11. True Zeal is for expedition in God's Service As Phinehas Ignis est maxime actuosus maximè mobilis who was zealous for God could not sit still when he saw God so greatly Dishonoured Psal 106. Then stood up Phinehas and executed Judgment Then stood up Phinehas The word may import his readiness and forwardness to appear for God against Sin as occasion was then offered So Nehemiah testified against the Merchants that had lodged but once or twice without Jerusalem under the Wall on the Sabbath threatning to clap them up If they did so again he would lay hands on them Neh. 13.20 21. So David Psal 101.8 I will early destroy all the wicked Though it may point at the usual time of sitting in Judgment in the morning yet withal it may import that he would not be delatory in the work Thus Zeal will set Men early on work for God will make Men quick and speedy in giving check to Sin as they have power and opportunity to put a stop to it as soon as they can Sinful sluggish demurs delays put-offs are contrary to the nature of true Zeal So a listlesness to Duty is no sign of Zeal It is cold that benummeth So it is a sign of the want of Zeal a sign of extream coldness when we cannot find our hands to turn them to any good work when we are like the slothful Prov. 19.24 that hides his hand in his bosom 12. True Zeal makes souls as forward unto so free and lively in God's service What a Man does zealously he does very heartily To be zealous of good Works is not barely to do some good Works but it further implieth earnestness alacrity and fervency of spirit in the doing of Good Works To pray with Zeal is more than saying a Prayer it is no less than to be fervent in Prayer to pray earnestly To be zealous in works of Charity is not meerly to give to such that stand in need but to give willingly and freely Like those of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 that were willing of themselves That needed no spurring on What the Apostle sayes of Love 1 Cor. 13.4 It is kind bountiful this may well be said of Zeal which is the fervour of Love Zeal is bountiful at least in will and desire Cold has a condensing and contracting quality but heat rarifies and extends So Zeal in the Heart enlarges it A zealous Christian would not serve God at an ordinary rate he desires to abound in the work of the Lord. The flame will be mounting upwards A zealous spirit is a raised spirit raised in God's Service But a cold dead heart is still bearing downward We read of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17.6 So one of a zealous spirit never thinks he does enough for God He will desire still to serve him more and to serve him better 13. True Zeal gives courage in the Cause of God filleth the Soul full of resolution for God And indeed that may be the meaning of Jehoshaphat's heart being lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. A zealous Spirit is a magnanimous Spirit An holy Zeal is indeed Cos fortitudinis the Whetstone of Valour As Esther's Zeal for God and his People put courage into her though she might naturally be timorous as is common to her Sex What an heroick resolution was there Esth 4.16 I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish If we have no Spirit no Courage to appear for God his Truth and Wayes sure we have no Zeal forthem Indeed of all things Sinners are most offended at holy Zeal They that have nothing to say against Christian Meekness or Charitableness and some other Graces yet can ill endure the heat of Godly Zeal O it is scorching and tormenting to them Here they are ready to cry out Fire fire as one says This oft puts them into a great combustion Yet true Zeal will break thorow opposition Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it The like may be said of Zeal It is not quenched or cooled but oft more intended and increased when others would discourage it 14. True Zeal that is a cause of such courage and resolution for God that giveth confidence and boldness before Men yet is joyned with Humility and Holy Fear and Trembling before God One gracious disposition is not contrary to another And true Zeal is not blown up with high thoughts of ones self but with high thoughts of God The Dread and Reverence of the most High of an infinitely Glorious and Holy Majesty promotes true Zeal for God helpeth to set an edge upon it and steeleth the Soul with an holy boldness hardeneth it against a base carnal fear of Man Mr. Vines But it is not right when as one says Zeal that should eat us up is eaten up of Pride 15. Right regular Zeal will more dispose and fit us for our Work and Duty not take off from Duty or transport into Sin That is not Zeal but distempered Passion it is not from Grace but from the workings of Corruption when we are discomposed and unhinged 16. If we have true Zeal for God it will be a joy to us to see any zealous and active for God As on the other hand it will be our great grief to see Men generally cold indifferent lukewarm in Religion To see others regardless of God and of the interest of true Religion will move our displeasure and indignation But it will not offend us to see any acted with regular Zeal for God Indeed the Apostle did and would rejoyce that Christ was Preached though some preached Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 18. How much more would he have rejoyced to have seen as good proof and evidence of their pure Love and Zeal as he saw of their Envy carrying them out in the work If we are truly zealous for God we shall be taken with those whom we see or hear to be zealous for him our hearts will be towards such yea knit to them as Jonathans was to David And we shall bless God for such As Deborah Judg. 5.9 My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the People Bless the Lord. She desired that the Lord might be praised that put such a spirit into them If others out-shine us here yet if we have true Zeal for God we shall be so far from envying them that the more zealous any are the more we shall honour and be taken with them 17. If we are truly zealous we have an holy emulation a desire to follow yea if it might be to outstrip those that excel in vertue As the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14.12 Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may excel As the Corinthians Zeal and forwardness provoked very many 2 Cor 9.2 We should not envy such as have got the start of us and yet should in a good
sense emulate them We should strive at least to overtake those that are foremost Yea true Zeal for God and Godliness will not set it self any bounds or limits You cannot call them zealous that stint themselves and count it an high point of prudence and discretion not to be too forward in Religion But as Love so Zeal is like Fire that cannot be hid it will break forth Quis enim celaverit ignem Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo Such as are afraid of being counted zealous as if it was a matter of disgrace are far from such a spirit as David had who when he was mocked and despised of Michal spake resolvedly I will yet be more vile than thus if this be to be vile Fire is one of those things which say not It is enough Prov. 30.16 So true Zeal never says It is enough A zealous Christian would have more Grace more Zeal for God They that are zealous of good works desire to abound more and more in good works 18. True Zeal is not for a spurt for a flash it is constant a Fire that never goes out Like that Fire upon the Altar Lev. 6.13 Though I must grant the Zeal of a true Christian doth not flame up at all times alike yet it is never totally extinguished It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing Gal. 4.18 And this is a good sign thy Zeal is right if it be constant There are some whose Zeal is but a flash scarce any sooner in than out again Some have a burning fit of Zeal for a while that is quickly over Their praeter-natural heat stays not But true Zeal is like the natural heat of the Body that continues as long as one lives Yea though it is like Fire in green wood subject to go out if it be not blown up yet that Spirit which first kindled this spark in Believers is given to dwell in them and to abide with them for ever And therefore though there may be some decays of Holy Zeal for a time yet it is stirred up again in the Faithful and usually burneth clearer after it is recovered As we sometimes see Fire blaze up more after a dash of water cast on it Yea ordinarily as we may observe a flame mount highest before it goes out ordinarily I say a Christians Zeal is most raised the nearer he is to his end But such as once seemed very forward for that which is good but are quite fallen off again have quite out-lived their Zeal they even give others cause enough to suspect that they were never sound OF A Lively Hope ROM 12.12 Rejoycing in Hope TO go on to the Trial of all other Christian Vertues might upon some accounts cross my design in what is Written which is to help and direct ordinary Christians in the Trial and exercise of Grace even such as cannot purchase or have not time to peruse large Volums I have spoken of the chief Cardinal Graces and shewed how they work how they may be known Prove these in your selves and there is no question but you have the whole Train of those better things that necessarily accompany Salvation As without these any other Vertues you may seem to have as Temperance Patience Meekness c. are but Shadows and Counterfeits So that I might make a Full-stop at what is Written Yet because many are kept off from any serious examination of their Estates satisfying themselves with this That they have Hopes and some That they have Joys too never enquiring How they came by them or of what kind they are Therefore before I conclude this Treatise I shall shew you how you may know whether your Hope and Joy be sound or no. And first of Hope But let me premise these Three Things 1. It is unquestionable that there is a false a deceiving Hope as well as a true and certain Hope There is a dead Hope as well as a lively Hope There is a confounding Hope as well as an Hope that maketh not ashamed There is the Hope of the Hypocrite Job 8.13 as well as the Hope of the Righteous Prov. 10.28 2. Better no Hopes than false Hopes As we may allude to that Prov. 26.12 Seest thou a Man wise in his own conceit There is more hope of a Fool than of him So there is more Hope of Sinners that are most despondent in one sense without Hope than of such as are very confident high in their Hopes but without any ground And how sad is it as I remember one says to sail on smoothly to Hell having Heaven all the while in view Hope that is like to end in horrour and utter desperation is not worth having 3. It is justly to be suspected that their Hopes are groundless and false who are unwilling to bring them to the Test and Trial. That part of a Man's Body which he could not endure to have touched we would conclude not right or sound But if your Hope be right it would not suffer any injury or damage by a fair impartial Trial but be more confirmed Now if you ask What is Christian Hope I answer It is a longing and fiducial expectation of Good promised to come in God's Time and Way Faith and Hope are very near akin Yet thus they differ 1. In Order Faith in order of nature is before Hope Hope is the Daughter at least the youngest Sister of Faith 2. In the Object Faith has respect to the whole Word of God Hope to the Word of Promise Good only is the object of Hope And Future Good Quod speratur non possidetur good to be received and enjoyed Rom. 8.24 Or if I may be said to hope that I am in a state of Grace that my Sins are pardoned which is hope of a present Good if my Hope be sound or if I say I hope God heard my prayer at such a time and gave in such a Mercy in answer to it here seems to be Hope of a thing past Here the word Hope seems to be used more improperly or taken more largely It is more properly a Perswasion though short of full Perswasion or Assurance But properly Hope looks at Good to come Whereas what is past may be the object of Faith as well as what is to come As we believe the Creation of the World a thing past as well as the Resurrection of the Body which is future 3. In their proper formal Acts. Faith apprehends and assents to the truth of the Promises Hope expects and looks for the Good promised An expectation of Good is the formal Act of Hope And herein also it is differenced from or contrary to Fear which is an expectation of Evil not of Good But that which I mainly intend is to shew wherein sound Hope differs from Presumption or from a false Hope Or how we may know whether our Hope be sound 1. True hope is not ordinarily obtained but after sad doubts and fears As it is Hos
not the Love of God in them Alas shall not such be judged out of their own Mouths Even these to whom our Saviour here speaketh were the People of God in Profession and would have spoken him as fair as we can do With their Mouths they shewed him much Love whereas it was not found in their Hearts As he that knew what was in Man and whose Judgment is ever according to Truth pronounceth of them But I know you that ye have not the Love of God in you And when you have the Notes of true Love to God plainly laid down then you may know and judg whether the Love of God be in you or no. To be loved of God is the Creature 's highest Felicity and to love God is its highest Duty yea it is the Sum and Abridgment of the whole Duty of Man The Love of God is as the Heart and Soul of Religion It is a necessary Principle of all sound Obedience And the most specious Acts that any Man can possibly perform though one should give all his Goods to feed the poor or give his Body to be burned are not acceptable unto God without it It is the Rule and Measure as it were of other Graces Charitas est virtus virtutum reliquae virtutes sine charitate Figuram habere possunt Veritatem habere non possunt Lud. Carthus in Psal 47.12 Sorrow for Sin is not kindly if it proceed not from the Love of God and tend not to promote our walking with him in holy Love No tears are desirable as * Mr. Baxt. Christian Directory p. 147. §. 21. one says but those that tend to clear the Eyes from the filth of Sin that they may see the better the Loveliness of God Absque hoc timor poenam habet honor non habet gratiam Servilis est timor quandiu ab amore non manumittitur qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio est Bern. in Cant. Serm. 83. And Fear degenerates when it is not joyned with Love when it begets hard and black thoughts of God when it drives not the Soul to God but rather from him All Grace in the kindly exercise thereof tends to cherish and increase this of Love The Love of God is as the Queen Regent on whom the whole Train of other Graces must attend whom they must serve Faith and Hope are eminent Graces yet the Apostle gives the preheminence to Charity or Love 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love but the greatest of these is Charity Where some Copies instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest of all is Charity And Charity first and most properly agrees to that Love we ow to God who ought to be summè charus dear to us above all other The account that is commonly given why Love hath the preheminence of Faith and Hope is because of its everlasting duration Faith and Hope abide here but Love abideth in Heaven where Faith is swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition And yet note further that it is not simply for its duration that it excelleth but because of its excelling Nature it is to endure The moral Image of God true Holiness eminently consists in Love And Faith and Hope though necessary Graces here while we are in statu viatorum yet they cannot properly be exercised by those who are Comprehensores in the actual enjoyment of full and compleat happiness whereas Love is not only necessary in the way to Happiness but in the full fruition of it Yea it is a main part of our happiness And without perfect Love we could not be perfectly happy There is no perfect enjoying of God without perfect Love to him and perfect delight in him And as Christ as Mediator is the principal means of bringing us to God so Faith is a means to beget and increase the Love of God in us True Faith worketh this way And this is the end and principal scope of the Commandment 1 Tim. 1.5 Whereby it sufficiently appeareth that it is a matter of so great concern that every one ought seriously and strictly to inquire whether he hath the love of God in him or no Now the Love of God in short is an intense willing of God More plainly it is the disposition or motion of the Will the rational appetite renewed and rectified by the Holy Spirit whereby the Soul cleaveth to God is united to him and fixed on him as the chiefest Good Or thus It is a being well pleased with God above all things in the World with a desire to please him in all things The most proper principal and formal act of Love is a complacency or wel-pleasedness with the Object loved So the Love of God if it be right is the highest complacency of the Soul a being most taken with God as the most transcendent as an Universal and Infinite Good And hence though the Love of God and the Love of Christ be inseparable yet they must be distinguished The Love of Christ as Mediator is the Love of the principal means to our ultimate end as he is the new and living way by whom we must come to God but Love is terminated upon God as our very ultimate end that we look no further Now to the Question How we may know whether we have the Love of God in us or no Answ 1. Sound Love to God is founded in a sound Knowledg of God Ignoti nulla cupido There may be some knowledg of God where there is no true Love to him but there cannot be Love to God where there is no knowledg of him But the eyes of the understanding being truly enlightened with the knowledg of God by this means the heart comes to be affected Ex aspectu nascitur amor We read Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee So they that know his Name aright will set their love on him And therefore Psal 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me and because he hath known my Name are used promiscuously And so the Apostle praveth Phil. 1.9 that their love may abound in knowledg As the Saints the more they know God the more they love him As in Heaven where they have the clearest sight of Gods excellencies and fullest manifestation of his Love there they have perfect Love to him are as full of love to God as their Souls can hold The Love of God is founded in Knowledg And there is especially a knowledg of these two things viz. of his Love to Man and of his loveliness that makes the soul in love with him How great is his Goodness and how great is his Beauty to enamour us 1. There is a knowledg of the Love of God especially of his Love in Christ A knowledg of God in Christ and so a love to God in Christ As we read of love in Christ Jesus 2 Tim.
with grief and horrour to see sinners posting on in the broad way to Hell and Destruction As the Psalmist 119.53 Horrour hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy Law Then it would greatly rejoyce our hearts might we be a means of stopping any such in their desperate career a means of converting any Sinner from the errour of his way and consequently of saving a soul from death Now what should they think of themselves who are wholly unconcerned I mean carry as not at all concerned how it goes with the Souls of others Such as would say with Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Such as make no conscience at all of but grosly neglect that plain and necessary duty of reproving Sinners though they have never so loud a call and never so fair opportunity Are not they said to hate their Brother in their heart that will not rebuke but suffer Sin upon him So what enemies are they to Souls that are enemies to the Gospel and the faithful preaching of it 1 Thess 2.15 16. True love wisheth the best good to Men and so the means of it without which it is not ordinarily obtained But though sound love respecteth the Souls of Men and their spiritual welfare chiefly yet not only So Are we far from envying others prosperity Charity envieth not 1 Cor. 13.4 Are we grieved for others calamities As the Psalmist 35.13 14. Is it our desire not to be wanting in any Office of love to others Ubicunque homo est ibi beneficeo locus est Sen. would we do good to all as we have opportunity Are we for helping and shewing mercy to any in misery so far as we are in a capacity Do we not know how to hide our selves from our own flesh Yea do we not only deal our bread to the hungry but draw out our Souls our Bowels to them And are we for setting aside all base self-respect in the love we bear and the good we do to others Are we willing to do good to such as either will not or cannot recompence us Do we not some way aim at our own ends advantage praise c. Charity seeketh not her own To love another but for and with respect to our selves is not properly to love another but only to love our selves But if we can find our hearts going out in love and good-will towards all Men though we cannot expect so much as thanks from one of many this is very comfortable But here you may ask Quest 1. Should we not with the Psalmist 139.21 22. hate the wicked How than are we to love all Men Answ As we are to loath and abhor our selves so far as we are sinful and yet notwithstanding we must love our selves so we are both to love and hate the wicked As God hath a love to them as his Creatures and many ways is doing good to them whom yet he hates as they are wicked So must we In hating a sinner we must neither hate his nature for his sin as one notes nor his sin for the Man but hate Sin as sin Dr. Burgess Chain of Graces p. 239. and love the Man considered as a Man There is a Physical or natural goodness which is found in wicked Men as they are Men which includes in it a capableness of moral goodness for which they are so far to be esteemed and loved And while the wicked are in a possibility of being reclaimed from their wickedness we must pity pray for and heartily wish well unto them and indeavour to promote their Conversion and Salvation as it may lye in our way to contribute thereunto Quest 2. Is it not sometimes lawful to imprecate God's Vengeance on the wicked Answ This is not to be done ordinarily First of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions must be made for all Men 1 Tim. 2.1 Contrary to the custom of the Jews as Dr. Lightfoot notes who use to curse the Heathen and pray for none but themselves and those of their own Nation and Religion In praying for all we should pray for the wicked that God would restrain convince and convert them if it be his will If we pray that God's hand may find out his enemies his right hand those that hate him it must be conditionally that is If they be incurable incorrigible implacable obstinate in their malice against God his Church and Interest Before we pray absolutely against any particular Persons we should look well to our warrant Charity hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 while we cannot certainly know or pronounce such without all hope of mercy we should not dare in our prayers to devote them to Justice What some holy Men have done here as David c. seems to be extraordinarily Spiritu praevidentis non voto optantis from a spirit of Prophesie rather than from the spirit of Supplication Unless we had their spirit we have not their warrant to pray directly against any Mens persons Quest 3. May not the righteous sometimes rejoyce seeing Gods Vengeance on the wicked as Psal 58.10 Answ As God is glorified by the Judgment which he executeth and as it may tend to promote his Interest and the good and safety of his Church and People so they may rejoyce at the cutting off and fall of wicked and mischievous Instruments but may not rejoyce meerly in their destruction Not as it makes against them but as it makes for Gods Glory and the good of others Qu. 4. Is it not lawful to desire that Justice may be done on notorious offenders Now is this to love them to will their punishment Answ We may desire that such may be punished without breach of Charity 1. When it is not from any private grudge but from a love to publick justice and with respect to the glory of God thereby 2. When we have respect to the good of the Community As we owe more love to the publick Society of which we are Members than to particular Members in the Society and much more then to corrupt gangren'd Members that endanger the whole Body When great notorious crimes go unpunished the Community may suffer for it Blood desiles a Land so Whoredom Drunkenness c. And where Men care not to let such sins go unpunished it provokes the Lord to punish for them It is better that the Offenders should suffer punishment than the whole Body should suffer for them Again when great crimes go unpunished more are encouraged to commit them That this is a sparing cruelty There is Credulitas parcens and there is Misericordia puniens Civil Magistrates are ordained of God to be a terror to Evil-doers And it is better that such should suffer than be suffered to go on to corrupt and infect others It is sinful against Charity to will the punishment of another meerly sub ratione mali as evil to him But the punishment of notorious Offenders hath also Rationem boni is good being a means of keeping up justice and order
your selves advanced in the World 18. Do you take part with the strictest of God's Commands 19. Are you well pleased with the harshest Providences that are a means to bring down sinful-self and selfishness 20. Are you fully resolved in the strength of God's Grace to forsake all rather than forsake God and Christ his Truth and Ways 8. Try your professed Sincerity and Integrity 1. Are you got past those simple ones that rest in their good meanings 2. Are you willing to know your whole duty 3. Are you for strict self-searching 4. And for wholsom Admonition and Reproof 5. And for an ingenuous Confession of your Sins not for hiding or palliating them 6. Have you left halting betwixt two Are you now really resolved for God and entirely devoted to him 7. Do you love Christ in Sincerity 8. Do you walk before God carry as in his sight and presence in your ordinary course 9. Do you hate and forsake all known Sin Is there no beloved bosom-sin which you would spare and indulge 10. Particularly are you set against Hypocrisie a way of lying and walking by the crooked rule of carnal policy Sins more directly opposit to Uprightness and Sincerity 11. Have you a respect to all God's Commands 1 Have you a respect to both Tables Would you not despise the least of God's Commands 3 Do you look first and most to the greatest 4 Have you a respect to the hardest and such as are most cross to your natural inclination or carnal interest 12. Do you carry uprightly in holy Duties 1 Do you engage your Hearts to approach to God in Duty 2. Are you free in God's Service 3 Have you a special respect to God in Duty Do you look most at his approbation 4. Have you a love to secret Duties 5. And even to disgraced Duties and such as may expose you to Suffering 13. Are you steady and constant in an holy course 14. Are you pressing after Perfection 9. Try your Zeal 1. Have you a Zeal according to Knowledg 2. Does it burn within before it flames forth 3. Is it a Zeal for God indeed and not for self 4. Would it burn alone though you had none about you to encourage and blow it up 5. Are you zealous for the whole Interest of God 6. And zealous against all Sin Is your Zeal more than a partial Zeal 7. Yet is your Zeal hottest in the greatest matters 8. Is it joyned with Christian moderation and for Christian concord 9. Is it more moved with Indignities offered unto God than with injuries done to your selves 10. Is it joyned with real love and true compassion towards Sinners 11. Is it for expedition in God's Service 12. Does it make you free and lively in his Service 13. Does it sharpen your courage and resolution for God 14. Is it a pleasing sight to you to see others zealous for him 15. Have you an holy emulation a desire to imitate yea if it might be to outstrip those that are most forward 16. Is it not for a flash but a Fire that goes not out though it burns not at all times alike clearly yet is it still kept burning Find these gracious dispositions in truth in your selves and then you may have good hope through Grace and Joy unspeakable everlasting Consolation But many grosly deceive themselves holding the conclusion never look to the premises therefore 10. Try your Hope 1. Has it come in after doubts and fears 2. Have you any ground to hope it is a fruit of the Spirit Have you the Spirit 3. Is your Hope an Hope in God an Hope in God through Christ according to his Word 4. Is it not only an Hope in God but for him Is the enjoyment of God in Christ the to of your Hopes 5. Is your Hope accompanied with an holy Fear of God 6. And with sound Obedience doing the Will of God 7. And maintained by diligence and watchfulness 8. Does it quicken you to make progress in holiness 9. Does it produce Patience 10. And give courage 11. And raise your Hearts and Desires Heaven-ward 12. And excite praise and thankfulness 13. And further on Spiritual Joy 11. Try your Joy 1. Hath Godly Sorrow prepared and made way for it 2. Is it the Joy of the holy Ghost Have you the holy Spirit your Sanctifier Are you filled with Joy in believing 4. Was it attained or is it strengthened and maintained by serious self-examination and probation 5. Came it in the way of Prayer 6. Or in attendence on other of God's Ordinances 7. Is God your chief Joy Do you rejoyce in Christ Jesus 9. Are you most taken with Spiritual Mercies 10. Can you heartily rejoice in the good of others 11. Is your Joy in working Righteousness 12. Does it further enlarge your hearts in God's Service 13. Is it a special incentive to praise and thankfulness 14. Can it keep alive and keep you alive in outward troubles 15. Is it not swelling but accompanied with an humble frame of spirit 16. Is it not intoxicating but joyned with an holy fear care and watchfulness 17. Does it fit and incline you to encourage and comfort others in trouble 18. Does it set you more a longing after the Joys of Heaven Of Repentance This should have been inserted after the sum of Repentance in the Rehearsal Page 412. VIZ. ARe you no longer under the Dominion of Sin Do you see what a miserable bondage the service of Sin is Do you not so much desire to be exempted from Affliction as to be freed from your Corruptions Are you no longer for defending Sin or taking its part Would you pay no more Tribute to Sin no longer make provision for it Do you heartily resist the motions and commands of Sin Are your hearts turned to hate all known Sin Are you heartily devoted to the Service of God and Jesus Christ And now Reader if thou canst find it thus with thee thou mayest well rejoice in thy Portion Suppose thou hast never so little in the World yet happy thou who hast that better part which shall never be taken from thee The good Man may have satisfaction from within when no satisfaction is to be had from without The Fear of the Lord is his Treasure and such a Treasure as the World cannot rob him of And surely the gleanings or rather first Fruits of Heaven is better than the Vintage of the Earth Yea the least true santifying Grace will go further than all this Worlds goods A state of Grace is a short Preface to an everlasting State of Glory Canst thou prove thy Graces are of the right stamp Certainly they will prove thy title to Glory Now let it be thy care henceforth to grow in Grace and live in the constant exercise of Grace and so thou mayest have an abundant enterance into the Everlasting Kingdom FINIS