First, That you may build upon right principles: — (1.) It is good to ' hide the word in our hearts,' and to store the soul with sound knowledge, and that will always rise up against vain hopes ; as he that would get weeds destroyed must plant the ground with contrary seeds. When there is much knowledge, your own reins will chasten you ; and those sound principles will be talking to you, and speaking by way of check and denial to your sudden and rash presumptions : ' Bind the law to thine heart, and when thou wakest it shall talk to thee,' Prov. vi. 22. (2.) In the witnessing of conscience observe the reason of it, and let the principle be always in sight : do not credit a single testimony without a clear rule or positive ground. A corrupt conscience usually giveth in a bare report, because the grounds are so slender and insufficient that they come least in sight ; for upon a trial conscience would be ashamed of them : as, for instance, this is the report of conscience. Sure I am in a good condition : now ask why ? and the conscience will be ashamed of the paralogism in the text — I hear the word, make much of good ministers, &c. And yet this is the secret and inward thought of most men, upon which they build all their hopes ; whereas true grounds are ojien and clear, and are urged together with the report, and so beget a firm and steady confidence in the spirit ; as 1 John ii. 3, ' Hereby we are sure we know him,' that is, enjoy him, have communion with him ; for knowing there is knowing him by sense and experience. Now whence did this confidence arise ? You shall see from an open and clear ground : We are sure (saith he) because 'We keep his commandments.' (3.) The grounds upon which conscience goeth should be full and positive. There are three sorts of marks laid down in scripture : some are only exclusive, others inclusive : and between these a middle sort of marks,
1 ")6 AN EXrOSlTlON, WITH NOTES, [Jas. I. 22.
wliicli I may call positive. For exclusive marks, their intent is to deceive ji false hope, or to shut out bold ])relenders, by showinj^ them how far they come short of an interest in Christ; and usually they are taken from a necessary common work, as hearing the word, prayincj in secret, attendance upon the ordinances ; he that doth not these things is cer- tainly none of God's: but in case he doth them, he cannot conclude his estate to be gracious. It is the paralogism mentioned in the text, to reason from negative marks and the common works of Christianity. It is true, all go not so far; therefore Athanasius wished utiiiam omnes essent Injpocrita: — would to God that all were hypocrites, and could un- dergo the trial of these exclusive marks. All are not diligent hearers; but, however, it is not safe to be hearers only. But, then, there are other markswhich areinclusive, which are laiddown to sliowthe measures and degrees of grace, and are rather intended for comfort than conviction, which, if they are found in us, we are safe, and in the state of grace ; but if not, we cannot conclude a nullity of grace. Thus faith is often described by such effects as are proper to tlie radiancy and eminent degree of it, and promises arc made to such or such raised operations of other graces. The use of these notes is to comfort, or to convince of want of growth. But, again, there is a middle sort of marks between both these, which I call positive ; and they are such as are always and only found in a heart; truly gracious, because they are such as necessarily infer the inhabitation of the Spirit, and are there where grace is at the lowest. Huch the apostle calleth ra e-^ofieva Tri<i acoTVipia^, Heb. vi. 9, ' Things that accompany salvation,' or which necessarily have salvation in them, the sure symptoms of a blessed estate. lie had s])oken before of a common work, enlightening, and slight tastes and feelings, ver. 4-6. But, saith he, ' We are per- suaded better things of you,' and that you have those necessary evidences to which salvation is infallibly annexed. Now, these must be by great care collected out of the word, that we may be sure the foundation and principle is i-ight.
Secondly, That conscience as a witness may not fail you, take these rules : — (1.) Note the natural and first report of it ere art hath passed upon it. Sudden and indeliberate checks at the word, or in jjrayer, being the immediate births of conscience, have the less of deceit iu them. I have observed that the deceitfulness that is in a wicked man'h heart is not so much in the testimony itself of his conscience, as in the many shifts and evasions he useth to avoid the sense of it. Every sinner's heart doth leproach and condemn him ; but all their art is liow to choke this testimony, or slight it. You know the apostle John referreth the whole decision of all doubts concerning our estate to con- science, 1 John iii. 20, 21. For certainly the first voice of conscience is genuine and unfeigned; for it being i)rivy to all our actions, cannot but give a testimony concerning them ; only we elude it. And there- fore let wicked men ])retend what peace they will, their consciences witness rightly to them ; and were it not for those sleights by which they ])Ut it off, they might soon discern their estate. The apostle saith, they are 'all their lifetime subject to bondage,' Heb. ii. 15. They have a wound and torment within them, which is not always felt, but soon awakened, if they were true to themselves. The arti-