did not foot it right, as became so holy a man to do, but took one step forward, and another back again, as if he had not liked his wa)^ ; now he will eat with the Gentiles, and anon he withdraws. Now what made him dissemble, and his feet thus double in his going ? Nothing but a qualm of fear that came over his heart, as you may see. Gal. ii. 12, compared with ver. 14: 'Fearing them which were of the circumcision,' he dissembled, and drew others into a party with him.
Section VI. — Sixthly, and lastly. Keep a strict eye over thy own heart in thy daily walking ; hypocrisy is a weed with which the best soil is so tainted, that it needs daily care and dressing to keep it under. He that rides on a stumbler, had need have his eye on his way, and hand on his bridle ; such is thy heart. Christian, yea, it oft stumbles in the fairest way, when thou least fearest it; look to it, therefore, and keep a strict rein over it : 'Above all keep- ing, keep thy heart,' Prov. iv. 23. The servant keeps his way when he travels in his master's company, but whe» sent of an errand alone, then he hath his vagaries ; many a wry step may be prevented, and extravagancy in thy daily walking, didst thou walk in company with thyself, I mean observe thyself and way. In this sense, most in the world are beside themselves, strangers to their own walking, as much as to their own faces ; every one that lives with them, knows them better than themselves, which is a horrible shame. And let not so vain an opinion find place with thee, that, because sincere, thou needest not keep so strict an eye over thy heart; as if thy heart which is gra- cious, could not play false with God and thee too ; doth not Solomon brand him on the forehead for a fool, that trusts his own heart ? If thou art, as thou sayest, sincere, I cannot believe self-love should so far prevail with thee ; they are the ignorant and profane whose hearts are stark naught, that ciy them up for good : but it is one part of the goodness of a heart made truly good by grace, to see more into, and complain more of, its own naughtiness. Bring thy heart therefore often upon the review, and take its accounts solemnly ; he takes the way to make his servant a thief, that doth not ask him now and then what money he hath in his hand. I read, indeed, of some in good Jehoiada's days that were trusted with the money for the repair of the temple, with whom they did not so much as reckon how they laid it out: ' For they dealt faithfully,' 2 Kings xii. 15 ; but thou hadst not best to do so with thy heart, lest it set thee on score with God and thy own conscience, more than thou wilt get wiped out in haste. Many talents God puts into thy hand, health, liberty, sabbaths, or- dinances, comnnmion of saints, and the like, for the repair of thy spiritual temple — the work of grace in thee ; ask now thy soul, how every one of these are laid out ; may be thou wilt find some of this money spent, and the work never a whit the more forward : it stands thee in hand to look to it, for God will have an account, though thou art favourable to thy deceitful heart to call for none.
CHAPTER XV.
COUNSEL AND COMFORT TO THOSE WHO ARE SINCERE, BUT DROOPING, DOUBTING SOULS ; WHO NEITHER ARE CONDEMNED ABSOLUTELY IN THEIR CONSCIENCES FOR HYPOCRITES, NOR FULLY ABSOLVED FROM THE SUSPICION OF IT IN THEIR OWN THOUGHTS.
We have done with the second sort of persons ; those, who upon search, find their consciences bearing witness for their uprightness.
Thirdly, There is a third sort remains yet to be spoken to, and they are doubt- ing souls, who are indeed sincere, but dare not be persuaded to think so well of themselves. They come from the trial which they were desired to put them- selves upon, and bring in an ignoramus, We know not whether we be sincere or not. Now to these I would give these words of counsel, and the Lord give his blessing with them.
Section I. — 1. Take heed Satan doth not draw you to conclude you are hypocrites, because you are without the present evidence of your sincerity. To say so, were to ofiend against the generations of God's dear children, many of whom must, if this were a true inference from such premises, pass the same sentence upon themselves ; for such precious souls there are, from whose eyes the truth of their grace and sincerity of their hearts is at this day hid, and yet
GIKT ABOUT WITH TRUTH. 273