tions of our hearts, doth make sin surprise us the more dangerously, and break forth the more shamefully, and wound our consciences the more terribly. The unsuspected sin hath least opposition, and, when it breaks out, doth, like an unobserved fire, go far before we are awakened to quench it. And it confoundeth us with shame, to find ourselves so much worse than we imagined. It overwhelmeth the soul with despairing thoughts, to find itself so bad, when it thought it had been better. We are still ready to think whatever we discern that is good within us, that we may as well be mistaken now as we were before. And thus, our present self-ignorance, when discovered, may hinder all the comforts of our lives.

3. Lastly, not knowing ourselves, and our particular sins, and wants, and weaknesses, doth keep us from a particular application of the promises, and from seeking those particular remedies from Christ which our case requireth; and so our mercies lie by neglected, while we need them, and do not understand our need.

CHAPTER VIII.

Exhortations to the Godly to know their Graces and Duties.

II. I AM next to persuade believers to know their graces and their happiness. Good is the object of voluntary knowledge, but Evil of forced involuntary knowledge, unless as the knowledge of evil tendeth

to some good. Therefore, methinks, you should be readiest to this part of the study of yourselves; and yet, alas! the presumptuous are not more unwilling to know their sin and misery, than some perplexed Christians are backward to acknowledge their grace and happiness! How hard is it to convince them of the tender love of God towards them, and of the sin cerity of their love to him; and to make them believe that they are dear to God when they loathe themselves! How hard is it to persuade them that the riches of Christ, the promises of the gospel, and the inheritance of the saints, belong to them! And the reasons, among others, are principally these:

1. The remnant of sins are so great, and so active, and troublesome, as that the feeling of these contrary dispositions doth hinder them from observing the operations of grace. It is not easy to discern the sincerity of faith among so much unbelief; or the sincerity of love, where there is so much averseness; or of humility, where there is so much pride; or of repentance and mortification, where there is so much concupiscence and inclination to sin: especially when grace, by its enmity to sin, doth make the soul so suspicious and sensible of it, as that the observation of it turns their mind from the observation of the contrary good that is in them. Health is not observed in other parts, when the feeling of the stone, or but the toothache, takes us up. The thoughts are called all to the part affected; and sickness and wounds are felt more sensibly than health. The fears of misery and sin, are more easily excited, and more passionate than love and hope, and all the affections that are em

ployed in the prosecution of good. And, in the midst of fears, it is hard to feel the matter of our joys: fear is a tyrant if it exceed, and will not permit us to believe or observe the cause of hope. These fears are useful to our preservation, but they too often pervert our judgments, and hinder our due consolation. Saith Seneca, "He that feareth snares, doth not fall into them: a wise man escapeth evil by always fearing it." And the Holy Ghost saith, "Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief."

Moderate fears, then, are given to believers for their necessary preservation, that, walking among enemies and snares, they may take heed and escape them. But when this passion doth exceed, it abuseth us, and drowns the voice of reason; it maketh us believe that every temptation is a sin, and sin is such as cannot stand with grace, every and will hardly ever be pardoned by Christ. Every sin against knowledge and conscience doth seem almost unpardonable; and if it were deliberate, after profession of religion, it seems to be the sin against the Holy Ghost. As children and other fearful persons, that fear the devil by way of apparitions, do think in the dark he is ready to lay hold on them; so the fearful Christian is still thinking that thing he feareth is coming upon him. fear of an unregenerate, unpardoned state, doth make him think he is in it; and the fear of the wrath of God doth make him think that he is under it. It is wonderfully hard, in a fearful state, or indeed in any passion that is strong, to have the free use of judgment for the knowing of ourselves, and to dis

The

cern any grace, or evidence, or mercy, which is contrary to our fears, especially when the feeling of much corruption doth turn our eyes from the observation of good, and we are still taken up with the matter of our disease.

2. Another cause that we hardly know our graces, is because they are weak and small; and therefore, in the midst of so much corruption, are oftentimes hardly discerned from none. A little faith, even as a grain of mustard-seed, may save us; a little love to God that is sincere will be accepted; and weak desires may be fulfilled; but they are frequently undiscerned, or their sincerity questioned by those that have them, and therefore bring but little comfort. Peter's little faith did keep him from drowning, but not from doubting and fearing he should be drowned, nor from beginning to sink. "He walked on the water to go to Jesus; but when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid; and, beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" So the little faith of the disciples kept them from perishing, but not from their fear of perishing. "When a great tempest arose, so that the ship was covered with waves, they cry, Lord, save us, we perish: and he saith to them, Why are ye afraid, O ye of little faith?" The little faith of the same disciples entitled them to the fatherly protection and provision of God; but it kept them not from sinful cares and fears, about what they should eat or drink, or wherewith they should be clothed. "Take no thought for your life, what you shall

eat, or drink, or for your body what you shall put on. Why take you thought for raiment ?-If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" So in Matt. xvi. 7, 8. The seed that Christ likeneth his kingdom to, hath life while it is buried in the earth, and is visible while a little seed; but is not so observable as when it cometh to be a tree. Though God" despise not the day of little things," and though he "will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax," yet ourselves or others cannot discern and value these obscure beginnings, as God doth. But because we cannot easily find a little faith, and a little love, when we are looking for it, we take the non-appearance for a non-existence, and call it none.

3. Sanctification is oft unknown to those that have it, because they do not try and judge themselves by sure infallible marks, the essentials of the new man; but by uncertain qualifications, that are mutable, and belong but to the beauty and activity of the soul.

The essence of holiness, as denominated from the object, is the consent to the three articles of the covenant of grace. 1. That we give up ourselves to God, as our God and reconciled Father in Jesus Christ. 2. That we give up ourselves to Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer and Saviour, to recover us, reconcile us, and bring us unto God. 3. That we give up ourselves to the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier, to guide and illuminate us, and perfect the image of God upon us, and prepare us for glory.