I 2 i An Enquiry after a mans e ate. Means to know what elate we)i arein. Mnt'h. 7. 17. Pfal. 119, 112. I. By our outward and inward aaions. I do not fay, by our ward ac`lions:For a man maybe in the flareofhypocrifie,& yet his outward a&ions may be good. Neither do I fay by our in- ward actions alone:For a man may be in the ítate offelf- deceit and yet fay his heart is good, and his meaning and mind good. But I iay by them both put together. Our Saviour fctteth it out by a tree : everygood tree bringethforthgoodfruit , but a cor- rupt tree dringethforth corruptfruit. So if the heart bringeth forth the fruit of righteoufneffe, joy in good things, patience, meeknef e, gentleneffe, love, obedience, godly converfation. &c. Thefe evidence a good eflate : but if the heart bringeth forth deadnefle, earthlinef e, impatience, evil converfation, &c.Thefe are corrupt fruits and Lignes of a very bad eflate. 2.Ye may know what elates you are in by your inclinations and difpofitions from whence there actions proceed. Are your hearts enclined heaven-ward and God-ward as Davids, are ye bent to holinefí'e and felf-denial, &c, as a bow is bent to fhoot the arrow ? This is a ligne of a good eftate : as a Chron. 22. 19. there is fpeechofPetting the heart tofeekGod. Ye know when a man would do a thing indeed, we fay he is fet on't. It may be ye do forcegood duties, make force fair offers ofPeek- ing God ; but are your hearts Pet on't , or are they Pet on the world and inclined earth-ward ? The inclinations of every creature in the world do ever fhowwhat the creature is. How do we know that a (tone is heavy ? becaufe it inclinethdown- ward. Howdo we know a man is cholerick ? becaufe he is in- clined unto wrath. So a manseftate maybe knownby his con- ftant enclination eithertogood orevil, 3. One may know what eflate he is in by that reflexive ad, which is proper only toman. There is an act. in mans foul (we call it a reflex aft) which no creature path but only man whereby hecan perceive what himfelf is and Both. When a man thinkethor fpeaketh, he can reflect upon himfelf, and per ceive what he thinketh or fpeaketh : when he prayeth, he can reflect upon his own heart, and perceive how it carrieth it fell all along inhis prayers. I fay no creature in the world hath in it
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