PART III. of gracious 4 éfians. 295 what is in ourHearts ; one by what wefay, and the other by what we do. But the Apofle abundantly prefers the Latter as the belt Evi- dence. Now certainly all Accounts we give of ourfelves in Words, our laying that we have Faith, and that we are converted, and telling, the Manner how we came to have Faith, and the Steps by which it was wrought, and the Difcoveries and Experiences that accompanied it,are fill but manifefing ourFaith by what wefay ; 'tis but (hewing our Faith by our Words ; which the Apofle fpeaks of as falling vaftly fhort of manifefing of it by what we do, and (hewing our Faith by our Works. And as the Scripture plainly teaches that Praélice is the heft Evi- dence of the Sincerity of profefng Chriftians ; fo Reafon teaches the fame Thing. Reafon (hews that Men's Deeds are better and more faithful Interpreters of their Minds, than their Words. The com- mon Senfe ofall Mankind, thro' all Ages and Nations, teaches 'em to judge of Men's Heartschiefly by their Praaice, in other Matters As whether a Man be a Ioyal Subjeét, a true Lover, a dutiful Child, or a faithful Servant. If a Man profeffes a great deal of Love and Friendfhip to another, Reafon teaches all Men, that fuch a Profeflion is not fo great an Evidence of his being a real and hearty Friend, as his appearing a Friend in Deeds ; being faithful and conflant to his Friend, in Profperity and Adverfity, ready to lay out himfelf, and deny himfelf, and Puffer in his perfonal Interef, to do him a Kind- nefs. A wife Man will truft to fuch Evidences of the Sincerity of Friendfhip,further than a thoufand earneftProfeffronsand folemnDecla rations,and molt affeél:ionate Expreffions of Friendfhip inWords. And there is equal Reafon why Praétice Ihould alto be looked upon as the heft Evidence of Friendfhip towards Chrift. Reafon lays the fame that Chrift laid, in John 14. 2r. He that bath my Commandments, andkeepeth tbem, he it is that loveth me. Thus if we fee a Man, who in the Courfe of his Life, feems to follow and imitate Chrift, and greatly to exert and deny himfelf for the Honour of Chrift and to promote his Kingdom and Intereft in the World ; Reafon teaches that this is an Evidence of Love to Chrift, more to be depended on, than if a Man only lays he has Love to Chrift, and tells of the inward Experiences he has had of Love to him, what ftrong Love he felt, and how his Heart was drawn out in Love at fuch and fuch a Time, when it may be there appears but little Imitation of Chrift in his Be- haviour, and he feems backward to do any great Matter for him, or to put himfelf out ofhis Way for the promoting of his Kingdom, but feems to be apt to cxcufe himfelf, whenever he is called to deny himfelf for Chrift. So if a Man in declaring his Experiences, tells how he found his Heart weaned from the World, and faw the Va- nity of it, fo that all looked as nothing to him, at fuch and.fuchTimes, and profeties that he gives up all to God, and calls Heaven and Earth U. 4 to
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