, Lamen. 1.20. And David watered his couch with his tears, Psal. 6.6. And Mary Magdalen wept much, as Well as she loved much, Luke 7. And Peter went out and wept bitterly, Mat. 26. ult. Clement observes, that all the time that Peter lived after this great fall, he would every night, when he heard the cock crow, fall upon his knees and weep bitterly.Hosea 7.14. Look, as shallow brooks make the greatest noise, so hypocrites and formalists may howl, and roar, and cry, and make more noise than the true penitent; but yet the sorrow of a true penitent is more inward, secret, solid, still and deep. As you know the deepest Rivers run most silently, and make least noise, so the deepest sorrow makes least noise. The mourning of repenting souls,Ezek. 7.16. Isa. 51.20. Isa. 59.11. under the apprehensions of their sins, is like the mourning of Doves; but the mourn­ing of wicked men under the apprehension of their sins, is like the bellowing of Bulls, and roaring of Bears.

4 Fourthly, A sincere mourning is an extensive mourning, 'tis an universal mourning. Godly sorrow and grief extends it self, not only to some sins, but to all sins, great and small. Look, as a holy heart hates all sin, so a holy heart mourns o­ver all sin that it sees and knows to be sin. God hates one sin as well as another, and he has forbid one sin as well as ano­ther, and he has revealed his wrath from heaven against one sin as well as another, and he is provoked by one sin as well as another, and Christ is crucified by one sin as well as another, and the Spirit is grieved as well by one sin as by another, and the Gospel is reproached by one sin as well as another, and the conscience is wounded by one sin as well as another, and Satan is gratified by one sin as well as another, and wicked mens mouths are opened by one sin as well as another, and young comers on in Religion are stumbled, grieved and offended by one sin as well as another, and the soul is endangered by one sin as well as another. An unsound [Page 223] heart may mourn for great sins, that make great wounds in his conscience and credit, and that leave a great blot upon his name, or that waste or rot his body, or destroy his estate, or that expose him to publick scorn and shame, &c. Prov. 5.8-14. but for sins of omission, for wandring thoughts, idle words, deadness, coldness, slightness in religious duties and services, unbelief, secret pride, self-confidence, and a thousand more such gnats as these he can swallow without any remorse.

But now godly sorrow is of a general extent, it mourns as well for small sins as for great. Davids heart smote him, as well for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, as it did for killing of Uriah with the sword. A gracious soul weeps o­ver many sins, that none can charge upon him but God and his own conscience, Psal. 19.12. O cleanse thou me from se­cret faults.

Yea, let me say that godly sorrow and grief extends not only to a man's own sins, but also to the sins of others as well as his own, Ezek. 9.4, 5. And this you may see also in David, Psal. 119.53, 136, 158. And in Jeremiah, Jer. 9.1, 2, 3. And in Paul, Phil. 3.18. And in Lot, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. And if you please to turn to my Treatise on Holiness, you may see seven special arguments for this their practise, Page 139 to pag. 145. and therefore a touch in this place may suffice.

Fifthly, Godly sorrow is a lasting sorrow, 'tis a durable 5 sorrow; as long as a Christian continues sinning, he can't but continue mourning. David's sins were alwayes before him, Psal. 51.3. though his Absalom nor his Bathsheba were not ever before him. Godly sorrow will every day follow sin hard at hells. Look, as a wicked man (in respect of his desire and will to sin) would sin for ever, if he should live for ever; so I may say, if a godly man should live for ever, he would sorrow for ever. After Paul had been converted many years (some think fourteen) you shall find him a mourn­ing and lamenting over his sins, Rom. 7. An ingenious child will never cease mourning, till he ceases from offending an in­dulgent father. Though sin and godly sorrow were never [Page 224] born together, yet whilst a believer lives in this world, they must live together. And indeed holy joy and godly sorrow are no wayes inconsistent, Psal. 2.11. yea, a godly man's eyes are alwayes fullest of tears, when his heart is fullest of holy joy, &c. A man may go joying and mourning to his grave, yea to heaven at the same time.

But now the sorrow, the grief of wicked men for sin, 'tis like a morning cloud, or the early dew, or the crackling of thorns under a pot, or a Post that quickly passeth by, or a dream that soon vanisheth, or like a tale that is told, &c. their sorrowful hearts and mournful eyes soon dry up together. As you may see in Esau, Ahab, Pharaoh and Judas; but the streams of godly sorrow will last and run, as long as sin hangs upon us, and dwells in us, 1 Cor. 15.9. I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. Psal. 25.7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. David prayeth to the Lord, not only to forgive but also to forget, both the sins of his youth, and the sins of his age. David remembred all his faults, both of former and of later times. David was well in years when he defiled himself with Bathsheba; and this he remembers and mourns over, Psal. 51. And 'tis very ob­servable, that God charged his people for to remember old sins, Deut. 9.7. Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness. Repentance is a grace, and must have its daily operation as well as other graces, witness the very covenant of grace it self, Ezek. 16.62, 63. I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done. Certainly a true penitent can no more satisfie himself with one act of repen­tance, than he can satisfie himself with one act of faith, or or with one act of hope, or with one act of love, or with one act of humility, or with one act of patience, or with one act of self-denial. Godly sorrow is a Gospel-grace that will live and last as well and as long as other graces, 'tis a spring that in this life can never be drawn dry.

Sixthly, Godly sorrow is a divorcing sorrow, it divorces 6 the heart from sin, it breaks that ancient league that has been between the heart and sin;It is an excellent saying of Austin, He doth truly be­wail the sins he hath committed, who never com­mits the sins he hath bewailed. there is a strong firm league be­tween every sinner and his sin, Isa. 28.15, 18. but when god­ly sorrow enters, it dissolves that league, it separates between a sinner and his sin, it sets the soul at an everlasting distance from sin. The union between the root and the branches, the foundation and the building, the head and the members, the father and the child, the husband and the wife, the body and the soul are all neer, very neer unions; yet that between a sinner and his sin seems to be a neerer union. Observable is the story of Phaltiel. 2 Sam. 3.14, 15, 16. You know when David had married Michol, Saul injuriously gave her to another; but when Da­vid came to the crown, and sent forth his Royal commands that his wife should be brought to him, her husband dares not but obey, brings her on her journey, and then not with­out great reluctancy of spirit, takes his leave of her. But what was Phaltiel weary of his wife, that he now forsakes her? O no, he was enforced, and though she was gone, yet he had many a sad thought about parting with her, and he never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Baharim, weeping and bemoaning her absence. Just thus stands the heart of every unregenerate man towards his sins, as Phaltiel's heart stood towards his wife. But when the springs of godly sorrow rise in the soul, the league, the friendship, the union that was be­tween the sinner and his sins, comes to be dissolved and bro­ken in pieces, Hosea 14.8. All godly sorrow sets the heart against sin; he that divinely mourns over sin, can't live in a course of sin; when of all bitters God makes sin to be the greatest bitter to the soul, then the soul bids an everlasting farewel to sin; now the soul in good earnest bids adieu to sin for ever. O Sirs!☜ this is a most certain Maxim (to live and die with) that either a mans sins will make an end of his mourning, or else his mourning will make an end of his sin; for he that holds on sinning, will certainly leave off mourn­ing (no man can make a trade of sin, and yet keep his heart in a mourning frame) but he that holds on mourning for sin, will certainly leave off the trade of sin, holy grief for sin, [Page 226] will sooner or later break off all leagues and friendships with sin.Isa. 59.1, 2. As sin makes a separation between God and a man's soul, so godly sorrow makes a separation between a man's soul and his sin. All holy mournings over sin, will by de­grees issue in the wasting and weakning of the strength and power of sin, nothing below the death and destruction of sin will satisfie that soul that truly mourns over sin.

But now, though you may find an unsound heart sometimes a lamenting over his sins, yet you shall never find him a leav­ing off his sins. Pharaoh lamented over his sin, crying out, I have sinned, Exod. 9.27. & 10.16. the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wick­ed. And again, Then Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron in haste, and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. But though you find him here lamenting and com­plaining over his sin, yet you never find him leaving or for­saking of his sin. So Saul could cry out, he had sinned, but yet he still continued in his sin; he acknowledged that he did evil in persecuting of David, and yet he still held on perse­cuting of him. An unsound heart mourns over sin, and yet he holds on in a course of sin; he sins and mourns, and mourns and sins, and commonly all his mourning for sin does but the more imbolden him in a way of sin; but the gracious soul sayes with Job, Job 34.32. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more. He laments over sin and leaves it, he confesses it and forsakes it, and he is as willing to forgo it, as he is willing that God should forgive it.

7 Seventhly, All (and if you please I shall give you many things in one) godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of Evan­gelical faith, it flows from faith as the stream from the fountain, the branch from the root, and the effect from the cause, Zech. 12.10. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. Look, as all legal sorrow flows from a legal faith, as you may see in Ahab's and the Ninevites, so all Evange­lical sorrow flows from an Evangelical faith; They shall look [Page 227] upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn. All gracious mourning flows from looking, from believing; nothing breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith; all tears of godly sorrow drop from the eye of faith; godly sorrow rises and falls, as faith rises and falls; faith and godly sor­row are like the fountain and the floud, which rise and fall together. The more a man is able by faith to look upon a pierced Christ, the more his heart will mourn over all the dishonours that he has done to Christ; the more deep and wide the wounds are that faith shews me in the heart and sides of Christ, the more my heart will be wounded for sin­ing against Christ.

Again, godly sorrow is not an enemy, but a friend to holy joy. I have read of a holy man, who lying upon his sick bed, and being askt which were his joyfullest dayes that ever he had, cryed out, O give me my mourning dayes, give me my mourn­ing dayes again, for they were the joyfullest dayes that ever I had. The higher the springs of godly sorrow rise, the higher the tydes of holy joy rise; his graces will flourish most, who Evangelically mourns most. Grace alwayes thrives best in that garden (that heart) that is watered most with the tears of godly sorrow. He that grieves most for sin, will rejoyce most in God; and he that rejoyces most in God, will grieve most for sin.

Again, the more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the love of Christ; and the more a man tastes and is assured of the love of the Father, and of the love of the Son, the more that person will grieve and mourn, that he has offended, provoked and grieved such a Father, and such a Son. Remember this, as a man's assurance of peace and re­conciliation with God rises, so his grief for sin rises; the more clear and certain evidences a man has of the love and favour of God to his soul, the more that man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God. There is nothing that thaws and melts the heart, that softens and breaks the heart, like the warm beams of divine love; as you may see in the [Page 228] case of Mary Magdalen, Luk. 7. she loved much, and she wept much, for much was forgiven her; a sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an act of for­giveness, broke her heart all in pieces. A man can't stand under the shinings of divine love with a frozen heart, nor yet with dry eyes; the more a man sees of the love of Christ, and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love of Christ, the more that man will grieve and mourn for all the disho­nours that he has done to Christ. The more an ingenious child sees, and tastes, and enjoys of his fathers love, the more he grieves and mourns that ever he should offend such a fa­ther, or provoke such a father, who has been so loving and indulgent towards him. Injuries done to a friend cut deep, and the more near, and dear, and beloved a man's friend is to him, the more a man is afflicted and troubled for any wrongs or injuries that are done to him; and just so 'tis between God and a gracious soul.

The free love and favour of God, and his unspeakable goodness and mercy manifested in Jesus Christ to poor sin­ners, is the very spring and fountain of all Evangelical sor­row; nothing breaks the heart of a poor sinner like the sight of God's free love in a Redeemer. A man can't seri­ously look upon the firstness, the freeness, the greatness, the unchangeableness, the everlastingness, and the matchlessness of God's free favour and love in Christ, with a hard heart, or with dry eyes, Ezek. 36.31. compared with vers. 25, 26. O! who is there that has but one spark of ingenuity, that can read over that heart-breaking Scripture with dry eyes? Isa. 43.22, 23, 24.See Isa. 57.17, 18, 19. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel; thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt offerings, neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices, I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense; thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifi­ces, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, Now a man would think, after all this horrid abuse put upon God, this would certainly follow: [Page] Therefore I will plague and punish thee, therefore my wrath shall smoak against thee, therefore my soul shall ab­hor thee, therefore I will shut up my loving kindness in dis­pleasure against thee, therefore I will shew no more mercy towards thee, therefore I will hide my face for ever from thee, therefore I will take vengeance on thee, therefore I will rain hell out of heaven upon thee, &c. O! but read and wonder, read and admire, read and stand amazed and asto­nished, read and refrain from tears if thou canst, ver. 25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. The Prophets expression in that, Zech. 12.10. is very observable; They shall look up­on him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one that mourneth for his only son. Now 'tis observable in a fa­thers mourning for an only son, there is nothing but pure love, sincere love, hearty love; but in a sons mourning for his father, there may be and often is a great deal of self-love, self-respect, because the child may run and read in his fa­ther's death, his own loss, his own ruin, his own undoing; but in the father's mourning for an only son, a man may run and read the integrity, purity, and ingenuity of the father's love; and 'tis only such a love as this as sets the soul a mourning and a lamenting over a crucified Christ. The thoughts and fears of wrath, of hell, and of condemnation, works unsound hearts to mourn; but 'tis the sight of a bleeding, dying Sa­viour that sets ingenious, gracious souls a mourning.

Eighthly and lastly, Godly sorrow, grief or mourning, 8 may be known by the inseparable concomitants or compani­ons that attend it and wait on it,2 Cor. 7.11. and they are these seven.

First, What carefulness or study; [...]. 1. Concomitant of godly sorrow. the word notes the se­rious intention of the mind, and the diligence and dexterity of the soul in shunning and avoiding sin, and arming of the soul against all occasions and temptations thereunto. The great care of the repenting soul is to leave all sin, to shake off all sin, to avoid all sin, and to weaken, and subdue, and [Page 230] bring under all sin. O! the care, the caution, the circum­spection, the vigilancy, the strivings and the strugglings of the repenting soul against temptations and corruptions.

2. Concomitant of godly sorrow.Secondly, Yea what clearing of your selves, [...], Apology or defence; which is not done either by denying of sin, or by excusing of sin committed, but by confession of sin,As the child makes his defence and apology to his father, not by denying or de­fending his faults, but by confessing and disclaiming of them; so does the penitent soul carry it towards God. and disliking of sin, and bewailing of sin, and by walk­ing quite cross and contrary to the sin confessed, disliked and bewailed; as Zacheus did, Luke 19.8. and as the Jailor did, Acts 16.33. The true penitent has no ways to cleer himself, but by arraigning, judging and condemning of himself, 1 Cor. 11.31. For if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged. When men judge themselves, and condemn them­selves, God is prevented, and the Devil defeated, as having nothing to say against them but what they have said before;☞ when men acknowledge their sins, and aggravate their sins, and pass the sentence of condemnation upon themselves for their sins, they shall find their acquittance from them fairly drawn in the bloud of Christ. Repentance for sin takes off the guilt of sin, and sin bewailed is as if it had never been committed; and this becomes the soul's Apology, Ezek. 18.21, 22.

3. Concomitant of godly sorrow.Thirdly, Yea what indignation or stomack, [...], wrath unto grief; it notes the very rising of the stomack with rage, and a being angry unto fretting, fuming and sick­ness. Again, it notes the very heighth of anger and rage. The true penitent is not so exceeding angry with himself for any thing, as he is angry with himself for his sins. Indigna­tion here imports the turning of all the passions of the soul wholly against sin. There are no men in the world so hot and angry against themselves for their sins,Isa. 2.20. as penitents are; witness those that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed, Isa. 30.22. witness David, Psal. 73.22. witness Ephraim, Hosea 14.8. and witness Paul, Rom. 7.22, 23. There are none that fret, and fume, and chafe at themselves for sin, as penitent souls do; there are none that loath themselves, that [Page 231] abhor themselves, and that are weary of themselves, upon the account of their sins, like penitent souls. 'Tis not this thing, nor that, nor this enemy, nor that, nor this party, nor that, nor this design, nor that; but sin that is the main, the grand object of a penitents hatred, scorn, wrath, rage, re­proach, disgrace and contempt, &c. He that would be angry and sin not, must be angry at nothing but sin. If some men would but spend more of their anger and indignation against their sins, they would not be so angry as they are with their brethren, that in disputable things differ from them.

Fourthly, Yea what fear of God's displeasure,4. Concomitant of godly sorrow. and of do­ing any more so wickedly before the Lord. Penitent souls are of all souls the most trembling souls, the most timerous souls, Prov. 28.14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes. The penitent Christian has still a jealous eye upon his own heart, words and wayes; he is very apt to suspect a snake under eve­ry flower, and to fear a snare in every creature-comfort. The burnt child dreads the fire; he that has been once stung hates a snake, he that has been in danger of drowning, trem­bles at the thoughts of going by water; and he that has once broke his leg, rides and walks with a fear of diligence and vigilancy all his life after. I have read of the Dove, that she is afraid of every feather that hath grown upon a Hawk; the very sight of any of the Hawks feathers, brings as much ter­ror upon her, as if she saw the Hawk her self; such a native dread is (it seems) implanted in her, that it detests and ab­hors the very sight of any such feather. In every penitent God implants such a holy fear, such a filial fear, such a reve­rential fear, such a fear of diligence and vigilancy, that the penitent Christians heart rises, detests and abhors, not only gross sins, but the least motions, inclinations and temptati­ons to sin. They that have paid dear for past guilt, that have known what an aking heart, a wounded conscience, and a bleeding soul means, that have experienced what the frowns of God, the threatnings of God, and the wrath of God means, will certainly beware of sin, watch and war against it, and fear to fall into it.

5. Concomitant of godly sorrow.Fifthly, Yea what vehement desire, [...], it signi­fies such a desire of fervency, that can admit of no delay; it notes such a desire as produces diligence, activity, and in­dustry. The true penitent is full of fervent and vehement de­sires to be rid of his sins; Rachel was never more vehement and fervent in her desires after children, nor David after the water of the well Bethlehem, nor the hunted Hart after the wa­ter-brooks, nor the betrothed Virgin for her marriage day, nor the Apprentice for his freedom, nor the Captive for his ran­som, nor the Soldier for the conquest, nor the sick Man for his cure, nor the condemned Man for his pardon, than the true penitent is vehement and fervent in his desires to have his lusts subdued,Rom. 7.22, 23, 24 mortified and destroyed. Many a day have I sought death with tears (said blessed Cowper) not out of distrust, impatience or perturbation, but because I am weary of sin, and fearful of falling into it. If you ask the penitent, why do you hear, pray, read, and apply your self so seriously, so frequently, so unweariedly, and so con­stantly to all sin-subduing administrations? he will tell you, 'tis out of a vehement and fervent desire that he has to he rid of his sins. If you ask him again, why he is so much in complaining against sin, in mourning over sin, and in war­ring against sin? &c. he will tell you, out of a vehement and earnest desire that he has to be fully and finally delivered from sin.

6. Concomitant of godly sorrow.Sixthly, Yea what zeal. Zeal is an extream heat of all the affections set against sin, and working strongly towards God. David's zeal did eat up his sin as well as himself. And Paul was as zealous in propagating the Gospel, as he had been furious in persecuting of it. Many mens zeal is hot and burn­ing, when scorns and reproaches are cast upon them; but the penitent man's zeal is most hot and burning, when Re­ligion is scorned, Saints persecuted, truth endangered, and the great and dreadful name of God blasphemed, &c. The zeal of a true penitent will carry him on in a course of god­liness, and in a course of mortification, in spight of all the diversions and oppositions that the world, the flesh, and [Page 233] the devil can make. Holy zeal is a fire that will make its way through all things, that stands between God and the soul. The true penitent is unchangably resolved to be hid of his sins what ever it cost him; who ever escapes, who ever lives, he is fully determined his lusts shall die for it; only remember this, though zeal should eat up our sins, yet it must not eat up our wisdom, no more than policy should eat up our zeal.

Seventhly, Yea what revenge. The true penitent revenges himself upon himself for his sins,7. Concomitant of godly sorrow. not by whips and scour­ges as the Papists do;1 Cor. 9.27. A penitent sin­ner loaths the very scars of his sins after they are healed, Nazian. but by buffetting the flesh, and bring­ing it into subjection by fasting and prayer, and by crossing of his lusts, and loading of them with chains, and by di [...]ding the sword of mortification against them, and by with-holding from them that fuel that might feed them, and by the use of all other holy exercises, whereby the old man, the body of sin and death may be subdued to the obedience and discipline of the Spirit of God. Holy revenge will shew it self by contradicting of corrupt self, and by a severe chastising and punishing of all those instruments that have been servants to the flesh; as you may see by the daughters of Israel in dedi­cating their looking-glasses, by which they had offended,Exod. 38.8. to the service of the Sanctuary;Acts 19.19. and as you may see by the Ephesians burning of their costly and curious books before all men;Luke 7. and by M [...]ry Magdalens wiping of Christ's feet with her hair, wherewith formerly her fond and foolish lovers were inticed and intangled. And the same spirit you may see working in Zacheus, Luke 19.8, 9. and in the Jailor, Acts 16.23, 24, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34. And so blessed Cranmer thrust his right hand first into the fire, that being the hand by which he subscribed the Popish Articles, revengfully crying out, This unworthy right hand, this unworthy right hand, as long as he could speak. The common language of holy revenge is this; Lord, pour out all thy wrath, and all thy fierce anger, and all thy fiery indignation, upon this lust, and that lust; Lord, bend thy bow, and shoot all the arrows of thy displea­sure, into the very heart of my strong corruptions; Lord, [Page 234] when wilt thou rain hell out of heaven upon this proud heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this worldly heart, this froward heart, this treacherous heart of mine, &c. I have read of Hannibal, that when he saw a pit full of the bloud of his enemies, he cryed out with much content and delight, O, beautiful sight! So when a penitent Christian sees his spiritual enemies, his strong corruptions, all in a goar bloud. O! how delightfully and rejoycingly does he cry out, O, beautiful sight! O, blessed sight, that e­ver I have seen!Exod. 15. When the children of Israel saw the Egypti­ans dead upon the Sea-shore, then they sang a song of praise; the Application is easie. O Sirs! let no man deceive his own immortal soul; for 'tis most certain, that repentance to life hath all these lively companions attending of it. Sound re­pentance, and the companions of it, are born together, and will live and continue together till the penitent soul changes earth for heaven, grace for glory. And let thus much suffice for the first part of true repentance, &c.

The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin, which flows out of a contrite heart; I mean, not a bare, formal, empty confession (such as is common amongst the worst of sinners, as that we are all sinners, and stand in need of a Saviour, God help us, God be merciful unto us, &c.) but of such a confession of sin as ariseth from a true sight and full sense of sin, and from the due apprehensions of a righte­ous Law that is transgressed, and a holy God that is provoked, &c. When tongue and heart goes together, when the tongue speaks out of the abundance of the heart, when the tongue is the faithful interpreter of the heart, freely, ingenuously and humbly acknowledging iniquity, transgression and sin; and the penitent judging himself worthy of death, of wrath, of hell, and unworthy of the least mercy and favour from God, &c.

Now such a confession as this is you shall find in repenting sinners; and if you look again, you shall find those persons [Page 235] so confessing to be under the capacity of the promise of the forgiveness of their sins, &c.

First, You shall find repenting sinners confessing their 1 sins, Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Repenting sin­ners confess their sins, &c. Ver. 10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandements, &c. Psal. 51.3. I acknowledge my trans­gressions, and my sin is ever before me. Ver. 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, Dan. 9.4, 5. I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, &c. We have sinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments, &c. Ver. 8. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day. Luke 15.18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. Ver. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son, &c. 1 Cor. 15.9. For I am the least of all the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I perse­cuted the Church of God, 1 Tim. 1.13. Who was before a blas­phemer, and a persecuter, and injurious, &c. Isa. 53.6. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. I might ea­sily produce a hundred other Scriptures to prove that re­penting sinners are confessing sinners, but let these suffice, &c.

Secondly, If you please to cast your eyes upon other Scriptures, you shall find these penitent confessing sinners to be expresly under the promises of the forgiveness of sins,Confessing peni­tents are under the promises of forgiveness, &c. Turn to that, Job 33.27, 28. and ponder upon it. Prov. 28.13. He that covers his sins, shall not prosper; but he that confesseth and forsaketh, shall have mercy. &c. 1 John 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to for­give us our sins. Psal. 22.5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said, I will confess my transgressi­ons unto the Lord, and then forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Se [...]ah. Levit. 26.40, 41, 42. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which then trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; and [Page 236] that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniqui­ty: This will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember. Jer. 3.12, 13. Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord; only acknowledge thine iniquity. And observable is that prayer of Solomon, 1 King. 8.47-50. If they shall bethink themselves, and repent and make supplications to thee, saying, we have sinned, and have done perversly, we have com­mitted wickedness; then hear thou their prayer, and forgive thy peo­ple that have sinned against thee.

Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin?

Ans. They are these eight that follow.

1 First, 'Tis free, 'tis voluntary, not forc'd, not extorted. Nehemiah, Ezra, Job, David, Daniel, Paul, Acts 26.10, 11. Ezra 9.9. Neh. 9. Daniel 9. Psal. 5. Job 49.4, 5. &c. were free and voluntary in the confession of their sins, as all know that have but read the Scripture. The true penitent confesses his sins with much candour, ingenuity and freedom of spirit; he is as free in his confession of sin, as he has been free in the commission of sin; his confessions are like water which runs out of a spring with a voluntary freeness, but the confessions of wicked men are like water that is forced out of a still with fire; their confessions are forced and extracted meerly from sence of pain and smart, or from fear of punish­ments, &c. Pharaoh never confest his sin till God brought him to the rack,Exod. 10.16. 1 Sam. 15.24. Num. 22.23-35. Mat. 27.3, 4, 5. nor Saul till he was in danger of losing his Crown and Kingdom, nor Balaam till he sees the Angel stand with his drawn sword ready to slay him, nor Judas till hor­ror of conscience and the pangs of hell had surprized him, and taken fast hold on him. Wicked men cast out their sins by confession, as Mariners do their wares in a storm, wish­ing for them again in a calm; the confessions of wicked men [Page 237] are commonly extorted or squeezed out, either by some out­ward trouble, or by some inward distress; but penitential confession is free and ingenuous, arising from an inward de­testation of sin, and from the contrariety of the heart to sin; and therefore were there no rod, no rack, ho wrath, no hell, the true penitent would very freely and readily confess his sins; when God is most free in bestowing of mercies, then are they most free in confessing their iniquities, Hos. 14.1, 2, 3, 4. Look, as that is the best wine that flows from the grape with least pressing, and as that is the best honey which drops from the honey-comb without crushing; so those are the best confessions that flow, that drop freely, voluntarily from the soul, &c.

Secondly, True penitential confession is full as well as free. 2 That confession is not sincere that is not full;Lam. 1.18, 19. God loves nei­ther halting nor mincing confessions. These undid the Pha­risee, Luke 18.11. As penitential confessions are not extort­ed, so they are not straitned; sin must be confest in its parti­cular species and parts, all known sins must be confest fully, plainly, particularly, as you may see by turning to these Scriptures, Lev. 26.40, 41, 42. & 19.21. Judg. 10.10. Psal. 51. 1 Sam. 12.19. 1 Tim. 1.13. Acts 26.10, 11. Dan. 9.5, 6, 7, 8-17. Lev. 16.21, 22, &c. Some there be that deny their sins with the Harlot, Prov. 30.20. Such is the way of an adulterous woman, she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. And others there be that fa­ther their sins on others, as Adam did, Gen. 3.12. and as Eve did, ver. 13. and as Aaron did, Exod. 32.22. and as Saul did, 1 Sam. 15.22. And many there are that hide their wicked­ness, that conceal their wickedness, as that proud Pharisee did, Luk. 18.11, 12. That expression of the Prophet Hosea, Hosea 10.13. You have plowed wickedness, is rendred by the Septuagint, You have concealed wickedness, and indeed there is nothing more common to a wicked heart, than to keep closs his sin, than to cover and hide his transgressions. And certainly, this is that sore disease, that our first parents were sick to death of, al­most six thousand years ago; and therefore 'tis no wonder if [Page 238] we are all infected with it.Job 31.33. We are but flesh and bloud sayes one, it is my na­ture sayes a se­cond, I cannot help it sayes a third, I am not the first sayes a fourth, 'twas bad company drew me sayes a fifth, if it be a sin I am sorry for it says a sixth, if it be naught I cry God mercy sayes a se­venth. And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confessions as they are in their professions, &c. Man by nature is a vain glorious creature, apt to boast and brag of the sins that he is free of, but unwilling to confess the sins that he is guilty of. There are no men so prone to conceal their own wickedness, as those that are most forward to proclaim their own good­ness. There are many that are not ashamed to act sin, who yet are ashamed to confess sin; but certainly of all shame, that is the most shameful shame, that leads a man to hide his sins. But now the true penitent he makes conscience of con­fessing small sins as well as great sins, secret sins as well as open sins, Psal. 90.8 Psal. 19.12. David confesses not on­ly his great sins of murder and adultery, but he confesses al­so his self-revenge intended against Nabal, and of his knife being so neer Sauls throat, when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment. A true Penitent is much in confessing and lament­ing over that secret pride, that secret fleshliness, that secret worldliness, that secret hypocrisie, that secret vain glory, &c. that is only obvious to God and his own soul. But 'tis quite otherwise with wicked men; for they confess their grosser sins, but never observe their lesser sins; they confess their open sins, but never lay open their secret sins. Cain con­fesses his murdering of his brother, but never confesses his secret enmity that put him upon washing his hands in his bro­ther's bloud. Pharoah confesses his oppression of the chil­dren of Israel, but he does not confess the pride of his heart, nor the hardness of his heart. Judas confesses his betraying of innocent blood, but he never confesses his covetousness, that put him upon betraying of the Lord of glory. And o­thers have confest their Apostacy, who have never confest their hypocrisie that hath led them to Apostacy, &c. Well, this is certain, that those little sins, those secret sins, that ne­ver break a sinners sleep, do often break a believers heart.

3 Thirdly, As true penitential confession is full, so 'tis sin­cere, 'tis cordial; 'tis not a feigned, nor a formal, nor a meer verbal confession, but an affectionate confession; 'tis a confession that has the mind, the heart, the soul as well as the [Page 239] lip in it.Psal. 51.31. Jer. 18.19, 20. Isa. 26.8, 9. Ezra 9.6. Psal. 38.4. Job 42.6 Luke 18.13. The penitent man's confession springs from inward impressions of grace upon his soul, he heels what he confesses, and his affections go along with his confessions. The poor Publican smote upon his breast and confessed. Look, as the sick man opens his disease to his Physician, feelingly, affecti­onately; and as the Client opens his case to his Lawyer, feelingly, affectionately; so the penitent opens his case, his heart to God, feelingly, affectionately; cold, careless, ver­bal, formal, customary confessions are no small abominations in the eye of God, Jer. 12.2. Such mens confessions will be their condemnations at last, their tongues will one day cut their throats; though confession to men is a work of the voice, yet confession to God must be the voice of the heart. Some­times the heart alone is sufficient without the voice, as you may see in Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.13, 14, 15. but the voice is ne­ver sufficient without the heart, as you may see in that, Isa. 29.13. Such who make confession of sin to be only a lip-labour, such instead of offering the calves of their lips (as the Prophet requires, Hosea 14.2.) do but offer the lips of calves. Heart-confessions (without words) shall be effectual with God, and carry the day in heaven, when all formal, ver­bal confessions, though they are never so eloquent or excel­lent, shall be cast as dung in sinners faces, Isa. 1.12-16. Mary Magdalen weeps, and sighs, and sobs,Luke 7.38. but speaks neve [...] a word; and yet by her heart-confessions she carries it with Christ, as is evident by his answer to her, Luke 7.48. H [...] said unto her, thy sins are forgiven thee. Penitent souls confess sin feelingly, but wicked mens confessions make no impres­sions upon them, their confessions run through them as wate [...] runs through a pipe, without leaving any impression at al upon the pipe. Wicked men do no more taste nor relish the evil of sin, the poyson of sin, the bitterness of sin in any of their confessions, than the pipe does taste or relish the water that runs through it. Such who confess sin formally, or rhe­torically, and yet love sin dearly, heartily, shall never get good by their confessions; certainly such confessions will never reach the heart of God, that do not reach our own hearts; nor such confessions will never affect the heart of [Page 240] God, th [...]t do not first affect our own hearts. Such as speak very ill of sin with their tongues, and yet secretly wish well to sin in their hearts, will be found at last, of all men the most miserablest. But,

4 Fourthly, As penitential confession is sincere and cordi­al,Ezra 10.3. so 'tis distinct and not confused. The true penitent has his particular and special bills of indictment, he knows his sins of omission, and his sins of commission; he remembers the sins that he hath most rejoyced and delighted in, he can't for­get the sins that have had most of his eye, his ear, his head, his hand, his heart; the by-paths in which he has most walked, and the transgressions by which God has been most dishonoured, his conscience most wounded, and his corrupt nature most pleased & gratified,Psal. 51.3. are always before him. An implicite con­fession is almost as bad as an implicite faith; wicked men c [...]mmonly confess their sins by whole-sale, we are all sinners; but the true penitent confesses his sins by retail. Though it cant't be denied but that in some cases a general confession may be penitent,Luke 18.13. as you see in the Publican, God be merciful to me a sinner; yet it must be granted, that a true penitent can't content nor satisfie himself with a general confession. And therefore David confesses his particular sins of adultery and bloud-guiltiness,1 Tim. 1.13. and Paul particularizeth his sins of blasphemy, and persecution, and injuriousness against the Saints. And more you have of this in that, Act. 26.10, 11. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief Priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them; and I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blas­pheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange Cities. So Judg. 10.10. And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord, saying, we have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Balaam. We have sinned, there is their general confession; we have forsa­ken our God, and also served Balaam, there is their distinct and particular confession, both of their Apostacy and Idolatry. And so 1 Sam. 12.19. And all the people said unto Samuel, pray [Page 241] for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we dye not, for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a King. They were discontented with that government that the Lord had set over them, and they would need; be governed by a King, after the mode of other Nations; and this sin they confess di­stinctly and particularly before the Lord and Samuel. And so David in that, 1 Chron. 21.17. And David said unto God, is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Thus that princely Prophet confesses that parti­cular sin that he then lay under the guilt of. And so Zacheus makes a particular confession, he does as it were point with his finger at that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of; Behold Lord, half my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man, by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Thus you see that true penitents make a particular confession of their right eye sins, and of their right hand sins; and indeed, what is confession of sin, but a setting our sins in order before the Lord? and how can this be done but by a distinct and particular enumeration of them? But to prevent mistakes, this must be taken with a grain of salt, this must be understood with this limitation; we are to con­fess our sins distinctly, particularly, so far as we know them, so far as we are acquainted with them. There are many thou­sand sins which we commit, that we know not to be sins, and there are many thousand sins committed by us, that can't be remembred by us. Now certainly it is impossible for us to recount or confess those sins that we know not, that we re­member not; so that our particular confessions can only reach to known sins, so far as we can call them to mind; for indeed our particular acts of sin are innumerable, they are more in number than the hairs of our head; and indeed, we are as well able to tell the stairs of heaven, and to number the sands of the Sea, and to recount all the sparing mercies, the pitying mercies, the preventing mercies, the succouring mer­cies, the supporting mercies, and the delivering mercies of God, as we are able to tell, to number, to recount, the indi­vidual particular acts of sin that we are guilty of; yet so far [Page 242] as the knowledge and memory of a penitent Christian rea­ches, so far his confession reaches. But now, wicked men confess sin in the general, in the lump; as Tharaoh, I have sinned; and their con [...]essions are commonly confused, and at random. When and where do you find wicked men confes­sing their sins distinctly or particularly before God or man? this is none of the least of their miseries, that they have not a clear, distinct, particular view of their own corruptions and abominations. But,

5 Fifthly, The true penitent does not only distinctly and particularly confess his sins, but he does very highly aggra­vate his sins,Psal. 32.5. Levit. 16.21. by confessing not only the kinds and acts (so far as he knows and remembers them) but the circumstances of them also. There are (sometimes) some circumstances that may somewhat lessen a penitent mans sins; now these he rea­dily and easily passes over, but then there are other circum­stances which do exceedingly heighten and aggravate his sins, and that makes them more hainous and dangerous; and these he carefully and faithfully acknowledges. The penitential confessions recorded in the old and new Testament, are full of exaggerating expressions, as is evident in these instances. Ezra at once heightens and aggravates their sins by this cir­cumstance, that they had been committed against manifold experiments that they had had, both of the severity, and al­so of the mercy of the Lord, Ezra 9. and so does Nehemiah also, Neh. 9. The like instance you have in Daniel, Chap. 9. 5, 6. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments: neither have we hearkened unto thy ser­vants the Prophets which spake in thy Name, to our Kings, our Princes and our Fathers, and to all the people of the Land. In these words you have seven circumstances that Daniel useth in confessing of his and the peoples sins, and all to heighten and to aggravate them. First, We have sinned. Secondly, We have committed iniquity. Thirdly, We have done wickedly. Fourth­ly, We have rebelled against thee. Fifthly, We have departed from thy percepts. Sixthly, We have not hearkened unto thy servants. [Page 243] Seventhly, Nor our Princes, nor all the people of the Land. These seven aggravations which Daniel reckons up in his con­fession, are worthy of our most serious consideration. The same spirit you may find working in Peter, Mark 14.72. When he thought thereon be wept; or neerer the Original; When he cast all these things one upon another, he wept. Ah wretch! that ever I was born, that ever I should deny the Lord that bought me; that ever I should deny him who hath, not only externally, but also internally called me; that ever I should deny him that made me an Apostle, that fed me at his table, that beautified me with his grace, and that in the Mount shew'd me some glimpses of his glory; that ever I should deny him who has brought me out of a state of death and wrath, into a state of life and love; that ever I should deny him that has been the best, the wisest, the holiest, the tender­est, the faithfullest, and the noblest Master that ever man served. Ah, wretch that I am! he forewarned me of this sin before-hand, that I might be not only cautioned but armed against it, and yet I denied him; I promised him before­hand, that I would never deny him, that I would never for­sake him, that I would never turn my back upon him, and yet like a base coward, I have denied the captain of my sal­vation; yea, this very night, and no longer ago, did I say a­gain and again, that I would not deny him, and yet now, even now, I have most shamefully denied him; yea, I told him, that though all others, should deny him, yet would not I deny him, and yet in all the world there is not such ano­ther to be found, that has so sadly, so desperately denied him, as I have denied him, and that before a silly Maid; nay, more beast that I am to my denying of him. I have added a most incredible lye, saying, I know not the man, when there was not a man in all the world that I was so well acquainted with as I was with Christ, feeding constantly at his table,There was scarce any Jew, which knew not Christ by sight, he being very famous for the many mira­cles that were wrote by him. and drinking constantly of his cup, and living constantly up­on his purse, and waiting constantly upon his person, and being a constant eye-witness of all the famous miracles that were wrought by him; nay, yet more monster that I am, I did not only lye, but I also bound that lye with an hideous Oath, I [Page 244] did not only say that I knew not the man, but I also swore I knew not the man; nay, yet more than all this, I did not only basely deny him, I did not only tell an incredible lye against my own light and conscience, I did not only bind a fearful lye with a hideous oath, but I also fell a cursing and damning of my self, for so much the Greek word [...] imports; I wisht that the curse, the wrath or vengeance of God might fall upon me if I knew the man, I wisht my self separated from the presence and glory of God if I knew the man: And wo and alas to me, all this I did when my Lord and Master was neer me, yea when he was up­on his trial; yea, and yet more, when all the world had for­saken him, yea, and yet more, when I had the greatest and loudest call that ever I had to have stood by him, and to have given my testimony for him! And thus Peter casting up all these circumstances and aggravations together, and medita­ting seriously on them, he went out and wept bitterly. Another fa­mous instance of this you have in Paul, Act. 26.10, 11. In these two verses the Apostle layes down no less than eight ag­gravations of his sins, and all to greaten and heighten them, that his soul might be the more ashamed and humbled in him, &c.

1 First, That they were not the worst, but the best of men, viz. Saints; that they were not sinners but Saints, that they were not drunkards, swearers; adulterers, murderers, op­pressors, Sabbath-breakers, but Saints; Saints by calling, Saints by their high & holy calling, Saints by profession, Saints by a Gospel-conversation. The Saints have I cast into prison.

2 Secondly, To cast a man into prison for theft, for mur­der for perjury, is no iniquity; I but sayes he, many have I cast into prison for professing the name of Jesus of Naza­reth. O! 'tis dreadful to persecute men meerly for profes­sing of Christ, and yet this I did; though their profession and practise went together, though they lived as they pro­fest, though I had nothing against them, but in the matters of their God, yet upon that very single account did I perse­cute them.

Thirdly, If it had been but one, or two, or three, or five, 3 or ten Saints that I had persecuted, the matter had not been much. O, but they were a great number; many of the Saints did I cast into prison. I have been a cruel ravening wolf, that have suckt the bloud not of a few, but of many of the preci­ous lambs of Christ; I have neither spared nor pitied any sex, but have broken into every house, haling and dragging both men and women to prison, Act. 8.3. As for Saul, he made havock of the Church, entring into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison.

Fourthly, Though he had cast them into prison, yet if he 4 had given them but some liberty in a prison, as Joseph had,Act. 9.1, 2. and as others have had, and as himself once had when he be­got Onesimus in his bonds, Philemon v. 10. and when Onesipho­rus oft refreshed him, and was not ashamed of his chain, 2 Tim. 1.16, &c. or as the primitive Christians had, the matter had not been so great. O, but I kept them closs pri­soners; Many of the Saints did I shut up in prison. I shut them up from friends, from relations, and from all comfortable accommodations; and thus he further aggravates his sin.

Fifthly, If he had rested there, if he had proceeded no 5 further, the matter had not been so bad; O, But I gave my voice against them to put them to death. My heart and my hand was not only against them, but my tongue also; if I could not kill them with my hand, I was ready and willing to kill them with my tongue; if the casting voice fell upon me, I would be sure to give it against them; I never wanted a word to do them a mischief; if they wanted a word, instead of a knife to cut their throats, I would be sure to lend them one.

Sixthly, He rises yet higher; for he does not only severe­ly 6 punish their bodies, but he does what he can to damn their souls; I compelled them to blaspheme, like that Italian, who first made his enemy deny God, and then stabb'd him, and so at once murdered both body and soul. As there is no love to soul love, so there is no cruelty to soul cruelty; and as there [Page 246] is no mischief to soul mischief, so there is no murder to soul murder, and yet in this murder had Paul a hand. 'Tis sad to compel a man to bear a burden beyond his strength, to lye in chains, to forsake his own countrey, &c. but 'tis infinitely more sad, to compel a man to sin, to the least sin; but saddest of all to compel a man to blaspheme, And yet this I did, s [...]yes Paul, &c.

7 Seventhly, He yet further aggravates his sin by his mad­ness, by his exceeding madness against the Saints, in those words; And I was exceedingly mad against them. He was mad with rage and wrath, he was exceedingly mad with passion and fury against the dear Saints of God; mad men think madly, and mad men speak madly, and mad men act madly against those they are mad with; and so did he against the Saints. The Alcoran saith, That God created the Angels of light, and the Devils of the flame. Certainly, as God's children are children of the light, so Satan's children are fu­rious children, wrathful children, children of the flame, children of madness; and such a one was Paul, &c.

8 Eighthly and lastly, I did persecute them to strange Cities; them I did not kill I did scatter, I forced them to leave both house and home; them whom God had joyned together, I put asunder; I made the husband run one way, and the wife and children another way, and all of them glad to hide their heads in a corner. And thus you see, that true penitents in the confession of their sins, do cloath their sins with the highest aggravations imaginable. A penitent in his confession of sin cryes out, O! the sparing mercies, the preventing mercies, the succouring mercies, the supporting mercies, the renewed mercies, the delivering mercies that I have with a high hand sinned against. O, that clear light! O, that free love! O, that Gospel grace! O, those bowels of mercy that I have sinned against! O, the fatherly corrections, the dreadful warnings, the high resolutions, the serious protestations, the frequent vows and promises that I have desperately sinned against! O, the checks of conscience, the rebukes of con­science, [Page 247] the lashes of conscience, the wounds of con­science, and the frequent motions of the spirit, and strivings of the spirit, that I have sinned against! &c. But now wicked men confess their sins slightly, carelesly, trifling­ly; they are careful and skilful to hide their sins, to cloak their sins, and to extenuate and lessen their sins; and with the unjust Steward, for an hundred to set down fifty.Luke 16.6. All wicked men do commonly flatter themselves, that either their sins are not sins when indeed they are, or that they are not great and grievous sins when indeed they are, or that they are not so great and grievous as other mens sins are when indeed they are more grievous and hainous than other mens sins are, so far are they from aggravating of their sins; the truth is, wicked men are so far from aggravating of their sins, that they are still extenuating of them, and that by fa­thering of them, sometimes upon their constitutions, some­times upon bad company, sometimes upon their callings, sometimes upon Satan, and sometimes upon chance, as they call it, &c. But no more of this, enough is as good as a feast.

Sixthly, The true penitent confesses his sins humbly, sor­rowfully. 6 In his confessions he appears before the Lord with ropes about his neck (as Benhadad's servants) and with tears in his eyes; his confessions savour of contrition of heart, and not of ostentation of spirit; contrition of heart,Levit. 23.27.28. and confusion of face, is the common result of a penitential con­fession. David waters his couch with his tears, (Psal. 6.6. and he mingles his meat with his tears (Psal. 42.3.) and Ezra and Daniel confess their sins with wet eyes and blushing cheeks. Confession without contrition,Ezra 9. Dan. 9. neither pleaseth God nor profiteth man; confession is the language of the tongue, contrition is the language of the heart, and God looks for both.Luke 18.13. The Publican does not only confess his sins, but he smites also upon his breast, as a man full of grief and sorrow; lying in the dust, and renting of garments, and putting on sackcloath and ashes were of old required of those that confest their iniquities. The spirit of repentance is a [Page 248] spirit of mourning. Penitential confessions are commonly attended with grief in the heart,Compare these Scriptures toge­ther, Psal. 51.17. Isa. 61.1. & 57.15 Job 16.20. Psal. 119.136. Jer. 9.1. Jer. 31.18, 19. and with shame in the face, Psal. 38.18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin. He tels you not only that he will declare his iniquity, but he tells you also, that he will be sorry for his sin. The same spirit you may find working in Jacob, Hosea 12.4. yea, he had power over the Angel and prevailed, he wept and made supplication unto him. The people of God in the day of their confession, do not only say we have sinned, but they also draw water and pour it out before the Lord in token of contrition, 1 Sam. 7.6. Every sin is as a sword in a peni­tent mans bosom, and therefore whilst confessions are in his mouth, you shall mostly find, either tears in his eyes, or sorrow in his heart. And indeed, true confession of sin is many times rather a voice of mourning, than a voice of words; sometimes a penitent man's eyes will in some sort tell what his tongue can in no sort utter; many times the penitent is better at weeping than he is at speaking, Psal. 39.12. Hold not thy peace at my tears. Tears have a voice (as well as bloud hath) and are very prevalent Orators with God, Psal. 6.8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. Penitent tears are undeniable Ambassadors, and they never return from the throne of grace without an answer of grace. Tears are a kind of silent prayers, which though they say nothing, yet they obtain pardon, they prevail for mercy, and they carry the day with God, as you may see in that great and clear instance of Peter; he said nothing, he confest nothing that we read of, but went out and wept bitterly, and obtained mercy. That prescription that God gave to the Leper in the Law, is worthy of your most serious consideration; 'tis in that, Levit. 13.45. And the Leper in whom the plague is, his cloaths shall be rent, and his bead bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, unclean, unclean. In these words the Leper stands charged with four things; 1. To go in rent or torn garments, to note that there must be bro­kenness and sorrow of heart joyned with confession of sin. 2. To go bare-headed, and that partly that men might not mistake him, but mainly to shew his humility under his pre­sent [Page 249] misery. 3. To put a covering upon his upper lip. (Some read it, upon his Mouchaches) The Jews in their mournings used this Ceremony among the rest, of covering their chin, mouth, Mouchaches, all under the nose. Now the use of this Ceremony in the Leper, was partly to preserve others from being infected by his loathsom breath, and partly to shew that God takes no pleasure nor delight in the breathings, the prayers of spiritual Lepers, of wicked men. God loves not to hear good words drop from an ill mouth, and partly to note that shame that must be mingled with his sorrow. 4. Twice to proclaim his own uncleanness, unclean, unclean. And thus you see that there was to be a closs connexion be­tween the Lepers confession and his contrition; and thus 'tis with the true penitent; he does not only cry out, unclean, unclean, but he also rents and tears his garments, that is, he joyns contrition to his confession.

But to prevent mistakes, and that I may not shoot an ar­row, instead of giving a cordial, to the weak and weary soul; let me only give you this short hint, viz. That when the true penitent can't pour out his soul in heart-melting confessions before the Lord, yet then he can mourn over his own hard­ness of heart; when he is at worst he can grieve that he can­not grieve, and mourn that he cannot mourn, and melt that he cannot melt, and break that he cannot break; and he can bless God for every rod, and every stroak, and every word, and every work, and every Ordinance, and every frown, and every reproof, and every cross, and every comfort, that has the least tendency to the melting and mollifying of his soul. The true penitent alwayes sets a very high price and value upon a broken heart, though he has not the happiness alwayes to have his heart broken. I know that sometimes the peni­tent soul is so shut up, that if he might have all the world he cannot mourn, he can only sit down, and sigh, and groan; nay, if all the joys and delights of heaven were to be bought for one single tear, he can't shed it; and yet all this time he can grieve that he cannot grieve for sin, and he can be sorry [Page 250] that he cannot be sorry for sin; and without all peradventure this is in a measure true godly Gospel-sorrow for sin, &c.

But now wicked men confess their sins, but they never grieve for their sins; they confess their sins, but they are not ashamed of their sins,Compare these Scriptures toge­ther, Jer. 6.15. & 8.12. Zeph. 3.5. Isa. 3.9. Isa. 42.23. Heb. 6.6. Caligula used to say of himself, that he loved no­thing better in himself, than that he could not be asham [...]d, &c. Aug. confes. lib. 2. cap. 3. they confess their sins, but they can't blush for their sins. Though men of good names, and of good natures, would be ashamed to be found doing of base things, things that are below them, that are not worthy of them, yet the generality of sinners are so bold and base, so ignorant, arrogant and impudent, so frontless and graceless, &c. that they are no wayes ashamed, no not of those very sins that has put Christ to an open shame; yea, that has put the Sun and Moon to a blush. Most sinners in these dayes have brows of brass, and whores foreheads that cannot blush; they are so far from being ashamed of their sins, that they think it a shame and disgrace not to sin, not to swear, and whore, and curse, and be drunk, and prophane Sabbaths, and dispise Or­dinances; yea, there are many that are so far from being ashamed of their abominations, that they even glory in them, like those in that, Phil. 3.19. They shew their sins as So­dom, they make both a sport of acting, and a jest of con­fessing their sins. Thus Austin confesseth that it was some­times with himself, before the Lord wrought upon him; I was stricken with such blindness, as that I thought it a shame unto me to be less vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boast of their leudness, and glory so much the more, by how much they were the more filthy; therefore (saith he) lest I should be of no account, I was the more vicious; and when I could not otherwise match others, I would feign that I had done those things which I never did, lest I should seem so much the more abject, by how much I was the more innocent; and so much the more vile, by how much I was the more chast. But for a close remember this, The true penitent knows, that the more God has been displeased with the blackness of sin, the better he will be pleased with the blushing of the sinner; and therefore he can't but blush when either he looks upon sin within him, or God above him. But,

Seventhly, Penitential confession 'tis believing and fidu­cial, 7 'tis mixt with some faith,Hosea 14. [...]. though not alwayes with a strong faith; 'tis not like the confession of a Malefactor to the Judge, but like the confession of a child to his father, or like the confession of a sick man to his Physician. As a peni­tent man has one eye of sorrow upon his sin, so he has ano­ther eye of hope upon pardoning grace. Thus David, Psal. 51. though he had sinned greatly, yet he hangs upon free mercy, and begs his pardon believingly. Thus Daniel, Dan. 9.9. To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him. Thus Sechaniah, Ezra 10.2.Ezra 10.2. And Sechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, we have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land, yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. If it were not for hope the heart would break; there was hope among them that Israel would repent, and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance. And the same spirit was working in the Prodi­gal; I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, fa­ther, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. Luke 18.18. Though he was a Prodigal, yet he would go to God as to a father, who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child. When confessions of sin are mingled with hopes of mercy, and the soul draws neer to God as a father, then the heart breaks most, and melts and mourns most. That confession of sin that is not mixt with some hope of pardon, and with some faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but desperate. Cain in some sort confesses,Gen. 4.16. but then he flies into the Land of Nod, and there he falls a building and planting, partly in con­tempt of the dreadful doom God had past upon him, and partly to drown the noise of his conscience, and despairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world,2 Cor. 5.1, 2. or enjoying a house not made with hands in another world. Judas likewise con­fesses his most hainous sin; I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud; but having no hope of pardon,Mat. 27.3, 4. no faith in that inno­cent blood he had shed, he goes out and hangs himself. Judas had no faith to mingle with his confession, he confesses de­spairingly not believingly, and so goes forth and strangles [Page 252] himself. Since Adam fell in paradise, there has not been one wicked man in the world (continuing in that state) that has ever mixt faith with his sorrows, believing with his confes­sing; 'tis only the penitent man that confesseth sin believing­ly, and that is pardoned graciously, The confessing penitent reasons thus with God; Lord, though I am a sinful crea­ture, yet thou art a merciful God; though I am unworthy of mercy, yet thou forgivest sins freely; though my sins reach as high as heaven, yet thy mercies teach above the heavens; I am here ready and willing to accuse and condemn my self, and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to absolve me, and forgive me. O Lord, though my sins are very many, yet thy mercies are exceeding more; though I have multiplied my sins, yet thou canst multiply thy pardons; though I am a sinner, a very great sinner, yet there is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be feared and loved, served and trusted; and therefore in the face of all my sins, provocations and unwor­thiness, I will look up for mercy, and wait for mercy. But,

8 Eighthly and lastly, True penitential confession is joyned with reformation. That confession of sin that carries forgivness of sin with it,Psal. 51.10. is attended with serious desires and earnest en­deavours of reformation; therefore forsaking of sin is an­next to confession of sin, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin, or all's lost; God will never cross the book, he will never draw the red lines of Christ's bloud over the black lines of our transgressions, except confessing and forsaking go hand in hand. He that does not [...]orsake his sin, as well as confess it, forsakes the benefit of his confession. And indeed, there is no real confession of sin, where there is no real forsaking of sin; 'tis not enough for us to confess the sins we have com­mitted, but we must peremptorily resolve against the com­mitting again the sins we have confest; we must desire as freely to forgo our sins, as we do desire God to forgive us our sins. Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit; now you know, a man that is burdened in his stomack, is heartily wil­ling [Page 253] to be rid of that [...]oad on his stomack that doth oppress nature; and so a man that is real in his confession of sin, is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin, that lyes as a lo [...]d up­on his conscience, as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his stomack. The peniten­tial confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins, as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins. This is observable in the confession of good Sechaniah, Ezra 10.2, 3. We have tres­passed against our God, and taken strange wives of the people of the Land: Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my Lord, and those that tremble at the commandement of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. And this was the former practise of the children of Israel, who joyned refor­mation with their confession, as you may see in that, Judg. 10.15. We have sinned. Ver. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them, and served the Lord, and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. That, Job. 34.31, 32. is ob­servable; Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born cha­stisement, I will not offend any more; that which I see not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. And the same spirit you may find working in those that were once gi­ven up to sorcery and witchcraft, Act. 18. And many that believed came and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Ver. 19. Many also of them which used curious arts, brought their books to­gether, and burned them before all men. Penitential confession leaves a holy awe and dread on the soul, to take heed of com­mitting sins confest. Though a godly man may (in an hour of temptation, or in a day of desertion, or in a season of God's with-holding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his soul) commit a sin which he has seriously confest and sadly bewailed, yet he retains in his course and practise, such a holy fear and awe upon his heart, as in some measure proves armour of proof against future commissions of sin. But now wicked men are very ready, bold, and venturous to commit the same sins they have confest, as you may see in Saul, one while you shall have him confessing his sinful in­juries [Page 254] against David with tears; and soon after you shall find him pursuing of him in the wilderness of Zaph with three thousand chosen men at his heels.Compare 1 Sam. 24.16, 17. with Chap. 26.2, 3, 4 Exod. 9 27, 34. The same evil spirit was predominant in Pharaoh, one day you shall have him confes­sing his sin, and promising to let Israel go, and the next day you shall find his heart hardned, and he peremptorily re­solved that Israel shall not go. And so the Harlot made the confession of her sin,Prov. 7.14. to be but a provocation to more sin. The wicked sometimes confess their sins, but they never for­sake their sins;2 Pet. 2. ult. after confe [...]sion they commonly return with the dog to his vomit; as Fulgentius Fulgent. de Rem. peccat. l. 1. c. 12. hath worthily observed. Many (saith he) being pricked in conscience, confess that they have done ill, and yet put no end to their ill deeds; they humbly accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which oppress them, and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heap up those sins whereof they accuse themselves. The very par­don which they beg with mournful-sighs, they impede with their wicked actions; they ask help of the Physician, and still minister matter to the disease, thus in vain indeavouring to appease him with penitent words, whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent course. Well remember this, real confession of sin is alwayes attended with real endeavours of turning from sin. Look, as the Patient layes open his diseases to the Physician for this very purpose, that he may be cured and healed; so the penitent soul confesses his sins to the Phy­sician of souls on purpose to be cured and healed. The daily language of the penitent soul is this; Lord, when wilt thou heal the maladies of my soul? when wilt thou heal my un­ [...]elief, and heal my pride, and heal my vain glory, and heal my hypocrisie, and heal my impurity, and heal my hard heart­edness, and heal my carnalness, and heal my worldliness, and heal my selfishness? &c. Lord, I do as earnestly beg grace to heal my soul, as I do mercy to pardon my soul. And let thus much suffice for the second part of true Evangelical repentance.

The third part of true Repentance [...] lyes in turning from [Page 255] all sin to God. That great and precious promise of forgive­ness of sin is made over to repenting and [...]ning from sin; all who truly repent of their sins, and turn from their sins, shall receive the forgiveness of their sins; pardon of sin is for that man, and that man is for pardon of sin, who truly repents and returns from his sin. Four things speak out this, &c.

First, Scripture exhortations to repent, that so our sins 1 may be forgiven, Ezek. 18.30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruine. Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. Acts 3.19. Re­pent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, &c.

Secondly, Express promises that our sins shall be forgiven 2 upon our repentance, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my people shall turn from their evil way, then will I forgive their sin. Prov. 28.13. Whose confesseth and f [...]rsaketh his sin, shall find mercy. Ezek. 18.21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ver. 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him.

Thirdly, A most certain assurance of the forgiveness of 3 sins upon repentance, though they have been never so great and hainous, Isa. 1.16, 17, 18. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, cease to do evil, learn to do well: Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be re [...] like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Fourthly, Express records and instances of forgiveness 4 unto such as have repented and turned from their sins, 2 Sam. 12.13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord; and Nathan said to David, the Lord hath also put away thy sin. Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. I have surely heard Ephraim be­moaning himself; turn thou me, and I shall be turned, &c. Surely [Page 256] after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instruct­ed, I s [...]ote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea even confounded, be­cause I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? [...]s he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do re­member him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Luke 7.38. And shee stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment. Ver. 47. Where­fore I say, her sins which were many are forgiven. Chap. 15.18, 19, 20. I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, fa­ther, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son▪ And he arose and came to his father; but when he was yet a great way off; his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him.

Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of that right turn­ing from sin, which brings poor sinners within the compass of the pro­mise of forgiveness of sins? Now to this great question I shall give these four following Answers.

CHAP. IV.

FIrst, An Hypocrites inside is never answerable to his out­side; 1 an Hypocrites inside is one thing,Mat. 23.25, 26, 27 Luke 11.39. and his outside another thing; an Hypocrite is outwardly clean, but inward­ly unclean; he is outwardly glorious, but inwardly inglori­ous. Hypocrites are like Apothecaries gally pots, having without the title of some excellent Preservative, but within they are full of some deadly poyson; they are like the Egyptian Temples, that were beautifull without, but within there was nothing to be found but Serpents and Crocodiles, and other venemous creatures. Hypocrites trade more for a good name, than for a good heart; for a good report, than for a good conscience; they are like Fidlers, more careful in tuning their Instruments, than in watching their spirits.Erasmi [...]milia. Hypocrites are like white silver, but they draw black lines; they have a seeming sanctified outside, but stuff'd within with [Page 288] malice, worldliness, pride, envy, &c. Like window cushions, made up of velvet and richly embroydered, but stuff'd within with hay. An Hypocrite may offer sacrifice with Cain, and fast with Jezabel; and humble himself with Ahab, and lament with the tears of Esau; and kiss Christ with Judas, and fol­low Christ with Demas; and offer fair for the holy Ghost with Simon Magus, Acts 8.23. and yet for all this his inside as bad as any of theirs. An Hypocrite is a Cato without, and a Nero with­in; a Jacob without, and an Esau within; a David without, and a Saul within; a Peter without, and a Judas within; a Saint without, and a Satan within; an Angel without, and a Devil within.Rom. 2.28, 29. An Hypocrit is a Jew outwardly, but an Atheist, a Pagan,Lucian. a Turk inwardly. I have read of certain Images, which on the outside were covered with gold and pearl, re­sembling Jupiter and Neptune, but within were nothing but spiders and cobwebs; a fit resemblance of Hypocrites. Hy­pocrisie is but an outside, like cloth of Arras, fair and beautiful without; but if you look to the inside, you shall find nothing but rags and ends. That Monk hit it, that said, To be a Monk in outward shew was easie, but to be a Monk in inward reality was hard. To be a Christian in outward shew is easie, but to be a Christian inwardly and really is very hard. An Hypocrites inside never ecco's or answers to his outside; his inside is vicious, and his outside is Religious: But let all such hypocrites know, that dissembled sanctity is double iniquity, and accordingly at last they shall be dealt with, Mat. 24.5. But,

2 Secondly, No hypocrite under heaven is totally divorced from the love and liking of every known sin, there is still some secret lust or other,Job 20.12, 13, 14 which as a sweet morsel he rowls under his tongue, and will not spit it out; every Hypocrite tollerates some evil or other in himself, and takes liberty to transgress. An Hypocrite will make hard shift to daub up his conscience, and to secure himself from the checks thereof. After once the bag was committed to Judas his custody, after once he was chosen into that sweet office, he quickly put con­science [Page 289] out of office,It was a strange conceit of the Cerinthians and those Caini or Cainiani as they are called by some that ho­noured Judas the Traitor, as some divine and super­humane power, and called his treason a blessed piece of service, & that he know­ing how much the death of Christ would pro­fit mankind, did therefore betray him to death to save the race of men, and to do a thing pleasing to God. Irenaeus, Aug. de haeresi. and never left stealing and licking his fingers, whilst there was any money in his bag to finger. He­rod knew much, and heard John Baptist, and had some tempo­rary affections, and did many good things, Mark 6.20. But yet, 1. He kept Herodias his brother's wife, Mark 6.17. 2. He took away the life of John the Baptist, Mark 6.27. 3. He sets Jesus Christ at naught, and rejected him, Luke 23.11. As fair as Herod seemed to carry it, yet he lived in a known notorious sin, and unjustly murdered the messenger of God, and mocked and rejected Jesus Christ as a vile per­son. Some sin or other alwayes reigns without controul, in an hypocritical heart. As they say of Witches, that they have one familiar or another that still sucks them. An Hy­pocrite alwayes reserves one nest-egg or another in his heart or life, for Satan to sit and brood on. Jehu did many brave things, but yet he kept up the worship of his golden calves. Naaman promises high, but yet he is for bowing in the house of Rimmon. The Pharisees were very devout, but yet they loved the praises of men, and the uppermost seats in the Sy­nagogues. There is never an hypocrite in the world, but will do what he can to save the life of his sin, though it be with the loss of his soul. O Sirs! Satan can be contented that Hy­pocrites should yield to God in many things, provided they will be but true to him in some one thing; for he very well knows, that one sin lived in, and allowed, gives him as much advantage against the soul, as more. Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin, as the Fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one claw; Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will marr all a mans sweetest duties and services; as one dead fly will marr the whole box of precious ointment, and as one jarring string will bring the sweetest musick out of tune. 'Tis said of Naaman the Syrian, Eccl. 10.1. that he was a va­liant man, and a victorious man, and an honourable man,2 King. 5.1. and a great favourite with his Prince, but a Leper: So it may be said of many Hypocrites, they have such and such excellen­cies, and they perform such and such glorious duties, but they live and allow themselves in this or that sin,Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. and that marrs the beauty of all their services. Satan knows, that [Page 292] one sin lived in and allowed, will as certainly damn a man, as many; as one disease, one ulcerous part, may as certainly kill a man, as many. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed,Lev. 31. will render a man as unclean in the eye of God as many. If the Leper in the Law had the spot of leprosie in any one part of his body, he was accounted a Leper, although all the rest of his body were sound and whole: So he who hath the spot of the leprosie of sin allowed in any one part of his soul, he is a spiritual Leper in the eye of God, he is un­clean, though in other parts he may not be unclean. The Schoolmen say, that if a sow do but wallow in one miry or dirty hole, she is filthy; and certainly, that soul that doth but wallow in any one sin, he is filthy in the eye of God. Sa­tan knows,Heb. 13.4. It is most true that the Heathen man saith, Qui habet unium vi­tium shabet omnia; he that hath any one vice (viz. reigning) hath all others with it. Seneca de benef. l. 5. c. 15. that one sin lived in and allowed, will as effectu­ally keep Christ and the soul asunder, as many; as one stone in the pipe will as effectually keep out the water, as many. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will make way for many; as one thief can open the door to let in many more. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will as certainly shut the soul out of heaven, as many; one enemy may shut the door upon a man as well as many: and what difference is there between that man that is shut out of hea­ven for living in many sins, and he that is shut out of heaven for l [...]ving but in one sin? One sin lived in and allowed, will arm conscience against a man, as well as many: If there be but one crack in the honey glass, there the wasp will be buzzing. One sin allowed and countenanced, will spoyl the musick of conscience; one sin lived in and allowed, will make death as terrible and as formidable to the soul, as many; one hand-writing upon the wall made King Nebuchadnez­zar's countenance to change,Dan. 5.5, 6. and his thoughts to be troubled, and the joynts of his loyns to be loosed, and his knees to be dashed one against another. Now all this Satan knows, and therefore he labours mightily to engage Hypocrites to live in the allowance of some one sin. O Sirs! remember that as one hole in a Ship will sink it, and as one stab at the heart will kill a man, and as one glass of poyson will poyson a man, and as one act of Treason will make a man a Traitor; so one [Page 291] sin lived in and allowed, will damn a man for ever; one wound strikes Goliah dead, as well as three and twenty did Caesar; one Dalilah will do Sampson as much mischief,Suetonius. as all the Philistines; one wheel broken, spoyls all the whole clock; one vein's bleeding will let out all the vitals, as well as more; one bitter herb will spoyl all the pottage;Gen. 3. 1 Sam. 14.33. Josh. 7. Jonah 1. by eating one apple, Adam lost Paradise; one lick of honey endanger­ed Jonathan's life; one Achan was a trouble to all Israel; one Jonah was lading too heavy for a whole Ship: So one sin lived in and allowed, is enough to make a man miserable for ever. One milstone will sink a man to the bottom of the Sea as well as a hundred; so one sin lived in and indulged, will sink a man to the bottom of hell as well as a hundred. I have read of a great Roman Captain, who as he was riding in his tri­umphant Chariot through Rome, had his eyes never off of a Curtizan that walkt along the street, which made one say, Behold ho [...] this great Captain that hath conquered such and such Armies, is himself conquered by one silly woman! There is never an Hypocrite in the world, but lyes under the con­quest of one base lust or another, but lives under the reign and dominion of one sin or another. That soul that can in sincerity of heart appeal to a heart-searching God, that 'tis otherwise with him (viz. That he does not live nor allow himself in any one sinful way or practise) that soul, I dare assure in the Lord's name, is no hypocrite, Psal. 139, 23, 24.

Thirdly, As an Hypocrites heart is never throughly sub­dued to a willingness to part with every lust, so neither is his heart throughly subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties; sometimes he is all for publick duties, but makes no conscience of closet-duties, or of family-duties; sometimes he is all for the duties of the first Table, but makes no conscience of the duties of the second Table; and sometimes he is all for the duties of the second Table, but makes no conscience of the duties of the first Table; if he obeyes one command, he willingly lives in the neglect of an­other; if he does one duty, he will be sure to cast off ano­ther; [Page 290] as he is not willing to fall out with every sin, so he is not willing to fall in with every duty. An Hypocrites obe­dience is alwayes partial, 'tis never universal, he still baulks or boggles with those commands that cross his lusts. The Pharisees fasted,Mat. 23.23. Chap. 6. prayed, gave alms, and paid tythes: O, but they omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy and faith, and they were unnatural to parents, and under a p [...]etence of praying,Mat. 15.4, 5, 6. they made a prey of widows houses; under a pretence of piety, they exercised the greatest covetousness, unrighteousness and cruelty, and that upon wi­dows, who are (usually the greatest objects of pity and cha­rity; they made no bones of robbing the widow, under a pre­tence of honouring of God: So Judas, under a pretence of lay­ing up for the poor, robbed the poor; he pretended to lay up for the poor,John 12.6. After some men have made a long and high professi­on, some one be­loved lust or o­ther, which they would never let go, parts Christ and them for e­ver. but he intended only to lay up for himself, and to provide against a rainy day; it is probable that he had no great mind to stay long with his Lord, and therefore he was resolved to make the best market he could for himself. Judas being willing to set up for himself, under a cloak of holiness, he practises the greatest unfaithfulness. Though the Eagle soars high, yet still her eye is upon her prey; so though Ju­das did soar high in profession, yet his eye was still upon his prey, upon his bags; and so he might have it, he cared not who went without it; so he might be rich, he did not care though his Lord and his retinue grew never so poor. Judas under all his shews of sanctity, had not so much as common honesty in him; counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking horse to much unrighteousness; but certainly it were better, with the Philosopher, to have honesty without Religion, than to have Religion without honesty. An Hypocrite may exer­cise himself in some outward, easie, ordinary duties of Reli­gion; but when shall you see an Hypocrite laying the ax to the root of the Tree, or a searching and trying his own heart, or severely judging his bosom sins, or humbly mourning and lamenting over secret corruptions, or doubling his guards a­bout his own soul, or rejoycing in the graces, services or ex­cellencies of others, or striving or pressing after the highest pitches of grace, holiness and communion with God, or en­deavouring [Page 293] more to cast out the beam out of his own eye, than the mote out of his brother's eye, or to be more severe against his own sins, than against the sins of others? Alas! an Hypocrite is so far from practising these duties, that he thinks them either superfluous or impossible. An Hypocrites obe­dience is alwayes a limited and stinted obedience; it is either limited to such commands which are most sutable to his ease, safety, honour, profit, pleasure, &c. or else it is limited to the outward part of the command, and never extends it self to the inward and spiritual part of the command; as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees; their obedience was all outward, they had no regard at all to the inward and spiri­tual part of any command; as is evident in that high charge that Christ gives in against them, Mat. 5. They did not mur­der, they did not commit adultery, they had an eye to the outward part of the command; but Christ charges them with unjust and adulterous thoughts, unchast glances, con­templative wickedness, speculative uncleanness, &c. they having no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command; common grace looks only to some particular du­ties, but saving grace looks to all. Renewing grace comes off to positives as well as negatives,Isa. 1.16, 17. Tit. 2.11, 12, 13. it teacheth us to cease to do evil, and it learns us also to do good; it teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and also to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. These words con­tain the sum of a Christians duty, to live soberly towards our selves, righteously towards our neighbours, and godly to­wards God, is true godliness indeed, and the whole duty of man. There is never an Hypocrite in the world, that can sincerely appeal to God, and say, Lord,Psal. 119.6. Luke 1.5, 6. Acts 13.22. thou knowest that my heart is subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties; I would willingly do the best I can to observe all thy royal Laws: Lord, I unfeignedly desire, and really endeavour to have an eye upon every command of thine, and to live up to every command of thine; and it is the real grief of my heart, and the daily burden of my soul, when I violate any of thy blessed Laws. He that can in uprightness thus appeal to God, shall never miscarry in that other world. But,

4 Fourthly, There is never an Hypocrite in the world that makes God, or Christ, or holiness, or his doing, or receiving good in his station, relation or generation; his grand end, his highest end, his ultimate end of living in the world; pleasures, profits and honours, are the Hypocrites all he aims at in this world; they are his Trinity which he adores and serves,1 John 2.16. and sacrificeth himself unto; an Hypocrite's ends are corrupt and selfish. God may possibly be at the high­er end of his work, but self is at the further end; for he that was never truly cast out of himself,John 6.26. Mat. 6.1, 5, 16. Gal. 4.17. Isa. 58.3. Mal. 3.14. zech. 7.5, 6, 7. Gen. 34.21, 22 can have no higher end than himself. An Hypocrite is all for his own glory, he acts for himself, and from himself; so I may have the profit, the credit, the glory, the applause, come of God's glory what will; this is the language of an unsound heart. An Hy­pocrite will seem to be very godly when he can make a gain of godliness, he will seem to be very holy when holiness is the way to outward greatness and happiness; but this religi­ous wickedness will double damn the Hypocrite at last. Self­ends are the operative ingredients in all an Hypocrite does, self is the chief Engine, self is the great wheel that sets all an hypocrites wheels a going. When hypocrites take up Re­ligion,Rom. 16.18. Phil. 3.19. 'tis only to serve their own turns, to bring about their own carnal ends; they serve not the Lord, but their own bel­lies; they use Religion only as a stream to turn about their own Mill, and the more neatly to effect their own carnal pro­jects. Simon Magus will needs be baptized, and he is very desirous to have power to give the holy Ghost to others; but his aim being only to get a name,Acts 8.21. and to get money, Peter tells him to his face, that his heart was not right in the sight of God. No man can go higher than his principles, and therefore an hypocrite having no higher principles than him­self, all he does must needs be terminated in himself. Look, as all the Rivers that come from the Sea, do return back again to the Sea from whence they come, so all those duties which arise from a mans self, must needs center in a mans self. An hypocrite alwayes makes himself the end of all his service; but let such hypocrites know, that though their profession be never so glorious, and their duties never so abundant, yet [Page 295] their ends being selfish and carnal, all their pretentions and performances are but beautiful abominations in the sight of God. An hypocrite has alwayes a squint eye, and squint ey'd aims, and squint ey'd ends in all he does.Numb. 22, 23. Chapters. 2 Pet. 2.15. 2 King. 10. Balaam spake very religiously, and he multiplyed Altars and sacrifices; but the thing he had in his eye was the wages of unrighteousness. Jehu destroyed bloudy Ahab's house, he executed the venge­ance of God upon that wicked family; he readily,1 King. 21. Jonah 3. resolutely and effectually destroyed all the worshippers of Baal, but his ends were to secure the Kingdom to him and his. Ahab and the Ninivites fasted in sackcloth, but it was meerly that they might not feel the heavy judgments that they feared would overtake them. The Jews in Babylon fasted and mourned,Zech. 7.5, 6. and mourned and fasted seventy years, but it was more to get off their chains than their sins, it was more to be rid of their captivity than it was to be rid of their iniquity. Look, as the Eagle hath an eye upon her prey when she flies highest, so these Jews in all their fasting, praying, mourning, they had only an eye to their own ease, deliverance, freedom, &c. in all their Religious duties they were acted from evil princi­ples, and carried on by self-respects; and therefore Daniel denies, that in all that seventy years captivity they had prayed to any purpose. All this is come upon us, Dan. 9.13. yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniqui­ties and understand thy truth. It is the end that dignifies or de­baseth the action, that rectifies it or adulterates it, that sets a crown of honour, or a crown of shame upon the head of it. He that commonly, habitually, in all his duties and services, proposes to himself no higher ends than the praises of men, or rewards of men, or the stopping the mouth of natural conscience, or only to avoid a smarting rod, or meerly to se­cure himself from wrath to come, he is an hypocrite. The ends of a mans actions are alwayes a great discovery either of sincerity or hypocrisie. Look, as great gifts, not sweet­ned with sincerity, are no ornaments to us; so great infirmi­ties not sowred with hypocrisie, are no great deformities to us. An hypocrites ends are alwayes below God, they are al­wayes below glorifying of God, exalting of God, walking [Page 296] with God, and enjoying communion with God. An hypo­crite in all he does, still proposes to himself some poor, mean, ignoble self-end or other.

But now mark, a sincere Christian, if he prayes, or hears, or gives,Psal. 115.1. 1 Thes. 2.6. or fasts, or repents, or obeys, &c. God's glory is the main end of all; the glory of God is his highest end, his ulti­mate end. A sincere Christian can be content to be trampled upon and vilified, so God's name be glorified; the bent of such a heart is for God and his glory;Rev. 4.9, 10, 11. nothing but sincerity can carry a soul so high, as in all acts natural, civil and religi­ous, to intend God's glory. A sincere Christian ascribes the praise of all to God,Rom. 14.7, 8. he sets the crown on Christ's head alone, he will set God upon the throne, and make all things else his servants, or his foot-stool; all must bow the knee to God, or be trodden in the dirt; he will love nothing, he will imbrace nothing but what sets God higher, or brings God neerer to his heart. The glory of God is the mark, the white, that the sincere, Christian has in his eye. The sincere Christian lives not to himself,1 Cor. 10. ult. Rev. 12.11. but to him who lives for ever; he lives not to his own will, or lusts, or greatness, or glory in this world, but he lives to his glory, whose glory is dearer to him than his own Life. Look, as bright shining golden vessels do not re­tain the beams of the Sun which they receive, but reflect them back again upon the Sun; so the sincere Christian return and reflects back again upon the Sun of righteousness, the praise and glory of all the gifts, graces and vertues that they have received from him. The daily language of sincere souls is this;1 Chron. 29, 10, 18. Rom. 13.7. Non nobis Domine, non nobis Domine; Not unto us Lord, not unto us Lord, but to thy name be all the glory. A sincere Christian makes conscience of giving men their dues; how much more then does he make conscience of giving God his due.Psal. 96.7, 8. Now glory is God's due, and God stands upon no­thing more than that we g [...]ve him the glory due unto his name,Propter te Domine propter te, was once and is still every sincere Christians Motto. as you may see in Psal. 29.1, 2. There are three gives in those two verses; Give unto the Lord, give unto the Lord, give unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name. Glory i [...] God's right, and he stands upon his right, and this the sincere [Page 297] Christian knows, and therefore he gives him his right, he gives him the honour and the glory that is due unto his name. But pray do not mistake me, I do not say that such as are real­ly sincere, do actually eye the glory of Christ in all their actions: Oh, no, this is a happiness desirable on earth, but shall never be attained till we come to heaven. By and base ends and aims will be still ready to creep into the best hearts; but all sincere hearts sigh and groan under them, they com­plain to God of them, and they cry out for justice, justice upon them, and it is the earnest desires and daily endeavours of their souls to be rid of them; and therefore they shall not be imputed to them, nor keep good things from them: But now take a sincere Ch [...]istian in his ordinary, usual and habi­tual course, and you shall find that his aims and ends in all his actions and undertakings are to glorifie God, to exalt God, and to lift up God in the world. If the Hypocrite did in good earnest aim at the glory of God in what he does, then the glory of God would swallow up all his by aims and carn [...]l ends, as Aarons rod swallowed up the Magicians rods. Look, as the Sun puts out the light of the fire,Exod. 7.10, 11, 12. so the glory of God (where it is aimed at) will put out and consume all by and base ends. This is most certain, that which is a man's great end, that will work out all other ends; he that sets up the glory of God as his chief end, will find that his chief end will by degrees eat out all low and base ends. Look,Gen. 41.4. as Pharaoh's lean kin [...] ate up the fat, so the glory of God will eat up all those fat and worldly ends that crowd in upon the soul in re­ligious work. Where the glory of God is kept up as a man's greatest end, there all by and base ends will be kept at an un­der. By what has been said, 'tis most evident, that an Hypo­crite in all his transactions looks at himself, and designs the advance and advantage of himself. An Hypocrite is as well able to make a world, and to unmake himself, as he is able to make the glory of God, the exaltation of God his highest end, his utmost aim in what he does. But,

Fifthly, No Hypocrite can live wholly and only upon the [Page 296] [...] [Page 297] [...] [Page 298] righteousness of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, the me­rits of Christ for justification and salvation. The hypocriti­cal Scribes and Pharisees prayed and fasted,Mat. 6. Luke 18.11, 12. ponder upon that Rev. 3.16, 17, 18. and kept the Sab­bath, and gave almes, &c. and in this legal righteousness they rested and trusted. Upon the performance of these and such like duties they laid the weight of their souls, and the stress of their salvation, and so perished for ever. An Hy­pocrite rests upon what he doth, and never looks so high as the righteousness of Christ; he looks upon his duties as so much good moneys laid out for heaven; he weaves a web of righteousness to cloath himself withal, he never looks out for a more glorious righteousness to be justified by than his own, and so puts a slight upon the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. The first step to sal­vation is to renounce our own righteousness, the next step is to embrace the righteousness of Christ which is freely offer­ed to sinners i [...] the Gospel; but these things the Hypocrite minds not, regards not: The righteousness of an Hypocrite is not only imperfect, but impure, a rag, a filthy rag; and therefore he that rests upon such a righteousness,Isa. 64.6. must needs miscarry to all eternity. O Sirs! who will say that that man needs a Saviour, that can flie to heaven upon the wings of his own duties and services? If a man's duties can pacifie an infinite wrath, and satisfie an infinite justice, then farewel Christ, and welcom duties. He that will rest upon his own righteousness for life and justification, must needs sit down on this side salvation; he that rests upon his duties, and that rests upon a gift of knowledge, a gift of utterance, a gift of memory, or a gift of prayer, though he may come near to heaven, and bid fair for heaven, yet he will never be able to get into heaven. Now, how sad is it for a man to lose him­self and his soul in a wilderness of duties, when he is upon the borders, yea the very brink of the holy Land; he that rests upon any thing in him, or done by him as a means to pro­cure the favour of God, or the salvation of his soul, will put such a cheat upon himself as will undo him for ever. Non-submission [Page 299] to the righteousness of Christ, keeps Christ and the hypocrite asunder; Christ will never love nor like to put the fine, clean,Rev. [...]9.7, 8. white linnen of his own righteousness upon the old garment, the old rags of an hypocrites duties;Mar. 9.16, 17. neither will Christ ever delight to put his new wine into such old bottles. An hypocrites confidence in his own righteousness,Prov. 21.27. turns his righteousness into filthiness. But now a sincere Christian, he renounces his own righteousness, he renounces all confidence in the flesh,Phil. 3.3. he looks upon his own righteous­ness as dung, yea as dogs meat (as some interpret the word [...], in that, [...] dicuntur quasi [...]. Vide Bezam, vide a Lapíde. Phil. 3.8.) he will say no more to his du­ties, to the works of his hands, ye are my Gods, Hos. 14.3. When they look upon the holiness of Gods nature, the righ­teousness of his government, the severity of his Law, the terror of his wrath, they see an absolute and indispensable necessity of a more glorious righteousness than their own to appear before God in. A sincere Christian sets the highest price and value upon the righteousness of Christ, Psal. 71.16. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. Mark, the Emphasis doubled, of thine, and thine only; a sincere Christian is convinced of the nature, worth and excellency of the righteousness of Christ, and therefore he cryes out, I will make mention of thy righteousness, of thine only. The cost­ly cloak (of Alcisthenes) which Dionisius sold to the Cartha­ginians for an hundred Talents, was indeed a mean and beg­garly rag in a sincere Christian's eye, to that embroidered mantle of righteousness that Christ puts upon his. A sincere Christian rejoyces in the righteousness of Christ above all, Isa. 61.10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the role of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorn­eth her self with her jewels. It is matter of joy,Knolls Hist. and a sign of great favour from the great Turk, when a rich garment is cast upon any that comes into his presence: O then! what mat­ter of joy must it be to a sincere Christian,Isa. 28.16. to have the rich and royal garment of Christ's righteousness cast upon him? A sincere Christian rests on the righteousness of Christ, as [Page 300] on a sure foundation, Isa. 45.24. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. It was a very sweet and golden expression of one, when he thought himself to be at the point of death; I confess, said he, I am not worthy, I have no merits of mine own to obtain heaven by; Guliel. Abb [...]s in vita Bern. lib. 1. cap. 12. but my Lord had a dou­ble right thereunto, an hereditary right as a son, and a meritorious right as a sacrifice; he was contented with the one right himse f, the other right he hath given unto me, by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it, and am not confounded. A sincere Chri­stian looks upon the righteousness of Christ as that which renders him most splendid and glorious in the eyes of God, Phil. 3.9. And [...]e found in him not having mine own righteous­ness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith. The Church, saith Marlorat, which puts on Christ and his righteousness, is m re il­lustrious than the Air is by the Sun. A sincere Christian looks upon the righteousness of Christ as his only security against wrath to come;1 Thes. 1. ult. wrath to come is the greatest wrath, wrath to come is the purest wrath, wrath to come is infinite wrath, wrath to come is everlasting wrath: Now the sincere Chri­stian he knows no way under heaven to secure himself from wrath to come, but by putting on the robe of Christ's righ­teousness. The story tells us (if we may believe it) that Pi­late being called to Rome to give an account unto the Empe­peror for some misgovernment and male-administration,Rom. 13.14. he put on the seamless coat of Christ, and all the time he had [...]hat coat upon his back, Caesar's fury was abated. There is nothing that can abate the wrath and fury of a sin-revenging God, but the seamless coat of Christ's righteousness. Well, for a close remember this, There is never an hypocrite in the world that is more pleased, satisfied, delighted and content­ [...]d with the righteousness of Christ, than with his own, &c. Though an hypocrite may be much in duties, yet he never lives above his duties; he works for life, and he rests in his work, and this proves his mortal wound. But,

Sixthly, An Hypocrite never embraces a whole Christ, he can never take up his full and everlasting rest, satisfaction 6 and content in the person of Christ, in the merits of Christ, [Page 301] in the enjoyment of Christ alone. No hypocrite did ever long and mourn after the enjoyment of Christ, as the best thing in all the world; no hypocrite did ever prize Christ for a sanctifier as well as a Saviour; no hypocrite did ever look upon Christ, or long for Christ to deliver him from the power of his sins, as much, or as well as to deliver him from wrath to come; no hypocrite can really love the person of Christ, or take satisfaction in the person of Christ,1 Thes. 1.10. the rayes and beam [...] of Christs glory has never warm'd his heart; he never knew what bosom communion with Christ meant. An hypocrite may love to be healed by Ch ist, and to be pa [...]don­ed by Christ, and to be saved by Christ, &c. but he can never take any complacency in the person of Christ, his heart never seriously works after union with Christ. The love of a sin­cere Christian runs much out to the person of Christ, hea­ven it self without Christ,Cant. 5.10. Phil. 1.21. & 3.7, 8, 9, 10. would be to such a soul but a poor thing, a low thing, a little thing, an uncomfortable thing, an empty thing; 'tis the person of Christ that is the sparkling Diamond in the ring of glory. No hypocrite in the world is sincerely willing to receive Christ in all his Offices, and to close with him upon Gospel terms.1 John 11, 13. Mat. 16.24. The terms upon which God offers Christ in the Gospel, are these, viz. That we shall accept of a whole Christ with a whole heart. Now mark, a whole Christ includes all his Offices, & a whole heart includes all our faculties: Christ as Mediator is King, Priest and Pro­phet, and so God the Father in the Gospel offers him. Sal­vation was too great and too glorious a work to be perfected and compleated by any one Office of Christ. Christ as a Pro­phet instructs us, and as a Priest he redeems us, and intercedes for us, and as a King he sanctifies and saves us. The Apostle hit it when he said, He is made to us of God, wisdom, righteous­ness, sanctification and redemption. Consider Christ as our Pro­phet, and so he is made wisdom to us;1 Cor. 1.30. consider him as our Priest, and so he is made righteousness and redemption to us; consider him as our King, and so he is made sanctification and holiness to us. An hypocrite may be willing to imbrace Christ as a Priest to save him from wrath, from the curse, from hell, from everlasting burning, but he is never sincerely willing to [Page 302] imbrace Christ as a Prophet to teach and instruct him, and as a King to rule and reign over him; many hypocrites may be willing to receive a Christ Jesus, that are not willing to re­ceive a Lord Jesus; they may be willing to imbrace a saving Christ, but they are not willing to imbrace a ruling Christ, a commanding Christ.Luke 19 27. This man shall not rule over us. O Je­rusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the Prophets, how often would I have gathered thy children together, Mat. 23.37. Psal. 2.2, 3. John 5.40. John 1.11. Isa. 8 14. 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. even as a hen gather­eth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? And ye will not come to me that ye might have life. He came to his own, and his own received him not. An hypocrite is willing to receive Christ in one office, but not in every office; and this is that stumbling stone at which hypocrites stumble and fall, and are broken in pieces. Certainly Christ is as lovely and as comely [...]s desirable, and delightful as eminent, and excellent in one office as he is in another, and therefore 'tis a just and righ­teous thing with God, that hypocrites that won't receive him in every office,1 Cor. 1.1 [...]. should have no benefit by any one of his offices. Christ and his offices may be distinguished, but Christ and his offices can never be divided; whilst many have been a la­bouring to divide one office of Christ from another, they have wholly stript themselves of any advantage or benefit by Christ. Hypocrites love to share with Christ in his happi­ness, but they don't love to share with Christ in his holiness; they are willing to be redeemed by Christ, but they are not cordially willing to submit to the Laws and Government of Christ; they are willing to be saved by his bloud, but they are not willing to submit to his Scepter. Hypocrites love the priviledges of the Gospel, but they don't love the services of the Gospel, especially those that are most inward and spi­ritual. But now a sincere Christian he owns Christ in all his offices,1 John 12. Mat. 2.6. Heb. 7.21, 26. Acts 3.22. John 12.46. he receives Christ in all his offices, and he closes with Christ in all his offices, he accepts of him not only as a Christ Jesus, but also as a Lord Jesus; he imbraces him not only as a saving Christ, but also as a ruling Christ. The Co­lossians received him as Christ Jesus the Lord,Col. 2.6. they received a Lord Christ as well as a saving Christ, they received Christ as a King upon his throne,2 Cor. 4.5. as well as a sacrifice upon his [Page 303] Cross. God the Father in the Gospel tenders a whole Christ; We preach Christ Jesus the Lord,Acts 5.31. and accordingly a sincere Christian receives a whole Christ, he receives Christ Jesus the Lord; he sayes with Thomas, My Lord, and my God; John 20.28. he takes Christ for his wisdom as well as for his righteousness, and he takes him for his sanctification as well as for his redemption. An hypocrite is all for a saving Christ, for a sin-pardoning Christ, for a soul-glorifying Christ, but regards not a ruling Christ, a reigning Christ, a commanding Christ, a sanctify­ing Christ, and this at last will prove his damning sin, John 3.19, 20. But,

Seventhly, An Hypocrite can't mourn for sin as sin, nor 7 grieve for sin as sin, nor hate sin as sin, nor make head against sin as sin. Mark, to hate sin is not, 1.Num. 22. Meerly to refrain from sin, for so Balaam did, even then when he was tempted to it. 2. To hate sin is not meerly to confess sin,Exod. 10.16. Mat. 27.4. for so Pharaoh and Judas did. 3. To hate sin is not meerly to be afraid to sin, for this may be where the hatred of sin is not. 4. To hate sin is not meerly to mourn because of the dreadful effects and fruits that sin may produce, for so Ahab did, and the Ninivites did, &c. He that sears sin for hell,Augustine. fears not to sin but to burn, but he hates sin indeed whoso hates sin as hell it self. It was a saying of one of the Ancients,Anselm. That if hell and sin were before him, he would rather fall into hell than fall in­to sin; here was a true hatred of sin indeed. An hypocrite may be troubled for sin, as it blots his name, and wounds his consci­ence, and brings a scourge, and destroys his soul, & shuts him out of heaven, and throws him to hell, but he is never troubled for sin, he never mourns for sin, he never hates sin because 'tis contrary to the nature of God, the being of God, the Law of God, the glory of God, the design of God, or because of the evil that is in the nature of sin, or because of the defiling and polluting power of sin. True hatred of sin is universal; 'tis of the whole kind; he who hates a toad because it is a toad, hates every toad; and he who hates a man because he is holy, hates every holy man; and so he who hates sin because [Page 304] 'tis sin, [...], Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. hates every sin, Psal. 119.128. I hate every false way. (True hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing) Every sincere Christian hath in him a general hatred of every false way, and dares not allow himself in the least sin; What I do I allow not. Rom. 7.15. Rom. 12.9. Abhor that which is evil. The Greek word [...] is very significant;Chrysost. the simple Verb imports extream detestation, which is aggravated by the composition;Rom. 2.21. the word signifies to hate evil as hell it self. Though an hypocrite may hate some sins; Thou abhorrest Idols, yet that is out of some peculiar and particular indisposition to a particular sin;Doctor Sibs in his souls conflict makes the hatred of sin the surest and never failing character of a good soul, page 340. but this hatred of th [...]s or that particular sin, a­riseth not from an inward nature or gracious principle, as it doth in him that is a sincere Christian; & the reason is this, be­cause that contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian arising from this inward gracious nature, is to the whole species or kind of sin, and is irreconcilable to any sin whatsoever. As contrarieties of nature are to the whole kind, as light is con­trary to all darkness, and fire to all water; so this con­trariety to sin arising from the inward man, is universal to all sin. Though a sincere Christian has not a universal victo­ry over all sin, yet there is in him a universal contrariety to all sin. Victory argues strength, contrariety argues nature. Hence it is that an hypocrite may hate one sin, and love ano­ther, because there is not a gracious nature in him which would be contrary to all. The inward nature of a Christian is to be judged by the universal contrariety of his inward man to all sin. Now this universal contrariety to all sin, will beget a unive [...]sal conflict with all sin. O Sirs! remember this, A universal contrariety to sin, can be found in no man but he that is sincere; and this universal contrariety to sin ar­gues an inward nature of grace, and this is that which diffe­rences a real Christian from an hypocrite, who may oppose some sins out of other principles and reasons. An hypocrite may be angry with this sin and that, which brings the smart­ing rod, and wounds his conscience, and disturbs his peace, and imbitters his mercies, and strangles his comforts, and that layes him open to wrath, and that brings him even to the gates of hell, but he can never hate sin as sin. An hypo­crite [Page 305] he hates some sins, but likes others, he loaths some but loves others, he opposes some but practises others; like the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, that hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, but loved luke-warmness.Rev. 2.5, 6. Many men detest theft that love covetousness, abhor whoredom that like irre­religiousness, &c. There is no hypocrite under heaven, that can truly say, I hate every false way; but a sincere Christian he hates all sinful wayes, but his own first and most;1 Kings 5.18. an up­right heart leaves no nest-egg for Satan to sit on, but the hy­pocrite alwayes does. Mark, in true hatred there are six things observable.

First, True hatred includes an extream detestation; eve­ry 1 dislike is not hatred, but true hatred is an extream loath­ing: Thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth, Isa 30.22. thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Chap. 2.20. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the Moles and to the Bats. Their detestation should be so great, that they should cast their most costly idols of silver and gold, into the most dark, nasty, dusty corners; to testifie the sincerity of their conversion to God, they should hate and abhor, abandon and abolish their gold and silver idols which they valued above all others.

Secondly, True hatred includes an earnest separation. He 2 that hates his sin would fain be separated from his sin:2 Cor. 5.4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened. A sincere Christian finds no burden to lay so heavy and weighty upon his spirit as sin, and therefore he groans to be delivered from it. In the Law,Deut. 24.3. he that hated his Wife did sue out a bill of divorce from her. He that truly hates sin, puts in many a bill into the Court of Heaven, that he may be for ever di­vorced from his sin.

Thirdly, True hatred includes an irreconcilable aliena­tion. 3 He that hates sin, has his heart for ever alienated from sin; he who hates sin, can never be one with sin. Two angry [Page 306] men may be made friends,Lawyers often fall out at the Bar, but are ve­ry well agreed when they meet at the Tavern. but if two men hate each other, all friendship is everlastingly broken betwixt them. A man may be angry with sin, and yet made friends with sin again; but if once he comes to hate his sin, then all friendship with sin is everlastingly broken. When Christ and the soul comes to be really one, then sin and the soul comes to be everlast­ingly two, &c.

4 Fourthly, True hatred includes a constant and perpetual conflict; the flesh will be still lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.Gal. 5.17. Rom. 7.22, 23. Though sin and grace were not born together, and though sin and grace shall never die to­gether; yet whilst a believer lives in this world, they must live together; and whilst sin and grace do cohabit together, they will still be opposing and conflicting one with another. That man that truly hates sin, will everlastingly conflict with sin, he will die fighting against his sins as one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against his enemies with his weapons in his hand. Well Christians, remember this, Though to be kept from sin brings most peace and comfort to us, yet for us to oppose sin, and for God to pardon sin, that brings most glory to God, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9.

5 Fifthly, True hatred includes a deadly intention and de­struction; for nothing satisfies hatred but death and ruin. Saul hated David, 1 Sam. 26.19, 20. 1 Sam. 23.23. Est. 5.14. and sought his life; he hunted him up and down as a Partridge in the mountains, he left no stone unturn'd, nor no means unattempted, whereby he might revenge himself upon David. Haman hated Mordecai, and nothing would sa­tisfie him but to bring him to a shameful death, to see him hang'd on a gallows fifty cubits high (which was design'd saith Lyra, to put Mordecai to the greater shame, for he hanging h [...]gh every one might see him and point to him.) Now when there was but one night betwixt Mordecai and a shameful death, divine providence opportunely strook in and saved h [...]m from Haman's malice, and caused the mischief which he had plotted against Mordecai, suddenly to fall upon his own [Page 307] pate; for he who was highly feasted with the King one day,2 Sam. 13.22, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. was made a feast for crows the next day. Absalom hated Amnon and killed him. Julian the Apostate hated the Chri­stians with a deadly hatred, he put many thousands of them to death, and threatned and vowed that at his return from fighting against the Persians he would put all the Christians in his Empire to the sword, but God prevented him, by cut­ting him off in that expedition. A Christian that hates sin, can't be satisfied but in the death and destruction of it; in all his duties the language of his soul is, Lord, let my sins be destroyed, whoever escapes let not my sins escape the hand of thy revenging justice: And in all Ordinances the langu­age of his soul is, O Lord! when shall my sins be subdued and mortified, when shall my cursed corruptions be brought to an under? yea, when shall they all be drowned in the Red-Sea of my Saviours bloud, &c.

Sixthly, True hatred includes an impartial aversation, 6 true hatred is of the whole kind; but of this before. To wind up all, ask thy heart what is it that thou abhorrest as the superlative evil? what is that which thou wouldst have separated as far from thee, as heaven is from hell? what is that thy heart will never renew league or friendship with any more? what is that against which thy soul doth rise, and with which (as Israel with Amalek) thou wilt have war for ever?Exod. 17.16. what is that which thou wilt be avenged of, and daily dost en­deavour the mortifying and crucifying of? what is that which thou settest thy heart against in the comprehensive latitude thereof, whether great or little, open or secret? if it be sin, if it be thy sins, if it be all thy sins, then assuredly here is a true hatred of sin, and assuredly here is a most distinguishing character of a child of God, of a sound conversion, and of a saving change. It was not wont to be thus with thee, nor is this findable in any hypocrite,Judg. 14.3, 7. or in any unconverted per­son upon the face of the earth;2 Sam. 13.15. sin was once to thee as Da­lilah to Sampson, but now it is to thee as Tamar to Amnon; Job 20.12, 13. once it was a sweet morsel which thou heldst fast and wouldst not let it go,Isa. 30.22. but now it is the menstruous cloth which thou [Page 308] castest away,Hos. 14.8. saying, Get thee hence: Now with Ephraim thou cryest out, What have I to do any more with Idols? O, if it be indeed thus with thee, then thou hast cause for ever to be much in blessing and in admiring of the Lord for his distin­guishing grace and favour towards thee. O Sirs! the world is full of baits, snares and temptations, but whilst the hatred of sin burns in your breasts, you may cast up your caps, and throw the Gantlet to the world, the flesh and the devil. Well, remember this for ever, There are three things an hypocrite can never do. 1. He can never mourn for sin as sin. 2. He can never mourn for the sins of others as well as his own. Moses, Lot, David, Jeremiah, Paul, and those in that, Ezek. 9.4, 6. mourned for others sins as well as their own; but Pharoah, Ahab, Judas, Demas, Simon Magus never did. 3. He can never hate sin as sin. But,

8 Eighthly, No hypocrite is habitually low or little in his own eyes, no hypocrite has ordinarily mean thoughts of him­self,1 Cor. 8.1, 2. John 7.49. & 9.34. or a poor esteem of himself; no hypocrite loves to lessen himself to greaten Christ, to debase himself to exalt Christ; no hypocrite loves to be out-shin'd, all hypocrites love to write an I (not a Christ) upon what they do. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,Luke 18.11, 12 Munday and Thursday were the Pharisees. fasting dayes, because Moses went up to the Mount on a Thursday, and came down on a Munday, saith Drusius. God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulte­rers, or even as this Publican; I fast twice in the week, I give tythes of all that I possess. All hypocrites stand not only upon their comparisons, but also upon the disparisons; I am not as this Publican. All hypocrites stand much upon their nega­tive righteousness, and their comparative goodness. There is no hypocrite in the world, but sets down his penny for a pound, and alwayes prizes himself above the Market, 2 Kings 10.15, 16. And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Je­honadab the son of Rechab, coming to meet him, and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart? and Jehonadab answered, it is; if it be, give me thine hand, and be gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into his chariot; and he said, come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. Comets [Page 309] make a greater blaze than fixed Stars; Come see my zeal for the Lord. Jehu his words were for the Lord, but his project was for the kingdom. The Actor in the Comedy said with his mouth, O coelum (O heaven) but with his finger he pointed to the earth. Lapidaries tell us of a stone called the Chely­donian stone, that it will retain its vertue no longer than it is enclosed in gold; a fit emblem of an hypocrite, of a Jehu. John 12.43. Jehu made a great blaze, but he was but a Comet. An hypo­crite alwayes loves the praise of men more than the praise of God, he loves more to be honoured by men than to be ho­noured by God.John 5.44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only. No­thing below that power which raised Christ from the grave, can make an hypocrite purely nothing in his own eyes. An hypocrite is alwayes a great thing in his own eyes,Accius the Poet, though he were a Dwarf, yet would be pictu­red tall of sta­ture. The ap­plication to the hypocrite is easie. and when he is nothing, a great nothing in others eyes, he can't bear it. An hypocrite can't endure to be out-shin'd in gifts, in gra­ces, in experiences, in duties, in communion with God, in spiritual enjoyments. An hypocrites heart is full of pride, when his deportment is most humble; he alwayes thinks best of himself and worst of others, he looks upon his own vices as graces, and he looks upon other mens graces as vices, or at least, as no true currant coyn. A proud spirit will cast disgrace upon that excellency that himself wants,Eusebius Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 13. as Licinius who was joyned with Galerius in the Empire, he was so igno­rant that he was not able to write his own name; he was a bitter enemy to learning, and as Eusebius reports of him, he called the liberal Arts a publick poyson and pestilence. The emptiest barrels makes the loudest sound, the worst metal the greatest noise, and the lightest ears of corn hold their heads highest. An hypocrite may well lay his hand upon his heart, and say, is it not so with me? is it not just so with me?

But now sincere Ch [...]istians, they are men of another spi­rit, of another temper, of another mettle, of another mind, their hearts lye low, when their gifts, and graces, and spiri­tual enjoyments are high. Abraham is but dust and ashes in his own eyes.Gen. 18.27. The higher any man is in his communion with [Page 310] God, the more low that man will be in his own eyes: Dust and ashes are poor, base, vile, worthless things, and such a thing as these was Abraham in his own eyes. So Jacob was a plain man,Gen. 32.10. an upright man; and lo, what a low esteem had he of himself, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy servant, &c. In the Hebrew it is, I am little before thy mercies; for the Hebrews have no comparative,Gen. 31. from ver. 38. to 41. The least mer­cy, saith Jacob, is more worth than I, & more weighty than I and therefore they are wont to express this by a positive and a preposition. When Jacob had to do with Laban, he pleads his merits, but when he has to do with God, he pleads nothing but grace, setting a very low esteem upon himself; he looks upon himself as less than the least of mer­cies, and as worse than the worst of creatures; the least of my mercies are greater than I deserve, and the greatest of my troubles are less than I deserve, saith Jacob. The langu­age of a plain hearted Jacob is this; O Lord, I might with Job have been stript of all my comforts and enjoyments at a clap, and set upon a dunghil, I might with Lazarus have been begging my bread from door to door,Lam. 5.9. or I might have been getting my bread with the peril of my life, because of the sword of the wilderness, or I might have been with Dives in hell, a crying out for a drop of water to cool my tongue. A sincere Christian cannot tell how to speak good enough of God,Luk. 16.24. nor ill enough of himself. Agur was one of the wisest and holiest men on earth, and see how greatly he debases him­self;Prov. 30.1, 2. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. Agur had seen Ithiel (God with me) and Ucal (God almighty) and this made him so vile and base in his own eyes; this made him villifie, yea nullifie himself to the utmost.Job was a non-such in regard of those perfe­ctions and [...] grees of grace, of integrity, of sanctity, that he had attained to beyond any o­ther Saints in the World, in his time and day. You know, no man ever received a fairer or a more valuable certificate under the hand of God, or the broad Seal of heaven for his being a soul famous in upright­ness and holiness than Job [...] as you may see, Job 1.8. And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou con [...]ed my servant Job, than there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil. Job was high in worth, and humble in heart, Job 42.5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine [...]e seeth thee; I abhor my self [Page 113] in dust and ashes. This expression is the deepest act of abhor­rency; abhorrency strictly taken, is hatred wound up to the height. I abhor my self. The Hebrew word that is rendred abhor, signifies to reject, to disdain, to contemn, to cast off. Ah, sayes Job, I abhor my self, I reject my self, I disdain my self, I cast off my self, I have a very vile and base esteem of my self. David was a man of great integrity, a man after Gods own heart, and yet he looks upon himself as a Flea;1 King. 15.5. and what is more contemptible than [...] looks up­on himself as a Flea, so he looks upon himself as a worm;1 Sam. 26.20 I am a worm and no man. The Hebrew word [...] Tolagnath, Psal. 22.6. that is here rendred a worm, signifies a very little worm which breedeth in scarlet, a worm that is so li [...]l [...] [...] that a man can hardly perceive it. A worm is the most despicable creature in the world, trampled under foot by man and beasts; he who was in God's eye a man after his own heart, is in his own eye but a despicable worm, A sincere Christian is a lit­tle, little nothing in his own eyes.

So Paul who had been caught up into the th [...]d heav [...],Chrysostom. [...] learned his divinity among the Angels, as one speaks; and had such glorious Revelations as could not be uttered, yet he accounts himself less than the least of all Saints, Eph [...] ▪ [...].8 [...] Unto me who am less than the least of all Saints. Vide Es [...]ius, [...]m, &c. The Greek is [...] comparative made of a superlative, less than the least [...] Saints is a double diminutive, and signifies lesser than the least, if lesser might be, (not that any thing can be less than the least) Paul's rhetorick doth not cross Aristotles Philoso­phy, the original word being a double dimin [...]tive; his mean­ing is, that he was as little as could be, therefore he put him­self down so little, as could not be less than the least. Here you have the greatest Apostle descending down to the lowest step of humility; great Paul is least of Saints,1 Tim. 1.15. last of the Apostles, and greatest of sinners.

So Peter, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord; Luke 5.8. [...]. or as the Greek runs, A man, a sinner, a very mixture and com­pound of dirt and sin, a meer bundle of vice and vanity, of [Page 312] folly and iniquity. So Luther, I have no other name than sinner, sinner is my name, sinner is my sirname, this is the name by which I shall be alwayes known; I have sinned, I do sin, I shall sin in infinitum, saith Luther speaking vilely and basely of himself. Lord, I am hell, and thou art heaven, said blessed Hooper, I am a most hypocrital wretch, not worthy that the earth should bear me, said blessed Bradford. Thus you see by these several instances, that sincere Christians do as it were take a holy pleasure and delight to debase, humble and villifie themselves. But this is a work hypocrites are meer strangers to; there is not an hypocrite under heaven that loves to debase himself, or that makes it his duty con­scientiously to villifie and lessen himself, that Christ may be set up above all.Augustin. Humility is a grace hardly attained unto. Many (saith one) can more easily give all they have to the poor, than themselves become poor in spirit. But,

9 Ninthly, No hypocrite will long hold out in the work and wayes of the Lord, in the want of outward incouragements, and in the face of outward discouragements. An hypocrite is an Apostate cased, and an Apostate is an hypocrite un­cased, Job 27. ver. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God shall take away his soul? Ver. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he alwayes call up­on God? Or, as the Hebrew runs, Will he in every time call upon God? It may be he may formally call on God in time of prosperity; but can he seriously do it in time of adversi­ty? Sometimes when the rod is upon them, then they will pour out a prayer to God;Isa, 26.16. In their affliction they will seek me earthly. When he slew them, then they sought him, and they re­turned and enquired after God. Hos. 5. ult. Psal. 78, 34. But this was not the standing frame of their hearts. Ver. 36. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. Ver. 47. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant. When Pharoah was upon the wrack, he could roar out a confession,Exo. 10.16, 17. Ver. 19.20. and earnestly cry out for a prayer; but when the judgment was removed, Pharoah was [Page 313] as proud, and hard, and blind as ever.1 King. 1.50, 51 When Adonijah was in danger of death, then he could hang on the horns of the Altar. When Ahab was threatned with utter desolation, then he could fast and lye in sackcloth; and so did the Minivites: Jonah 3. But all this was but like Ephraim and Judah's goodness, that as a morning cloud, and as the early dew passeth away. Will the hypocrite alwayes, or in every time call upon God? will the hypocrite call upon God as often as providence calls him to call upon God? will he call upon God as often as judgments call him to call upon God? will he call upon God as often as conscience calls him to call upon God? will he call upon God as often as 'tis his duty to call upon God? will he call upon God as often as others call upon him to call upon God? Oh no. The hypocrite will not alwayes call upon God, he will not persevere in prayer, he will not hold on, nor hold out in prayer, he is short spirited, he can't alwayes pray and not faint, or shrink back as sluggards do in work, or cowards in war, as the original word in Luke imports.Luke 18.1. [...]. An hypocrite for want of an inward principle, can neither delight in God, nor alwayes call upon God. If God comes not at his call, if he opens not as soon as he knocks, he is out of patience, and ready to say with that proud prophane Prince; Behold, this evil is of the Lord, and what should I wait for him any longer? 2 Kings 6:33. If any hypocrite obtains the mercy he desires, then he will throw off prayer; as he said, Take away the net, the fish is caught; if he obtains not the mercy, then he will grow weary of his duty. Thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.Mal. 1.13. Isa. 43.22. Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in; prayer is heart-work, and that proves heavy work to him. The soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of the soul before God, and this is a work that an hypocrite has no skill in.1 Sam. 1.15. It was a prophane and blasphemous speech of that Atheistical wretch, that told God he was no common beggar, he never troubled him before with prayer,Hil. Mic. p. 376. and if he would but hear him that time, he would never trouble him again: Even such a spirit and such principles lye lurking in every hypocrites breast. Doubtless he hit it who said; How canst thou expect [Page 312] [...] [Page 313] [...] [Page 314] that God should hear thee, Cyprian de ora­tione Dominica. Psal. 116.1, 2. Gen. 32.24, to ver. 29. Hos. 12.3, 4. Mat. 15.22. to ver. 28. when thou wilt not hear thy self? or that God should give thee a return in prayer, when thou art not mindful what thou askest in prayer? But now a sincere Christian he will go on in prayer, speed or not speed; if he prevails he will love prayer the better all his dayes, if he don't for the pre­sent prevail, he will be so much the more importunate with God in prayer: 'Tis as natural for a bird to live without Air, and for a fish to live without water, and for a man to live without food, as 'tis for a sincere heart to live without prayer. O, saith Chrysostom, it is more bitter than death to be spoyled of prayer. Dan. 6. Prayer is porta coeli clavis pa­radisi, the seat of heaven, a key to let us into paradise. And hereupon (as he observes) Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life, than to lose or give over his private prayers. Prayer is the key of heaven, and a sin­cere Christian loves much to be a handling of that key, though he should dye for it. As that Emperor said, Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori, It behoves an Emperor to dye stand­ing: So may I say, Oportet Christianum mori praecantem, It behoves a Christian to dye praying. An hypocrite will never hold out to the end; let but outward incouragements fail him, and his heart will quickly fail him in a way of duty. Hypocrites are like blazing Stars, which so long as they are fed with vapours, shine as if they were fixed Stars; but let the vapours dry up, and presently they vanish and disappear; let but the eye, the ear, the applause of men fail the hypocrite, and he will be ready to throw up all.2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. 2 Tim. 4.10. If an hypocrite can't make some gain of his godliness, some profit of his profes­sion, some advantage of his Religion, he will be ready with Demas, to turn his back upon all religious duties and services. Look, as a lame horse, when he is heated will go well enough, but when he cools will halt down right; even so an hypocrite, though for a time he may go on fairly in his way, yet in the end he will halt down right, & bid farewel (if not defiance) to all religious duties and services: Profit and applause are usually the baits that hypocrites bite at, and if they miss these baits, then farewel profession, farewel Religion, farewel all. John 6.66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him. Many hypocrites who had given up [Page 315] their names to Christ, and who for a time had been follow­ers of Christ, at last deserted him and turned their back [...] for ever upon him, Mat. 13.5. Some fall upon stony places, where they had not much earth (not much care to receive, not much understanding to apprehend, not much faith to believe, not much will to obey, or not much love to retain it) and forth­with they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. Ver: 6. And when the Sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. This second ground goes beyond the former; For 1. It receives the seed. 2. Incontinently: 3. With joy. 4. It brings up the seed sown, it sprung up to sundry degrees. 1. To external obedience and reformation in many things. 2. To an outward profession. 3. To a kind of faith; but when the Sun of persecution beat hot upon them they withered and fell away, not all at once, but by lit­tle and little, as a leaf loseth his greeness and flourish, and withers by degrees. In the Palatinate, when the Sun of per­secution began to scorch them, scarce one Professor of twen­ty stood out, but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in Autumn. The Chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammer­ing; so an hypocrite looks like a Christian, and in many things acts like a Christian, till he comes to be hammered by sufferings, by persecutions, and then he discovers himself in his colours; and with Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.19, 20. Hos. 5.2. he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience. In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms, and when they have quencht that light, then farewel faith, farewel profession, farewel a good conscience, farewel all. The wolf, though he often dissembles, and closs­ly hides his nature, yet he can't alwayes do so; for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf: So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time, yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite. It is re­ported of the waters of Nilus, that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water, when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea, it begins to grow brackish and salt, and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name. Sooner or la­ter this will be the case of all hypocrites, they won't retain [Page 316] their spiritual fairness, clearness and sweetness long, but by degrees will grow brackish and salt, and lose their names, and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them.

But now a sincere Christian he will hold on, and hold out in the wayes of the Lord in the want of all outward incou­ragements, and in the face of all multiplyed discourage­ments. When the eye of men, the favour of men, the boun­ty of men, and all other encouragement from men fails, yet then a sincere Christian will hold up, and hold on in his work and way.Job 17.9. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. The righteous man shall go on in a way of righteouss to the end, no multiplyed calamities or miseries shall ever work him to decline the way of righteousness. From this way a sincere Christian will never be withdrawn, either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand, or by any fears or dangers on the other: Sincere Christians have not taken up Religion on such slight grounds, as to be either flattered or frighted out of it; sin­cere Christians reckon upon afflictions,Joh. 16. ult. Acts 14.22. 2 Tim. 4.8. temptations, crosses, losses, reproaches on the one hand, and they reckon upon a crown of life, a crown of righteousness, a crown of glory on the other hand,Jer. 6.16. and hereupon they set up their staff, fully re­solving never to depart from the good old way wherein they have found rest to their souls. Sincere Christians take Christ and his wayes for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in prosperity and adversity, they resolve to stand or fall, to suffer and reign, to live and die with him. When all outward incouragements from God shall fail, yet a sin­cere Christian will keep closs to his God, and closs to his du­ty.Heb. 3.17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herds in the stalls; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salva [...]ion. When all necessary and delightful mercies fail, yet he will not fail in his duty; though God with-hold his blessings, yet he will not with-hold his service [Page 117] in the want of a livelihood, he will be lively in his duty; when he hath nothing to subsist by, yet then he will live up­on his God, and joy in his God, and keep closs to this God. Though war and want come, yet he will not be wanting in his duty. Mark, there are three things in a sincere Christian that will strongly encline him to keep closs to the Lord, and closs to his wayes in the want of all outward incouragements,2 Cor. 5.14. Phil. 4.12, 13. Rom. 14.7, 8. and in the face of all outward discouragements: And the first is a forcible principle, Divine Love; the second, is a migh­ty aid, the Spirit of God; and the third is a high aim; the Glory of God. Look, as Ruth kept closs to her mother in the want of all outward incouragements, and in the face of all outward discouragements; And RuthRuth 1.16, 17. said, whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; and nothing but death shall part thee and [...]. So saith a sincere Christian, I will take my lot with Christ were ever it falls; I will keep closs to the Lord, and closs to my duty in the want of all outward incouragements, and in the face of all outward discourage­ments. Though outward incouragements be sometimes as a side wind, or as oyl, or as chariot wheels, means to move a Christian to go on more sweetly, easily and comfortably in the wayes of God, yet when this wind shall fail, and these chariot wheels shall be knockt off, a sincere Christian will keep closs to the Lord and his wayes. All this is come upon us; Psal. 44.17, 18 yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy co­venant; our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declin­ed from thy wayes. But what do they mean by saying, All this is come upon us? Why that you may see in the foregoing part of the Psalm. Thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame, Vers. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. The Jews sold Christ for thirty peace, and the Romans sold thirty of them for a penny, as Jose­phus relates. and goest not forth with our armies; thou makest us turn back from the enemy, and they which hate us spoyl for themselves; thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat, and hast scattered us among the heathen; thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price; thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us; thou makest us a by-word among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. An­tiochus Epiphanes lookt upon the Jews Religion as supersti­tion; his wrath and rage was exceeding great, both against [Page 316] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 318] the Jews, and against their Religion; he practised all man­ner of cruelty upon the miserable Jews, but yet there was a remnant among them, who were faithful to the Lord, and to his Covenant, and to his Laws, and to his wayes, even to the death; though in the time of the Maccabees many revolted to Paganism, yet some maintained their constancy and inte­grity to the last. That is a great word of the Prophet Mi­cah. Mich. 4.5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. This absolute and peremptory resolution to be really the Lord's, and for ever the Lord's, is of the essence of true conversion. 'Tis not the world's flatteries that can bribe off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God; nor 'tis not the worlds frowns that can beat off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God: But an hypocrite will never, an hypocrite can never hold it out to the end; his ground-tackle will ne­ver hold when the storm beats strong upon him. An hypo­crite is hot at hand, but soon tires and gives in. But,

10 Tenthly, No hypocrite ever makes it his business, his work to bring his heart into religious duties and services; he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into his work.Mat. 15 8. [...] Mark 7.6. An hypocrite is heartless in all he does, Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and enquired early after God. The Fox when caught in a gin, looks pitifully, but it is only to get out. They worshipped the Lord as the In­dians do the devil, that he may do them no hurt. Ver. 36. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. Ver. 37. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedf [...]st in his Covenant. All lip-labour is but lost labour: When mens hearts are not in their devotion, their devotion is meer dissimulation. These hypocrites sought God, and enquired early after God, but it was still with old hearts, which are no hearts in the account of God: They made lip work of it, and head-work of it, but their hearts not being in their work, all was lost, their seeking lost, their enquiring lost, their God lost, their souls lost, and eternity lost, Hos. 7.14. And they have not cried unto m [...] with their hearts, when they howled upon their beds. When mens hearts are not in their prayers, all their [Page 319] praying is but as an hideous howling in the account of God.As dogs, bruit beasts, and In­dians do, when they are hun­ger-bit. The cry of the heart is the only cry that God likes, loves and looks for; he accepts of no cry, he de­lights in no cry, he rewards no cry but the cry of the heart. Hypocrites are heartless in their cryes, and therefore they cry and howl, and howl and cry, and all to no purpose; they cry and murmur, and they howl and repine; they cry and blaspheme, and they howl and rebel; and therefore they meet with nothing from heaven but frowns, and blows, and disap­pointments, Isa. 29.13. Wherefore the Lord said, for as much as this people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me. Ezek. 33.31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. Though this people flocked to the Prophet in troops, as men and women do to places of pleasure; and though they carried it before the Prophet, as if they were Saints, as if they were the people of God, as if they were affected with what they heard, as if they were resolved to live out what the Prophet should make out to them, yet their hearts run after their covetousness. Though these hypocrites profest much love and kindness to the Prophet, and paid him home with smooth words, & seemed to be much affected, de­lighted, ravished and taken with his person, voice and doctrine; yet they made no conscience of bringing their hearts into their duties. An hypocrite may look at some outward, easie, ordinary duties of Religion, but he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into any duties of Religion. When did you ever see an hypocrite a searching of his heart, or sitting in judgment upon the corruptions of his soul, or lamenting and mourning over the vileness and wickedness of his spirit? 'Tis only the sincere Christian that is affected, afflicted and wounded with the corruptions of his heart. When one told (blessed) Bradford, that he did all out of hypocrisie; because he would have the people applaud him: He answered, It is true, the seeds of hypocrisie and vain glory are in thee and me too, and will be in us as long as we live in this world; [Page 320] but I thank God it is that I mourn under and strive against. How seriously and deeply did good Hezekiah humble himself for the pride of his heart;2 Chron. 32.25 out of the eater came meat, out of his pride he gat humility.

O Sirs! A sincere Christian makes it his great business to get his heart into all his Religious duties and services, to get his heart into every way and work of God.2 Chron. 17.6. Psal. 86.12. Jehoshaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. So David, I'le praise thee, 2 Chron. 22.9. Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. It is reported, that when the Tyrant Trajane commanded Ig­natius to be ript & unbowelled, they found Je­sus Christ writ­ten upon his heart in chara­cters of gold; here was a heart worth gold. That's the golden Christian in­deed, whose heart is writ upon all his duties and ser­vices. O Lord, with all my heart. And so Psal. 119.7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart. Ver. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee. So Jehoshaphat he sought the Lord with all his heart, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. Vers. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee ear­ly. Lamen. 3.41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. Rom. 1.9. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son. Pauls very spirit, his very soul was in his service. Phil. 3.3. For we are the cir­cumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Je­sus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God. A sincere Christian is al­wayes best when his heart is in his work; and when he can't get his heart into his duties! Oh, how does he sigh, and groan, and complain, and mourn at the foot of God? Lord! my tongue has been at work, and my head has been at work, and my parts have been at work, and my eyes and hands have been at work, but where has my heart been this day? Oh, it is and must be for a sore and sad lamentation, that I have had so little of my heart in that service that I have tendered to thee! This is the daily language of an upright heart. But now all the work of an hypocrite, is to get his golden parts into his duties, and his silver tongue into his duties, and his nimble head into his duties; but he never makes conscience of getting his heart into his duties. If any beasts sacrificed by Heathens (who ever lookt narrowly into the intrails) was found without heart, this was held ominous, and construed [Page 321] as very prodigious to the person for whom it was offered, as it fell out in the case of Julian. Hypocrites are alwayes heart­less in all the sacrifices they offer to God, and this will one day prove ominous and prodigious to them. But,

Eleventhly, An hypocrite never performes religious du­ties 11 from spiritual principles, nor in a spiritual manner. An hypocrite is never inclined, moved and carried to God, to Christ, to holy duties, by the power of a new and inward principle of grace working a sutableness between his heart and the things of God. An hypocrite rests himself satisfied in the meer external acts of Religion, though he never feels any thing of the power of Religion in his own soul. An hy­pocrite looks to his words in prayer, and to his voice in pray­er, and to his gestures in prayer, but he never looks to the frame of his heart in prayer. An hypocrites heart is never toucht with the words his tongue utters, an hypocrites soul is never divinely affected, delighted, or graciously warmed with any duty he performs. An hypocrites spiritual performan­ces never flow from spiritual principles, nor from a heart universally sanctified; though his works may be new, yet his heart remains old, his new practises alwayes spring from old principles; and this will prove the hypocrites bane,Vide Isa. 1.10, to 16. as you may see in that, Isa. 1.15. When you spread forth your hands to heaven, I will hide my eyes; and when you make many prayers, when you abound in duty, adding prayer to prayer (as the He­brew runs) I will not hear, your hands are full of blood. These were unsanctified ones; their practises were new,Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. but their hearts were old still. The same you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees, who fasted, prayed, and gave alms, but their hearts were not changed, renewed, sanctified, nor principled from above; and this proved their eternal bane. Nicodemus was a man of great note, name,John 3.4. No man can understand spi­ritual mysteries by carnal rea­son. and fame among the Phari­sees, and he fasted, and prayed, and gave alms, and paid tythes, &c. and yet a meer stranger to the new birth; Regeneration was a paradox to him. How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born? [Page 322] This great Doctor was so great a Dunce, that he understood no more of the doctrine of Regeneration, than a meer child does the darkest precepts of Astronomy.1 Cor. 2.14. Look, as water can rise no higher than the spring from whence it came, so the natural man can rise no higher than nature. An hypocrite may know much, and pray much, and hear much, and fast much, and give much, and obey much, and all to no purpose, because he never manages any thing he does in a right man­ner; he never carries on his work from inward principles of faith, fervency, life, love, delight, &c. Will the hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty? Ans. No, he cannot de­light himself in the Almighty.Job 27.10. Job speaks of the hypocrite, as is evident, ver. 8. 1. To delight in God is one of the highest acts of grace; and how can an hypocrite put forth one of the highest acts of grace, who hath no grace? An hypocrite may know much of God, and talk much of God, and make a great profession of God, and be verbally thank­ful to God; but he can never love God, nor trust in God, nor delight in God, nor take up his rest in God, &c. 2. An hypocrite knows not God, and how then can he delight in that God whom he does not know? An hypocrite has no in­ward, saving, transforming, experimental, affectionate, pra­ctical knowledge of God; and therefore he can never take any pleasure or delight in God. 3. There is no sutableness between an hypocrite and God, and how then can an hypo­crite delight himself in God? There is the greatest contrarie­ty imaginable 'twixt God and an hypocrite. God is light, and the hypocrite is darkness;2 Cor. 6.15, 16 God is holiness, and he filthiness; God is righteousness, and he unrighteousness; God is ful­ness, and he emptiness. Now what complacency can there be where there is such an utter contrariety. 4. Every hypo­crites heart is full of enmity against God, and how then can he delight himself in God? The carnal mind is enmity against God, Rom. 8.7. To delight in God, is Christi­anorum propria virtus, saith Hierom. for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. The best part of an hypocrite is not only averse, but utterly adverse to God and all goodness. The Eagle (saith the Phi­losopher) hath a continual enmity with the Dragon and the Serpent. And so an hypocrites heart is still full of enmity against the Lord; and therefore he can never delight him­self [Page 323] in the Lord. 5. The stream, cream, and strength of an hypocrites delight runs out to himself, and to this lust or that, to this relation or that, to this creature-comfort or that, to this worldly enjoyment or that, or else to arts, parts, gifts, priviledges, &c. and therefore how can he delight himself in the Almighty? An Hypocrite alwayes terminates his de­light in something on this side God, Christ and Heaven. Look, as the Apricock-tree, though it leans against the wall, yet it is fast rooted in the earth; so though an hypocrite may lean towards God, and towards Christ, and towards heaven, yet his delight is still rooted fast in one creature-comfort or another, &c.Mark 6. God nor Christ is never the adequate object of an hypocrites delight. An hypocrite is never principled to delight himself in a holy God, neither can he cordially, divinely, habitually, delight himself in holy duties. An hy­pocrite may reform many evil things, and he may do many good duties, and yet all this while it is only his practises, but not his heart or principles that are changed and altered. Mark, though an hypocrite hath nothing in him which is es­sential to a Christian as a Christian, yet he may be the com­pleat resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to him. An hypocrite in all the externals of Religion, may be the compleat picture of a sincere Christi­an; but then if you look to his principles, and the manner of his managing of holy duties, there you will find him lame and defective, and as much unlike a sincere Christian,1 Sam. 19.13, 16. as ever Michal's Image was unlike to David; and this will prove the great crack, the great break-neck of hypocrites at last.

O Sirs! It is considerable, that outward motives and na­tural principles have carried many Heathens to do many great and glorious things in the world. Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon? the difference did only lye here, that the great things which Gideon did, he did from more spiritual principles and raised considerations, than any Sisera was act­ed by.Heb. 11. And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world, as well as Moses? The [Page 324] difference did only ly in this, that Moses trampled under his feet the gay and gallant things of this world, from inward gracious principles, viz. faith, love, &c. and from high and glorious considerations, viz. heaven, the glory of God, &c. whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor low prineiples, and from meer outward, carnal, external considerations, The favour of men, the eye of men, the commendations of men, the applause of men, and a great name among men, were golden apples, great things among the Philosophers. The application is easie.

Mark, A sincere Christian, he looks to the manner as well as to the matter of his duties, he acts and performs duties, not only from strength of parts and acquired qualifications but from strength of grace and infused habits;Rom. 11.24. Ezek. 36.25. Jer. 31.33. Rom. 3.5. 2 Cor. 5.19. 2 Pet. 1.4. Eph. 3.17. 2 Cor. 13.5. he acts from God and for God, he acts from a new heart, he acts from the Law written in his heart, he acts from the love of God shed abroad in his heart, he acts from the divine nature commu­nicated to him, he acts from the spirits in-dwelling in his heart, he acts from the fear of God establishing his heart. These be the springs and principles of a sincere Christians spiritual life and actions; and where they act and bear rule, it is no wonder if such motions and performances as the world may admire but not imitate. Sauls life (after his con­version) was a kind of constant miracle;2. Cor. 11. so much he did, and so much he suffered, and so much he denyed himself, that if he lived in these dayes, his life would be a miracle; but yet if we consider the principles that he was acted by, the great wonder will be, not that he did so much, but that he did no more;Gal. 2.20. For, saith he, Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Fox Acts and Monum. It was a great saying of blessed Bradford, That he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty, till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame; he could not leave confession till he had found his heart touched, broken and humbled for sin, nor petition till he had found his heart taken with the beau­ties of the things desired, and carried out after them; nor [Page 325] could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit en­larged and his soul quickned in the return of praises. And it was a great saying of another, that he could never be quiet till he found God in every duty,Nunquam abs te absque te [...]e­cedo Bern. Me­ditat. and enjoyed communion with God in every prayer. O Lord (said he) I never come to thee but by thee, I never go from thee without thee. A sincere Christian that is taken with Christ above all, can't be satisfied nor contented with duties or ordinances, without he enjoyes Christ in them, who is the life, soul and substance of them. But now hypocrites they do duties, but all they do is from common principles, from natural principles, and from an unsanctified heart, and that marrs all. Remigius a Judge of Lorraigne tells this story, That the Devil in those parts did use to give money to Witches,Preston's four Treatises. which did appear to be good coyn; it seemed to be currant at first, but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but leaves. Hy­pocrites they make a great profession, and are much in the outward actions of Religion; they make a very fair shew, they hear, they read, they pray, they fast, they sing Psalms, and they give alms: But these duties being not managed from a principle of divine love, nor from a principle of spiri­tual life, nor from a sanctified frame of heart, turn all into leaves, they are all lost, and the Authors of them cast and undone for ever and ever. But,

Twelfthly, No hypocrite in the world loves the Word, 12 or delights in the Word, or prizes the Word, as 'tis a holy Word, a spiritual Word, a beautiful Word, a pure Word,Luther said he would not live in Paradise if he might with­out the Word, but with the Word he could live in hell it self. a clean Word, Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, there­fore thy servant loveth it. There are no hearts but men after God's own heart, that can love the Word, and delight in the Word, and embrace the Word for its holiness, purity and spirituality; witness Paul, Rom. 7.12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandement holy, and just, and good. Well and what then? why saith he, Ver. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. But is this all? No saith he, Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God. Holy Paul de­lights [Page 326] in the Law as holy, and serves the Law as holy, just, and good. A sincere heart is the only heart that is taken with the Word for its spirituality, purity and heavenly beauty. None can joy in the Word as it is a holy Word, nor none can taste any sweetness in the Word as 'tis a pure Word, but sincere Christians, Psal. 19.8, 9, 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart. These several Titles, Law, Statutes, Testi­mony, Com­mandements, Judgments, are used promiscu­ously for the whole Word of God, com­monly distin­guished into Law and Gos­pel. The commandements of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean (that is, the doctrine of the Word that teacheth the true fear of God) enduring for ever. The judgments of the L [...]rd are true and righteous altogether; more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey comb; or as the Hebrew hath it, Sweeter than the droppings of honey combs. The Word of God, as it is a pure Word, a spiritual Word, a clean Word, a holy Word; so it rejoyces a sincere heart, and so it is sweeter than the very droppings of honey combs. The Word, as it is a pure Word, a holy Word, is more sweet to a sincere Christian than those drops which drop immediately and naturally without any force or art, which is counted the purest and sweetest honey. There is no profit, nor pleasure, nor joy to that which the purity of the World yields to a sincere heart, Psal. 119.48. My hands will I lift up to thy commandements which I have loved. Sometimes the lifting up of hands betokens admiration; when men are astonished and ravished they lift up their hands. I will lift up my hands to thy commandements; that is, I will admire the goodness, spiritualness, holiness, righteousness, purity and excellency of thy commandements. Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible, he took such sweet pleasure and excellent delight in it. Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusa­lem Talmud sayes, That in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the Law.Mr. Fox. The Martyrs would have given a load of Hay for a few Chapters of the Bible in English: Some of them gave five marks for a Bi­ble, they were so delighted and taken with the Word, as it was a holy Word, a pure Word, a spiritual Word. Dolphins (they say) love musick; and so do sincere Christians love the musick of the Word. It's upon record, that Mary spent [Page 327] the third part of her time in reading the Word, she was so affected and delighted with the holiness and purity of it. King Edward the sixth being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short arm, one that stood by espying a boss'd Bible lying on the Table, offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him;Sir John Hay­ward in vita. but the good young King disliked the motion, and instead of treading it under his feet, he laid it to his heart, to express the joy and delight that he took in the holy Word.

But now ne [...]er did any hypocrite, since there was one in the world, ever love God as a holy God, or love his people as a holy people, or love his wayes as holy wayes, or love his word as a holy word. There is no hypocrite in the world that can truly say with David, Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. Saul could never say so, nor Ahab could never say so, nor Herod could never say so, nor Judas could never say so, nor Demas could never say so, nor Simon Magus could never say so, nor the Scribes and Pharisees could ne­ver say so, nor the Stony ground could never say so, nor Isaiah's hypocrites could never say so. 'Tis true,Isa. 58. some of these did rejoyce in the Word, and delight in the Word, but not as it was a holy Word, a pure Word, for then they would have rejoyced and delighted themselves in the whole Word of God, every part of God's Word being pure and holy. Hypocrites are sometimes affected and delighted with the Word, as it is drest up with fine high notions (which are but mysterious nothings) they are taken with the Word as it is cloathed with arts, parts, and elegancy of phrase; they are pleased with the Word as it is apparelled with a spruce wit, or with silken expressions, or with some delicate elocution, Ezek. 33.32. So thou art to them as a very lovely song, of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; or as the He­brew may be read, Thou art as one that breaks jests. These hy­pocrites lookt upon the solemnity and Majesty of the Word but as a dry jest; the Prophet being eloquent, and having a pleasing delivery, they were much taken with it, and it was as sweet and delightful to them as a fit of musick; but they [Page 328] were not at all taken or delighted with the spirituality, purity and holiness of the Word, as is evident in ver. 31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. It was a very smart reproof of Chrysostom Chrysost. to his Hearers; This is that (saith he) which is like to undo your souls, you hear your Ministers as so many minstrels to please the ear, not to pierce the conscience. Augustin confesseth, that the delight which he took before his conversion in Saint Ambroses Sermons, was more for the eloquence of the words, than the substance of the matter. Hypocrites are taken more with the wit, eloquence of speech, action, quickness of fancy, smoothness of stile, neatness of expression, and rareness of notion, than they are with the spirituality, purity and holi­ness of the Word, which they either hear or read. These hypocrites are like those children, who are more taken with the fine flowers that are strewed about the dish, than they are with the meat that is in the dish, and that are more taken with the red weeds and blew bottles that grow in the field, than they are with the good corn that grows there. But now, look as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few hand­fuls of sound corn, than he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field; so a sincere Christian is more taken with a few sound truths in a Sermon, than he is taken with all the strong lines, and high strains and flourishes of wit; or than he is taken with some new coyned phrases, or some quaint expres­sions, or some seraphical notions, with which a Sermon may be deckt or drest up. Some are taken with the Word as the profession of it brings in customers into their Shops, and keeps up their credits in the world; others are taken with the Word, as it seems to tickle their ears and please their fancies: Some are affected with Sermons, because of the elegancy of the stile, delicacy of the words, smoothness of the language, and gracefulness of the delivery. And these deal by Sermons as many do by their Nosegays that are made up of many pickt (sweet) flowers, who after they have smelt to them a while, cast them into a corner, and never mind [Page 329] them more; so these after they have commended a Sermon, after they have highly applauded a Sermon, they cast away the Sermon, they smell to the Sermon (if I may so speak) and say it is sweet, it is sweet, and presently they throw it by as a Nosegay that is withered, and of no further use. But now a sincere heart savours the Word, and relishes the Word, and is affected and taken with the Word, as it is a holy Word, a spiritual Word, a pure Word, which the most refined hypo­crite under heaven never was affected or taken with, nor can be, whilst hypocrisie keeps the throne in his soul. But,

Thirteenthly and lastly, An hypocrite can't endure to be 13 tryed, and searcht, and laid open; an hypocrite hates the light, and had rather go to hell in the dark, than come to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary.John 3.20. A soul-searching Ministry is to an hypocrite a tormenting Ministry, that's no man for his money that will never let his conscience alone; he knows he is like a velvet saddle, velvet without and straw within; he knows he is like a whited supulcher,Mat. 23.27, 28. glorious without, and dead bones within; and therefore his heart rises and swells against such a man, and such a Ministry, that is all for the anatomizing and laying of him open to himself, and to the world. But now look, as pure gold fears neither fire nor furnace, neither test nor touchstone, neither one bal­lance nor another; so a sincere heart dares venture it self upon tryal, yea upon the very tryal of God himself, Psal. 139.23. Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts. A sincere Christian prayes his friends to search him, and he prayes soul-searching Ministers to search him; but above all, he begs hard of God to search him;See Job 31.5, 6 Search me, O God. The Hebrew word [...] is Imperat Kal; he commands God to search him. The original word signi­fies a strict, curious, diligent search. A sincere Christian is very willing and desirous that God should throughly search him, that God should search into every corner and cranny of his heart, Psal. 26.2. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart. Every word here has its weight; Ex­amine [Page 330] me, O Lord. The Hebrew word [...] signifi [...]s to melt, and so to try, which makes the most intrinsecal and e [...]act discovery. O Lord, let my heart and reins be melted, that it may be known what metal they are made of, whether gold or tin; Prove me. The Hebrew word [...] signifies to view, as when a man gets upon some high Tower or Hill to see all from thence. Mount aloft, O Lord, take the high Tower, take the Hill, that thou mayest see what is in me; try me and know my thoughts. The Hebrew word [...] is from [...] Nasah, which properly signifies to take away, and is applied to Abrahams taking away of his son.Gen. 22.1. Lord, saith the Prophet, if upon searching and examining of me, thou shalt find any sin, any creature, any comfort, any enjoyment, that lyes in thy room, take it away, that thou mayest be all in all to me. A sincere Christian knows that God never brings a pair of scales to weigh his graces, but only a touch-stone to try the truth of his graces; he knows if his gold, his grace, be true,Mat. 12.20. though it be never so little, it will pass for currant with God, and therefore he is free to venture upon the clossest search of God.A false evi­dence is the fruit of a slight and superficial search. Now, look as Bankrupts care not for casting up their accounts, because they know all is naught, very naught, yea stark naught with them: So hypocrites, they care not to come to the tryal, to the test, because they know all is naught, yea worse than naught with them; they have no mind to cast up their spiritual estates, because at the foot of the account they must be put to read their neck verse, undone, undone: And therefore, as old deformed women can­not endure to look into the looking-glass, lest their wrinckles and deformity should be discovered; so hypocrites cannot endure to look into the glass of the Gospel, lest their defor­mities, impieties and wickednesses should be discovered and detected. I have read of the Elephant, how unwilling he is to go into the water; but when he is forced into it, he pud­dles it, lest by the cleerness of the stream he should discern his own deformity: So hypocrites, they are very unwilling to look into their own hearts, or into the cleer streams of Scriptures, lest their souls deformity and ugliness should ap­pear to their own terror and amazement. O Sirs! look, as [Page 331] it is a hopeful evidence that the Clyents cause is good, when he is ready and willing to enter upon a tryal; and as it is a hopeful sign that a man's gold is true gold, when he is willing to bring it to the touchstone; and that a man thrives when he is willing to cast up his Books: So it is a hopeful evidence that a Christian is sincere with God, when he is ready and willing to venture upon the tryal of God,Gal. 6.4, 5. when he is wil­ling to cast up his Books, his accounts, that he may see what he is worth for another world. Augustin Aug. in Psal. 33. Concl. 2. speaks of an acute person, who was wont to say that he prized that little time which he constantly set apart every d [...]y for the examination of his conscience, far more than all the other part of the day which he spent in his voluminous controversies. Of all the duties of Religion an hypocrite dreads most that of self-ex­amination, and that of venturing himself upon the search and tryal of God. Well, for a close, Though an hypocrite m [...]y deceive all the world,Job 34.21, 22. 2 Chron. 16 9. Prov. 5.21. & 15.3. Ambros. offic. l. 1 c. 14. like that counterfeit Alexander in Josephus his story, yet Augustus will not be deceived; the great God will not be deceived, for his eyes are quick and piercing into all things, persons and places. Look, as the eyes of a well drawn picture are fastned on thee which way soever thou turnest; so are the eyes of the Lord fastned on thee, O hypocrite, which way soever thou turnest. 'Twas a worthy saying of one, If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun, which is God's Minister of light, how impossible will it be to hide thy self from him whose eyes are ten thou­sand times brighter than the Sun? The eye of God many times is very terrible to an hypocrite, which makes him very shie of venturing upon the tryal of God: No hypocrite since the world stood, did ever love or delight to be searcht and tried by God. And thus I have shewed you the several rounds or steps in Jacob's Ladder, which no hypocrite under heaven can (whilst he remains an hypocrite) climb up to. And so much for this Chapter.

CHAP. V.

1 FIrst Proposition. 'Tis the wisdom, and ought to be the work of every Christian to own the least measure of grace that is in him,Though our graces like Gi­deon's Army, are but a hand­ful in compari­son of our sins, which like the Midianites are innumerable, yet a handful of grace is to be owned in the midst of an Host of sins. though it be mixed and mingled with many weaknesses and infirmities: Sin is Satan's work, and grace is Christ's work; and therefore Christ's work ought to be eyed and owned, though it be mingled with much of Satan's work. That Christian is much clouded and benight­ed, who hath two eyes to behold his sins, but never an eye to see his graces. Christ gets no glory, nor the soul gets no good, when a Christian is still a poring upon his sins. How can that Christian prize a little grace, and bless God for a little grace, and improve a little grace, who won't own a little grace because it is mingled with many weaknesses? Shall the Husbandman own a little wheat when mingled with a great deal of chaff?1 Sam. 21.13, 14. shall the Goldsmith own a little fi­lings of gold when mingled with a great deal of dust? and shall not a Christian own a little grace when mingled with a great many failings? David had a great many infirmities, yet he owns his uprightness, Psal. 18.23. I was upright be­fore [Page 333] him. And Job Job 3. had a great many weaknesses, yet he owns his integrity, Job. 27.5. Till I die I will not remove my inte­grity from me. Ver. 6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. The Spouse was sensible of her blackness, yet owns her comeliness, Cant. 1.5. I am black, but comely. So Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh. Jeremiah was a man of many failings, yet he owns his hope in God, Jer. 17.17.Jer. 20.14—ult. Thou art my hope in the day of evil: The poor man in the Gospel was very sensible of the sad reliques and remains of unbelief that was in him, and yet with a holy boldness and confidence he pleads his faith, Mark 9.24. Lord, I believe, help my un­belief. Peter miscarried sadly,Mat. 26.69—ult and yet he owns his love to Christ, Joh. 21.15. Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Ver. 16. Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Ver. 17. Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. Paul had his infirmities and weaknesses hanging upon him, witness that 7th of the Romans; and yet how frequently and boldly does he own the grace of God that was in him, throughout his Epistles. Nothing keeps grace more at an under, than mens not owning of a little grace, because it is mingled with many infirmities. The best way to be greatly good, is to own a little, little good, though in the midst of much evil. But,

The second Proposition is this. It is your wisdom, and 2 should be your work, to look upon all your graces and gra­cious evidences as favours given you from above, as gifts dropt out of heaven into your hearts, as flowers of Paradise stuck in your bosoms by a divine hand. A man should never look upon his graces or his gracious evidences,Of thine own (saith David) have we given thee, 1 Chron. 29.14: but should be ready to say, these are the jewels of glory with which God has bespangled my soul, 1 Cor. 4.7. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What gift? what grace? what experience? what evidence hast thou that thou hast not received? All the light, and all the life, and all the love, and all the joy, and all the fear, and all the faith, and all the hope, and all the patience, and all the humility, &c. that thou hast, with all the evidences that arise from discovery of those graces, are [Page 334] all grace gifts, they are all from above. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, Jam. 1.17. and cometh down from the father of lights. Look, as all light flows from the Sun, and all water from the Sea, so all temporal, spiritual and eternal good flows from heaven. All your graces, and the greatest excel­lencies that are in you, do as much depend upon God and Christ, as the light doth upon the Sun, or as the Rivers do upon the Sea,Joh. 15.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Psal. 87.7. or as the branches do upon the root. All my springs are in thee; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, and all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me, and to evidence the goodness and happi­ness of my spiritual estate and condition to me, they are all in thee. When a Christian looks upon his wisdom and know­ledge, it concerns him to say, Here is wisdom and know­ledge, I but 'tis from above; here is some weak love work­ing towards Christ, but 'tis from above; here's joy, and comfort, and peace, &c. but these are all such flowers of Paradise as never grew in natures garden. Now when a Christian looks thus upon all those costly Diamonds of grace, of glory, with which his soul is bedeckt, he keeps low, though his graces and gracious evidences are high. Where this Rule is neglected, the soul will be endangered of being swell'd and pufft.

It was a great saying of a very worthy man that is now with God, viz, Mr. Fox. That as he often got much good by his sins, so he often got much hurt by his graces. Dear hearts, when you look upon the stream, remember the fountain; when you look upon the flower, remember the root; when you look upon the Stars, remember the Sun; and when ever you look upon your graces, then be sure to remember Christ the fountain of grace, else Satan will certainly be too hard for you: Satan is so subtile, so artificial, and so critical, that he can make your very graces to serve him against your graces conquering joy by joy, sorrow by sorrow, humility by hu­mility, fear by fear, and love by love; if you don't look upon all your graces as streams flowing from the fountain above, and as fruits growing upon the Tree of life that is in [Page 335] the midst of the Paradise of God. Therefore when one of your eyes is fixt upon your graces, let the other be alwayes fixt upon Christ the fountain of grace.1 John 16. Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. Here they eye their gra­ces, and the fountain of grace together. So Paul, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20. who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul eyes Christ and his graces together; so Peter eyes Christ and his graces together. Lord, John 21.15. thou knowest [...]hat I love thee. So those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy, they eye Christ and their graces together.Heb. 12.2. Look­ing unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith. 2 Cor. 5.17. Though grace be a new creature, a noble creature, a beautiful creature, an excellent creature, yet grace is but a creature,Col. 1.17. Phil. 4.12, 13. Cant. 4. ult. and such a creature that is strengthned, maintained, cherished and up­held in your souls, in life and power, in beauty and glory, by nothing below the spiritual, internal and glorious operations of Christ, Col. 1.10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Ver. 11. Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. Now when ever you look upon grace as a love­ly, beautiful creature, O then remember that might and glo­rious power of Christ, by which this creature is preserved and strengthned. Christians, your graces are holy and heaven­ly plants of Christ's own setting and watering, and will you mind the plants more than that noble hand that set them? 'Tis Christ alone that can cause the desires of his people to bud, and their graces to blossom,Isa. 58.11. & 35.6, 7. and their souls to be like a watered garden, green and flourishing; and therefore let the eye of your souls be firstly, mostly and chiefly fixt upon Christ. But,

The third Proposition is this. When you look upon your 3 graces in the light of the Spirit, it highly concerns you to look narrowly to it, that you don't renounce and rejecty our [Page 336] graces, as weak and worthless evidences of your interest in Christ, and of that eternal happiness and blessedness that comes by Christ. The works of grace (saith my Author) which consists in those divine qualities of holiness and righ­teousness,Grotius in Rom. 8.16. &c. Gal. 5.22, [...]. is a sure Mark, a blessed character, whereby men may know whose children they are; even as the Spartans or Lacedemonians of old are said to know what stock and linage they were of, by a mark that was made upon their bodies by the head of a Lance or Speer. I readi­ly grant, that you must not trust in your graces, nor make a Saviour of your graces; but yet you ought to look upon your graces, as so many signs and testimonies of the love and fa­vour of God to your souls. What certainty can there be of Election, Remission of sin, Justification or Glorification, if there be not a certainty of your Sanctification and Renova­tion; if that perswasion that is in you ahout your grace or sanctification be false, then that perswasion that is in you concerning remission of sin, predestination, justification and eternal salvation is false: This highly concerns all them to consider, that would not be miserable in both worlds. I know many cry up Revelations, Impressions, Visions (yea the visions of their own hearts) and speak lightly and slight­ly of the graces of the Spirit, of sanctification, of holiness, as evidences of the goodness and happiness of a Christians condition. There were some in James his time, who cryed up faith,James 2.18. and union, and communion with Christ, but were destitute of good works. Well, what saith the Apostle? Shew me thy faith without thy works, Ver. 26. and I will shew thee my faith by my works; for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Look, as the body without the spirit (or without breath, as the Greek word [...] primarily sig­nifies) is dead; so that faith that is without works, which are as it were the breathings of a lively faith, is a dead faith. Though it be faith that justifieth the man, yet it is works that justifies a mans faith to be right and real, saving and ju­stifying. So there were some in Johns time, viz. the Gno­sticks, who talkt high of fellowship and communion with Christ, and yet walkt in darkness; they lived in all impu­rity, [Page 337] and yet would make the world believe that they were the only people who knew God, and had fellowship with God, but John tells us they were lyars.2 Cor. 6.14. If we say that we have fel­lowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lye, and do not the truth. What fellowship hath light with darkness? Such walk in dark­ness, who promise to themselves the future vision of God's face, whilst they go on in the wilful breach of God's royal Laws. Such who say they know him, and are swallowed up in the enjoyments of him, and yet in the course of their live [...] walk contrary to him, such are lyars. He that saith I know him; 1 John 2.4. and keeps not his commandements is a lyar. Sanctification and justification are both of them benefits of the Covenant of grace, and therefore to evidence the one by the other,Jer. 33.8, 9. Heb. 8.10, 12. can be no turning aside to the covenant of works: You may run and read in the Covenant of grace, that he that is justified is also sanctified, and that he that is sanctified is also justified and therefore, why may not he that knows himself to be real­ly sanctified upon that very ground, safely and boldly con­clude, that he is certainly justified. O Sirs! the same spiri [...] that wit [...]esses to a Christian his justification; can shine upon his graces,1 Cor. 2.12. 1 Joh. 4.13, 14. and witness to him his sanctification as well as his justification; and without all controversie, 'tis as much the office of the Spirit to witness to a man his sanctification, as 'tis to witness to him his justification. But you will say, Sir, pray what should be the reasons why many men have, and why some do still cry down marks and signs, and deny sancti­fication to be an evidence of mens justification, &c. and speak disgracefully of this practice that is now under con­sideration? I conjecture the Reasons may be such as follow.

First, Many Professors take up in a great name, and in a 1 great profession, and in great parts and gifts, though they have never found a through change,1 Thes. 5.23. John 3.3, 5. 2 Cor. 5.17. Acts 26.28. though they have never past the pangs of the new birth, though they have never ex­perienced what it is to be a new creature, a throughout Chri­stian. And hence it comes to pass, that they make head a­gainst this way of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans condition, by inward gracious qualifications. Of all [Page 338] men these are most apt to out-run the truth, and to run from one extream to another, and to be only constant in incon­stancy. But,

2 Secondly, Many professors are given up to spiritual judg­ments (which are the sorest of all judgments) viz. luke-warmness, dead-heartedness, formality, indifferency, Apo­stacy, blindness, hardness, and to strong delusions, that they should believe a lye,2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Now, is it any wonder to see such men quarrel, and wrangle, and rail against the way and method of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans spiritual condition, by inherent gracious qualifica­tions? But,

3 Thirdly, In some this ariseth from their lusts, which they indulge and connive at, and which they have a mind to live quietly in; they are desirous to keep their peace, and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts; and hence they exclude this witness of water or sanctification to testifie in the Court of Conscience, whether they are beloved of God, or whether they are sincere hearted or no, or whether they have the root of the matter in them or no; for the want of this witness, water or sanctification, is a clear and full witness against them, that they are yet in their sins, under wrath, and in the way to eternal ruin; and that they have nothing to do with peace,Isa. 57. ult. Psal. 50.16. or comfort, or the promises, or Christ, or heaven, to take God's name into their lips, seeing they secretly hate to be reformed. There are many fair Professors that are foul sinners, and that have much of God, and Christ, and heaven, and holiness in their lips, when they have nothing but sin and hell in their hearts and lives. These mens conversions shame their profession, and therefore they cry out against sanctifi­cation as a sure and blessed evidence of a mans justification: Such sinners as live in a course of sin, that make a Trade of sin,1 Thes. 2.12. that indulge their sins, that take up arms in defence of sin, that make provision for sin, that make a sport of sin, that take pleasure in sin, and that have set their hearts upon their [Page 339] sins; such sinners can't but look upon the witness of sancti­fication, as the hand-writing upon the wall, Dan. 5.5, 6. But,

Fourthly, There are many who are great strangers to 4 their own hearts and the blessed Scriptures, and are ignorant of what may be said from the blessed Word,'Tis sad to be a stranger at home, and to be least ac­quainted with a mans own heart. Aristotle. to evidence the lawfulness of this practice that is under our present conside­ration. And hence it comes to pass that they cry down marks and signs, and deny sanctification to be a sure and blessed evi­dence of mens justification. Ignorat sane improb [...] omnis; ig­norance is the source of all sin, the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue.'Tis said of knowledge, non habet inimicum praeter ignoran­tem. Ignorance inslaves a soul to Satan, it lets in sin by Troops, locks them up in the heart, shuts out the means of recovery, and so plaisters up a mans eyes, that he can't see the things that belongs to his own or to others internal or eternal peace. The Scripture sets ig­norant persons below the Ox and the Ass. Did men either see the deformity of sin,Isa. 1.3. or the beauty and excellency of ho­liness, they would never delight in the one, nor cry down the other. Peter 2 Pet. 2.12. tells you of some that speak evil of the things that they understood not, they did reprehend that which they could not comprehend. Ignorance is a breeding sin, a mother sin, all sins are seminally in ignorance; igno­rance is the mother of all the mistakes, and of all the misrule in the world. Christ told the Sadduces,Mat. 22.29. That they did err not knowing the Scriptures; and so I may say many err in crying down such signs and evidences of grace which are bottomed upon Scripture, because they are ignorant of what the Scrip­ture saith in the case. But,

Fifthly, The generality of Christians are but Lambs, 5 Babes and Children in grace,Isa. 40.11. 2 Pet. 2.2, 3. 1 John 2.1. the springs of grace runs low in them, their fears frequently over-top their faith, and their strong passions and corruptions do often raise such a dust and smoak in their souls, that [...] they might have all the world, yea if their salvation lay upon it, they were not able to dis­cern the least measure of grace in their own souls. A little grace is next to none, small things are hardly discerned; he [Page 340] had need to have a clear light and good eyes, that is to dis­cern a hair, a mote, or an atome. A little grace is not dis­coverable but by a shining light from above. There are none so full of fears, and doubts, and questions, and disputes, about the truth of their faith in Christ, and the sincerity of their love to Christ, as those that least believe and least love. The Kingdom of God in most Christians,Mark 4.30, 31, 32. is but as a grain of mu­stard-seed, which is the least of all seeds; and therefore▪ 'tis no wonder they see it not. The root of the matter in most Chri­stians is but small, and that small root is often covered over with many sinful infirmities and weaknesses, and therefore we are not to look upon it as a strange thing, if we see such Chri­stians not sensible of the root of the matter that is in them. Weak habits put forth such faint actions (and with so much interruption) that it is not an easie thing to discern whether they are the products of special or of common grace. Now most Christians having but small measures of grace, holiness and sanctification in them; and these small measures being much obscured and buried under the prevalency of fears, doubts and unmortified lusts, can speak but weakly and dark­ly for them; & upon this ground they are not fond of bringing in this witness of sanctification to speak for them. In civil Courts men are not ambitious to bring such witnesses to the Bar, as can witnes but weakly & faintly in their case. Tis so here.

6 Sixthly, Satan is a grand enemy to the peace, joy, com­fort, assurance, settlement and satisfaction of every poor Christian; and therefore he will leave no stone unturn'd, nor no means unattempted,Psal. 77. Psal. 88. whereby he may keep them in a low, dark, unsettled and uncomfortable condition. When once a poor soul is brought over to Christ, how does the Devil bestir himself to keep such a soul so under fears, doubts and bondage, as that it may not in the least have an eye to any thing that may have a proper tendency to its comfort, joy, assurance, peace or quiet. The Devil will do all he can to furnish such (as ar [...] [...]egotten again by the resur­rection of Christ from the dead) with all sorts of deadly weapons one of his Armoury to fight against those Argu­ments and evidences which make for the peace and comfort [Page 341] of their own souls. He that shall look seriously and impar­tially upon the subtile, close, strong,2 Sam. 2.19. and rhetorical arguings of many distressed Christians (above their own natural parts) against the peace, rest, comfort, and settlement of their own souls, may safely conclude, that a hand of Joab, a hand of Sa­tan, yea a strong hand of Satan, has been with them. He that shall please to read the life of Francis Spira (though he be no great Philosopher) yet he may easily discern with what subtilty and wonderful.2 Cor. 11.14. Sophistry Satan help [...] him to argue against the pardonableness of his sins, and the possibility of his salvation. Satan knows how to transform himself into an Angel of light; Satan does not alwayes appear in one and the same fashion; but he appears in as many several shapes, fashions and changes, as Proteus did among the Poets: To deceive some, he has assumed a lightsom body, as if he were an Angel of heaven▪ as if he had been a holy one, cloathed with the brightness of celestial glory. To deceive others, he has appeared as an Angel of light, suggesting such things to them, and injecting such things into them, under fair and specious shews and pretences of Religion, Piety, Zeal and Holiness, which have had a direct tendency to the dishonour of God, the wounding of Christ, the grieving of the Spirit, the clouding or denying their evidences for heaven, the strangling of their hopes, and the death of all their comforts and joy. But,

Seventhly and lastly, Some Christians live under high en­joyments 7 and singular manifestations of God's love to them, they have God every day a shedding abroad of his love into their hearts by the holy Ghost.Rom. 5.5. Psal. 63.2, 3, 4. God is every day a filling their souls with life, light, love, glory and liberty;Mat. 17.4. Christ every day takes them up into the Mount, and makes such discoveries of himself and his glory to them, that they are ready frequently to cry out, Bonum est esse hic, Dan. 9.22, 23 Cant. 2.6. It is good to be here Christ often whispers them in the ear with an, O man, O woman, greatly beloved; Christ's left hand is eve­ry day under their heads, and his right hand doth embrace them; they sit down every day under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto their taste; he makes out every day such sweet and clear manifestations of his admira­ble [Page 342] favour to their hearts,Psal 63.2, 3, 4, 5. that their souls are daily satisfied as with marrow and fatness. There are some precious Chri­stians (I say not all,Cant. 8. I say not most) who live daily under sin­gular glances of divine glory, and who are daily under the sensible embracements of God, and who daily lye in the bo­som of the Father,Cant. 1.13. and who every night have Christ as a bundle of myrrh lying betwixt their breasts. Now these choice souls who live daily in the glorious manifestations of the Spirit, and enjoy a little heaven on this side heaven, these many times are so taken up with their high communion with God, with their spiritual enjoyments, and with their tastes of the glory of that other world, that they do not much mind such evidences as we have had under our consideration. And thus much for the Reasons, why some cry down Scrip­ture marks, signs and evidences of grace, of holiness, of san­ctification; and why others don't much mind them, or take any great notice of them. But,

4 The fourth Proposition is this. If this way of trying our spiritual estates by holy and gracious qualifications, were not both lawful and useful, then certainly the holy Spirit would never have prescribed it, nor never have prest men so earn­estly upon it, as we find he has done in the blessed Scripture. Take a taste, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith; Psal. 4.4. Vide Chrysostom on the words. Gal. 6.3, 4. 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. prove your own selves. The precept is doubled, to teach us to redouble our diligence in this most needful, but much neglected duty of self-examination. The final try­al of our eternal estates, doth immediately and solely belong to the Court of heaven, but the disquisitive part belongs to us. Here are two emphatical words in the Greek; First, [...], examine your selves. The word in the general sig­nifies to take an experimental knowledge of any thing, that is either uncertain, unknown or hidden; most men are great strangers to God, to Christ, to Scripture, and to themselves, and therefore saith the Apostle, Examine your selves. Now if there were not sure marks and infallible signs whereby men may certainly know what their present estate is, and [Page 343] how 'tis like to go with them in another world, the redou­bled commnad of the Apostle would be in vain. The second Greek word is [...], prove your selves. The original word signifies a severe and diligent inquisition into our selves, so as to have a full experience of what is in us. Doubtless the Apostle would never call again and again upon us, to try and examine our selves whether we be in the faith, if it were not lawful to come to the knowledge of our faith, or of our being in the state of faithful Christians in a discursive way, arguing from the effect to the cause. So in that, 2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore the rather brethren, give all diligence to make your cal­ling and election sure. The Greek word translated give dili­gence, is very emphatical, [...]. it signifies to do a thing not in an overly, lazy, careless way, but to do a thing with industry, vigilancy and unweariedness of spirit. Now it is granted on all hands, that election cannot be made more sure in respect of God or it self, but only in respect of us, that we may be more perswaded of it. Election cannot be made more sure than it is already, for those whom God hath elected shall be certainly glorified, but we must make it sure on our parts;Rom. 8.29.30. that is, we must labour to have a real bottom and grounded assurance that we are elected by God in his eternal decree, to obtain life and glory by Jesus Christ. There is a double cer­tainty, 1. There is certitudo objecti, a certainty of the object; so our election is sure with God, for with him both it and all things are unchangable. 2. There is certitudo subjecti, the certainty of the subject; and so we must make our election sure to our selves in our own hearts and consciences. Now the means whereby we are to come to this assurance, is by adding grace to grace, and by causing those several graces to abound in us. This is the way of wayes to make all sure to us. Now by these Scriptures 'tis most evident, that we stand en­gaged to make our election sure by holy signs and marks. But,

The fifth Proposition is this. That other precious Saints that are now triumphing in glory, have pleaded their inte­rest in God's love, and their hopes of a better life from graces [Page 344] inherent.Grace in the working of it, is often com­pared to life. Now, look as natural life is discerned by the actions thereof, as by so many signs, so also is su­pernatural life. I'le only point at some of those Scriptures among many others, that clearly speak out this truth; the first Epistle of John, James 2.17—ult. Job. 23.10, 11, 12. and the whole 31. Chapter of Job, Psal. 119.6. Isa. 38.2, 3. Neh. 1. ult. & 13.14, &c. Now all these Scriptures do evident­ly prove, that the precious servants of the Lord did take their graces for precious signs and testimonies of God's love, of their interest in Christ, and thereby received much com­fort, peace and satisfaction. And truly, to deny the fruit growing upon the Tree to be an evidence that the Tree is alive, is to me as unreasonable as it is absurd: Certainly 'tis one thing to judge by our graces, and another thing to trust in our graces, to make a Saviour of our graces. There is a great deal of difference betwixt declaring and deserving Christians, they may doubtless look to their graces as evi­dences of their part in Christ and salvation (and the clearer and stronger they are, the greater will be their comfort and assurance) but not as causes. No man advanced free grace like Paul; no man debased his own righteousness like Paul, he counted it but dung and dross; and no man exalted the righteousness of Christ like Paul, Phil. 3.6, 7, 8, 9 and yet by this way of signs he gathered much comfort and assurance, 2 Tim, 4.7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. How plainly, how fully doth he here conclude his right to the crown of life, from his fighting a good fight, his finish­ing his course (in a way of grace and holiness) and his keep­ing the faith. [...] is boasting; they boasted in the testimony of their consci­ences. O the quiet and tran­quility that arises from the testimony of a mans sinceri­ty, both in heart and life. By this great instance you may clearly see, that a Christian may greatly exalt Christ, lift up free grace, tread upon his own righteousness (as to justification) and at the ve­ry same time take comfort in his graces, and in his gracious actings. So in that, 2 Cor. 1.12. Our rejoycing is this, the te­stimony of a good conscience, that in godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world. His joy was founded on the testi­mony of his conscience; but from what did his conscience testifie? from his sincere conversation. Again, take that memorable instance of Job, God hid his face from him, the arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him, Satan was let loose [Page 345] upon him, the wife of his bosom proved a tempter to him, a tormenter of him; his most inward acquaintance deserted him, reproached him, and condemned him as an hypocrite; God writ bitter things against him, and made him to possess the iniquities of his youth, all was clouded above him, and he stript of all the outward comforts that did once surround him; so that he had nothing left to stay him, to refresh him, to support him, and to be a comfort and joy to him,Job 1.8. & 2.3. but the sense of his integrity, and the evidence he had of his own uprightness, his own righteousness, Job. 27.5. Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me. Ver. 6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. Job was under great afflictions, sore tempta­tions, and deep desertions; now that which was his cordial, his bulwark in those sad times, was the sense and feeling of his own uprightness, his own righteousness; the sense and feeling of the grace of God in him, kept him from fainting and sinking under all his troubles. So 1 Joh. 2.3. Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, &c. In these words two things are observable; First, that where there is a true knowledge of Christ, there is an observation of his commandements. Secondly, that by this observation of his royal Law, we may know that our knowledge is sound and sincere. He speaks not of a legal, but of an evangelical keeping of his commandements. A conscionable and serious endeavour to walk in a holy course of life, according to God's will revealed in his Word, is a most certain mark or evidence that we have a saving knowledge of God, and that we are his children, and heirs of glory. Such who sincerely desire, and unfeignedly purpose, and firmly resolve, and faithfully endeavour to keep the commandements of God; these do keep the commandements of God evangelically and acceptably in the eye of God, the account of God. So ver. 6. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Here you may observe two things; First, that by faith we are implanted into Christ. Secondly, that we discover our implantation into Christ by our imitation of Christ. Such as plead for sanctification a an evidence of [Page 346] justification, don't make their graces causes of their im­plantation into Christ, or of their justification before the throne of Christ, but they make them testimonies and wit­nesses to declare the truth of their real implantation into Christ, and of their being justified before the throne of Christ. So 1 Joh. 3.14. We know we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. The Apostle makes this a great sign of godliness to love another godly man for godli­ness sake; and the more godly he is, the more to love him and to delight in him. Now mark, this love of our brethren is not a cause of our translation from death to life (for the very word translated, supposeth such a grace, such a favour of God as is without us) but a sign of our translation from death to life. But of this I have said enough already; as you may see if you will but read from page 189. to page 200. of this Book. But,

6 The most or­dinary and safe way of coming to assurance, is the discoursive way in which a believer from the fruits and effects of grace infers he hath the habit, and from the habit concludes his j [...]stification & adoption; and as this is a way least sub­ject to delusion, so it is also most suited to a ra­tional creature, whose way of acting is by discourse and argumentation.The sixth Proposition is this. There are many scores of precious promises made over to them that believe, to them that trust in the Lord, to them that set him up as the great ob­ject of their fear, to them that love him, to them that de­light in him, to them that obey him, to them that walk with him, to them that thirst after him, to them that suffer for him, to them that follow after him, &c. Now, all these scores of promises are made for the support, comfort and encou­ragement of all such Christians whose souls are bespangled with grace. But now if we may not lawfully come to the knowledge of our faith, love, fear, delight, obedience, &c. in a discoursive way, arguing from the effect to the cause. What support, what comfort, what advantage shall a sincere Christian have by all those scores of promissory places of Scripture? Doubtless all those scores of promises would be as so many Suns without light, as so many springs without wa­ter, as so many breasts without milk, and as so many bodies without souls, to all gracious Christians, were it not lawful for them to form up such a practical syllogism as this is, viz. The Scripture doth plainly and fully declare, that he that [Page 347] believeth, feareth, loveth, obeyeth, &c. is blessed, and shall be happy for ever. But I am such a one that doth believe, fear, love, obey, &c. therefore I am blessed, and shall be happy for ever. Now although it must be granted that the major of this Proposition is Scripture, yet the assumption is from experience, and therefore a godly man being assisted therein by the holy Ghost, may safely draw the conclusion as undeniable. O that you would seriously consider, how lit­tle would be the difference (should you shut out this discour­sive way) betwixt a man and a beast, if a man should assent to a thing unknown through an instinct and impression, and should to one who asks him a reason of his perswasion, be able to return no other answer but this; I am perswaded be­cause I am perswaded. But,

The seventh Proposition is this. That the Scripture giveth 7 many signs and symptoms of grace; so that if a man cannot find all, yet if he discover some, yea but one, he may safely conclude, that all the rest are there; he who hath but one in truth of the forementioned characters in this book, hath se­minally all; he who hath one link of the golden chain, hath the whole chain. Look, as he who hath one grace in truth, hath every grace in truth, though he doth not see every grace shining in his soul; so he that hath in truth any one evidence of grace in his soul, he hath virtually all. And, O that all weak, dark, doubting Christians, would seriously and fre­quently ponder upon this Proposition, for it may be a staff to uphold them, and a cordial to comfort them under all their fears and faintings. But,

The eighth Proposition is this. Without the light of the 8 holy Ghost our graces shine not; our graces are only the means by which our condition is known to us;Rom. 9.2. the efficient cause of this knowledge, is the Spirit illustrating our graces and making them visible, and so helping us to conclude from them, 1 Cor. 2.12. Now we have received not the spirit of the [Page 348] world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Our graces, our sanctification, as well as our election, vocation, justification and glorifica­tion, are freely given to us of God; and the Spirit of God is given as well to discover the one as the other to us. Mark, the things freely given us may be received by us, and yet the receit of them not known to us; therefore the Spirit for our further consolation doth (as it were) put his hand and seal to our receits,Eph. 4.30. whence he is said to seal us up unto the day of re­demption. The graces of the Spirit are a real earnest of the Spirit, yet they are not alwayes an evidential earnest; there­fore an earnest is often superadded to our graces. For ever remember these few hints; 1. That it is the work of the Spirit to plant grace in the soul. 2. That it is the work of the Spirit to act and exercise the graces that he has planted there. 3. That it is the work of the Spirit to shine upon those gra­ces that he has planted in the soul, and to cause the soul to see and feel what he has wrote. 4. That it is the work of the Spirit to raise springs of comfort and joy in the soul, upon the discovery of that grace which he has wrote in the soul. O Christians, till the Spirit of the Lord shine upon your graces,Job 33. you will still be in the dark. 'Tis only God's own Interpreter that must shew a man his righteousness. When the holy Ghost shines upon a Christians graces, then a Chri­stian finds the springs of comfort to rise in his soul, and then he finds the greatest serenity and calmness in his spirit. O Sirs! no man can by any natural light or evidence in him, come to be assured of the grace wrought in his soul. Look, as no man can see the Sun but in the light of the Sun; so no man can see the graces of the Spirit but in the light of the Spirit.1 Joh. 5.13. A man may have grace, and not see it; he may be in a state of grace and not know it; as the child lives in the womb but don't perceive it, is heir to a crown but don't know it.Isa. 50.10. Rom. 8.13. O! till the Spirit shines upon his own work, a child of light may walk in darkness and see no light. Look, as no man can subdue his sins but by the power of the Spirit; so no man can see his graces but in the light of the Spirit. The confidence that a believer hath of the truth of grace wrought [Page 349] in him, springs more from the Spirits removing his slavish fears, and answering his doubts, and shining upon his graces, and supporting his soul, than it does from that excellency and beauty of grace which shines in him. A man may read the promises over and over a thousand times, and yet never be affected, delighted or taken with them, till the Spirit of the Lord set them home upon his soul. And a man may read the threatnings over and over a thousand times, and yet never startle nor tremble, though he knows himself guilty of those very sins against which the threatnings are denounced, till the Spirit of the Lord sets home the threatnings in power upon his conscience; and then every threatning will be like the hand-writing upon the wall, which will cause his counte­nance to be changed, and his thoughts to be troubled,Dan. 5.6, 7. and his joynts to be loosed, and his knees to be dashed one against another. It is just so in the matter of our graces, and graci­ous evidences, till the holy Spirit shine upon them, till in the light of the Spirit we come to see them, they won't be wit­nessing, comforting and refreshing to us; and therefore let not the pious Reader think, that by the strength of his natu­ral light he shall ever attain to know the certainty of that grace which is in his soul, but let him rather beg hard of God for his holy Spirit, and that his Spirit may shine upon that good work which he hath begun in him, that so he may be perswaded, assured and comforted. Without the light of the Spirit, the work of the Spirit can't be seen, no more than a book written in the fairest hand or print, can be seen without light to see it or read it by. But,

The ninth Proposition is this. Sincere Christians may safe­ly 9 and groundedly rejoyce,Most Christi­ans by experi­ence find that their assurance and joy rises and falls as grace and holi­ness, and as the evidences of grace and holi­ness rise and fall in their souls. delight and take comfort in those graces, or in those divine qualities, which in the light of the Spirit they see and know are wrote in their souls. I don't say that a Christian should build the comfort of his justification upon his graces, or that he should rest on his graces, or trust to his graces, or make a Saviour of his graces, for this would be such a piece of Pharisaical Popery, as is justly to be de­tested [Page 350] and abhorred by all that love Christ, or are looking towards heaven: But this I say, a Christian may make several uses of his graces, he may safly look upon his graces as so many evidences of Christ's dwelling in him, and he may look upon his graces as so many heavenly bracelets, or as so many love to­kens from God in which he may safely rejoyce. The gracious evidences that I have laid down in this Treatise, are blessed symptoms of salvation, and therefore to rejoyce in them, can be no transgression of any royal Law of heaven. He that can ex­perimentally subscribe to any of the gracious evidences that are laid down in this Book, has such a fair certificate to shew for heaven, that no wicked man or hypocrite under heaven has the like to shew; and why such a man should not rejoyce in such a certificate, I can't at present see. I may and ought to rejoyce in the works of Creation: O! how much more then ought I to rejoyce in the work of Renovation, in the work of sanctification, which does so infinitely transcend the work of Creation? I may and ought to rejoyce in my natural life, health, strength, beauty; and why then should I not rejoyce in grace and holiness, which is the life, health, strength and beauty of my soul?Cant. 4.9. Christ delights in the gra­ces of his people. Thou hast ravished my heart, (or thou hast behearted me, as the Hebrew runs) my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, (or with one glance of thine eyes, as some read it) with one chain of thy neck. The eye of faith, say some; the eye of love, say others: The chain of obedience, say some; the chain of spiritual graces, say others, ravished Christ's heart; the one eye of faith, the one chain of obedience, unhearted Christ, wounded Christ; this one eye, this one chain robbed Christ of his heart, and laid the Spouse in the room of it. Now, shall Christ's heart be ravished with his childrens graces, and shall not their hearts be ravished and delighted with those very graces that ravish Christ's own heart? I may, yea I ought to rejoyce in the graces of others;1 Thes. 1, [...], 3, 4, 5. 2 Thes. 1.3, 4. and why then not in my own? I may, yea I ought to rejoyce in others outward mercies, and in my own outward mercies. O! how much more then ought I to rejoyce in the saving and distinguishing graces of the [Page 351] Spirit, especially when I consider, that the least dram of grace is more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds,Hab. 3.18. Gal. 6.14. Phil. 3.3. as every awakened conscience will tell you when they come to dye. Mark, firstly, mostly and chiefly a Christian is to re­joyce in God and Christ; but secondarily and subordinately he may rejoyce in those graces, and in those gracious evi­dences that God has given into his soul: Firstly, mostly and chiefly a Wife is to rejoyce in the person of her Husband, but secondarily, subordinately she may rejoyce in the brace­lets, in the ear-rings, in the jewels, in the gold chains that are given her by her Husband. But,

The tenth Proposition is this, viz. That that assurance that 10 the people of God may rise to by the sight of their graces, and upon the sight of their gracious evidences in the light of the spirit, is not so clear, and bright, and high, and full, a that it utterly excludes all fears, doubtings, conflicts,1 Cor. 13.12. Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. or spi­ritual agonies. Our knowledge of God, of Christ, of our selves, and of the blessed Scripture, which is the Rule of tryal, is imperfect in this life. And how then can our assu­rance be perfect? David, a man eminent in grace and holi­ness, had his up-hills and his down-hills, his Summer days and his Winter nights.Psal 73.25. Psal. 42.5, 11. Now you shall have him upon the Moun­tains singing and saying, The Lord is my portion; and presently you shall have him in the Valleys, sighing and saying, Wh [...] art thou cast down, O my soul; why art thou disquieted within me? Job 3. Psal. 77. Psal. 88. The same is evident in Job, Heman and Asaph. Such an assu­rance as shall exclude all fears, doubts, conflicts, agonies, i [...] very desirable on earth, but shall never be obtained till we come to heaven. The grievous assaults of Satan, the power of unbelief, and the prevalency of other corruptions in a Christians heart, may be such as may shake (I don't say over­turn) that assurance which a Christian may gather from the sight and evidence of his graces in the light of the spirit.Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth as well against the spirit as it is a spirit of con­solation, as it lusteth against the spirit as it is a spirit of san­ctification; and therefore such an assurance as shall exclude [Page 352] all sorts and degrees of fears and doubts,Doubting is not a vertue, as the Papists would make us believe, but 'tis a fruit of the flesh, and a thing most contrary and opposite to the nature of faith, Jam. 1.5. Mat. 21.21. & 13.31. And therefore Chri­stians should pray hard to be rid of their doubts. is not attainable in this life; whilst we are in this old world we shall have wa­ter with our wine, gall with our honey, and some clouds with our brightest Sun-shiny dayes, &c. Most Christians think, that as long as they have any doubtings they have no as­surance; but they consider not that there are many degrees of infalible certainty, below a perfect or an undoubting certain­ty: Doubtless some darkness, more or less, will overspread the face of every Christians soul, and unbelief in one degree or another will be making head against their faith; and hy­pocrisie in one degree or another will be making head against sincerity, and pride in one degree or another will be making head against humility, and passion in one degree or another will be making head against meekness, and earthly-minded­ness in one degree or another will be making head against heavenly-mindedness, &c. yet as long as a Christian has the sight of his graces or his gracious evidences, he may and ought to walk in much peace, comfort and joy. Such Chri­stians as are resolved to lye down in sorrow, till they have at­tained to a perfect assurance, must resolve to lye down in sorrow till they come to lay down their heads in the dust. Our graces are imperfect, and therefore that assurance that arises from the sight and evidence of them, must needs be imperfect;1 Thes. 3.10. perfect signs of grace can never spring from im­perfect grace. Now, if this were seriously apprehended, stu­died and minded by many weak Christians, they would not at every turn call their spiritual estates into question as they do, because they find some seeds and stirrings of pride, hy­pocrisie, vain-glory, and other sinful humours and passions working in them. But,

11 The eleventh Proposition is this, viz. When all your signs and evidences of the happiness and blessedness of your con­dition fails you, and are so clouded, obscured, darkned and blotted, that you can't read them, that you can't take any comfort from them, then it highly concerns you to keep up [Page 353] high, and precious, and honourable thoughts of God, of Christ, of his word, and of his wayes in your souls.Psal. 97.2. Cant. 5.6, 7. When Christ was withdrawn from his Spouse, and when the watch­men that went about the City had smote her and wounded her, and when the keepers of the walls had took away her vail from her, yet then she keeps up in heart very high, pre­cious and honourable thoughts of Christ, Ver. 10. My be­loved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. Ver. 16. His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether lovely; or his mouth is sweetnesses, and he is altogether desirablenesses, or all of him is desires, or he is wholly desirable. Here she breaks off her praises in a general Elogy, which no words can ex­press enough. Alas! saith the Spouse, I want words to ex­press how sweet, how lovely, how comely, how desirable, how eminent, and how excellent Christ is in my eye, and to my soul;Hag. 2.8. he is the desire of all Nations (de jure) and all that is perfect in heaven or earth, is but a dim shadow of his ex­cellency and glory. Where Christ is there is heaven; heaven it self in the Spouse's eyes, without Christ, would be but a low little thing. The Spouse looks upon Christ as the spark­ling Diamond in the ring of glory. So David when he was wofully clouded and benighted, when all was dark within him, and dark about him, and dark over him, Psal. 73. Ve­rily I have cleansed my heart in vain, See Psal. 77. & Psal. 88. 1 Sam. 30.6. and washed my hands in innocency. Ver. 21. My heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. Ver. 22. I was as a beast before thee; or I was as a great beast, or as many beasts in one, as the Hebrew word Behemoth imports. Ver. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth; that is, my outward man and my inward man faileth me. And yet mark, at this very time, when the Psalmist was thus overcast, he keeps up in him very high, precious and honourable thoughts of God, Ver. 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. Ver. 23. Nevertheless, I am conti­nually with thee, thou hast holden me by my right hand. Ver. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Ver. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Ver. 26. God is the strength (or rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. Ver. 28. [Page 354] It is good for me to draw near to God. So the Church in that, Micah 7. When God had hid his face from her. Ver. 7. When she sate in darkness. Ver. 8. When she was under the indignation of the Lord. Ver. 9. When the righteous man was perished, and there was none upright among men. Ver. 2. And when her enemies rejoyced, insulted and tri­umphed over her. Ver. 8. & ver. 10. Yet now, even now, she keeps up in her soul very high, precious and honourable thoughts of the Lord. Ver. 7. My God will hear me. Ver. 8. When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. Ver. 9. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. I might give you twenty more instances, but enough is as good as a feast. Dear Christians, when your graces are not transparent, when your evidences for heaven are blotted, and when the face of God is cloud­ed, O then keep up in your hearts high, precious and honour­able thoughts of God and Christ, and of his Word and wayes,Acts 27.20. &c. When your Sun of righteousness is set in a cloud, when great darkness is upon your spirits, when all Moon-light, and Star-light of your graces and gracious evidences fails you,Psal. 22.3. yet then say with David, Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel; and with Ezra, Thou hast punish­ed me less than mine iniquities deserve; Ezra 9.13. Neh. 9.33. and with Nehemiah, Howbeit, thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly; and with the Church, The Lord is righteous. Lam. 1.18. In the darkest night, and under your deepest soul-distresses, say, Well, if I perish, if I should miscarry for ever, yet I will maintain and keep up in my heart high, and precious, and honourable thoughts of God and Christ: Say, well, though my graces are obscured, and my evidences for heaven are blurred and soyled, yet I shall to my last breath, say the Lord is good, and his Word is good, and his wayes are good; yea, though he should slay me, yet I will trust in him,Job 13.15. and entertain noble and glorious thoughts of him. This is the way of wayes to have your graces clear­ed and strengthned, your evidences brightned, your comforts restored, and your assurance confirmed. But,

The twelfth Proposition is this, viz. That it is the great 12 duty and concernment of Christians to keep the evidences of their gracious and happy condition, alwayes bright and shi­ning; Christians should make conscience of blurring and disfiguring the golden characters of grace in their souls. The least character of grace in the soul, is more worth than all the gold of Ophir, yea more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds;Eph. 4.30. Psal. 51.11, 12 and therefore every gracious Christian should be marvellous careful, that he does not by wilful omissions or sinful commissions, cloud, dim or darken the least character of grace; such as blot or lose their evidences for heaven, they lose the comfort of their lives in this world. Satans master-piece is first to work Christians to blot and blur their evidences for glory, by committing this or that hainous sin; and then his next work is to rob them of their evidences for glory, that so though at the long run they may get safe to hea­ven, that yet Jacob like they may go halting and mourning to their graves. Satan knows, that whilst a Christians evidences are bright and shining, a Christian is temptation-proof. Satan may tempt him, but he can't conquer him; he may assault him, but he can't vanquish him. Satan knows, that whilst a Christians evidences for heaven are bright and shining, no afflictions can sink him, nor no opposition shake him, nor no persecution discourage him, nor no outward wants perplex him; and therefore he will use all his power and policy, all his arts, crafts and parts, to draw poor Christians to blot and blur their evidences for glory. Satan knows, that a man may lose one friend, and easily get another, lose his Trade in one place, and soon get a Trade in another place; lose health and get it, lose an estate and get an estate, &c. But if he loses his evidences for heaven, he knows it will cost him many a prayer, and many a sigh, and many a groan, and many a tear, and many a sad complaint, before he recovers his lost eviden­ces; and therefore his grand design is to plunder a Christian of his evidences for heaven. O Sirs! keep but your eviden­ces for heaven alwayes bright and shining, and then heavy af­flictions will be light, and long afflictions will be short,2 Cor. 4.16, 17, 18. and bitter afflictions will be sweet; and then every evidence fainly [Page 356] written in your hearts, will be a living comfort to you in a dying hour. When the tokens of death are upon your bodies, and you shall see the lively characters of grace shining in your souls,Luke 2.29. you will then cry out with old Simeon, Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace; and with the Spouse, Make hast my beloved, Cant. 8. ult. and be like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices; Rev. 22.20. Phil. 1.23. and with the Bride, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly; and with Paul, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. When a man's evidences for heaven are either lost or blotted and blur'd, then he will be ready to cry out wi [...]h Da­vid, O spare me yet a little, that I may recover strength before I go hence and be seen no more; Isa. 38.3. and with Hezekiah, to turn his face to the wall and weep. There are four things that above all others a Christian should labour to keep; 1. Christ. 2. His own heart. 3. The Word. 4. His evidences for heaven, bright and shining. But,

13 The thirteenth Proposition is this, viz. It is the high con­cernment of every Christian, either when he is in the dark, or when his graces shine brightest, and when his evidences for heaven are clearest, and his springs of comfort rise highest, then to have his heart and the eye of his faith most firmly fixt upon these three royal Forts, or these five Cities or refuge. It must be granted, that though our graces are our best jewels, yet they are imperfect, and do not give out their full lustre; they are like the Moon, which when it shines brightest hath her dark spots; and therefore a Christian had need have his eye, his heart fixt upon the five following royal Forts. You know in time of War there are the outworks, and there are the royal Forts: Now, when the Soldiers are beaten out of their out­works, they retire to the royal Forts, and there they are safe, and then they cast up their caps and bid defiance to their proudest enemies. Now, our graces and our gracious evi­dences, they are our out-works; and from these we may be beaten in a day of desertion and temptation, &c. Now if we make our retreat to the five following royal Forts, we may in a holy sence cast up our caps, and bid defiance to an host of Devils, yea to all the powers of darkness.

Qu. But Sir, Pray let us know which are these Royal Forts.

Ans. They are these three that follow.

The first is the free, rich, infinite, soveraign and glorious 1 grace of God.Gen. 6.8. Exod. 19.5. Eph 1.5, 6, 7. 1 Tim. 1.13, 14, 15, 16. The grace of our Lord was exceeding a­bundant. The original word is [...], was over full, redundant, more than e­nough, more than might serve the turn for him, who was the great­est of sinners. By free-grace you are to understand the gra­cious good will or favour of God, whereby he is pleased of his own free love to chuse and accept of some in Christ for his own, This we call first grace, because it is the fountain of all other grace, and the springs from whence they flow; and it's therefore called grace, because it makes a man gra­cious with God. Now mark, there have been many Christi­ans who have had no assurance of the love of God, no sight of their interest in Christ, no sealing of the spirit, nor no one clear evidence of grace, that they durst rest the weight of their souls upon; nor no one promise in the whole Book of God that they durst apply or rest upon, who yet daily casting or rowling themselves, their souls, and their everlast­ing concernments, upon the infinite, free, rich and soveraign grace of God in Christ, have found some tolerable peace, comfort and refreshment in such a practise all their dayes. A Christian may lose the sight of his graces, and the eviden­ces of his gracious estate; he may be so much in the dark, he may be so much benighted and bewildered in his spirit, that there may be no way under heaven left to him to enjoy peace, comfort, rest, quiet, settlement or contentment, but by casting or rowling of his soul upon the free, rich, infinite and soveraign grace of God in Christ; and here casting anchor, the poor bewildered, deserted, tempted,Isa. 50.10. tossed soul may be safe and at rest. The free love and favour of God will be a lamp to the soul in the darkest night,Psal. 4.6. Socrates prized the Kings coun­tenance above his coyn. What is then the countenance of a God, to a gracious soul? it will be a sweet lump that will sweeten the bitterest cup, it will be a singular cor­dial against all faintings, it will be armour of proof against all temptations, it will be an everlasting arm to you under all af­flictions, it will be a Sun and a shield to you in every condi­tion, Psal. 80.3. Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Divine favour is that pearl of price that is most desirable, Dan. 9.17. The Lord make his face to shine upon his sanctuary [Page 358] that is desolate, for the Lords sake. Numb. 6.24. The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. Psal. 67.1. God be merciful to you, and bless you, and cause his face to shine upon you. Job 2.4. Life is a very desirable thing, skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life; and yet the loving kind­ness of God is better than life, Psal. 63. Thy loving kindness is better than life. The Hebrew word is Chajim, lives; to note that the loving kindness of God is better than many lives, yea than all lives, and the revenues of life, put many lives together, put all lives together; and yet there is more excellency in the least discovery of divine love than in them all. Many a man has been weary of his life, but who have e­ver been weary of divine love? Dear Christians, are your graces or gracious evidences shining and sparkling? O then solace your selves mostly in the free love and favour of God; for in his free favour lyes the life of your souls, the life of your graces, the life of your comforts, yea in his free favour your all is bound up. If your graces or evidences are so clouded and darkned, that you are in a stormy day beat out of your out-works: O now run to the free grace and favour of God, as to your Royal Fort, as to your strong Tower, as to your City of Refuge, where you may be safe and happy for ever. In such a day ponder much upon these Scriptures, Hos. 14.4. I will heal their back-sliding, I will love them freely. God's love is a free love, having no motive or foundation but within it self; all the links of the golden chain of salvation are made up of free-grace. The people of God are freely loved, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. and freely chosen, John 15.16, 19. Eph. 1.4. and freely accepted, Eph. 1.6. and freely adopt­ed, Eph. 1.5. Gal. 4.5, 6. and freely reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20. and freely justified, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace; and freely saved, Eph. 2.5. By grace ye are saved. Ver. 8. For by grace are ye saved. Tit. 3.5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Thus you see, that all the golden rounds in Jacob's Ladder that reaches from heaven to earth, are all made up of free-grace. Free-grace is the foundation of all spiri­tual and eternal mercies; free-grace is the solid bottom and [Page 359] foundation of all a Christians comfort in this world. Were we to measure the love of God to us by our fruitfulness, ho­liness, humbleness, spiritualness, heavenly-mindedness, or gracious carriages towards him, how would our hope, our confidence, every hour,Rom. 4.16. yea every moment in every hour be staggered, if not vanquished? B [...]t all is of grace, of free-grace, that the promise might be sure, and that our salvation might be safe. O Sirs! it is free-grace that will strengthen you in all your duties, and that will sweeten all your mercie [...],Rom. 8.33, 34, 35, 36. and that will support you under all your changes, and that will arm you against all temptations, & answer all objections, and take off all Satans accusations, that may be cast in to disturb the peace and quiet of your souls; and therefore, whether your graces or gracious evidences do shine or are clouded, yet still have your recourse to the free-grace of God, as to your first Royal Fort, your first City of Refuge; and still cry out, Grace, grace. When your gracious evidences are clearest and fullest, it then concerns you to look upon free grace as your choicest and safest City of Refuge. But,

The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eys, 2 their hearts fixed upon,Imputed righ­teousness seem [...] to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full cloathed our first pa­rents. The bo­dies of the beasts were for sacrifice, & the skins to put them in mind, that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves im­perfect, & that therefore they must be justifi­ed another way▪ whether their graces or gracious evi­dences sparkle and shine, or are clouded and obscured, is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ. Beloved, there is a twofold righteousness in Christ. First, there is his essential and per­sonal righteousness as God: Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us. But then there is, Secondly, his Mediatory righteousness, that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator, whereby he did subject himself to the preceptt, to the penalties, com­mands & curses, answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice. This is communicated to us, and made ours: by vir­tue of which we stand recti in curia, justified in God's sight. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification. Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes, First, the habitual holiness of his person in the ab­sence of all sin, and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities. Secondly, the actual holiness of [Page 360] his life and death by obedience. By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law, and by his pas­sive obedience, his voluntary sufferings, he satisfied the penal­ty and commination of the Law for transgressions. Mark, that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it re­quires, either in way of punishing for sin, or obedience to the Law, made by the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, the Mediator of the new Covenant,Osiander was of opinion, that men were justi­fied by the es­sential righte­ousness of Christ as God, which opinion is largely con­futed by Calvin in his Institu­tions. as a common head repre­senting all those whom the Father hath given to him, and made over unto them that believe in him. This is that righ­teousness that is imputed to us in justification. No other righteousness can justifie us before the throne of God. Look, as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation, so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us; as the Scripture clearly evidences, 2 Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jer. 23.6. The Lord our righteousness. (A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteous­ness, would not have this sentence, The Lord our righteousness, blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds.) 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ Jesus is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, &c. And pray, how is Christ made righteous­ness to the believer? Not by way of infusion, but imputation; not by putting righteousness into him, but by putting a righ­teousness upon him, even his own righteousness; by the im­puting his merit, his satisfaction, his obedience unto them, through which they are accepted as righteous unto eternal life, Rom. 5.19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Christ's righteousness is his in respect of inhesion, but it is ours in respect of imputation; his righteousness is his perso­nally, but ours meritoriously. Look, as there is a true and real union between us and Christ, so there is a real imputa­tion of Christ's righteousness to us. And a gracious soul triumphs more in the righteousness of Christ imputed, than he would have done if he could have stood in the righteous­ness in which he was created. This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul, that he stands righteous [Page 361] before a judgment-seat, in that full, exact, perfect, com­pleat, matchless, spotless, pearless, and most acceptable righ­teousness of Christ which is imputed to him. The righteous­ness of Christ is therefore called the righteousness of God, Rom. 3.21, 22. Rom. 10.3. Phil. 3.9. be­cause it is it which God hath designed, and which God doth accept for us in our justification, and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of justice.Luthers great fear was, that when he was dead this glori­ous doctrine of free justificati­on by the righ­teousness of Christ would be sent packing out of the world. That we are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, is the very Basis, foundation and state of Christian Religion, whereby it is distinguished from all other Religions whatsoever. Jews, Turks, Pagans and Pa­pists explode an imputed righteousness, yea Papists jeer it, calling it a putative righteousness. Well Sirs, remember this once for all, viz. That the Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the life of your souls, and will afford you these most admirable comforts.

First, In this righteousness there is enough to satisfie the 1 justice of God to the utmost farthing. The Mediatory righ­teousness of Christ is so perfect, so full, so exact, so com­pleat, and so fully satisfactory to the justice of God, as that divine justice cryes out, I have enough, and I require no more; I have found a ransom, and I am fully pacified to­wards you, Ezek. 16.62, 63. But,

Secondly, This Mediatory righteousness of Christ takes 2 away all our unrighteousness, it cancels every bond, it takes away all iniquity, and answers for all our sins. Lord,Isa. 53. Col. 2.12, 13, 14, 15. here are my sins of omission, and here are my sins of commission, but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all; here are my sins against the Law, and here are my sins against the Gospel, and here are my sins against the offers of grace, the tenders of grace, the strivings of grace, the bowels of grace, but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all. When a cordial was offered to one that was sick; O (said he) the cordial of cordials which I daily take is this; The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins. O Sirs!1 Joh. 1.7. it would be high blasphemy for any to imagine that there [Page 362] should be more demerit in sin,Rom. 8.1, 33, 34, 35. in any sin, in all sin, to con­demn a believer, than there is merit in Christ's righteous­ness to absolve him, to justifie him. But,

3 Thirdly, This righteousness of Christ presents us perfect­ly righteous in the sight of God. It is that pure, fine, white linnen garment, whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God. And to her was granted (that is to the Lambs wife) that she should be arrayed in fine linnen, Rev. 19.8. clean and white; for the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints, or the righteousnesses or justifications of Saints; [...]. for the Greek is plural. Some by righteousnesses understand the righteousness of Christ im­puted, and the righteousness of Christ imparted; but I ra­ther close with those who say it is an Hebraism, the plural righteousnesses, noting that most perfect, compleat, absolute righteousness which Christ is pleased to put upon his people. Upon the account of this righteousness of Christ, the Church is said to be without spot or wrinkle,Eph. 5.27. and to be all fair. Thou art all fair my love, Cant. 4.7. Col. 2.10. there is no spot in thee. And to be compleat. And ye are compleat in him, which is the head of all principality [...]nd power. Rev. 14.5. And to be without fault. They are without fault be­fore the throne of God. And so Col. 1.21. And to present us holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in the sight of God. But,

4 Fourthly, This righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears, doubts, and objections of your souls. How shall I look up to God? the Answer is, in the righteousness of Christ. How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world? the Answer is, in the righteousness of Christ? How shall I find acceptance with God? the An­swer is, in the righteousness of Christ. How shall I dye? the Answer is, in the righteousness of Christ? How shall I stand before a Judgment-seat? the Answer is, in the righteousness of Christ. Your sure and only way under all temptations, fears, conflicts, doubts and disputes, is by faith to remember Christ,That was a rare speech of Luther, Ips [...] vi­deret ubi anima mea mansura sit, qui pro ea sic solicitus fuit ut vitam pro ea posuerit, let him see to it where my soul shall rest, who took so much care for it, as that he laid down his life for it. and the sufferings of Christ, as your Mediator and Surety; and say, O Christ, thou art my sin in being made sin for me, and thou art my curse in being made a curse for [Page 363] me; or rather I am thy sin, and thou art my righteousness, I am thy curse, and thou art my blessing, I am thy death and thou art my life; I am the wrath of God to thee, and thou art the love of God to me, I am thy hell, and thou art my heaven. O Sirs! if you think of your sins and of God's wrath, if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice, your hearts will fail you and sink into despair; if you don't think of Christ, if you don't rest and stay your souls upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ. But,

Fifthly and lastly, The righteousness of Christ is the best 5 title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not,Heb. 12.28. 1 Pet. 1.3, 4, 5. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2, 3, 4. for riches that corrupt not, for an inheritance that fadeth not a­way, and for an house not made with hands, but one eternal in the heavens. The righteousness of Christ is your life, your joy, your comfort, your crown, your confidence, your hea­ven, your all; and therefore whether your graces or graci­ous evidences do sparkle and shine, or are clouded or blotted, yet still keep a fixed eye and an awakned heart upon the Me­diatory righteousness of Jesus Christ, for that's the righte­ousness by which you may happily live, comfortably die, and boldly appear before a Judgment-seat. But,

The third Royal Fort, that Christians should have their 3 eyes, their hearts fixed upon, whether their graces or graci­ous evidences sparkle and shine, or are obscured and cloud­ed, is the Covenant of grace. The Covenant of grace is a new compact or agreement which God hath made with sin­ful man out of his own meer mercy and grace,Deut. 4.23. Isa. 55.3. & 54.7, 8, 9, 10. Jer. 31.31. Psal. 50.5, &c. Hos. 14.4. Tit. 3.6. Eph. 1.5, 6, 7. Chap. 2.5 7, 8. Rom. 9.18, 23. Jer. 32.38, 39, 40, 41. Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. wherein he un­dertakes both for himself and for faln man, & wherein he en­gages himself to make faln man everlastingly happy. All man­kind had been eternally lost, and God had lost all the glory of his mercy for ever, had he not of his own free-grace and mercy made such an agreement with sinful man. This Cove­nant is called a Covenant of grace, because it flows from the meer grace and mercy of God. There was nothing out of God, nor nothing in God, but his meer mercy and grace that moved him to enter into Covenant with poor sinners. In the [Page 364] Covenant of grace there are two things considerable, First, the Covenant that God makes for himself to us, which con­sists of these Branches; 1. That he will be our God. 2. That he will give us a new heart, a new spirit. 3. That he will not turn away his face from us from doing of us good. 4. That he will put his fear into our hearts. 5. That he will cleanse us from all our filthiness, and from all our Idols. 6. That he will rejoyce over us to do us good. Secondly, here is the Co­venant which God doth make for us to himself, which con­sists in these things; 1. That we shall be his people. 2. That we shall fear him for ever. 3. That we shall walk in his Sta­tutes, keep his Judgments and do them. 4. That we shall not depart from him. Upon many accounts I may not enlarge on these things; but by these short hints 'tis evident, that the Covenant of grace is an entire Covenant made by God, both for himself and for us. O Sirs! in the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give whatsoever he requires.

1 1 Chron. 28.9.First, He requires us to know him, and he has engaged himself that we shall know him, Jer. 24.7. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. And Jer. 31.34. They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, Heb. 8.11. But,

2 Secondly, The Lord frequently requires his people to trust in him, Psal. 62.8. Isa. 26.4. 2 Chron. 20.20. And he has engaged himself that his people shall trust in him, Zeph. 3.12. I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. But,

3 Thirdly, The Lord frequently commands his people to fear him, Deut. 6.13. Chap. 8.6. And he has engaged him­self that they shall fear him, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Hos. 3.5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness. But,

4 Fourthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to love him, Deut. 11.1. Psal. 31.23. O love the Lord, all ye his [Page 365] Saints. And he has promised and engaged himself, that his people shall love him, Deut. 30.6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul. But,

Fifthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to 5 call upon him, and to pray unto him, Psal. 50.15. 1 Thes. 5.17. &c. And he has promised and engaged himself to pour upon them a spirit of prayer, Zech. 12.10. I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications. But,

Sixthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to re­pent, 6 and to turn from their evil wayes, Hos. 14.1. Ezek. 14.6. Chap. 18.30. Acts 17.30. Acts 26.20. And he has promised and engaged himself, that they shall repent and turn from their evil wayes, Acts 5.30. Acts 11.18. 2 Tim. 2.25. Isa. 30.22. Jer. 24.7. But,

Seventhly, The Lord has commanded his people to obey 7 him, and to walk in his Statutes, Jer. 24.7. And he has pro­mised and engaged himself, that his people shall obey him, and walk in his Statutes, Ezek. 36.27. And I will put my spi­rit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. So Ezek. 11.19, 20. Chap 37.23, 24. But,

Eightly, The Lord commands his people to mourn for 8 their sins, Isa. 22.12. Joel 2.12. Jam. 4.10. And he has promised and engaged himself to give them a mourning frame, Zech. 12.10. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one that mourneth for an only son. Ezek. 7.16. They shall be on the mountains as the Doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity. But,

Ninthly, The Lord commands his people to grow in grace, 9 2 Pet. 3.18. &c. And he has promised and engaged him­self, that they shall grow in grace, Psal. 92.12, 13, 14. The [Page 366] righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree (which is alwayes green and flourishing) he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. The Cedar of all Trees is most durable, and shoots up highest. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God; they shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing. See Hos. 14.5, 6, 7. Mal. 4.2. &c. But,

10 Tenthly, The Lord commands his people not to suffer sin to reign in them, Rom. 6.12. Let not sin reign in your mortal body. And he has promised and engaged himself, that sin shall not reign in them, Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Jer. 33.8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity. Ezek. 36.25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness; and from all your Idols will I cleanse you. Mich. 7.19. He will subdue our iniquities. But,

11 Eleventhly, He has commanded his people to loath their sins, and to loath themselves for their sins, Psal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. Rom. 12.9. Abhor that which is evil. And the Lord has promised and engaged himself to give them such a frame of spirit, Ezek. 36.13. Then shall ye re­member your own evil wayes, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Ezek. 6.9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes which go a whoring after their Idols, and they shall loath themselves for the evils which they have commited in all their abominations. Ezek. 20.43. And there shall ye remember your wayes, and all your doings wherein you have been defiled, and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed. But,

12 Twelfthly and lastly, (for enough is as good as a feast) God has commanded us to hold out, to persevere to the end, 1 Cor. 15.58. Rev. 2.10. Luke 18.1. And the Lord has pro­mised [Page 367] and engaged himself, that they shall persevere, Job 17.9. The righteous shall hold on his way, 2 Sam. 3.1. and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Isa. 40.31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Thus you see by an induction of twelve parti­culars, that what ever God requires of his people, he stands engaged by the Covenant of grace to give to his people, to do for his people.

Now mark, the Covenant of grace [...] [...]onfirmed to us in the surest and most glorious wa [...] [...]at can be imagined.Gen. 17.7. Heb. 13.20. Psal. 89.28. 2 Sam. 23.5. The Covenant of grace is so [...]ongly ratified, that there can be no nulling of it▪ [...]o [...] ▪

First, 'Tis confirmed to us by his Word. I will be your 1 God, and you shall be my people. Now,Jer. 33.38. 2 Cor. 1.20. all the promises of God in htm are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us; that is, they are stable and firm, as the Hebrew word signifies. They will eat their way over all Alps of opposition. In the new Covenant God neither makes nor fulfils any promises of sal­vation, but in Christ and by Christ.

Secondly, God hath ratified the Covenant of grace by his 2 oath; his promise is enough,Gen. 22.16. Heb. 6.19. but surely his oath must put all out of question; there's no room for unbelief now God hath sworn to it; had there been a greater God, he would have sworn by him. But,

Thirdly, God hath ratified it by the death of his Son. A 3 mans last Will and Testament as soon as he is dead,Gal. 3.15. Heb. 9.15, 26. is in force and cannot then be disannulled. The Covenant of grace is a Testamentary Covenant, which by the death of the Testator is so setled, that there is no altering of it. But,

Fourthly and lastly, The Covenant of grace is ratified 4 by the seals which God hath annexed to it. What was sealed by the Kings Ring could not be altered.Esth. 8. God hath set his seals [Page 368] to the Covenant of grace, his broad seal in the Sacraments, and his privy seal in the witness of his Spirit, and therefore 'tis sure and can't be reverst, &c.

Now, when ever you look upon your graces or gracious evidences with one eye, be sure you look upon the Covenant of grace, your last royal Fort with the other eye. The whole hing of a mans comfort and happiness hangs upon the Cove­ [...] of grace. The Covenant of grace is the Saints original title to [...] 'tis a Saints best and brightest evidence for life and salvation. [...]re was an eternal design (an eternal plot, if I may so speak) be [...] God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ; a bargain, a Covenant [...]de between the Father and the Son, for the salvation of his chosen [...]; and by this patient and tenure of grace, all Saints have title to heaven, &c. Dear Christians, many times your gracious evidences are so blotted and blur'd that you can't read them. O then, turn to the Covenant of grace; when other evidences fail you, the Covenant of grace will be a glorious standing evi­dence to you; 'tis upon the score of the Covenant that you must challenge an interest in all the glory of another world. The Covenant of grace is the great Charter, the Magna Charta of all your spiritual priviledges and immunities. Now in this great Charter the Lord declares, That sincerity shall go for perfection:Luke 1.5, 6. Acts 13.22. 2 Chron 3 [...]. [...]8, 19, 20. In this great Charter the Lord hath de­clared, That he judges his people by the standing bent and frame of their hearts, and not by what they are, under some pangs of passion, or in an hour of temptation. In this great Charter the Lord declares, That his eye is more upon his peo­ples inward disposition, than 'tis upon their outward actions; and that his eye is more upon their will,2 Cor. 8.12. Phil. 2.13. than 'tis upon their work. In this great Charter, the Covenant of grace, the Lord hath declared, That he will not forsake his people, nor cast off his people,Ponder much upon Jer. 31.31, to 38. because of those failings and weaknesses that may and do attend them, 1 Sam. 12.22. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. He chose you for his love, and he still loveth you for his choice. God will rather [Page 369] pity his people under their weakness, than he will reject them for their weakness. The Covenant of grace that God hath made with his people, is as the Covenant that a man makes with his Wife. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, saith the Lord. Hos. 2.19, 20. Jer. 3.13. Turn O back-s [...]iding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you. Now, a man will never reject his Wife, he will never cast off his Wife for those common weaknesses and infirmi­ties that daily attends her; no more will the Lord cast off his people, because of the infirmities that daily hang upon them. In this great Charter, the Covenant of grace, the Lord declares, that he will require no more than he gives; and that he will give what he requires, and that he will ac­cept what he gives; and what can a God say more? and what can a gracious soul desire more?

O Sirs! when all is cloudy over head, and all dark with­in doors, when a Christians graces are not transparent, when his evidences for heaven are soiled and blotted, and when neither heart nor house are as they should be, 'tis good then to turn to the Covenant grace, and to dwell upon the Covenant of grace. Thus David did, 2 Sam. 23.5. Al­though my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. Let me give a little light into the words.

Although my house be not so with God.] Though David in the main had a good heart, yet he had but a wicked house. Absalom had slain his Brother, rebelled against his Father, and lay with his Fathers Concubines. And Amnon had de­floured his Sister, &c. Now David under a deep sense of all this wickedness, and of his own personal unworthiness, sad­ly sighs it out, Although my house be not so with God, &c. though I have not walked so exactly and perfectly as I shold have done, though neither I nor my house have walked answerable to those great mercies and singular kindnesses of God that have been extended to us.

Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant.] The word everlasting hath two acceptations; it doth denote, 1. Some­times [Page 370] a long duration,Vide Isa. 55.3. Gen. 17.7. Psal. 105.9, 10 Isa. 61.8. Heb. 13.20. in which respect the old Covenant cl [...]athed with figures and ceremonies is called everlasting, because it was to endure, and did endure a long time. [...]. Some­times it denotes a perpetual duration, a duration which shall last for ever. In this respect the Covenant of grace is ever­lasting, it shall never cease, never be broken, nor never be alte [...]ed. Now, the Covenant of grace is an everlasting Co­venant in a twofold respect.

1 First, Ex parte soederantis, in respect of God, who will ne­ver break Covenant with his people, but is their God, and will be their God for ever and ever, Psal. 48.14. For this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death: I and after death too; for this is not to be taken ex­clusive; he will never leave his people, nor forsake his peo­ple, Heb. 13.5, 6.

2 Secondly, Ex parte confoederatorum, in respect of the peo­ple of God who are brought into Covenant, and shall con­tinue in Covenant for ever and ever. You have both these expressed in that excellent Scripture, Jer. 32.40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. Seriously dwell upon the place; it shews that the Covenant is everlasting on God's part, and al­so on our part: On God's part, I will never turn away from them to do them good; and on our part, They shall never depart from me. How so? I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me (even that fear spoken of in ver. 39. That they may fear me for ever.)

Ordered in all things.] O! what head can conceive, or what tongue can express that infinite counsel, wisdom, love, care and tenderness that the blessed God has exprest in order­ing the Covenant of grace, so as it may most and best suit to all the wants, and straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires, and longings of poor sinners souls. The Covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it remedies to cure all your diseases, [Page 371] and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings,Isa. 40.28. Psal. 147.5. and a spiritual armoury to arm you against all your enemies, viz. the world, the flesh, and the devil. Dost thou, O distressed sin­ner, want a loving God, a compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin pardoning God? here thou mayest find him in the Covenant of grace. Dost thou want a Christ to counsel thee by his wisdom, and to cloath thee with his righteousness, and to adorn thee with his grace? here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace. Dost thou want the Spirit to en­lighten thee, to teach thee, to convince thee, to awaken thee, to lead thee, to cleanse thee, to cheer thee, and to seal thee up to the day of redemption?Eph. 1.13. here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace. Dost thou want grace, or peace, or rest, or quiet, or content, or comfort, or satisfaction? here thou mayest find it in a Covenant of grace. God has laid into the Covenant of grace, as into a common store, all those things that sinners or Saints can either beg or need. Look, as that is a well ordered Commonwealth where there are no wholsom Laws wanting to govern a people, and where there are no wholsom remedies wanting to relieve a people; so that must needs be a well ordered Covenant, where there is nothing wanting to govern poor souls, or to relieve poor souls, or to save poor souls; and such a Covenant is the Covenant of grace.

And sure, the Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant,Jer. 31.31, 33, 35, 36, 37. Psal. 19.7. Rev. 3.14. Isa. 54.10. Deut. 7.9. The Lord thy God he is God, the faithful God (or the God of Amen) which keepeth Covenant with them that love him. Psal. 89.33. My Covenant will I not break (Hebrew, I will not prophane) nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. All God's precepts, all God's predictions, all God's menaces, and all God's promises, are the issue of a most just, faithful and righteous will. God can neither dye nor lye, Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lye pro­mised before the world began. There are three things that God can't do; 1. He can't dye. Nor, 2. He can't lye. Nor, 3. He can't deny himself, Josh. 23.14. And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your hearts, and [Page 372] in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you, all are come to passe unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. O Sirs! the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love,John 13.1. upon Gods unchangable love, upon God's free love; whom God loves once he loves for ever.Jer. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love. God can as well cease to be, as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into Covenant with himself. And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love, so 'tis bottomed upon Gods immuta­ble counsel,Heb. 6.17. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise, the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath. And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the immu­table counsel of God, so it is bottomed upon the free pur­pose of God, 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God standeth sure; that is, the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure. Now, the purpose of God's election is com­pared to a foundation, because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed, and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure. And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the free purpose of God, so 'tis bottomed upon the glorious power of God. The power of God is an infinite power,Isa. 33.11. Isa. 41.2. Mal. 4.1. 1 Cor. 1.25. it is a supream power, a power that overtops the power of all mortals: What's the stubble to the flames, the chaff to the whirlwind? no more is all created power to the power of God. The weakness of God is stron­ger than men; and did not Pharaoh find it so? and Haman find it so? and Sennacherib find it so? and Nebuchadnezzar find it so? and Belshazzar find it so? and Herod find it so? In all the ages of the world the power of God hath bore down all before it; the power of God is an independant power, a matchless power, an incomparable power, an enduring power, an eternal power. And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the power of God,Heb. 6.17, 18 Psal. 89.34, 35. so it is bottomed upon the oath of God, Luke 1.72. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant. Ver. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham. To think that God will break his oath, or be perjured, is an intollerable blasphemy. Once [Page 373] more give me leave to say, the Covenant of grace is bot­tomed not only upon the oath of God, but also upon the pre­cious blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant, Heb. 13.20. Mat. 26.28. This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins: Heb. 9.15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the re­demption of the transgressions that were under the fi [...]st Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheri­tance. Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead. It is called a Covenant and a Testament. 1. A Covenant in re­spect of God, and a Testament in respect of Christ. 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement, and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming. Jesus Christ died as a Testator, and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of Life and Salvation. Now, the Covenant of grace being thus gloriously bottomed as you se [...], it must roundly and undeniably follow, that th [...] Cove­nant of grace is a sure Covenant.

For this is all my salvation and all my desire.] i. e. This is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation, and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world. This everlasting Covenant, this sure Cove­nant, is the great Charter of Charters that I have to shew for eternal bliss. David was drawing neer to his eternal home, and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heavens happiness were bright and shining, or blotted and clouded, I shall not at this time stand to enquire; it is e­nough that he stayes his soul upon the Covenant of grace, and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the Covenant of grace. And, O that all Christians, when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted, or else sparkling and shining, that they would frequently eye these three royal Forts, viz. 1. The free-grace and favour of God. 2. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ. 3. The Covenant of grace. Now, that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal Forts, and to delight in these royal Forts, and to prize these royal Forts, and to improve [Page 374] these royal Forts. Give me leave to offer these three things briefly to your consideration.

First, Our best graces and performances are not com­mensurate 1 and square payment in the eyes of pure justice; all of them as inherent in us, and acted by us, are but imper­fect excellencies. No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required, nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do: Every particular grace, though it be of an heavenly and di­vine original, yet it is like the Stars twinkling, though placed in the heavens; so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person, even the righte­ousness that is in him,Psal. 143.2. Job. 14.3, 4. Rom. 3.20. would not be safety and defence unto him; for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little hu­mility? and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness? and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity? and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we mixt with a little heavenly-mindedness? and what a deal of unbelief have we mixt with a little faith? O Sirs! in the great business of your access to God, and of your acceptance with God,Rom. 3.20, to ver. 27. Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. and of your reconciliation to God, and of your ju­stification before God. 'Tis best, safest and noblest, to bot­tom your faith, hope and expectation, infinitely rather upon imputed righteousness than inherent righteousness, upon what Christ has done for you, than upon what he has done in you. Inherent righteousness is stained, imperfect, impure; but imputed righteousness is pure and perfect; if there were any stain, or any imperfection in that, it could not justifie us, it could not save us, it could not secure us from wrath to come. Such evidences as are not fetcht from any thing in us, nor from any things done by us, but are fetcht by faith from our free justification, and from Christ's full satisfaction which he hath wrought for us, will be found the most full, the most sweet, the most refreshing, the most comforting, and the most satisfying evidences. Christ is all fair, all perfect, all pure, and therefore let him be most in your eye, and most upon your hearts; but here take heed, that you don't look upon your graces, or your gracious evidences, as poor, low, weak, contemptible things (as too many do) for the least of [Page 375] them is more worth than heaven and earth, and they may yield you much comfort, much support, much refreshing, and much satisfaction; though they can't yield you that full comfort, nor that full satisfaction as Christ himself can yield, as Christ's satisfaction can yield, as free justification can yield. Though children and friends can't yield to a Wife that full comfort, content, delight and satisfaction as her Hus­band does, yet they may yield her much comfort, much con­tent, much delight, much satisfaction. The application is easie. But,

Secondly, Consider, That Christian that hath free-grace, 2 that hath free justification, that hath the Mediatory righte­ousness of Christ, that hath the satisfaction of Christ, that hath the Covenant of grace most constantly in his sight, and most frequently warm upon his heart, that Christian of all Christians in the world is most free from a world of fears, and doubts, and scruples, which do sad, sink, perplex and press down a world of other Christians, who affect a life of sense, and who daily eye more what Christ is a doing in them, and what they are a doing for Christ, than they do eye, either his active or passive obedience. Christ hath done great things for his people, and he has suffered great things for his people, and he has purchased great things for his people, and he has prepared great things for his people; and yet many of his own dear people are so taken up with their own hearts, and with their own duties and graces, that Christ is little eyed by them, or minded by them; and what is this but to be more taken with the streams than with the Fountain? with the leaves, blossoms and fruit, than with the Tree it self? with the bracelets, ear-rings and gold chains, than with the Husband himself? with the Nobles that wait, than with the King that is waited on? And this is the great Reason why so many Christians (who will certainly go to heaven) do walk in darkness, and lye down in sorrow. But,

Thirdly, Trusting in our own duties, and resting on our 3 own righteousness (and not on Christ's solely) is a close, se­cret, [Page 376] spiritual,Isa. 58.1, 2, 3. Zech. 7.5, 6. dangerous and unperceivable sin, which the nature of man is exceedingly prone unto. The Pharisees were mightily given up to trust in their own righteousness, to rest on their own righteousness,Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. and to boast and glory in their own righteousness; and this prov'd their mortal disease, their damning sin: trusting in their own righteousness had so besotted and benummed them, that they had no mind, no heart to open the gates of their souls, that the King of glory might enter in. And this was that which undid the Jews, Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. And 'tis observable, the Apostle useth an emphatical word of a Jew, Rom. 2.17. Thou restest in the Law,Look as there is nothing more pleasing to Christ, than the renouncing of all confidence in our own duties and righ­teousness; so there is nothing more provoking to Christ, than the setting up of our own du­ties and righte­ousness. This is a secret Im­posthume that kills thousands. [...], thou art secure in the Law, as in some admirable priviledge and signal testimony of Gods love. This was Bernards temptation, when being assisted in duty he could stroak his own head with bene fecisti Bernarde; O Bernard, this was gallantly done, now chear up thy self. It was the saying of a precious Saint, That he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins, for the one made him often proud, and the other made him alwayes humble. It was good counsel Luther gave, Cavendum est non solum à peccatis, sed à bonis operibus; We must take heed not only of our sins, but of our good works. Duties can never have too much diligence used about them, nor too little confidence placed in them; they are good helps, but bad Saviours; it is necessary we do them, but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot disswade us from performing Religious duties, then his next work will be to perswade us all he can to rely upon them to make Saviours of them, because this will as much gratifie Satan, and as certainly ruin our souls, as if we had wholly neglected them. O man, thine own righteousness rested in, will as certainly and eternally undo thee as the greatest and foulest enormities. This soul-sickness is that spi­ritual Idolatry that will undo thee, for thou makest thy self a Saviour, and thy duties a Saviour, and sayest of thy duties, as they did of the golden Calf; These are the gods that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt. Open wickedness, open idola­try [Page 377] slayes her thousands, but secret idolatry, a secret resting upon duties slayes her ten thousands; multitudes bleed in­ward by this disease, and die for ever. Open prophaness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell, but Religious duties rested in, is as sure a way, though a cleaner way to hell; pro­phane persons and formal Professors, shall meet at last in one hell. Ah Christians! don't make Religious duties your mo­ney, lest you and your money perish together. The Phenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together, and then blows them with her wings and burns with them: So do ma­ny shining Professors burn themselves with their own duties and services. You know in Noahs floud, all that were not in the Ark, though they climb up the tallest Trees, and the high­est Mountains and Hills, yet were drowned: So let men climb up to the highest duties, yet if they be not housed in Christ, & in his righteousness, they will be as certainly damn­ed, as the men in the old world were certainly drowned. Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing; Do this and live. And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties, and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing; but if salvation were to be had by doing, what need of a Saviour? Well, remember this once for all, such as rest on duties, such as rest on their own righteousness, or on any thing on this side Christ, such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian, or as Jareb, they cannot heal them, they can­not cure them of their wounds:Hos. 5.13. When Ephraim saw his sick­ness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb, yet could they not heal him, nor cure him of his wound. Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines; he trembles to see a soul di­ligent in the use of them, and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ; but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties, and to rest on their duties, then he has his de­sign, then he claps his hands for joy, then he cryes out, Ah, ah, so would I have it. There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ, and reject Christ, and provoke Christ, as this of resting upon self-righteousness; and there­fore above all, pray against this, and watch against this, and [Page 378] weep over this. There is no man in his wits that hath a pre­cious lading, that will dare to adventure it in a crackt and broken vessel; so there is no Christian in his wits that will dare to adventure the everlasting safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels and bottoms of his own holiness or services. O Sirs! your duties cannot satisfie the Justice of God, they cannot satisfie the Law of God; your present duties cannot satisfie for your former sins and rents that be behind. A man that payes his Rent honestly every year, does not thereby sa­tisfie for the old Rent not paid in ten or twenty years before. Thy new obedience, O Christian, is too weak to satisfie for old debts, and therefore roll thy self on Christ, and Christ alone for life and for salvation. Bellarmine could say after all his disputes for relying on works, on Saints and Angels, Tu­tius est, &c. The safest way is to rely on Jesus Christ. Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own righte­ousness, and to take sanctuary alone in the pure, perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in the free-grace of God.Austin. Paul is called by one the best child of grace in the world;Eph. 3.8. for whatsoever he was, or had, or did, he ascribeth all to free-grace; he was the chiefest of the Apo­stles, and yet less than the least of all Saints; he was very eminent in grace, and yet what he was, he was by grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. He lived, yet not he, but Christ lived in him.1 Cor. 15.10. Gal. 2.20. 1 Cor. 15.10. Phil. 4.13. He laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not he, but the grace of God which was with him. He was able to do all things, but still through Christ that strengthned him. O, that these three last things might work you to be more in love with free-grace than ever, and to be more in love with the righteousness of Christ than ever, and to be more in love with the Covenant of grace than e­ver. But,

14 The fourteenth Proposition is this. The more grace, the more holiness, the more any man has of the Spirit of San­ctification, the more clear, the more fair, the more full, the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven, for salvation; [Page 379] and the more comfort, and the more assurance, and the more settlement, and the more of the witness of the spirit of Adop­tion, such a person will certainly attain unto. That Spirit which is the earnest of our inheritance, and which seals us up to an holy assurance, is an holy Spirit;Eph. 1.13, 14. he is frequently called the holy Spirit. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Psal. 51.11. Isa. 63.10. Eph. 4.30. 1 Thes. 4.8. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spi­rit. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. H [...] therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. To make a man holy, is more than to create a world, 'tis a work too high, and too hard for Angels or men; it becomes none, and it can be done by none but by the holy Spirit. Sanctifi­cation is the Spirits personal operation; 'tis the great work of the Spirit to shape,2 Thes. 2.13. 1 Pet. 1.2. form and fashion the new-creature holiness in all the vessels of glory. The Spirit is the root of all holiness, and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the Spirit. Holiness is the very picture of God;Gal. 5.22. and certainly no hand can carve that excellent pic­ture but the Spirit of God. Holiness is the Divine nature, and none can impart that to man but the Spirit; the Spirit is the great principle of holiness. Now, the more grace, the more holiness any man hath, the more he is the delight of the Spirit; and the more the Spirit will delight to witness his Sonship, his Saintship, and his Heirship unto him. Scripture and experience will tell you, that commonly men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest assurance. This is cer­tain, the more holiness the more assurance; for so the preci­ous promises runs, Isa. 32.17. The work of righteousness shall be peace (to wit, peace of conscience, Rom. 5.1.) and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Inherent righteousness (for of that he speaks, as is evident by the 15. and 16. verses of the same Chapter) is the high-way to assu­rance and peace. So Psal. 50. ult. To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God; that is, de­clare my self to be his Saviour, say some; say others, I will give him a prospect of heaven here, and a full fruition of hea­ven hereafter; say others, I will cause him to see and know that [Page 780] he shall be saved. So John 14.21. He that hath my comman­dements and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and manifest my self unto him. Ver. 23. If any man love me, he will keep my words, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Holy Christians shall have most of the spiritual presence of Christ, and of the sin­gular manifestations of the love of Christ to their souls. The great reason of reasons why the springs of comfort, of joy, of inward peace, and of assurance, rises no higher in many Christians souls, is because the springs of grace and holi­ness rises no higher in their souls. Had Christians more grace, and more holiness in their hearts and lives, God would quick­ly bring down more of heaven and assurance into their souls. There is a blessed assurance (as I have told you before) which arises from the discovery of grace in the soul. Now, the more ample, large and full the matter of our assurance is, the more ample, large and full must our assurance be. Methinks the connexion of these four verses in Titus 2.11, 12, 13, 14. shews this, When grace that appears to us, teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, &c. See what follows, then we are most likely to look for the blessed hope and glo­rious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And that prayer of the Apostle for his Ephesians, Eph. 3.16, 17, 18 speaks as loudly in the case, That God would grant them to be strengthned by the Spirit, &c. to be rooted and grounded in love. And what then? That ye may comprehend with all Saints, the length and breadth of the love of God. Suppose in health or sickness, living or dying, a man should labour to support, comfort and chear up his spirit, in the thoughts or meditati­ons of his eternal election and free justification. And sup­pose that at that very time the Spirit of God, his own con­science, [...] Thes. 2.13, 14. a faithful Minister, or an experienced Christian should tell him, That if he be really justified, he is really sanctified. Now, if this man should say, What do you tell me of sanctification, or I know not whether I am sanctified or no, or I look not to sanctification, I mind not holiness, I regard not the fruits of the Spirit; will not the holy Spirit, [Page 381] will not an enlightned conscience, will not a faithful Mini­ster, will not an experienced Christian reply, Then certain­ly thou art not elected, thou art not justified, for it is a truth as clear as the Sun, a truth that will admit of no dispute, viz. Rom 8.1, 13, 29, 30. That none are eternally elected and freely justified, but they are sanctified; and that they that are not sanctified, are not justified. Mark, there is a closs connexion of sanctification with justification in the promises of the Covenant; sanctifi­cation and justificatiòn go hand in hand, they come forth like twins out of the womb of free-grace; as you may see in these remarkable Scriptures, Jer. 33.8.Bern. in Cant. Serm. 37. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and where­by they have transgressed against me; Here you see them both ex­pressed together in the same deed, I will cleanse them from all their iniquity; there is our sanctification promised. And I will pardon all their iniquities; there is justification promised, So Mich. 7.19. He will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt c [...]st all their sins into the depths of the Sea. Here you find justifica­tion and sanctification again in the promise. He will subdue our iniquities; This is sanctifying. And he will cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea; This is justifying. Heb. 8.10. I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts (there is the promise of sanctification) V [...]r. 12. And I will be mer­ciful to their unrighteousness and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no more; (There is the promise of justification. 1 John 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins; (There is our justification promised.) And to cleanse us from a [...]l unrighteousness; (There is the promise of sanctification. Ezek. 36.25. From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you; (There is the promise of san­ctification) Ver. 29. I will also save you from all your unclean­nesses; (There is the promise of justification) 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. Justi­fication and sanctification are inseparable companions; di­stinguished they must be, but divided they can never be; where sin is pardoned, the gift of sanctity is still conferred. 'Tis weakness, 'tis wickedness for a man to conclude that he [Page 382] is in an elected and justified estate when he has nothing, when he has not the least thing to evidence himself to be in a sanctified estate: Both justification and sanctification have a necessary respect to the salvation of all those that shall go to heaven. He that will go to heaven must be sanctified, and he that will go to heaven must be justified. No man can go to heaven without both; no man can go to heaven unless he be justified, Rom. 8.30. Whom he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. None are justified but such as are called, and none are glorified but such as are justified. And as no man can go to heaven but he that is ju­stified, so no man can go to heaven but he that is sanctified, John 3.5. Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the king­dom of God. Ver. 5. Jesus answerd, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot en­ter into the kingdom of God. See my Trea­tise on Holi­ness. Heb. 12.14. And holiness, with­out which no man shall see the Lord. By these Scriptures 'tis evi­dent, that there is an absolute necessity both of sanctification and justification in reference to salvation. Now, as sanctifi­cation and justification are linkt together; so the more clear, the more full, the more evident, and the more eminent a mans sanctification is, the more clear, the more full, the more evident and the more eminent will the evidences of his justification be. The greatest evidences of our sanctification carries with them the greatest assurance of our justification, and of our salvation. But,