these things are loss and dung." 2dly, It discovers Christ as the full and satisfying treasure above all things: "The man finds a treasure, for which with joy he selleth all," &c. 3dly, It determines the heart, and causeth it to approach unto a living God in the ordinances: "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts," and causeth the heart to wait upon him, and him alone. "My soul, wait thou only upon God." Thus having dropped in the seed of God in the heart, and formed Christ there, the heart is changed and made new in the work: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." And God's law is so stamped upon the heart in that change, that the whole yoke of Christ is commended to the man without exception. The law is acknowledged "good, holy, just, and spiritual." Upon all which, from that new principle of life, there flow out acts of a new life; "faith worketh by love;" and the man becomes “a servant of righteousness unto God," which doth especially appear in the spirituality of worship; men then "serve God in spirit and truth; and in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter;" and tenderness in all manner of conversation: the man then “exerciseth himself how to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men." Now in this way doth the love of God discover itself unto man, and acteth on him, so as he hath ground of laying some good claim to it; that he may justly think that the love which sent a Saviour, had respect to such a man as hath

found these things made out to him. Surely ignorance in this doth hinder many from the knowledge of their interest in Christ; for if a man know not how God worketh with a person, so that he may justly lay claim to his love, which was from eternity, he will wander in the dark, and not come to the knowledge of an interest in him.

3. Many are also ignorant of this, that God alone is the hope of his people: he is called "the Hope of Israel." Although inherent qualifications are evidences of it, yet the staying of the heart upon him as a full blessing and satisfying portion is faith: "The faith and hope must be in God;" and the only proper condition which giveth right to the saving blessings of the covenant. "To him that worketh not, but believeth-faith is counted for righteousness." Indeed, if any person take liberty here, and turn grace into licentiousness, there is, without doubt, in so far, a delusion; since there "is mercy with him upon condition that it conciliate fear to him." Yea, hardly can any man who hath found the formermentioned expressions of God's love made out in him, make a cloak of the covenant for sinful liberty without some measure of a spiritual conflict: in this respect," he that is born of God doth not sin ;" and, "he who doth so sin hath not seen God." I say, God is the hope of his people, and not their own holiness. If they intend honestly, and long seriously to be like unto him, many failings should not weaken their hope and confidence, for it is in him "who changeth not;"" and if any man sin, he hath an advocate." Now, when men place their

hope in any other thing besides the Lord, it is no wonder they are kept in a staggering condition, according to the changes of the thing which they make the ground of their hope, since they give not to God the glory due to his name, and which he will not give to another. 66 They who know thy name will put their trust in thee." My glory will I not give to another; I am the Lord, that is my name."

66

2.

4. Many are ignorant of the different ways and degrees of God's working with his people, and this doth much darken their knowledge, and reflex acts of their interest in him. This ignorance consists mainly of three things: 1. They are ignorant of the different degrees and ways of that work of the law which ordinarily dealeth with men, and of the different ways in which the Lord bringeth people at first to Christ. They consider not that the jailer is not kept an hour in bondage. Paul is kept in suspense three days, Zaccheus not one moment. They are ignorant of, at least they do not consider, how different the degrees of sanctification are in the saints, and the honourable appearances thereof before men in some, and the sad blemishings thereof in others. Some are very blameless, and more free of gross outbreakings, adorning their profession much, as Job and Zacharias. These are said to be "perfect and upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil; righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless :" others were subject to very gross and sad evils, as Solomon, Asa, &c. 3. They are ignorant of the different communications of God's face, and expres

sions of his presence.

Some walk much in the light of God's countenance, and are much in sensible fellowship with him, as David was; others aré "all their days kept in bondage through fear of death.” Surely the ignorance of the different ways of God's working and dealing with his people doth very much darken the knowledge of their interest in him, whilst they usually limit the Lord to one way of working, which he doth not keep, as we have shown in the former examples.

The second thing which darkens men about their interest in Christ is, there is one thing or other wherein their heart in some respect doth condemn them, as dealing deceitfully and guilefully with God. It is not to be expected that these can come to clearness about their interest, whose heart doth condemn them for keeping up some known transgression against the Lord, which they will not let. go, neither are using the means which they know to be appointed by God for delivering them from it: neither can these come to clearness who know some positive duty commanded them in their stations, which they deceitfully shift and shun, not closing cheerfully with it, or not willing to be led into it: these are also, in some respect, condemned of their own heart, as the former sort are; and in that case it is difficult to come to a distinct knowledge of their state. "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." It is supposed here, that a self-condemning heart maketh void a man's confidence proportionally before God.

I do not deny but that men may, on good grounds,

our Lord.

plead an interest in Christ in the case of prevailing iniquity: "Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away." "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God, through Jesus Christ So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." But it is hard to be attained, if at all attainable, when the heart is dealing deceitfully, and entertaining known guile in any particular: therefore, let people clear themselves of the particular which they know too well. It is the thing which hinders them, marring their confidence and access in all their approaches unto God: "Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more." The idolatries of the people are cast up to them by the Lord, and their suit thereupon rejected. That which draws away the heart first in the morning, and last at night, like " an oven heated at night, and it burneth as a flaming fire in the morning," spoken of the wicked; and taketh up their thoughts often on their bed: as it is said of some, "He deviseth mischief upon his bed," &c. That which doth ordinarily lead away the heart in time of religious duty, and the remembrance of which hath power to enliven and quicken the spirits more than the remembrance of God, so as "their heart is after the heart of some detestable thing." That which withstandeth men when they would lay hold on the