Refutation of the Errors Toleration Erastianism Independency and Separation, Sermon 2

Refutation of the Errors Toleration Erastianism Independency and Separation · Sermon 2

p. 287A SERMON PREACHED AT KILWINNING, Immediatly before the giving of the COMMUNION. Being a Preparation Sermon in order thereunto.

The second SERMON.

PSALM 51. 6.

Behold, thou desirest Truth in the inward Parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know Wisdom.

THIS Psalm is one of Davids Penitential Psalms, wherein his Conscience being first awakned, and made sensible of his Sin, He pleadeth hard for God's Mercy & Grace, and especially for the Pardon of his Sin; which Petition He insists p. 288upon most, and doth again and again inculcate it.

The Words read in the First Part of this Verse, hold out somewhat which God mainly called for, and David aimed at, as a necessary Ingredient in his Penitential Address unto God; Without which nothing he could do in any Duty of God's Service, or particularly in This which He is presently about, would have been acceptable to God, and which being obtain'd and in exercise, all He did was the more savoury; and therefore He maketh mention of it in the midst of His Prayer and present Exercise, that thereby He may both mind His Heart, of the great necessity there was to have it, and also may chear up his weighted Spirit somewhat, in confidence that He would be accepted of God in His present Address, seing He had something of that necessary Ingredient, which God doth so much require, desire, and accept of.

The thing it self is expressed by the Word (Truth) Behold thou desirest Truth in the inward parts, &c. Whereby is not meaned Truth in the Judgement, opposed to Error; nor Truth in People's Words, opposed to the Sin of Lying, and speaking Untruth; But it is Truth in the Heart and Affections, called here Truth in the inward parts; In a word, it is the Grace of Sincerity and Singleness of Heart; For so is this Grace often expressed in Scripture, Isai. 38. 3. I have walked before thee in Truth, saith Hezekiah) and with a perfect, upright, or sincere Heart. And Ephes. 6. 14 Having their loins girt about with Truth, &c. That is, with Sincerity and Single-heartedness. This then is p. 289That Truth which God requires as a necessary seasoning Ingredient in all Duties, and especially in all Religious Performances; And which David here holds out with a Behold, as the thing which above any other thing he had aimed at, and yet would aim more at, in his Penitential Address unto God.

We have then in the Words, 1. A Note of Attention (Behold) which David prefixeth to that which he is to say; I call it a Note of Attention, for that is the use it serveth for in this place, as I shall clear afterwards. 2. There is That which he subjoineth to this (Behold) The Lords Complacency and Delight in the Grace of Sincerity, and the Exercise of it, as that without which his Present Address could not be savory or acceptable to God: Thou desirest Truth in the inward parts.

I shall observe Two things in General before I come to the Particulars of the Text. 1. From this, David holds out the Rule he had walked by and was to walk by for making his Present Address to God, In confessing of Sin, and pleading hard for Pardon, acceptable. Hence take this Doctrine. That it is not enough that we do somewhat of Commanded Duties, but we must labour to do what we do in some measure acceptably: David not only confesseth Sin, and pleads for Pardon, but he aims to do it in Truth, that so he may do it Acceptably; For while he saith, God did desire Truth in the inward parts, it is evidently implyed that He aimed to have it: There is reason for this; Because, If the thing we do be not done Acceptably and in the Right Manner, though the p. 290thing done be never so good in it self, the doing of it is but lost labour unto us: Thus though it was a piece of Commanded Duty under the Old Testament to offer up Sacrifices to God; yet when People made not Conscience to discharge this Duty in the Right Manner, all they did was to as little purpose, as if they had done nothing at all; Hence Isai. 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: &c. Yea, the more excellent any Duty is in it self, and the greater good is to be had by going about any Duty in a Right and Acceptable Manner, the greater is the Hurt and Damnage which we incurr by it, when we advert not how we do it; And when, without taking heed to our Feet, we rush foreward to it, and carry our selves but carelesly in the mean time that we are imployed about it: What more excellent, comfortable, and Soul edifying Ordinance is there than this of a Communion, which through God's Mercy ye have yet the liberty of approaching unto? Is it not a Feast of Fat things? of Wine on the Lees well refined, wherein we Feast with Christ and upon Christ, His broken Body is Meat indeed, the most excellent that Heaven or Earth can afford: And yet (saith Paul) If ye come not to this Ordinance in the Right Manner, if ye set not your selves so to go about it as that ye may be accepted in your work, if ye eat or drink unworthily without previous Examination of your selves, Ye shall eat and drink Damnation and Judgement to your selves; Not only shall your Table prove a snare, but your meat be turned into poyson; And p. 291therefore consider this in the entry, and labour to have it imprinted on your Hearts, That it is not enough to come rushing foreward to your Work not considering how ye come; Your coming ought to be according to the Direction given, Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God, &c. As at all time, so especially when ye approach unto such a dreadful Ordinance a this is, whereof the advantage is so great, if ye come Right, and the hurt and hazard so unspeakably great, if ye come Wrong.

But Secondly observe yet in General, That in going about Commanded Duties in some measure Acceptably, ye ought now and then to reflect upon the Manner and Way of your discharge of Duty, even in the mean time when ye are about it: For so doth David Here, He casts an eye upon the Right Manner how He should have prayed, to wit, In Sincerity and Truth, even in the very midst of his prayer, while he saith unto God, Behold, thou desirest Truth in the inward parts, And thus Christ in Luke 8. 18. saith unto His Disciples, in the very mean time they were Hearing. Take heed therefore how ye hear: And surely our Hearts do oft turn formal, vain, wandering and lumpish, or heavy, in the Service of God, because we do not seriously mind how sinful, shameful, and unseemly it is that it should be so: A check of this kind in time, and seasonably, to a vain, straying and wandering Heart, would do much through God's Blessing to make it halt: David doth this oft, especially Psal. 43. 5. where he turns his speech from God, and gives himself a rebuke p. 292and check for the present unsuitable frame of Heart wherein he then was, Why art thoucast down, O my Soul? (saith he) And why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God, &c. So that this reflecting upon the Manner and Way how ye discharge Duty, even in the mean time when ye are about it, is useful: When ye find your Heart out of frame, a serious timous check given unto it, will prove an effectual mean to reclaim it: Besides, if upon your reflecting thus, ye find matters tollerably Right, and your Heart in such a frame for the Main, as the Lord requireth, it will furnish you with matter of boldness, courage, and confidence: as here it doth David, who having found somewhat of this Truth and this upright and sincere frame of Heart, in his own Inward parts, He takes ground of Confidence from That, to expect that God who had given him This, could also give him more, In the hidden part (saith he) thou shalt make me to know Wisdom.

For Vse, This doth shortly speak two things. 1. The Service of God is a Work not of the Outward Man only, but also and mainly, of the Inward Man: The Heart and Mind of a Man must be exercised in it, if so be go rightly about it; And that many wayes: And this is One way, The Heart must be exercised by reflecting now and then upon it self, and observing its own present frame and disposition, how it comes up to the Rule prescrived by God, for making what we do in the Service of God Acceptable. And next it speaks the great guilt of many in God's Service, A piece of the Iniquity of our Holy Things, for which p. 293we ought to be humbled; That many times whe… our Tongue is busie our Heart is idle, when our Outward Man is present, the Inward Man is away, and gets liberty to depart from God without check or challenge. This is it that God complains of, Isai. 29. 13.—This People draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me.

But now I come to the words in particular 1. David prefixeth a (Behold) while he is to speak to that which was necessarly required for making his Adress acceptable to God: Behold is somtimes a note of Admiration prefixed to such things as are wonderful, as Isai. 7, 14. Behold a virgin shall conceive… and bear a Son &c. And so it may be taken here, it is indeed a thing wonderful that God should desire or delight in Truth in the inward parts, or that any thing which is in us, or proceeding from us should be lovely to him; There is such a mixture of unlovely sinful dross in every thing of that sort. But we think it doth rather serve here (as often elswhere) For a note of Attention; Only taking it so, ye must consider that David's design and aim hereby is not so much to stirr up God as his own Heart, and the Hearts of others in whose hands this Piece of Scripture should come, to take heed to the following Purposes.

We shall from this shortly mark Two things 1. The Hearts even of the best have need of being stirred up to take heed unto what is the Lords mind concerning the Right and Acceptable Manner in going p. 294about comman…ed Duty; For therefore doth David see it needful to pluck his own ear (as it were) for making himself more attentive to this Subject, by prefixing a Behold a note of Attention unto it, Behold thou desirest Truth in the inward Parts. The Truth is, if we get the substance of Duties gone about, we are ordinarly too apt to think that it is but needless scrupulosity, to be anxious about the manner how to do it; So are we in Prayer, So are we in Hearing, and so are we also in coming to Communions; when ever occasion is offered, and an outward Call or invitation given us to come, there is none almost but his Conscience will challenge him if he stay aback; But as to the qualifications of the Call, and what is required of you for coming Acceptably, It is a wonder to see with what a careless ear the most part do hear any thing of that sort; as if the Communion were a Charm to work upon People whether they be fitted to Receive it or not; So that Sermons for Preparation do serve (as to many) for no other use, but for a Customary Ceremony, and to fill up so much time. These necessary Directions which are given you to come in the right manner and the warnings you get, telling you how dreadful a thing it is to come Wrong, are minded no longer by the most part, than the mean time they hear them, and by some scarcely so long: Hence certainly it is that the Lord is not so Familiar with the Hearts of People at his Own Feast as sometimes he hath been; It is no wonder, Because we come not as Prepared Guests with a Wedding Garment p. 295to meet with him; Yea doubtless hence it is that the Lord doth threaten so hard to draw his Table, and to suffer men to impose upon us a Dead lifeless formal way of Worship, that therein we may see the Copy of our own Hearts, who if they get the outward form gone about, they care little for the inward Life, Power, and Substance; and surely if ever it come to this, (as God knows how soon it may) that all our Religion shall consist in threed-bare Imposed Forms, and that more pains be taken by Ministers to press upon People the observance of these Forms, than the very Life and substance of Religious Performances, we must justifie the Lord in it, for that is the very Copy of our formal Hearts. Our Love to and resting on Formality may provoke the Lord to wreath the yoke of a Dead, Lifeless and Formal Service on our necks, that we shall not be able to shake it off, though we would. The Lord oftimes shapes out Cross Dispensations in the publick, according to these sinful Distempers which are common and prevalent in the Hearts of People, that therein they may see the unlovely Representation and Idea of their Own Heart Jer: 5. 31. He'l suffer even The Prophets to Prophesy falsly, and the Priests to bear Rule by Their means, If his People love to have it so.

But Secondly, The consideration of this your Dulness and Aversness to hear what is the Lords mind, concerning the Right and Acceptable Manner of going about Commanded Duties, should make you so much the more to stir up your selves, to give diligent heed unto any thing that is spoken to that purpose; p. 296For therefore in order to his own upstirring doth David prefix a Note of Attention (Behold) to the purpose in hand. 1. Directions of that kind are needful to be given; For (as ye heard) though ye do all that is Commanded, as to the Substance and Matter, yet if ye do it not in the Right Manner, all ye do is to no purpose, as I cleared from Isaiah 1. 11. 2 If it be needful that such Directions be given, then it is needful that ye diligently hear them, else ye cannot obey them, ye'l but leave them where ye find them, as oft-times ye do; In which case your Hearing them doth but aggravate your guilt in the neglect of them. 3. Our backwardness and aversness to hear and lay to Heart what is spoken to that purpose; though it be great, yet is not such, but if it be wrestled against and manfully opposed it may be overcome; It is only Our giving way to it without resistance, which makes it strong, importunate and shameless, when our setting our selves seriously and in earnest to wrestle against it, would make it to cede, according to that word, Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

I shall not insist on this, only This serves in place of a Preface for stiring you up to hear and lay to Heart what I am to say on the rest of the Text, which holds out the Lords mind (as to one thing at least) concerning the Right and Acceptable Manner of going about Commanded Duties, and especially This Duty which now ye are called to, of approaching to the Lords Table: The Lord desireth Truth in the Inward Parts. It's true, not only what ye heard from p. 297the former Note, but your own experience at such times doth shew your Hearts are woefully backward to Hear and lay to Heart any thing that is spoken to this purpose; But seeing the thing is needful, and so needful as that all your other pains, without coming up to what ye hear to this purpose, will be to no good purpose: Therefore ye ought to bestir your selves, striving in earnest against your own Backwardness: And if ye seriously set your selves to strive against it, I doubt not but ye will get it overcome, at least in part.

This much for the Note of Attention (Behold) I come next to that which is subjoined, to. This (Behold) viz. The Lords complacency and delight in the Grace of Sincerity, and the exercise of it, As that without which David's present Address could not be Savory or Acceptable to God: Thou desirest Truth in the inward Parts.

We'l find Three things in the Words, For clearing what it is which makes our Performances accepted of God. 1. In general, It is somewhat which God desires, approves, or loves, Thou desirest, &c. 2. It is somewhat in the Inward Parts, not so much That which is External, and seen by Men, as what is Internal, and known only to God, and the Man's own self. 3. One main particular hereof is condescended on, to wit, Truth, the Grace of Sincerity and the Exercise of that Grace, Thou de…irest Truth in the Inward Parts, Of all which I shall endeavour so to speak, as that therein ye may see both your bypast failings for your Humiliation, and also may see a Rule p. 298to which ye ought to Conform your selves for time to come; As in the practise of all Duties, so especially in your Address to God at this time. First then observe, The Rule of going about Commanded Duties Acceptably and in the Right manner is God's approbation: For David doth not propose unto himself to follow That which would please his Own Humour, or the Humour of others, but that which God Desires, Loves and Approves of; Behold (saith he) thou desirest Truth, &c. As if he had said, The t…ing O Lord which I aim at, is, That which thou Desires and Approves: Thus the Lord saith to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me, and be thou perfect, He … have His Approbation (hinted at in the words Before me) the Rule of his walking acceptably: This was the Rule which Christ himself when he came unto the World did walk by, Psal. 40. 6, 7, 8, Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire—Then said l: Lo, I come—. I delight to do thy will, O my God: And there is reason for it, If we consider 1. That God is our main Party to whom we must give an account for all we do; We must give an Account to others also, but he'l reckon with us when all others have done with us. 2. He hath tyed us to this Rule and will reckon with us according to it, Deut. 5. 32. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: You shall not turn aside to the Right hand, or to the Left. And therefore 3. Ye must look mainly to what He approves or disapproves, else all ye do will be to no good purpose, Matth. 6. 2. They do their Alms, that they may have p. 299Glory of Men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward. This ought to make you search what is the Rule ye walk by, and to which ye labour to conform your selves most, in your walk: And for your more easie search, I shall point at some who walk not by this Rule.

1. Those walk not by this Rule, who set themselves to come up in their way not to what God desires, but to what the time, and any Party who bears …way in the time, desire: This is the Rule which the Pharisees would have had all in their time to walk by John. 7. 48. Have any of the Rulers (say they) or of the Pharisees believed on him? And it is the Rule that many walk by in all times; they know no other Religion than That of the Times, and which pleaseth Them best who bear the greatest sway; So that if Such should change their way every year once, They will not scruple much to change it as oft. This is the Rule which these did follow whom God doth threaten, Hos. 7. 3. They make the King glad with their wickedness, and the Princes with their Lies. They cared not what they did if so they might please their King and Rulers by it: Such are Time-servers, Men-pleasers, and so cannot be God-pleasers; For (saith Paul) If I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ.

2. Those walk not by this Rule of God's Approbation and Desire, whose highest design in the point of Duty is, To follow the Example of others; And whose great enquiry is, not so much to know what God Desires, as what others do; and rest upon that p. 300as sufficient that they may do the like: This is the Rule which God forbids to follow, Exod. 23. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, &c. And Broad is the way which leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go therein: And yet it is a Rule which many follow, both as the matter what, and the manner how they do it: How many are there, that though they want not their own Convictions and Challenges for several things they themselves are conscious of, yet if there be many who are under the Power of the same Evils with themselves, they force themselves to take Peace and hold on, because there are many guilty of the same fault: Alas, That is but a very poor ground of Comfort, To go to Hell with Company, and speaks but very little zeal for God's Honour, else the more thou seest it trampled on by others, thou would be the more tender of it; and consequently the more Common any sin is, thou should hate it the more, because God gets the more Dishonour by it: This was David's way, Rivers of Tears (saith he) run down mine Eyes because of the wicked who transgress thy Law.

3. Those walk not by this Rule, who walk only by that which their own Carnal Wit and Natural Reason approves; How many are they, who though they cannot but know that God in His Word requires more exactness in their Walk, yet they rest on that which they think their own Carnal Wit thinks may suffice; They'll do what they can in Religious Duties, which indeed is but to do what they please; But for further, God must forgive them: Thus p. 301they'l medle with what is easie, pleasant, and profitable, in Religion; But for what is hurtful, burthen some, or may bring loss, they'l never owne that; Because their Carnal Reason suggests unto them, that less than that may serve the turn, Religion is good, but People ought not to impoverish or destroy themselves for it: Thus many do easily dispense with themselves for the neglect of all painful Hazards and expensive Duties; such as To deal their Bread to the Hungry, To choose Affliction rather than to sin; Not to recompense evil with evil, but evil with good, To cleave unto Christ and Truth when the wind of Tryal and Persecution blow hard in their face. These and such like Duties are not much stood on by the Man that walks by this Rule of Carnal Reason. As also the Duty of Mortifying your Predominant, Cutting off of the Right Hand, plucking out of the Right Eye, and that painful Duty of Heart-searching, and Self-judging, as at all times, so chiefly when ye are coming to a Communion, Carnal Wit will suggest to you that such precise strictness is not needful. Now this Rule is flatly contrary to that which is here prescribed, The Rule of Gods Approbation: For the Carnal Mind is Enmity to God, and Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Those walk not by this Rule whose great endeavour is to conform themselves, not so much to what God Desires, as to what they themselves find Peace in, and who if they get not troublesome challenges from Conscience for their way, do take it for granted that their way is good enough, and do p. 302never set themselves to enquire further about it: Now this is an unsure Rule: For 1. Many may have Peace in that which is just opposite to what God Requires and Desires. Ye'l see Deut. 29. 19. How the Prophane Ruffian cryeth, Peace, he shall have Peace, though he add Drunkenness to Thirst: As it were in despite of God. But, 2. Tho' thy Conscience be not thus fear'd, yet it may be sleeping, because thou takes no pains to get it awakened; And if thou wouldst but rouze it up, and make it pass impartial Sentence upon thy Way, There are many things thy Conscience would give thee little rest in, for which now thou finds no check or challenge. 3. It would be considered, whether Conscience now and then do not give you some gentle Checks for many things, tho it wound not sore, because ye do quickly command it to silence, so that it doth not speak to purpose, being overaw'd so that it dare not speak. In either of which Cases, Peace of Mind is not a safe Rule to walk by; For ye may have Peace in that which God approveth not.

I come now to the second thing here expressed, for clearing what That is, that makes our Performances accepted of by God: It is somewhat in the Inward Parts, not so much that which is External and obvious to the Eyes of Man, as Internal and only known to God, even the hidden man of the Heart. It's true the man who would walk acceptably, must also look to that which is External, to wit, that which God hath Commanded, according to Philip. 4. 8. Finally, Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever p. 303things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; If there be any vertue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. So he is not to over look all things External, or look on them as things indifferent, if they be Honest, Pure, of a good Report, and any vertue in them, he must set about them: Only the great Work of such a man should ly most about his Heart and Inward Parts; how to get it brought up to Duty and keeped at Duty: For John 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that Worship him, must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth. The Heart is the thing which God doth mainly seek. My Son (saith Solomon) Prov: 23. 26. Give me thy Heart. And He doth so seek it, that if he get it not, he cares not for all the rest, Isai. 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouth, and with their Lips do Honour Me, but have removed their Heart far from me, &c.

I might here run out in a sad complaint That the Religion of the times is almost all Out-side-work (at least in very many) who the longer they live make the less ado about the Heart: And is it not so, If when ye neglect the external part of Duty ye get a Challenge, but if that be discharged ye have Peace, though there be no more care about the Heart than if ye had none? But as to your accquitting your selves in this particular of making your great work ly about the Heart and Inward parts, Try your selves but by these Three things. 1. What is your care to restrain and mortify Heart Sins, which the p. 304Apostle calls the Filthiness of the Spirit, As High conceit of your selves, and your envying of the good of others, because it overshadows you; The Sin of Fretting and repining under cross dispensations; of not reverencing God in, and being contented with your Lott. Try I say what your Cares and Endeavours are to mortify these and such like Heart sins; 2. Try what Conscience ye make to Discharge Inward and spiritual Duties, which require only the Inward man to be acted in them; As the Duty of meditating on God, keeping intercourse and fellowship betwixt your Hearts and Him, The Duty of self judging, and calling your self to an account every night of the days work, the Duty of stooping to God under Cross Dispensations, and constructing aright of every thing that God does. Try I say what Conscience ye make, to discharge those and such like spiritual Duties. 3. Try in what way your greatest Care doth run in these Duties which require both the Outward and Inward man; Is your great Care to act from right motives, and for right ends? or rather do ye not on the contrair take but litle care what be the frame of your Heart within, if ye but get the outward work done, and a fair out-side which none can challenge? Is your desire not only to exercise your Tongue in Praying, Your voice and art in Singing Praises, but also and mainly, to exercise your spiritual Graces, your Faith, your Humility, your Love, your Repentence for Sin, and your joy in God? I fear if ye try by these marks, many of us shall find, that though the Inward parts be p. 305that which God Desireth most, yet it is that whereof we do give him least, which makes a great part of our Duties to be but shadows of Duty; They have the external draughts and lineaments, shape and proportion of Duty but no more; they are painted Duties, like a painted man without life, a painted fire without heat, Let the tryal of your self in these, and judging of your selves for them, be a part of your Preparation: And take this for a further part of it from the same Ground, if ye would have what ye do about your Preparation, accepted of by God, let your great work ly about your Heart, how to get it brought to Duty, and wrought up to some good Frame; for the Lord desireth mainly the Inward parts; and where your backward, dead, and lumpish Hearts will not move or drive for you, beseech the Lord to draw them, and make them willing in the day of his Power.

But now lastly, I come to the particular here condescended on as a necessary Ingredient, for making our performances Acceptable and savoury viz. The Grace of Truth and sincerity, Behold thou desirest Truth in the Inward parts. And it gives us this Doctrine That the Grace of sincerity and the exercise of it, Is abosolutely necessary for making our Duties acceptable to God; It's so necessary that the Lord will accept even very little where it is, when he I reject much where it is wanting: we'l see both these if we look to the Scripture verdict of two Kings of Judah, The first is, Asa, He was guilty in many things, there were very visible defects in him p. 300as sufficient that they may do the like: This is the Rule which God forbids to follow, Exod. 23. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, &c. And Broad is the way which leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go therein: And yet it is a Rule which many follow, both as the matter what, and the manner how they do it: How many are there, that though they want not their own Convictions and Challenges for several things they themselves are conscious of, yet if there be many who are under the Power of the same Evils with themselves, they force themselves to take Peace and hold on, because there are many guilty of the same fault: Alas, That is but a very poor ground of Comfort, To go to Hell with Company, and speaks but very little zeal for God's Honour, else the more thou seest it trampled on by others, thou would be the more tender of it; and consequently the more Common any sin is, thou should hate it the more, because God gets the more Dishonour by it: This was David's way, Rivers of Tears (saith he) run down mine Eyes because of the wicked who transgress thy Law.

3. Those walk not by this Rule, who walk only by that which their own Carnal Wit and Natural Reason approves; How many are they, who though they cannot but know that God in His Word requires more exactness in their Walk, yet they rest on that which they think their own Carnal Wit thinks may suffice; They'll do what they can in Religious Duties, which indeed is but to do what they please; But for further, God must forgive them: Thus p. 301they'l medle with what is easie, pleasant, and profitable, in Religion; But for what is hurtful, burthen some, or may bring loss, they'l never owne that; Because their Carnal Reason suggests unto them, that less than that may serve the turn, Religion is good, but People ought not to impoverish or destroy themselves for it: Thus many do easily dispense with themselves for the neglect of all painful Hazards and expensive Duties; such as To deal their Bread to the Hungry, To choose Affliction rather than to sin; Not to recompense evil with evil, but evil with good, To cleave unto Christ and Truth when the wind of Tryal and Persecution blow hard in their face. These and such like Duties are not much stood on by the Man that walks by this Rule of Carnal Reason. As also the Duty of Mortifying your Predominant, Cutting off of the Right Hand, plucking out of the Right Eye, and that painful Duty of Heart-searching, and Self-judging, as at all times, so chiefly when ye are coming to a Communion, Carnal Wit will suggest to you that such precise strictness is not needful. Now this Rule is flatly contrary to that which is here prescribed, The Rule of Gods Approbation: For the Carnal Mind is Enmity to God, and Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Those walk not by this Rule whose great endeavour is to conform themselves, not so much to what God Desires, as to what they themselves find Peace in, and who if they get not troublesome challenges from Conscience for their way, do take it for granted that their way is good enough, and do p. 302never set themselves to enquire further about it: Now this is an unsure Rule: For 1. Many may have Peace in that which is just opposite to what God Requires and Desires. Ye'l see Deut. 29. 19. How the Prophane Ruffian cryeth, Peace, he shall have Peace, though he add Drunkenness to Thirst: As it were in despite of God. But, 2. Tho' thy Conscience be not thus fear'd, yet it may be sleeping, because thou takes no pains to get it awakened; And if thou wouldst but rouze it up, and make it pass impartial Sentence upon thy Way, There are many things thy Conscience would give thee little rest in, for which now thou finds no check or challenge. 3. It would be considered, whether Conscience now and then do not give you some gentle Checks for many things, tho it wound not sore, because ye do quickly command it to silence, so that it doth not speak to purpose, being overaw'd so that it dare not speak. In either of which Cases, Peace of Mind is not a safe Rule to walk by; For ye may have Peace in that which God approveth not.

I come now to the second thing here expressed, for clearing what That is, that makes our Performances accepted of by God: It is somewhat in the Inward Parts, not so much that which is External and obvious to the Eyes of Man, as Internal and only known to God, even the hidden man of the Heart. It's true the man who would walk acceptably, must also look to that which is External, to wit, that which God hath Commanded, according to Philip. 4. 8. Finally, Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever p. 303things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; If there be any vertue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. So he is not to over look all things External, or look on them as things indifferent, if they be Honest, Pure, of a good Report, and any vertue in them, he must set about them: Only the great Work of such a man should ly most about his Heart and Inward Parts; how to get it brought up to Duty and keeped at Duty: For John 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that Worship him, must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth. The Heart is the thing which God doth mainly seek. My Son (saith Solomon) Prov: 23. 26. Give me thy Heart. And He doth so seek it, that if he get it not, he cares not for all the rest, Isai. 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouth, and with their Lips do Honour Me, but have removed their Heart far from me, &c.

I might here run out in a sad complaint That the Religion of the times is almost all Out-side-work (at least in very many) who the longer they live make the less ado about the Heart: And is it not so, If when ye neglect the external part of Duty ye get a Challenge, but if that be discharged ye have Peace, though there be no more care about the Heart than if ye had none? But as to your accquitting your selves in this particular of making your great work ly about the Heart and Inward parts, Try your selves but by these Three things. 1. What is your care to restrain and mortify Heart Sins, which the p. 304Apostle calls the Filthiness of the Spirit, As High conceit of your selves, and your envying of the good of others, because it overshadows you; The Sin of Fretting and repining under cross dispensations; of not reverencing God in, and being contented with your Lott. Try I say what your Cares and Endeavours are to mortify these and such like Heart sins; 2. Try what Conscience ye make to Discharge Inward and spiritual Duties, which require only the Inward man to be acted in them; As the Duty of meditating on God, keeping intercourse and fellowship betwixt your Hearts and Him, The Duty of self judging, and calling your self to an account every night of the days work, the Duty of stooping to God under Cross Dispensations, and constructing aright of every thing that God does. Try I say what Conscience ye make, to discharge those and such like spiritual Duties. 3. Try in what way your greatest Care doth run in these Duties which require both the Outward and Inward man; Is your great Care to act from right motives, and for right ends? or rather do ye not on the contrair take but litle care what be the frame of your Heart within, if ye but get the outward work done, and a fair out-side which none can challenge? Is your desire not only to exercise your Tongue in Praying, Your voice and art in Singing Praises, but also and mainly, to exercise your spiritual Graces, your Faith, your Humility, your Love, your Repentance for Sin, and your joy in God? I fear if ye try by these marks, many of us shall find, that though the Inward parts b… p. 305that which God Desireth most, yet it is that whereof we do give him least, which makes a great part of our Duties to be but shadows of Duty; They have the external draughts and lineaments, shape and proportion of Duty but no more; they are painted Duties, like a painted man without life, a painted fire without heat, Let the tryal of your self in these, and judging of your selves for them, be a part of your Preparation: And take this for a further part of it from the same Ground, if ye would have what ye do about your Preparation, accepted of by God, let your great work ly about your Heart, how to get it brought to Duty, and wrought up to some good Frame; for the Lord desireth mainly the Inward parts; and where your backward, dead, and lumpish Hearts will not move or drive for you, beseech the Lord to draw them, and make them willing in the day of his Power.

But now lastly, I come to the particular here condescended on as a necessary Ingredient, for making our performances Acceptable and savoury viz. The Grace of Truth and sincerity, Behold thou desirest Truth in the Inward parts. And it gives us this Doctrine That the Grace of sincerity and the exercise of it, Is absolutely necessary for making our Duties acceptable to God; It's so necessary that the Lord will accept even very little where it is, when he…l reject much where it is wanting: we'l see both these if we look to the Scripture verdict of two Kings of Judah, The first is, Asa, He was guilty in many things, there were very visible defects in him p. 306trary to that which the Law of God required: as particularly, he caused imprison the Prophet who reproved him 2 Chron: 16 10. He did not remove the superstitious High places, and yet see what the Spirit of God saith of him 1 King 15, 14. The High places were not removed: nevertheless Asa his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his days. Implying that because he was a sincere upright hearted man, the Lord overlooked his many other failings. So much is also implyed in Hezekiah's Prayer, and the Answer it gets from God 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his Heart to seek God, the Lord God of his Fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary, And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the People. The other is King Amaziah 2 Chron: 25, 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect Heart. Implying that though he did many things which in themselves were Right and Good, yet because his Heart was not single, sincere, and straight, in what he did, the Lord doth not regard it; which cleareth the thing I said before, That the Grace of Sincerity and exercise of it is so necessary, that the Lord will accept even very little where it is, and will reject much where it is wanting.

Now for opening up this Grace of Truth and sincerity a litle, in order to the application of the Point: Know 1, Sincerity is a Grace which looketh mainly to the Inside, therefore it is here called Truth in the Inward parts: If thou be a Sincere man, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile, p. 307Though a fair outside, may please Onlookers, because they see no further, yet it will not please thee, because thou knows it will not please God, He desireth Truth in the Inward parts. But of this already. 2. Sincerity and Truth of Heart makes a man's Tongue and Heart to go together in all his deportment, whether to God or man; The sincere hearted Man is not a double Man, he labours to be that in effect which he gives himself out to be. Thus 1. John 3. 18▪ Truth is opposed to …air words which are no more but Words; My litle Children (saith he) let us not love in Word, neither in Tongue, but in Deed and in Truth. Implying where Word and Deed go not together, there is no singleness, sincerity, or Truth there. 3. Sincerity aims at the right end, and works from right, approven and spiritual motives. The Apostle Paul Philip: 1. 15, 16. Puts this difference betwixt the sincere and unsincere man, The Sincere Man works out of love and good will to Christ and Truth, the Unsincere man again works the same Work, and as much of it, but he works out of envy and strife, For some base and by ends. This Grace of Sincerity and Truth makes a man look not only to the Substance of his Actions, that they be Right and Commanded, but also to the Manner of them, and chiefly that they be from spiritual motives and for a right end, that is, for God's Glory, Thy own Salvation, Thy neighbours good and Edification.

Now for Vse, Ye would try if there be not much want and inlake of this Truth and Sincerity among Us; It's true every inlake and failing in the exercise p. 308of Sincerity will not prove a Man to be Unsincere; As every act of Hypocrisie will not make a Man an Hypocrite if so he do not countenance himself in it; If so he do bewail it and flee to Jesus Christ to get pardon for it, and strength to subdue it: It is not for this end I would have you to search and try your Inlakes in the exercise of Sincerity, that ye may give your selves over for Rotten-hearted Hypocrites: But that you may bewail it, take with it, judge your selves for it, flee to Christ to get it pardoned, and to get Grace to amend it; And your making this use of your foul Failings, as to this point, shall be a clear evidence, that though there has been much unsincerity, and shameless Hypocrisie in you, yet ye are no real Hypocrites▪

But the main Use of the Point is, That as ye desire to come to the Lords Table Acceptably, and in the Right Manner, so deal with God sincerely and in Truth, that is, Let your great Work ly about your Heart and Inward Parts to get some right frame and disposition put on them, whereof I spoke before; Only an humble, hungring frame, thirsting after Communion and Fellowship with him, is a good frame at such a time. Again let your coming flow from Spiritual Motives, and level at Right and Approven Ends; But especially deal Sincerely and in Tr…th with God, by labouring to be That indeed, which by your Act of coming to the Communion ye give your selves out for. Now ye give your selves out for many things. 1. Your Coming saith, That ye have need of Christ, and must be at him; And therefore p. 309deal sincerely and in Truth with Christ, in searching out and being affected with the need ye have of Him. 2. Your Coming to the Lords Table speaks that ye are weary of your old Masters, and have a real mind to change them; Now I beseech you deal sincerely and in Truth with God, and see it be so that ye are really weary of your old Lusts which formerly enslaved you; And that ye have a mind indeed to quite them. 3. Ye do hereby give out that you have a mind to take God for your Master, to enrol your self in the List of His Soldiers to fight against the Devil, the World, your own Flesh, and every thing which is an Enemy with Him; Deal in Truth and dissemble not with God in this: See ye come not to give God a Day, with a secret purpose to give the Devil an Year. 4. Ye do hereby give out, that you mind to close with Christ on His own Terms; See ye deal sincerely with Him in this also; And for this end, Ponder well and think on the Terms before hand, for if ye close a Bargain with Him on his own terms, and so deal sincerely and in Truth with him; Ye must first take him Freely, For Come and buy (saith he) without money and without price. Isai 55. 1. And therefore ye must not keep back from Him, or come heartlesly to Him, because ye find no worth in your selves for which ye should be beloved by Him: If ye do so, ye deal not Sincerely and in Truth with Him. 2. If ye take Him on his own Terms, and so deal Sincerely with Him, ye must take him wholly, not only as a Priest to save you, but as a King to Rule in you: If ye mind to make no other use of Christ but to get your by-past Sins p. 310pardoned by Him, that ye may take on a new Score in time to come, ye deal not Sincerely and in Truth with Him; ye pretend to take Him on His own Terms, and that is to take Him wholly; And yet ye will not take Him as a King to Rule over you. 3. Ye must take him with all the hazard that may follow upon your taking of Him, ye must take him with a resolution to …leave to him, through Well and through Woe, aswell when the World frowns upon him, as when it smiles, otherwise ye deal not Sincerely with him: For these are his own terms whereon ye pretend to close with him; If any man (saith he) will be my Disciple, les him deny himself, take up his Cross and follow me. And lastly, Ye must take him Irrevocably, for it is an everlasting Covenant: So that if the next day when the sensible Fruits of a Communion do not answer your expectation, ye loose your grip and quite the Bargain, ye do not deal Sincerely and in Truth with Him.

I shall shut up all I have said, by giving some motives for making you deal thus Sincerely and in Truth with him. Know 1. He is dealing Sincerely and in Truth with you; He minds indeed to close a a most blessed Bargain with you, and with all of you who mind to take him at his Word, and to give him Credit; And if ye will but credit him, ye shall find from experience ere long that he hath been sincere, real, and in earnest with you: And to the end ye may trust him, He gives the most speaking evidences of His Real sincerity towards you which can be given: Before ye take a tryal of him, ye have His Word for p. 311it, His Writ for it, His Oath for it, and ye shall have His Seal and Pledge of it▪ Even, that He shall be all that to you which He gives himself out for: so that I may well say, The Lord is dealing Sincerely and in Truth with You, and therefore do ye so with Him. 2. Your dealing thus Sincerely and in Truth with Him, (as I shew'd before) will make him overlook your many other Failings, which otherwise he will take notice of, and reckon on your Account. 3. If ye deal not Sincerely and in Truth with Him now, it is a venture when, or if ever again ye get such another occasion to do that which ye now leave undone. Many of us have often at such times dealt deceitfully with God, our Hearts have not been straight before Him: And yet for all this, he gives us a New Offer, That notwithstanding all that is come or gone, He shall be our God, and we his People; And if ye close with this Offer in Truth, and on his Own Terms, ye shall find him to be forth-coming according to his Offer; But if ye shall slight him, and deal deceitfully with him, seeming to close a Bargain with him when really ye do it not, It is a venture (I say it over again) if ever ye get such another Offer. The shaddows of the Evening, in respect of the bright Sun-shine of Pure Ordinances we have hitherto enjoy'd, seem to be stretched out upon the Land, and our Sun drawing towards a declining; But though that should not be, yet who is there among you can infallibly promise, That he shall ever see another Communion? yea or hear any number of Sermons after this. And therefore while it is to day hear his p. 312Voice▪ and harden not your Hearts: Behold Now, this very present (Now) is the Acceptable time and the day of Salvation; And therefore Seek the Lord while he may be found, and Call upon him while he is near.