The children of God ought to count it their chief joy, in drawing nigh to God, that they have His ear and heart. Great is the difference between a child of God confiding in Him, and a child of God full of petitions and burdens, but doubting God until some outward deliverance be granted. The character of God and His love demand our perfect trust at all times. The love of God is not purchased for us by the blood of Christ. That love springs up out of God's own heart and nature. Self-moved, He sent His Son. We could not be the object of the Father's love, which is from everlasting to everlasting, but as chosen in Christ. He loves us with love perfect and unchangeable. The Heart and its Deceitfulness David would never have fallen into gross outward sin, had he not been too familiar with it in his heart; there had the evil been oft-times committed before it broke out in the wicked deed. Nor would he have numbered the people, had he not first strayed from the presence of God, and so become puffed up with pride. (2 Sam. 11; 1 Chron. 21) Saints rarely see the guilt of a murmuring, unbelieving spirit, while they do feel the discomfort and weakness it brings with it. How great the deceitfulness of sin that can hide such guilt from the conscience of a child of God. The Lord would have us all deal truly with our state, and with our hearts. We cannot otherwise deal truly with Him. When we desire any special guidance, let us look first at the state of our heart: we have natural reason; let us take heed that we put it not into the hands of the devil by self-will, but into the hands of God. The mistake of ignorance is one thing; the darkness of self-will is another. There may be the former though the eye be single, but not the latter. It is good for a child of God to search his heart, that he may know whether it is by nature or by grace that he is kept from outward evil. Fear of shame, love of reputation, power of conscience, natural affection, self-interest, greatly preserve the unregenerate from the commission of sin; and may in part also keep the children of God from defiling their garments; but it is only by the power of grace, and when the heart keeps the life, that our "good conversation" is a sweet savour to God. The great outlet of sin is the tongue; the great inlets of temptation are the ear and eye; but of the whole body the heart is mistress. Therefore let grace rule the heart, and the whole man shall be subject. The Form of Godliness The enmity of the carnal mind is wont to hide itself by imitating the outward forms of the kingdom of God. The grace of God subduing the heart to Christ is the sign of the birth from above. The drunkard and the thief are evidently in the broad road that leadeth to destruction. The Pharisee seems to tread the narrow way, yet does but keep the clean side of the broad road.