It is the pride, passion, and earthliness of our hearts, that hath spoiled christian fellowship. Whence is it, that, when christians meet, they are often jarring and contending, but only from their unmortified passions? Whence are their uncharitable censures of their brethren, but only from self ignorance? Why are they so rigid and unmerciful towards those that are fallen, but because they consider not themselves? as the apostle speaks, Gal. vi. 1. Why is their discourse so frothy and unprofitable when they neet? Is not this from the earthliness and vanity of their hearts."

My brethren, these be the things that have spoiled christian fellowship, and made it become a dry and sapless thing; so that many christians are even weary of it, and are ready to say, with the prophet, Jer. ix. 2. O that I had a cottage in the wilderness, &c. that I might leave my people, and go from them! and, with David, Psal. cxx. 6. My soul hath loog dwelt with them that hate peace. This hath made them long for the grave, that they might go from them that are not their own people, to them that are their own people, as the original of that text imports, 2 Cor. v. 8.

But now, if professors would study

eir own hearts more, watch and keep em better, all this would be prevented; d the beauty and glory of communion gain restored. They would divide no hore, contend no more, censure rashly ɔ more; when their hearts are in tune, heir tongues will not jarr: how charitale, pitiful and tender will they be one of nother, when every one is daily humbled nder the evil of his own heart? Lord, asten those much desired days, and bless hese counsels in order to them.

Jo. Mot. Lastly, By this the comorts of the spirit, and precious influenes of all ordinances, would be fixed, and much longer preserved in your souls, than now they are.

Ah! what would I give, that my soul might be preserved in that frame I sometimes find it after an ordinance! Sometimes, O Lord (saith one of the fathers sweetly) thou admittest me into the most inward, unusual and sweet delights, to I know not what sweetness, which, were it perfeted in me, I know not what it would be, or rather what it would not

but, alas! the heart grows careless again, and quickly returns, like water res moved from the fire, to its native coldDess. Could you but keep those things or ever in your hearts, what christians

would you be what lives would you live And how is it, that these things remain no longer with us? Doubtless it is, be cause we suffer our hearts to take cole again we should be as careful after ir ordinance or duty to prevent this, as one that comes out of an hot bath, or great sweat, is of going out into the chill air We have our hot and cold fits by turns and what is the reason, but our unskil fulness and carelessness in keeping the heart?

It is a thousand pities, that the ordinances of God as to their quickning and comforting effects should be like those humane ordinances the apostle speaks of, that perish in the using. O then, let me say to you, as Job xv. 11. Do the con solations of God seem small to you? Look over these ten special benefits, weight them in a just balance; are they small matters? Is it a small matter to have thy weak understanding assisted, thy endan gered soul antidoted, thy sincerity cleared, thy communion with God sweeted, *thy sails filled in prayer? Is it a small thing to have the decayed power of godJiness again recovered, all fatal scandals removed, an instrumental fitness to serve Christ obtained, the communion of saints restored to its primitive glory, and the

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nfluences of ordinances abiding in the ouls of saints? If these be no common lessings, no small benefits, then surely is a great duty to keep the heart with' 1 diligence.

The III Use, for Direction.

THE next use shall be for direction to some special means for the keeping of the heart and here, besides what hath been hinted in the explication of the du ty, at the beginning of this discourse, to which I refer the reader, and all those directions throughout the whole, appropriated to particular cases and season's, I shall further add several other general means, of excellent use to this end: and the first is this,

1. Means. Would you thus keep your hearts as hath been persuaded, then furnish your hearts richly with the word of God, which is their best preservative against sin.

Keep the word, and the word will keep you as the first receiving of the word regenerated your hearts, so the keeping of the word within you, will' preserve your hearts, Col. iii.. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you; let it dwell, not tarry with you for a night; and let it dwell richly, or plentifully; in

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all that is of it, in its commands, prmises, threats; in all that is in you, in your understandings, memories, consciences, affections; and then it will preserve your heart, Psal. cxix. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. It is a slippriness of our hearts, in reference to the word, that causes so many slips in our lives. Conscience cannot be urged, or awed with forgotten truths; but keep it in the heart, and it will keep both heart and life upright, Psal. xxxvii. 31. The law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide; or, if he do, the word will recover the straying heart again, Mat. xxvi. 57. Then Peter remembred (the words of Jesus) and wept bitterly. We never lose our hearts, till they have first lost the efficacious and powerful impressions of the word.

2. Means. Call your hearts frequently to an account, if ever you mean to keep them with God.

Those that put a stock into the hands of unfaithful or suspicious servants, will be sure to make short reckonings with them; the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Jer. xvii. 9. O it is as necessary, as sweet, that we and our reigns, that is, we and our