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by the outward appearance; but he is a true Christian, who is admitted to communion with God in that ordinance : Cant. v. I.. "I am come into my garden, my fifter, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh with my fpice, I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey. Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O'beloved." In this matter, the infide Chriftian goes beyond the outside The outside Chriftian gets the token from men, the infide Chriftian has alfo the Lord's token. The one only eats the bread of the Lord, the other, with it, eats that bread which is the Lord: John, vi. 57. "He that eateth me, he shall live by me;" he feeds by faith on a crucified Chrift, unites with him, as partaking of his Spirit, of all the benefits of his purchase, to his spiritual nourifhment, and growth in grace. The one is heldin the outer court, the other is admitted into the inner, and is there feasted in greater or leffer meafures. The lufts of the former are ftrengthened: by the abuse of that ordinance, thofe of the latter: are weakened by the holy use of it.—I observe,

II. THAT he is not a true Chriftian, whofe outward man only is cleansed from the grofs pol-. lutions of the world, but he whose inward man is alfo cleanfed. Saving grace penetrates to the infide, and stays not in the outside only: Pfal. xxiv. 34. "Who fhall afcend into the hill of the Lord ? and who fhall ftand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his foul unto vanity, nor fworn deceit fully." A perfon may be clean from grofs pollutions of the outward man, and yet be but an outfide Christian; no fwearer, liar, Sabbath-breaker, fornicator, &c. and yet no Christian, Luke, xxviii. II. Negative holiness and outside religion, though

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the want of it will damn the profane, 1 Cor. vi. 9. 10. yet the having it will not keep the outfide Chriftian from ruin. A blameless life in the world, though good in itself, yet comes not the length of true Chriftianity. There are several things befide faving grace, that may in fome meafure cleanse the converfation from grofs pollutions. -Among others, there is,

1. Good education, and good company, as in the cafe of Joafh under the tutorage of Jehoiada. This may chain men's lufts, though it cannot change their nature; their heart is of an apish nature, apt to follow example. Though readily the worst example is the most taking, yet good example has a mighty influence, efpecially when perfons are brought up with it from their childhood. -There is,

2. A good natural temper and difpofition. Many a perfon is more indebted to his natural temper, than to the tenderness of his confcience, for his cleanness from grofs pollutions. It is evident, that several persons who have no real religion, nay, 11or even the form of it, may be sober, as it would be a pain and a torment to them to go to the extravagant courfes in which others indulge themfelves. But no man is born a true Christian, as he is with his natural temper; religion in rea lity is a fupernatural temper: 2 Pet. i. 4. “ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through luft."There is,

3. Their being kept out of the way of tempta

tion. It is a mercy to be fo kept; but while people's corruptions are not tried with a fuitable bait, they cannot fo well know what influence the commandment has or has not upon them. The cleannefs

cleannefs of the outward converfation of many is owing more to thofe circumstances in which they were placed in the world, than to any gracious disposition; as may appear from the cafe of fome who kept right as long as they were not tried, but fo foon as the trial of their corruptions comes, they give way.-There is,

4. The workings of a natural conscience under the common influences and convictions of the Spirit, and a rousing ministry: Mark, vi. 20. « For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a juft man, and an holy, and obferved him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." The preaching of the word fometimes ferves to embalm dead fouls, who are never by it quickened. It alfo fets the natural confcience aworking to purify the outward man, while the inner is never renewed. It brings on many so far, as that they are not far from the kingdom of God, who yet never have power to go forward to it.

5. Self-love may do it, in fo far as a regard to their foul or body, credit or reputation, may move men to all this. Fear of punishment, and hope of reward, are powerful incentives, where God's authority is but little valued; nay, fome reigning luft, as covetoufnefs, pride, or ambition: Matth. vi. 2. “Therefore, when thou doft thine alms, do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the fynagogues, and in the ftreets, that they may have glory of men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward." But what avails all this to falvation, while the hidden man of the heart is funk in pollutions before the all-feeing God, while the man is as a painted fepulchre, fair without, but within full of rottennefs: Ezek. viii. 12. "Then faid he unto me, Son of man, haft thou feen what the ancients of the house of Ifrael

Ifrael do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they fay, The Lord feeth us not; the Lord hath forfaken the earth." It is a weak evidence to lean to outward religion.. But the true Christian has this cleannefs of the outward converfation, and befides goes farther. than the outward Christian in that point, in two particulars.

(r.) The infide Christian joins internal purity to external: Pfal. xxiv. 4. "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up, his foul to vanity, nor fworn deceitfully." Mat. v. 8. "Bleffed are the poor in heart, for they shall fee God." He does not fit down contented with. outfide purity, as the other does, but his chief concern is the heart, the fountain of all impurity of life. And though the world cannot charge him with any grofs pollutions, he finds he has work enough to do with the blind mind, the rebellious will, and the carnal corrupt affections. He accordingly strives to get them mortified: Gal. v. 24. "And they that are Chrift's have crucified the flesh, with its affections and lufts." Though the world fees not, yet, fince God fees the disorder of his heart, that is enough to humble him, and give him new errands to Chrift for his blood and Spirit..

(2.) Even his external purity is from religious motives, fprings, and principles. Thus Jofeph,. Gen. xxxix. 9. "How can I do this great wickedness, and fin against God ?" In this he ferves. God, while in it the outward Chriftian does but ferve himself. It is God's authority that fways. him to it; though his natural inclinations be to break out, yet the fear of God in his heart does reftrain him. And if he be furprifed into temptations, the offence and dishonour to God weighs.

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more with him than all the fhame and lofs in the world which he incurs.

From all which we may learn, that certainly they are not true Chriftians, who are profane in their walk, whose conversation is not so much as cleanfed from grofs pollutions, such as curfers and swearers, drunkards, mockers at religion, obscene fpeakers, unclean persons, &c. Gal. v. 19. 20. 21. These bear the devil's mark on their foreheads, Ifa. iii. 19.; and have not fo much as the rude draughts of the form of godlinefs.—Hence,

Let no man value himfelf on the cleanfing of the outward man from those pollutions, for a perfon may go all that length, and much farther, and yet be a caft-away. Religion is much deeper than this is, and is more inward. What the world obferves leaft, God looks moft to. Therefore ftudy the inwards of religion, truth and purity in the inward parts.

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