Books. I do not represent it with a Design to expose it; for really this is fometimes the Method by which Men are converted: But yet this I fay, that if this kind of Proceeding be fet down, either as a neceffary Mark, or as a certain Mark, whereby Men are to judge of their Regeneration, it will fail in both thefe Refpects, and be found no Mark at all; for it will either difcover too much, or too little: For it is certain, a great many very pious religious Perfons never came to that good Eftate they are now in, by any such Methods as we have now been speaking of. They were never exercifed in fuch a boifterous Manner, with the Terrors of the Law (as they are called). They were never in fuch a defpairing Condition. And that Satisfaction, and Peace of Mind they now enjoy, and that good Hope they have of God's Favour, never arrived to them in fuch a Way and Method as I have been defcribing.

And then, in the fecond Place, these Marks of Regeneration cannot be conftantly true ones; because a great many may have felt in themfelves all that I have now mentioned, and yet fall fhort of it. There is no Doubt but a very bad Man may have had all thofe Convictions upon his own Mind of his Sin, and the Danger we have now reprefented; nay, and all that difclaiming his own Righteoufnefs, and clofing with Chrift's Promises, and applying his Merits to himself, that we have mentioned; nay, and farther, all that Abhor

rence

rence of his own Ways, and fuch pious Refolutions as fuch an Abhorrence could work in him; and yet, for all this, he may not be a regenerate Perfon: For, after all thefe Convictions, and Refolutions, he may ftill continue under the Slavery of Sin, and evil Habits. Tho' he had a warm Senfe of Reli gion at the firft, yet that Senfe, in tract of Time, and upon the Recourfe of Temptations, may wear off and decay, and the Mani at laft comes to fatisfy himself, that if he do but ftill reft on Jefus Chrift, and now and then take folemn Times for the exercifing Acts of Repentance, and Faith, and Devotion, this will be accepted of God, tho' yet he lives in a Courfe of Sin, and hath not truly mortified any one carnal or worldly Luft that formerly reigned over him.

God knows the World hath too much Experience of the Truth of this.

The Whole I have to fay about this Bufinefs, is this; and I conclude with it

It is not advifeable for us to be curious about many Works of our Regeneration; or when we deal in Books that treat of thofe Things, either to be much exalted, or much caft down, when we find fome Marks there given either to agree with our State, or not to agree with it.

The trueft Matk is that of our Saviour, The Tree is known by its Fruits. If a Man be baptized, and heartily believing the Chriftian Religion, doth fincerely endeavour to VOL. III. X

live

live up to it; if his Faith in Jefus Chrift be fo ftrong, that, by Virtue thereof, he overcomes the World, and the evil Cuftoms thereof: If knowing the Laws of our Saviour, he fo endeavours to conform himself to them, that he doth not live in any known wilful Tranfgreffion of them, but in the general Courfe of his Life walks honeftly and pioufly, and endeavours, in his whole Converfation, to keep a good Confcience, both towards God and Man; fuch a Man, however he came into this State, and with whatever Infirmities it may be attended, (of which Infirmities yet he is deeply fenfible, and fails not both to pray and ftrive against them) yet he is a good Man, and gives a true Evidence of his Regeneration; tho' he have not all the Marks and Qualifications that he may meet with in *Books.

And fuch a Man, if he persevere in the Course he is in, will, without Doubt, at last be juftified before God, and find an Admiffion into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift;

Whither God of his Mercy bring us all, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

JER. XVII. 9.

The Heart is deceitful above all Things, and defperately wicked; who can know it?

T

HE Deceitfulness of the Heart, is a Thing we oft complain of, and with too great Reason: But yet is often not rightly underftood; and Mens Mistakes about it have fometimes brought upon them great Inconveniences. Those Mistakes have chiefly been occafioned thro' the Mifunderstanding this Text that I have read unto you; and therefore I have pitch'd upon that, rather than any other, for the Ground of my Difcourfe upon this Argument.

Five Things I here propose to do:

First: To clear up the Senfe of my Text, by fhewing what Sort of Deceitfulness of the Heart is here fpoken of.

Secondly; To examine the commonly-received Doctrine concerning the Heart's Deceitfulness.

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Thirdly; To give an Account of those Effects, which are generally attributed to the Deceitfulness of the Heart, but indeed proceed from other Causes.

Fourthly To fhew wherein the Deceitfulnefs of the Heart doth really confift. And, Fifthly and laftly; To propofe the proper Cure and Remedy of it.

Before I enter upon thefe Points, one Word by Way of Explication of what we mean by the Heart, and what may be meant by its being deceitful; for as for all the other Terms in my Text, they are fufficiently plain.

By the Heart, may be understood, either that Principle within us, from whence the Motions, and Defigns, and Affections of our Minds do proceed; or we may understand by it, thofe inward Motions, and Defigns, and Affections themselves.

In both these Senfes the Heart is taken in Scripture. In the firft Senfe our Saviour fpeaks of it, when he faith, Matth. xv. 19. That out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Adulteries, Murders, and the like. And fo where-ever we meet with the Thoughts of the Heart, the Imaginations of the Heart, in fuch Paffages the Heart is taken for the Principle. In the other Senfe God fpeaks of the Heart, in that Paffage, This People draweth nigh to me with their Lips, but their Heart is far from me. And fo where-ever we meet with fpeaking Truth from the Heart, praising

God