5. It reproves those that think to reserve their hearts, notwithstand- ing outward con:ipliance ; the way of truth, being chosen, is to be owned, 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; the outward profession is required as well as the inward belief : Horn. x. 10, ' For with the heart man believeth unto righteous- ness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' A man that should lift himself among the enemies of his country, and fight with them, and say, I reserve my heart for my country, this is a mock- age ; as if a wife that prostitutes her body to another, should tell her husband she reserveth her heart for him. Satan would have outward prostration ; he did not ask the heart, but, ' Fall down and worship me.'
Use 2. To press us to choose the way of truth. Take it up upon evidence, and cleave to it with all the heart.
First, Take it up upon evidence, the evidence of reason, scripture, and the Spirit. Reason will lead us to the scripture, the scripture will lead us to the Spirit ; so we come to have a knowledge of the trutli.
1. Eeason ; that is preparative light, and will lead the soul thus far. It is a thousand to one but Christianity is the Avay of God ; it will see much of God in this representation : and if you should go on carnally, carelessly, neglecting heaven and Christ, reason will tell you you run upon a thousand hazards, that there are far more against you than for you in your sinful courses. Stand upon the way. Where may you find such likelihood of satisfaction, or probability of salvation as in the religion we have ? Either this is true or there is none : that you should venture your souls rather here than elsewhere ; and at least, that you should profess the Christian religion as men go to a lottery ; reason will tell you thus. A man that comes to a lottery, it is uncer- tain whether he shall have a prize or no; but it is but venturing a shilling, possibly he may have a prize ; so reason will tell you, if it be uncertain whether there be a heaven or a hell, yet it is a thousand to one there are both : I may have a prize ; and it is but venturing the quitting of a few lusts that are not worth the keeping. There are some truths above reason, but none contrary to it ; for grace is not contrary to nature, but perfects it ; therefore there is nothing in the gospel but what is agreeable to sound reason. Eeason will tell us there is no doctrine agreeth so much with the wisdom, power, good- ness, justice, truth, and the honour of God, as that doctrine revealed in the scripture.
Veil 30.] sermons upon psalm cxix. 311
2. Wlien reason liatli tlms brought you to the scripture, there is the great warrant of taith : John xvii. 20, ' They that believe in me through their word.' And Isa. viii. 20, ' To the law, and to the testi- mony, else there is no light in them.' That is the sacred standard by which we should measure all doctrines, and these will ' make wise the simple/ Ps. xix. The plainest, meanest, simplest man may find out the right way to heaven, if he will consult with God's book diligently, there he may become wise to salvation ; the veriest fool and simple man may be taught how to walk directl}^ and safely. This is the clue which brings us through all the labyrinths and perplexing debates in the Avorld, to consult with the word of God, that we may not receive the truth upon man's credit, but see the grounds of it with our own eyes. He that finds the pearl of price must dig for it : Mat. xiii. 44, he must read the scriptures, be much in the study of God's book.
3. The scripture leads us to the Spirit, because there are many mysteries in the gospel difficulty known, that will not be taken up by a sure faith without illumination from above. Besides, there are so many various artifices used by men to disguise the truth, Eph. iv. 14. And besides, there is a connate blindness and hatred of truth, which is natural to men, and therefore it is the Spirit of God must help us to make a wise choice. Look, as in practical things, we shall never choose the way of truth in opposition to the falsity of worldly enjoy- ments without the light of the Spirit ; therefore it is said, Prov. xxiii. 4, ' Labour not to be rich, cease from thine own wisdom.' If a man be guided by his own understanding, he will choose riches : so also in matter of opinion, vrhen we lean to our own understanding, we shall choose amiss. John xvi. 13, it is the Spirit of God that must guide us into all truth, therefore you must beg his direction ; for if we that are so blind of heart be left to our own mistakes or the deceits of others, left to the direction of ourselves, how easily shall we err ! Say, ' Lord, send out thy light and thy truth, to lead me to thy holy hill.'