The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 5 · Character 3
3. Character.
3. Sincere obedience is a fruitfull obedience.
It is a growing obedience, hee contents not himſelf with the meaſures hee hath, but labours after perfection, Phil. 3. verſ. 12. to the 15. I have not yet attained, nor am already perfect, &c. A ſincere heart hee aims at the top of all, hee looks at the work it ſelf, hee propounds not to himſelf a ſhorter end than God would have him reach unto, Gods end is his, and that's perfection; hee deſires conformity to the pattern in the mount, to bee holy as God is holy, perfect as &c. An unſound heart hee bounds and ſtints himſelf, at theſe and theſe meaſures, and deſires to go no further; fulneſſe of holineſſe and perfection of grace, is not his aim nor deſire. Hee may deſire ſo much, as may ſerve his own turns, and ends, no more; ſo much as may ſerve his own advantages, hee deſires; but cares for no more than hee can make uſe of in the way. As the Phyſician who doth not deſire excellency in the Science, yet he will take in ſo much skill, as may ſerve his turn and practice; but hee cares not for more. The like I might ſay of any other Artiſt, whoſe ſpirit is not taken with the beauty of the things themſelves, yet he deſires ſo much as may ſerve ends.
Even ſo an unſound ſpirit; whoſe heart is nothing taken with the beauties of holineſſe, yet hee may deſire ſo much as may ſerve his turns, his ſecular advantages, but hee will have no more. A Tradeſ-man will take in ſomewhat, it may bee hee will not ſwear bloody oathes in the face of his cuſtomers, this were to drive men away, this could not ſtand with his ends; if hee were ſuch a one, men would avoid him; and therefore hee will take in ſo much as will ſerve his trade, and no more: theſe men deſire the Talent, not for the maſters uſe, but for their own uſe. So in any other. But now it is otherwiſe with a ſincere heart, his deſire is to abound in holineſs, he ſees ſo much beauty in God, that he cannot be at reſt till hee bee ſwallowed up with God, made all like him, hee ſees ſo much excellency in Grace, that nothing but perfection will ſatisfy him. Nay, and he doth not only make perfection his utmoſt end, but hee labours after perfection with his utmoſt ſtrength and endeavours. And the ground of all this, is, becauſe a ſincere heart looks ſingly to God, and therefore ſerves him with all his might; while a mans heart is divided, his ſtrength is alſo divided. That mans ſtrength is not whole for God whoſe heart is not ſo, But when God is made the one of a mans deſires, the one of a mans affections, the one of a mans life and comfort, then will hee bee the one of a mans endeavours too, and a man deſires to ſerve God with all his might. Such men, again, give up themſelves to the ſervice of God. Lord I am thine, ſaith David, and therefore will do his work with all their ſtrength. As there are none more ſtrong in the Devils work, than ſuch as have ſold themſelves to it; as it was ſaid of Ahab, hee ſold himſelf, hee gave over his whole heart to ſin: ſo there is none more induſtrious in Gods work, than ſuch as give themſelves up to God, ſuch as paſs over themſelves by deed of gift to him. When a man can once ſay truly with them in Iſa. 44.5. One ſhall ſay, I am the Lords, &c. Then is his whole might laid out in the ſervice of God. Thus a ſincere Obedience is a fruitful Obedience, an abounding Obedience, as God doth not ſtint his mercy to him, ſo hee doth not his ſervice to God. If indeed mercy had been bounded to us, wee had been undone, if hee had ſaid, I will pardon ſome ſins, but not all, or if hee had ſaid, I will pardon all, I will juſtifie, but not ſanctifie; or if hee had ſaid, I will do this, &c. but not, &c. Well, there is the third Character.