though much corruption be found in thee still, that is foiling thy stream, and endeavouring to stop the free course of thy soul Godward : this may put thee to some trouble, as the mountains and rocks do the river-water running to the sea, causing some windings and turnings in its course, which else would go the nearest way, even in a direct line to it; so thy remaining corruptions may now and then put thee out of thy way of obedience ; but sincerity will, like the water, on its journey, for all this, and never leave till it bring thee, though with some compass, to thy God, whom thou hast so imprinted in thy heart, as he can never be forgot by thee. But if thou never hadst the hypocrisy of thy heart thus discovered, and made hateful to thee, nor a new principle put into thy bosom, to turn the tide of thy soul contrary on the natural tall of thy affections, only thovi from the good opinion which thou hast of thyself, because of some petty flourishes thou makest in profession, takest it for granted thou art sincere, and thy heart true, I dare pronounce thee an imclean hypocrite ; the world may saint thee possibly, but thou wilt never, as thou art, be so in God's account; when thou hast tricked and spruced up thyself never so finely into the fashion of a Christian, still thou wilt have but a saint's face, and a hypocrite's heart. It is no matter what is the sign, though an angel that hangs Avithout, if the devil and sin dwell within. New trimmings upon an old garment will not make it new, only give it a new shape ; and truly it is no good husbandry to bestow a great deal of cost in fining up an old suit, that will drop in a while to tatters and rags, when a little more might pvu'chase a new one, that is lasting. And is it not better to labour to get a new heart, that all thou dost may be accepted and thou saved, than to lose all the pains thou takest in religion, and thyself also, for want of it?
Section II. — Secondly, A sincere heart is a plain heart, a simple heart, shte pUcis, a heart without folds. The hypocrite is of the serpent's brood; he can, as the serpent, shrink up, or let out himself for his advantage, unwilling to expose himself much to the knowledge of others ; and he has reason to do so, for he knows he hath most credit where he is least known : the hypocrite is one that ' digs deep to hide his coimsel,' Isa. xxix. 15. ' Their heart is deep,' Psa. Ixiv. 6. Their meaning and intent of heart lies nobody knows how far distant from their words. A sincere heart is like a clear stream in a brook, you may see to the bottom of his plots in his words, and take the measure of his heart by his tongue. I have heard say, that diseases of the heart are seen in spots of ihe tongue; but the hypocrite can shew a clear tongue, and yet have a foul heart; he that made that proverb, Loqiiere ut te videom, ' Speak that I may see you,' did not think of the hypocrite, who will speak that you shall not see him : the thickes^t clouds that he hath to wrap up his villany in, are his religious tongue and sandy profession. Wouldst thou know whether thou hast a true heart in thy bosom ? Look if thou hast a plain-dealing heart ; see them joined, 2 Cor. i. 12 ; Paul and the rest of the faithful messengers of Christ had their conver- sation among the Corinthians in ' simplicity and godly sincerity.' They had no close box in the cabinet of their hearts, in which they cunningly kept anything concealed from them of their designs, as the false apostles did. Now this plain- dealing of the sincere heart appears in these three particulars.
First, A sincere heart deals plainly with itself, and that in two things chiefly. First, In searching and ransacking its own self; this it doth to its utmost skill and power. It will not be put off with pretences, or such a mannerly excuse as Rachel gave to Laban, when at the same time she sat brooding on his idols. No, an account it will have of the soul, and that such a one as may enable it to give a good account to God, upon whose warrant it does its office. O the fear which such a one shews, lest any lust should escape its eye, and lie hid, as Saul in the stuff, or that any the least grace of God should be trodden on regardlessly by belying or denying it! When David found his thoughts of God, which used to recreate him, and be his most pleasing company, occasion some trouble in his spirit,- — Psa. Ixxix. 3 : ' I thought on God, and was troubled ' — this holy man, wondering what the matter should be, do but see what a privy search he makes; he him ts backwards and forwards, what God's fonner dealings had been, ' and communes with his heart, and makes diligent search there,' ver. 6 ; never gives over till he brings it to an issue ; and finding the disturber of his peace to be in himself, he is not so tender of his reputation, as to tliink of
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