The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

Seventhly, there are others who cannot be so easily convinced in ¹what particulars they forsake God in any of his ways; they seem to have a general forwardness in that which is good, but the truth is, they ⟨p. 339⟩follow themselves, and not God in all; they rise no higher than Self in all they do; which their own consciences, upon search made, will tell them; the Commandment of God may be made the pretence, but Self is the chief Engine, Self is the great mover in all. As Physicians putting in many operative ingredients into their Physic, and they are the things that work; but besides, they put in something to give a colour, or a little taste, which neither doth good nor hurt, that hath no operation at all: Thus it is in many mens Religion; self-ends are the operative ingredients in that they do, and the show of obedience to God, is but that which gives the colour, that that which they do may have the better appearance. It is impossible, that a man which seeks himself, should come up to this fullness of spirit that is required in this following of the Lord. Hos. 10. 1. it is said, That Israel is an empty Vine; Why so? he bringeth forth fruit unto ⟨p. 340⟩himself; he brings forth fruit, but yet is empty, because he bringeth it forth unto himself. Where self-ends are the chief movers, ²there is no further latitude or degree of godliness minded, but such as may be serviceable unto them: Now they cannot but be low, strait, narrow, in comparison of those who lift up God in all they do; and therefore their profession must needs be empty and scant; not full and powerful, as it is in the other. A self-seeking heart is always an empty heart, but a gracious heart is fruitful in all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old: And what is the reason? I have laid them up for thee, O my beloved Cant. 7. v. last. Observe the difference, Israel is an empty Vine, he brings forth fruit to himself; but the Church here brings forth all manner of pleasant fruit; for she lays them up for her Beloved; she brings them not forth for her self, as Israel did.