Chap ,. .sea 7· 1 I I . Pray we the Lord for the guidance of his Spirit in right governing of our tongue; T6e re a,aticn uftht heart i.s in man, and theanfwer (If the tongne tS from the Lo·rd : and Prov. 16. r. ther~fo~e prayed David, Set '' watch, 0 L ord, bef ore my mo~:th,. k_oep the door of Pfal. 141. ~· 111 li s: 0 the tongue is a fire, aworld of iniquity; as the fire fltes, about,. fo the l•mcs. 3· 6 • t~ng~e is faid to have wings ; as the fire -aflimulates and turns ~very thtng mto tts own nature. fo the tongue af!imulates the hearts of men to ~horn' tt fpeaks; we had ne~d therefore to pray, that God would order thts fire m our ;nouths, left we ktnole fuch a fire in the brells ofothers, as we !hall never live to qu~nch agaiti, arid fo kindle the fire of Gods wrath, whtch !hall fmoake to our deftru(boli, SECT. 7· Of the manner of trying or examining our A Eliom. THatwemay rightly try, or examine our actions (I mean fuch ~ctioris as are mat-. ters and concernments of the foul, whether the work of faving grace, or the indi– vidual companions of this faving work, as DJ<tiet and graces) obferve we thefe Rules: l. For the work uffaving grace or Converfion, try-- . 1 • Whether ever our fouls were wounded by a clear difcovery and wide opening of our many ulcerous fecret corruptions ? Whether ever they were affected and pretfed with a through fence and feeling of the fierce wrath of God, ready to break out into unquenchable flames of vengeance againll us? , 2 • Whether, after thcfe bruifings and breakings, our fouls ever call: their eyes up– on that infinite fea qfGods mercy, gloriouOy ll:reaming through the bleeding wounds of Jefps Chrill: upon every truly broken, contrite and_wounded heart? Whether ever they fetled and faftned thetr fight ll:edfaHly upon thetr bktf.:d .Redeemer, ~s hewas hanging on the Crotfe, ll:rughng wtth hts Fathers wrath for our fins, and crymg out at laft, It isftnijhed ? . 3 . Whether, after this fight, and confideration of the work of our Redemption, our fouls ever hungred and thirll:ed after the precious blood of the Lord Jefus, far more greedily and infati~bly than ever the panting hart thirll:ed after the rivers of wa· ter? Whether ever, wtth lhong cryes, prayers, groans and fighs, they threw them– felves with fame comfort and confidence into the bleeding and bleffed bofom of our dear Redeemer, and there hid theinfelves fweetly and deeply in his facred wounds, and goared fide~ from the eager purfuit of the wounding Law, the rage of Satan, and ftingings of rhetr ownConlc~ences? . 4 • Whether, after thts fall hold upon the Paffion and Ments of Chrill:, our fouls ever received this comfortable news, That we were pardoned, jull:ified, entitled by the Covenant of grace unto a Crown of Immortality, and endletfe joys in the Hea– vens? Whether this ever melted us into an Evangelical Repentance, to bewail hear– tily all our fins, and former wretchednetfe of life, for having fo vilely and rebellioufiy grievcd;and offended fo gracious and loving a Father ? 5. Whether, after thefe comforts and farrows, our foulsever refolutely abandoned the practice of every grofs fin, and threw out of their affections the liking and allowance of every the leall infirmity? \iVhether, we have ever fincc fetled our felves to holincfs of life, univerfal obedience to all Gods~Commmandments, though not in perfection and height ofdegree, yet in truth and fincerity ofheart. It m~ybe every foul (tr~ly converted) cannot fpeak affirmative! yto every of thefe !2t!•res mmtentton; or hetght of meafure, though for the fubll:ance they can; and if fo, we may conclude, there is the wori{!n<~ offavingfrace . This tryal isonely in refe– re~ce to our firll: converfion, but if that be not we! remembred, and we would try thts work by fomething fince, or by our prefent condit~n, thm fee the next fetti-' 0~ • 2 . For the individual companions ofthis faviug SDutirs. · work, as{.Grace. I . For Dutits, tryI · Ho\~ we ma~age them before, in, and after the work; Of this we fhall inform more parttcularly mmoll: of the Dmies, as we ha11dle them in order.
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