God, John iii. 20, 21. Nor can he that ftudies the Word of God, be a stranger to himself any more than to his duty. For this light ranfacks all the receffes of the foul; it traces all its affections back to their firft fprings and fources; it lays open all its defires and projects, and ftrips its moft fecret purposes of all their difguife: For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged fword; piercing even to the dividing afunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. iv. 12. In a word, if we would preferve the confcience quick and fenfible, we must be daily converfant in the Book of God. For this commands with that authority, inftructs with that clearnefs, perfuades with that force, reproves with that purity, prudence, and charity, that we shall not eafily be able to refift it; it defcribes righteoufnefs and fin in fuch true and lively colours, proclaims rewards and punishments in fuch powerful and moving language, that it rouzes even the dead in fin, penetrates and wounds the stupid and obdurate.

To meditation we must add prayer. For this is a very proper and effential means to refresh and renew in the foul, the hatred of fin, and love of goodness; and to improve those impreffions which meditation

has

has made upon it. We cannot easily put up petitions to God with confidence, unlefs we do the things that please him; for our hearts will mifgive us, and our very petitions will reproach us and the mere thought of entring more immediately into the presence of God does oblige us to a more careful tryal and examination of our actions: For God being not only omniscient, but juft and holy too, we can no more flatter our felves with the hope of pardon for any fin into which we are betrayed by fondness or negligence, than we can imagine him ignorant of it. But this is not all; we are to pray, that God would enable us to fearch out and difcover our own hearts. Pfal. cxxxix. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me and know thoughts; and fee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. And if we do this fincerely, God will undoubtedly grant our requests; and will lay open to us all our prefent defects and infirmities, and fhew us how far fhort we come of the glory of God: that Perfection of holiness and happiness, which many eminent faints actually arrived at upon earth. And we may be fure, that light which breaks in upon our mind with this brightness, will not fuffer any latent corruptions to continue undiscovered; nor permit us to forget the ftains and ruins, which the fins of our paft

my

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life have left behind them. Conversation is another way, by which we learn to know our felves, and by which confcience is kept awake, and in its vigour. How convictive, how moving is the difcourfe of a devout and pious friend? when he complains, or when he rejoyces; when he relate the hiftory of his own experience; when he lets us fee the defigns he has formed, and the excellent ends his foul thirfts after how does our heart burn within us? what variety of affections does it raife in us, when he makes his remarks on human nature and the world; when he bewails the difhonour of God and the decay of religion amongst us; when he relates the mifery and misfortune of finners, and obferves the particular fins and follies that occafion it? how often does he hereby provoke us to wife reflections on our felves? how many new beauties does he discover to us in virtue? how many deformities in fin, which had efcaped our obfervations? but 'tis not the converfation only of my friend; but his life alfo, from which I derive, or may do fo, inftruction and admonition. The Perfections of my friend, are the gentleft and the mildeft, and yet the moft awakening reproofs too of my own defects; and by the freshness and luftre of the virtue, I difcern beft the weaknefs and the dimnefs of my own. How

often

often have I been moved to turn my thoughts with fome indignation on my own heats and commotions, while I have admired and blefs the sweetness and the gentleness, the fofthefs and the calm, very confpicuous in an excellent friend? and when I have heard another mention his nightly praises, and thofe divine thoughts which filled the intervals of his fleep, and made thofe hours that are fo burthenfome to fome, the moft entertaining and delightful parts of his reft, how have I been inwardly filled with confufion and fhame? how have I upbraided and reproached myfelf, condemned the fluggishness of my days, the dulnefs and the wanderings of my foul by night? and I believe every fincere man must find himself thus affected on the like occafions. For in this kind of reproof, which I talk of, there is fomething more of force and authority than is to be found in any other; for the example of friends, does not only teach us what we are to do, but demonftrates also that it may be done. Nor does virtue any-where appear with fo lovely and charming an air as in a friend. But after all, amongst all the benefits we gain by excellent friendships, we ought not to reckon this as the leaft, that it is one, and that an indifpenfable office of friendship, to admonish and reprove: For the reproofs of instruction are the paths of

life, Prov. vi. 23. But then, that we may be capable of this bleffing, we must difpofe our minds to expect and bear reproof: we must strive after an humble and teachable temper; and we must invite and encourage our friends to this kindeft office; not only by unaffected requefts, but also by obeying their advice, pardoning whatever infirmity may be interfperfed with it, and loving them the better, as indeed they deferve: for there is scarce any better proof of their affection, prudence and courage, which they are capable of giving us.

2dly, A fecond end of inftrumental duties is the increase of spiritual strength. Now Spiritual Strength confifts in the power and dominion we have over our affections and actions: and it ftands upon two bafes; the reduction of fin, and the growth of virtue; whatever does weaken and reduce our propenfions to fin, whatever promotes the fubjection of the body, adds power and authority to the mind, and renders virtue more easy and pleasant. And because virtues have a mutual connexion and dependance upon one another; therefore whatever promotes any one promotes all. But efpecially, whatever ftrengthens our hope, or quickens our fear, or enlarges our knowledge, and encreases our faith; this does confirm and efta