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want of knowing how to rescue them, or what to do with them: but although grains of sand and ashes be, apart, but of a despicable smallness, and liable to be scattered and blown away, yet the skilful artificer, by a vehement fire, brings numbers of these to afford him that noble substance, glass, by whose help we may both see ourselves and our blemishes lively represented, as in looking-glasses; and discern celestial objects, as with the telescopes, and with the sun-beams kindle disposed materials, as with burning glasses; so when these little fragments, or parcels of time, which if not carefully looked to, would be dissipated and lost, come to be managed by a skilful contemplator, and to be improved by the celestial fire of devotion, they may be so ordered as to afford us both looking-glasses to dress our souls by, and prospectives to discover heavenly wonders and incentives to inflame our hearts with zeal." Certainly this is a great advantage for the keeping of the heart with God.

SECTION IV.-Inferences for Consolation.

I shall now close the whole with a word or two of consolation to all diligent and serious Christians, who faithfully and closely ply heart-work; who are groaning and weeping in secret over the hardness, pride, earthliness, and vanity of their hearts; who are fearing and trembling over the experienced deceitfulness and falseness of them, whilst the eyes of other vain professors are abroad, their time and strength eaten up by fruitless disputes and earthly employments, or, at best, by a cold and formal performance of some heartless and empty duties. Poor Christian, I have three things to offer thee, in order to thy support and comfort; and doubtless either of them alone, mixed with faith, is sufficient to comfort thee over all the trouble thou hast with thine own heart.

1. This argues thy heart to be upright and honest, whatever thy gifts and abilities are.

It is uprightness of heart that will comfort thee upon

a death bed. "Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, Remember now, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart," 2 Kings xx. 2, 3.

I am really of his mind, who said, "Might I have my wish, I would prefer the most despicable and sordid work of a rustic Christian, before all the victories and triumphs of Alexander or Cæsar," yea, let me add, before all the elaborated duties and excellent gifts of vain professors; before the tongues of men and angels. It will signify more to my comfort, to spend one solitary hour in mourning before the Lord over heart-corruption, than many hours in a seeming zealous, but really dead performance of common duties with the greatest enlargements and richest embellishments of parts and gifts.

By this very thing Christ distinguishes the formal and serious Christian, Matth. vi. 5. The one is for the street and synagogue, for the observation and applause of men, but the other is a closet-man, he drives on a home-trade, a heart-trade. Never be troubled then for the want of those things that a man may have and be eternally damned; but rather bless God for that which none but the favorites of heaven can have. Many a one is now in hell who had a better head than thine; and many a one now in heaven complained of as bad a heart as thine.

2. Know further for thy comfort, that God would never leave thee under so many heart-troubles and burdens, if he intended not thy real benefit thereby.

Thou art often crying out, Lord, why is it thus? Why go I mourning all the day, having sorrow in my heart? Thus long have I been exercised with hardness of heart, and to this day I have not obtained a broken heart. Many years have I been praying and striving against vain thoughts, yet I am still infested and perplexed with them. O when shall I get a better heart? I have been in travail, and brought forth but wind. I have obtained no deliverance, neither have the corruptions of my heart fallen. I have brought this heart many times to prayers, sermons, and sacraments, expecting and hoping for a cure from them, and still my sore runneth and ceaseth not.

Pensive soul, let this comfort thee-thy God designs

thy benefit, even by these occasions of thy sad complaints; for hereby he would let thee see what thy heart by nature is and was, and therein take notice how much thou art beholden to free grace. He leaves thee under these exercises of spirit, that thou mayest lie, as with thy face upon the ground, admiring that ever the Lord of glory should take so vile a creature into his bosom. Thy base heart, if it be good for nothing else, yet serves to commend and set off the unsearchable riches of free grace.

This serves also to beat thee off continually from resting, yea, or but glancing upon thine own righteousness or excellency. The corruption of thy heart, working in all thy duties, makes thee feel that the bed is too short and the covering too narrow. Were it not for those reflections thou hast after duties, upon the dulness and distractions of thine heart in them, how apt wouldst thou be to fall in love with, and admire thine own performances and enlargements! For if notwithstanding these, thou hast much to do with the pride of thy heart, how much more, if such humbling and self-abasing considerations were wanting? And this too tends to make thee the more compassionate and tender towards others. Perhaps thou wouldst have little pity for the distresses and soul-troubles of others, if thou hadst less experience of thine own. 3. God will shortly put a blessed end to all these troubles, cares, and watchings.

The time is coming, when thy heart shall be as thou wouldst have it; when thou shalt be discharged of all these cares, fears, and sorrows, and never cry out, O my hard, my proud, my vain, my earthly heart, any more; when all darkness shall be banished from thine understanding; and thou shalt clearly discover all truths in God, that crystal ocean of truth; when all vanity shall be purged perfectly out of thy thoughts, and they be everlastingly, ravishingly, and delightfully entertained and exercised upon that supreme goodness and infinite excellency of God, from whom they shall never start any more like a broken bow. And as for thy pride, passion, earthliness, and all other matters of thy complaint and trouble, it shall be said of them, as of the Egyptians to Israel," Stand still, and see the salvation of God." These corruptions

thou seest to day, henceforth thou shalt see them no more for ever, when thou shalt lay down thy weapons of prayers, tears, and groans, and put on the armor of light, not to fight, but triumph in.

Lord, when shall this blessed day come? How long, how long, holy and true? My soul waiteth for thee! "Come, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether."

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THE

TOUCHSTONE OF SINCERITY;

OR,

THE SIGNS OF GRACE, AND SYMPTOMS OF
HYPOCRISY.

BY THE REV. JOHN FLAVEL.

PREFACE.

AMONG the difficulties and severities of true religion, the faithful searching and diligent keeping of our hearts are found in the first and highest rank of difficulties. These two take up the main work of a Christian betwixt them. I had hopes that these essays for the searching of the heart, might much sooner have followed my former treatise for keeping the heart. But Providence has reserved

it for the fittest season.

It comes to thy hand, Reader, in a day of straits and fears, a dark and gloomy season, when the nations about us are made drunk with their own blood, and filled with the wine of astonishment; in a day when the cup is ready to pass unto us, and a storm seems to be rising in the fears of many, and threatening the protestant interest in these reformed nations. Some men very eminent for piety and learning, from that scripture, Rev. xiii. 3, "The deadly wound," that is, the wound given the beast by the reformation, "was healed," have concluded, that popery will once more overrun the reformed nations. And one of great renown in all the churches of Christ, foretelling this furious but short storm, comforts the people of God with this, that it is likely to fall heaviest upon the worshippers in the outward court, the formal professors of the times. O how much is every man now concerned to have his state and condition well cleared, and to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure!

It should both amaze and grieve a pious mind, to see how some ingenious persons can sit with unwearied pa

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