308 The twelfth Sign PART III. Evidence of our true Chriftianity to others, then is meant that in our Practice which is vifible to them, even our outward Actions But when Practice is given as a fure Evidence of our real Chriftianity to our ownConfciences, then is meant that in our Practice which is vifi- ble to our own Confciences ; which is not only the Motion of our Bodies, but the Exertion and Exercife of the Soul, which directs and commands that Motion ; which is more direly and immediately un- der the View of our own Confciences, than the Aa of the Body. And that this is the Intent of the Scripture, not only does the Nature and Reafon of the Thing thew, but it is plain by the Scripture it fell. Thus it is evident that when (Thrift, at the Conclufion of his Sermon on the Mount, fpeaks of doing or pra&icing thofe Sayings of his, as. the grand Sign of Profeffors being true Difciples, without which he likens 'em to a Man that built his Houfe upon the Sand, and with which, to a Man that built hisHoufe upon aRock ; He has a Refpec`I, not only to the outward Behaviour, but to the inward Exercife of the Mind in that Behaviour : As is evident by obferving what thofe preceeding Sayings ofhis are, that he refers to, when he 1i eaks of our doing or practicing them : And we (hall find they are fuch as thofe ; Bled are the Poor in Spirit, Blefed are they that mourn, Bled are the Meek, Bleged are they that do hunger and thirJl after Righteoufnefs, Bled are the Merciful, Bled are the Pure in Heart, I'lihofoever is angry with his Brother without a Caufe, &c, ahofoever looketh on a Woman to luji after her, &c, Love your Enemies, Take no Thought for your Li e, and others of the like Nature, which imply inward Exer- cifcs : And when Chrift Pays, John 14. 21. He that bath my Com- mandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; He has evidently a fpecial Refpea to that Command feveral Times repeated in the fame Difcourfe ( which he calls, by Way of Eminence, His Commandment) that they fhovld love one another, as he had loved them : ( See Chap. r 3. 34, 35. and Chap. 15. 10, 12, 13, 14.) But this Command refped`ts chiefly an Exercife of the Mind or Heart, tho' exerted in Praaice. So when the Apoffle fohn lays, i John 2. 3, Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments ; He has plainly a principal Refpea to the fame Command, as appears by what follows, Ver. 7, 8, 9, io, i r, and 2d Epift. Ver. 5. 6. And when we are told in Scripture that Men (hall at the Taft Day be judged according to their Works, and all 'hall receive according to the Things done in the Body ; It is not to be underftood only of outward Aas ; for if fo, why is God fo often fpoken of as fearching the Hearts and trying the Reins, That he may render to every one according to his Works? as Rev. 2. 23. And all the Churches 'hall know that I am he that fearcheth theReins and the Hearts ; and I will giveunto every one according to his Works. Jer. 17. 9, 10. I the Lord fearch the Hearts, I try the Reins ; even to give everyAlan according to histrays,and according
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=