Shewing indwelling fin to be to grace, what fire is to gold;

Shewing indwelling fin to be to grace, what fire is to gold;

Abstinence from Sin a Discovery of the Heart.

CHAP.

VL.

Shewing indwellingfin to be to grace, what firezis to gold; and howthefoundness and unfoundness ofourheartsare discovered by our carriage towards it.

SECT .

P Rofperity and adversity put sincerity to the trial ; but no thing makes a deeper search into our bosoms, nothing fists our spirits more narrowly, or tells us what our state is more plainly, than our behaviour towards that corruption that dwells in us ; the thorn is next neighbour to the rose : Sin and grace dwell not only in the same soul, but in the fame faculties. The collier and fuller dwell in one room; what one cleanfeth the other blacks .

Of all the evilsGod permits in this world, none is more grievous to his people than this : They fometimeswonderwhy the Lord will suffer it to be so; why, surely, among other wife and holy ends of this permission, these are some.

They are left to try you, and to humble you : There is no intrinfical goodness in fin; but, however, in this it occasions good to us, that by our carriage towards it, we discern our fin-

cerity.

The touchstone is a worthless stone in itself, but it serves to try the gold; I John iii. 9, 10. " Whosoever is born

" of God. doth not commit fin; for his feed remaineth in him, " and he cannot fin, because he is born of God: In this the " children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil :" q.d. In respect of their carriage towards fin, the one and other is plainly manifested:

This is that which separates the dross from the gold, and shewsyou what the true state of men's persons, and tempers of their hearts is. By not sinning, we are not to understand a total freedom from it in this world, as if it implied any such perfection of the people of God in this world; that is the Popich and Pelagian sense : Nor yet must we take it in the Arminian sense, who, to avoid the argument of the orthodox, will understand it of the fin against the HolyGhoft.

What a strangethingwouldit be, to make that a characteristical note of distinction betwixt the godly and ungodly, which fo very few, even of the most ungodly, are ever guilty of?

But the manner of our behaviour towards fin, and our carriage towards it before, or under, or after the commission of it, in that the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.

Abstinence from Sin a Discovery of the Heart.

Now, there are five things relating to fin, that discriminate and mark the state of the persons : The difference is discernible.

1. Abstinence from fin.

2. Hatred of fin.

3. Trouble about fin.

4. Subjection to fin.

15. Opposition of fin.

SECT.

II.

In our (1.) THE grounds and motives of our abstinence do very clearly manifest the state of our souls ; what they are in the regenerate and unregenerate, is our next work : And let it be considered, 1. First, That an unsound andunrenewedheart may abstain from one fin, because it is contrary to, and inconsistent with another fin : For, it is with the sins of our natures, as it is with the diseases of our bodies : Though all diseases be contra-

ry to health, yet some diseases, as the fever and palsy, are contrary to each other. So are prodigality and covetousness, hypocrisyandprofaneness.

These oppose each other, not for mutual destruction, as finandgrace do, but for superiority, each contending for the throne, and sometimes taking it by turns.

It is with such persons as with that possessed man, Matth. xvii.

15. whom the spirit casts sometimes into the fire, sometimes into the water : Or if one subdue the other, yet the heart is also subdued to the vassalage of that lust that is uppermost in the soul.

2. Secondly, An unrenewed foul maybe kept from the commission of some sin, not because there is a principle of grace within him, but because of some providential restraint without him, or upon him : For, it often falls out, that when men have conceived sin, and are ready to execute it, providence claps on the fetters of restraint, and hinders them from fo doing.

ThiswasthecasewithAbimelech, Gen. xx. 6, and 17. compared, I with-held thee : And though persons so restrained, have not the good of such providences, yet others have ; for by it a world of mischief is prevented in the world, which otherwise would break out; and to this act of providence we owe our lives, liberties, estates, and comforts in this world.

3. Thirdly, An unsound heartmaynotcommit some fins, not because he truly hates them, but because his constitution in-

Abstinence from Sin a Discovery of the Heart. clineshimnot to them :

These men are rather beholden to a goodtemperofbody, than to a gracious temper of foul. Some mencannotbe drunkards if they would, others cannot be covetous and base; they are made emeliori luto, of a more refined metal than others ; but chaste and liberal,just and sober nature, is but nature till : The best nature, in all its endowments, is but nature at the best.

4. Fourthly, A graceless heart maybe restrained from sia by the force of education and principles of morality that way instilled into it.

Thus Jehoash was restrained from fin, 2Kings xii. 2. "AndJehoashdid that which was right in the fight of " the Lord, all thedayswherein Jehoiadah the priest instructed

" him."

The fear of a parent or master will do a great deal more with some in this case than the fear of God. The influence of a strict educationnips off the excrefcencies of budding vice.

The way we are taught when young, we keep when old : This is the influence of manuponman, not the influence of the regenerating Spirit upon men.

5. Fifthly, A grace lets heartmaybekeptfrom some sins by the fear of the events, both in this world, and that to come.

Sin that is followed with infamy and reproach amongmen, may on this ground be for born; not becauseGodhath forbidden it, but because human laws will punish it, and the sober world will brand us for it : And some look farther, to the punishment of fininhell; they are not afraid to fin, but they are afraid to burn.

Here sin is like a sweet rose ina brake of thorns; fain we would have it, but we are loth to tear our flesh to come by it.

It is good that fin is prevented anyway; but to be kept on this ground from fin, doth not argue the estate of the person to be good: And thus you fee some of the grounds on which carnal men are restrained; and in this "the children of the devil are

" manifest."

ECT.

III.

BUT there are grounds of abstinence from fin, by which " the children of God are alfomanifested;" and such are these that follow :

1. First, A fincereheartdares not finbecause of the eye and fear of God, which is upon him: So you find itinJobxxxi.

1, and 4. he durst not allow his thoughts to fid, because he lived under the awe of God's eye.

Nehemiah durit not do as former governors,had done, though an opportunitypresentedtoenrichhimself, because of the fear of his God, Nehem.Ve

Hatred of Sin a Trial of Grace.

15.The soul that lives under the awe of this eye will be as confcientiouswherenodifcovery can be made by éréatures, as ifalltheworld looked on, Levit. xix. 14. " Thơu shalt not "cursethedeaf, nor putastumbling-block before the blind;

"but shalt fear thy God, I am the Lord."

What ifamando curse the deaf, the deaf cannot hear him, and what if he do put a stumbling-block before the blind, the blind cannot see him : True,but God fees him, God hears him; that is enough to ámán that hath the fear of the Lord oponhisheart.

2. Secondly, As the fear of God,fothe love of God, isa principle of restraint from fin to the soul that is upright. This kept back Joseph from fin, Gen. xxxix. 9. "How can I do

*thisgreatwickedness, and fin against God?" How can I?

He speaks as am an that feels himselfboundupfrom fimbythe goodness and love of God, that had been manifested to him,

4.d. Hath he delivered me from the pit into which my enviousbrethrencastme ? Hath he, in so miraculous away, advanced me to all this honour and power in Egypt? and now, after all his kindness and love tome, shall I fin against him ?

Ohow can Ido this against so good, so gracious a God? So Plak xevii. ro. " Ye that love the Lord,hate evil." Love will cry out in the hour of temptation, Isthisthykindnesstothy friend? Dost thou thus requite the Lord for all hiskindnefses?

3. Thirdly, As the love of God, so the intrinfical evil and filthiness that is in fin keeps back the gracious foul from it,

Rom. xii. 9.

Abhor that which is evil," αποτυγέτες τοπονηρον, hate it as hell itself: Or, as the French tranflationhath it, be in horror. As the apprehenfions of hell, so the apprehenfions off in impress horroruponthe mind that is sanctified: Nothing more loathsome to an holy foul.

Its aversations from it are with the highest indigration and loathing.

4. Fourthly, The renewed nature ofa faint restrains him from fin; Gal. v. r7. " The spirit lusteth against the flesh, fo

" thatye cannot do the thing ye would."

Ye cannot, why cannot ye ? because it is against your new nature.

Beloved, This is a very remarkable thing in the experience of all renewedmen, That, upon the renovationofmen'sprinciples, their delights, and their aversations and loathings are laid quite cross and opposite to what they were before. In their carnal state, vain company and sinful exercises were their delight.

To be separated from these, and tied to prayer, mediVOL.VI.

Hatred of Sin a Trial of Grace. tation, heavenly discourse and company ; O what a bondage would that have been ! Now to be tied to such carnal society, and restrained from such duties ofgodliness, and the society of the godly, becomes a much forer bondage to the soul.

Fifthly, Experience of the bitterness off in, is a restraint to a gracious heart.

They that have had so many sick days and sorrowful nights for fin as they have had, are loath to taste thatwormwood and gall again, which their foul hath still in remembrance ; 2 Cor. vii. 11. " In that ye forrowed

" after agodly fort, what carefulness it wrought !" He would not grapple with those inward troubles again, he would not have the chearful light of God's countenance eclipsed again for all, and much more than all, the pleasures that are in fin.

C. Sixthly, Theconfiderationofthe sufferings of Christ for fin, powerfully withholds a gracious foul from the commission of it; Rom. vi. 6. " Our old man is crucified with him,that "thebodyoffin mightbedestroyed,that henceforth we should

" not serve sin."

Were there a knife or sword in the house that had been thrust through the heart of your father, would you ever endure the fight of it? Sin was the sword that pierced Christ, and so the death of Christ becomes the death off in in his people.

Thus the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest, in the principles and reasons of their abstinence from fin.

SECT.

IV.

(2.) S Econdly, They are also manifested by their hatred of fin.

This puts a clear distinction betwixt them ; for no false or unregenerate heart can hate fin as fin ; he may indeed, 1. First, Hate sin in another, butnotinhimself: Thus one proud man hates another ; Calco fuperbiam Platonis, said

Diogenes, when he trampled Plato's fine clothes under foot; Ispurn the pride ofPlato.

Sedmajori fuperbia, as Plato smartly replied, Thou tramplest upon my pride, but it is with greater pride. "Why (faith Christ to the hypocrite)

"beholdest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but confider- " est not the beam that is in thine own eye ?" Matth. vii. 3 .

How quick in espying, and rash incensuringthe smallest fault in another, is the hypocrite! it was but one fault, and that but a small one, but a mote that he could find in another ; yet this he quickly difcerns : It maybe there were many excellent graces in him, these he overlooks, but the mote he plainlydifcerns.

Hatred of Sin a Trial of Grace.

It may be that mote in his brother's eye, haddrawnmany tears from it, but these he takes no notice of; and meanwhile there is abeam, i. e. a great horrid flagitious evil, in himself; but it is too near him to be discerned or bewailed : This is a sad symptom of a naughty heart.

2. Secondly, He may hate it in its effects andconfequents ; not in its own nature ; as the thief hates the gallows, not the wickedness that he hath done.

It is not fin in itself, but sin in its connexion with hell, that is frightful to him.

The unsound professor could wish that there were no such threatening in the Bible against sin. When fin tempts him, I would, faith he, but I fear the consequence. O fin, could I separate thee from hell, nothing should separate thee and me.

3. Thirdly, He may hate it in a mood or pang, but not with a rooted habitual hatred. It is plain from 2 Pet. ii. 22.

That fin may sometimes lie upon the confcienceofan unregenerate man, as a load lies upon a sick stomach ; and so he may discharge himself of it by reformation, restitution, &c. but a little time reconciles the quarrel betwixt him and his lust again : If they fall out, they will fall in again : " The dog re- " turned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed, to her

" wallowing in the mire."

But an upright foul hates fin in another manner; and in this hatred of fin the children of God are manifest.

1. First, The opposition of fin to God, is the very ground and formal reason upon which a gracious foul opposes and hates it. I fit be opposite to the holy nature and law of God, it cannot but be odious in his eyes : This cut David's heart,

Psal. li. 4. " Against thee, thee only have I finned," q. d. I havewrongedUriah greatly, I have wronged myself and family greatly, but the wrong I have done to others is not worth naming, in comparison of the wrong I have done to thee.

2. Secondly, The upright foul hates fin in himself, more than he hates it in any other ; as am an hates aferpent in the hedge, but much more in his own bosom : Rom. vii. 23.

" But I fee another law in my members ;" and ver. 21. " I " find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present

" with me:" q. d. Ido not knowhow others find it, but I am fureI findfin inmyverybosom, in my very bowels, it is prefentwithme. Owretched man that I am ! A gracious foul can mourn to fee it in others, buttofindit inhimselfpierceth him to the very heart.

Hatred of Sin a Trial of Grace, 3. Thirdly, The gracious foul hates not only this or that particular fin, but the whole kind, every thing that is sinful.

True hatred is προς ταγενη, *of the whole nature or kind; Psal. cxix. 104. " I hate every false way."

His reasonings proceed a quatenusad omne, from sin as fin, concluding against every fin; fins that are profitable and pleasant, as well as fins that have neither profit nor pleasure; fins that are secret, as well as fins that are open, and will defame him.

And, before this trial, a false heart cannot stand; for he always indulges some lust: There is an iniquity which he cannot be separated from.

4. Fourthly,The sincere soul hates sin with an irreconcileable hatred.

There was atimewhen sin and his soul fell out, but there never will be a time of reconciliation betwixt them again.

That breach, which effectual conviction once made, can neverbemadeupany more : " They will return no more to sol.

" ly," Psal. lxxxv. 8. And indeed it seems to them that have suffered so much for fin, that have endured so many fears and sorrows for it, the greatest folly in the world to return to fin a gain: No, no, they admire the mercy of their escape from fin, to their dying day, and never look back upon their former state but with shame and grief.

Ask a convert, Would you be back again where once you were ? Would you be among your old companions again ?

Would you be fulfilling the lusts of the flesh again ? And he will tell you, he would not run the hazard, to abide one day or one night in that condition again, to gain all the kingdoms of the world the next morning.

5. Fifthly, The sincere soul hates sin with a superlative hatred;he hates it more than any other evil in the world besides it.

Penal evils are not pleasant in themselves, but yet if hemuft endure them, or fin, then sufferings to chuse ; Heb, xi . 25. " Chusing rather to suffer affliction than enjoy the "pleasures of fin;" the worst of sufferings ratherthanthebest of fin.

6. Sixthly,To conclude ; so deep is the hatred that upright ones bear to fin, that nothing pleases them more than the thoughts of a full deliverance from it doth; Rom. vii, 34. " I " thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." What doth he so heartily thank God for ? Of or a prospect of his final deliver ance from fin, never to be entangled, defiled, or troubled with Arift. Rhet. lib. 2. cap. 4.

Troubles for Sin are Trials of Grace.

it anymore: And this is one thing that sweetens death to the saints as much as any thing intheworldcando, except Christ's victory over it, and lying in the grave for us. To think ofa grave is not pleasant in itself; but to think of a parting-time with fin, that is sweet and pleasant indeed,

SECT.

V. the devil; pure gold and viledross,are manifest, as (3)T (3.) Hirdly, The children of God and the children of in hatred of fin, so in their troubles and sorrows about fin.

All trouble for fin argues not sincerity; some have reason to be troubled even for their troubles for fin: So have they,

1. First, That are only troubled for the commission offome more gross sins, that startle the natural conscience, but not for inward fins, that defile the soul.

Judas was troubled forbetrayinginnocentblood,but not for that base luftofcovetousness that was the root of it, or the want of sincere love to Jesus

Christ; Matth. xxvii. 4, 5.

Outward fins are fins major is infamia, of greater scandal ; but heart-fins are oftentimes major is reatus, fins of greater guilt. To be troubled for grosser fins, and have no trouble for ordinary fins daily incurred, is an ill fignofabad heart.

2. Secondly,A graceless heart maybe much troubled at the discovery of fin, when it is not troubled for the guilt of fin ;

Jer. ii. 26. "As the thief is ashamed when he is found,so is "the house of Israel ashamed."

Hence it is that they stick not to commit ten fins against God, to hide one fin from the eyes of men.

It is a mercy that sin is the matter of men's shame, and that all are not arrived to that height of impudence to declare their fin as Sodom, and glory in their shame : But to be ashamedonlybecausemen fee it, and not with Ezra, to fay,"O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to look up unto

" thee," Ezra ix. 6. ashamed that thou seest it, is buthypocrify.

3. Thirdly,A graceless heart maybe troubled for the rod that findraws after it,but not for fin itself, as itprovokesGod to inflict such rods .

But the troubles of upright ones for fin are of another kind and nature.

1. First, They are troubled that God is wronged, and his Spirit troubled by their fins : So the penitent prodigal, " I " have finned against heaven, and in thy fight," Luke xv. 21 .

Against heaven, that is, against him whose throne is in heaven, a great, glorious, and infinite Majesty ! a poor worm of the earth hath lifted up his hand against theGodofheaven.

Troubles for Sin are Trials of Grace.

2. Secondly, They are troubled forthedealement of their ownfoulsby fin: Hence they are compared in Proverbs xxv.

26. to a troubled fountain. You know it is the property ofa living spring, when any filth falls into it,or that which lies in the bottom of its channel,is raised anddefiles its streams, never to leave working until it hath purged itself of it, and recovered its purity again.

Soitiswith a righteous man,he loves purity in the precept, Psalm cxix. 140. and he loves it no less in the principle and practice: he thinks it is hell enough to lie under the pollution of fin, if he should never comeunderdamnation for it.

3. Thirdly, They are troubled for the estrangements of God, and the hidings of his face from them because of their fin.

It wouldgo close to an ingenuous spirit to see a dear and faithful friend whom he hath grieved, to look strange and thy upon him at the next meeting, as if he did not know him : much more doth itgo to the heart of a gracious man to fee the face of God turned from him, and not to be towards him as in times past.

This went to David's heart after his fall, as you may fee, Psalm li. 11. " Cast me not away from thy presence,

" and take not thy holy Spirit from me ;" q. d. Lord, if thou turn thy back upon me, and estrange thyself from me, I am a loftman ; that is the greatest mischiefthatcan befalme.

4. Fourthly, Their troubles for fin run deep, to what other mens do.

They are strong to bear other troubles, but fink and faint under this : Psalm xxxviii. 4.

Other sorrows may for the present be violent, and make more noise, but this sorrow soaks deeper into the soul.

5. Fifthly, Their troubles for fin are more private and silent troubles than others are," their fore runs in the night," as it is

Psalm lxxvii. 2. Not but that they may, and do open their troubles to men (and it is a mercy when they meet with a judicious, tender and experienced Christian to unbosom themselves unto) but when all is done, it is God and thy soul alone thatmustwhisper out the matter.

Ille vere do let, qui fine tefte do let: That is sincere for row for fin indeed,which is expressed secretly to God in the closet.

6. Sixthly, Their troubles are incurable by creature-comforts.

Itisnotthe removing some outward pressures and inconveniencies, that can remove their burden ; nothing but pardon, peace, and witnessed reconciliation, can quiet the gracious heart.

7. Seventhly, Their troubles for fin are ordinate and kept in their own place; they dare not stamp the dignityofChrift's

Signs of Sin in Dominion.

bloodupontheir worthless tears and groans for fin : * Lava lachrymas, Do mine : Lord, wash my sinful tears in the blood of Christ, was once the desire of a true penitent.

And thus our trouble for sin shews us what our hearts are.

SECT.

VI.

Ourthly, The behaviour and carriage of the soul,with Fourthly, respect tosubjection to the commands of fin, shews

(4 ) (4.) whatourestateandcondition is.

This will feparatedross from gold. All unregenerate men are the servants off in,they subject themselves to its commands.

This the scripture sometimes calls a " conversation in the lusts of the flesh," Eph. ii.

3. Sometimes the " felling of themselves to fin," 1 Kings xxi.

20. Now, as † a judicious divine observes, thought he children ofGodcomplain with Paul, Rom. vii. 14, 15. that they are

" fold under fin," yet there is a vast difference betwixt these two: The saints are fold to it by Adam, but others by their own continued consent. But to shew you the difference in this matter, I conceive it necessary to shew wherein the reigning power of findoth not consist, and then wherein it doth ; thatyoumayplainlydifcern who are in subjection to the reigning power oftheircorruptions, and who are not. Now there be divers things common both to the regenerate andunregenerate; and we cannot say the dominion of fin lies in any or in all of them, viz. abstractlyand simply considered.

1. First, Both one and other having originalcorruptiondwelling in them, may also find this fountain breaking forth into gross and scandalous fins: But we cannot say that because original corruption thus breaks forth into gross and scandalous sins in both, therefore it must needs reign in the one as well as in the other ; a righteous man may " fall before the wicked," as it is, Prov. xxv. 26. He may fall into the dirt of grosser iniquities, and furnish them with matter of reproach.

So did David, Peter, Abraham, and many more of the Lord'supright-hearted ones, whose souls nevertheless sindidnot reign over by a voluntary subjection to its commands, nor must this embolden any to fin with more liberty.

2. Secondly, Though an upright foul fall once and again into fin, though he reiterate the fame act off in which he hath repented of before ; yet it cannot merely from thence be concluded, that therefore fin reigns over him as it doth over a wickedmanthat makes it his daily trade.

I confess every re- *August.

†Dr. Reynolds,

Signs of Sin in Dominion. iterationof fin puts a further aggravation upon it: And it is fad we should repent and fin, and fin and repent ; but yet you read, Prov. xxiv. 16. "A just man falleth feventimes, and " riseth up again:" Job's friends were goodmen,yet he tells them, "These ten times haveye reproachedme," Job xix. 3.

This indeed fhews a heart that greatly needs purging ; for it is with relapses into spiritual as it is withrelapses into natural diseases: A recidivation or return of the disease shews that the morbific matter was not dulypurged; but though it shew the foulness, it doth not always prove the falseness of the heart.

3. Thirdly, Thought he one maybe impatient of the reproof of his fin, as well as the other ; yetthatalone will not conclude fin to be in full dominion over the one, as it is over the other.

It is pity any good man should storm at a just rebuke off in ; that such a precious oil as is proper to heal,should be conceited to break his head: but yet flesh will be tender and touchy, even in good men. Afawas a good man,and yet he was wroth withtheprophetwho reproved him, as you find, 2 Chron. xvi.

10. yet I doubt not but their consciences smite them for it, when pride suffers not another to do it ; areprocfmaybe welltimedand ill managed by another, and so may provoke, but they will hear the voice of conscience in another manner.

4. Fourthly, Though in both some one particular finmay have more power than another, yet neither doth this alone conclude,that therefore that fin must reign in one, as it doth in another.

Indeed the beloved lust of every wickedman is king over his foul ; but yet agodly man's constitution, calling, Gr. may incline him more to one fin than another ; and yet neither that,nor any other maybe said to be in dominion; for though

Davidspeaks of his iniquity, i. e. his special fin, Psalm xviii.

23. which fomesuppose to bethe finof lying, from that intimation, Psalm exix. 19. yet you fee in one place he begsGod to keep him from it, and in the other he tells us he kept himself from it, and both thew he was not the servant of it.

5. Fifthly, Though both may fin against knowledge, yet it will not follow from thence,that therefore fins againftknowledgemust needs be sins in dominion in the one, as they are in the other: there was too much light abused, and violence offered in David's deliberated fin, as he confesses, Psal. li. 6. and the fad story itself too plainly shews; and yet, in the main, David was an upright man still, though this confiderationofthe fact shrewdlywoundedhis integrity, and stands upon record for a caution to all others.

Signs of Sin in Dominion.

W SECT .

VII.

Ehave seen what doth not infer the dominion of fin in the former particulars, being simply considered; I shall next shew you what doth, and how the sincere and false hearts are distinguished in this trial. And,

1. First, Affent and consent upon deliberation notes the soul to be under the dominion of fin; when the mind approves fin, and the will gives its plenary consent to it, this sets up fin in its throne, and puts the soul into fubjection to it; for the dominion of fin consists in its authority over us, and our voluntary subjection to it. This you find to be the character of a wicked graceless person, Psal. xxxvi. 4. " He deviseth

" mischief upon his bed ; he fetteth himselfinaway that is " not good; he abhorreth not evil."

The best men may fall into finthrough mistake, or be precipitated into fin through the violence of temptation; but to devise mischief, and set himself in an evil way, this notes full affent of the mind; and then, not to abhor evil, notes full consent of the will; and these two being given to fin, not onlyantecedently to the acting of it, but also consequently to it, to like it afterward, as well as before ; this puts the soul fully under the power of fin": What can it give more ?

This (as * one faith) in direct opposition to the apostle, Rom. xii. 1. is to present their bodies a dead sacrifice, unholy, and abominable to God ; acceptable to the devil,which is their unreasonable service: all men by nature are given to fin,but these men give themselves to it.

2. Secondly, The customary practice of fin, subjects the soul to the dominion of fin ; and so " he that is born of God

"dothnotcommit sin," I John iii. 9. Fall into fin, yea, the fame finhemay,and that often; but then its not without reluctance, repentance, and a protest entred by the soul in heaven against it; so that sin hath not a quiet possession of his soul; he is not the servant of fin, nor doth he willingly walk after its commandments ; but so do its own servants ; it is their daily practice, Jer. ix. 3. " They proceed from evil to evil."

3. Thirdly, Delight in sin proves the dominion off in. So the servants of fin are described, Ifa. Ixvi. 3. " They have cho- " sentheirown ways, and theirfouldelighteth in their abominations."

VOL. VII.

*Mr. Caryl.

Signs of Sin in Dominion.

Look, as our delight in God is the measure of our holiness, fo our delight in sin is the measureofourfinfulness.

Delight in sin is the uppermost round of the ladder, and much higher the soul of a finnercannot go, till it be turned off into hell; " It is a sport to a fool to do mischief," Prov. x. 23.

Never merrier thanwhenhehath the devil for his play-fellow, faith * one upon that place.

4. Fourthly, Impatience of Christ's yoke and government, argues the soul to be the subject off in.

This is clear from the apostle's reasoning in Rom. vi. 17, 18. " But God be " thanked that ye were the servants off in, butye have obey- " ed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered

" you.

Being then made free from fin,ye became the fer- " vants of righteousness." Where you fee plainly, that no man can have his manumission or freedom from fin, that comes not into Christ's service, and yields himself up to his obedience.

So then, to fret at Christ's laws, that tie us up from our lusts, to be weary of all spiritual employments as a burden intolerable, never to be in our element and centre till we are off from God, and plunging in the world and our lusts ; this is a fad note of a foul in subjection to fin.

Object. But may not an upright foulfindsome weariness in Spiritual things ?

Sol. Doubtless he may,for he hath flesh as well as spirit; and though the spirit be willing, the flesh is weak : he is sanctified but in part, and his delight in the law of God is but according to, or after the inner-man, Rom vii. 22. But he sees another law in his members, i. e. contrary inclinations.

However, if he be weary sometimes in the duties of godliness, to be sure he is more weary out of them, and is not cent red and at rest till he be with his God again : but the carnal heart is where it would be, when it is in the service of fin ; and as a fish upon dry land, when engaged in spiritual duties ; especially such as are secret, and have no externalallurements of reputation to engage him to them .

But what surprisals or captivities to sin soever may befal an upright foul, yet it appears by these eight following particulars, that he is not the servant of fim, nor in full subjectionto it.

For, 1. First, Though he maybe drawn to fin,yet he cannot reflect upon his finwithout shame and sorrow; which plainly

*Mr. Trap.

Evidences of the Non-dominion of Sin.

thews it to be an involuntary fur prize.

So Peter wept bitterly, Matth. xxvi. 75. And David mourned for his fin heartily.

Others can fetch new pleasures out of their old fins, by reflecting on them; and some can glory in their shame, Phil. iii. 19. some are stupid and senseless after fin; and the sorrow of a carnal heart for it, is but a morning dew: but it is far otherwise with God's people .

2. Secondly, Though a faint maybe drawn to fin, yet it is not with a deliberate and full consent of his will ; their delight is in the law of God, Rom. vii. 22. " They do that which they

" would not," ver. 16. i. e. there are inward dislikes from the new nature : and as for that case of David, which seems to have fo much of counsel and deliberation in it, yet it was but in a single act ; it was not in the general course of his life ; he was upright in all things, i. e. in the general course and ten our of his life, 1 Kings xv. 5.

3 Thirdly, Though an upright foulmayfall into fin, yet he is restless and unquietin that condition, like a bone out of joint; and that speaks him to be none of fin's servants ; as, on the contrary, if am an be engaged in the external duties of religion, and be restless, and unquiet there, his heart is not in it,he is not at rest till he be again in his earthly business ; thisman cannot be reckoned Christ's servant : a gracious heart is much after that rate employed in the work of fin, that acarnalheart is employed in the work of religion.

That is a good rule, Ea tantum dicuntur ineffe, quae infunt per modum quiet is : That is a man's true temper, wherein he is at reft.

PoorDavid fell into fin,but he had noreft in his bones because of it, Psalm li. 10, 11, 12.

If his heart be off from God and duty for a little while, yet he recollects himself, and faith, as Psal. cxvi. 7. "Return to thy reft, my soul."

4. Fourthly, Though a sincere Christian fall into fin, and commit evil; yet he proceeds not from evil to evil, as the ungodly do, Jer. ix. 3. but makes his fall into one fin a caution to prevent another fin.

Peterby his fall got establishment for the time to come. If God will speak peace to them, they are careful to return no more to folly; Psalm lxxxv. 8. " In that " yeforrowed after a godlyfort, whatcarefulness it wrought ?

" Yea, what fear?" 2 Cor.vii. 11. It is not fo with the servants off in, one fin leaves them much more disposed to another fin.

5. Fifthly, Afincere Christian maybe drawn to fin, but yet be wouldbeglad with all his heart to be rid of fin: it would

Y 2

Evidences of the Non-dominion of Sin. be more tohimthan thousands of gold and silver, that he might grieve and offend God no more ; and that shews fin is not in dominion over him : he that is under the dominion off in, is loath to leave his lusts.

Sin's servants are not willing to part with it, they hold it fast, and refuse to let it go, as that text expresseth it, Jer. viii. 5. Butthegreatcomplaintoftheupright is expressed by the apostle according to the true sense of their hearts, inRom. vii. 24. "Who shalldelivermefrom the body

" of this death ?"

6. Sixthly, It appears they yield not themselves willingly to obey fin, in as much as it is the matter of their joy when

God orders any providence to prevent fin in them : " Blessed " be the Lord,(faidDavidtoAbigail)and blessedbethyadvice,

" and blessed be thou, that haftkeptme this day from shed- " ding blood," 1 Sam. xv. 32, 33 .

Here isbleffing upon blessing for a fin-preventing providence. The author is blessed, the inftrumentblessed, the means blessed. O it is a blessedthing in the eyes of a sincere înan to be kept from fin ! he reckons it a great deliverance, a very happy escape, if he be kept from fin.

7. Seventhly, This shews that some who maybe drawn to commit fin, yet are none of the servants of fin, that they do heartily beg the assistance of grace to keep them from fin:

" Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins," (faith the Pfalmist, Psalm xix. 13.) " let them not have dominion over " me;" q. d. Lord, I find pro pensions to fin in my nature, yea, and strong ones too ; if thou leave me to myself, I am

"0 carried into fin as easily as a feather down the torrent.

" Lord, keep back thy servant." And there is no petition that upright ones pour out their hearts to God in, either more frequently or more ardentlythan in this, to be kept back from fin .

8. Eighthly, and Lastly, This shews the foul not to be under the dominion of fin,that it doth not only cry to God to be kept back from fin,but uses the means ofprévent i on himself; he resists it, as well as prays against it ; Psalm xviii. 23. " I " was also upright before him, and kept myselffrommine ini- " quity :" So Job xxxi. 1. " I have made a covenant with "mine eyes;" and yet more fully in Ifa. xxxiii. 15. "He

" shaketh his hands from holding bribes, and stoppeth his ears " from hearing blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil."

See with what care the portals are shut at which fin useth to enter. All these things are very relieving considerations to

Opposition to Sin, a Trial to Sincerity.

poorfouls questioning their integrity under the frequent furprisals of fin. And the next trial no less.

SECT.

VIII.

(5.) Fifthly, our opposition to,and conflicts with find if cover what gold, or There are conflicts with fin both in the regenerate, and in theunregenerate; but there is a vast difference betwixt them, as will appear in the following account.

1. First, There is an universal, and there is a particular oppofitionto fin: the former is found in regenerate, the latter inunregenerate fouls : a gracious heart hates every false way,

Psal. cxix. 104. and must needs do so, because he hates and opposes sin as fin; so that he can have no peccatum in deliciis, no excepted or reserved lust,but fights against the wholebody, and every limb and member of the body off in.

But it is not so with the hypocrite or carnal professor ; he hath overcome some reserved fin,that he cannot part with.

2. Secondly, There is an opposition betwixt the new nature and fin, and there is an opposition betwixt anaturalconfcience and fin ; the former is thecafeofan upright soul, the latter may be a self-deceiver.

Aregenerateperson opposeth sin because there is an irreconcileable antipathy betwixt it and the new nature in him, as is clear from Gal. v. 17. " The flesh lufsteth against the spi- " rit, and the spirit against the flesh ; and these are contrary

" the one to the other."

By flesh, understand corrupt nature; by spirit, not only the spirit of man,but the Spirit of God, or principal of regeneration in man. By the lusting of these two against each other, understand the desire and endeavours of each others destruction and ruin; and the ground of all this is the contrariety of these two natures.

These are contrary one to the other ; there is a twofold opposition betwixt them, one formal, their very natures are opposite ; the other effective, their workings and designs are opposite,as it is betwixt fire and water.

But theoppofitionfound in unrenewed fouls against sin, is not from their natures, for fin is suitable enough to that ; but from the light that is in their minds and consciences, which scares and terrifies them.

Such was that in Darius, Dan. vi.

14. "He was fore displeased with himself, andfethis heart on " Daniel to deliver him ; and laboured till the going down of

" the fun to deliver him."

Here the contest was betwixt sense

Opposition to Sin, a Trial to Sincerity. of honour upon one side, and conviction of confcienceupon the other side.

Sometimes a generous and nobledifpofition opposes sordid. and base actions : Major sum, et ad major a natus ; quam ut corporis meifim mancipium. I am greater, and born to greater things, than that I should be a slave to my body, said a brave heathen .

3. Thirdly, There is a permanent, and there is a transient opposition to fin ; the former is the case of God's people, the latteroftemporary and unsound professors.

The faint when he draws the sword in this warfare against fin, throws away the scabbard ; no end of this combat with fin till life end ; their life and their troubles are finished together ; 2Tim. iv. 7. " I have fought the good fight, and have

" finished my course."

But in other men it is but a transient quarrel ; out with fin one day, and in another ; and the reason is plain by what was noted before; it is not the opposition of two natures ; it is like the opposition of the wind and tide, these may be contrary and make a stormy sea to-day, but the wind may come about, andgo as the tide goes to-morrow ; but in aChriftian it is the opposition of the river and the dam, one must give way to the other, there is no reconciling them: but the other,

" like the dog, returns to his vomit," 2 Pet. ii . ult.

4. Fourthly, There is an opposition to the root of fin, and an opposition to the fruits of fin. A gracious foulopposeth root and fruit, but others the latter only.

The great design of an upright foul is not only to lopoff, this or that branch, but to kill the root of fin, which is in his nature ; Rom. vii. 24.

" Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" But the great care and endeavours of others is to suppress outward acts off in, and escape the mischievous consequences of it: Yea, their study is, as Lactantius phraseth it, Pot i us abfcondere, quam abfcindere vitia : To hide, rather than to kill their lusts.

5. Fifthly, There is an opposition to fin, in the strength of God, and an opposition to fin, in our own strength ; the former is proper to real Christians, the latter is found frequently with unsanctified persons ; when a Christian goes forth against any fin, it is in the strength of God; foyou read their rule directs them, Eph. vi. 10. " Be strong in the Lord, and " in the power of his might : take unto you the whole armour

" of God:" And suitably,you shall find them frequently upon theirkneesbegging strength from heaven against their lusts;

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries.

2 Cor. xii . 8. " For this cause I be fought the Lord thrice," faith Paul, i. e. often and earnestly, that the temptation might depart from him .

But others go forth against fin only in the strength of their own resolutions ; so did Pendleton in our story; these resolutions, or vows, which they have put themselves under, are as frequently frustrated as made.

6. Sixthly, There is a successful opposition to fin, and an oppofitionthat comes to nothing: The former is that of true

Christians, the latter is found among unregenerate men.

The work ofmortification in the saints is progressive, and increasing: Hence Rom. vi. 6. " Our old man is crucified

" with him, that the body off in might be destroyed."

Sin dies in believers much as crucified persons use to die, viz. a flow, lingering, gradual, but sure death'; its vigour and life expires by degrees, or as a confumptive person dies ; for to that also he alludes here : There is a disease, which is called confumptio totius, a consumption of the whole ; and those that dieofthatdisease, languish more and more, till at last, they dropfenfumfinefenfu, by imperceptible degrees and steps into the grave.

But in the unregenerate, whatever conflicts they have with fin, no corruption falls before it: It may be said of them, as the church in another case complains of herself, Ifa. xxvi. 18 .

" We have been in pain, we have, as it were, brought forth " wind. We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth,

" neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen." So it fares with these profeflors ; they pray, they hear, they vow, they resolve, but when all is done, their lusts are as strong and vigorous as ever : No degree ofmortification appears after all.

And thus much of the trial of our sincerity by our carriage toward fin.

CHAP.

VII.

Shewing what proof or trial is made of the foundness or unfoundness of our graces by the duties of religion which we perform.

W SECT .

E now come (according to the method proposed) to make trial of the truth or falseness of grace, by the

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries. duties we daily perform in religion. And certainly they also have the use and efficacy of fire, for this discovery, 1 John i i.

4, 5. " He that faith I know him, and keepeth not his com " mandments [is a liar] and the truth is not in him : But " whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God

" perfected : And hereby know we that we are in him."

This is a practical lie, of which the apostle speaks here ; by which men deceive others for a while, and themselves forever ; a lie not spoken, but done, when am an's course of life contradicts his profession. The life of an hypocrite is but one longer or continued lie ; he faith or profeffeth he knows God, but takes no care at all to obeyhimin the dutieshecommands; he either neglects them, or if he performs them, it is not as God requires : " If they draw nigh to him with their lips, yet "their heart is far from him," Ifa. xxix. 13. " Thou art near

" in their mouth, but far from their reins," Jer. xii . 2 .

There are some, that feel the influence and power of their communion with the Lord in duties,going down to their very reins : And there are others, whose lips and tongues only are touched with religion.

/ This is an age of light and much profession : Men cannot now keep up a reputation in the sober and professing world, whilst they letdown, and totally neglect the duties of religion; but surely, ifmenwould be but just to themselves, their very performances of duty wouldtellthem what their hearts are.

F SECT .

II.

OR there are, among others, these following particulars, : that do very clearly difference the found from the unfoundprofeffor.

1. First, The designs and true levels and aims of mens hearts in duty will tell thern what they are.

Anhypocriteaims low; Hos. vii. 14. " They have not cri- " ed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their

" beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they " rebel against me."

It is not Christ, and pardon, formortification, and holiness, but for corn, and wine; thus they make a market of religion ; all their ends in duty are either carnal, natural, or legal ; either to accommodate their carnal ends, or satisfy and quiet their consciences ; and so their duties are performed as a fin-offering to God.

But an uprighthearthath very high and pure aims in duty; "The desire of their soul is to God," Ifa. xxvi. 8. " Their

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries.

foul follows hard after God," Psal. Ixiii. 8. " Onethinghave "I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may

"dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to fee " thebeautyofthe Lord, and to enquire in his temple," Psal. xxvii. 4. These are the true eagles that play at the fun, and will not stooptolow and earthly objects.

Alas ! if the enjoymentofGod be missed in a duty, it is not the greatest enlargements of gifts willfatisfy ;he comes back like am an that hath takenalongjourney to meet his friend upon important business, and lost his labour; his friend was not there.

2. Secondly, The engagements ofmens hearts to God in duties will tell them what they are; the hypocrite takes little heed to his heart, Ifa. xxix. 13. They are not afflicted really for the hardness, deadness, unbeliefandwanderings of their hearts in duty, as upright ones are; nor do they engage their hearts, and lab our to get them up with God in duty, as his people do.

" I have in treated thy favour with my whole heart," faith David, Psal. cxix. 58. They are not pleased in duty until they feel their hearts stand towards God like a bow in its full bent.

I say, it is not always fo with them ; what would they give that it might be so ? But, surely, if their souls in duty be

- empty of God, they are filled with troubleandforrow.

3. Thirdly, The conscience thatmen make offecret, as well as public duties, will tell them what their hearts and graces

are; whether true or false. A vain professor is curious in the = former,and either negligent, or, at best, formal in the latter ; for he finds no inducements ofhonour, applause, or of tent a tion of gifts, externallymoving him to them ; nor hath he a nyexperience of the sweetness and benefit of such duties in ternally to allure and engage his soul to them.

The hypocrite therefore is not for the closet, but the synagogue, Matth. vi. 5, 6. Not but that education, example, or the impulseofconfcience, may sometimes drive him thither ; but it is no this daily delight to be there ; his meat and drink to retire from the clamour of the world to enjoy God in ser cret. It is the observation of their duties is the great inducement to these men to perform them; and, verily, faith our

Lord, ver. 2. " they have their reward," απέχεσι, they have it away, or they have carried off all the benefit and advantage that ever they shall have by religion. Much good may it do them with their applause and honour, let them makemuchof that airy reward, for it is all that ever they shall have.

But now for afoul truly gracious, he cannot long fubfift

VOL. VII.

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries. without secret prayer.

It is true, there is not always an equal freedom and delight, a like enlargement and comfort in those retirements ; but yet he cannot be without them ; he finds the want of his secret, in his public duties: If he and his

God have not met in secret, and hadfome communion in the morning, he sensibly finds it in the deadness and unprofitableness of his heart and life all the day after.

4. Fourthly, The spirituality of our duties tries the sincerity of our graces : An unregenerate heart is carnal, whilst engaged in duties that are spiritual.

Some men deceive themselves in thinking they are spiritualmen, because their employments and calling is about spiritual things, Hofea ix. 7.

This indeed gives them the denomination, but not the frame of spiritual men; andothersjudgethemfelves fpiritualperfons, because they frequently perform and attend upon spiritual duties: But, alas, the heart and state maybe carnal notwithstanding all this. O, my friends, it is not enough that the object of your duties is spiritual,that they respect an holy God; nor that the matter be spiritual,that you be converfant about holy things; but the frame of your heart must be spiritual ; an heavenly temperoffoul is necessary, and what are the most heavenly duties without it ?

The end anddesignyou aim at must be spiritual,the enjoy. ment of God, and a growing conformity to him in holiness; else multiply duties as the sand on the sea-shore, and they all will not amount to one evidence of your sincerity. "God is

" my witness, whom I serve with my spirit," faith the apostle, Rom. i. 9. He seems to appeal to God in this matter. I serve

Godinmyfpirit, and God knows that Ido so ; I dare appeal to him that it is fo ; he knows that my heart is with him, or would be with him in my duties: The arms of my faith do either sensibly grasp, or are stretched out towards him in my duties. O how little favour do gracious hearts find in the most excellent duties, if God and their foulsdo not sensibly meet in them !

Certainly, reader, there isatimewhenGod comes nigh to men in duty,when he deals familiarlywith men, and sensibly fills theirfouls with unusual powers and delights. The near approaches of God to theirfouls are felt by them, (for fouls have their senses as well as bodies) and now are their minds abstracted and marvellously refined from all that is material and earthly, and swallowed up in spiritual excellencies and glories.

These are the real prelibations, or foretastesofglory, which

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries.

no man can by words, make another to understand, as he himself doth that feels them.

These seasons, I confess,do but rarely occur to the best of Christians, nor continue long when they do* : Alas ! this wine is too strong for such weak bottles as we are.

Hold, Lord, (an ⚫holymansaidonce,) it is enough thy poor creature is a clay ' vessel, and can hold no more : This is that joy unspeakable, and full of glory, which is mentioned, 1 Pet. i. 7, 8. Somethingthatwords cannot describe.

These seasons are the golden spots of our lives, when we are admitted to these near and ineffable views and tastes of God: Possibly some poor Chriftianscan say but little to these things ; theirforrows are exercised in duties more than theirjoys; they are endeavouring to mount, but the stone hangs at the heel; they essay,but cannot rife to that height that others do, who are got up by their labouring faith into the upper region, and there display their wings, and sing in the fun-beams: But though they cannot reach this height, yet have they no satisfaction in duties wherein there is no intercourse betwixt God and their souls.

That which contents another, will not content a Christian.

If the king be absent,men will bow to the empty chair ; but if God be absent, an empty duty gives no satisfaction to a gracious spirit. The poorest Christian isfoundpanting after God by sincere desires, and labouring to getup that dead and vain heart to God in duty,(though,alas! it is many times but the rolling of the returning stone against the hill)yet he never expects advantage by thatdutywherein the Spirit of God is not; nor doth he expect the Spirit of God should be where his own spirit is not.

5. Fifthly, Affiduityand constancy in the duties of religion make a notable discovery of the foundness or rottenneis of mens hearts.

The hypocrite may shew some zeal and forwardness in duties for a time, but he willjade and give out at length ; Job xxvii. 10. " Will he delight himself in theAl- " mighty ? Will he always call upon God?" No, he will not.

If his motions in religion were natural, they would be constant; but they are artificial, and he is moved by external inducements, and so must needs be off and on ; heprays himZ2

It isa sweet hour, and it is but an hour, (athing ofthort continuance:) The relish of it is exceeding sweet, but it is not often | that Christians taste it.

Bernard,

1.80

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries. self weary of praying, and hears himself weary of hearing :

His heart is not delighted in his duties, and therefore his duties must needs grow stale anddrytohim after awhile. There be three seasons in which the zeal of an hypocrite maybe inflamed in duties.

First, When some imminent danger threatens him ; some smart rod of God is shaken over him; " When he flew them,

" then they fought him, and returned andenquiredearlyaf- " ter God," Psalm Ixxviii. 34. Othe goodly words they give, the fair promises they make ! and yet all the while

"they do but flatter him with their lips, and lie unto him "with their tongues," ver. 36, 37. for let butthatdangerpass over, and the heavens clear up again,and he willreftrain prayer, and return to his old course again.

Secondly, Whenthetimes countenance and favour religion, and the wind is in his back, O what zeal will he have for God! So in the stony ground, Matth. xiii. 5. the feed sprung up and flourisheduntilthefunofpersecution arose, and then it fadedaway, for it had no depth of earth, no deep solid inward work or principle of grace to maintain it.

Thirdly, Whenfelf-ends and designs are accommodated and promoted by these things. This was the case of Jehu, 2Kings x. 16. "Come, see my Zeal;" for what? For a base self interest, not for God.

How fervently will some men pray, preach, and profess,whilst they sensibly feel the incomes and profits of these duties to their flesh; whilst they are admired and applauded!

These external incentives will put an hypocrite into an hot fit of zeal; but then, as it is with a man, whose colours are raised by the heat of the fire, and not by the healthfulness ofa goodconftitution, it soon fades and falls again.

But, blessed be God, it is not so with all : The man whose heart is upright with his God,will " keep judgment, and do

" righteousness at all times," Psal. cvi. 3.

Whether dangers threaten or no ; whether the times favour religion or no ; whether his earthly interest be promoted by it or no, he will be holy still, he will not part with his duties when they are ftript naked of those external advantages ; as the addition of these things to religion did not at first engage him, sothefubstractionofthem cannot disengage him.

Ifhisdutybecome his reproach,yet Moses will not forsake it, Heb. xi. 26. If he lose his company, and be left alone, yet Paul will not flinch from his duty, 2 Tim. iv. 16.

If hazard surround duty on every side, yetDanielwill not quit

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries.

it,Dan. vi. 10. for theyconfideredthesethings at first, and counted the cost ; they still find religion is rich enough to pay the cost of all that they can lose, or suffer for its sake; yea, and that with an hundred-fold reward now in this life. They never had anyotherdesign in engaging in religious duties,but to help them to heaven; and if they recover heaven at last, whether the way to it prove better or worse, they have their design and ends ; and therefore they will be stedfaft, " always

" abounding in the work of the Lord, as knowing their labour " is not in vain in the Lord,"

1 Cor. xv. ult .

6. Sixthly, The humility and self-denial of our hearts in duties, will try what they are for their integrity and sincerity towards God.

Doth a man boast in his own excellencies in prayer,as the Pharisee did, Luke xviii. 10, 11. " God, I thank

" thee, I am not as other men:" Which he speaks not in an humble acknowledgment of the grace of God which differencesmanfrom man, but ina proudoftentation of his own excellencies. Doth a man make his duties his saviours, and trust to them inavainconfidenceoftheirworth and dignity ? Luke xviii. 9. Surely, " his heart, which is thus lifted up within "him, is not upright," Hab. ii.4. But if the heart be upright indeed, it will express its humility, as in all other things, fo especially in its duties wherein it approaches the great andholyGod.

First, It will manifest its humilityinthose awful andreverential apprehenfions it hath of God, as Abraham did, Gen. xviii. 27. " And now, I that am but dust and ashes, (faith he)

"havetakenuponme to speakuntoGod."

The humllityof Abraham's spirit is,in some measure,to be found in all Abraham's children .

Secondly, In those low and vile thoughts they have of themselves and their religious performances : Thus that poor penitent,Lukevii.38.stoodbehindChristweeping : " Yet the dogs

" eat the crumbs," faith another, Mark vii. 28. " I am more " brutish than anyman," faith a third, Prov.xxx. 7. " Iabhor

"myself in dust and ashes," saith a fourth, Job xlii. 6. and as little esteem they have for their performances, Ifa. lxiv. 6.

" All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

Idenynotbut there is pride and vanity in the most uprightones ; but what place soever it finds in their converses with men, it finds little room in their converses with God,or if it doth, they loath it, and themselves for it.

Thirdly, But especiallytheirhumility in duty is discovered in renouncing alltheirdutiesin point of dependence, and re

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries. lying entirely upon Christ for righteousness and acceptance :

They have special regard to duties in point of obedience, but none at all in point of reliance.

7. Seventhly, The communion and intercourse which isbetwixtGod and men in duties, notably discovers what their persons and graces are. And it must needs do so, because what communion soever the hypocrite hath with duties, or with saints in duties, to be sure he hath none with God.

None can come nigh to God in duty, but those that are made nigh by reconciliation : All special communion with Christ is founded in real union with Christ; but " the wicked

" are estranged from the womb," Psalm lviii. 3.

But now there is real communion betwixt God and his people in duties.

Truly our fellowship, noivavia, our communion is with the Father and Son, I John i. 3. God pours forth of his Spirit upon them, and they pour forth their hearts to God.

It is sensibly manifested to them when the Lord comes nigh to their souls in duty, and as sensible they are of his retreats and withdrawments from their souls, Cant. iii. 1, 4. They find their hearts, like the heliotrope, open and shut according to the accesses and recesses of the divine presence.

They that never felt any thing of this nature, may call it a faney, but the Lord's people are abundantly satisfied of the reality thereof.

Their very countenance is altered by it, I Sam. i. 18. the sad and cloudy countenance of Hannah cleared up, there was fair weather in her very face, as soon as she knew the had audience and acceptance with her God.

I know all communion with God doth not consist in joys and comforts ; there is as realcommunionwithGod in the mortifying and humbling influences of his Spirit upon men, as in the cheering and refreshing influences thereof.

I know also there is a great diversity in the degrees and measures thereof: It is not alike in all

Christians, nor with the fame Christian at all times.

But that real Christians have true and real communion with God in their duties, is a truth as manifest in spiritual sense and experience of the saints, as their communion is one with another.

8. Eightly, Growth and improvement of grace in duties, notably differences the found and the unfoundheart.

All the duties in the world will never make an hypocrite more holy, humble, or heavenly than he is ; but will, as the watering of a dry stick, sooner rot it, than make it flourishing and fruitful. What was Judas the better for all those heavenly fer

Religious Duties are Heart-discoveries.

mons, prayers, and discourses of Christ which he heard ? And whatwillthy foul be the better for all the duties thouperformestweeklyanddaily, if thy heart be unsound ? It is plain, from Job xv. 4 there must be an implantation into Christ, before therecanbe an improvement in fruitful obedience. And it is as plain, from 1 John ii. 14. that the virtues of ordinances must remain; the efficacy and powers that we sometimes feel under them, must abide and remain in the heart afterwards, or we cannot grow, and be made fruitful by them.

But the false professor is neither rooted in Christ by union with him, nor doth, or can retain the virtue ofordinances with in him; but, like one that views his face in a glass, quickly forgets what manner of man he was; his head indeed may grow, his knowledge may increase, but he hath a dead and withered heart.

But as the saints have real communion with God in duties, so they do make improvements answerable thereunto : There is more certainly aripeningoftheir graces that way; achangingorgradual transformationfromglory to glory ; a springing up to that full ftatureofthe man in Christ.

"They that " are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the " courts of our God," Psal. xcii. 13, 14.

There is pure and sincere milk inthebreastsof ordinances ; a believer fucks the very breasts of Christ in his duties, and doth grow thereby,

1 Pet. ii. 2. theydogrowmoreand more judicious, experienced, humble, mortified,and heavenly,byconverfing with the Lord

: sofrequentlyinhis appointments.

There is, I confess, a more difcernable growth and ripening in some Christians,than in others: The faith offome groweth exceedingly, 2 Theff. i. 3. others more slowly, Heb. v. 12. but yet there are improvements of grace in all upright ones : habits are more deeply radicated, or fruits of obedience more increased.

: Object. If any upright foul be stumbled at this, as not being able to discern the increase of his graces, after all his duties.

Sol. Let such consider the growth of grace is discerned as thegrowthofplants is,which we perceive rather creviffe, quam crefcere; to have grown, than to grow: Compare time past and present, and you may fee it; but usually our eager desires after more, make us overlook what we have as nothing.

9. Ninthly, The assistances and influences of the Spirit in duties, shews us what we are ; no vital fanctifying influences can fall upon carnal hearts in duties: The Spirit helps not their

The Advantages of Sincerity. inarmities, nor makes intercession for them with groanings which cannot be uttered, as he doth for his own people, Rom. viii. 26, 27. They have his assistances in the way of common gifts, but not in the way of special grace: He may enable them topreachjudicioufly,not experimentally ; to pray orderly and neatly, not feelingly, believingly, and broken-heartedly;

" For as many as are led by the SpiritofGod, they are the sons " of God," Rom. viii. 14. He never so assists,but where he hath first sanctified.

Carnal men furnish the materials of their duties out of the strength of their parts ; a strong memory, a goodinventionare the fountainswhencetheydraw.

But it is otherwise with souls truly gracious ; they have ordinarily athreefold assistance from the Spirit in reference to their duties.

First, Before duties, exciting them to it, making them feel their need of it, like the call of an empty stomach ; Psalm xxvii. 8. " Thou faidft, Seek my face ; my heart answered,

"Thy face, Lord, willIfeek."

Secondly, In their duties. furnishing both matter and affec tion, as in that text lately cited, Rom. viii. 26. guiding them not only what to ask, but how to aik.

Thirdly, Aftertheirduties,helpingthemnot only to suppress the pride and vanity of their spirits,but also to wait on God for the accomplishment of their desires.

Now, though all these things, wherein the sincerity of our hearts is tried in duties,befoundingreatvariety (as to degrees) among saints, yet they are mysteries unknown by experience toothermen.

CHAP.

VIII.

Opening the trials offincerity and hypocrisy, byfufferings upon the account of religion.

SECT.

I. viz. by sufferings for religion.

WE E are now arrived at the last trial of grace propounded, Thousands ofhypocritesembark themselves in the profession ofreligionina calm;but ifthewindriseth, and these a rageth, and they fee religion will not transport them safely to the cape of their earthly hopes and expectations,theydefire to be landed

The Advantages of Sincerity.

again as soon as may be ; for they never intended to ride out a storm for Christ : So you find, Matth. xiii. 20, 21. " He en- " dureth for a while, but when tribulation or persecution

" ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended."

But yet it is not every trial by sufferings that separates gold fromdross ; and therefore my business will be to shew,

1. First, When the fire of sufferings and persecution i shot and vehement enough to separate them.

2. Secondly, Why it must needs discoverhypocrifywhenit isatthatheight.

3. Thirdly, What advantages sincere grace hath to endure thatfevere and sharp trial.

SECT .

II.

OW the fire of persecution, or sufferings for religi 1.N on, maybe judged intense, and high enough to separate gold and dross ;

First, When religion exposes us to imminent hazard of our deepest and dearest interests in this world : Such are our liberties, estates and lives : Then it is a fierce and fiery trial indeed.

Sometimes it exposes the liberties of its professors,Rev. ii. 10.

" The devil shall cast some of you into prison."

Sometimes their estates,Heb. x. 34. " Ye took joyfully the spoiling of " your goods;" and sometimes their lives, Heb. xi. 37.

" Theywerestoned, they were fawn asunder, they were slain " with the sword."

Whilst it goes nohigherthan some small inconveniencies of life, reputation and sense of honour will hold a false heart; but when it comes to this, few will be found able to endure it, but those that expect to save no more by religion but their souls, and account themselves in good case, iftheycan but save them with the loss of all that is dear to them in this world.

Here the falseheartboggles; here it usuallyjades and faulters.

Secondly, The fiery trial is then high, when there remains no visible hopes of deliverance, or outward encouragements to sense, that the scene will alter. When"we see not our signs,

"there is no more any prophet, nor any that can tellushow "long," as the case with the church was, Psal.lxxiv. 9. Then theirhandshangdown, and their hearts faint : Nor is it to be wondredat, when the length of troubles prove so forea temptationevento the upright, to put forth their hands to iniquity; as it is Psal. cxxv. 3. If such a temptation shake such men

VOL . VI.

The Advantages of Sincerity. as build on the rock, it must quite overturn those whose fourdation is but sand.

Thirdly, When a false professor is engaged alone in sufferings, and is fingledoutfrom the herd, as a deer, to be run down, now it is a thousand to one but he quits religion to fave himself: Good company will encourage a faint-hearted traveller to jog on agreatway ; but if he be forsaken by all, as Paul was, no man to standby him ; if left alone, as Elijah was, whatcanencouragehim to hold out ?

Indeed, if they had the same invisible supports those good men had, that the Lord was with them, that would keep them steady; but wanting that encouragement from within, and all shrinking away from without, they quickly tire downright.

Fourthly, When near relations and intimates of pose and tempt us.

The prophet speaks of a time "when a man's ene- "mies shall be the men of his own house ;" it may be the wife of his bosom, Micah vii.5, 6. Owhat a trial is that which

Christ mentions in Luke xiv. 26. when we must hate father and mother, wife and children, or quit claim to Christ and heaven ! This is hard work indeed.

Howharddid that truly noble and renowned Galeacius Carracciolus find this! O what a conflict found he in his bowels ! Now Christ and our dearest interest come to meet like twomenupon a narrow bridge ; ifone go forward, the other must go back, and nowthepredominate intereftcanno longer be concealed.

Fifthly, When powerful temptations are mixed with cruel sufferings ; when we are strongly tempted, as well as cruelly persecuted: This blows up the fire to a vehementheight. This was the trial ofthosepreciousprimitivebelievers, Heb. xi. 35,

37. "They were stoned, theywerefawn asunder, they were " tempted."

Here was life, liberty, and preferment set upononehand, and death, in the most formidable shape, upon the other.

This cannot but be a great trial to any, but efpeciallywhen a cruel death, and tender temper meet, then the trial goes high indeed.

( SECT .

III.

ND that such sufferings as these will discover the 2.A falseness and rottenness of mens hearts, cannot be doubted: Ifyouconsiderthat this is thefiredesignedbyGod, for this very use and purpose, to separate the gold from the dross; fo you will find it, I Pet. iv. 12. " Beloved, think it not " strange concerning the fierytrialwhich is totryyou," i. e

The Advantages of Sincerity.

the very design and aim of providence in permitting and ordering them, is to try you.

The design of Sat an is to destroy you; but God's design is to try you. Upon this account you find thehourofpersecution (in a suitable notion) called "the " hour of temptation or probation," Rev. iii. 10. forthenprofeffors are fiftedto the very bran ; searched to the very bottom principles.

" This is the day that burns as an oven, in "which all the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be as " stubble," Mal. iv. 1.

For, 1. First, In that day the predominant interest must appear, and be discovered : It can be concealed no longer ; "Noman

"can serve two masters," saith Christ, Luke xvi. 13. Am an mayservemany masters, iftheyallcommandthefamethings, or things subordinate to each other ; but he cannot serve two masters, if their commands clash and interfere with each o ther: And such are the commands of Christ and the flesh in a suffering hour. Christ faith, " Be thou faithful to the death;" the flesh faith, Spare thyself, and secure the comforts of life.

Christ faith, " He that loveth father or mother, wife or chil- " dren, lands or inheritance morethanme, is not worthy of

" me."

Flesh faith, He that will grieveandbreak the heart of fuck dear relations, and forsake, when he might keep such earthly accommodations, is not worthy of them.

Thus the two interests come in full opposition : and now have but patience to wait a little, and you shall discern which ispredominant. A dog follows two men, while they both walk one way, and you know not which of the two is his master; stay but a little till their path parts, and then you shall quickly fee who is his master : So is it in this case.

2. Secondly, Inthatdaysensible supports fail,and all a man's relief comes in by the pureandimmediate actings of faith ; and were it not for those reliefs,his heart would soon faint and die away underdiscouragements, 2Cor. iv. 17, 18. " We faint

" notwhilftwelook not at the things which are seen, for they " are temporal,but at the things which are not seen, for they are

" eternal," q. d. If we keep not our eye intently fixed upon the invisible and eternal things in the coming world; we shall feel ourselves fainting and dying away under the many troubles and afflictions of this world. " I had fainted (faith holyDavid)

" if I had not believed."

How then suppose ye shall the hypocrite liveatsuch a time, who hath no faith to support him?

No relief but what comes in through the senses ?

3. Thirdly, Inthatdayallmere notions and speculations about :

The Advantages of Sincerity. religion vanish; and nothing relieves andfatisfies the suffering foul but what it really believes, and what it hath satisfying proofandexperience of in himself.

There are a great many pretty and pleasing notions which our minds are entertained with; some delight in times of peace,which can do us nofervice at all in the day of trouble ! and for our speculative,unpracticableknowledge of the greatest truths in religion,as little service is to be expected from them : Except we have better evidence and security about them,we shall be loth to venture all upon the crédit of them .

That is averyconfiderable passage to this purpose inHeb.

*. 34. "Yetookjoyfully the spoiling of your goods, (knowing " in yourselves) that ye have inheavenabetter and more en during substance."

This knowing in yourselves is by inward and sensible experience,taste and feeling,which is abundantly satisfying to the soul; and standsopposedtoallthat traditional knowledge we receive from others; which, as it leaves the mind fluctuating, so the heart alsodeadand comfortless.

4. Fourthly, In that day the root and foundation ofa man's faith and hope is tried, and then they that have built upon the sand must needs fail; for every thing is as its foundation; principles are to us what a root is to a tree, or a foundation to a house ; a flaw or grand defect there most assuredly ruins all.

This we find to be the veryscopeofthose two famousparables, Luke xiv. 25. and Matth xiii. 21.

Lesser troubles shake but the branches, but these try the very root: if nothing be found there but self-ends; the force of education, and the influence of examples, furelywhen the winds rise high, and beat upon it, they will quickly lay the loftiest professor even with the ground.

And thus you see what acrisfis an hour of temptation, the suffering hour is, and what discoveries of hypocrisy it must needs make; for now the hypocrite, like Orpha, will forsake religion ; but sincerity will make the soul cleave to it, asRuth didtoNaomi.

SECT.

IV.

HAT advantages sincerity gives the soul for its eW stablishment andperfeverance in suffering times, I thall briefly account for in the following particulars.

1. First, Sincere godliness dethrones that idol, the love of this world, in all true Christians ; and this is it that makes men thrinkand flinch fromChrift inadayoffuffering.

Ido pot deny but even believers themselves love the world too

The Advantages of Sincerity. much ; but they love it not as their chief good: it is not their portionorhappiness; ifanyman so lovetheworld," the love

"of the Father is not in him," 1 John ii. 15. How much so ever a fincereChristian loves the world, yet still it is in fubordination to the love of God, John xxi. 15.

Sincerity can consist with no other love of the world; it will not suffer such a cursed plant togrowunder its shadow.

Now,what is it, but this inordinate, supreme love of the creature, thatmakesmen forsake Christ intimeoftemptation?

This was the ruin of that young man,Matth.xix. 22. "He "went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

This was the overthrow of Demas, 2 Tim. iv. 10. " He hath for- " sakenme (faith the apostle)having lovedthispresentworld."

The love of this world, like sap in greenwood, will not suffer youtoburn for Christ; get but the heart mortified to thecreaturebyadiscovery of better things in heaven, and it will esta blish and fix your spirits, that it shall not be in the power of creatures to shake you off from Christ your foundation.

2. Secondly, Sincerity knits the soul to Christ, and union with him fecuresus in the greatest trials ; Munimurquatenus tinimur.

Thehypocritehaving nounionwithChrist, can have no communion with him, nor communications of grace from him; and so that little stock of his own being quickly spent

(Imeannatural courage and resolution)and no incomes from Christ, he must needs give up ina short time.

But it is with a believer in a day of trouble, as it is with a garrifonbesieged by land, but free and open to the sea, whence fresh supplies aredailyfent into relieve it: See 2 Cor. i 5. "As the suffer- " ings of Christ abound in us, soourconfolation also abound- " ethbyChrist;" fresh aids and daily supplies proportionable to our expences and decays of strength: So Col. i. 11.

" Strengthned with all might in the inner-man, according to " his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with " joyfulness." And this is the believers great advantage by his uuionwith Christ in a day of trial.

3. Thirdly, As fincerityunites the soul with Christ, so it sets the heart upon heaven, and things eternal; Col. iii. 1. c.

Surely nothing is more conducive to our stability than this, in thehouroftemptation.

This is the most effectual preservative from temptations upontherighthand,and upon the left.

Moses could cast a kingdom at his heels; despise the riches, pleasures, and honours of Egypt, whilst his eye was fixeduponhim that is invisible, and had respect to the recompence of reward, Heb. xi. 24, 25,

The Advantages of Sincerity.

26. And it was a brave reply of the forty martyrs toValence the emperor, temptingthemwiththepreferments andhonours of the world, Whyofferye these trifles to us,wheryou know

•howthewholeworldiscontemnedbyus?" Andfortemptationsonthe left hand,howhttlecantheymovethat foul,who realizes the glory of the approaching world,and fees the afflictions and sufferings of this world preparing him for, and hastening him to the enjoyment of it: temptations meet with but cold entertainment from such fouls .

4. Fourthly, Sincerity drives but one design, and that is to please and enjoy God: and what can more establish and fix the soul in thehouroftemptationthan this ? The reason why the hypocrite is unstable inallhisways, is given usbytheapoftle James, i. 8. He is a double-minded man, διψυχος ανηρ, am an of two souls in one body; as a profane wretch once boasted, that he had one soul for God, and another for any thing.

But all the designs of a gracious heart a reunited in one; and so the entire stream of his affections runs strong,

It is base by-ends and self-interests, that, like a great many ditches cut out of the bank ofa river, draw away the stream out of its proper channel, and make its waters fail. But if the heart be united for God, as the expression is,Psal. Ixxxvi.

11. then, wemaysay offueh aChriftian, as was said of a young Roman, Quicquid vult, valde vult ; What he doth, is done with all his might. And this was the ground of that saying,

Liberetme Deusab homine unius tantum negotii: Amanofone onlydefigu, puts to all his strength to carry it; nothing can stand before him .

5. Fifthly, Sincerity brings am an's will into subjection to thewillofGod; and this being done, the greatest danger and difficulty is over with such am an.

This is that holyoilwhich makes the wheels of the soul run nimbly, even in difficult paths of obedience; Non tardat uncta rota.

Let but a man be once brought to that, " The will of the Lord be done," as it is Acts xxi. 13. to seethehighest reason ofchearful obedience in the holy, just, and goodwill of God, and then all the difficulty is over ; he canfufferquietlywhatmeninflict unjustly.

6. Sixthly, Sincerity takes its measures of present things by the rules of faith and eternity; it goesnotbythefame reckoning and account that others do, who judge of things by sense, and the respects they have to the present world, 2 Cor. iv. 18.

"We look not at the things that are seen, but at the things "that are not seen;" and this is there given as the reason of his not fainting under prefentdifficulties: So,Rom. vii. rå

The Design of God in the Trial of his People.

" I reckon that the sufferings ofthepresenttimes are not wor- " thy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed

" in us." He will not allow himself to undervalue eternal glory, by once mentioning present sufferings, in away of be moaning himselfforthem: A steady eye upon the other world makes us more than conquerors over the troubles of this world.

7. Seventhly, To conclude ; fincerityalone hath alltheheavenlyaids and assistances to stability, and perseverance in fufferingtimes: upright ones (and such only)have Christ's intercessioninheaven for them,Rom. viii. 34.

The Spirit's consolation in all their troubles, 1Pet. iv. 14.

The Spirit of glory and ofGodrestethonthem: the beneficial ministryofangels, who are sent forth upon their account, Heb. i. 14. A stock of prayers, going for them all the world over, Eph. vi.

18.

Multitudes of precious promises in the Scriptures ; for every line,word,and syllable of which the faithfulness of God stands engaged : so that it is impossiblesuchgoldcan perish in the fire.

And thus oftheseveralwaysbywhichgrace is here tried.

CHAP.

IX.

Opening the designs and ends of God, in bringing of the professors of religion intofuch various trials of their graces in this world.

TH SECT .

HESE are some of the ways and methods in which God brings his gold to the touchstone, and to the fire, eveninthisworld,before the awful and solemn trial they must come to in the final judgment : and if we desire to be satisfied whatthedesignand end of God in making such probations of his people is, Wemustconclude, in the general, he certainly designs his own glory, and his peoples advantage and profit in them.

If hefuffer them to be tried by reproaches, happy are they, the Spirit of God and glory resteth on them ; there is their profit; and though his name be evil spoken of, yet in the meeknefs of their spirits he is glorified, as it is, 1 Pet. iv. 14. " If the scourge

" slay suddenly, he laugheth at the trial of the innocent," Job ix. 23. Not at their afflictions, but at the effects and blessed issues and results of them : Not that it gives them pain, but that it gives them glory.

Upon this account the apostle bids

The Design of God in the Trial of his People. us count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations or trials: and still the more trials themorejoy; fortherebyGod will produce such effects as are more precious than gold that perisheth, 1Pet. i.7. O who canvaluethe comfort that is tasted by the foul,uponthetrialanddiscovery of its sincerity, when after some foretemptationwhereinGod hath helped us tomaintainourintegrity, or after some close pinching affliction, wherein we have discovered in ourselves a sweet resignation to, andcontentmentinthe will of God, an heartcleaving to the Lord, purged andmademore fpiritualunderthe rod! we can turn to the Lord, and appeal to him, as the prophet did, Jer. xii. 3. " But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou hast seen me,

" andtriedmine heart towards thee."

I say, who can duly value such an advantage: who would exchange such a comfort for all the gold and silver in the world? Howmanytrials soever God brings his people under, tobesureneither his own glory, nor their interest, shall suffer anydamageby them.

B SECT.

V. thoughts close to UTmore particularly, let us bring our thematterbefore us,and we shall findmanygreat advantages and benefits rising outofthese trials of sincerity :

For, 1. First,Herebyhypocrify is unmasked and discovered ; the vizard is plucked off from the false professor, and his true natural face and complexion shewn to the world ; and in this there is a great deal of good.

Object. Good, you will say, Where lies it ? All the world Jeesthe mischiefandfad effects of it ; many are stumbled, many are hardened by it : "Woeto the world because of of fences!"

Matth. xvi. 7.

Sol. True, some are prejudiced and hardened by it, so as never to have good thoughts of the ways and people of God more: That isfadindeed; however,thereinGodaccomplishes his word, and executeth his decree; and though these perish, yet, First, Others are warned, awakened, and set a searching their own hearts more narrowly than ever, and this is good,

1 Cor. x. 11 , 12. Now these were our examples ; "wherefore " let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed left he fall."

Secondly, Hereby sin is ashamed; and it is good when fin that hath exposed men to so much shame, shall be itself expofedtoshame: This is the just reward of fin, Jer. xiii. 25,26.

The Design of God in the Trial of his People.

This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me,faith the " Lord ; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in false- "hood,therefore will I difcoverthy skirts uponthyface, that " thy shame may appear."

The turning up the skirt is a modest expression of exposing a person to the greatest shame in thedayoftrial : God,bydifcoveringhypocrify, shames the hypocrite; and, surely, many such discoveries are made of men at this day : We may fee fin,that lurkedclose in the heart before, now laidopenbefore allIfrael, and before the fun.

Thirdly, Hereby the poor self-cozening hypocrite hath the greatest opportunity and advantage that ever was beforehimin all his life, to recover himself out of the snare of the devil.

Nowallhispretences are gone ; now that which like a shield was advanced against the arrows ofreproofand conviction is gone; nowapoor creature stands naked, and stripped out of all hispleas, as a fair andopenmark to the world,and his own conscience; and happy will it be for him, if now the Lord make conviction to enter point blank into his soul.

All these are bleffedeffects of the difcoveryofhypocrify.

Secondly, By these trials integrity is cleared up, and the doubts and fears of many upright and holy ones allayed and quieted, resolved and satisfied.

Owhatwouldmany a poor Christian give for satisfaction in thatgreatpointoffincerity! Howmanytears have been shed toGodinfecret upon that account ? How many hours have been spent in examination of his own heart about it, and still jealoufies and fears hang upon his heart ? He doubts what he may prove at last.

Well, faith God, let his sincerity then come to the test, kindle the fire, and cast in my gold.

Trials are the highway to assurance ; let my child see that he loves me more than these, that his heart is upright with me.

I will try himbyprofperityandby adversity, byperfecutions and temptations,and he shall see his heart is better than he suspects it to be.

This shall be the day of resolution to his fears and doubts.

The apostle, speaking ofherefies, 1 Cor. xi. 7, 9. puts a neceflity upon them: There must be herefies, faith he, that they which are approved may be made manifest.

The same necessity there is (and for the fame end) of all other trials of grace, that the lovely,beautiful, sweet face offinceritymaybe openedfometimes to the world, to enamour them, and to the soul inwhoni it is, to satisfy it that it doth not personate a Christian, but вь

VOL. VII.

The Design of God in the Trial of his People. lives the very life of a Christian, and hath the very spirit and principles of a Christian in him.

3. Thirdly, By these trials, pride and self-confidence is destroyed and mortified in the saints, as much as by any thing in the world. We never fee what poor weak creatures we are, until we come to the trial.

It is said, Deut. viii. 2. "God " led Israel through the defart, to prove them, and to humble

" them." When we are proved,then we are humbled. Those that over-reckon their graces before the trial, fee they must come to another account, and take new measuresofthemselves after they have been upon trial.

Ah! littledidIthink,faithone, thatIhadso much love for the world, and fo little for God, until afflictions tried it.

I could not have believed that ever the creature had got so deep into my heart, until providence either threatened or made a separation, and then I found it.

I thought I had been rich in faith, until such a danger befel me, or such a want began to pinch hard; and then I saw how unable I was to trust God for protection, or provision. O it is a good thing that our hearts be kept humble and lowly, how rich foeverthey be in grace!

4. Fourthly, By trials grace is kept in exercise,andthegra cious foul preserved from security and spiritual slothfulness.

Trials are to grace what the estuationsandcontinual agitations of the waters are to the sea, or what the racking ofwines from the lees is to it: Were it not for our frequent trials and exercises, we should quickly fettle upon the lees, and our duties would be (as God complains ofEphraim) likefoure or dead drink,Hofea iv. 18. flat and spiritless. "Moabhathbeen at ease

" from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not " been emptied from vessel to vessel ; neither hath he gone

" into captivity ; therefore his taste remained in him,and his " scent is not changed," Jer. xlviii. 11 .

Much after that rate it would be with our hearts, did not the Lord frequently try and exercise them.

Let the best man bewithoutfome trial or other but a few months, and you may findthewant of it in his prayers and conferences quickly. O whatatang offormalitywillbe found in them! And is it for thehonour of God, or profit of his people, that it should be

.fo ? No, no, the Lord knows it is not; but how shall their

spirits be reduced to their former zealous heavenly temper again ? Why, faith the Lord, they must into the furnace again: " I will melt them andtrythem; for how shall Ido for

The Design of God in the Trial of his People.

the daughter of my people," Jer. ix. 7. I love them too well to lose them for want of a rod.

Alas! if I should suffer things to go on at this rate, what will become of them in a little time? What delight can I take in their duties, when the faith, fervour, humility, and holy seriousness of their spirits is wanting in them ? I will therefore " refine them as silver is

" refined, and try them as gold is tried, and they shall call uponmyname, and I will hear them, and I will say, It is my

" people, and theyshallsay, TheLordismyGod," Zech. xiii.

9. and thus the Lord chides himself friend again with his people.

Thus he recovers them to their true temper, and thus his visitations do preserve their spirits; and when the Lord fees these sweet effects of his trials upon them, it greatly pleaseth him. Onow, faith God, I like it ; this providence hath done them good; this rod was well bestowed ; the letting loose of this temptation, or that corruption upon them, hath made them findtheirknees again ; nowIhear the voice of my child again.

L Beloved, this is a blessed fruit and effect of our frequent trials ; and how ungrateful foeverthey are to flesh and blood, that affects ease, and is loth to be disturbed, yet it is necessary to the prefervationofour spirits.

5. Fifthly, By the trial of our graces Satan is defeated, and his accusation of the saints found to be mere slanders.

It is a verycommonthing with the devil and wickedmen, to accuse the people of God of hypocrisy, and to tell the world they are not the men and women they are taken to be ; and that if their infidewere but turnedoutbysome thorough trial, or deep search, it would appear that religiondidnotindeed live in their souls, as they pretend, but that they only act a part, andperfonateheavenly and mortifiedpersonsuponthe public stage of profession...

Thus the accuser of the brethren suggests the hypocrisy of Job, chap. ii. 5. " Put forth thine hand now, and touch his

" bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face ;" q. d. Well might Job serve thee whilst thou hast been so bountiful a master to him; he hath been well rewarded for all the

service he hath done thee ; but if thou stop the current of his prosperity, thou shalt see how quickly he will stop the course of his duty : A few lashes from thy hand will make him curse thee to thy face.

ButOwhatshame and disappointment was Bb2 :

The Design of God in the Trial of his People. it to that envious spirit ? What a vindication of Job's integrity, when under the greatest trials of his faith and patience,he still held fast his integrity, and shews himself as great a pattern of patience under the cross, as he had been of piety in the days of his greatest prosperity ! Satangets nothingbybringing forth thefaintsuponthe stage, to be made a spectacle to angels and men, as it is, 1 Cor. iv. 9.

6. Sixthly, and lastly, The frequent trials of grace exhibit a full and living testimony against the atheism of the world.

Theseprovebeyond all words or arguments that religion is no fancy, but the greatest reality in the world: Men would make religion but a fancy, and the zeal of its professors, but the intemperate heat of some crazy brains, over-heated with a fond potion.

They that never felt the real influences of religion upon their own souls, will not believe that others do feel them.

Serious piety is become the ludicrous subject with which the wantonwits of this atheistical world sport themselves.

But behold the wisdom and goodness of God exhibiting to the worldtheundeniable testimonies of the truth of religion, as often as the sincere professors thereof are brought to the test by afflictions from the hand of God, orperfecution from the hands of men : Lo! here is the faith and patience of the faints: here is their courage, meekness, and self-denial, shining as gold in the fire ; they have the real proofs of it before their eyes: instead of casting them into hell, and convincing them by eternal fire, he is pleased to cast his own people into the fire of affliction, that they who scoffatthem maybe convinced at an easier and cheaper rate.

It is no newthing to fee the enemies of religion brought over to embrace it, by the constancy and faithfulness of the saints in their trials and sufferings for it.

God grant that the atheism of this presentgenerationdonot occasion a more fiery trial to the people of God in it,than they have yet suffered !

Tried Grace is true Grace.

#97 CHAP.

Shewing that thatgraceonly is to bereckonedfincere and real, which can endure those trials which God appoints, or permits, for the discovery of it.

SECT.

BEFORE I offer you the proofs and evidences of this truth, it will be neceflaryto prevent some mistakes that maybeoccafionedbymisunderstanding of it.

Caution 1. And, in the first place,we are not to thinkaffurance of our fincerityimpossible to be had in this life, because as long as we live here, we are in a state of trial ; and how many trials foeverhave been made upon us already, yet still therearemore to come; and we know not what we thall prove in future trials, thoughGodhath kept us upright in former trials : No, no, this is none of my meaning; nor doth such a conclusion necessarily follow this assertion: For a Christian that hath rightly closed with Christ at first, and been faithful in the duties of active and passive obedience hitherto, may be assured, upon good grounds, of a victory before he come to the fire of his remaining trials. So was the apostle, Rom. viii. 35, &c. " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

" Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or " nakedness, or peril, or sword ? Nay,in all these we are more

" than conquerors, thro' him that hath loved us." Here is an affuredtriumphbeforethe combat. So Job xxiii. ro. " But he

" knoweththewaythatItakes whenhehath tried me, I shall " come forth as gold." He appealstoGod for the fincerityof his heart fo far as he had hitherto gone inthewayofreligion, and thence concludes, that whatever trials God should bring himtofortime to come,he shouldcomeforth as gold, i. e.he should not lose one grain of the fire. And this confidence of a gracious foul is built notonlyupon experience gained in former trials, but upon faith in the power, promises, and faithfulness of God, which are engaged for him in the covenant of grace, tokeephiminthe greatest dangers thatbefalhim in this world.

He believes the power of God is able tomakehim stand, thoughhehath no powernormight in himself to overcome the least temptation, 1 Pet. i. 5. " You are kept, φρωραμμηνος (kept

" as a garrison)by the powerofGodthrough faith unto sal-

Tried Grace is true Grace.

" vation." When Christ hath once takenpossessionofthefoul by his spirit,he fortifies it by his power, as a garrison : thatufingthe means, it be surprized or betrayed no more into the enemy'shand,so as finally to be loft.

He builds this confidence also upon the promises of God, which are his security in future dangers: And how are all the pages of the Biblebespangledwith such promises, as the firmament is with bright and glorious stars? Such are these of the first magnitude, 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. "Christ shall confirm you to " the end, thatye maybe blameless in the day of our Lord

" Jesus Christ. God is faithful,by whom ye are called unto " the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." And no lesssatisfyingand sweet is that, Jer. xxxii. 40. "And I will

"makeaneverlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn " away from them to do them good; but Iwillputmy fear in " their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

And of the same nature is that also, Johnx. 27, 28. " My sheep hear " my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give

" unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, neither " shall anymanpluckthem out of my hand."

If there be any hypocrite in sheeps-cloathing, he hath no part or lot in this promise; but it secures the whole flock of Christ, great and small, against all danger.

He also builds his assurance upon the faithfulness of God, which stands engaged to make good every line, word, and syllable of his promises to his people; so we find, in 1 Cor. x.

13. " There hath no temptation taken you but such as iscom- " mon to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to " be tempted above thatye are able; but will witheverytemp- " tation make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear

" it." And, 2 Thef. iii. 3. " But the Lord is faithful, who " shall establish you, and keep you from evil."

Add to this, the constant prevalent intercession of Christ in heaven for his people, in all their trials, andthenyou will fee a sincere Christian need not to deny himselfthejoy and comfort of his assurance, upon the account and supposition of his future trials.

SECT.

II.

OR do we here suppose, in this assertion, Caution 2.N that inherent grace in the saints hath a fufficiency of ability in itselftoendure the greatest and severest trials that canbefal it in this world.

It is certain that it shall

Tried Grace is true Graces

be carried safely through all, but not in its own strength and ability.

That is a true observation of the learnedGerson,Perfectiones fibirelicta,funt ponder a ad ruin am : The most perfect creature left to itself, will fall into ruin.

This was exemplified in the angels that fell ; and in Adam, though in a perfect state. Divine preservation is the prop which supports the best creatures from ruin.

Grace itself is but a creature, and therefore a dependent being: It is but a stream, depending upon the supply of the fountain: If the fountain let not forth itself,what becomes of the stream ? That is a true and judicious observation of the learned Dr. Ames, Perfeverantiafidelium, vel immutabilis eorum conditio fecundum integram ejus rationem, nonpervenit a principio intrinfecosolo, nec afolo extrinfeco ; fedpartim ab intrinfeco, ex natura vitæfpiritualis a Christofluentis, et partim ab extrinfeco, ex custodia, protectione et directione Dei ; Amefii

Coronis,Art. 5. The perseveranceofbelievers, or theimmutabilityoftheir condition, if we view the wholegroundand reason of it, is not wholly from within, or wholly from without itself; but partly from the nature of the spiritual life which flows from Christ into them,and partly from the keeping,protection, and direction of God: That protection is always afforded to this life of grace; and this life of grace always needs that protection.

The best of men are but men at best, as one speaks: It was not Peter's grace and resolution that kept him, butChrift's careofhim and interceffionforhim, Luke xxii. 32.

" Be strong in the Lord, (faith the apostle) and in the power " of his might," Ephef. vi. 10. " Without me (faith Christ)

"ye can do nothing," John xv. 5.

Neither of these is that which I have before me to prove ; but this is that which I aim at, that suchseeminggrace as was never yet brought to the trial, nor will be able to bear the trial, when God shall bring it thereto, must not pass for current (as too frequently it doth) among us: Such grace will neither comfort us now, nor fave us hereafter : For,

SECT.

III.

1.F IRST, great numbers of persons in the professing world are deceived and destroyed by trusting to seeming anduntriedgrace: this was the miferableconditionofthose

Laodicean professors in the text; they reckoned themselves rich, but were really poor : All is not gold that glifters ; their gold(as they accounted it)was never tried in the fire.

If am an'swhole estate lay in some precious stone, suppose a rich

Tried Grace is true Grace. diamond, how i she concerned to have it thoroughly tried, to see whether it will bear a smart stroke with a hammer, or fly like a Bristol diamond under it ? All that you are worth lies in the truth and sincerity of your grace; and till that be tried you know not whether you be worth anything or no thing.

Reader, There are two fad fights in the world, which cannot but deeply affect everyuprightheart: one is toseefomany choufands of rational andingeniousmenintheRomish church, by an implicit faith in their guides,venturing their souls upon their bare word; never fearchingthe scriptures with their own eyes, but wholly trusting to the infallibility of a pope or a council; when, in the mean time, they would fear to take their word for a sum of money, without some further security.

It is amazing to behold the soul-destroying, easy credulity of thosemen; but this isa stroke of madness and spiritual infatuation,judicially inflicted upon them, that the judgment which iswrittenmight be fulfilled in them,"God shall send them

" strong delusions, that they should believe a lie," 2 Thef. ii.

IV.

And yet more amazing is that stroke ofGodupon multitudesofvainand formal professors even in the reformed Protestant churches, where noman is restrained from searching the scriptures; nay, where men are so frequently and earnestly pressed, from sabbath to sabbath, to examine themselves, and prove their own work, that yet so many are content to leave all at hazard, and without any more ado, or farther search in the matter, credit the report of their own deceitful hearts, and take all for granted, without due trial or examination of the matter.

: Surely, no one thing fends down more foulsdailytohell out of the profefling world, than this doth.

The five foolish virgins (i. e. the unprincipled professors in thereformedchurches) perished this way; they took it for granted all was well, because they had lamps of profession as well as others ; and saw not the cheat till the cry was heardatmidnight, and their unfurnished lamps went out, Matth. xxv.

2. Secondly, The promises of salvation are made over to tried grace, and such only as will endure the trial: So James i. 12.

"Bleffedis the man that endureth temptation; for when he is "tried he shall receive the crown of life which God hath pro- "mised to them that love him :" We must be first tried, and then crowned. "If am an strive for masteries, yet i she not

: " crowned, except he strive lawfully," 2 Tim. ii. 5. He manifestly alludes totheRomangames, towhichtherewerejudg

Tried Grace is true Grace.

esappointed to see that no foul play were offered contrary to the law for wresthng ; and where it was found, the crown was denied them.

Not to him that sets forth in the morning with resolution and gallantry, but to him that holds out till the evening of his life, is the promise made ; Matth.x. 22. "He that " endureth to the end shall be saved."

So Rom. ii. 7. " To " them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek forglo- " ry, andhonour, and immortality, eternal life." And once

more, Heb. iii. 14. " We are made partakers of Christ, if we " hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

So that if you should endure some few flighter troubles, and faint at last, give out when a closer trial befals you, all your labours and sufferings are in vain.

Sincerity and final perseverance are the conditions of all special promises.

3. Thirdly, Every man's graces and duties must be tried and weighedbyGod in the great day; and if they cannot endure these lesser trials to which God exposes them now, how will they endure that severe and exact trial to which he will bring them then ? No man can search his own heart with that exactness in this world, as God will search it in the world to come.

Imaysay in this case to you as the Lord spake to Jeremiah, chap. xii. 5. " If thou hast run withthefootmen, and they have

" wearied thee,then how canst thou contendwithhorfes ? and " if in the land of peace,wherein thou trustedst, they have

" wearied thee,then how wiltthoudo in the swelling ofJor- " dan?" This was spoken to encourage the prophet to constancy in his work; and as if the Lord had said, O Jeremy, do the strivings of the men ofAnathoth,thine own town, difhearten thee ? Pluck up thy spirits, and faint not ; there are harder trials than these that thou must undergo at Jerusalem; these are no more, to what is coming, than the running with footmen is to contending with horses, or the passing a small rivulet to the swellings of Jordan.

To allude to this ; if our graces and duties cannot bear theselightertrials ; ifa little lift of prosperity, or lighter stroke of adversity discover so much falseness, rottenness, pride and selfishness in the heart ; if we cannot resist the motions ofcorruptions, but yield ourselves to obey sfininthe lusts of it ; if we can neither keep our hearts with God in duties, nor mourn for ourwanderings from him , ifa few scoffs fromwickedtongues, or trials of persecution from the hands of men will cause us to faintintheway, and turn back from following the Lord,what shall we do when "He comes,whose fan is in his hand, and

VOL. VII.

Tried Grace is true Grace.

*" who will thoroughly purge his floor ;" Matth. iii. 12.who will try every man's work as by fire, 1 Cor. iii. 13. search the secrets of all hearts,Rom. ii. 16. weigh every man to his ounces anddrachms ? furelywe can take little comfort in that which is so unable to bear the severe trials of that day, that it cannot

* stand before the flighter trials of this day.

4. Fourthly, True grace is willing to be tried, and nothing ismoredefirable to an upright soul,than to know his own condition: if therefore we shun the trial, and are loth to search ourselves, or besearchedbythe Lord,our condition is suspicious, andwecantake little comfort in it.

It was David's carneft desire, Psalm exxxix. 23. that God would thoroughly "search his heart and reins, and fee if there were any way of wickedness in him.

False grace is thy of God's eye, it cares ⚫not to be examined; but this is the delightoffincere ones:

" Every one that doth evilhateththelight,left his deeds should 1" be reproved ; but he that doth truth, cometh to the light,

" that his deeds maybe made manifest,that they are wronght -" in God," John iii. 20, 21 .

The reason is plain why hypocrisy cannot endure to come to the touchstone and test; for hypocrites, having a secret consciousness of their own guilt and unfoundness, know that, by this means,theirvainconfidencewould quickly be confut. ed, and all their reputation for religion blasted. But, oh! if men dare not stand before the word, as it is now opened and appliedbyminifters,howwilltheystandwhen it shall be opened and applied, in another manner, by Jesus Christ ?

Oprofeffor, if thy condition be good, thy heart right, thou wilt desire to know the very worst of thyself; and when thou haftmade the deepest search thou canst, thou wilt still fear thou haft not been severe enough,and impartial enough to thyself; nothingwillgive thee more content than when thou feelest the word dividing thy foul and spirit,thy joints and marrow; nothingsomuch comforts thee under, or after an affliction, as the discovery it hath made of my heart; thou wiltseem to feel with what affection those words came from the prophet's lips,

Jer. xii. 2. " But thou, O Lord,knowest me, thou haftseen " me, and tried my heart towards thee." O what a refreshingsweetnesswill stream through thy heart, and all the powers of thy soul, when thou canstmake the like appeal to God with like sincerity! And certainly, without such a disposition of spirit towards the trial of our graces,we can have little evidence of the truth of them.

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