and clear, while others are deluded and deceivly ed by them, who make it their business to irer fect the judgments, and ruin the souls of men,rld

Ah sirs! as you would not have your ju ments polluted and defiled with error, Let ter word of the Lord,' that is more precious th for gold, yea, than fine gold, dwell plentifully aeyou.'* It is not the hearing or knowing of truthe nor commending and talking of it, but the indwelling of truth in your souls, that will keep your judgments chaste and sound, in the midst of all those glittering errors that betray many souls into his hands, who can easily transform himself into an angel of light,' that he may draw others to lay in chains of darkness with him for ever. Oh! let not the word be a stranger, but make it your choicest familiar; then will you be able to stand in the day, wherein many shall fall on your right hand, and on your left, by the subtilty of those who shall say, Lo, here is Christ, and lo, there is Christ.'

There was more wit than grace in his speech who counselled his friends, Not to come too nigh unto truth, lest his teeth should be beaten out with its heels.' Ah souls! if truth dwell plenteously in you, you are happy, if not, you are unhappy under all your outward felicity.

* Col. iii. 16. In dwell in you, as an ingrafted word incorporated into your souls, so concocted and digested by you, as that you turn it into a part of yourselves.

They must needs err that know not God's ways; yet can they not wander so wide, as to miss of hell.

It is with truth (saith Melancthon) as it is let h holy water, every one praised it, and stanught it had some rare virtue in it, but offer truthprinkle them with it, and they will shut giveir eyes, and turn away their faces from it.' ed Rem. 3. Solemnly consider, that error Thkes the owner to suffer loss. All the pains nod labour that men take to defend, maintain, and spread abroad their errors to infect the world, shall bring no profit, nor comfort to them in that day, wherein every man's work will be made manifest, and the fire shall try it, of what sort it is,'* as the apostle shews, in that remarkable scripture, 1 Cor. iii. 11-15. Ah! that all those who rise up early and go to bed late, who spend their time, strength, spirits, and their all, to advance and spread abroad God dishonouring, and soul-undoing opinions, would seriously consider of this, that they shall lose all the pains, cost, and charge that they have been, or shall be at, for the propagating of error; and if they are ever saved, it will be by fire, as the apostle there shews. Ah sirs! is it nothing to lay out your money for that which is not bread? and your strength for that which cannot profit you in the day you must make up your account; and all your works be tried by fire. Ah! that such souls would now at last, buy the truth, and

* Error, as a glass, is bright, but brittle, and cannot endure the hammer or fire, as gold can, which, though rubbed or melted, remains firm and orient.

sell it not.' Remember you can never over-buy it, whatsoever you give for it; you can never sufficiently sell it, if you could have all the world in exchange for it.*

It is said of Cæsar, That he had greater care of his books, than of his royal robes; for swimming through the waters to escape his enemies, he carried his books in his hand above the waters, but lost his robes.' Ah! what are Cæsar's books to God's books? Well remember this, that one day, yea, one hour, spent in the study or propagation of truth, will yield the soul more comfort and profit, than many thousand years spent in the study and propagation of corrupt and vain opinions, that have their rise from the god of this world, and not from that God who shall at last judge this world, and all the corrupt opinions of men.

Rem. 4. Hate, reject, and abominate all those doctrines and opinions that are contrary to godliness, and which open a door to profaneness, and all such as require men to maintain a strictness above what the scripture requireth: and advance and lift up corrupt nature, to do supernatural things, which none can do, but by that supernatural power which raised Christ from the grave: and all such opinions, as lift up our own righteousness, in the room of Christ's righteousness; and which place good works in the throne

* One old piece of gold is worth a thousand new counters, and one old truth of God is more worth than a thou sand new errors.

of Christ, and make them copartners with him, &c. And all those opinions and doctrines, that so set and cry up his righteousness; as to cry down all duties of holiness and righteousness,* and all those doctrines and opinions, that make the glorious and blessed privileges of believers in the days of the gospel, inferior to what they were in the time of the law. Ah! did your souls arise with a holy hatred, and a strong indignation against such doctrines and opinions, you would stand when others fall, and you would shine as the sun in her glory, when many, that were once as shining stars, go out as a stinking snuff of a candle.

Rem. 5. Hold fast the truth.' As men take no hold on the arm of flesh, Jer. xvii. 5. till they they let go the arm of God: so men take no hold on error, till they have let go their hold of truth; therefore hold fast the truth. Truth is thy crown, hold it fast, and let no man take it from thee. Hath not God made truth sweet to

thy soul, yea, sweeter than the honey, or the honey-comb?' And will you not go on to heaven, feeding upon truth, that heavenly honeycomb, as Sampson did upon his honey-comb? Let me ask you, sirs, have you not found truth to be a soul-comforting, a soul-refreshing, and a soul-establishing principle? Have not you found truth a GUIDE to lead you, a STAFF to up

* Gideon had seventy sons, and but one bastard, and yet that bastard destroyed all the rest. Judges viii 13. One turn may lead a man quite out of the way.

hold you, a CORDIAL to strengthen you, and a MEDICINE to heal you? And will not you hold fast the truth? Hath not truth been your best friend in your worst days? Hath it not stood by you, when friends have forsaken you? Hath it not done more for you, than all the world could do against you; and will not you hold fast the truth? Is not truth your right eye, without which you cannot see for Christ? Your right hand, without which you cannot do for him? And your right foot, without which you cannot walk with him? And will you not hold fast the truth! Oh! hold fast the truth in your judgments and understandings, in your wills and affections, in your profession and conversation.

Truth is more precious than gold or rubies, ' and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.' Truth is that heavenly glass, wherein we may see the lustre and glory of divine wisdom, power, love, and mercy. In this glass you may see the face, the favour, and riches of Christ. Oh! let your souls cleave to truth, as Ruth did to Naomi, Ruth i. 15, 16. and say, 'I will not leave truth, nor return from following after it; but where it I will go, goes, and where it lodgeth I will lodge, and nothing but death shall part truth and my soul.'* What John said to the Church of Philadelphia, I may say to you; Hold fast that which thou hast,

Though I cannot dispute for the truth, yet I can die for the truth, said a blessed martyr.

K