Thus much I thought meet to interpofe here for the confirmation of the fincere, on occafion of the worlds unjust accufations; and fo to perfwade them to be fatisfied in the portion of the fincere. I now return again to the selfdeceiver.

And here I fhall conclude all with these two requests to you, which as one that forefeeth the approaching mifery of felfdeceivers, I earneftly intreat you, for the fake of your immortal fouls, that you will not deny me. The firft is, that you will be now but as willing to try your felves, as I have been to help you, and as diligent and faithful when you are alone, in calling your own hearts to a clofe examination, as I have been to hold the light here to you. O refuse not; delay not, to with

draw

draw your felves fometimes from the world, and fet your felves as before the eye of God, and there bethink your felves whether you have been what you have vowed and profeft to be! and whether that God hath been dearest to your hearts, and obeyed in your lives, and defired as your happinefs, who hath been confeffed and honoured with your lips? Confider there, that God judgeth not as man; nor will he think ever the better of you, for thinking well of your felves: and that there muft go more to prove your approbation with God, then commonly goes to keep up your reputation in the world. The Religion that ferveth to honour you before men, and to deceive your felves, will never serve to please the Lord and fave your fouls. And the day is at hand when nothing but God can give you comfort, and when

felf

felf-deceivers will become everlaftingly felf-tormentors. O therefore go willingly and prefently to the Word,to your lives,and hearts, and confciences, and try your felves,and try again, and that with moderate fufpicion, that in fo great a bufinefs you may not be deceived, and be felf-deceivers.

2. My fecond requeft is, that if you do difcover, or but juftly fufpect your felves of hypocrifie and felf-deceit, you would stick there no longer, but prefently change your vain Religion, your feemings and formalities, for the power of godliness,and fincerity of heart.

But I fuppofe that fome of you will fay, There lies the difficulty. O that we could do it? But how fhould it be done?

I anfwer; If thou be really willing to be above Hypocrifie, and a vain Religion, the cure is half wrought at leaft. And I will

not

not tire thee now with many, but help and try thee by these few directions.

In general; Be but what thou haft promised and vowed to be in thy Baptifm, and what thou ftill doft profefs to be as a Chriftian, and it will ferve the turn: what that is, I have told you before.

:

More particularly. Direct. 1.Deliberately renew thy Covenant with God and with a grieved heart, bewailing that thou haft been a Covenant-breaker, give up thy felf presently to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, as thy Creatour, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, thy Owner, thy Ruler, and thy Father.

2. Renounce fincerely the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and be at a point with all below; and quit all conceits and hopes of felicity or reft on earth: And abfolutely devote and refign thy felf,

and

and all thou haft to the will and service of thy Lord, without any fecret exceptions or referves. This is the property and plague of Hypocrites, that fecretly they have exceptions and referves in giving up themselves to God. They will follow him, except it would difgrace them or undo them in the world: he fhall have all, provided the flesh may not be too much pinched: that is, in plain English, they take him not for God, but for a fecond to themselves and the world, and will give him but what the flesh can spare.

3. Fix the eye of a lively faith upon God and upon the everlasting joyes, and there take up thy whole reward, and look for no other. Quit all expectations of a reward from men. Let it feem a fmall thing to thee, what any mortal man fhall think or speak of unless as Gods honour or

thee;