{199} Faith.  Oh, a great deal.  A man may cry out against sin of policy, but he cannot abhor it, but by virtue of a godly antipathy against it.  I have heard many cry out against sin in the pulpit, who yet can abide it well enough in the heart, house, and conversation.  Joseph’s mistress cried out with a loud voice, as if she had been very holy; but she would willingly, notwithstanding that, have committed uncleanness with him.  Some cry out against sin even as the mother cries out against her child in her lap, when she calleth it slut and naughty girl, and then falls to hugging and kissing it.

Talk.  You lie at the catch, I perceive.

{200} Faith.  No, not I; I am only for setting things right.  But what is the second thing whereby you would prove a discovery of a work of grace in the heart?

Talk.  Great knowledge of gospel mysteries.

Faith.  This sign should have been first; but first or last, it is also false; for knowledge, great knowledge, may be obtained in the mysteries of the gospel, and yet no work of grace in the soul. [1 Cor. 13] Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing, and so consequently be no child of God.  When Christ said, “Do you know all these things?” and the disciples had answered, Yes; he addeth, “Blessed are ye if ye do them.”  He doth not lay the blessing in the knowing of them, but in the doing of them.  For there is a knowledge that is not attended with doing:  He that knoweth his masters will, and doeth it not.  A man may know like an angel, and yet be no Christian, therefore your sign of it is not true.  Indeed, to know is a thing that pleaseth talkers and boasters, but to do is that which pleaseth God.  Not that the heart can be good without knowledge; for without that, the heart is naught.  There is, therefore, knowledge and knowledge.  Knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of things; and knowledge that is accompanied with the grace of faith and love; which puts a man upon doing even the will of God from the heart:  the first of these will serve the talker; but without the other the true Christian is not content.  “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” [Ps. 119:34]

Talk.  You lie at the catch again; this is not for edification.

Faith.  Well, if you please, propound another sign how this work of grace discovereth itself where it is.

Talk.  Not I, for I see we shall not agree.

Faith.  Well, if you will not, will you give me leave to do it?

Talk.  You may use your liberty.

{201} Faith.  A work of grace in the soul discovereth itself, either to him that hath it, or to standers by.