• God. Surely there is a way of enjoying God, even in our employments; God would never have put us upon them to our loss. Enoch walked with God, and begat sons and daughters, Gen. v. 19. He walked with God, but did not retire and separate himself from the things of this life. And the angels, that are employed by Christ in the things of this world, (for the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels) they are finite creatures, and cannot be in a twofold ubi at one time; yet they lose nothing of the beatifical vision, all the time of their administration : for, Mat. xviii. 10. Their angels (even whilst they are employed for them) behold the face of their Father, which is in heaven. We need not lose our visions, by our employments, if the fault were not our own. Alas that ever christians, who stand at the door of eternity, and have more work upon their hands than this poor moment of interposing time is sufficient for, should yet be filling both our heads and hearts with trifles!

3. Hence also I infer, for the awakening of all, that, if the keeping of the heart be the great work of a christian, then there are but few real christians in the world.

Indeed, if every one that hath learned the dialect of christianity, and can talk like a saint; if every one that hath gifts and parts, and by the common assisting presence of the spirit, can preach, pray or discourse like a christian; in a word,, if such as associate themselves with the peaple of God, and delight in ordinances,. might pass for christians, the number then is great.

But, alas, to what a small number will they shrink, if you judge them by this rule! how few are there that make conscience of keeping their hearts, watching. their thoughts, judging their ends,. &c O there be but few closet men among professors it is far easier for men to be reconciled to any duties in religion, than to thsee the profane part of the world. will not so much as touch with the outside of religious duties, much less to this: and for the bypocrite, though he be polite and curious about those externals,. yet you can never persuade him to this inward work, this difficult work; this work, to which there is no inducement by human applause; this work, that would quickly discover, what the hypocrite seems not to know. So that, by a general consent, this heart work is left to the hands

of a few secret ones, and I tremble to think in how few hands it is.

II. Use, of exhortation.

IF the keeping of the heart be so important a business, if such choice advantages accrue to you thereby, if so may dear and precious interests be wrapt up in it, then let me call upon the people of God every where to fall close to this

work.

Q study your hearts, watch your hearts, keep your hearts: away with fruitless controversies and all idle questions, away with empty names and vain shews, away with unprofitable discourse, and bold censures of others; turn in upon yourselves, get into your closets, and now resolve to dwell there. You have been strangers to this work too long, you have kept others vineyards too long, you have trifled about the borders of religion too long, this world hath detained you from your great work too long will you now resolve to look better to your hearts? Will you haste and come out of the crowds of business, and clamours of the world, and retire yourselves more than you have done? O that this day you would resolve upon it

Reader, methinks I should prevail with thee: all that I beg for is but this, that

thou wouldst step a little oftner to talk with God, and thine own heart; that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee; that thou wouldst keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections; that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart, at least every evening, O my heart, where hast thou been to day? Whither hast thou made a road to day? If all that hath been said by way of inducement be not enough, I have yet more. motives to offer you and the first is this,

1. Motive. The studying, observing, and diligent keeping of your own hearts, will marvellously help your understanding in the deep mysteries of religion.

An honest well experienced heart, is a singular help to a weak head: such a heart will serve you instead of a commentary upon a great part of the scriptures; by this means you shall far better understand the things of God, than the learned rabbies and profound doctors (if graceless and unexperienced) ever did. You shall not only have a more clear, but a more sweet perception and gust of them: a man may discourse orthodoxly and profoundly of the nature and effects of faith, the troubles and comforts of conscience,, the sweetness of communion with God,

that never felt the efficacy and sweet impressions of these things upon his own spirit; but, O how dark and dry are these notions, compared with his, upon whose heart they have been acted? When such a man reads David's psalms, or Paul's epistles, there he finds his own objections made and answered. O, saith he, these holy men speak my very heart! their doubts were mine, their troubles mine, and their experiences mine. I remember, Chrysostom, speaking to his people of Antioch about some choice experiences, useth this expression, those that are initiated, know what I say. Experience is the best schoolmaster. O then study your hearts, keep your hearts.

2. Mot. The study and observation of your own hearts will antidote you against the dangerous and infecting errors of the times and places you live in.

For, what think you is the reason that so many professors in England have departed from the faith, giving heed to fables; that so many thousands have been led away by the error of the wicked; that jesuits and quakers, who have sown cor rupt doctrine, have had such plentiful harvests among us? but because they have met with a company of empty notional professors, that never knew what