"Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. vii. 24. But the great care and endeavour of others is to suppress outward acts of sin, and escape the mischievous consequences of it; yea, their study is, as Lactantius phrases it, "to hide, rather than to kill, their lusts."

5. There is an opposition to sin in the strength of God, and an opposition to sin in our own strength. The former is proper to real Christians, the latter is found frequently with unsanctified persons. When Christians go forth against any sin, it is in the strength of God: so their rule directs them, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might take unto you the whole armor of God," Eph. vi. 10. And you will accordingly find them frequently upon their knees begging strength from heaven against their lusts. "For this cause I besought the Lord thrice," says Paul, that is often and earnestly, that the temptation might depart from him, 2 Cor. xii. 8. But others go forth against sin in the strength of their own resolutions only. The resolutions or vows which they have put themselves under, are as frequently frustrated as made.

6. There is a successful opposition to sin, and an opposition that comes to nothing. The former is that of true Christians, the latter is found among unregenerate

men.

The work of mortification in the saints is progressive and increasing. Hence we read in Rom. vi. 6, “ Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed." Sin dies in believers much as crucified persons die, a slow, lingering, gradual, but sure death. Its vigor and life expire by degrees, or as a consumptive person dies; for to that also the apostle alludes here. There is a disease, which is called a consumption of the whole; and those who die of that disease, languish more and more, till at last they drop by imperceptible degrees into the grave. But in the unregenerate, whatever conflicts they may have with sin, no corruption falls before them. It may be said of them, as the church in another case complains of herself, "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," Isa. xxvi. 18. So it fares with these professors. They pray, they hear, they vow, they resolve, but when all is done, their lusts are as strong and vigorous as ever: no degree of mortification appears after all.

CHAPTER VII.

The Proof or Trial, that is made of the Soundness of our Graces by the Duties of Religion which we perform.

SECTION I.

"He

We now come, according to the method proposed, to make trial of the truth or falseness of grace, by the duties we daily perform in religion. And certainly they also have the use and efficacy of fire for discovery; that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments 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," 1 John ii. 4, 5. This is a practical lie of which the apostle speaks here, a lie by which men deceive others for a while, and themselves for ever; a lie not spoken, but done, when a man's course of life contradicts his profession. The life of a hypocrite is but one longer or continued lie. He says or professes that he knows God, but takes no care at all to obey him in the duties he commands. He either neglects them, or if he performs them it is not as God requires. If he draws nigh to him with his lips, yet his heart is far from him, Isa. xxix. 13. "Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins," Jer. xii. 2.

There are some who feel the influence and power of their communion with the Lord in duties, going down into 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 totally neglect the duties of religion; but surely, if men would be but just to themselves, their very per formance of duty would tell them what their hearts are.

SECTION II.

There are, among others, these following particulars, that very clearly distinguish the sound from the unsound professor.

1. The designs and real aims of men's hearts in duty will tell them what they are.

A hypocrite aims low. "They have not cried unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me," Hos. vii. 14. It is not for Christ and pardon, for mortification 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 accomplish their carnal ends, or to satisfy and quiet their consciences; and so their duties are performed as a sin-offering to God.

But an upright heart has very high and pure aims in duty. The desire of their soul is to God, Isa. xxvi. 8. Their soul follows hard after God, Psal. Ixiii. 8. “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple," Psal. xxvii. 4. These are the true eagles that aim at the sun, and will not stoop to low and earthly objects. Alas! if the enjoyment of God be missed in a duty, it is not the greatest enlargement of gifts that will satisfy. The Christian comes back from it like a man who has taken a long journey to meet his friend upon important business, and lost his labor; his friend was not there.

2. The engagements of men's hearts to God in duties will tell them what they are.

Hypocrites take little heed to their hearts, Isa. xxix. 13. They are not afflicted really for the hardness, deadness, unbelief, and wanderings of their hearts in duty, as upright ones are; nor do they engage their

hearts, and labor to get them up with God in duty, as his people do. "I have entreated thy favor with my whole heart," says David, Psal. cxix. 58. True Christians are not pleased in duty until they feel their hearts stand towards God like a bow in its full bent. I say not that it is always so with them-what would they give that it might be so? but, surely, if their souls in duty are empty of God, they are filled with trouble and sorrow.

3. The conscience that men make of secret, as well as of 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 of honor, applause, or ostentation of gifts, externally moving him to them; nor has he any experience of the sweetness and benefit of such duties internally 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 impulse of conscience, may sometimes drive him thither; but it is not his daily delight to be there, his meat and drink to retire from the clamor of the world to enjoy God in secret. It is the observation of their duties that is the great inducement to these men to perform them; and, " Verily," says our Lord, "they have their reward," they have it away, or they have carried off all the benefit and advantage that ever they shall have by religion. Much good may their applause and honor do them! Let them make much of that airy reward, for it is all that ever they shall have.

.

But now as for a soul truly gracious, it cannot long subsist without secret prayer. It is true, there is not always an equal freedom and delight, a like enlargement and comfort in its retirements; but yet it cannot be without them; it finds the want of secret in its public duties. If the Christian and his God have not met in secret, and had some communion in the morning, he sensibly finds it in the deadness and unprofitableness of his heart and life all the day after.

4. 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 spiritual men, because their employments and calling is about spiritual things, Hosea ix. 7. This indeed gives them the denomination, but not the frame of spiritual men. And others judge themselves spiritual persons, because they frequently perform and attend upon spiritual duties. But, alas! the heart and state may be carnal notwithstanding all this. O my friends, it is not enough that the object of your duties is spiritual, that they respect a holy God; nor that the matter is spiritual, that you are conversant about holy things; but the frame of your heart must be spiritual; a heavenly temper of soul is necessary; and what are the most heavenly duties without it? The end and design you aim at must be spiritual, the enjoyment 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," says the apostle, Rom. i. 9. He seems to appeal to God in this matter. I serve God in my spirit, and God knows that I do so. I dare appeal to him that it is so. 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 favor do gracious hearts find in the most excellent duties, if God and their souls do not sensibly meet in them!

Certainly, reader, there is a time when God comes nigh to men in duty, when he deals familiarly with men, and sensibly fills their souls with unusual powers and delights. The near approaches of God to their souls are felt by them, 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 foretastes of glory, which no man can by words make another to understand, as he himself does who 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," a holy man once said, "it is enough, thy poor creature