truth had efficacy in your hearts, authority over your consciences, and prevalency in your conversation? Do you give up yourselves to the truths you do know? and walk with God according to light received? if so, then you have a treasure both of truths and graces. It is a wonder to consider how little light, and how much heat, Christ's own disciples and zealous martyrs have gone straight to heaven with. I speak not this to sooth up any in ignorance, or to patronize negligence, but to quiet the poor doubting, disconsolate conscience, that is affected with a sense of its igno

rance.

2. Ah, saith another, is it possible that I should have a treasure of grace that have such a treasure of sin? the Lord knows, my heart is even stuffed full of corruption, there is such a huge load on my back, such a monstrous body of death, that I much fear whether I have any grace at all in my heart, my sin bears me down like a violent torrent, lust is predominant, and -can grace prevail?

I answer, I am glad to hear these complaints from thee; it is no new thing for a Paul to cry out of a

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body of death:" living men feel the weight of a burden, but dead men are not hurt. Dost thou really complain of the power of sin? then it is a tyrant, not a king in thy heart. Dost thou sigh and fight against sin? bless God for that light to see it, and life to oppose it: the forced damsel cleared her innocency by crying out, so doth the vanquished soul evidence integrity by earnest cries to God; it is not a complete conquest, while the soul is struggling with its enemy, and gives not up the fort of the heart. But know this, that a Christian may have a large treasure of grace in his heart, and yet feel violent workings of * Deut. xxii. 27.

depravity; grace may be strong, yet corruption impetuous; God may give it a commission to make violent incursions upon the well-furnished soul, for wise and gracious ends only consider whether thy prayers be ardent, contests vehement, and mournings for it bitter and more than ordinary; if it be thus with thee, thou mayest have a treasure for all that, not only a principle of grace, but a large measure thereof; for opposites illustrate one another, and though there be strong lustings of the flesh against the Spirit, yet if there be also proportionable strugglings of the Spirit against the flesh, the soul's condition may be safe, and for aught I know, it may be rich in grace.

3. But, saith the Christian, you talk much of a treasure of comforts, but alas, I know not what that means-alas, comfort is far away; surely if I had any grace, I should have peace, but I have been long under sadness and in many disconsolate fears; I am apprehensive I have no treasure of grace.

Answer. Grace and peace are not inseparable, they may be disjoined, as Scripture and experience testify, many a gracious soul hath been in deep sorrows, a soul may have a hell within it, and yet at last go to heaven; a Christian may sail through a tempestuous sea to a quiet haven. Yea, further observe, that a Christian may have a treasure of grace, yet want a treasure of joy and comfort; the reason is, because comfort is an effect of God's Spirit, who acts as a sovereign, and not by necessity; for if the Spirit shine not upon the graces of the Spirit in the soul, it will have no comfort, though it be full of grace. Now, God doth sometimes suspend the comforting presence of his Spirit from the best of his servants, for righteous and gracious ends: hence we find eminent servants of God, that feared God above many, complaining of the

want of comfort, as Job, and David, and Heman; yea, sometimes we find our dear Redeemer, who had a treasure of grace and the Spirit above measure, complaining of God's forsaking him, and consequently of the absence of joy and comfort. Poor soul, do not murmur that God doth not always feed thee with these sweetmeats, which are the fare of the upper table, and are reserved for a heavenly banquet: what though thou hast not always actual possession of comfort, yet thou hast a solid foundation for it: what if thou be not continually dandled on thy Father's knee, and kissed with the kisses of his mouth, yet thou art a child still, and thou canst not deny but sometimes he doth visit thy soul with heart-solacing consolations, and thou mightest have a treasure of them if thou couldest be ready for them, or rightly improve them.

4. Alas, saith the troubled heart, if I knew my state were safe, I could be better satisfied amidst the want of comfort; but I have cause to call every thing into question, I have been so barren and unprofitable under means of grace, ordinances, and providences; I may cry out, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! if there had been any real good in my soul, it would have been more increased under my long-enjoyed helps.

I answer, there is never a soul under heaven, but hath sad cause to complain under ordinances and enjoyments; where is the man that can stand forth, and say he hath gathered in harvest as much as he might have done? But there is a profiting for the obtainment of grace, hast thou had any experience of this? hast thou been wafted over by the boat of ordinances, unto a state of grace? I hope thou canst not deny this. Well then, thou hast attained to the main proficiency, bless God for that: and for a pro

gress in grace, examine thyself a little more strictly.Is not Jesus Christ more endeared to thee? Do not the things of God relish better with thee? Dost thou not more disregard the world, and all preferments that it offers to thee? Is not thy prevailing purpose to cleave to God notwithstanding oppositions, more fixed and settled in thy heart, upon long experience of the ways of God? Dost thou not every day see more demonstrative reasons to confirm thee in thy choice of this better part? And let me ask thee, whether thou hast not grown downwards in humility, self-denial, hatred of sin, love to the saints, though thou canst not say, thou hast grown upwards in joy, faith, heavenly-mindedness, and communion with God? Do not think thou art above complaint and proficiency in this life; none have attained to a perfect treasure in this valley of tears, and shadow of death; you will have cause to complain of defects and imperfections, which with your perfect Saviour's complete righteousness, your God will graciously cover and cure.

5. But, saith the poor soul, methinks I fall very far short, not only of what I might have attained to, but what others, with the same privileges, have arrived at. I am outstripped by such as set out long after me; they that were converted some years after me, have attained to more treasures of gifts, graces, and abilities for edification, and I lag behind, what shall I think of myself?

I answer, thou hast cause to lament thy non-proficiency, and bewail that thou hast not kept pace with others. There should be a holy emulation amongst Christians, and a striving which shall be richest in these good things of heaven; but withal, comparing yourselves with others, is no good rule, except it be to shame your negligent hearts and excite diligent endea

vours; because some have better parts, and may sooner attain to higher degrees of knowledge; and some, God intends to call out to extraordinary service or suffering; others, God designs to snatch away sooner by death, and so lays up much in a shorter time. Besides, though they may seem to have a larger treasure, yet you do not know what they may have to do with it; they may be put to it, and all they have be little enough; they may have such corruptions, temptations, afflictions, desertions, as may exhaust a great treasure; possibly they put the best side out, and you see the bright side, and not the black side of the cloud; you hear their prayers, discourses, exercises amongst others, but you know not their dolorous griefs, and bitter complaints, before the Lord in secret. Could you lay your ears to their closets, you would overhear their sad sighs for their fulness of sin, emptiness of grace, and naughty frame of heart. It may be your treasure is more settled, and theirs more floating, and you see it when the tide is high. You should take in all, before you judge yourselves by others, and indeed, no man is a competent judge of another's frame of spirit, you may even fall below hypocrites themselves in seeming enlargements.

6. Yea, saith the soul, but I fall below others in real usefulness. If there were a treasure within, methinks it would appear more to the glory of God and good of others, but I do no good in my place, I cumber the ground, and bring not forth fruit as others do, who do God a great deal more service, than I do.

I answer, the Apostle saith, there are diversities of gifts and operations, so also, all members have not the same office, and consequently not the same usefulness.* Some move in a higher sphere, and some in a lower, but if thou art placed in the heavenly orbit of the

* 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. Rom. xii. 4.