in his heart;' that is, he did not for fear or favour accommodate himself, bnt what in his conscience he thought true, that he spake ; and this, because it was sucli an eminent proof of his sincerity, is called by Moses, ver. 9, ' following God fully;' for wliich the Lord erects such a pillar of remembrance over his head, that shall stand as long as that Scripture itself To give out one instance more, and that is of Nathaniel, at first sight of whom Christ cannot forbear, but lets all about him know how highly he was in his favour: ' Behold,' saith he of him, ' an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile,' John i. 47. Christ's heart, like the babe in Elizabeth's womb, when Mary saluted her, seemed thus to leap at the coming of Nathaniel, yea, comes forth in this expression, not to flatter him into an overweening conceit of himself, (Christ knew what an humble soul he spake to,) but to bear witness to his own gi'ace in him, especially this of sincerity; that knowing what a high price and value heaven sets upon the head of this grace, they might like wise merchants store themselves with it more abundantly; his simplicity of heart made him an ' Israelite indeed;' many goodly shows and pompous outsides were to be seen among the Pharisees, but they were a company of base pi-ojectors and designers. Even when some of them came to Christ, extolling him for his sincerity, ' Mastei', we know thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth,' Matt. xxii. 16 ; then did they play the hypocrites, and had a plot to decoy him by their gloring speech into danger; as you may perceive, ver. 1.5 : ' They came that they might entangle him;' but good Nathaniel had no plot in his head, in his coming, but to find the Messias he looked for, and eternal life by him ; and therefore though he was for the present wrapped up in that common eri-or of the times, that ' no proj-.het could come out of Galilee,' John vii. 52, much less so great a one as the Messias, out of svich an obscure place in Galilee as Nazareth ; yet Clnist seeing the honesty and upiightness of his heart, doth not suffer his ignorance and error to prejudice him in his thoughts of him.
Section III. — Now to give some account why this grace of sincerity is so taking with, and delightful to God, that it even captivates him in love to the sold where he finds it. There are two things which are the inseparable com- panions of sincerity, yea, effects flov/ing from it, that are very taking to draw love both from God and man.
First, Sincerity makes the soul willing, when it is clogged with so many infirmities as to disable it from the full performance of its duty, yet when the soul stands on tiptoes to be gone after it ; as the hawk upon the hand, as soon as ever it sees her game, launcheth forth, and would be upon the wing after it, though possibly held by its sheath to the fist : thus the sincere soul is inwardly pricked and provoked by a sti'ong desire after its duty, thoiigh kept back by infir- mities; a perfect heart and a willing mind are joined together, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. It is David's coimsel to his son Solomon, ' to sei've God with a perfect heart, and a willing mind.' A false heart is a shifting heart, puts off its work so long as it dares, and it is little thanks to set about it when the rod is taken down ; yet hj'pocrites are like tops, that go no longer than they are whipped ; but the sincere soul is ready and forward, it doth not want will to do a duty, when it wants skill and strength how to do it. The Levites (2 Chron. xxix. 34) are said to be more upright in heart, to sanctify themselves, than the priests were. How appeared that ? in this, that they were more forward and willing to the work. No sooner did the word come out of the good king's mouth, concerning a reformation, ver. 10, but presently the Levites arose to sanctify themselves; but some of the priests had not such a mind to the business, and therefore were not so soon ready, ver. 34 ; shewing more policy than piety therein, as if they would stay and see first how the times would prove, before they would engage. Reformation-work is but an icy path, which cowardly spirits love to have well beaten by others, before they dare come on it: but sincerity is of better metal; like the true traveller, that no Aveather shall keep him from going his journey when set, the upright man looks not at the clouds, stands not thinking this or that to discourage him, but takes his warrant from the word of God, and having that, nothing but a countermand from the same God that 'sets him at work shall turn him back. His heai't is uniform to the will of God. If God saith, ' Seek my face,' it rebounds and echoes back again, 'Thy face will I seek,' yea, Lord, as if David had said with a good will, "rhy word is press-money enough
GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH. ggg