those actions are prompted. This will be evident, if we consider what those sayings are to which he refers: we shall find them as follows: *Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are they that mourn; blessed are the meek; blessed are the merciful; blessed are the pure in heart;" &c. &c. We are often commanded to love one another; but this commandment respects chiefly an exercise of mind, terminating in practice. When we are told in Scripture, that men shall, at the last day, be judged "according to their works," and that " all shall receive according to the things done in the body," we are not to understand this of actions only; for God is often spoken of as searching the heart and trying the reins, that he may render to every one according to his works. See Rev. 2: 23; Jer. 17: 9, 10.

Though in this evidence of sincerity, what is inward is of greatest importance, yet what is outward is also included; and hereby are cut off all pretensions which any man, who externally lives wickedly, can possibly have as to signs of godliness.

(2.) I proceed to show, that Christian practice, thus explained, is the chief evidence to ourselves that we are really Christians. It is an evidence very much superior to any evidence drawn from our first convictions, our knowledge, or our comfort, or any exercises of grace whatever, which begin and end in the mind. This appears from the following arguments.

Argument I. Reason clearly shows, that those things which men, when left to follow their own choice, show by their actions that they prefer, are what they do really prefer in their hearts. Sincerity in religion, agreeably to what has been observed, consists in placing our affections supremely upon God, in having a disposition to resign all for Christ, &c. But our ac

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tions are the proper evidence as to what we really prefer. As, for instance, when God and other things are placed in competition: religion and its connected blessings on the one hand, and worldly interest or pleasure on the other; a man's behavior under such circumstances, in actually forsaking the one and adhering to the other, is the proper test as to which he really prefers. Sincerity consists in forsaking all for Christ in heart; but to forsake all for Christ in heart, is the same thing as to have a heart to forsake all for Christ; and certainly the proper trial, whether a man has such a disposition, is his being actually put to it-his having Christ and other things so placed in competition, nat he must necessarily forsake the one and adhere to the other.

It is therefore extremely absurd for any one to say that he has a good heart, while he lives a wicked life, or does not bring forth the fruit of universal holiness in his practice. For it is proved, in fact, that such men do not love God supremely. Men who live in the indulgence of sin, and yet fatter themselves that they shall go to heaven, act as though they hoped to make a fool of their Judge. This is implied in what the apostle says in the following passage: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal. 6: 7.

Argument II. It is also evident, that those circumstances which put it to the test, whether men will prefer the approbation of God to other things in practice, are the proper trials of their sincerity. Those circumstances which constitute the difficulties of religion, or those things which render the performance of our duty difficult, upon any other principle than the love of God, are properly denominated trials. They are so, because

by them the reality of a supreme love to God is brought to the test of experiment and fact. The Scriptures, when they call the difficulties by which Christians are exercised, temptations or trials, explain themselves to mean thereby, the trials of our faith. See James, 1: 2, 3; 1 Pet. 1: 6, 7. The Apostle Paul speaks of the duty of parting with our property for the poor, as the proof of the sincerity of our love. 2 Cor. 8:8. The difficulties of religion are often represented in Scripture, as trying professors in the same way as the furnace tries gold and silver. Psalm 66: 10, 11; Zech. 13:9. That which has the appearance of gold, is put into the furnace in order that it may be ascertained whether it is what it seems to be, or not. So the difficulties of religion try those who have the profession and the appearance of saints. If we put gold into the furnace, we ascertain its great value and preciousness; and so, when under trials, true Christian virtues appear in all their inestimable importance. 1 Pet. 1, 7. Pure gold will come out of the furnace in full weight; so true saints will lose nothing in the furnace of affliction; they will come forth as gold. Job, 23: 10. When God is said to try men, we are not to understand that he tries them for his own information, or that he may obtain evidence of their sincerity; but chiefly for their satisfaction, and to exhibit evidence to their own consciences. Thus when God is said to prove Israel by difficulties in the wilderness and by their enemies in Canaan, to know what was in their hearts, whether they would keep his commandments or not, it must be understood that these trials were to manifest their sincerity to themselves, that they might know what was in their own hearts. So when God tempted, or tried Abraham with that painful command of offering up his

Affections.

son, it was not for his own satisfaction, but for the satisfaction of Abraham, that he might have a clear manifestation of the favor of God toward him. When Abraham had proved faithful under this trial, God says to him, "Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." This declaration implies, that in the practical exercise of grace, the existence of that grace was rendered more evident. We find also that Christ repeatedly adopted the same means of convincing those who pretended friendship to him, and of showing them what they were. This was the method he took with the rich young man. Matt. 19: 16, &c. This man appeared to show much respect for Christ; he came kneeling to him, calling him Good Master, and making a great profession of obedience to the commands of God; but Christ put his sincerity to the test, by bidding him sell all that he had, give it to the poor, take up his cross and follow him. So he tried another, of whom we read in Matt. 8:20. This person professed great respect for Christ, saying, "Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." Christ immediately puts his friendship to the test, by telling him that "the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." And thus Christ is accustomed still to try professors in general. The seed sown in different kinds of ground, appears all alike when it first springs up; yet when it is tried by the heat of the sun, the difference becomes evident.

Since therefore these are the things by which God is pleased to try us, it is undoubtedly the safest way for us to try ourselves by the same means. As these trials are not for his information, but for ours, we ought

to receive our information from them, respecting the sincerity of our attachment to Christ. If we wish to know whether a building is strong or not, we should view it when the wind blows. When a man comes to the place where the path divides, one branch leading to Christ, the other to the gratification of his lusts, then he is brought to the test, then his real disposition, or the state of his mind, is likely to be ascertained.

Argument. III. Another argument by which it is proved that holy practice, as it has been already described, is the best evidence to ourselves of our being in a state of grace, is, that by practice grace is said in Scripture to be made perfect, or to be finished: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect," or finished, as the original properly means. James, 2:22. Our love to God is said to be made perfect, or finished, in our keeping his commandments: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily the love of God is perfected." 1 John, 2: 4, 5. The commandment of Christ, to which the apostle here alludes, as appears from the following verses, is that great cominand of his, which respects deeds of love to our brethren. Again, we have a similar passage in chap. 4, ver. 12. "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."

Now if grace is thus made perfect in its fruit, if these practical exercises of grace are those in which it appears in its proper effects, in which whatsoever belongs to its design, tendency, and operation, is completed, then these exercises must be the best evidences of grace. The nature and tendency of every principle must appear with the greatest clearness in its m