Page:Saint's duty in evil times (5).pdf/22

 First, They live righteously, beginning all things with God, referring all things to God. Secondly, They do all things by the warrant of the word, contemning their own wills, that they might do the Lord's: 'Not my will, but thy will be done,' they must lose their life, before they lose their obedience. Thirdly, They will be holy, 'Be ye holy, as I am holy,' John iii. 3, 'Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure. Fourthly, They walk fruitfully, they go about doing good; O sad! not only the unfruitful walking of this generation, but even the stumbling that they are. Fifthly, They walk justly, not wronging any: These are they who live righteously, who walk so as Christ walked: O! how few righteous livers are amongst you, and these only are his people, righteous persons, righteous livers, and it is these whom the Lord hath chambers for.

Now Sixthly, We proceed to the rules how to apply these evidence. First, Though you find them not all, yet if ye find one or more of them really, then comfort yourselves. Secondly, if ye find not what formerly ye have found, labour more to renew the same, than to seek a fight of the old. Thirdly, Do not try yourselves in the hour of temptation. Fourthly, When ye find marks and evidences, do not rest upon them, for though ye have them, they may soon be gone. Fifthly, Do not, pursue so much to satisfy your sense for the present, as to have a solid well grounded assurance for the time to come. Sixthly, Be not so desirous to know what ye are, as what ye should do. Spend not your time in questioning your state, as ye do, but use the means of real union and communion with Christ: This is the shortest and surest way. Seventhly, Judge not yourselves by the measure of your graces, but by the sincerity of them.