CHAPTER VII.

1657: REMARKS RELATING TO "INTEGRITY, SOBRIETY, AND MODESTY IN THE USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS"-THOUGHTS ON DEATH-THE DANGER OF MURMURING, WHEN MOURNING-ALEXANDER JAFFRAY SETS APART A DAY FOR SEEKING GOD BY FASTING AND PRAYER, ON SEVERAL ACCOUNTS-THE BIRTH OF A SON; HIS THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND OTHER MERCIES OF A DOMESTIC NATUREHIS SCRUPLES AS TO "BAPTIZING" HIS INFANT "IN THE NATIONAL WAY."

[OUR Diarist next proceeds with the following remarks on "integrity, sobriety, and modesty of the mind, in the use of inward and spiritual gifts."]

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," saith the wise man. Prov. xxiii. 7. Therefore are we commanded to "keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. iv. 23. And, if we would have an evidence, that we are serving God as sons, we must then give him the heart; Prov. xxiii. 26, "My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways;"-as if there were no more required, but the heart and the eye to be right. How much account does God put upon the integrity of an honest heart!" Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" John, i. 47:-such an one will get a "Behold" put on him, even from Christ. Amaziah, though he "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord," yet is he blotted for this, that it was "not with a perfect heart." 2 Chron. xxv. 2. See a strong expression to this purpose, Jer. iv. 18,-" Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thy

heart." What duty, therefore, is there on us to be watchful, especially, over the heart! Iniquity regarded there, may make God not hear thy prayers, Psal. lxvi. 18; a vain thought must not be allowed to lodge there for a moment. Jer. iv. 14. Nothing does more evidence a man to be in a good condition, as to the watching over his heart, than low and sober thoughts of himself, especially when in any measure eminency of gifts and parts are attained unto. See some Scriptures to this purpose, as Rom. xii. 3, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." How true is that which the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. viii. 1, " Knowledge puffeth up"-they are in a good condition that can apply the next words, in verse 2, as a pertinent check to their vain mind, "If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." Gal. vi. 3. See the excellency of this frame of spirit notably set forth by David, as being his own condition, Psal. cxxxi. 1, 2, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me," &c. What a rare mercy, for such a man, raised from such a low condition to so high a degree, both in goods of the body and gifts of the mind, and yet to set and behave himself so low as a weaned child! what a great evidence of a sincere heart, and of a quiet and sober mind!

But I shall shortly speak a word to some par

ticulars, which I have found, both in practice and observation, in myself and others, as to the exercise of this notable gift of sobriety, evidenced by the modesty of the mind in the use of spiritual and inward gifts. Commonly, we have more in our account the gifted man than the gracious man; whereas, he that cannot speak good sense, or six right words to purpose, may yet have more grace and sincerity in the heart, than he who can talk like a parrot and pray like an angel. For such there are, and too sad experience, in these times, makes the truth of it appear, without need of probation. [SEE APPENDIX, BB.] Even the gracious heart, (for want of such a proportion of humility, as may keep him low in the exercise of these his excellent gifts,) may be so far deserted, as not to see, that these are withering and decaying daily, nor are improved to the honour of his Master. The evil of this judgment, the Lord, in much mercy to his faithful servants, does many times prevent; by letting loose, either some bitter, persecuting enemy, or some raging corruption, as a messenger of Satan, to buffet them ;-thus bringing and keeping them low. Paul's experience, 2 Cor. xii. 7, very fully warrants this point. How was he, by such means, kept from a very dreadful evil, even that of being, through the abundance of revelations, exalted above measure! Yea, how was he, notwithstanding all his great privileges and eminent parts, brought to be very low; and so kept there, as that he dares not now glory in any such thing, but rather in his infirmities! The considerations, which may conduce most for keeping low the heart of a believer, eminently furnished with grace and gifts, [are such as these,]-that he has nothing but what he has re

ceived, 1 Cor. iv. 7,—that if he could attain to do all that he is commanded, yet were he to look upon himself but as an unprofitable servant. Luke, xvii. 10.

[And further,] the humble believer is kept always very sober, because he knows that he hath in him the root of all evil; yea, he finds the actings of this dreadful, and soul-humbling evil, of a body of sin and death, so abounding in him daily, that were there no other consideration to keep him humble and sober all his days, this would do it. No eminency of parts, nor degree or measure of grace, is so attainable by the best of believers here, but,-from the consideration of the being and lively stirrings of a body of death within him, he shall find matter of much sobriety,-yea, of being brought low and laid in the dust; so as to cry out with Paul, that eminently furnished and gifted saint, Rom. vii. 24, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" [SEE APPENDIX, CC.]

Again, the heart of the believer,-being so very sensible of its vileness and loathsome nature, and of the inexpressible holiness and glorious purity of the majesty of God," who is of purer eyes" than that he can "behold evil" or "look on iniquity," Heb. i. 13,—is rather taken up with admiration, why he is not, for the defects and vileness of his best service, consumed. A true sight of the majesty of the God whom we serve, would, doubtless, put us so far out of the hazard of being vainly puffed up with any thing we have, or can do; that, with the Prophet in the like case, Isai. vi. 5, having seen the Lord in his glory, high and lifted up," we should cry out, Woe is

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me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips!" O, then, how may we wonder with David,

Psal. viii. 4, that ever he should have minded us! how much more, that thus he should admit us in his presence,-yea, send messengers and ambassadors, to beseech us to be reconciled to him! 2 Cor. v. 20,that the majesty of so glorious a God, who inhabiteth eternity, and fills heaven and earth, should yet profess, that it is his delight to hear the voice of such a chattering crane! Canticles, ii. 14, and Isai. xxxviii. 14,—that He, of whom it is said, he "humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth," who hath the heaven for his throne and the earth is but his footstool, Isai. lxvi. 1, whom the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain, 1 Kings, viii. 27,--that He who made all these things, and even before he made them, sbould have counted his delights to be with the children of men! Prov. viii. 31. And yet all this is but little, in comparison of what he hath done to and for us. "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John, iii. 16. Here there is such a SO, that neither angels nor men, nor all of them in heaven and earth together, can imagine any thing comparable to it. The angels, who are the quickestsighted of any of God's creatures, though they have been now beholding, for divers thousands of years, this mystery of God's love manifested to lost man, yet have they not attained,-nor ever shall they; for, throughout all eternity it shall be their exercise, to pry into and behold this mystery. 1 Peter, i. 12. As also they have it, in time, more fully made out to them by the dispensations of God to his church, than formerly it hath been. Ephes. iii. 10.—I say, the right discovery, but of a little of these things that are