fet

up and established in the confcience of a believer, that he may no more call evil good, and good evil; nor put light for darkness, and darkness for light. The law is put into the heart, and written in the mind; or that which is equivalent to it. Faith being a perfuafion in the mind, and the love of God (which love is the fulfilling of the law) in the heart; this, with the righteoufnefs of Chrift placed to our account, is called, by the apoftle, The righteousness of the law fulfilled in us, while we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Now, to keep things in order in the breasts of all God's children, God fets up this court of equity and juftice, that we may daily cite ourselves at it; and, upon every arraignment, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. Our daily happiness depends upon our attention to this-Herein do I exercise myself, (fays Paul) to have a confcience void of offence; for bleffed is the man that condemns not himself in the thing which be allows. To this end God promifes the Holy Spirit to guide and affift us in judgment-In that day fhall the Lord of bofts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the refidue of bis people; and for a spirit of judgment to him that fitteth in judgment; and for firength to them that turn the battle to the gate. Ifa. xxviii. 5, 6. My brother, take notice of the perfonality of the Holy Spirit in that text; of the perfonal characters and incommunicable names afcribed to him, and of the train of

divine perfections-the Lord of hofts; a crown of glory; a diadem of beauty; a spirit of judgment; and ftrength to them that turn the battle to the gate. I know the text may be accommodated to religious magiftrates, and to perfons in the church of Chrift-judging them that are within: but these things are often done, and well done, even by men who know nothing favingly of the things which I am writing. The apoftle, reprehending fome of the church at Corinth for their unbecoming behaviour at the Lord's table, tells them that, if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chaftened of the Lord, that we fhould not be condemned with the world. 1 Cor. xi. 31, 32. Did the believer attend more to this when conscience reproaches or checks him, and mediately to God by confeffion and prayer, difallow and difapprove of what he has done, and not suffer his fin to go either from mind or memory, but importune, and implore pardon and forgiveness; he would foon prevail, and fave himself many a bitter cry and reftless hour. The Corinthians .omitted this, and therefore God took it in hand.-For this caufe many are weak and fickly among you, and many Sleep. 1 Cor. xi. 30. David neglected this, till his foul got hardened through the deceitfulness of fin; till Nathan fet him where he ought to have fet himfelf; namely, on the judgment feat; and, by his wife parable, made him condemn himself, which he ought to have done before. These God judged

3

go

im

and

and chaftened, that they might not be condemned with the world.

God not only keeps his court in the believer's heart, and the fpirit of judgment there; but his houfe of correction alfo. God purges the daughter of Zion and Jerufalem by the fpirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning; hence he keeps his fire in Zion, and bis furnace in Jerufalem. Ifa. xxxi. 9. Thofe whom God judges he chaftens; and this fire and furnace are to purge away the dross and tin. Many a time have I efcaped that terrible furnace, by judging and condemning myself. And, though fometimes the process has continued for feveral days, yet I followed it up, and could not, would not reft, till pardon was obtained, confcience quieted, and peace restored; and fometimes this has been done even in the pulpit; there the word has come and healed me. Whereas fome are in the furnace almost all the year round, they hardly ever make ftraight paths for their feet; but that which is lame is turned out of the way inflead of being healed Heb. xii. 13. From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, fays God, will I cleanse you. he does at converfion. But drofs and tin ftill remain, and the furnace is prepared for this--I will purely purge away thy drofs, and take away all thy tin. Ifa. i. 25. The fpirit of judgment, and the furnace of affliction, are continually at work in Zion. Cold and lifeless frames; ingratitude for mercies received; yielding to unbelief, and listening

This

to

to Satan; murmuring and rebelling at the daily cross; deadness in the fervice of God; being often felf-willed and foon angry; fpeaking haftily and unadvisedly with our lips; indulging evil and unclean thoughts; being stubborn and fullen under the rod, with many flips and falls into fin. Hence the com→ plaints-Nevertheless, I have fomewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love: thou haft a name that thou liveft, but art dead. My people are bent to backflide from me. Hezekiah rendered not again according to the kindness done unto him: nevertheless Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart. 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, 26. Hezekiah judged and humbled himself, and fo escaped the furnace-Hezekiab bumbled himself for the pride of his heart, both be and the inhabitants of Jerufalem; fo that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiab. Verse 26. If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. Upon every finful frame and miscarriage God calls us to the bar of equityCome, now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord; though your fins be as fcarlet, they shall be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they fhall be as wool. Ifa. i. 18. When thefe things are strictly attended to, a solid joy and lasting confolation is established in the foul. For our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converfation in the world: 2 Cor. i. 12. The teftimony of conscience and the enjoyment

enjoyment of peace are infeparable; and by attending to thefe a man walks with God-He walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. Mal. ii. 6.

Some indifcreet ones of the Lord's household are like fome men who are embarked in feveral branches of bufinefs, and, being often caft down in their own minds, fearing they are going back, omit taking ftock, left a right knowledge of their affairs fhould fink them lower. But God will bring all his children to book; and, if they fhun the bar of equity, he will bring them to the bar of judgment, and put fresh wrath and terror into the law, and hold up that hand-writing against them-Enter not into judgment with thy fervant, fays David. Thou writeft bitter things against me, fays Job. If we will not judge ourselves, the Lord will judge us; and, if we will not reafon with him, he will make us hear the rod, and who hath appointed it; and then the question is, Haft thou not procured these things to thyfelf? Then into the furnace we go, kicking and plunging like a wild bull in a net, full of the fury and the rebuke of our God; and here he keeps us till we can fay from the heart, Not my will, but thine be done. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have finned against him, until be plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: be will bring me forth to the light, and I fhall behold his righteousness. Micah vii. 9. By thefe means is the iniquity of Jacob purged, and this is all the fruit, to take

away