you, that you should assist him in such a design as your damnation?-The time is nigh when God will search you, If it he but in this life by affliction, it will make you wish that you had tried and judged yourselves, that you might have escaped the judgment of God. It was a terrible voice to Adam, Where art thou? Hast thou eaten of the tree? And to Cain, Where is thy brother? Men consider not in their hearts, that I, saith the Lord, remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.(f)-Consider also, what would be the sweet effects of this self-examination. If thou be upright and godly, it will lead thee straight towards assurance of God's love; if thou be not, though it will trouble thee at the present, yet it will tend to thy happiness, and at length lead thee to the assurance of that happiness. Is it not a desirable thing to know what shall befall us hereafter? especially what shall befall our souls? and what place and state we must be in for ever? And as the very knowledge itself is desirable, how much greater will the comfort be of that certainty of salvation! What sweet thoughts wilt thou have of God! All that greatness and justice, which is the terror of others, will be thy joy. How sweet may be thy thoughts of Christ, and the blood he hath shed, and the benefits he hath procured! How welcome will the word of God be to thee, and how beautiful the very feet of those that bring it! How sweet will be the promises, when thou art sure they are thine own! The very threatenings will occasion thy comfort, to remember that thou hast escaped them. What boldness and comfort mayest thou then have in prayer, when thou canst say, Our Father, in full assurance! It will make the Lord's supper a refreshing feast to thy soul. It will multiply the sweetness of every common mercy. How comfortably mayest thou then undergo all afflictions! How will it sweeten thy fore-thoughts of death and judgment, of heaven and (ƒ) Hos. vii. 2.

T

hell! How lively will it make thee in the work of the Lord, and how profitable to all around thee! What vigour will it infuse into all thy graces and af fections, kindle thy repentance, inflame thy love, quicken thy desires, and confirm thy faith; be a fountain of continual rejoicing; overflow thy heart with thankfulness, raise thee high in the delightful work of praise, help thee to be heavenly-minded, and render thee persevering in all! All these sweet effects of assurance would make thy life a heaven upon earth.

11. Though I am certain these motives have weight of reason in them; yet I am jealous, Reader, lest you lay aside the book, as if you had done, and never set yourself to the practice of the duty. The case in hand is of the greatest moment, whether thou shalt everlastingly live in heaven or hell. I here request thee, in behalf of thy soul, nay, I charge thee, in the name of the Lord, that thou defer no longer, but take thy heart to task in good earnest, and think with thyself, "Is it so easy, so common, and so dangerous, to be mistaken? Are there so many wrong ways? Is the heart so deceitful? Why then do I not search into every corner, till I know my state? Must I so shortly undergo the trial at the bar of Christ? and do I not presently try myself! What case were I in, if I should then miscarry! May I know by a little diligent inquiry now; and do I stick at the labour?"-But perhaps thou wilt say, "I know not how to do it." In that I am now to give thee directions; but, alas! it will be in vain, if thou art not resolved to practice them. Wilt thou, therefore, before thou goest any further, here promise before the Lord, to set thyself upon the speedy performance of the duty, according to the directions I shall lay down from the word of God. I demand nothing unreasonable or impossible. It is but to bestow a few hours, to know what shall be come of thee for ever. If a neighbour, or a friend, desire but an hour's time of thee in conversation, or business, or any thing in which thou mayest be of

service, surely thou wouldest not deny it; how much less shouldest thou deny this to thyself in so great an affair! I pray thee to take from me this request, as if, 1 in the name of Christ, I presented it to thee on my knees; and I will betake me on my knees to Christ again, to beg that he will persuade thy heart to the duty.

12, (4) The directions how to examine thyself are such as these:-Empty thy mind of all other cares and thoughts, that they may not distract or divide thy mind. This work will be enough at once, without joining others with it. Then fall down before God in hearty prayer, desiring the assistance of his Spirit, to discover to thee the plain truth of thy condition, and to enlighten thee in the whole progress of this work. Make choice of the most convenient time and place. Let the place be the most private; and the time, when you have nothing to interrupt you; and, if possible, let it be the present time. Have in readiness, either in memory or writing, some scriptures, containing the descriptions of the saints, and the gospel terms of salvation; and convince thyself thoroughly of their infallible truth. Proceed then to put the question to thyself. Let it not be, whether there be any good in thee at all? nor, whether thou hast such or such a degree and measure of grace? but, whether such or such a saving grace be in thee in sincerity, or not?—If thy heart draw back from the work, force it on. Lay thy command upon it. Let reason interpose, and use its authority. Yea, lay the command of God upon it, and charge it to obey upon pain of his displeasure. Let conscience also do its office, till thy heart be excited to the work. Nor let thy heart trifle away the time, when it should be diligently at the work. Do as the psalmist, My spirit made diligent search. He that can prevail with his own heart, shall also prevail with God.-If after all thy pains, thou art not resolved, then seek out for help. -Go to one that is godly, experienced, aole, and

faithful, and tell him thy case, and desire his best advice. Use the judgment of such a one, as that of a physician for thy body: though this can afford thee no full certainty, yet it may be a great help to stay and direct thee. But do not make it a pretence to put off thy own self-examination. Only use it as one of the last remedies, when thy own endeavours will not serve. When thou hast discovered thy true state, pass sentence on thyself accordingly; either that thou art a true Christian, or that thou art not. Pass not this sentence rashly, nor with self-flattery, nor with melancholy terrors; but deliberately, truly, and according to thy conscience, convinced by scrip ture and reason. Labour to get thy heart affected with its condition, according to the sentence passed on it. If graceless, think of thy misery. If renewed and sanctified, think what a blessed state the Lord hath brought thee into. Pursue these thoughts till they have left their impression on thy heart. Write this sentence, at least in thy memory: "At such a time, upon thorough examination, I found my state to be thus or thus." Such a record will be very useful to thee hereafter. Trust not to this one discovery, so as to try no more; nor let it hinder thee in the daily search of thy ways; neither be discou raged, if the trial must be often repeated. Espe cially take heed, if unregenerate, not to conclude of thy future state by the present. Don't say, "because I am ungodly, I shall die so; because I am a hypocrite, I shall continue so." Do not despair. Nothing but thy unwillingness can keep thee from Christ, though thou hast hitherto abused him, and dissembled with him.

§ 13. (5) Now let me add some marks by which you may try your title to the saint's rest. I will only mention these two,-taking God for thy chief good and heartily accepting Christ for thy only Saviour and Lord.

§ 14. Every soul that hath a title to this rest, doth place his chief happiness in God. This rest con

sisteth in the full and glorious enjoyment of God. He that maketh not God his chief good and ultimate end, is in heart a pagan and a vile idolater. Let me ask then, Dost thou truly account it thy chief happiness to enjoy the Lord in glory, or dost thou not? Canst thou say, The Lord is my portion? whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee? If thou be an heir of rest, it is thus with thee. Though the flesh will be pleading for its own delights, and the world will be creeping into thine affections; yet in thine ordinary, settled, prevailing judgment and affections, thou preferrest God before all things in the world.-Thou makest him the very end of thy desires and endeaYours. The very reason why thou hearest, and prayest, and desirest to live on earth, is chiefly this, that thou mayest seek the Lord, and make sure of thy rest. Though thou dost not seek it so zealously as thou shouldest; yet it hath the chief of thy desires and endeavours, so that nothing else is desired or preferred before it. Thou wilt think no labour or suffering too great to obtain it. And though the flesh may sometimes shrink, yet thou art resolved and contented to go through all. Thy esteem for it will also be so high, and thy affection to it so great, that thou wouldest not exchange thy title to it, and hopes of it, for any worldly good whatsoever. If God should set before thee an eternity of earthly pleasures on one hand, and the saint's rest on the other, and bid thee take thy choice; thou wouldest refuse the world, and choose this rest. But if thou art yet unsanctified, then thou dost in thy heart prefer thy worldly happiness before God; and though thy tongue may say, that God is thy chief good, yet thy heart doth not so esteem him. For the world is the chief end of thy desires and endeavours. Thy very heart is set upon it. Thy greatest care and labour is to maintain thy credit, or fleshly delights. But the life to come hath little of thy care or labour. Thou didst never perceive so much excellency in that unseen glory of