Communion with God. in two sermons preached at Paul'sCommunion vvith God. in two sermons preach'd at Paul's

5. Have a special regard to the secret workings of your hearts in secret duties: the faces of men, and the faces of duties, are no more than Porticibus picturae, the Title page of a book cut with pictures. Men may take a pride in frequenting the best Lectures, and in being acquainted with eminent Christians, and in proposing of ⟨p. 39⟩remote cases of Conscience: There are very many persons take a great deal of pains to work out their damnation with fear and trembling; but now, what is the inward worship of thy heart in public worship? what is thy hidden service of God in common service? doth thy heart melt and bleed at a Sermon, when those that sit in the pew with thee, can read no such matter in thy countenance? what are thy inward thoughts? thy secret prayers? thy private resolves? thy retired meditations? yea, let me ask thee further, what are the most secret workings of the inner man? In those things wherein Communion with God doth principally consist, a man can hardly be an Hypocrite. e. g. Take an instance in secret prayer. When thou art dull, and canst not express thy self: How doth thy heart heave, and work, and tremble, and throb within thee! What longing, and breathing, and hankering after spiritual enlargement! At another time when thy heart is enlarged, How dost thou find the pouring out of thy heart? is i• not like the pouring out of liquor from a narrow mouthed vessel; thou dost but bulpe out thy desires! Are not the thoughts of thy heart like a crowd pressing one upon another! And when the discovery of Communion with God is most spiritual, thou thinkest it not spiritual enough: this is the way to insinuate thy self into Gods bosom. But yet this is not all.

5. Have a special regard to the secret workings of your hearts in secret duties: the faces of men, and the faces of duties, are no more than Porticibus picturae, the Title page of a book cut with pictures. Men may take a pride in frequenting the best Lectures, and in being acquainted with eminent Christians, and in proposing of ⟨p. 39⟩remote cases of Conscience: There are very many persons take a great deal of pains to work out their damnation with fear and trembling; but now, what is the inward worship of thy heart in publick worship? what is thy hidden service of God in common service? doth thy heart melt and bleed at a Sermon, when those that sit in the pew with thee, can read no such matter in thy countenance? what are thy inward thoughts? thy secret prayers? thy private resolves? thy retired meditations? yea, let me ask thee further, what are the most secret workings of the inner man? In those things wherein Communion with God doth principally consist, a man can hardly be an Hypocrite. e. g. Take an instance in secret prayer. When thou art dull, and canst not express thy self: How doth thy heart heave, and work, and tremble, and throb within thee! What longing, and breathing, and hankering after spiritual enlargement! At another time when thy heart is enlarged, How dost thou find the pouring out of thy heart? is i not like the pouring out of liquor from a narrow mouth'd vessel; thou dost but bulpe out thy desires! Are not the thoughts of thy heart like a crowd pressing one upon another! And when the discovery of Communion with God is most spiritual, thou thinkst it not spiritual enough: this is the way to insinuate thy self into Gods bosom. But yet this is not all.