The crown and glory of a Christian consisting in a sound conversion and well ordered conversation.

2. Of Carriage under the first workings of Christi∣anity.

1. When the Lord Jesus comes and stands knocking at the door of your heart with the hammer of his Word, and with the hand of his Spirit, then bow your self with all your might (as Sampson did) Judg. 16. 30, to pull back every bolt, and to draw in every bar, that would keep

the door shut against this blessed and bleeding Re∣deemer. The duty indeed is yours, but the ability is his: as much as in you lyes, cause every lust of your heart to make room for your dear Jesus.

2. Welcome Christ into your heart with joy. Say to him as Laban did to Abrahams servant, Come in thou blessed of the Lord [thou art welcome] wherefore standest thou without? Gen. 24. 31. Christ will come to you with a blessing in his hand to bestow on you, as he did to Jacob, Gen. 32. 26, &c. David literal saith to his Son (that invi∣ted

him to his house) Why should we be chargeable to thee, my Son? 2 Sam. 13.25. But this David-spiritual will not be chargeable: wheresoever he comes, where he comes to sup with any soul, he brings his supper with him, Revel. 3. 20, and eats but of his own honey-comb, and of his own honey, Cant. 5. 1. This blessed Guest brings his blessing with him, as the Ark did to the house of Obed-Edom.

3. When Christ is come into your house to dwell in your heart by faith, Ephes. 3. 17, be careful to keep his habitation quiet and

comfortable; to this end you must adjure your cor∣ruptions by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that they stir not up nor awake your beloved until he please, Cant. 2. 7. 'Tis pity such a blessed Guest should meet with any disturbance; lay Gods charge upon your lusts, saying to them as Lot did to the Sodomites, Gen. 19. 8, Only unto this Angel of the Lord, and this Lord of Angels, do nothing [of disturbance] for therefore came he under the shadow of my roof: and as the good old man to the men of Gi∣beah, Judg. 19. 23, Nay, I pray you do not so wickedly,

seeing this man [Christ Je∣sus] is come into my house, do not this folly to disturb him.

4. Be oft admiring that blessed state of Grace which God hath brought you into, out of the cur∣sed state of sin, and say with Peter at Christs Transfiguration, Master, 'tis good being here; let us build tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias; not one for himself, for he was so pleased with his present condition, that he could be content to lye out of doors, so he might enjoy the vision of his Masters

glory, Mat. 17.5, &c. Say you with the Hebr. servant, I love my Master, he shall bore me through the ear, and I will stay with him for ever, Deut. 15. 16, 17. And with David you must resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, Psal. 23. 6. The purpose of your heart must be to cleave unto the Lord, Act. 11. 23.

5. Be oft searching your heart in the sense, 1. of the state of sin, out of which (as Israel out of the house of bondage, and out of the Iron furnace, Deut. 4. 20.) your God, your near kinsman, the Lord Jesus, hath deliver'd you. 2. Of

the remainders of sin, from which you are not clean∣sed to this day, you can∣not chide it out of doors as Sarah did Hagar; you can∣not shake it from off your heart as Paul did the Vi∣per from off his hand; 'tis as Daniels Beasts, whose dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolong'd for a time and a season, Dan. 7. 12. This will ballast your new-found joy.

6. Let your own self-righteousness stink and be abhorred by you, when the Righteousness of Christ is brought to clothe you. The father brings forth the

best Robe for his ragged prodigal, Luk. 15. 22. When the first Adam had made himself naked by his sin, he sewed fig-leaves together, and made him∣self an apron; this was both too thin and too scant a covering, but the Lord made a coat of skins (of the Sacrifices) and clothed them, Gen. 3.7, 21. alas your own righteousness is but a fig∣leaf covering, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, no better than dogs-meat, or dung in Pauls eye, Phil. 3. 8, in comparison of that coat made of the skin of the Lamb of God, which is call'd the Righteousness of God, and therefore a better

righteousness than that which Adam had, or that which Angels have; a gar∣ment or robe that covers the whole sinner from the angry eyes of offended Justice.

7. Hunger after a tast and touch of Christ in the purest & powerfullest way of revealing himself to you in his Ordinances; set your self under no means of Grace, without begging of God to speak to your heart with a strong hand, as he did to the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 8. 11. think it not enough that the Mini∣stry (you sit under) is a lovely song to you, as Ezek.

33. 32. but it must be a lively song also, that you may say with David, Gods word hath quickened me, Psal. 119. 50. A divine touch in Gods Ordinances doth quicken us in Gods way, Psal. 119. 37. You must know that Christ hath many followers, and but few touchers; when the multitude throng'd him, he had yet but one that touch'd him, so as to receive healing vertue from him, Mat. 9. 20. Luk. 8. 43, 44, 45, 46.

8. Get solid proof of your interest in Christ: build not upon sandy foun∣dations, such as 1. on gene∣ral

mercy, as if he that made you, will undoubted∣ly save you: If so, then Devils would be saved as well as men, for God made both, and both are his creatures. 2. Nor on good meanings; if those would save you, then the word of God, and the blood of Christ are two superfluous things. Nor 3. on an ex∣ternal profession, for the house of the foolish builder was (for ought we know to the contrary) as fair a fa∣brick to look upon in ex∣ternals, as that of the wise: and the main difference lay in the differing foundation, Mat. 7. 24, 26. The Rock

of ages (the Lord Jesus) was not the foundation of both, but loose earth, loose notions and principles, such as those before mentioned.

9. Be not poring and puzling too long about laying your foundation; but having once laid Christ (alone) your foundation, go then on to build upon it, [strato superstruitur,] God saith to the Children of Israel, they must go for∣ward, Exod. 14. 15. you must neither stand still, nor step backward, Non pro∣gredi est regredi, not to go on, is to go back: 'Tis undoubtedly one of the wiles of Satan, and his de∣vices,

(w^ch we are not to be ignorant of) to gravel graci∣ous spirits about that foun∣dation-truth of their Ele∣ction, to keep them from making passage and pro∣gress in ways of Christia∣nity; our Lord himself was thus buffeted, in Sa∣tans saying to him, once and again [If thou be the Son of God.] If this were done to that green tree, what can the dry expect: Whereas, if you can make your call∣ing sure (in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost) you must take your Election for granted, seeing that Electi∣on-love is the cause and Vo∣cation-love the effect; now

the effect is the manifestati∣on of the cause; do but make your calling sure, and therein you make your Election sure also, 2 Pet. 1. 10.

10. Take heed you blot nor blurr not your Evidences for Heaven by any loose and extravagant Actions; for suppose you cannot (if you be a true Christian) lose your Salva∣tion, yet may you lose the joy of your Salvation, as David did, Psal. 51. 12. This indeed is the blessing of the Covenant of Grace, that though it doth permit a fall, yet it always ensures Repentance after the fall:

notwithstanding, you may get such falls as may break your bones, and it may cost you both much pain, and much pains, before the Lord make you to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which are broken (by your fall) may rejoice, Psal. 51. 8.