Marks of Sincerity.
First; Negatively.
1. He is not a perfect and sincere Christian, whose Heart is not changed, who is not renewed, or who hath not a Principle of Divine Grace or spiritual Life in him.
2. He is not a perfect and sincere Person, that wants any essential part of a Christian; as he is not a perfect natural Child, that wants an Arm, an Eye, or a Leg. See Mat. 19.20. One thing thou lackest, if thou wouldest be perfect, (or approve thy self sincere) go thy way, and sell what thou hast, &c.
3. He is not a sincere Person, whose Heart is lifted up in him.*
4. He is not a sincere Man, that is not upright in all his Dealings and Con∣verse with Men; if he want Moral Uprightness, his Religion is good for nothing.
Secondly; In the Affirmative.
1. A sincere and upright Christian is known by the Way he goes in:* The High-way of the Ʋpright is to depart from Evil.
(1.) He escheweth all Evil, the smallest, as well as the greatest.
(2.) He leaveth it willingly, he hates it; he doth not part with it as a Man parteth with his Friend, but as a Man parteth with his most deadly and mortal Enemy.
2. A sincere Person hath a right Faith, and a good and well-enlightned Judgment. Rotten Principles make rotten Christians.* There are some Men who are of corrupt Minds, reprobate, (or of no Judgment) concerning the Faith.
3. He hath an holy and upright End, he desires to live to God's Glory, and to serve him in Sincerity. Paul resolved, Christ should be magnified in his Body, whether it were by Life, or by Death.
4. He walks by a true and an exact Rule: As many as walk according to this Rule,* Peace on them, and Mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
5. He labours to keep all God's Commandments. Thus did David,* who was a Man after God's own Heart; and thus did Zachary and Elizabeth, who walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless, &c.
6. He desires to be sanctified, as well as to be saved; to be made holy, as well as to be made happy.
7. He is as willing to do for God, as to receive from God; for the Work, as well as the Wages.
8. He strives as much against the Evils of his Heart, as he does against the Evils of his Life.
9. He is a Man always for God, in bad Times as well as in good Times.
10. He is the same in private as in publick; he is at home what he seems to be abroad.
11. He loves and prefers God and Christ above all. Thus David, Psal. 73.25. and Paul, Phil. 3.8, 9.
12. He can go on in God's Ways and Services with abundance of content, without respect to any outward Profit or Applause, or being taken notice of by Men. His Satisfaction consisteth not in the approbation of Men, but in the approbation and commendation of God. His own Conscience gives Testimony and Evidence of the Sincerity of his Heatt. Thus Paul, 2 Cor. 11.12. This is our rejoycing,* the Testimony of our Conscience, &c.
