is still carnal and unfructified, and inwardly, at the heart, the interest of the flesh is habitually predominant. He is not brought to an irreconcileable hatred to the great master-sins that ruled him, and lay deepest; but only hath eased the top of his stomach, and cropt off some of the branches of the tree of death. The thorns of worldly desires and cares, are still rooted in his art; and therefore no wonder if they choke the seed of wholesome truth, and there be a greater harvest for the devil than for God.

2. Another sign that follows upon this, is, that the sound convert doth carry on the course of his obedience in a way of self-denial, as living in a continual conflict with his own flesh, and expecting his comfort and salvation to come in upon the conquest; and therefore he can suffer for Christ, as well as be found in cheaper obedience, and he dare not ordinarily refuse the most costly service. For the spoils of his fleshly desires are his prey, and crown of glorying in the Lord.

But the opinionative convert still liveth in his carnal self; and therefore secretly, at least, seeks himself, and layeth hold on present things, as a true convert layeth hold on eternal life. The truths of God being received but into his opinion, do not go deep enough to conquer self, and to take down his great idol, nor make him go through fire and water, and to serve God with the best, and honour him with his substance, much less with his sufferings and death.

3. The sound convert hath taken God for his portion, and heaven for that sure and full felicity, which he is resolved to venture upon; that is it that he hath set his heart and hopes upon, and thither tends the drift of his life.

But he that is changed only in his opinions, had never such sure apprehensions of the life to come, nor so full a confidence in the promises of God, as to set his heart unfeignedly upon God, and make him truly heavenly-minded. He may have a heavenly tongue, but he hath an earthly heart. A bare opinion, be it ever so true, will not raise men's hearts so high,

as to make their affections, and the very design and business of their lives, to be heavenly.

4. The sound convert hath seen the vileness of himself, in the sinfulness of his heart and life, and the misery thereby deserved; and so is a sincerely humbled self-accusing man.

But the opinionist is commonly unhumbled, and well conceited of himself, and a self-justifying pharisee; unless it be that self-accusing will cost him no disgrace, and he take it up as a custom, or that which may bring him into the repute of being humbled and sincere. For his opinion will not search and pierce his heart, nor batter down his selfexalting thoughts, nor root up the master-sin of pride. These are too great works for an opinion to perform. And therefore you shall hear him more in the excusing of his sin, the magnifying of himself, or the stiff maintaining of his own conceits, than an unfeigned self-abasing.

5. The sound convert is so acquainted with the defects, and sins, and necessities, of his own soul, that he is much taken up at home, in his studies, and cares, and censures, and his daily work: the acting and strengthening of grace, the subduing of corruption, and his daily walking with God, are much of his employment:Above all keeping, he keeps his heart, as knowing that from thence are the issues of life. He cannot have time to spy out the faults of others, or meddle with their affairs, where duty bids him not, as others can do; because he hath so much to do at home.

But the opinionist is most employed abroad, and about mere notions and opinions; but he is little employed in such heart-searching or heart-observing work. His light doth not pierce so deep, as to show him his heart, and the work that is there to be necessarily done. As the change is little upon his heart, so his employment is little there. He is little in bewailing his secret defects and corruptions, and little in keeping his soul's accounts, and little in secret striving with his heart, to work it into communion with God,

and into a spiritual lively fruitful frame. He is forward to aggravate the sins of others, and oft-times severe enough in censuring them: but he is a very gentle censurer of himself, and a patient man with his own corruptions, and puts the best construction upon all that is his own. He hath much labour perhaps in shaping his opinions, but little for the humbling and sanctifying his heart, by the power of the truth.

6. And as the difference lieth thus constantly in the heart, so it is usually manifested by the tongue. The sound convert is most desirous to discourse of those great and saving truths, which his very heart hath taken in, and which he hath found to be the seed of God for his regeneration, and the instruments of that holy and happy change that is made upon him: he feeleth most savour, and life, in these great and most necessary points. Read John xvij. 3. 1 Cor. xv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 1 Cor. ii. 2. Phil. iii. 8, 9, 10, 1k. 1 Tim. iii. 16. Acts, xxxvi, 22, 23. In these scriptures you may find what points they were that the greatest saints did study and live upon. But the opinionist is most forward to discourse of mere opinions, and to feed upon the air of notions, and controversies of lesser moment.

A serious Christian, even when he is necessitated to speak of lower controverted points, yet doth it in a spiritual manner, as one that more savoureth higher truths, and makes a holy and heavenly life his end, even in these lower matters; and deals about such controversies in a practical manner, and in order to the growth of holiness.

Lastly, true converts are stedfast, but opinionists are usually mutable and unconstant. The sound convert receiveth the greatest truths, and receives the good+ ness as well as the truth; and takes it not only into the head, but into the heart, and giveth it deep root ing: he closeth with God as his own felicity, and with Christ as his only refuge and redeemer, and with heaven as the sure everlasting glory, to which the

world is but a mole-hill or a dungeon. No wonder then if this man be stedfast, and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

To which end I further desire you, 1. To consider, that it is a higher matter that Christ came into the world for, than to change men's bare opinions; and it is a higher matter that the gospel is intended for, and that ministers are sent to you: for it is more than a corruption of men's opinions, that sin hath brought upon you; and therefore it is a deeper disease that must be cured. The work of Christ by his gospel, is no less than to fetch you off all that which flesh and blood accounts your happiness, and to unite you to hunself, and make you holy, as God is holy, and to give you a new nature, and make you as the dwellers or citizens of heaven, while you walk on earth. And these are greater matters than the changing of a party, or opinion. The Holy Spirit himself must dwell in you, and work in you, and employ your soul and life for God, that you may study him, and love him, and live to him here, and live with him for ever. Do but think well of the ends and meaning of the Gospel, and how much greater matters it drives at; and then you will see that there is no taking up with any opinionative religion.

THE CONCLUSION.

And now I have given you directions in the most great and necessary business in the world: they are such as I received of God, and, faithfully practised, will put your salvation. past all hazard. But what they have done, or what they will do, I cannot tell; but must leave the issue to God and you. It's pity eternal glory should be lost for want of yielding to so holy, and sweet, and reasonable a course. It is lamentable to observe, what ignorant, base, unworthy thoughts, the most have of the very office of the Holy Ghost, who is the sanctifier of all that God will save. The very name of regeneration and sanctification is not understood by some, and is but matter of derision

to others; and the most think that it is another kind of matter than indeed it is. To be baptized, and come to church, and to say some cold and heartless prayers, and to forbear some gross disgraceful sins, is all the sanctification that most are acquainted with; (and all have not this.) And thus they debase the work of the Holy Ghost. If a prince have built a sumptuous palace, and you will show men a swine-sty, and say, There is the palace that the prince hath been so long a building; were not this to abuse him by contempt? Remember what it is to believe in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: and remember that you were baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And do you not yet know why? nor know the meaning of your baptismal covenant? It is not only to believe that there are three persons in the Trinity, but to consent to the relations and duty to them, in respect to their several relations and work. If the Father had not created you, how could you have been men? The Lord of nature must be acknowledged as the end and governor of nature, and accordingly obeyed. And this is to believe, and be baptized in the name of God the Father. If the Son had not redeemed you, you had been as the devils were, forsaken and given over to despair. The purchaser, procurer, and author of grace, of pardon, and salvation, must be acknowledged to be such, himself and his salvation accordingly accepted, and his terms submitted to. And this is to believe in the name of the Son; and in baptism we make profession hereof. And certainly the work of the Holy Ghost is as necessary to your salvation. Without the sanctifying work of the Spirit, you could never be delivered from sin and Satan, nor restored to God's image, and consequently could never be the members of Christ, nor have any saving benefit by his sufferings. Would you not think him unworthy to live, that would reproach the Father's work of nature, and say, that the whole creation is but some poor contemptible work? And would you not think him unworthy the name of a Christian, that had contemptible thoughts of the