Calamy, Horton, Manton - BX9327 .F28 1663

163 preachedAuguft 17. 1662. afraid of going to a painted-heaven : Do not think your felves good becaufe others think fo, let the Word be the touchfionea by which you try your hearts : let the word he the Looking-glaffe, by which you judge ofthe complexion of your fouls ; for want of this felf-fearching, many live known toothers, and die unknown to themfelv es. Seventhly, keep your fpiritual watch, Math. r3. 37. what I fay unto you , I fay unto all , watch; if it were the laft word.I fhould fpeak, it (hould be this word, Watch : 0what need hath a Chaim tobe ever upon his Watch ; the heart is a fubtle piece, and will be ftealing out to vanity, and if we are not careful, it will decoy us into fin : we have a fpecial eye upon fuch perfonR as we fufpeEt : thy heart is a fufpicious perfon: 0 have an eye upon it, watch it continually ; it is a boforn-traytor; Job let a watchbefore his eyes, Job, 3r. I. We muff every day keep fenti- nel5 deep not upon your guard : our fleeping time is the Devils tempting time : let not your Watch-candle go out. Eighthly,:you that are the people of God, do you oftenaffoci- ate together. Mal. 3. i6. they that feared the Lord , freak often one to another ; Chrifts Doves (hould flock together : one Chri- fiian will help toheat another : a fingle coal ofJuniper will loon die, but many coales pin together will keep life in one another. Conference fometimes may do as much good as preaching, one Chriftian by good difcourfe drops holy oyl upon another , that makes the lamp ofhis Grace to thine the brighter. I tis great wif- dom to keep up the trade in a Corporation. Chriftians by meet- ing often together , letting good difcourfe on foot, keep up the trade of godlineffe,that elfe would decay and loon be loft ; is not thecommunion of Saints an Article in our Creed donot then Live foafunder, as if this Article were blotted. The Naturalatifts °Verve there is a fympathy in Plants they fay fome Plants bear better when they grow near other plants, as the Vine and the Elm, the Olive and the Myrtle thrive belt when they grow toge- ther : it is true in Religion, the Saints are trees of righteoufneffe, that thrive heft in godlineffe, when they grow together. Ninthly, get your hearts fcrewed up above the world, let your a ffea ions upon things above, Co/.3.5.. We may fee the face of the Moon in the water,but the Moon is fixed above in the Firmament: fo though a Chriftian walk here below, yet his heart should be fixed above in heaven, in heaven there is our bell kindred, our pit-;, reft joy,onr Manfion- houfe;O let let our. hearts be above, it is the belt, and the fweeteft kind oflife: the higher the bird flies, the Y 2 fweeter

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