fathom my heart any further ; and, therefore, If it he possible that yet any evil way may shroud itself under this, tell me, and lead me into the way everlasting.
Sixthly, The Christian, when he shews most zeal against sin, and hath greatest victory over it, even then must he renounce all trusting and glorying in this. The excellency of gospel holiness consists in self-denial. ' Though I were perfect,' saith Job, ' yet would I not know my soul,' Job ix. 21 ; that is, I would not be conceited and proud of my innocence. When a man is lift up with any excel- lency he hath, we say, he knows it ; he hath excellent parts, but he knows it ; that is, he reflects too much on himself, and sees his own face too often in the glass of his own perfections. They who climb lofty moimtains, find it safest, the higher they ascend, the more to bow, and stoop with their bodies ; and so does the Spirit of Christ teach the saints, as they get higher in their victories over corruption, to bow lowest in self-denial, Jude 21 ; the saints are bid there, ' to keep themselves in the love of God,' and then to wait, and ' look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life.' And Hosea x. 12, 'Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy.' We sow on earth, we reap in heaven. Tlie seed we are to sow is righteousness and holiness, which when we have done with greatest care and cost, we must not expect our reward from the hand of our righteousness, but God's mercy.
CHAPTER VII.
A SECOND INSTANCE, WHEREIN THE POWER OF HOLINESS IS TO APPEAR IN THE christian's LIFE, I. E. IN THE DUTIES OF GOd's WORSHIP.
Secondly, The Christian must exert the power of holiness in the duties of Ciod's worship. The same light that shews us a God, convinceth he is to be worshipped ; and not only so, but that he will be worshipped in a holy manner also. God was very choice in all that belonged to his worship under the law. If he hath a tabernacle, the place of worship, it must be made of the choicest materials ; the workmen employed to make it, must be rarely gifted for the purpose ; the sacrifices to be offered up, the best in every kind, the males of the flock, the best of the beasts, the fat of the inwards, not the offals ; the persons that attend upon the Lord, and minister unto him, they must be pecu- liarly holy. What is the gospel of all this, but that God is very curious in his worship ? if in any action of oiu' lives v,e be more holy than others, sure it is to be when we have to do with God immediately. Now this holiness in duties of worship should appear in these particulars.
First, In making conscience of one duty as well as another, the Christian must encompass all within his religious walk. It is dangerous to perform one duty, that we may disjiense with ourselves in the neglect of another. Partiality is hateful to God, especially in the duties of religion, which have all a divine stamp upon them. There is no ordinance of God's a])pointment which he doth not bless to his people, and we must not reject what God owns ; yea, God com- municates himself with great variety to his saints, now in this, anon in that, on purpose to keep up the esteem of all in oin* hearts. The spouse seeks her beloved in secret duties at home, and finds him not ; then she goes to the public, and meets him ' whom her soul loves,' Cant, iii.4. Daniel, no doubt, had often visited the throne of grace, and been a long trader in that duty ; but God reserved the fuller manifestation of his love, and opening some secrets to him, until he did, to ordinary ])rayer, join extraordinary fasting and prayer ; then the commandment came forth, and a messenger from heaven despatched to acquaint him with God's mind and heart, Dan. x. 3, compared with ver. 23. There is no duty, but the saints find at one time or another the Spirit of God breathing sweetly in, and filling their souls from it, with more than ordinary refreshing. Sometimes the child sucks its milk from this breast, sometimes from that. David in meditation, while he was musing, finds a heavenly heat kindling in his bosom, till at last the fire breaks out, Psa. xxxix. 3. To the eunuch, in reading of the word, is sent Philip to join to his chariot. Acts vii. 27, 28. To the apostles, Christ makes known himself in breaking of bread, Luke xxiv. 35. The disciples walking toEmmaus, and conferring together, presently have Christ fall in with them, who helps them to untie those knots which they were posed with, Luke xxiv. 15. Cornelius, at duty in his house, has a vision from
gJQ AND HAVING ON