a testimony in their consciences of the excellency of those men and their way) this is in a great measure lost, to the unspeakable detriment of religion.

Time was, when christians did carry it at such a rate, that the world stood at a gaze at them, as that word, 1 Pet. iv. 4 imports; their life and language was of a different strain from others, their tongues discovered them to be Galileans wherever they came: but now since vain speculations and fruitless controversies have so much, obtained, and heart work, practical Godliness so much neglected among professors, the case is sadly altered, their discourse is become like other mens; if they come among you now, they may (toallude to that Acts. ii. 6.) hear every man speak in his own language. And truly I have little hope to see this evil redressed, and the credit of religion again repaired, till christians fall to their old work, till they ply heart work closer: when the salt of heavenly mindedness is again cast into the spring, the streams will run clearer and sweeter.

4. The comfort of our souls doth much depend upon the keeping of our hearts; for he that is negligent in attending his own heart, is (ordinarily) a

great stranger to assurance, and the sweet comforts flowing from it.

Indeed, if the Antinomian doârine were true, which teaches you to reject all marks and signs for the trial of your conditions, telling you, it is only the spirit that immediately assures you, by witnessing your adoption directly without them; then you might be careless of your hearts, yea, strangers to them, and yet no strangers to comfort: but, since both scripture and experience do confute this dotage, I hope you will never look for comfort in that unscriptural way. I deny not but it is the work and office of the spirit to assure you; and yet do confidently affirm, that, if ever you attain assurance in the ordinary way wherein God dispenses it, you must take pains with your own hearts: you may expect your comforts upon easier terms, but I am mistaken if ever you enjoy them upon any other give all diligence; prove yourselves; this is the scripture way. remember, Mr. Roberts, in his treatise of the covenaut, tells us, that he knew a christian, who, in the infancy of his christianity, so vehemently panted after the infallible assurance of God's love, that for a long time together he earnestly - desired some voice from heaven; yea,

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sometimes walking in the solitary fields, earnestly desired some miraculous voice from the trees and stones there: this after many desires and longings was denied him; but in time a better was afforded in the ordinary way of searching the word and his own heart. An instance of the like nature the learned Gerson gives us, of one that was driven by temptation, upon the very borders of desperation; at last, being sweetly settled and assured, one asked him, how he attained it? he auswered, not by any extraordinary revelation, but by subjecting his undestanding to the scriptures, and comparing his own heart with them. The spirit indeed assures by witnessing our adoption; and he witnesseth two ways;

(1.) Objectively, that is, by working those graces in our souls, which are the conditions of the promise, and so the spirit and his graces in us are all one; the spirit of God dwelling in us is a mark of our adoption. Now the spirit cannot be discerned in his essence, but in his operations; and to discern these, is to discern the spirit; and how these should be discerned, without serious searching, and diligent watching of the heart, I cannot imagine.

(2) The other way of the spirit's wit nessing is effectively, that is, by irradiating the soul with a grace discovering fight, shining upon his own work; and this, in order of nature, follows the former work; he first infuses the grace, and then opens the eye of the soul to see it. Now, since the heart is the subject of that infused grace, even this way of the spirits witnessing also includes the necessity of keeping carefully our own hearts: for,

(1.) A neglected heart is so confused and dark, that the little grace which is in it, is not ordinarily discernible: the most accurate and laborious christians, that take most pains, and spend most time about their hearts, do yet find it very difficult to discover the pure and genaine workings of the spirit there: how then shall the christians which are (comparatively) negligent and remiss about heart work, be ever able to discover it? Sincerity which is the thing sought for, lies in the heart like a small piece of gold in the bottom of a river, he that will find it must stay till the water be clear and settled and then he shall see it sparkling at the bottom; and that the heart may. be clear and settled, how much

pains and watching, care and diligence will it cost?

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(2.) God doth not usually indulge la

and negligent souls with the comforts of assurance, he will not so much as seem to patronize sloth and carelessness; Le will give it, but it shall be in his own way his command hath united our care and comfort together; they are mistaken that think the beautiful child of assurance may be born without pangs: ah, how many solitary hours have the people of God spent in heart examination? how many times have they looked into the word, and then into their hearts? sometimes they thought they discovered sincerity, and were even ready to draw forth the triumphant conclusion of assurance; then comes a doubt they cannot resolve, and dashes all again: many hopes and fears, doubtings and reasonings, they have had in their own breasts, before they ar rived at a comfortable settlement.

To conclude, suppose it possible for a careless christian to attain assurance, yet it is impossible he should long retain it; for it is with those, whose hearts are big with the joys of assurance, as with a pregnant woman subject to miscarriages; if extraordinary care be not used, it is a thousand to one if ever she embrace a