TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 45g as to make their affections, and the very design and business of their lives, to be heavenly. 4. The sound convert bath seen the vileness of him- self; in the sinfulness of his heart and life, and the mi- sery thereby deserved ; and so is a sincerely humbled self - accusing man. But the opinionist is commonly unhumbled, and well conceited of himself, and a self - justifying phari- see ; unless it be that self - accusing will cost him no disgrace, and he take it up as a custom, or that which may bring him into the repute of being hum- bled and sincere. For his opinion will not search and pierce his heart, nor batter down his self - exalting thoughts, nor root up the master sin of pride. These are too great works for an opinion to perform. And therefore you shall hear him more in the excusing of his sin, the magnifying of himself, or the stiff - maintaining of his own conceits, than an unfeigned self- abasing. 5. The sound convert is so acquainted with the de- fects, and sins, and necessities, of his own soul, that he is much taken up at home, in his studies, and cares, and censures, and his daily work : the acting and strength- ening of grace, the subduing of corruption, and his daily walking with God, are much of his employment : Above all keeping, be keeps his heart, as knowing that from thence are the issues of life. He cannot' have time to spy out the faults of others, or meddle with their affairs, where duty bids him not, as others can do; because he hath so much to do at home. But the opinionist is most employed abroad, and about mere notions and opinions : but he is little em- ployed in such heart-searching or heart - observing work. His light doth not pierce so deep, as to show him his heart, and the work that is there to be neces- sarily done. As the change is little upon his heart, so his employment is little there. He is little in bewail- ing his secret defects and corruptions, and little in keeping his soul's accounts, and little in secret striving with his heart, to work it into communion with God,
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