An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of…

But the main Note is,¹ That it's all one to be an empty Christian, and to bring forth fruit to themselves. Men think that which they bring forth to themselves is clear gain; but this is an infinite mistake, for that which is for thy self is lost, and that which is for God is gained. Professors that are selfish are empty. Many of you complain of emptiness and unfruitfulness,² here's the reason; You are so selfish, that prayer is an empty prayer though never so full of words and excellent expressions whose end is self, many of the Saints in joining with such they find their prayers to be such though there be excellent words, because they see selvishness, men that aim at selvishness they had need be cunning to keep it from being seen, let self be seen in a duty though it be never so glorious outwardly yet it is loathsome in the eyes of the very Saints;³ let but a man appear to affected with himself in what he doth, with the tone of his voice, or carriage, or gesture, any thing affected, we know how abominable it is in the eyes of all; And so for Sermons,⁴ where they are selfish, certainly they are empty things; and so I might instance in every other thing that men do, the fullness of the Spirit in a PRAYER, or SERMON,⁵ or any other Duty, it is the seeking to lift up the NAME of the Blessed GOD in the duty, that's the fullness of it; many that are of weak parts, very poor abilities to exercise themselves, yet their hearts being upon God in a duty, Oh!⁶ there's a fullness in that duty, there's more in that weak expression, in their sighs and groans than in all the eloquence of your empty hypocrites, ⟨p. 316⟩they not being filled with the Will of God:⁷ in