I. Your duty with your hearts consisteth in these particulars. 1. That you do your best in the close examination of your hearts about your States, and the sincerity of your Faith, Repentance, and Obedience: To know whether your hearts are true to God, in the Covenant which you are to renew and seal. Which may be done by these inquiries, and discerned by these Signs. 1. Whether you truly loath your selves for all the sins of your hearts and lives, and are a greater offence and burden to your selves, because of your imperfections and corruptions, than all the World besides is? Ez. 6. 9. & 20. ⟨p. 29⟩43. & 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. 2. Whether you have no sin but what you are truly desirous to know; and no known sin, but what you are truly desirous to be rid of; and so desirous, as that you had rather be perfectly freed from sin, than from any affliction in the world? Rom. 7. 22, 18, 24. & 8 18. 3. Whether you love the searching and reforming Light, even the most searching parts of the Word of God, and the most searching Books, and searching Sermons, that by them you may be brought to know your selves, in order to your settled peace and reformation? John 3. 19, 20, 21: 4. Whether you truly love that degree of holiness in others which you have not yet attained your selves, and love Christ in his Children, with such an unfeigned love, as will cause you to relieve them according to your abilities, and suffer for their sakes, when it is your duty? 1 John 3. 14, 16. 1 Pet. 1. 22. & 3 8. Jam. 2, 12, 13, 14, 15. Mat. 25. 40. &c. 5. Whether you can truly say, that there is no degree of holiness so high, but you desire it, and had rather be perfect in the ⟨p. 30⟩love of God, and the obedience of his will, than have all the riches and pleasures of this World, Rom. 7. 18, 21, 24. Psal. 119. 5. Mat. 5. 6. And had rather be one of the holiest Saints, than of the most renowned prosperous Princes upon Earth? Psal. 15. 4. & 16. 2. Psal. 84. 10. & 65. 4. 6. Whether you have so far laid up your treasure, and your hopes in Heaven, as that you are resolved to take that only for your portion; and that the hopes of Heaven, and interest of your Souls, hath the preeminence in your hearts against all that stands in competition with it? Col. 3. 1, 3, 4. Mat. 6. 20, 21. 7.
I. Your duty with your hearts consisteth in these particulars. 1. That you do your best in the close examination of your hearts about your States, and the sincerity of your Faith, Repentance, and Obedience: To know whether your hearts are true to God, in the Covenant which you are to renew and seal. Which may be done by these inquiries, and discerned by these Signs. 1. Whether you truly loath your selves for all the sins of your hearts and lives, and are a greater offence and burden to your selves, because of your imperfections and corruptions, than all the World besides is? Ez. 6. 9. & 20. ⟨p. 29⟩43. & 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. 2. Whether you have no sin but what you are truly desirous to know; and no known sin, but what you are truly desirous to be rid of; and so desirous, as that you had rather be perfectly freed from sin, than from any affliction in the world? Rom. 7. 22, 18, 24. & 8 18. 3. Whether you love the searching and reforming Light, even the most searching parts of the Word of God, and the most searching Books, and searching Sermons, that by them you may be brought to know your selves, in order to your setled peace and reformation? John 3. 19, 20, 21: 4. Whether you truly love that degree of holiness in others which you have not yet attained your selves, and love Christ in his Children, with such an unfeigned love, as will cause you to relieve them according to your abilities, and suffer for their sakes, when it is your duty? 1 John 3. 14, 16. 1 Pet. 1. 22. & 3 8. Jam. 2, 12, 13, 14, 15. Mat. 25. 40. &c. 5. Whether you can truly say, that there is no degree of holiness so high, but you desire it, and had rather be perfect in the ⟨p. 30⟩love of God, and the obedience of his will, than have all the riches and pleasures of this World, Rom. 7. 18, 21, 24. Psal. 119. 5
