A choice Bed of Spices. The twelfth Propofition is this, viz,. That it is the great datrand concernment of Chriftians to keep the evidences of their gracious and happy condition, alwayes bright and fhi i ning ; Chriftians fhould make confcience.of blurring and disfiguring the golden charaters of grace in their fouls. The leaf} character of grace in the foal, is more worth than all the gold of Ophir, yea more worth than ten thoufand thoufand worlds ; and therefore every gracious Chriftian fhould be I , EN. 4' 3a . marvellous careful, that h: does not by wilful omiflions or pal, Ls, /,/s finful commillions, cloud, dim or darken the leaft charaoter of grace ; fuch as blot or lofe their evidences for heaven, they lofe the comfort of their lives in this world. Satans mafter-piece is firft to work Chriflians to blot and blur their evidences for glory, by committina b this or that hainous fin; and then his next work is to rob them of their evidences for glory, that fo though at the long run they may get fafe to hea- yen, that yet jac)b like they may go halting and mourning to their graves.Satan knows, that whilft a Chriflians evidences are bright and fhiningla Chriftian is temptation-proof.Satan I may tempt him, but he can't conquer him ; he may affault him, but he can't vanquifh him. Satan knows, that whilfl a Chriftians evidences for heaven are bright and fhining, no affliaions can fink him, nor no oppofition fluke him, nor no perfecutiondifcourage him , no outward wants perplex him ; and therefore he will all his power and policy, all his arts, crafts and parts, to draw poor Chrittians to blot and blur their evidences for glory. Satan knows, that a man may lofe one friend, and eafilyv get another, lofe his Trade in one place, and foon ,,,aet a Trade in another place ; lofe health and 'get it, lofe an eftate and get an eftate, &c. But if he lofes ,t, , b his evidences for heaven, he knows it will colt him many a i prayer, and many a filth, and many a groan, and many a tear, I and many a fad complaint, before he recovers his loft eviden- I ces ; and therefore his grand deign is to plunder a Chriftian of his evidences for heaven. 0 Sirs I keep but your eviden- ces for heaven alwayes bright and fhining, and then heavy af- fli &ions will be light, and long affii6tions will be fhort, and bitter afftitions willlbefvveet; and then every evidence fairly Z z z written 355 12. zCor.4.160' ii
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