pet better times, till God give better hearts. Doth it not grieve you to see what a scorn religion is made in the world? What objects of contempt and scorn the professors of it are made in the world?

Professors, would you recover your credit? Would you again obtain an honourable testimony in the consciences of your very enemies? Then, keep your hearts, watch your hearts; it is the loosness, frothiness, and earthliness of your hearts, that hath made your lives so; and this hath brought you under contempt of the world. You first lost your sights of God, and communion with him; then your heavenly and serious deportment among men, and, by that, your interest in their consciences: O then, for the credit of religion, for the honour of your profession, keep your hearts!

7. Mot. By diligence in keeping our hearts, we should prevent and remove the fatal scandals and stumbling blocks out of the way of the world.

Woe to the world (saith Christ) because of offences, Mat. xviii. 7. Doth not shame cover your faces? Do not your hearts bleed within you, to hear of the scandalous miscarriages of many loose professors? Could you not, like Shem and

Japhet, go backward with a garment to cover the shame of many professors ? How is that worthy name blasphemed ? Jam. ii. 7. 2 Sam. xii. 13, 14. the hearts of the righteous sadned? Psal. xxv. 3. Ezek. xxxvi. 20. By this the world is fearfully prejudiced against Christ and religion, the bonds of death made fast upon their souls; those that have a general love and liking to the ways of God, startled and quite driven back, and thus soul blood is shed: woe to the world.

Yea, how are the consciences of fallen professors plunged, and even overwhelmed in the deeps of trouble? God inwardly excommunicating their souls from all comfortable fellowship with himself, and the joys of his salvation; inficite are the mischiefs, that come by the scandalous lives of professors.

And what is the true cause and reason of all this, but the neglecting of their hearts? Were our hearts better kept, all this would be prevented: bad David kept his heart, he had not broken his bones; a neglected careless heart must of necessity produce a disorderly scandalous life. I thank God for the freedom and faithful ness of a reverend brother, in' shewing professors their manifold miscarriages;

and from my heart do wish, that, when

their wounds have been thoroughly searched by that probe, God would be pleased to heal them by this plaister. O professors! if ever you will keep religion sweet, if ever you hope to recover the credit of it in the world, keep your hearts; either keep your hearts, or loose your credit; keep your hearts, or loose your comforts; keep your hearts, lest you shed soul blood. What words can express the deep concernments, the wonderful consequences of this work! Every thing puts a necessity, a solemnity, a beauty upon it.

8. Mot. An heart well kept will fit you for any condition God casts you into, or any service he hath to use you in.

He that hath learnt how to keep his heart lowly, is fit for prosperity; and he that knows how to use and apply to it scripture promises, and supports, is fit to pass through any adversity. He that can. deny the pride and selfishness of his heart, is fit to be employed in any service for God: such a man was Paul; he did not only spend his time in preaching to others, in keeping others vineyards, but he lookt to himself, kept his own vineyard, 1 Cor. ix. 27. Lest when I preached to others, I myself should be a cast away. And what an eminent instrumeut was he for God? he could turn his hand to any

work, he could dexterously manage both an adverse and prosperous condition; I know how to abound, and how to suffer waut let the people deify him, it moves bim not, unless to indignation; let them stone him, he can bear its if a purge himself from these (saith he, Tim. i. 21.) he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good. work.

man

be

First the heart must be purged; and then it is prepared for any service of God." When the heart of Isaiah was purified, which was the thing signified by touching of bis lips with a coal from the altar, Isa. vi. 7. then he was fit for God's work here am I, send me, v. 8. A man that hath not learned to keep his heart, put him upon any service for God, and, if it be attended with honour, it shall swell up and overtop his spirit; if with suffering, it will exanimate and sink him.

Jesus Christ had an instrumental fitness for his Father's work above all the servants that ever God employed; he was zealous in public work for God, so zenlous, that sometimes he forgot to eat bread, yea, that his friends thought he had been besides himself. But yet he so

carried on his public work, as not to forget his own private communion with God; and therefore you read, Mat. xiii. 23. that when he had been labouring all

ity day, yet, after that, he went up to a mountain apart to pray, and was there alone. Olet the keepers of the vineyards look to their own vineyard! We shall never be so instrumental to the good of others, as when we are most diligent about our own souls.

9. Mot. If the people of God would more diligently keep their hearts, how exceedingly would the communion of saints be thereby sweetned!

How goodly then would be thy tents, Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! Then, as it is prophesied of the Jews, Zech. viii. 23. Men would say, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is among you. It is the fellowship your souls have with the Father, and with the Son, that draws out the desires of others after fellowship with you, John, i. 3. I tell you, if saints would be persuaded to take more pains, and spend more time about their hearts, there would quickly be such a divine lustre upon the face of their conversations, that men would account it no small privilege to be with, or Dear them.