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mons, prayers, and discourses of Chrift which he heard? And what will thy foul be the better for all the duties thou performeft weekly and daily, if thy heart be unfound? It is plain, from Job xv. 4 there must be an implantation into Chrift, before. there can be 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 falfe profeffor is neither rooted in Chrift by union with him, nor doth, or can retain the virtue of ordinances with→ in him; but, like one that views his face in a glafs, quickly forgets what manner of man he was; his head indeed may grow, his knowledge may increafe, but he hath a dead and withered heart.

But as the faints have real communion with God in duties, so they do make improvements anfwerable thereunto: There is more certainly a ripening of their graces that way; a changing or gradual transformation from glory to glory; a fpringing up to that full ftature of the man in Chrift. "They that "are planted in the houfe of the Lord, fhall flourish in the

courts of our God," Pfal. xcii. 13, 14. There is pure and fincere milk in the breafts of ordinances; a believer fucks the very breafts of Chrift in his duties, and doth grow thereby, I Pet. ii. 2. they do grow more and more judicious, experienced, humble, mortified, and heavenly, by converfing with the Lord fo frequently in his appointments.

There is, I confess, a more discernable growth and ripening in fome Chriftians, than in others: The faith of fome groweth exceedingly, 2 Theff. i. 3. others more flowly, 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 difcern the increnfe of his graces, after all his du

ties.

Sol. Let fuch confider the growth of grace is difcerned as the growth of plants is, which we perceive rather creviffe, quam crefceres to have grown, than to grow: Compare time paft and prefent, and you may fee it; but ufually our eager defires after more, make us overlook what we have as nothing.

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

infirmities, nor makes interceffion for them with groanings which cannot be uttered, as he doth for his own people, Rom. viii. 26, 27. They have his affistances in the way of common gifts, but not in the way of special grace: He may enable them to preach judiciously, not experimentally; to pray orderly and neatly, not feelingly, believingly, and broken-heartedly; For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons "of God," Rom. viii. 14. He never so affifts, but where he hath fitft fanctified. Carnal men furnish the materials of their duties out of the strength of their parts; a strong memory, a good invention are the fountains whence they draw.

But it is otherwife with fouls truly gracious; they have ordinarily a threefold affiftance 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 ftomach; Pfalm xxvii. 8. "Thou faidft, Seek my face; my heart answered, "Thy face, Lord, will I feek."

Secondly, In their duties. furnishing both matter and affection, as in that text lately cited, Rom. viii. 26. guiding them not only what to afk, but how to alk.

Thirdly, After their duties, helping them not only to fupprefs the pride and vanity of their fpirits, but also to wait on God for the accomplishment of their defires.

Now, though all these things, wherein the fincerity of our hearts is tried in duties, be found in great variety (as to degrees) among faints, yet they are myfteries unknown by experience to other men.

CHA P. VIII.

Opening the trials of fincerity and hypocrify, by fufferings upon the account of religion.

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E are now arrived at the laft trial of grace propounded, viz. by fufferings for religion.

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Thoufands of hypocrites embark themselves in the profeffion of religion in a calm; but if the wind rifeth, and the fea rageth, and they fee religion will not tranfport them fafely to the cape of their earthly hopes and expectations, they defire to be landed

again as foon as may be; for they never intended to ride out a storm for Chrift: So you find, Matth. xiii. 20, 21. "He en "dureth for a while; but when tribulation or perfecution "arifeth because of the word, by and by he is offended."

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

1. First, When the fire of fufferings and perfecution is hot and vehement enough to feparate them.

2. Secondly, Why it muft needs discover hypocrify when it is at that height.

3. Thirdly, What advantages fincere grace hath to endure that fevere and fharp trial.

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OW the fire of perfecution, or fufferings for religi on, may be judged intenfe, and high enough to feparate gold and drofs;

Firft, When religion expofes us to imminent hazard of our deepeft and dearest interests in this world: Such are our liberties, eftates and lives: Then it is a fierce and fiery trial indeed. Sometimes it exposes the liberties of its profeffors, Rev. ii. 10. "The devil fhall caft fome of you into prifon." Sometimes their eftates, Heb. x. 34. "Ye took joyfully the fpoiling of "your goods," and fometimes their lives, Heb. xi. 37. "They were ftoned, they were fawn asunder, they were flain "with the fword." Whilft it goes no higher than fome small inconveniencies of life, reputation and fenfe of honour will hold a falfe heart; but when it comes to this, few will be found able to endure it, but those that expect to fave no more by religion but their fouls, and account themselves in good cafe, if they can but fave them with the lofs of all that is dear to them in this world.

Here the falle heart boggles; here it ufually jades and faul

ters.

Secondly, The fiery trial is then high, when there remains no vifible hopes of deliverance, or outward encouragements to sense, that the scene will alter. When "we fee not our figns, "there is no more any prophet, nor any that can tell us how "long," as the cafe with the church was, Pfal. Ixxiv. 9. Then their hands hang down, and their hearts faint: Nor is it to be wondred at, when the length of troubles prove fo fore a temptation even to the upright, to put forth their hands to iniquity; as it is Pfal. cxxv. 3. If fuch a temptation shake fuch men VOL. VII.

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as build on the rock, it must quite overturn those whofe fourdation is but fand.

Thirdly, When a falfe profeffor is engaged alone in fufferings, and is fingled out from 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 a great way; but if he be forfaken by all, as Paul was, no man to stand by him; if left alone, as Elijah was, what can encourage him to hold out?

Indeed, if they had the fame invifible fupports thofe good men had, that the Lord was with them, that would keep them fteady; but wanting that encouragement from within, and all fhrinking away from without, they quickly tire downright.

Fourthly, When near relations and intimates oppose and tempt us. The prophet fpeaks of a time when a man's enė. "mies fhall be the men of his own houfe;" it may be the wife of his bofom, Micah vii. 5, 6. O what a trial is that which Chrift mentions in Luke xiv. 26. when we muft hate father and mother, wife and children, or quit claim to Chrift and heaven! This is hard work indeed.

How hard did that truly noble and renowned Galeacius Carracciolus find this! O what a conflict found he in his bowels! Now Chrift and our deareft intereft come to meet like two men upon a narrow bridge; if one go forward, the other muft go back, and now the predominate intereft can no longer be concealed.

Fifthly, When powerful temptations are mixed with cruel fufferings; when we are ftrongly tempted, as well as cruelly perfecuted: This blows up the fire to a vehement height. This was the trial of those precious primitive believers, Heb. xi. 35, 37. "They were ftoned, they were fawn afunder, they were "tempted." Here was life, liberty, and preferment fet upon one hand, and death, in the moft formidable fhape, upon the other. This cannot but be a great trial to any, but efpecially when a cruel death, and tender temper meet, then the trial goes high indeed.

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SECT. III.

ND that fuch fufferings as these will difcover the falfenefs and rottennefs of mens hearts, cannot be doubted: If you confider that this is the fire defigned by God, for this very ufe and purpose, to separate the gold from the drofs; fo you will find it, 1 Pet. iv. 12. "Beloved, think it not "strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,” i. e

the very defign and aim of providence in permitting and ordering them, is to try you. The defign of Satan is to destroy you; but God's defign is to try you. Upon this account you find the hour of perfecution (in a suitable notion) called "the ❝hour of temptation or probation," Rev. iii. 10. for then profeffors are fifted to the very bran; fearched 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 "ftubble," Mal. iv. 1. For,

1. First, In that day the predominant intereft muft appear, and be discovered: It can be concealed no longer; "No man "can ferve two mafters," faith Chrift, Luke xvi. 13. A man may serve many masters, if they all command the fame things, or things fubordinate to each other; but he cannot serve two mafters, if their commands clash and interfere with each other: And fuch are the commands of Chrift and the flesh in a fuffering hour. Chrift faith, "Be thou faithful to the death;" the flesh faith, Spare thyself, and fecure the comforts of life. Chrift faith," He that loveth father or mother, wife or chil"dren, lands or inheritance more than me, is not worthy of "me." Flesh faith, He that will grieve and break the heart of fuch dear relations, and forfake, when he might keep fuch earthly accommodations, is not worthy of them.

Thus the two intereits come in full oppofition and now have but patience to wait a little, and you fhall difcern which is predominant. A dog follows two men, while they both walk one way, and you know not which of the two is his mafter; ftay but a little till their path parts, and then you shall, quickly fee who is his mafter: So is it in this cafe.

2. Secondly, In that day sensible supports fail, and all a man's relief comes in by the pure and immediate actings of faith ; and were it not for those reliefs, his heart would foon faint and die away under difcouragements, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. "We faint "not whilft we look not at the things which are feen, 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 invifible and eternal things in the coming world; we shall feel Qurselves fainting and dying away under the many troubles and afflictions of this world. "I had fainted (faith holy David) "if I had not believed." How then fuppofe ye fhall' the hypocrite live at fuch a time, who hath no faith to fupport him? No relief but what comes in through the senses?

3. Thirdly, In that day all mere notions and fpeculations about

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