sanctification, and communion with Christ. When profaneness and wickedness dwell about them, and make such as are but civil and temperate, and goodnatured persons, to seem saints: when they see but few that fear the Lord, and love him unfeignedly, and live by faith: and those few are perhaps of the more cold, and timorous, and temporizing strain, that show forth but little of the heavenly nature, and the virtues of their holy faith; that dare scarce open their mouths to speak against the wickedness which they see or hear; that dare not discourse like the saints of the Most High, and the heirs of heaven, for fear of being made the scorn and by-word of the rest, or of falling under the frowns and dislike of their superiors; so that they live among others almost like common men, save only that they run not with them to their excess of riot; and think it enough that by such forbearance of gross sin, they are in some measure evil spoken of: when they that should "let their light so shine before men, that they might see their good works, and glorify their heavenly Father, do hide their religion, and put their light as under a bushel, and not in a candlestick, that it might give light to all that are in the house;" and so, when religion never appeareth in its proper splendour and power, and heavenly tendency, to those great ones that have no better company, what wonder if they never know themselves, nor truly understand the nature, necessity, or excellency of religion? When they know it, for the most part, but by hearsay, yea, and when they hear it more reproached than applauded, it must be a miracle of mercy that must make such men to be sincerely and heartily

religious. When they see so many about them worse than themselves, and so few better, and those

few that are better do hide it, and live almost as if they were no better; and when the godly, whom they see not, are described to them by the serpent's seed, as if they were but a company of whining, melancholy, brain-sick hypocrites, who can expect that ever such men should savingly know themselves or Christ, unless a wonder of mercy rescue them, and bring them from this darkness and delusion into the light? O how oft have I wished in compassion to many of the great ones of the world, that they did but hear the humble, holy, heavenly language, that we have heard! And hear the faithful fervent prayers that many poor Christians pour out before the Lord and saw but the humble, harmless, exemplary, and heavenly lives of many poor Christians, that are represented to them as the filth and the offscouring of the world, and perhaps no more regarded than Lazarus was at the rich man's gate. Did they but see and hear, and know such holy and heavenly believers, and were as well acquainted with them as we are, how many of them would better know themselves, and see what they want, and what they must be, and better discern between the righteous and the wicked, between those that fear God, and those that fear him not?

Direct. 3. It will, therefore, be a great help to the knowledge of yourselves, if you will converse with those that bear the holy image of their Creator, and whose lives will tell you what it is to live by faith, and what it is to walk in the Spirit, to mortify the flesh, and to live above all the alluring vanities

of the world. We can more sensibly perceive the nature of holiness, when we see it in action before our eyes, than when we only read a description of it. Many thousands can honour the name of a saint, and the Scripture descriptions of a saint, that hate the life of holiness, when it appeareth to them in practice, and cannot endure a saint indeed. It will most convincingly tell you what you want, when you see what others have. To see how naturally they breathe after heaven, will most convincingly show you the dulness and earthliness of your minds: to see how easily they can love an enemy, and forgive a wrong, will acquaint you most sensibly with the evils of your passionate, revengeful minds. Do but lay by your prejudice and partiality, and see whether there be not in serious Christians another spirit than in the world: and whether they live not upon the things above, which your belief and love did never reach? Look upon believers, and consider why they pray, and watch, and study to please God, and then bethink yourselves, whether you have not as much cause to do so as they and so you may perceive your negligence by their diligence; your senselessness by their tenderness of heart and conscience; your fleshliness by their spirituality; and the rest of your sins by the lustre of their graces. As Isidore saith, "Men know not themselves by themselves alone."

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Hence, therefore, the servants of God may see how exactly they should live, and of what consequence it is that they be eminently holy; when it is they that, by their heavenly excellency, must convince the world of their sinfulness and misery. O Chris

tians, do you live such exemplary and convincing lives? Is there indeed that excellency of holiness appearing in you, which may show men, to the glory of your Redeemer, how the heirs of heaven do differ from the world? Alas! our common, careless living, doth wrong to multitudes as well as to ourselves; and is a cruelty to the souls whose salvation we are bound, by our examples, to promote. What then do those men, that by their vicious, scandalous conversation, do harden the ungodly, and cause them to think contemptuously, and to speak scornfully, of the holy way! O woe to them, if they repent not, by whom such offence cometh!

Especially, ministers should see that their lives be a continual lecture. And, therefore, Chrysostom concludeth, “That a priest that is bad, doth acquire, by his priesthood, not dignity but disgrace. For (saith he) thou sittest in judgment on thyself: if thou live well and preach well, thou instructest the people: if thou preach well and live ill, thou condemnest thyself. For by living well and preaching well, thou instructest the people how to live: but by preaching well and living ill, thou instructest God, as it were, how to condemn thee."

And hence it is, also, that the servants of God should have the care of their fame, as well as of their conversation; because the reputation of religion dependeth much on the reputation of the religious and reputation doth much to the encouraging or discouraging of the ungodly that are strangers to the things themselves. Saith Augustine, "Conscience is necessary for thyself: and thy good name is necessary for thy neighbour." When we mind our fame for the

good of others, and the service of God, and not to please a proud, vainglorious mind; and when we do it, without immoderate care, seeking it only by righteous means, and referring the issue to the will of God, as being prepared for evil report as well as good, this is but to improve our talent to our Master's use.

CHAPTER XI.

Internal Hinderances of Self-Acquaintance.

II. I come next to the internal impediments to self-acquaintance, especially in the worser sort of

men.

1. The first that I shall acquaint you with is, That natural, deep-rooted sin of pride, which strongly inclineth men to think well of themselves, and to desire that all others do so too: so that, where pride is not discovered and subdued by grace, men will scarcely endure to be closely questioned by ministers or other friends, about their sin, and the condition of their souls. What! question them whether they are ungodly, unsanctified, the servants of sin and Satan; in a state of death and condemnation! Their hearts will rise with indignation against him that will put such questions to them. What! question them whether they have any saving grace! Whether they are regenerate, pardoned, and have any wellgrounded hopes of heaven! They love not the searching word of God; they love not the distinguishing passages of Scripture; they love not a