occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward
I speake the truth I vse no Hyperbole the Spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true Christians bearing me witnesse Good Sir let me humbly entreate you with a proportionable zeale and feruencie to encline and enlarge your affections to the pursuit and practise of so excellent and glorious an happinesse Which that you may doe I will continuallie prostrate and powre out my soule in prayer before the throne of Grace and mercie And rest Your Worships to be commanded euer in the Lord Iesus Robert Bolton AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CHristian This Discourse which now stands so close together was deliuered in fiue seuerall sermons but all to a most iudicious and intelligent auditorie therfore there is a continuance of matter coherence and stile I must entreat thee out of thine â—ngenuous discretion to distinguish the places where they were preacht as thou shalt find the direction of my speech and some particular applications more naturally and necessarilie with indiuiduall reference appropriated thereunto The reasons why I spent the most of my meditations and sticke so long in descrying and desciphering the state of formall hypocrisie for therein I haue trod a something vncouth and vnusuall path are these First I considered that in this full light of the Gospell a great number of men applâ—â—d and content themselues with a superficiall glistering of a formall profession outward conformitie to the Ministrie of the word and some false flashes of an vnsound persuasion that they are in the ready and right way to heauen when as indeed it hath not inwardly illightned their vnderstandings with sauing knowledge heated their affections with true zeale subdued their sinfull thoughts and noisome lusts with the power of grace nor softned and sanctifiâ—d their hearts to yeeld a cheerfull sincere and vniuersall obedience thereunto And so after a few miserable daies spent in a prosperous securitie they fall into the iawes of hell before they mistrust any such matter and the pit of destruction shuts her mouth vpon them before they know and acknowledge their broken and bankrout state in spirituall things I therefore desire and endeauour to awake them out of their golden dreame of imaginarie future happines that with open eyes they may see their present spirituall pouerty and so betimes preuent the anger to come I hope in the Lord and wish hartily that by a dispassionate and thorow perusall of this Treatise they may take some scantling of their owne estate with God and entring a serious and impartiall search and examination of their consciences discouer and reueale themselues vnto themselues and so if they belong vnto the euerlasting couenant of grace sâ—ep forward into the state of grace the paradise of true Christianitie and practise of holinesse that their deare and pretious soules may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesâ—s Secondly I did conceiue that there is a threefold cord three maine and capitall causes that violently hale downe vpon vs from heauen many both corporall and spirituall plagues and bind them fast to the bowels and principall parts of this kingdome and doe daily more and more ripen the iust wrath of God for the powring out of his last vengeance vpon this sinfull nation They are those 1. The ouerflowing torrent and vnbridledrage of many crying sinnes fearefull abominations and desperate prophanenes 2. A sensible declination from their first loue and decay of zeale euen in Christians 3. A luke-warmenes and want of thorownes and sinceritie in formall professors As for the first By our horrible sins and hatefull ingratitude for mercies without measure and miraculous deliuerances wee grow so heauie vpon the Lord that we presse him and the bowels of his tenderest compassions as a caâ—t is pressed that is full of sheaues so that it is impossible but that shortly without great humiliation and generall repâ—ntance wee should wrest out of his hands the vials of his last wrath and force him to come against vs with the beesome of vtter desolation It is to bee feared so grieuous and endlesse is the impietie and impâ—nitencie of this land that his forbearance in the meane time is not for any hope he hath of vs for what good hath a durable and extraordinarie plague done vpon vs but onely by reason of the cruell and implacable insolencie of our enemies because â—ee is loth to make vs a prey to the Wolues of Rome and matter of triumph to such a mercilesse and murderous generation Who knowes but that the Match had reached vnto the Powder had not the Lord out of the bottomlesse depth of his vnlimited mercies laid hold vpon his owne argument Deut. 32.26.27 I haue said I would scatter them abrode I would make their remembrance to cease from amongst men saue that I feared the furie of the enemy lest their aduersaries should waxe proud Left his and our aduersaries those breathing diuels the Gunpowder Papists should too proudly and barbarously haue insulted in the ruines of his people and the banishment of his glorious Gospell The Lord giue vs vnderstanding hearts to consider these things in time lest he come vpon vs with his wrath neuer more to bee appeased and teare vs in peâ—ces when there is none to hâ—lpe May any man driue away an hungry Lion in the wood or quench the fire in stubble when it hath once begun to burne may one turne againe the arrow that is shot of a strong archer If the Lord once whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on iudgement with purpose to roote out a sinfull and rebellious nation there is no power or policie no multitude of men or magnificence of State no armour of the mightie or arme of flesh shall euer bee able to giue any succour reliefe or deliuerance Concerning the second Certaine it is that our blessings of peace and strength of State breed by accident much abatement of forwardnesse and zeale in godlines secret indeuotion and coldnes euen in many true Professours carelesnes in obseruing their waies wearinesse and vncheerefulnesse in doing good and performing holy duties vnpreparednesse in comming to diuine seruices religious exercises and the Lords Table sleightnesse and vnprofitablenesse in prayer meditation Christian conference and dailie examination of their consciences neglect of opportunitie in winning their brethren vnto the feare of God and of working vpon and preuailing with their kindred acquaintance familiars and families Thus wickedly and vnthankefully turne we the mercies of God into occasions of sinne and suffer our temporall happinesse to wast and consume our spirituall blessings And the more we are secured in our outward state the more heartlesse we are in the seruice of God and the affaires of the life to come But let vs looke vnto it for as the louder and crying sinnes of this land are the great and strong cartropes so vndoubtedly these as lesser cords haue their part and some power in drawing vpon vs heauie iudgements and in preparing further vengeance except wee amend and returne to
sorrowfull Or if their mirth be entire it is but like the noise of the thornes vnder the pot Thornes vnder a pot you know make a great crackling and noise for a little time they blaze faire and bright but are suddenly extinct and brought to nothing Neither are these cold comforters able to quench Gods fierie ielousie when it breakes forth in plagues and iudgements against a sinfull people Witnesse the Prophets Zepha Chap. 1.17.18 Their blood shall bee powred out as dust and their flesh as the dung Neither their siluer nor their gold shall bee able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie Ezech. 7.19 Their siluer and their gold cannot deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their soules neither fill their bowels for this ruinâ— is for their iniquitie Obad. 4. Though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the starres thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord. It is not then any wedge of gold or height of place can priuiledge or protect vs when our sins are ripe and readie to take the flame of Gods fierce wrath and indignation Thirdly they cannot stretch themselues vnto eternity For there are no contentments of this life whether they lie in honours riches pleasures friends or the like let them be neuer so many in number so potent in the world or in our own perswasions so exempt from mixture of discomfort that can possibly bring vs farther then our death bed It may be for a few and wretched daies of our life they haue detained vs in a fooles paradise yet full of Vipers and Scorpions It may be they haue left some obscure prints of vnfound ioies in our passages but then at their farwell they are vtterly despoiled of their weake and imaginarie sweetnes and are wholly turned into wounds and wormewood into gall and vexation They leaue a sting indeed in the conscience that neuer dies but themselues die all at our deaths and lie downe with vs in our graues Why then when the immortal soule being dislodged from this tabernacle of clay shall now begin to enter the confines of eternitie what shall comfort it thorow that endlesse duration For if it looke backe to this inch of time which it consumed in vanitie it may aske Why haue I bin troubled about many things Why haue I disquieted my selfe in vaine Why haue I insolently insulted ouer innocencie and accounted sinceritie madnes What hath pride profited me or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought me And it may be answered All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a poste that passeth by as a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace thereof cannot bee found neither the path of it in the flouds or as a bird that flieth thorow in the aire and no man can see any token of her passage but onely heare the noise of her wings beating the light wind parting the aire through the vehemencie of her going and flieth on shaking her wings whereas afterward no token of her way can be found If then the expiration of all worldly comforts be most certain and ineuitable at the furthest at our departure from this life it is impossible there should be any absolute ioy found in them for there is wanting the very life and accomplishment of true happinesse assurance of perpetuitie Imagine therefore a man to be abundantly encompassed euen with all the desires of his heart let him wash his paths with butter and let the rocke powre him out riuers of oile let him heape vp siluer as the dust and gold as the mire of the streetes let him decke himselfe with maiestie and excellencie and aray himselfe with beautie and glorie let him drinke vp the pleasures of this world in as great abundance as Behemoth the riuer Iordan yet all is nothing himselfe being couered with corruption and mortalitie and the fruition of them with vanitie and change One generation passeth away and another generation commeth He must at length necessarilie make resignation of al into the hands of a new succession And he shall take nothing away when he dies neither shall his pompe or pleasures descend after him Yet if a man besides an entire and vninterrupted possession of his worldly contentments which is neuer to be looked for in this life for as Iob speakes While his flesh is vpon him he shall be sorrowfull and while his soule is in him it shall mourne yet I say if besides he were able to extend his life to many millions of yeeres the matter were a little more tolerable But alas the life of a man at the most is but a hand breath or a span long that which makes it much more miserable he knowes not in what part of that short span how suddenly or how soone he shall be cut off from the land of the liuing and goe and shall not returne euen vnto the land of darkenesse and shadow of death For the reioycing of the wicked is short and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment Though his excellency mount vp to the heauen his head reach vnto the cloudes yet shall he perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he He shall flee away as a dreame and they shal not find him and shal passe away as a vision of the night So that the eie which had seene him shall doe so no more and his place shall see him no more And in this respect mans condition is farre inferiour to other creatures One generation passeth and another generation succeedeth but the earth remaineth for euer The Sun seemes euery night to lie downe in a bed of darknesse but he rises in the morning clothed with the same glorie and brightnesse and reioyceth as a Giant to run his course But man saith Iob is sicke and dieth and man perisheth and where is he As the waters passe from the sea and as the flood decaieth and drieth vp so man sleepeth and riseth not for he shall not wake againe nor be raised from his sleepe till the heauen be no more To let therefore these wretched vanities passe as vnworthie to be insisted on thus long For howsoeuer the worldly minded man wanting vtterly the eie of faith and hauing his eie of reason dimmed with mists that rise from his tumultuous and fierie passions grosse ignorance and wilfull malice so that he onely lookes vpon the honours riches and pleasures of this life with a carnall and sensual eie may seeme to see in them some glimmerings of happinesse and thereafter conforme and proportion his desires endeuours and proiects because he hath his portion onely in this life yet certainely the truly generous mind may clearely out of the very apprehension of nature and light of reason discerne them al to
obiect of his reuenging iustice the most base and vnnaturall Opposite to so pure a Maiesty and the most notorious and transcendent instrument of Satans deepest malice This kind of hypocrite belongs not to my present purpose and therefore I leaue him without sound and timely repentance to some strange and markeable iudgement euen in this life Or if he passe these few daies honourably and prosperouslie as it is many times the lot of the wicked lot him expect vpon his deaths-bed the fierie darts of Satan empoysoned with hellish malice and cruelty to be fastned deepely in his soule and such pangs and anguish of conscience that will possesse him of hell before hand Or if he depart out of this world without sense of his sinne or else at the best with some formall and perfunctorie shew of penitencie yet let his heart tremble for the feares that it shall feare at the great and terrible day of the Lord when the vizard of his hypocrisie shall certainely be pulde off his face and he ashamed and confounded in the presence of the blessed Trinity of Angels and all the men that euer were and irrecouerably abandoned from the face of God and from the fruition of his ioyes to the most consuming flame of the fire of hell and the lothsomest dungeon of the bottomlesse pit The third kind of hypocrisie is Formall hypocrisie by which a man doth not onely deceiue others with a shew of piety and outward forme of religion but also his owne heart with a false conceit and persuasion that he is in a happie state when as in truth his soule was neuer yet seasoned with sauing grace and the power of religion And I beseech you marke me in this point it is of greatest consequence to euery one for a sound triall and examination of the state of his conscience whether he yet liue the life of God and stand in the state of grace or lie enthralled in the setters and slauerie of sinne and Satan For herein I must tell you how farre a man may proceed in outward profession of the truth in supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse in some kinds and measure of inward graces and yet come vtterly short of true happinesse and without an addition of the truth of regeneration and a sound conuersion shall bee cut off for euer from all hope of immortality and shall neuer bee able to stand firme and sure in the day of the Lord Iesus For a more perspicuous explication of this point conceiue with me those perfections which may befall a man as yet vnregenerate and in state of damnation We may suppose in him first all those gifts which the possibility of nature can conferre vpon him all ornaments of Arts and knowledge of wisedome and policie not onely that which is purchased by experience obseruation and imployment in points of State but also the spirit of gouernment as Saul had To these wee may adde gentlenesse and fairenesse of conditions an exactnesse of ciuill honesty and morall iustice immunity from grosse and infamous sinnes And thus far the heathens may goe And thus far we proceeded in our last Discourse But in these times of Christianity a reprobate may goe farre further then euer the most innocent Heathen that euer liued could possibly though some of them were admirable for their mild and mercifull disposition some for their vertuous seueritie some for integritie of life some for constancie and resolution in goodnes some for preferring the vnspottednesse of their life before most exquisit tortures For to all these he may adde a glorious profession of the Gospell a performance of all outward duties and exercises of religion many workes of charity and monuments of his rich magnificence Nay besides all this he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination of a shadow of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblance may not be sound in the vnregenerate This last point will more clearely appeare vnto you out of the 8. of Luke and the 6. to the Hebrewes In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite who is there said to beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and inferior working of the spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him In which faith we may consider these degrees First he may be endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge in the word of God He may be perswaded that it is diuinely inspired and that it is most true He may see clearely by the Law of God the grieuous intollerablenesse of his sinnes and the heauie iudgements due vnto them He may bee amazed and terrified with fearefull horror and remorse of conscience for his sinnes He may giue assent vnto the couenant of grace in Christ as most certaine and sure and may conceiue that Christs merits are of an inualuable price and a most pretious restoratiue to a languishing soule He may be perswaded in a generalitie and confused manner that the Lord will make good his couenant of grace vnto the members of his Church and that he will plentifully performe all the promises of happinesse vpon his children He may be troubled in mind with grudgings and distractions with reluctation and scruples before the commission of sinne out of the strength of naturall conscience seconded with a seruile apprehension of diuine vengeance but especially illightned with some glimmerings of this temporarie faith Much adoe was there euen with Pilate inward trouble and tergiuersation before he would bee brought to giue iudgement on Christ. Herod was sorie before he beheaded Iohn Baptist. And these men I hope were farre short of the perfections attaineable by the formall hypocrite After a sinne committed besides the outward formes of humiliation by the power of this temporarie faith he may bee inwardly touched and affected with some kind and degree of repentance and sorrow I meane not onely that which is a preparatiue to despaire and hellish horror but which may sometimes preuent temporall iudgements as in Achab and with a slumbering and superficiall quiet secure the conscience for a time And from this faith may spring fruits Some kind and measure of hope loue patience and other graces It is said in the Euangelists that that hearer which we call the formall hypocrite receiues the word with ioy Whence may be gathered First that with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse hee may submit himselfe to the ministerie of the word With forwardnesse and ioyfulnesse hee may follow and frequent Sermons With a discourse of the sufferings of Christ he may be moued euen vnto teares for compassionate indignation that so glorious and infinite innocencie should be vext with al manner of indignities and torments for the grosse and willfull impieties of sinfull men He may loue and reuerence giue countenance and patronage to the Ministers whom he heares with gladnesse For it is the nature of man to be kindly and louingly affected vnto him
other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican There is his exemption from common prophanenes I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that I possesse There is his outward iustice and religious solennities But you must not conceiue that the formall hypocrite doth proclaime this in publicke with such grosse and palpable ostentation Nay perhaps when it arises hee lets it not rest long in his owne thoughts left by this vanity his vertues lose their grace and he his comfort But certaine it is a consciousnes of his being free from infamous impieties of his morall honestie performance of outward duties of religion and some inward in some measure though not vniuersally nor to the degree of the children of God is one of the best grounds he hath for his assurance of being in state of saluation Parallel to this of Luke is that Prou. 30. vers 12. There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthinesse That is they imagine their temper of religion their pitch of holinesse their formall Christianity to bee the very right path to heauen when indeed they were neuer truely humbled with a sense and sight of their sinnes out of the law and iudgements of God They were neuer acquainted with the pangs of conscience in a new birth or the mysteries of saluation But within are full of hollowheartednesse lukewarmenesse and much bitternes against true godlinesse and the power thereof The second reason whereby the formall hypocrite is moued to thinke his state to be good and the way of his life to be right is a preiudice which he conceiues from the imputations which the world layeth vpon the children of God such as are Pride Hypocrisie Singularity Melancholie Simplicitie and the like But before I descend to these particulars giue me leaue to propose vnto you the fountaine and ground of them which I take to bee that great and eternall opposition which is naturally betwixt light and darkenesse the life of grace and a death in sinne sincerity and prophanenesse the children of God and the wicked Gods children you know in this world liue as sheepe amongst wolues In the stormie times of the Church their persecutors are indeed euen wolues in the euening for their insatiable crueltie and vnquenchable thirst in drinking vp the blood of the Saints And in the Halcyon daies and fairest times of the Church yet they haue those which will bee pricks in their eyes and thornes in their sides If they cannot vexe them in a higher degree yet they will bee sure to lay on loade with base indignities disgraces slanders and lying imputations And their hatred is of that strange nature and quality that it is discharged euen against the goodnesse of the godly their zeale their forwardnesse in religion their faithfulnesse in their calling and the like as against it proper obiect This is plaine in Ieremie Ieremie neither borrowed on vsurie nor lent on vsurie hee was free from all colour of giuing offence or doing wrong Nay his gratious heart was so wholly melted in compassion that he wished that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe day and night for the destructions of his people And yet of that people euery one contended against him there was not a man but hee cursed him The onely reason was because whatsoeuer the Lord said that he faithfully spoke and kept nothing backe but shewed them all the counsell of God It is yet more plaine in Dauid Psal. 38.20 They also that reward euill for Good are mine aduersaries because I follow goodnesse The word there in the originall insinuateth such an extreme and deadly hatred that from thence comes the diuels name Satan So that howsoeuer this enmitie betwixt the world and the children of light be many times bridled by the restraining spirit of God sometimes by the ingenuousnesse of the wicked or their morall vertue or policie or some by-respect or by accident bee turned into loue because by the presence and praiers of the godly they many times escape iudgements and receiue blessings Yet I say howsoeuer it be thus bridled in it selfe it is more then ordinary or naturall and hath in it some degree and mixture of hellish virulencie Ordinarie hatred expires in the downe-fall of his aduersarie Nay any one of generous mind out of the interest he challengeth in the common state of humanitie will commiserate the distresse and affliction euen of his greatest and basest enemie but much more of one of noble spirit and eminent worth and more then that of one that hath followed him with all offices of kindnes and loue yet the flame of this hatred is so fiâ—rce so set on fire by hell that it is not extinguished euen with the blood of his supposed Opposite but barbarously sports in his miseries with insoleÌ„cy tramples vpon his desolations This appeareth clearely in the example of Dauid Psal. 35.15 But in mine aduersity they reioyced and gathered themselues together the abiects assembled themselues against me and I knew not they tare mee and ceased not Who without indignation can thinke vpon these leaud companions and base drunkards that with the false scoffers at bankets gnashed their teeth and cruelly insulted ouer the miserie and disgrace of that man that was a man after Gods owne heart of incomparable excellency and so kindly affected towards them that when they were sicke he clothed himselfe with a sacke he humbled his soule with fasting and mourned as one that mourneth for his mother You see then the fountaine both of the greater stoods of bloodie persecutions and the lesser streames of inferiour vexations as slanders railings and false imputations To some particulars whereof I now come First for Pride It is most certaine that Pride truely so called is the most pesâ—lent and incompatible Opposite that Grace hath and therefore hee that is most sanctified most fights against it For besides that this fiery dart is deepely impoysoned in our corrupted nature Satan knowes out of his owne experience how to manage it with notable cunning and he followes this weapon with such eagernesse and confidence that after it is broken vpon the shield of faith yet he labours with might and maine to fasten some splinter or other euen in the soule humbled for sinne and vowed vnto the seruice of God as I told you in the first part of priuie hypocrisie But I appeale vnto the consciences of the children of God whether many times the world doth not interpret that to be pride in their actions and cariage which is nothing else but a gracious freedome of spirit arising from a consciousnesse of their innocencie and independancy whereby they are inabled to stand with courage against corruptions and the sinnes of the time to follow good causes with boldnesse and with resolution to defend a knowne and warrantable truth and indeed to prefer the saluation of
must either enioy it in some kind and measure or it will waste and consume it selfe Hence it is that those who want inward and spirituall ioy arising from the testimonie of a good conscience from an assurance of remission of their sinnes and the fauour of God hunt after worldly contentments and carnall ioies At home in their owne hearts they find little comfort rather much terrour if their consciences awake and therefore they seeke to refresh themselues amid their treasures honors and sports at Plaies in Tauernes with merrie companie and many other such miserable comforters nay they had rather be necessarily imploied then solitarie not so much to auoid idlenesse as bitings of conscience Yea some had rather cease to be men then that their consciences should awake vpon them and therefore they labour to keepe it asleepe and to drowne sorrow for sinne with powring in of strong drinke But let them looke vnto it though it goe downe pleasantly yet secretly and insensiblie it strengthens the rage and sharpens the sting of the worme that neuer dies against the day of their visitation for in the end saith Salomon it will bite like a serpent and hurt like a cockâ—trice This outward and worldly ioy because the children of God doe not pursue because they will not relie vpon those broken staues of reed they are estâ—emed the onely melancholike and discontented men But I maruell when or with what eyes the worldlings looke vpon the faithfull Christian. It may be while hee is yet in the sore trauell of his new-birth and humbled vnder the mightie hand of God with affliction of conscience for his sinne If so then they should know that men must mourne for their sins as one that mourneth for his onely son and be sorie for them as one is sorie for the death of his first borne There must be in them a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon as it is Zac. 12.11 And this sorrow is a blessed sorrow for it brings forth immortality And either themselues must haue a part in it or they shall neuer be made partakers of the fulnesse of ioy at Gods right hand What though the child of God lie for a night in the darkenesse of sorrow and weeping for his sins marke a while and the day will dawne and a day-starre will arise in his hart that will neuer set vntill it hath conducted him vnto the light that no man can attaine vnto The sunne of righteousnesse will presently appeare and will drie away his teares and with euerlasting light will shine vpon him for euermore But it may bee the worldlings take notice euen of the whole course and best state of the child of God and yet can see nothing therein but vncomfortable strictnesse and sad austerity But then I must tell them they looke onely vpon him with carnall eyes and deceiue themselues for so indeed he doth not appeare a boisterous Nimrode or dissolute Ruffler amid the vanities and delicacies of the world that is for Satans reuellers who haue smiling countenances but bleeding consciences glorious outsides but within nothing but rottennesse and prophanenes much laughing when the heart is sorrowfull But if they were able with illightened eyes to pierce into the inward parts of Gods child they should see within hope alreadie feasting vpon the ioyes of eternity they should see faith holding fast the writings by which the kingdome of heauen is conueied vnto his soule sealed with the precious blood of the sonne of God that nor man nor diuell is able to wrest out of it hand They should see the white stone mentioned in the Reuelation wherein there is a new name written which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it Whence springeth such a strong comfort and high resolution in the affaires of heauen that no sword of the Tyrant no flame of cruelty not the combination of heauen and earth shall euer be able to amaze abate or extinguish Fifthly the formall hypocrite doth more confidently continue in a selfe liking of his owne state though the state of vnregeneration because he seeth those that besides his outward forme of religion are indewed with an inward and vnfained sinceritie in all their waies to be reputed but as the ofscouring of all things the simple fellowes and precise fooles of the world They haue indeed beene so accounted in all ages For the hearts of wicked men being stuft with prophanenes and earthly pleasures being swelled with ambition and worldly wisedome easilie bring forth pride and contempt And therefore they looke a farre off at the children of God as at fellowes of base and neglected condition of low spirits of humble resolutions of weake minds vnable to manage affaires and occurrents for their preferments of no dexterity to plant themselues in the face and glorie of the world when God knowes if they could be perswaded that there were no heauen but vpon earth and that the power and exercise of godlines were nothing but an vnnecessarie precisenes if they would enlarge their consciences proportionablie to the vast gulfe of the times corruptions if they durst make a couenant with death and an agreement with hell and put the euill day farre from them sure they might outstep many of these great Ones in their Proiects of policie and the precedencies of the world but sith they cannot they daâ—e not they will neuer by the grace of God be so perswaded they are well content with their continuall feast a good conscience while the others are fatted with their wine and their corne and their oyle against the day of slaughter And then at that day they will change their minds For goe I beseech you into the sanctuarie of the Lord and vnderstand their end they are now vpon the stage of this world in their full glory but were they as mighty as Leuiathan as cruell as Dragons could they reare their honours to the height of the clouds nay aduance their thrones aboue beside the starres of God yet they must downe they haue but one part to play they must make their beds in the dust and then when they are once disroabde of their greatnes and glory and stript naked of their honours and preferments and without all mitigation by worldly comforts left vnto the ful rage of a stinging conscience then they change their note and alter their iudgements and sigh for griefe of mind and say within themselues These are they whom we sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproch we fooles thought their life madnes and their end without honour How are they counted among the children of God and their portion is among the Saints Therefore wee haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and wee haue gone thorow dangerous waies but we haue not knowne the way of the
and setledly resolued vpon this point sith hee had so long preached vnto them by his Prophets as he hath done vnto this land and it would doe no good that he bids the Prophet meddle no more for he would neuer heare him againe Therefore saith he thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie or prayer for them neither intreat mee for I will not heare thee The iudgements vpon this land haue beene many and fearefull I doubt not but we haue seene with our eyes euen those which are very neere fore-runners of that great and terrible day of the Lord. Wee haue seene strange and prodigious apparitions in the aire we haue had vnheard of plots and practises against our State Our land hath long and extraordinarily groaned vnder a sore and durable plague which hath stucke close to the bowels of this City The sea hath broke out of her bounds and swept away many as righteous as our selues we haue felt such extremity of heate and cold of which I thinke these parts of the world are not naturally capable so certaine is it that the finger of God hath beene in them The poore of the land euen now grieuously sigh and pine with a present famine Let vs then examine our selues in this point Haue wee laid all these iudgements vnto our hearts haue we beene truely humbled by them haue we by a diligent search taken notice of our sinnes and grieued for them and abandoned them haue we mourned and cried for all the abominations that are done amongst vs Why then blessed is our case our state is the state of grace we shall be sure to be marked and sealed in the foreheads by the Angell of God for his seruants before the vials of final desolation be powred vpon this kingdome But if otherwise which is rather to be feared if hee hath smitten vs and we haue not sorrowed if he hath corrected vs for amendment and we are not bettered but rather worse and worse we may assure ourselues we yet want a gracious marke and effect of the power of true godlines and marke what will be the end both of vs and our whole land it can be no other then that of his owne people And thus he dealt with them by his iudgements euen as a Physition with his patient A Physition while there is any hope of recouerie in his patient he vseth the benefit of all the rules of art all variety of meanes prescribing diet letting blood ministring pils and potions but when he once perceiues the naturall heate to bâ— so decayed and strength of nature spent that his physicke will worke no more good vpon him but rather hasten his ruine then his recouerie hee then leaues him to the pangs of death and dissolution of soule and body Euen so deales God with his people while there is any hope of repentance he visits them by all kind of castigations all maner of punishments But when all sense of religion all heate of zeale and life of grace haue so vtterly forsaken the hearts of men that they are rather broken then bowed rather hardened then humbled by his iudgements hee giues them ouer to their owne iust confusion He leaues them finally neuer more to bee intreated to lamentations mournings and woe to the feare to the pit and to the snare to the Lion the Wolfe and the Leopard Thou hast stricken them saith Ieremie but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to recâ—iue correction they haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne Wherefore a Lion out of the forrest shall stay them and a Wolfe of the wilderness shall destroy them a Leopard shall watch ouer their Cities euery one that goeth out thenâ—â— shall be torne in peeces because their trespasses are many and their rebellions are encreased This course of Gods proceeding in his iudgements we may see most cleerely in the 4. of Amos. He first gaue them cleannâ—sse of teeth in all their Cities and scarcenes of bread in all their places and yet they returned not vnto him He withheld the raine from them when there were yet three moneths to the haruest so that two or three Cities wandred vnto one Citie to drinke water but they were not satisfied and yet they returned not vnto him He smote them with blasting mildew their gardens and their vineyards their figtrees and their oliue trees did the Palmer worme deuoure and yet they returned not vnto him Pestilence he sent amongst them after the maner of Egypt and yet they returned not vnto him Therfore saith the Lord thus will I doe vnto thee O Israel He speakes after the manner of a man in whom iust indignation stops passage vnto speech and who wants words to expresse the horriblenesse of the punishments hee purposes to inflict Therefore thus and thus will I doe vnto thee O Israel euen so as he threatned in the beginning of the Chapter The daies shall come vpon you that you shall be taken away with thornes and your posterity with fish-hookes As if he should haue said I will make no more triall by iudgements I will now doe a thing in Israel whereof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle yea and all his heartstrings shall tremble I will now sweepe you all away with the beesome of vtter destruction This is certainely now iust our case For to crie peace peace where there is no peace towards is wicked and to no purpose to bring conceits and smoothings to this place will neuer serue the turne either for the discharge of our consciences or the sauing of your soules I say this is iust our case we are euen already come to this last point and period By our many impieties and impenitency wee haue brought our gracious God to that question in the 1 of Isa. VVherefore should ye be smitten any more for ye fall away more and more Or rather to this conclusion in the 4. of Amos therefore thus will I do vnto thee O nation not worthie to be loued He hath made triall by so many iudgements and so many times and all in vaine that the very next iudgement we may iustly feare and expect without true and timely repentance will euen be the beesome-of-vtter desolation As the iudgements vpon this land haue beene great and fearefull so many and wonderfull haue beene his mercies vpon vs and such I am persuaded as greater the sun neuer saw 〈◊〉 of men enioyed I will onely name two whâ—ch cannot 〈◊〉 â—ee fresh in â—uery mans memorie The contrâ—uing of our peace at the death of our late Soueraign of euer glorious memorie And our deliuerance from the Guâ—powder Treason Of which two when first euery man heard me thinks hee should haue beene afraid lest hee had beene in a dreame as it is said of the Israelites Psalm 1â—6 VVhen the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sâ—on we were like them that dreame Both that and these our
repentance and humiliation for some former sinne not thorowly repented of or in part resumed is to be renewed Perhaps the Lord hath thereby an holy purpose to reueale vnto him the omission of some duties in his calling or some smaller faults yet scandalous whereof before he was not sensible Or it may be to preuent some sinne to come either that with which he is falsly charged or some other to which his fraile nature is more inclining Or lastly by this experience to prepare him with courage and furnish him with wisdome to comfort others in the like case or to glorifie his name by patience in some more publicke and notorious disgrace and vexation to bee indured in this kind Hereupon the child of God doth presently make a priuie search into his soule doth narrowly fift the state of his conscience and after due and impartiall examination feelingly and faithfully addresse himself to prayer practise of these considerations and reformation of what he finds amisse Secondly this outward crosse vpon his good name by false surmises and suspicions makes him retire into himselfe and more fruitfully and cheerefully to enjoy all his inward comforts his hope and delight in heauenly things the assurance that his name is written in the booke of life which no malice of men or policie of hell is euer able to blot out It makes him with more feruent and greedy attention to listen for the trumpet of that last and fearefull day more longingly and with fixed eies to wait for the Lord Iesus in the cloudes who as he will punish all prophane Opposites to holinesse with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power so vndoubtedly with the brightnesse of his comming hee will then at the furthest before men and Angels bring forth his righteousnesse as the light and his iudgement as the nooneday Thirdly by the mercies of God for any such wretched and lying slander he is not so cast downe with worldly sorrow he doth not so farre gratifie Satan and malicious men as to ioyne hands with them for the afflicting of his owne soule with needlesse discomforts or discouraging himselfe in his calling but rather he raiseth matter of comfort encouragement and reioycing For thereby he is made more like and conformable to his head Christ Iesus who endured the crosse and such speaking against of sinners and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him Hee hath thereby more waight and degrees added to his blessednesse more massines and brightnesse to his crowne of immortalitie Blessed are ye faith Christ when men reuile you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And therfore in despite of malice and falshood he runnes on ioyfully in his race and hauing the attestation of a cleare conscience the acclamations of Saints and Angels hee little cares for the barking of dogs by the way bu◠followes hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Such as these are the thoughts and behauiour spirituall wisdome acquaints the child of God with when his good name is wronged wounded with slanders false reports I conclude the whole point The knowledge and practicall wisdome about heauenly matters in the formall hypocrite are dull cold plodding formall seruiceable and subordinate to his worldly happinesse His knowledge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of knowledge Rom. 2.20 His practise is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 All is forme and outwardnesse they are not deeply and soundly rooted in them by sanctifying grace nor inwardly inspired with supernaturall and spirituall life But diuine knowledge in the child of God is called the Spirit of reuelation Ephes. 1.17 his practicall wisdome is spirituall Colos. 1.9 that is quick actiue feruent zealous stirring not into irregularities and exorbitancies as worldly wisdom many times misconstrues but against the corruptions of the times and working out of all actions occasions and occurrents euen out of miseries slanders and infirmities some glory vnto God some good vnto his children some comfort vnto his owne soule I now proceed to tell you that the word of God is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite which is the hearer resembled vnto the stony ground The whole and entire worke of conscience as you well know out of the Schooles consisteth in a practicall syllogisine The proposition ariseth out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an habit of practicall principles and generall fountaines of our actions The assumption is properlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscientia an actuall application of our knowledge to this or that particular act or obiect Whence followes the immediate and necessarie issue and office of conscience to testifie in respect of things simplie done or not done In respect of things to bee done either to excite and encourage or to restraine and bridle In respect of things done well o◠wickedly to excuse and comfort or accuse and terrific For example The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as it were a treasurie of rules and lessons for direction in our actions proposeth the iniquitie of a lie euen out of nature Aristotle condemnes it Eth. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lie is starke naught and discommendable The sounder Schoolemen demonstrate euery lie though it be officious for a greater good to be against nature and indispensable Natures purpose is frustrated and her law transgrest when speech and words which she intends to be euer the true messengers of the conceits and apprehensions of the mind are abused to falshood and equiuocation But this practicall principle of not lying howsoeuer it be cleere in nature yet it receiues further illustration from the booke of God Therefore the proposition may be thus framed Euery liar shall be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord Psalm 15. and shall be barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore Reuel 22.15 The conscience of the liar doth assume and tell him But I haue thus and thus lied for aduantage and greater good Then it followes Therefore I must be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord and barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore A conclusion of condemnation and terror Such is the arguing of conscience for things past But thus it worketh about things to be done Let vs imagine a man to deliberate with himselfe whether he should be Non-resident or no. His habit of practicall principles if he will deale faithfully with his owne soule especially by the helpe of the honester Casists may yeeld him matter enough out of nature against Non-residencie as might easilie appeare if the point were incident But sith the case is cleere Ezech. 33. he may thus frame his practicall syllogisme The Non-resident must answere for the blood of those soules which by his vnconscionable and vnwarrantable absence negligence in his charge haue perished
malice most sauage and vile that is discharged vpon the body or good name of the dead so I would haue also a charitable conceit follow the soule of the departed so farre as spirituall wisdome a good conscience diuine truth the glory of God the safetie of the soules of the liuing will giue leaue But no further Thirdly neither doe I mislike or condemne Funerall Sermons I could rather wish that as the death of his Saints is precious in the sight of God so that it might be glorious in the eyes of men I could rather desire that the iust prayses and true sincerity of the child of God were published euen by some Seraphicall tongue that both the glory of his graces might passe along and shine bright to all posterity and that such a fire of zeale for imitation might be enkindled in the hearts of all the hearers especially the present occasion making their minds more capable of persuasion that they passing thorow the same course of holinesse might at length be made partakers of the same happinesse with the Saints of God Only in these cases I would haue that spirituall discretion truth and conscience vsed that neither the godly be iustly grieued and offended the wicked heartned and hardened in their courses false conceit of happines nor the faithfulnes and sincerity of the ministery disgraced and scandalized Thus farre I haue laid open vnto you the state of formall hypocrisie in which may concurre immunity from notorious sinnes all naturall and morall perfections admirable variety of learning policy and all other acquired ornaments of the mind an outward performance of all duties of religion some measure of inward illumination a resemblance and shadow of the whole body of true regeneration and a persuasion as you haue now last heard of being in state of grace Euen thus farre a man may goe in the profession of Christian religion and yet be a stranger from the power of faith and from the life of godlinesse I now come by reasons and arguments to disable it in those points which haue not beene touched for challenging any interest in the true happinesse of a man And first to proue that a performance of outward duties of religion without the power of grace vpon the soule and an vniuersall sanctification in all the faculties thereof cannot produce any sound comfort in the heart or acceptation with God My first reason is that Principle generally receiued with all schoole Diuines and very sound and Orthodox in true Diuinity The iniquitie defect or exorbitancie of any particular of one circumstance maketh an action euill but an absolute integritie of all concurrents is required to make a good worke acceptable to God comfortable and profitable to a Christian The end must be good the glory of God the action it selfe in it owne nature must be iust warrantable the circumstances honest and seasonable the meanes direct and lawfull the fountaine the hart sincere and sanctified If this last be wanting especially though otherwise it be neuer so gloriously conucied neuer so wisely managed of neuer so goodly a shew to the eyes of the world yet it is not only mard and defaced and no action of grace but odious and abominable in the sight of God The Moralists by the light of nature saw a truth proportionable to this euen in the actions of vertue The truth and worth wherof they did censure and esteeme not by the bare outward action but by the inward free and independent vprightnesse of the mind And therefore to an action truely vertuous they required a resolued knowledge an irrespectiue and aduised freedome of spirit a constant and easie habit of the mind an entire loue to the fairenesse of vertue So that whatsoeuer honest actions sprung from passion humour scare respect ambition or the like they accounted vertuous and good onely by accident and occasion not inwardly and essentially whereupon they hold that many great and honourable atchieuements of ancient Worthies amongst the Heathens howsoeuer they were admirable in the eyes of men and beneficiall to the publicke State for sometimes out of some sudden eleuation of spirit or pang of vaine-glorie they were euen prodigall of their liues and blood for the good and deliuerance of their countrie yet to the authours and actors themselues they were not the true workes of vertue but of ambition and a desire of immortall fame It is euen so in the higher actions of grace and religion Besides the outward performance God requires sinceritie of heart and truth in the inward parts to make them gratious and acceptable And howsoeuer otherwise they may purchase them a name amongst men prosperity in the world some lesse torment in hell and procure good vnto others yet except they proceed from a faith vnfained and a pure conscience to the Christians themselues in respect of all heauenly happinesse they are fruitles and vnprofitable My second proofe is out of the 5. of Matth. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen The outward righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies was famous in those times and much admired So that if God did not principally respect the heart if that were not true in the 16. of Luke That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God they might not onely haue carried away the garland for piety on earth but haue iustly seemed to haue beene the onely heires to a crowne of immortality in the heauens For besides their forbearance and protestation against grosser sinnes Murther Theft Adulterie Idolatrie and the like they were frequent and solemne in prayers fastings almes-deeds and that with farre greater strictnesse and deuotion then the religious actions of formall hypocrisie are performed in these times of the Gospell Besides I doubt not but many of them were persuaded that their way was the way of life and that they were in the state of true happinesse And yet for all this except wee exceede their righteousnesse the speech is peremptorie we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen For we see in the 23. of Mat. what a chaine of curses out of the mouth of our blessed Sauiour did iustly draw them into the bottome of hell Thirdly this truth is manifest out of the Doctrine of the Prophets Esai 1 Mich. 6. Hag. 2. Psal. 50. and many other places Whence ariseth this conclusion That the principall and holiest exercises the most solemne and sacred actions of religion without sinceritie and sanctification of heart are but as the cutting off a Dogs necke and the offering of swines blood Their sacrifices oblations and incense Their nâ—w Moonâ—s their Sabbaths and solemne feasts were things commanded by Gods ownâ— mouth yeâ— where they were performed with impure and propâ—ane hearts he telâ— them that his soule hated them that they were a burthen vnto him and that he was wearie of them For if the Lords contentment had finally rested in
the worke wrought and not chieflie respected the inward affection of the worker had he required onely the ceremoniall action of sacrificing and not the spirituall conformitie of the heart to his will why he had not need to desire sacrifices of them nor expected supplie from their hands as appeareth in that sacred anti royall contestation of God with his people about the question of his worship Psal. 50. I will not reproue thee for thy sacrifices sâ—ith God or thy burnt offerings that haue not beene continually before me I will take no Bullocke out of thine house or Goates out of thy folds For all the beasts of the forrest are mine and the beasts on a thousand â—ils I know all the sowlâ—s on the Mountaiâ—es and the wâ—ld bâ—asts of the fiâ—ld are mine If I be hungrie I will not tell theâ— for the world is mine and all that therein iâ— Will I â—ate the flesh of Bâ—ls or drinke the blood of Goatâ—s Nay if we consider God in his absolute soueraignty and essentiall glory euen that is true of the most sanctified works of Gods child which is in Iob. 35.7 If thou bâ—â— righteous whâ—t 〈…〉 or what receiueâ—h heâ— at thine hand and that of Dauid Psal. 16.2 My weâ—doing extendeth not vnto thâ— For what can that little sparke of holinesse in vs which doth first too proceed from him and is onely darkened in ouâ— corruptions adde vnto that infinite Gâ—ory and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that no man can attainâ— vnto with which he hath incomprehensiblie liâ—n â—ncompassed froÌ„ alâ—terniâ—y Only iâ—pleâ—seth him of his infinit goodnesse and out of a gratious desire of our saluation to accept our sincerity though mixâ— with imperfections and to crown his owne graâ—â—â— in vs 〈◊〉 then shall appeare the bare outwardnes of hollowhearted Christians If the heart bee wanting what magnificence or glory of outward seruices shall be able to dazle his sight whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne and sees cleaâ—ely our inmost thoughts Wherewith shall we come bâ—foâ—â— th◠〈◊〉 or what shall we offer vnto him Will the Lord be pleased with ten thousands of rams or with ten thousand riuers of Oilâ— Shall we giue our first borne for our transgression euen the fruite of our bodie for the â—inne of our soule No though weâ— gaue all that wee had to the poore and our owne bodieâ— to bee burnt nay if it were possible that by our meanes we could vindicate the soules of all men now liuing from the iawes of eternall death yet all would profit vs nothing except our harts be first purged by faith pure from an euill conscience and possest of a sound and constant loue to God his word his honour his truth and seruants Let this then be the conclusion to this point Though a man were a moral Saint an Angell amongst the Phrisees absolute in all other perfections yet without the inward power of grace to giue them life he is but a spectacle of commisâ—ration to Angels to meÌ„ euen as that body is which adorned with sundry other exquisite beauties wanteth eye-sight the chiefest grace that nature hath in that kind to bestow Or as a cunning Organist skilful in the outward touch of his instrument yet without wind inspired cannot possibly strike the care or please the heart with any mâ—lodious noise so though his actions be flourished ouer with a faire tincture of outward religiousnesse and he exact in morall honesty yet without the breath and life of grace infused there can be no true spiritual harmony in his affections woâ—ds or conuersation thâ—t either will beget sound ioy and spirituall delight in the soule or be pleasing in the â—ares of almightie God You see then beloued in Christ Iesus that the performances of outward duties of religion euen the best sâ—â—h as are Prayers hearing the word of God recâ—iuing the Sacraments almes-deeds and the like though they bee good in themselues commanded of God necessarie to be done of euerie Christian yet if they be diuided from inward sanctification and sinceritie of heart are so farâ—e from putting vs into possession of true happines that they are odious and abominable in the sight of God I told you in the beginning if you remember that besides outward righteousnesse the formall hypocrite may beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and infeâ—iour working of the Spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him and this faith may bring forth some fruits and some kinds of inward graces But that all this comes short of saluation appeares in the parable For there the hearer compared to the stonie ground which I call the formall hypocrite is one of the reprobate hearers vpon whom the word is not the power of God to saluation As for those fiue degrees added out of the sixth to the Hebrues of which I told you the formall hypocrite may be partaker it is manifest out of the same Chapter that they come short of the state of grace For a man but so furnished may not onely fall bâ—cke to a worse and more ordinarie state of a râ—probate but euen to the depth of all impietie and apostasie He may not onely haue his measure of inward illumination all his lighter ioy and comfort in Gods word quite extinguisht but become a wilfull and malicious scorner of true godlinesse He may not onely grieue and quench the spirit but hee may tread vnder foot the Sonne of God count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing and despite the very Spirit of grace so that it may be impossible that hee should be renewed againe by repentance In the last place I told you that besides all these the formall hypoâ—rite might entertaine a perswasion of his being in the state of true happinesse and so with contentment and securitie walke in the path that leads to eternall death but how weak and false the reasons and motiues to this perswasion were I haue before largely deliuered It remaines therfore that I should now lay downe certaine markes and properties of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace but I must referre a large prosecution and distinct treatise of them to some other place and time Yet at this time by the grace of God I shall deliuer so much that any man that will deale faithfully with his owne conscience and follow me with attention to the end may in some good measure be informed whether hee lie yet in the shadow of death or liue in the light of grace Some difference then first may arise out of the distinction of the degrees and workings of faith Which that you may better conceiue you must remember three sorts of faith Historicall Temporarie Sauing or Iustifying faith Historicall faith is not only a knowledge of the word of God but also an assent of the heart to the truth of it And this is of two sorts either Infused which is wrought in vs by the illightning spirit of