The crown & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…The crovvn & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…

you are in a state of life, or in a state of death; you are in a state of love, or in a state of wrath; you are either Goats or Sheep, Sons or Slaves; you are either in the broad way to destruction, or in the narrow way of salvation; and therefore what can be of greater concernment in this world to you, then to know in which of these two spiritual estates you are in? How can you order aright your prayers, or your praises, or any religious services, till you come to know in which of these two spiritual estates you stand! whether you be in a state of nature, or in a state of grace; in a state of sin, or in a state of holiness; for all religions duties must be ordered according to mens spiritual estates. If a man be in a state of nature, his work lies one way; if he be in a state of holiness, his work lies another way: By all which it is most evident that it very nearly concerns you to search and try, whether you have this bird of Paradise, Holiness, in your bosoms, or no: And for a close, let me say, that a mistake about your spiritual ⟨p. 93⟩estate will at last be found, not only insufferable and inexcusable, but very terrible and damnable.

Thirdly, Consider, That a cordial willingness to enter upon this work of trial, is a hopeful evidence of your real integrity and sanctity. Unsanctified souls hate the light; they had rather go to hell in the dark, then come to be weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary. As pure gold fears neither fire nor furnace, neither test nor touchstone;¹ neither one balance nor another, so a pure heart, a sanctified soul dares venture it self upon trial: yea,² upon the very trial of God: For he knows that God never brings a pair of scales to weigh his graces, but only a touchstone to try the truth of his graces: he knows if his gold be true, though it be never so little, it will pass for current with God. As Bankrupts care not for casting up their accounts, because they know all is naught, very naught, stark naught with them: so unsanctified souls, they care not to come to the trial, to the test, because they know that all is naught, yea worse then naught with them: They have no mind to cast up their spiritual estates, because at the foot of the account they must be pt to read their neck-verse Undone, undone, for ever undone. And therefore as old deformed women cannot endure to look into the looking-glass, least their wrinkles and deformity should be discovered, so unsanctified souls cannot endure to look into the glass of the Gospel, least their deformities, impieties and wickednesses should be discovered and detected. I have read of the Elephant, how unwilling he is to go into the water, but when he is forced into it, he puddles it lest by the clearness of the stream he should discern his own deformity. So unholy persons are very unwilling to look into their own hearts, or into the clear streams of Scripture, lest their souls deformity and ugliness should appear to their own terror and amazement. And therefore as you would have a hopeful evidence of your integrity and sanctity, fall upon this work of trial. For as it is a hopeful evidence that the Clients cause is good, when he is ready and willing to enter upon a trial; and as it is a hopeful