3 'Tis nor h pang,of the Soul, nor a mood, nor a fit of an Ague, nor a Halls of Lightning nor a mans being as the morning dew, but his ha- bitual purpofe., refolution and in- clination to good, that evidences the man to be re- ally good. Pfal. 1 I p, 10. My foul breaketh for the longing that it 'lath unto thy Judgments atail times, &c. A fheep may flip into a flow as foon as a Swine; and an Apple- tree may have a fit of barrennefs, assvell as a Crab. tree. But the fheep loves not to wallow lathe Mire as the fivine does, And though the Apple-tree be barren one year, yet it brings forth p fruit the ncrit, A.Box of precious Ointment : Or, that no general Rule can be flablifhed upon a particular in_ fiance ; and there is another Maxim in Logick, viz,. that no particular inflance can overthrow a general Rule. So here, as no man can fafely and groundedly conclude from no bet- ter Pr s than from tome few particular anions (though in them elves materially and fubfiantially good) that his heart is therefore fincere; fo on the contrary, no min ought to conclude, becaufe of fome grofs particular finful adions, and extravagant motions,that his heart is unfound. 0 Sirs we are not to make a Judgment of our fives and conditions by fame particular aotions, whether they are good or evil) but we are to make a judgment of our bates and conditions, by the general frame, bent, and difporition Of our hearts,and by the confiant tenour of our lives. 'Tis certain, that Gcd accounts every wicked man guilty of all thofe fins, wicked- neffes, and vanities, which the fetled purpofe, del-ire, bent, bias, and frame of his Soul inclined him to, though he doth not adually commit them, Math. 5. 28. He that looketh On a woman to lufi after her, bath committed ildoltery already with her in his heart. A man may commit Adultery, and yet not touch a Woman. There are many thoufands that dye of the wound in the eye. So it Yohn 3. a 5. uihofbever hated) his Bro- ther is a illortherer. A man may commit Murther, and yet not kill a man, yea he may commit Murther and yet not touch a man. Troy. 23.7. For as he thinð in his heart, fo is he. The man is as his mind is. God efteems of wicked men according to their hearts, and not according to their words.. So 'tis as certain that the Lord accounts every god- I ly man to do all that good, that the fetled purpofe, frame, bent, biafs, and anfeigneddefires of his Soul inclines him to, Cor. & /2. If therete- firfl a t filling mind, 'tis accepted. So Heb. I 1. 17 . By .Faith Abraham when he was tryed, offered up Ifaac, and he that had received the Promifes, (ffered tip his only Son that is, in difpofirion and full. purpofe of heart, and willingnefs of mind, which God accepted for the= deed '- a true intent is in Gods accountas a real aa; - So Daiid had a purpofe, a rind, a will to build God a houfe, and for this God commends him, r.Kinsi "Ind the Lord faid unto avid
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