fear of God The true Christian must fear God 1 Pet. 3 14 15. Jer 5. 22. Mat. 10. 8. And he doth so Nehemiah 7. 2. Mal. 3. 16. But there is also a kinde of fear of God in the heart of the Hypocrite But the differences are many and great between the one and the other 1 The fear that is in the heart of the true Christian is a Sonne-like fear and joyned with love and he doth fear the Lord as well for his goodness and mercy as for his judgments Hos 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness But the fear of the Hypocrite is as the fear of a slave or a servan towards the master or as a prisoner to the Judge And he fears the Lord for his judgements onely Isa â—3 14. Fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites who among us shall dwel c. 2 In the measure or degree The fear of God in the true Christian is a transcendent fear hee feareth God above all Heb. 11. 22 23. Mat. 10 26 28. Gen. 39. 9. But the Hypocrite feareth man more than God Mat. 21. 26 27. 3 The fear of God in the true Christian causeth him to depart from all that is evil and to doe all that is good Prov. 8. 13. and 16. 16. But the fear of the Hypocrite makes him rather to forbear the doing of good and to adventure upon the doing of evil Mat. 25. 24 25. 4 It is a lasting fear but that of the Hypocrite onely temporary and soon gone Exod. 14. 31. and 15. 23 24. SECT XVII 16 In the frame of their heart in what they doe or suffer The true Christian doth and must reform his life And the Hypocrite seemeth to doe so for the evill spirit seems to be cast out of him also Mat. 12. 45. But there is a great deal of odds in the frame and disposition of their hearts therein both in the first undertaking and in their further acting and that in the leaving or omission of evil and in the doing of good and their motives and ends therein The true Christian in his first undertaking of the profession of Religion doth design and aim at an universal and compleat obedience conformity to the whole will of God to keep all his Commandments Ps 101. 1 2 3 c. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandements Heb. 13. 18. We trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Acts 24. 16. But the design of the Hypocrite is to go so far and doe so much therein as may serve to his own end which is not to please and glorifie God but to please and advance himself And hence it is that it doth sometimes forbear to doe the good he ought to do and sometimes forbear to do the evil he ought not to do sometimes doe the good he ought to doe Mat. 14. 5. Mark 12. 12. Luke 20. 19. and 22. 2. Joh. 9. 22. And in his further acting in what he doth and in what he forbeareth to doe All that the Hypocrite doth think of in the forbearance of or flying from evil is to forbear it for his own end therein But the true Christian therein is moved from the fear of God Gen. 39. 9. Prov. 14. 1. and the hatred of sin Ier. 4. 4. And all that he doth think of in doing of good is the work to be done as in Praier only to pray c. But the true Christian is carefull of the manner and order of his doing of the disposition of his heart and his aim and ends therein That in it he be carried out from the conscience of the command of God and his obedience thereunto his love to God 2 Cor. 5 14. That hee be swayed more therein by the fear of God than the fear of men and with desire to please God rather than to please men and that he take more care to fulfill the will of God than of men Gal. 1. 10 Nor do I seek to please men c. Psal 119. 24. That what he doth be done by the rule of Gods Word Luke 18. 20 21. That he doe it with his whole heart willingly and cheerfully Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power As for example with this acknowledgement of sin there is joyned a heart broken for sin hating it resolving against it and faith in the blood of Christ 2 Sam. 24. 10. Psal 51. 4. Luke 18. 10. Dan. 7. 7 8 9. Ezra 10. 2. Mark 1. 15. And he hath an end beyond himself and the saving of his soul To please God to doe it to the Lord for Gods sake as well for his own sake for the advancement and glory of the name of God and Christ as well as for the good of his own soul Phil. 1. 21. For me to live is Christ that is Christ is both the author and end of my life I live for him I live in him I live by him I live to him or all the gain that I aim at in life or death is to glorifie him Acts 20. 24. and 21. 13. I am ready to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus Mat. 6. 9 13. Rom. 9. 3. Lam. 2. 18. But otherwise it is in the heart of the Hypocrite in all that hee doth of good and forbeareth to do of evil It is for his own end He leaves his sin but loves it stil He hath not left it for love of God possibly he may leave it for some fear of God and his Judgements or fear of men as Magistrates Ministers Parents and the like and fear of some harme that may come to him by them for he hath a slavish fear Gen. 28. 8. Mat. 14. 5. but bee is the same man and hath the same mind still as he had Prov. 1. 22 28 29. He loveth simplicitie c. So he may confess sin without any heart broken for or broken from sin without any hatred of sin or purpose to leave it or faith in Christ at all as Iudas Saul and Cain did 1 Sam. 15 24 25. Mat. 27. 2 3 Gen. 4. 4 c. Deut. 1 41. Prov. 28. 13. And he leaveth evill and doth good from the love to himself and for his self-satisfaction and that he may doe himself good thereby either for his own ease or for his own glory and applause or some other advantage that hee hath or hopeth to have thereby to accrew to himself for he is mercenary John 6. 26. Ye seek me not because c. but because ye eat of the loaves and were filled He may make again by godliness and so for self ends and out of self love doth seek himselfe and serve his own ends altogether whiles he pretendeth to seek God out of love to him and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 16. 18. Serve not our Lord but their own belly Phil. 3 19. whose God is their belly 2 Tim. 3. 4 5. Lovers of their own selves c. Lovers of
whole heart with a perfect heart and willing mind with a true heart in sinceritie and truth 1 Chr. 28. 9. Deut. 10. 12. Heb. 10. 22. Hos 7. 14 15 16. That whatever they do in their profession they doe it to and for the Lord and noâ— to or for themselves or for other men Col. 3. 23. Hos 7. 14 15. That their repentance towards God faith towards the Lord Jesus their love to fear of and joy and delight in God and Christ and their profession and declaration thereof bee unfeigned and with all their heart and soul Prov. 23. 26. Deut. 30. 10. 2 Kings 23. 25. 2 Cor. 6. 6. Ps 78. 34 35 36. That they follow God fully Numb 14. 24. and Christ wheresoever he shall goe or call them Mat. 8. 19. That whatsoever they doe unto men be not done with eye-service as men pleasers but as doing the wil of God from the heart heartily with singleness of heart with good wil as the servants of Christ as serving him fearing God and as unto the Lord. Col. 3. 22. Eph. 6. 6 7 8. That such as pretend to the faith love and obedience of and suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ that they doe it in sinceritie to exalt his honour and the honour of the Father in him Eph. 6. 24. Joh. 5. 23. That whatsoever they speak to men be the truth and from their heart 1 Thes 46 Ps 52. 2. Jer. 9. 5 6 8. Prov. 26. 22 23. c. Gen. 34. 13. 2 Sam. 3 27. Psal 15. And that they talke walk and live like Saints that they be not only hearers and talkers but doers of the Word of God James 1. 2 2. and that their hearts be purified and their hands be cleansed Iames 4. 8. that those as name the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. Mat. 7. 22 23. Psal 119. 1 2 3. That the Rulers be Ministers of God for good to the people revengers to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Rom. 13. 2 3. And that they be not a terrour to good works but to the evil That they rule in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23 3. To the glory of God and the good of them that are ruled especially of the people of God amongst them 2 Sam. 23. 2. Ps 78 72. 1 Tim. 3. 4 12. That the Judges professing godlyness be such as feare God men of truth hating covetousness Exod. 18. 21. That in their judgement they doe take heed to what they do and consider that they judge not for man but for the Lord who is with them in the judgement And that the fear of the Lord be upon them and that they doe take heed and doe it as considering that there is no iniquitie with the Lord nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Chron. 19. 6 7. And that the Teachers and Preachers preach the Truth Feed the Flock of God taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as Lords over Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flock 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. That herein they seek not their own but the things of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 21. and the good of others 1 Cor. 10. 24. 33. not to please themselves or men but to please God Gal. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 33. that they give no offence to God or man 1 Cor. 9. 20. And that in all they doe God may bee glorified the Name of the Lord Jesus exalted 1 Cor. 10. 31. 6. 20. the peoples souls saved Gal. 6. 10. and they themselves be able to give up their account therof with joy at the last day Heb. 13. 17. And now for our last word to others that do not so much as appear to be the friends but rather the enemies of Christ Let us perswade them onely to lay down their weapons and give over their opposition against Christ for he will be too strong for them It is hard to kick against the priks Acts 9. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Mat. 21. 44. And therefore what the Prophet Ps 2. 10 11. said to great men we say to all Be wise now therefore c. kiss the son c. And now having set forth wherein the Christians life doth consist and the difficulty thereof it is high time we lay down some motives or encouragements and helps therein CHAP. XII Arguments to perswade to Sinceritie and against Hypocrisie in the general THE next thing we have to do is to lay down something by way of motive to perswade not only to a Christian life but also to Sincerity and against Hypocrisie therein And this first in general And in the next place in particular services to perswade us to be Christians indeed to the profession of the Christian faith and to sincerity therein And to move us to labour to bee and to keep sincere in our state or in the general Besides what we have before layd down let us take up and use these following considerations 1 Hypocrisie in Religion is a sin we are all very prone to for every man by nature is an Hypocrite and every true Christian hath more or less hypocrisy in him Job 31. 33. If I cover my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom Gen. 3. 12. Hence it is that Christ bids his Disciples beware of it Mat. 6. 1. Luke 12. 1. 2 Yea it is much to be feared that Hypocrisie in Religion is now very common and that Hypocrites are very many and that Hypocrisie is now become the general disease of the time because there is now more to breed feed it than in former times Religion is now in request the greatest and most of men be religious Religion is now looked upon with a good eye and religious godly men are now in great esteem with the greatest men of the time so that it is now as in the time spoken of in Esth 8. 17. The Iews had light and gladness and joy and honour c. and a good day and many of the people of the land became Iews for the fear of the Iews fell upon them A false heart will work upon this and the man in whom it is will for his outward advantage in the world put himself into any form of Religion 1 Tim. 6. 5. 3 The sin of Hypocrisie in the nature and working of it is a most dangerous sin For 1. It is a soul-pleasing sin being a part of the old man and natural to us Ps 52. 3. thou lovest evil c. and lying c. Hosea 12. 7 8. Col. 3. 9. 2 It is a soul killing sin Acts 8. 21 22 23. 3 It is of a very infectious nature Gal. 2. 12 13. 4 It is as we have said a very common evill where the contagion of the plague is common the danger is greater 5 It is hardly discerned in him in whom it is It is as
sea and land to make a proselite c. SECT III. 2 In their zeale The Hipocrite may have and hath as wee have shevved a zeale and this zeale may bee upon religious grounds as is and must bee the zeale of the true Christian and according to the dictates of his Conscience But vve shall find a vvidc difference betvvene the zeale of the one and of the other in these things 1. The true Christians zeale is after knovvledge received from the Word of God and it is for Christ and his truth Isa 8. 16. Rev. 3. 19. Tit. 2. 14. Numb 25. 11 13 But the zeal of the Hypocrite is nofter the knowledge of Gods Word but after his own or other mens opinions and inventions Rom 10 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Mat. 15. 9 Gal. 4. 17 18. and against Christ as that of Paul was at first Phil. 3. 6 9. 2. The true Christians zeal is and springs from the work of Gods Spirit and his own faith in Gods word Jer 20. 9. Acts 19 19 20. But the Hypocrites zeal ariseth from some humane Motive Tradition Custom Education or some such like thing without and the corruption of his own heart within Act. 22. 3. I was zealous toward God as ye all are this day Mat. 15. 9. Teaching for doctrines the coÌ„mandments of men Joh. 4. 20. 3. The true Christians zeal is accompanyed with a deep sense of his original and internal wickedness which the Hypocrite mindeth not Luke 18. 10 11 12. The Publican went up to pray c. He stood afar off c. 4. The true Christian being sensible of his own heart-empâ—iness of Grace and the insufficiency of all things without Christ to fill it sets a low value upon all other things in comparison of Christ and longs after and looks for all from Christ Phil. 3. 8. Luke 1. 53. But the Hypocrite hath with his zeal a heartfulness and self-confidence of his own sufficiency Luke 1. 53. Mat. 5. 6. Rom. 10 2 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness c. SECT IV. 3 In their love to God And the properties of true love to God The true Christian loveth God and so he must for this is the whole duty of man Mat. 22. 37. And so perhaps the Hypocrite may doe But there is a wide difference betwixt the one love and the other love thus The sincere love of the true Christian is 1 A rational and understanding love it ariseth from the knowledge of God his excellencies loveliness goodness beautie and works and especially as he is revealed in Christ by the Gospel Psal 63. 2 3. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my sonl thirsteth for thee c. to see thy power and thy glory c. For thy loving kindness is better than life c. Psal 9. 10. Heb 1. 3. Joh. 14 9. 2 It ariseth from Gods love and the sense thereof to him and the apprehension he hath that God is a reconciled Father to him 1 Joh. 4 10. We love him because he first loved us Joh. 3. 16. Luke 7. 47 2 Thes 2. 16. 3 It is a natural love as the love of a childe to the father arising from his new nature as he is born and brought forth a childe of God And so he loveth God as in the relation of a Father to him Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 4. It is a pure love he loves God for his own sake and for the good he seeth to be in him and for the good he doth to others as well as for the good he doth to him And in this it is like to the true love of a man to a woman when he loves her only for her person and qualities sake and not for her portion Psal 34 8. Cant. 1. 4 15. Psal 63. 1 2 3. 5 It is an open and ingenuous love it moves the heart towards God as the heart of one faithful friend to another James 2 23. Ioh 3. 29. Ioh. 15. 14 15. 1 Cor. 13. 4. 6 It is a strong transcendent and supernaturall love And more and greater than his love is to his Father Mother Brother Sister Wife Children Self or any thing else in the world for he looks on God as his chief good and cannot be satisfied with any thing else in the world without him can acquiâ—sce in and be satisfied with him without all things else and for his sake he can and will do or suffer any thing and for the enjoyment of him he can and will part with his right eye right hand or any thing else whatsoever never so near or dear to him and in him is all his delight Mat. 10. 37. Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27 28 35. Rev. 12. 11. Cant. 8 6 7. Luke 18. 28. Psal 63. 1. 116. 7 8 4. 2. 5 7. Psal 37. 25. Luke 14. 27. 7 It labours to improve it self by all advantages and thaâ— it may love more Psal 116. 1. 8 It is a laborious and working love Gal. 5. 6. 1 Thess 1. 3. 9 It is a true love that runs through the whole man inward and outward The Thoughts 1 It will make them be all upon him Ps 113. 13. and 63. 6. ubi amor ibi oculus ibi animus 2 The Judgement it will cause it to set a great value on him Lam. 3 24. 3 The Desires it will make them to goe much after him Isa 26. 9. 4 It will make him content to wait for him Isa 26. 8 9. Psal 40. 1. 5 It will make him to be patient under delay and suffering till he come Psal 40. 1. 6 It will make the Will to close with him hold him fast and not to let him go Cant. 3. 4. Psal 18. 21. 7 It will make him rejoice in his presence and mourn for his absence c. Ps â—2 1. 11. 19. 8 It will make his tongue to be still talking of him Psal 119. 27. and 63. 3. and 145. 21. 9 It will make his hands still ready to be working for him 10 It will make the whole man to be ready to doe or suffer any thing for his sake Psal 119. 168. And not be satisfied but mourn that he can do no more for him 10 It is a lasting constant unchangeable and never dying love Cant. 8. 6 7. 11 It cannot be quenched and it doth manifest it self by these and such like signs and effects 1 By the hatred of evill Psal 97. 10. Yee that love the Lord hate evill 2 By the love of the godly 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 13 14. 3 By pittying of and yeelding help to them in time of misery 1 Ioh. 3. 17. 4. By care to keep the Commandements of God Ioh.
the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to testifie his love to God for the love of God shewed to him in Christ And therefore it doth not satisfie him to do any thing as for the publick good the Common wealth or the like So the Heathen men have done unless he goe higher and shoot as far as the utmost white and mark of all which is Gods glory he cannot be satisfied to come short of this or to goe beyond it with reference to any thing else Rom. 14. 8. Whether we live we live to the Lord c. Phil. 1. 21. For me to live is Christ c. Luke 17. 12. The Leapers one of them when hee saw hee was healed returned and glorified God c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now to the King immortal c. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy to receive glory c. Rev. 5. 12. Saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb c. Psalm 115. 1. Not unto us but to thy Name c. So John the Baptist of Christ John 3. from verse 27 to the end Iohn 1. 19 20 c. This is the record of John c. And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ c. He is from heaven c. He must increase c. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Wee preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord c. Ioshua 7. 9. What wilt thou doe for thy great Name c. Psalm 111. 9. Holy and reverend is his Name Iohn 14. 14. Psalm 44. 22. For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we c. Luke 2. 14 20. Canticl 7. 13. Deut. 28. 58. Hab. 3. 17. 1 Thes 2. 4. Even so we speak not as pleasing men but God c. Gal. 1. 10. or doe I seek to please men c. And therefore he doth so because this is required by the Gospel of him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price wherefore glorifie him c. 1 Cor. 10. 31. do all to the glory of God c. Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye doe in word or in deed doe all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Mat. 6. 9. 13. And next to Gods glory the true Christian he doth in his obedience active and passive aim at and design the good of all men especially of godly men So Paul 1 Cor. 10. 33. Even as I not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved So David Acts 13. 36. After hee had served his own generation c. Ps 78. 72. Luke 7. 5 6. Gal. 6. 10. Acts 20. 35. 1 Cor. 8. 8 9 10. And in the last place next to Gods glory and the good of other men he doth design his own spiritual good here and the salvation of his body and soul hereafter 1 Cor. 9. 27. 1 Tim. 4. 16. Acts 2. 40. And in this order of his working to those ends he doth not onely follow the light of Gods Word but the light of Nature which some of the Heathen saw and taught That man was not born for himself but first for God next for his country and lastly for himself SECT XXII In their affections and manifestations therof as to Christs appearing as to enemies the sins of the times troubles of the Churrh love to the world holy duties to works of mercy and justice receipts of gifts order of Gods working reformation of his family and in their assurance of salvation And finally the sincere Christian also doth more or less commonly outstrip the Hypocrite in all these things that follow 1 He doth more or less love long pray and prepare for Christs appearing to judgment Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bridegroom say come Cant. 1. 14. Make hast my beloved 1 Cor. 1. 7. Waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Mat. 25. 1 2 3 c. 2 Tim. 4. 8. This the Hypocrite cannot endure to hear of or think upon or prepare for Is 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites Rev. 6. 16. And said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face c. And from the wrath of the Lamb. 2 He can love his enemies and doe good for evil Acts 7. 59. 60. They stoned Stephen And hee cried c. Lord lay not this sin to their charge Job 31. 29 30. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me c. Mat. 23. 32. and 5. 43 44. But this the Hypocrite cannot do Mat. 5. 46. If ye love them that love you what reward have you 3 He doth grieve and mourn for and make opsition against the sins of the time and place wherein hee liveth 2 Pet. 2. 7. For that righteous man in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds Ps 119. 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law But it is otherwise with the Hypocrite who doth many times rather rejoyce in the sinnes of others and joyn with them then mourne because of the same Psalm 50. 16. 18. 4 He can doth more or less sympathize and fellow-feel in the troubles of his brethren pity and help them 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is weak and I am not weak c. Nehem. 1. 2 3 4. When I heard these words I sate down and wept c. Ps 112. 4. Rom. 12. 4 5. at which many Hypocrites doe rather rejoice Obadiah 12. 13. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother c. neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction Psalm 35. 25. So would wee have it Mat. 27. 41. The chief Priests mocking him said he saved others c. 5 Hee can and doth more or less live above the world and trample the honours pleasures and profits thereof under his feet Rev. 12. 1. A woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet Galat. 6. 14 God forbid I should rejoice in any thing but the crosse of our Lord Jesus by whom the world is crucified to mee and I unto the world Job 31. 24 25. If I have made gold my hope c. or rejoiced because my wealth was great c. Heb. 11. 24 25. 2 Tim. 3. 2 4. Phil. 3. 7. 19 20. But the Hypocrite is not so but commonly is covetous a lover of the world his pleasure his profit or his honour 2 Tim. 3. 2 4. Lovers of themselves covetous 2 Tim. 4. 10. Lovers of pleasures Mat. 23. 25. 6 He can and doth having a low esteeme of himself and his own deserts thankfully acknowledge his receipts of benefits from God Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies c. Mat. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof Luke 17. 15. And one of them when he saw that hee was healed turned back
leasi degree of saving Grace c. 9. sect 4 What seeming Grace a Hypocrite may have c. 5. p. 91 92 c. Difference between true counterfeit grace p. 96 97 98 99. The difference between the spring and motion of true grace in the heart of the true Christian and the spring and motion of counterfeit grace in the heart of the Hypocrite c. 6. p. 106 c. H. Hatred of the godly a sign of hypocrisie c. 8 Of sin a sign of sincerity c. 6. sect 18 Heart Cleansing of it a sign of sincerity c. 3. p. 39. c. 8. 224. sect 3. 14. 17 Hipocrisie See Hypocrisie Hipocrite See Hypocrite Holyness of heart and life a sign of sincerity c. 8. sect 4 6 What appearance hereof may be in an Hypocrite c. 8 sect 4 6 Humilitie What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 7. p. 1 69 Wherein this and the true humility in the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 163 A sign of sinceritie c. 7. p. 209. c. 8. sect 5. 13 Hypocrisie What it is c. 1. p. 7 The nature of it c. 1. p. 7. c. 2. p. 21 The parts or kinds of it c. 1. p. 11. c. 2. p. 17 Some particular kinds of hypocrisie c. 2 3 Wherein it consisteth c. 3. throughout How it may be in a thing done from the heart c. 2. p. 29 30 31 Hypocrite who p. 7 How called p. 16 Who were such p. 12 The gross Hypocrite c. 2. p. 20 The refined hypocrite c. 2. p. 24 How far an hypocrite may go in the way to heaven And what he may doe and have in common with the true Christian c. 5. throughout c. 8. p. 217 In general c. 5. p. 73 In particular for his outside c. 5. p. 76 For his inside c. 5. p. 82 83 c. For his inside and outside together c. 7. sect 18 19 20 What it is that carrieth him so far p. 93 Why he goeth no further p. 101 Wherein they differ And the true Christian goeth beyond the Hypocrite c. 6. throughout c. 9. sect 3. In his inside In the principle and spring of Grace in the heart c. 6. p. 106 In the exercise or proceed of it p. 111. c. 7 In the frame of his heart in the good hee doth evil he suffereth for good c. 7. p. 179 In his outside or outwork c. 7. p. 120. and so forwards Some special signs degrees or pieces of Hypocrisy c. 3. throughout and c. 8. through The danger of it and motives against it in general c. 12. throughout And in services c. 13. throughout Helps against it c. 14 c. 11. throughout I. Illumination See Knowledge Joy VVhat joy or peace of conscience an Hypocrite may have c. 5. p. 87 Wherein this and the true joy of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 164 Judgement See Knowledge K. Knowledge What knowledge an Hypocrite may have c. 3. sect 3. c. 5. p. 83. c. 7. p. 125 Wherein this and the knowledge of the true Christian differ c. 3. sect 3. c. 7. p. 125 127 128 L. Light See Knowledge Love of God What love of God may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 89. c. 8. p. 220. Wherein this and the true love of God in the true Christian differ c. 7 p. 131. c. 8. p. 221 The signs and properties of this love of God c 7. p. 131 Love of Christ What of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 89 Wherein this and that true love in the true Christian differ c. 7 p. 136 The signs or work of this Love c. 7. p. 136 Love of good men VVhat of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. Wherein this and the true love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 142 How this love doth shew it self c. 7. p. 142 Love of the Word of God What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. c. 8. sect 12 Wherein this and the love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 147 Love of Grace and the means thereof what of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. c. 7. p 151 Wherein this and the true love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p 150. 151 Love of enemies a sign of sincerity c. 7. p. 207 M. Memory What may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 83. Mortification What may be in an Hypocrite and wherein the difference is between him and the sincere Christian c. 7. p. 184 O. Obedience What the Hypocrite may doe as to his external obedience c. 3. p. 39 40. c. 5. p. 76 Wherein the difference lyes between his and the obedience of the sincere Christian c. 3. p. 39 40. c. 6. p. 121. c. 7. p. 169 187 213 214. c. 8. sect 6 7 15 16 18 P. Patience under reproof of sin a mark of sincerity c. 4. p. 52. c. 8 sect 9 Peace of conscience See Joy Perseverance a sign of sincerity c. 3. sect 8 Pride See Humility Purity of heart and life See Holiness R. Regeneration Signs of it c 9 sect 2 Religion Wherein profession lieth c. 3 p. 1 Repentance what of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5 p 85 Wherein this and the true repentance in the true Christian differ c 7 p 157 Reproof of Sin Sce Patience Rigour See Severitie Self-seeking a sign of an Hypocrite c. 7. p. 131. c. 8. sect 1 Self-conceitedness a sign of an Hypocrite p. 51. c. 8. sect c. 3. sect 9 Severitie against others more then against himself a sign of Hypocrisie c. 8. sect 8 Sin what sin a true Christian may fall into c. 8. p. 218 219 220 The difference between him and the hypocrite in the commission of sin p. 274 216 Hatred of sin a sign of sincerity c. 7. sect 18 To mourn for the sins of the time a sign of sincerity c. 7. p. 207 Sinceritie what it is c. 1 The nature of it c. 1 2 How called in Scripture c. 1. p. 6 Wherein it consisteth c. 3. throughout Certain marks of it c. 8. throughout Motives to labour to get keep and use it c. 12 13 throughout Means and helps to get and keep it c. 14 throughout Spirit Signs of the Spring being in us c. 9 s 1 Simpathizing with Christians in their trouble a sign of sinceritie c. 7. p 208 T. Trust in God See Faith W. Word of God What love of it may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 85. See Love Wherein this and that of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 147. See Love Works What is a good work and when well done c. 10 throughout World Contempt of it a sign of sinceritie c. 7. p. 209 Z. Zeal What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 84 VVherein this and the true zeal of the true Christian differ c. 7. 129 ERRATA PAge 3. l. 11. r. And if p. 13. l. 28. r. as for and. p. 18. r. to it l. 28. r. 106 for 136. p. 19. l. 7. adde 3 these p. 27. l. 7. r.
he pretending to be a Christian be so indeed 1 Tim. 5. 3. Ioh. 1. 47. 8. 31. That he be by the immorrall seed of the word of God brought to be a believer in Christ and so in Christ by his Faith and Christ by his spirit in him For otherwise there is no being of a Christian no more then there is of a man that hath a Body and no Soule Gal 2. 20. Coll. 3. 12. and 1. 27. And if so then Christ is formed in him and he is thereby made at the same instant a new Creature like to Christ himselfe 1 Pe. 1. 23. Io. 1. 12. 13. Io 3. 4 5. Gal. 4. 19. That there be within him the foundation or root of Repentance from dead Works and Faith in God Heb. 4. 1. And thereby that Jesus Christ be laid in the heart for hereby only a man doth become a living and true Christian 1 Cor. 3. 11. Mat. 13. 21. herein lyeth a foundation for sincerity And Hypocrisie lyeth in the contrary hereof where a man shall pretend to be a Believer in Christ assume the body name and shape of a Christian and pretend to be a new Creature and true Christian and is not so indeed He is not as yet begotten againe 1 Pet 1. 3. He never saw his case by nature his need of Christ never was broken in heart went to Christ laden and as a sick man to his Physitian he never sought by Faith to have him into his heart but if he did look after Christ it was perhaps for some thing else Io. 5. 40. Esay 66 2. Mat 11. 28. Io. 3. 13 14 15. 16. Io. 6. 26 27. This man seemeth to be a living Christian but is dead Rev. 2. 1. as a building without any foundation Mat. 7. 24 25. c. A tree without a root Mat. 13. 21. Rev. 3. 9. That say they are Jews and are not Rom. 9. 6. They are not all Israel that are of Israell c. Nor are all they that appeare to be Christians and are so called Christians indeed Io. 1. 47. Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Jew that is one outwardly c. But he is a Jew that is one inwardly c. Esay 48. 1 2 3 c. and 41. 1. Rom. 2. 17. and 9. 6. Io 8. 33. Mat. 3. 9. And this may be the case of many professing Christians in the World at this day among Protestants of all sorts Lutherans Cal. vinists Presby erians Independents new Baptized men 5 Monarchie men Arminians Quakers and the rest and also amongst Papists SECT II. As he is taught of Christ 2. It lyeth much in this as the Professor is taught of Christ The true Christian he doth first of all come to Christ and is taught of him by his word and knows the Truth of the Gospell as it is in Jesus and carrieth the same with him to direct his way in his opinion and conversation For the first thing that the true convert doth at his conversion is to aske what he is to doe As did Paul Acts 9. 6. and the Gaylor Acts 16. 30. And the Converts Act. 2. 37 38. and to learne the knowledge of Gods ways Esay 22. Ephes 1. 18 19. Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 14. 2 Ioh. 1. 2 3. c. By this knowledge of the truth only are men regenerate 1 Cor. 4. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 3. And by this knowledge are men saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ephes 1 13. And therefore all the saved are said to be such as know the truth 2 Io. 1. 1. On the other side Hypocrisie lyeth in this That a man pretending to be a true Christian is ignorant and hath no ground or warrant for what he holdeth or practiseth but is led aside by his own or other Fancies into error in opinion or practise be he never so cordiall in it yet it is a peece of Insincerity 1 Tim 4. 2. Speaking lies in Hypocrisie Hence is that exhortation Eccles 5. 1. and 1 Chron. 28. 8. And so was Paul Hypocriticall in what he did before his conversion 1 Tim. 1. 13. Hence is that Phill. 1. 9. Io. 6. 45. Pro. 17. 2. Gal. 6. 16. 1 Cor 2. 13 14. SECT III. As he is obedient to what he is taught 3. It lyeth much in his Obedience to what he is taught The sincere Christian doth give himselfe up wholly to the obedience and practise of the will of Christ so revealed to him by his word that he is not only a hearer but a doer thereof and is made conformable to it and to bring forth the fruit of it his heart is so dissolved and melted by the work of the Spirit in it that it is become like wax made soft As this will take any impression of the Seale so that any Impression of the Spirit That he doth believe any thing which God doth promise and will doe any thing which God doth command especially the Gospell and doctrine of Salvation by Jesus Christ which he receiveth in the love thereof and resignes up himselfe to his obedience and is exact and circumspect in a holy walking with God according to the will of Christ Psal 119 1. 3. Phil 3. 17. 3 Io 4. Psal 26. 1. 6. Tit 2. 11 12. Act. 9. 6 7. Io. 1. 45 46 47. 2 Cor. 3 18. Acts 2. 37. 38 42. Acts 16. 31 32. c. Isa 2 2. Let us learne the knowledge of his ways and we will walk therein Rom 2. 13. Iames 1. 22. Mat. 3. 8. 9. Mat. 13. 22 23. the good hearer But otherwise for a man to heare Gods word never so much and so carefully and constantly to have or seem to have some love to and delight in it and to profit never so much in the knowledge of it and not at least in his desire and endeavour to live up and be made conformable â—o it but to be loose and carelesse in his conversation and life is but a piece of Hypocrisie And so are all that are enemies to or the false friends of Jesus Christ Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say we have prophesied in thy name c. Luke 13. 26. We have eaten and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I know ye not depart from me ye workers of Iniquity Notwithstanding all their faire pretences more then most have they were workers of iniquity even then when they wrought miracles For he saith I never knew you Mat 7. 23. that is I never loved you nor approved of you no not then when you eat in my presence preached in my name and by a faith of Miracles which Hypocrites may have cast out Devills The three sorts of bad hearers Herod Luke 6. the Pharises Luke 19. 14. Jo. 15. 18. 2 Thes 2. 10. Hosea 7. 8 14. Ezek. 33. 31. They heare thy words but doe them not Rom 16. 17. Amos 5. 10. Esay 1 13 2. c 48. 1 2. c. Psal 50. 16 17. thou hatest to be reformed c. 1
please God in it Ephes 6. 8. Gal 1. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 9. Coll 3. 17 22 23. 1 Thes 2. 4. 2. And as his ends in the thing to be done are more or lesse upon himselfe Either to remove or prevent some evill felt or feared only Hosea 7. 14. Psal 78. 33 34. Or to gaine some good as the praise applause and favour of men Riches pleasure ease or content Mat 6. 6. and 23. 4. 13. 1 Sam 15. 25 30. Acts 8. 13 19. 1 Pe. 5. 2. Rom 16. 17 18. Micha 3. 11. Or to cover over some wickednesse in doing or to be done Prov. 7. 14 21 22. Mat 23. 14. and 6. 5 6. Or as his ends are more or lesse upon and for the glory and praise of God Coll. 3. 22. Gal 2. 10. Io. 17. 4. Phill 1. 21. 1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Cor. 5. 14. And to please men Acts 12. 3. Ier 3. 10. Ephes 6. 6. or as his ends are more or lesse for the good and profit of men especially good men and especially the good of their soules 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. Gal. 1. 10. and 6. 10. Acts 13. 36. 1 Cor. 10. 31 33. Io. 21. 15. And this is discovered or may appeare more or lesse as the glory of God or our own advantage is more or lesse upon our hearts or we make it our designe or work and as we can more or lesse doe or not doe it or be contented or not contented with or displeased at it when it is to our own losse and disadvantage 2 Cor. 13. 7 8 9. c. As for examples in the work of Rule of Churches Common-wealths and Families the Sincerity or Hypocrisy lyeth and is much shewed by the putting forth of their power to the uttermost or by halves in the work of Reformation by their care and industry or negligence by their faithfulnesse or trechery but especially by the tendernesse of the good of the Ruled that the Rulers doe preferre the good of those over whom they have Rule before their own good Psal 78. 72. 1 Tim. 2. 2 3. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. 2 Kings 15. Nehem. 5. 14. Rom 10. 1 2 c. Ezra Nenemiah Jehosaphat Josias and others And on the other side Jehu Saul and others And in the work of Preaching much is to be seen thereof in the man as he Preacheth more or lesse the Truth of the Gospell without any mixture of Error or of mens inventions as he doth more or lesse advance the grace and glory of God and not his own glory as he doth more or lesse labour to please God more then men as he doth more or lesse seek the good of the soules of the people more then his own good And as his Preaching is with more or lesse faithfulnesse and ingenuity without subtilty and deceit playnes without craft or obscurity boldnesse without feare wisdome watchfulnesse care and industry without improvidence and neglect Freedome without flattery Cheerfullnesse without wearinesse humility without Lording tendernesse and meeknesse without harshnesse peaceablenesse without contention and Love without envy and the like And by these things also the Hypocrisy of men herein may be much seen as they are more or lesse imperious contentious seditious crafty menpleasing self seeking the like 2 Cor 4. 2. 5 1 Thess 2. 2 3 4 5 6. 2 Tim 1. 7 14. 2. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 11. 1 Tim 1. 3. and 4. 2 16. 2 Cor 3. 12 13. 1 Cor 2. 4. and 4. 5. Luke 12. 42. Mat 13. 52. 1 Pet 5. 2 3. Phil 1. 16. 1 Cor 9. 22. Rom 10. 1 2 c. So in Masters to their Servants and Servants to their Masters in the service they doe The Servants in their services as they doe it more or lesse In all things with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and as the Servants of Christ that in whatsoever they doe of the will of God they doe it heartily with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same he shall receive of the Lord. And as Masters doe the same things and not oppresse their Servants Coll 3. 22 23 24 25. Ephes 6. 6 7 8 9. SECT VIII As a man doth persevere 8. Sincerity and Hypocrisy doe lye and are much seen in this in mens constancy perseverance and holding out in their Appearances of good or in their starting aside Apostasy and backsliding from it Mat 13. 22 23. 1 Jo. 2. 19. Jo. 10 28. 1 Io. 3. 9. Phil. 4. 12. Io 8. 68. Rev. 2. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. 1 Sam. 13. 8. and 28. 7. 2 Kings 1. 2. Psal 27. 4. 2 Tim. 4. 10 14. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Acts 20. 30. Io 19. 38. and 9. 22. and 7. 13. and 6 66. SECT IX As a mans opinion is of himselfe 9. It lyeth also much in this as a man with all his parts gifts and works is more or lesse lifted up within himselfe with selfe-conceitednesse of his own excellency to despise others and doth trust in himselfe and his own righteousnesse or hath low or mean thoughts of himselfe esteeming others better then himselfe and accounts of all that he hath done when he hath done all he can but as lesse then his duty and himselfe but an unprofitable servant therein and being poor in spirit as he doth more or lesse trust to the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ and take up his eternall rest and lodging in Jesus Christ alone for salvation Heb. 4. 4. Luke 18. 11 15. Psal 130. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Luke 17. 10. Isa 65. 5. Ezek 20. 43. Gal. 6. 14. Esay 66. 2. SECT X. As a man doth take the reproofe of Sinne. 10. And lastly Sincerity and Hypocrisie in a man lies much in this that being fallen into sinne as he doth more or lesse deny defend hide shift or mince it or quarrell with them that reprove him and hold it fast Or as a man is more or lesse willing to see his sinne to be reproved and loves the reprover and as a man doth more or lesse readily and ingeniously confesse it and labour to leave it 2 Sam 12. 7 8 c. 13. Psal 141. 5. Pro. 28. 13. 1 Io. 1. 9. Gen. 3. 10. and 4. 9. 1 Sam 15. 14 15. Iob. 31. 33. We shall now in the next place endeavour to cleare a doubt that lyeth in the way in reference to our Subject matter in hand and to answer some objections touching the same CHAP. IV. Whether the Truth of Grace doe lye in the degree or Quantity or in the Quality and Nature of it THere are some that make a new and another kind of Hypocrisie and say it is where there is truth of Grace within but yet not saving grace Or would have the truth of Grace to consist only in the degree or measure thereof and so admit Hypocrites to have
the truth of grace in them But this we take to be a mistake And that there is no true grace we mean none of the grace that accompanieth Salvation or is the grace of Gods elect only for this only and not common grace we call True grace in any measure or degree in the heart of any Hypocrite nor is any thing so to be accounted as it comes from him Somewhat that is like unto it we admit to be in an Hypocrite As painted fire is like to true fire and Artificiall Pictures are like to the things they set forth and an Artificiall Flower is like to the true naturall Flower but it is not the thing it selfe So that which is in the heart of the Hypocrite is not true Grace 2 Tim. 3. 5. the which we affirme for these following reasons 1. The Hypocrite in his heart is as a corrupt tree twice dead and pluckt up by the Rootes Iude 12. Luke 6. 43. and therefore cannot but bring forth corrupt fruit he cannot bring forth living fruit he bringeth forth Fruit but it is not good fruit For untill the tree be made good the fruit cannot be good Mat. 7. 16 17 18. Ye shall know them by their fruits Doe men gather grapes of Thornes or figgs of Thistles Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit He is also a corrupt Fountain Iames 3. 11 12. Doth a Fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter Can the Figtree beare Olives c. Mat. 12 34 35. O generation of vipers how can ye being evill speak good things For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart c. Luke 6. 42. 2. If there be an unfeyned and Sincere grace an unfeyned repentance Faith and Love then there must be something like to it that may be called a feyned and counterfeit Repentance Faith and love But there is the one and therefore the other 2 Cor. 6. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 5. 2 Jo. 1. Acts 8. 37. Ephes 6. 24. 1 Pe. 3 4. 1 Jo. 3. 9. 10. If there be an incorruptible and immortall grace then there is a corruptible and mortall grace But there is the one and the other 1 Pe. 1. 22. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 19. Mat. 13. 22 23. Mat 16. 16 17. If there be a living Faith and hope then there is a dead Faith and hope But there is the one and the other 1 Pe. 1. 3. Iames 2 26. And if there be a speciall grace proper and peculiar to the elect then there is another kind of generall grace which is common and is the seeming grace of Hypocrites But there is the one and therefore there is the other Tit. 1. 1. And if there be a grace that accompanieth Salvation then is there somewhat else like to it which doth not carry to Salvation But there is the one and therefore there is the other Heb. 6. 9. And that this is a good kind of Argument we have Calvin in his Institutes lib. 3 cap. 2. Sect. 12. pag 188. in these words Nec Paulus requireres à filiis Dei fidem non fictam 1 Tim. 1. 5. nisi quia multi sibi audacter arrogant quod non habent inani fuco vel alios interdum seipsos fallunt 3. If saving grace lye only in the degree and measure then how shall a man know the Truth of his grace or ever get assurance of his own good estate thereby For who can discern the parting poynt who can say just such a degree of Love Faith Repentance is sincere and saving and the next degree is short of it and not saving 4. By the Scripture it selfe and by the experience of Antient and Moderne times we find it thus That the grace of most Christians is at the first as the strength of Children very small and weake and doth commonly grow strong by degrees and in time Mat 6. 30. 8. 10. Luke 7. 9. And that some when they are perfectly grown up are not so able shining as others And that it is in this as it is in the naturall body 1 Cor 15. 41. Dan. 12. 3. 1 Jo. 2. 13. We find also that some true Christians who for measure and quantity of saving grace have had as much thereof as most men yet some times by occasion of some temptation without the working of their own corruption within and by Gods leaving of them to their own strength have fallen fowly and deepely in appearance almost at least in their own sense to the losse of all saving grace within them So David Psal 51. 11. prayeth that God would restore his holy spirit againe to him which argues That in his present apprehension he had utterly lost it 2 Cor. 12. 1 8 9. And it is in this in Christ Mysticall as it is in the Naturall body of man which may fall into a swoune or disease by which it may be as dead for the present no symptomes of life appearing and yet life in the body still Also we find some of Gods people under sad desertions all the daies of their life and even as dead men and nothing but a little Faith appearing in them It hath been all darknesse and no light with them the Clouds have been between the light of Gods countenance and them always And yet the Sun hath shined The light of Gods countenance hath been upon them though they have not seen it Who shall doubt of these mens Sincerity and that they are pretious Saints notwithstanding Esay 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Ps 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation c. ver 4. I am accounted with them that goe down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free amongst the dead c. ver 14. Why hidest thou thy face from mee c. Also we find sometimes such as have little Grace in appearance yet by an additionall strength given in on a suddaine from God made able to doe very great things Heb. 11. 34 35 36. Of Weaknesse were made strong c. Women received their dead c. 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise And God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty And Base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to naught things that are 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. My strength is made perfect in weaknesse c. Esay 40. 28 29. The everlasting God fainted not c. He giveth power to the faint and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength That is he maketh his might to appeare in mans weaknesse
assent to and believe the truth of the whole word of God James 2 19. The Divells believe and tremble 11. He may not only heare but entertaine and feelâ— the word quick and powerfull and have some false perswasion or fancy that the promise of the Gospell doth belong to him and that Christ and Salvation by him is his Luke 8. 13. They on the Rock are they which when they heare receive the word with joy and have no root which for a while believe and in time of Temptation fall away Io 2. 23 24. Many believe in his name c. But Iesus did not commit himselfe to them for he knew what was in man c. Ezek. 33. 31 32. Acts 8. 13. Simon himselfe believed also v. 19. 20 21. c. Io 4. 41 42 45 46 48. c. In his Peace of Conscience joy c. 12. He may from the discovery made to his soule of the blessed estate of the Believers and the false perswasion of his heart bred and fed by Satan and his own flattery of himselfe that he is one of them and shall have his part in heaven with them have some slight impressions of joy within him and some kind of peace of Conscience He may have a kind of hope and patience to wait and look for the thing he doth believe he shall have And by all this think that his estate is very good and better then other mens And for the proof of all these things see Mat. 13 20 21. But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that beareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it yet hath he not root in himselfe Io. 5. 35. They did for a season rejoyce in the light c. Heb. 6. 4 5. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned that is that are instructed by the Gospell of Christ in the way of salvation by Christ Ephes 1. 18. And have tasted that is have had a little relish of the word whose heart and affection is for a time taken with the newnesse and pleasantnesse of the Christian doctrine and hath some transient motion by it or generall disposition towards Christ in it a Tast like that the Cook hath by dipping his finger in the dish and the licking of it that is not fed or strengthned by it or like as the child that catcheth at the breast and doth not suck is never the better for it The heavenly gift That is either Christ the gift of God Io. 4. 10. Or the heavenly calling Heb 3. 1. or a Temporary Faith which seems to be all one for Christ by Faith received is the only food of the Soule Jo. 4. 14. and 6. 33 35. And by this doth the soule live as the body doth by the receiving in of its naturall food And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost that is Either of the common work and operation thereof in generall or such extraordinary gifts thereof which the Church had for that time for the present necessity thereof as Miracles Prophesy and happily some inward Revelations and Inspirations that do not continue to this day in ordinary with the Church And have tasted the good word of God that is haâ—h some passionate apprehensions of the necessity goodnesse sweetnesse and profit of Christ the subject of it and the Gospell and promises of Christ c. and some groundlesse perswasion that it belongs to him he hath a little relish hereof as a child that will not or cannot take the breast and doth but snatch at it hath only a tast of it and is not fed and nourished by it as the child is that doth hold and suck its belly full As the true believer who doth so desire and receive the word that he doth grow thereby 2 Pe. 2. 2. And the powers of the world to come that is which hath had a tast which must be supplyed of the powers of the world to come By these words some understand all the Spirituall blessings and Priviledges of the Gospell Church as a tast of Christ the common gifts of the spirit outward Prophesy Prayer and the like Inward as Faith Hope Joy and the like And others understand by it the joys of Heaven And so that as the Israelites did tast of the fruits of the Land of Canaan and never came there to eat thereof So some Hypocrites may have some litle tast of the ioves of Heaven that shall never come there And in both senses but especially in this last sense it seems to be thus farre intended that upon his contemplation of Heaven he may be in a rapture the other things being included in the former words See for this Mat. 13. 20 21 22. Numb 23. 10. and 24. 2 3 c. and 13. 26. and 14. 27. c. In his love of God 13. He may perhaps hereupon or for some other good felt apprehended or hoped for by him from God have some seeming love to God and Christ 2 Tim 3. 4. Ephes 6. 24. In his Love of the Godly He may also have some seeming love to and delight in the company of the Saints and true Christians so the foolish Virgins seem to have a love to and delight in the fellowship of the wise Virgins Mat 25. 1 2 3. c. In his Love of Ordinances 14. He may also have some seeming love to and delight in the Ordinances of God Ezek. 33. 31. Esay 58 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes c. Mat. 13. 20 21. In his Love of Graces 15. He may have some seeming love to and some desire after the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit Mat 25. 1 2 6. c. So the foolish Virgins seemed to desire the oyle of the wise Virgins Acts 8. 18 19. 16. He may seem to lament after God and after the visible signes and manifestations of his presence departed from him 1 Sam 28. 15. In his other seeming Graces 17. He may perhaps get some appearance of all the other gifts and graces of the Spirit as Humility Mercy Meeknesse Patience and the like For there is no kind of grace or duty required by God but there is a like to it nor work done by the true Christian but the Hypocrite can imitate Therefore we find a like to true Faith Repentance and Love And the Hypocrite may be perswaded that he hath indeed those very graces and doth indeed those very works as the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 c. In a growth of Grace 16. He may in appearance thrive and grow herein towards perfection As the three sorts of bad hearers did Luke 8. 12 13 14. c. and Mat. 13. 25. 17. And by all this he may get a great name and esteeme amongst men for a true Christian Mat. 25. 1 2. c. 18. And he may thus continue without any suspicion to his dying day Luke 25. 11. and 13. 25 26 27 28. But for the farther clearing of all these last
have carried forth some amongst us that have of late times appeared so eminently and singularly in ways of new light Quaking and the like that it hath been to draw away disciples after them or some other such like advantage to be made thereby to themselves Jude 11. 2 Pet 2. 3 15. Acts 20. 30. If it be asked why the Hypocrite doth stick here and go no farther what is lacking and how it is that he and the work wrought upon him doth miscarry and why he doth not hold out and come to perfection as the sincere Christian doth We shall answer 1. He is not within the purpose of Gods Election in Christ 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God c. 2 Thess 2 13. 2. He never was upon or within the foundation of Christ by Faith Ephes 2. 20. 1 Cor. 3. 10. Other foundation can no man lay then what is laid Jesus Christ Ephes 2. 20. 3. He never had the spring of the spirit of God within him Io. 4. 13 14. The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life Io 7. 38. He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow c. this he spake of the Spirit that they that believe on him should receive 4. He hath not within him that good and honest heart compared to the good ground Mat. 13. 23. Which is the new heart promised Ezech. 36. 26. 5. He never had in him the true love of God for that never failes 1 Cor. 13. 8. 6. He never did throughly know because he did never throughly examine his own heart and state Io. 3. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 7. He hath too hastily that is without good ground taken in the apprehension of the promise of Christ and supposed him to be his and so that his estate is sure Mat. 25. 1 2 3. as the foolish Virgins Mat 7. 22. Luke 18. 21. 8. He did not when he first entred upon the profession of Religion sit down and cast what it would cost him and provide accordingly Luke 14. 25 26 27 28 29 30. c. And there went great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them if any man come to me and hate not his Father c. And whosoever doth not beare his Crosse cannot be my Disciple For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not downe first and counteth the cost c. Or what King c. So likewise whoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple 9. He will not goe to the price he will not be at the cost and paine required to have Christ he will not forsake all for him sell all that he hath to purchase him Mat. 6. 24. he would be content to serve Christ and the world together but not to leave the world for Christs sake Luke 18. 27 28. Mat 13. 46. Mat. 10. 37. Mat. 19. 21. Goe sell all that thou hast and come and follow me c. Mark 10. 21. Luke 12. 33. 22. 36. 10. He doth sometimes take offence at the crosse of Christ or meet with some other Temptation in his profession that he expected not and was unprovided for and thereupon falls away Luke 8. 13. They on the rock c. And in time of temptation fall away Mat 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 11. He hath rooted in his heart with the seeming and ungrounded good so much grounded and and rooted evill that it eats up and destroyeth all the seeming good that is there Luke 8. 14. They that fell amongst thornes c. they go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life Mat 13. 22. 12. The Hypocrite and the work that is wrought upon him and in him as it is wrought by man and is of the will of man and but an externall work and all the work he doth is from corrupt principles to corrupt ends so is it but carnall and therefore corruptible mortall and perishing and will not carry him that hath it in him to everlasting life no more then Honours Riches meat and drink and the like which last but for this life only 1 Pe 1. 22 23. Phill. 3 3 4 5 19. Acts 22. 3. 1 Tim 3. 5 8. Io. 1. 12. 13. 2 Cor 1. 12. Io. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 19 15. Io. 6 27. 2 Pet 3. 4. and 2. 15. Iames 5. 2. Luke 12. 21 25. 16. 25 26. Pro 6. 16. Mat. 6. 19 20. And it is not like to the true saving work of Regeneration and of true grace in the true Christian which is called Spirituall Ro 8. 6. Life Ro. 8. 6. the hidden man 1 Pe. 3. 4. the true Treasure and Riches Luke 16. 11. Mat. 6. 19 20. Iames 2. 5. Heb 11. 26. That which is wrought by God himselfe Mat. 16. 16 17. by his Word and Spirit Io. 3. 2 3. c. And that which is incorruptible 2 Pe. 3. 4. And that which will abide for ever 1 Cor. 13. 8 13. 1 Io 3 9. 1 Pe. 1 23 24. And shall never perish but endure to everlasting life Io. 6. 27. Heb. 10. 34. Eccl. 7. 12. It is therfore to be observed that in the parable of the seed sown in the bad ground amongst thornes and bryars which is in an evill and Hypocriticall heart a heart of a contrary making to the good and honest heart that it miscarried and never came to any perfection Luke 8. and Mat. 13. CAP. VI. Wherein the true Christian and Hypocrite differ And how and wherein the true Christian doth goe beyond the Hypocrite ALbeit there be as we have shewed a very great agreement and likenesse between the true and the counterfeit Christian and between the common speciall work of the Spirit in them yet there is and upon a narrow search there will be found a great and wide difference between them Our next work therefore shall be to lay open this wherein we shall lay down the true differences of the operations that are in the one and in the other And this we shall doe first generally and then particularly In the next place we shall farther lay open those persons 1. by their outside 2 By their inside 3. By their inside and outside both together This only we must premise that the true Christian must be have and doe all that is good in the Hypocrite For a man cannot be a sincere Christian and doe in Sincerity what he doth that doth not seem to be a Christian at all and that doth nothing at all of the work of a Christian there cannot be Truth and a power where there is no forme of Religion for however it be true that the forme is many times seen without the power of Godlinesse yet it is as true that the power is never seen without the forme of Godlinesse although all that doth
14. 23. 1 Ioh. 2. 3 5. 5 By a desire after fellowship and communion with God in Christ Psal 42. 2. 6 By a tenderness and respect of Gods glory manifested and declared 1 By a mans own personal obedience to God Ioh. 15. 8. Mat. 5. 16. 2 By his stirring up of others to obedience to him Ps 67. 1 2 3 3 By his affection to Gods cause and interest in the world which when hindred he grieveth Ps 119. 136. when prospering he rejoyceth Ps 97. 1. and 122. 1. 4 And by his adventure of himself in it Mat. 26. 58 69. 11 It makes him that hath it to desire and labour to be like to God Psal 17. 15. 12 It is communicative and open it makes him that loves open handed and ready to communicate himself and all that he hath to and for God and his service 2 Cor. 9. 11. Pro. 7. 9. 13. It wil make a man do all that he can for and nothing against God Prov. 31. 12. 14 And it will make him in whom it is to suffer any thing for Gods sake Gen. 30. 20. But the false love of the Hypocrite if he can love God at all ariseth from some false perswasion that he may have of Gods love to him in this that he doth him no hurt but good because he doth prosper in the world is healthy great and rich and the like or because he may have a fancy that the promise of the Gospel and Christ doth belong to him or he may have a little kind of seeming love to God for his selfe ends and for some present use or need he hath of him as Soul did love David or he may live in hope that God will or may doe him good or do him no hurt for some such causes or upon and by some such motives as these somewhat like to love or some little weak and corrupt love may be in an Hypocrite but really he is a lover of himself and loves the world more than God 2 Tim. 3. 2 4. He is a lover of his belly Phil. 3. 19. Mat. 19. 21 22. He loveth evil more than good Psal 52. 3 4. Or he loveth God and the world both together Mat. 6. 24. Iâ—â—â—es 4. 4. Hee seekes the praise and favour of men more than the praise and favour of God He doth not love God more than Father Mother Wife c. Mat. 10. 37. He doth not delight himself in the Almighty Iob 27. 10. Ob. But here it may be said out of Rom. â— 30. and 8. 7. Iohn 15. 19. That the Hypocrite being still in his natural estate is a hater of God Ans It is true the Hypocrite being still in his natural estate is a hater of God in his heart and that which is of love or the appearance thereof therein is but forced and against his nature and is a kind of restraint of suspension of hatred so a Lyon tamed may be brought to seem to like and to converse with the Lamb but retains his nature still and upon the first occasion will shew it or at the best it is but a politick artificial or carnal and corrupt love from self respects and to self ends as a man that loves a woman for her portion onely and not for her person or parts SECT V. 4 In their love of Christ The properties of this love The true Christian loves Christ And so he must for without this he cannot be a true Christian 1 Cor. 16. 22. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. And the Hypocrite may have a kind of love to Christ also Mat. 19 16. But herein also we shall find a wide difference between them 1 The true Christian he ha thnot onely a good will to Christ Ioh 3. 26. to 30. Ioh. 3. from 1 to 11. but a longing desire after him Cant. 1. 2. Rev 22. 17 20. And satisfaction in him Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 2 The love of the true Christian to Christ is like to his love to the father and so doth manifest it self as the love of the child of God doth manifest it self to God As 1 It ariseth from the knowledge of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel and that discovery he hath thereby of Christs beauty glory excellency and necessity in reference to his soul Psal 45. 2. c. Cant. 2. 3. and 5 10. 6. 1 Joh. 6. 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternal life And from his faith in him Iohn 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God 1 Pet. 1 8. whom having not seen ye love c. Yet believing c. And from the good which he hath experimentally got by him Cant. 1. 3. 4. 15. and 2 3 4 5 6. and 5. 10. Luke 7. 38 c. Psal 45 6 11. 15 Isa 33. 17 and 45. 22. 3 It ariseth from Christs love and the sense thereof to him Ephes 5. 2. Rev. 1. 5. to him that loved us and washed us in his blood 4 It is pure also for he loves Christ as well for himself and the loveliness he sees to be in him his odoriserous smel and for his sweet tast as for the need he hath of him and the benefit he may have by him Cant. 1. 3 4 15. Ioh. 7. 7. and 21. 16. 17. 5 It is a strong and transcendent love that is in the soul of the true Christian to Christ it will part from all rather than part from him Cant. 8. 6 7. It is as strong as death the coals thereof are coals of fire which have a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Luke 18. 28 and 14. 26 c. 10. 37 38. Rev. 12. 11. Acts 21. 13. 6 It is a laborious love Heb. 10. 6. Iames 1. 4. 7 It is a constant lasting and unchangeable love Cant. 8. 6 7. it cannot be quenched 8 And it is a love that is like to the love of a dear Wife to her loving Husband or the love of a contracted Virgin betrothed to her lover a young man where the love is exceeding strong and doth manifest it self by such like effects as these 1 By a high esteem of his love and all the manifestations thereof by tokens letters kisses c. Cant. 1. 2. and 7. 10. 2 She looks upon all that ever he is and doth as lovely Cant. 1. 4 6. and 2. 1. and 5. 10. 3 She doth highly esteem all that is about him and doth concern him So hath every true Christian an high esteem of Christs love and the manifestations of it thinks well of all he is and doth loves all his ordinances and graces Cant. 2. 3. and 5. 10. 4 She thinks much of him in his absence 5 She hath an earnest desire after a fuller assurance and evidence of his love and the full and perfect enjoyment of him that as man and wife they may for ever dwel together and never be sundred any more And
so the Christian hath after Christ and therefore the true Christian soul doth long for his appearing and the consummation of all things Cant. 2. 4. 8. 6. and 7. 12. And till this may be attained and for the present he hath a desire of union with him an earnest desire after and delight and reioycing in the manifestations of his presence by his Spirit within and amongst his people and in his ordinances without as the wife hath in as near an approach to and entercourse with her Husband as she may Cant. 1. 2. and 2. 4. and 8. 14. and 4. 16. and 7. 11 12. Is 26. 2. Jer. 22. 24. In order to this 1 The Spouse of Christ doth alwaies entreat him and wooe him for his company Cant. 2. 7 8 9. 2 She doth enquire after him where she may meet with him and they may have conference together Cant. 1. 7. 3 She makes her way through all difficulties to come to him Cant. 5. 7 8 9. and 8. 7. 4 She when she hath gotten him labours by all means to keep him with her and not to let him go And for this 1 She is glad and takes hold of all opportunities whereby she may manifest her love to him Cant. 7. 12. 2 She labours in every thing to please him give him all the content she may and every way to seem as lovely to him as she may and is very careful not to grieve him Cant. 2. 12. and 8. 2 3. And therefore 1 She is mighty careful to keep his commandements as a wife to keep the charge of her husband in head heart tongue and life Iohn 14. 15. 21. 23. and 15. 10 14. 2 She will suffer any thing from him as his rebukes c. John 21. 15 16 17 or for him 1 Cor. 13. 4. 3 She will part with any thing to him or for his sake Luke 13. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 4. 4 She loves all his friends and doth manifest it by doing all she can for them especially for their soules and is extreamly glad with their prosperity and sad in their adversity 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 John 3. 13 14. Iohn 21. 15 16. 3 And she is extreamly troubled when he is gone especially if she find he hath received any discontent and she will not be quiet till they be friends and he come again Cant. 3. 1 5 6 and 6. 2. But the love of Christ that is in the heart of the Hypocrite it is not such a love it is not so rooted and grounded in Christ or in the heart and therefore fadeth and dyeth in times of persecution nor doth it arise from the love of Christ to him and the view of Christs loveliness nor is it a pure love for Christs sake but from the love of himself nor are there such effects as we have observed to be in the heart and life of the true Christian but the contrary therof are found to be in him For this pretended love towards Christ such as it is is onely or especially for some outward advantage that hee that loveth hath or hopeth to have by Christ as Saul loved David for the ease he gave him by his Musick 1 Sam. 16. 21. And so many of them that followed Christ and had some love to him that they did herein was doubtless for their outward advantage only therfore upon the least occasion of dislike they took offenâ—e at something in his work or words when they saw it to be more for their outward advantage to leave him they fell off from him Luke 9. 57. A certain man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whither soever thou goest And Jesus said unto him Foxes have holes c. but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head Mark 10 17 18. 19 c. There came one running and kneeled to him saying Good master what shall I doe that I may inherit eternal life c. And he said Go sell that thou hast c. and thou shalt have treasure in heaven c. and follow me And he was said at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions The stony ground hearers Mat. 13. 21. when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended Joh. 6. 26. Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meat which perisheth c. Joh. 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him SECT VI. 5 In their love of the Saints The properties thereof The true Christian doth love the godly and those that are true Christians and so he must doe or he cannot be a true Christian Joh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know ye are my disciples if ye love one another 1 Joh 2 9 10 11. and 3. 14 15. And so we have said that there is and may be in an Hypocrite a kind of love to the godly also but with these differences 1 The sincere love of the true Christian ariseth from Gods love in him 1 Joh 5. 1 2. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him 2 It is a pure love For 1 It is from the heart that is pure being purified by Faith 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 22. 2 Because God commands it 1 Iohn 4 21. 3 He loves all the Saints Phil. 1. 1. Col. 1. 3 4. 4 It is for Gods sake as the child that doth love for the Fathers sake because he beleeveth them to be Saints beloved of God and because he seeth the true Image of God upon them which is beautifull in his eye and the more thereof he seeth upon them the more he loveth them And because there is a likeness and relation between them and him as children of the same Father there is a Brotherhood between them and they are follow members of one body 1 Iohn 5. 2 3 and 4. 21. and 5. 1 2. Mat. 10. 12. 1 Pet. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 12 25 26. 3 It is an unfeigned love moved and carryed out for the good of him that is beloved 1 Pet 1. 22. Vnto unfeigned love of the brethren c. Heb. 6. 10. 1 John 3. 17. 18. Rom 12. 9. 4 It is a kindly affectioned love Rom. 12. 10. like the dear love between Father and Children 5 It is a courteous love it maketh him courteous towards him that is beloved of him 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as brethren c. be courteous 6 It is a servent love 1 Pet 1. 22. See that yee love one another out of a pure heart servently 1 John 3. 16. 7 It is a real love 1 Iohn 3. 16 17 18. Wee ought to lay down our lives c. But whose hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother have need and shuteth up his bowels of compassion c. Let us not love in word c. but in deed and in truth 8 It is uniting
to the person beloved 1 Pet. 3. 8. Be of one mind c. Love as brethren 9 It is a transcendent supernatural love 1 Iohn 3. 16. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren John 13. 35. James 2. 15 16. 10 It is a lasting and continuing love 1 Cor. 13. 8. Charitie never saileth c. Heb 13. 1. Let Brotherly love continue And this love doth yet further appear by such like effects and operations as these which follow 1 It desireth to be united to the person beloved and to have as much of his company as it can Psal 119. 63. I am companion of them that feare thee c. and 16. 3. But to the Saints c. in whom is all my delight 2 It turns into mercy when the person beloved is in misery 1 John 3. 17. Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his compassion c. How dwelleth the love c. 1 Pet. 3 8. Love as brethren be pittiful c. Heb. 9. 10. James 2. 15 16 But for the further opening of the properties of this love see 1 Cor. 13 4 5 6. 7. Charity suffereth long i. it will suffer much and long for the sake of him it loveth what cause soever is given and it makes a man of a patient spirit And is kind i. It is open hearted and this makes it open handed ' ready to distribute tender and compassionate and ready to do any kindness to others that it can doe it is easie to be made use of and ready to communicate itself and what it hath to do any good offices it can doe for tothers it is as tender of others as it is of its own good it rejoyceth at the good and not at the hurt of another and it spends itself and is spent for the good of others It envieth not i. It is very well pleased at and contented with the happiness of others and doth not grudge it It vaunteth not it self is not puffed up i. It keepeth the man from vain ostentation insolency and scornful thoughts against and ill demeanour towards others Doth not behave it self unseemly i. It will not disgrace another nor suffer him that hath it to use unseemly words or gesture towards another Seeketh not her own i. It is communicative and cannot content it self to doe good to it self but it must be doing good to others also It is not easily provoked i. It will dissemble injuries and swallow down wrongs it is slow to wrath and not quickly angry what cause soever be given And when it is angry it is not extreamly and irreconcilably angry Thinketh not evill i. As it doth not speak or act so it doth not imagine mischief against others Rejoyceth not in inquity but in the truth i. It takes no pleasure in doing or speaking evill it is glad to see the good and sad to see evil in others or it is glad when it seeth others falsly accused to be cleared or it taketh part with good men and good things Beareth all things i. It helpeth to bear others burdens their weakness and wants by contribution to their help Beleeveth all things i. It is not lightly credulous nor easily suspitious but it is candid and ingenuous it beleeveth all the good it hears or can have any ground in charity to beleeve it will cover as much as it can the faults of others and therefore doth charitably interpret the words and deeds of others It will make the most of the good and the least of the evil another saith or doth and is apt to construe all things in the best sense and as far as may be it will conceal the evils of others for their good Hopeth all things i. It hopeth the best where there is no apparent reason to the contrary It hopeth all the good it can hope and that which cannot be well beloved And it doth never so far despair as not to use means Endureth all things i. It will bear the greatest rather than doe the least injury it will bear all things it may bear with a good conscience it will suffer much evil it self to doe a little good to others But otherwise it is in this particular also in the heart of an Hypocrite For either he doth hate envy or contemn the true Christian and this is most common 2 Chron. 18. 7. Or else he doth dissemble love 1 John 3. 17 18. Or if there be any love in him towards them it is but towards some of them or he loves the wicked as much as them or he loves the godly coldly or but a little while or he loves them onely out of respect to himself and for self ends and to serve his own turn by them because they are or may be of use to him or at the best because they are harmless men or men of fine parts or because the time favours them or they are beloved of most men or for some such like cause Nor is there such evidence and demonstration of his love as there is of the love of the true Christian for he commonly is proud scornfull censorious harsh hasty and the like Isa 66. 5. Your brethren that hated you c. Joh. 15. 18 24 25. They have both hated me and my father c. Psal 39. 19. Them that hate me without a cause Luke 19. 14. Isa 1. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 22 23. Ps 41. 6. compared with Ps 35. 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts c. SECT VII 6 In their love of the Word of God The true Christian doth love the Word of God Psal 119. 13. And so he must But the Hypocrite hath a kind of love to the Word also The differences lye in these things 1 The true love of the true Christian ariseth from his love to God and Christ whose Word it is and from the excellency of it as having his likeness upon it Psal 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Psal 19. 7 8. 2 It is a natural love arising from the new creature within him as he is a new born childe of God and hath a new life whence ariseth hunger and thirst to this Word the proper food apointed of God to feed it and maintain the life thereof 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word c. 3 It is a pure love he loveth it for it self and for the puritie and perfection of it Rom. 7. 12. 22. Psal 19. 7. The Law of God is perfect c. 4 It is a vehement love as that of a childe to the mothers breast he hath an high esteem of the Word a strong desire after it cannot live without it no more than the childe without the breast and will not part with it for the whole world 2 Pet 2. 2. Psal 119. 97. 20. 72. O how I love thy Law c. My soul breaketh for the longing c. 5 It is an universal and impartial love
that kind of trust he hath in God is a groundless trust it hath no root Micah 3. 11. Luke 8. 13. 2 The true faith and trust of the true Christian brings forth obedience and submission to all Gods will in doing and suffering Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith Isa 25. 9. Psal 40. 1. But the faith and hope of the Hypocrite is fruitless to himself and others Job 8 14. The hope of the Hypocrite shall fail him and be as the spiders webb Ps 106. 6 7 13. 3 It is a continuing and a growing trust but the faith and trust of the Hypocrite is a temporary and vanishing faith and trust Psal 106. 12 13. Then beleeved they his words c. they soon forgat his works c. Exod. 14. 31. Mat. 13. 6 20 21. Ps 78. 34 35. SECT XI 10 In their Faith in Christ Signs of it The true Christian is such a one as doth believe in Christ and so he must John 14. 1. But the Hypocrite as we have shewed may believe in Christ also John 2. 23 24 25. Luke 8 13. But there is a vast difference between the faith of the true and the faith of the false Christian herein 1 The one the unfeigned faith of the true Christian is a grace of the Regenerating Spirit and alwaies accompanied with Regeneration John 1. 12 13. But as many as received him to them he gave power to be the Sons of God even to them which beleeve in his Name which was born not of blood c. Eph. 2. 8. Gal. 5. 22. John 3. 5. 2 The faith of the true Christian is grounded upon the promise and is alwaies accompanied with the knowledge of the promise of the Gospel it doth beleeve Ephes 1. 13 14. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel c. Isa 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many c. John 17. 3. It is life eternal to know thee c. 1 John 5. 10 11. Rom. 10. 14. 3 He takes accepts and receives Christ for salvation and that upon his own terms Luke 9. 23. If any man will come after me let him deny himself John 1. 12. Acts 6. 31. 4 It is a faith whereby a man takes Christ to him and gives himself up to Christ Heb. 11. 13. Having seen the promises afar off c. and embraced them c. Phil. 3. 12. John 5. 24. and 6. 37 38. Rom. 12. 1. 5 It is a soul melting faith Zach. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn c. 6 It is a soul-purifying faith Acts 15. 9 Purifying their hearts by faith c. and 26. 18. Which work it doth 1 By application of the VVord against sin John 17. 17. 2 By application of Christs blood Zach. 13. 1. 3 By an inward efficacy and operation so it is a part of sanctification Gal. 5. 22. 7 It is a soul-conflicting Faith it hath many doubts fears and difficulties to encounter with Mark 9. 24. And stratway the father of the child cried out and said with tears Lord I beleeve help thou mine unbelief Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation 8 It is an obedient-making faith it makes a man sincerely obedient Heb 11. 7. 8. 17. and fruitfull in good works Gal 5. 6. But faith which worketh by love Tit. 3. 8. Heb. 11 throughout James 2. 17 20. and ready and chearful therein Gal. 5. 7 9 It is a soul-supporting faith in time of trouble Hab. 2. 4. But the just shall live by his faith Job 13. 15 16. and 19. 26. 27. 10 It is a prevalent and a conquering faith it makes a man able to doe the hardest things to break through all difficulties overcome all temptations part with his dearest interests trample under his feet all the threats pleasures profits and honours of the world and makes a man hang loose from them James 4. 7. 1 Per 5. 9. Heb. 11. By faith Noah c. prepared an Ark c. ver 24. 25. By faith Moses when he came to years refused c. chusing rather c. 2 Thes 1. 11. 1 Thes 1. 3. Acts 17. 32 34. 11 It is a quickning powerful lively and a laborious faith 1 Thes 1. 3. Remembering without ceasing your work of Faith c. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 2. 20. James 2. 18. 12 It is very apprehensive of unbelief Mark 9 24. Luke 17. 5. And the Apostles said to the Lord Increase our faith 13 It hath with it a spirit of Prayer Rom. 10. 14. Psal 116. 10. 14 It hath with it some peace Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God 15 It is a growing and increasing faith 2 Cor. 10. 15. Rom. 1. 17. 2 Thes 1. 3. Your faith groweth exceedingly But the faith of the Hypocrite is a groundless faith that for which he hath no promise it is either Historical onely as was that of Agrippa Acts 26. 27. and of the devils James 2. 19. that he doth beleeve the things written in the VVord to be true The devils beleeve and tremble Or that of miracles which Judas and others had by which they did miraculous and wonderfull things Mat. 27. 22 23. Or an imaginary fearless and confident faith a meer fancy and dream of the brain whereby a man doth conceive his estate to be good and in Christ and yet is still in his carnal estate without any fruits of faith James 2. 14 17 20 26. And this indeed is presumption Or it is a temporary faith which doth usually vanish like a Comet in time of trial and he that hath it falls away by Apostasie Luke 8. 13. with Mat. 13. 20 21. Mark 10. 17. And is not accompanied with the purification of the heart or reformation of the life or any such lively effects as we have before observed to be in the faith of the true believer but it is like the corn either withered by the Sun or choaked by the thorns Luke 8. 5 6 7 12 13 14. Acts 8. 21 22. SECT XII 11 In their Repentance The true Christian must be convinced of his sin inwardly grieved and humbled for his sin and this before and after his calling and conversion and must be changed and converted in heart and life from it Luke 13. 3. Acts 17. 30. Acts 11. 18. Isa 1. 11. to 29. Tit. 1. 15. Psal 66. 18. Wee find also that there is a kind of grief and sorrow and that there are gripings and affrightings in the heart and some effects thereof in the life of the Hypocrite Mat. 27. 3. Psal 68. 35 36. But there is between the one and the other a great difference 1 In the first conversion and repentance for sin in general And 2 in particular conversions upon particular falls As to the first That of the true Christian is wrought by the VVord of God with the operation of the Spirit discovering to him his sin and
Good is the word of the Lord. Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken c. 6 He doth it diligently where the Hypocrite is commonly in his obedience especially in Gods service careless and negligent Mal. 1. 14. Which hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing c. Mat. 25. 24. He that had but one talent The sincere Christian is usuually very diligent and exact herein 2 Pet. 1. 12. I will not be negligent c. 2 Cor. 8. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 7 Hee doth it humbly where the Hypocrite doth his work proudly and conceitedly as the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. The sincere Christian doth it with the sense of his sinne and with a broken and contrite heart Luke 18. 13. 8 He doth it fervently where the Hypocrite is cold and perfunctory in his service Rev. 3. 15. The sincere Christian is fervent in spirit and doth what hee doth fervently Coll. 4. 12. James 5 16. Rom. 12. 14. 9 He doth it lovingly where the Hypocrite doth it often with corrupt affections James 15. 16. amd 1. 19 20. The sincere Christian doth it with love to God and man 1 Tim. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Hee doth it not with the leaven of malice tnd wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sinceritie and truth 10 He doth it purely and holily The obedience of the sincere Christian is not onely pure for the manner but it flows from pure principles and motives and is done by a pure rule and â—o pure ends 2 It comes from a pure heart That of the Hypocrite comes from a filthy heart Acts 8. 21 22. Mat. 23. 25. But this of the sincere Christian comes from a pure heart a heart purified by the blood of Christ and by the Spirit of Christ 1 Tim. 1. 5 2 It is pure in the motives by and from which it is moved and carried That which doth move and carry the Hypocrite in his obedience is his self-love and self-ends and not any thing at all of God he loveth not the commander the command nor the thing commanded for themselves Or if there be any thing of God in it it is so much only as may serve his own ends therein Mat. 6 1 2 c. Mat. 23. throughout So Jehu Saul Judas and the rest Hee may sometimes bee kept from the doing of evil perhaps by the fear of men but very seldom by the fear of God Mark 12. 12. Luke 20. 19 22. 2 John 9. 22. and 7. 17. and 19. 38. Mat. 14. 5. Mark 11. 32. Gen. 39. 9. But that especially which doth move the sincere Christian in his obedience is the love and fear of God And from thence his desire to please and his feare to offend God the goodness of the thing to bee done or suffered the conscience of his duty therein and of his obligation thereunto by the love of God Hee beleeves the promises because God saith and obeyes the commands because God gives them He loves the Law maker that commands the Law or command it self and the thing commanded These and such like things as these doe especially stir up and carry on the sincere Christian to his obedience So Heb. 11. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen moved with fear prepared an Ark c. Psalm 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy word 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us c. 1. 17. Some out of love Psalm 116. 1. I love the Lord c. John 21 15. and 16 17. Ps 119. 97. 127. I loae thy Law Psalm 40. 8. I delight to doe thy will O God Gen 39. 9. Job 31. 4. 14. 23. 2 Chron. 19. 6 7. Ephes 6. 6 7. And this fear of God makes him careless of the commands and threats of men Exod. 1. 17. The Midwives feared God c. Heb. 11. 27. By Faith be forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King 2 It is pure in the Rule by which his obedience is governed The Hypocrite he makes his own fancie and the commands and inventions of other men his rule and warrant for what he doth therein Mat. 15. 2. Why doe thy disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders c. Gal. 1. 14. John 4. 21 22. Acts 17. 22. Mat. 23. 16 17. But the sincere Christian he makes the pure Word of God alone his rul e and warrant for whatsoever he beleeveth doth and suffereth Col. 3. 10. The new man is said to be renewed in knowledge Gal. 1. 9. Gal. 6. 16. Acts 13. 36. 3 It is also pure for the manner of it as is already shewed 4 This new obedience is pure in the ends of it The Hypocrites end in all that he doth and suffereth is himself as he is moved in his obedience from self-love so is he carried to self-ends He seeks himself not God and Christ his main design and intention in all that hee doth and suffereth from the beginning to the end thereof is especially if not only his own glory or praise his own profit or pleasure or some way or other to satisfie his own lusts He lookes no furthan at earthly pleasures comforts and advantages in this world God is not in al his thoughts or if hee be it is onely to thinke how hee may serve himself upon him And if God be in his eye yet he lookes at something beyond above above or before him In shew he seeks God but in truth he seeks himself He seems to follow God and Christ but it is not for God and Christ but for his own sake He follows Christ for the loaves as the nine Leapers to be healed onely Iohn 6. 26. Luke 17. 12. And as the sheep doe follow the shepheard as long as the bottle of hay is in his hand and no longer and not as a childe that follows the father out of love who wil follow him every where The Pharisees did pray and give almes to be seen of men Mat. 6. 2. They made long praiers to the end they might devoure widowes houses Hosea 7. 14. Ye assemble for wine and corn Zach 7. 5. Did ye at all fast unto me c. Micah 3. 11. They judge for ieward and divine for money and yet lean upon me c. Acts 20 30. Phil. 1. 17. Preached Christ out of envy But the sincere Christian in all his active and passive obedience as hee is carryed forth therein especially from the love and feare of God and Christ so doth he act therein for God and Christ as well as for himself And indeed God is his great object motive end and all in all He followeth them as wel for their owne sakes as for his owne sake They are his principal and ultimate end and the center to which he tends in all that he doth and suffereth His main scope and special aim therein to which all is in his intention referred is to glorifie God and advance
cause hee in whom the same is found hath to suspect himselfe thereof The signs or marks follow SECT I. In his esteem of God and Christ. 1 It savoureth much of sinceritie and it is very much a sign of a sincere man That he do esteem value and preferre God and Christ above all and that he do in all things seek God and Christ above himselfe and above all men and things Psalm 24. 6. This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face c. Hee doth greatly love and delight in God and Christ Ps 97. 10. Yee that love the Lord. Ps 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord c. Io. 21. 15. Lord thou knowest that I love thee Revel 12. 11 And can and will leave all for their sakes Philip. 7. 8. Mark 10. 28 We have left all and followed thee Hee cares not how little bee given to him so that much be given to God for whom he thinkes nothing too good or too much Psalm 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give glory c. So John the Baptist he confessed and denied not I am not the Christ Hee is preferred before me whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose c. John 1. 19 20 27. John 3. 28. Hee trusts in God 1 Pet. 3. 5. Holy women that trusted in God c. And hee doth more fear to offend and labour to please God than all the world besides Exod. 1. 15. 16. But the Midwives feared God and did not as the King commanded them Job 31. 4. 14. 23. Doth not hee see my waies c. What shall I doe when God ariseth c. 1 Kings 18. 3. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly Isaiah 29. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 14. And on the other side it savoureth much of Hypocrisie and is very much a sign of an Hypocrite That a man as hee loves other things more than God and Christ so in all things hee doth preferre and seek himself more than God and Christ his owne interest more than Gods Hosea 2. 13. She went after her lovers and forgat mee John 5. 41 42. I know you that ye have not the love of God in you Phil. 3. 9. Whose belly is their God Rom. 1. 25. Who changed c. and worshipped the creature more than the crearor c. 2 Tim. 3. 4. Lovers of pleasures more than God He is ready to assume the glory due to God to himself Acts 12. 22 23. And the people gave a shout saying the voice of God c. And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory And therefore in the forbearing or doing of good or evil hee is more moved by his desire to please and feare to offend men than God Iohn 9. 22. Mat. 14. 5. Luke 20 19. and 22. 2. Iohn 7. 13. Mark 23. 5. Iohn 12. 42. He doth in Gods service think any thing good enough for God Mal. 1. 6. 8. O Priests that despise my Name c. offer it now to thy Governour will he accept it c. The love of God is not in him Iohn 5. 42. Hee hath low and undervaluing thoughts of God and Christ and the ordinances and institutions of Christ Mal. 1. 1 2 3 c. Ye despise my Name c. ye offer polluted bread c. Yee say the Table of the Lord is contemptible c. He doth more eye the praise and applause honour and esteem favour and good will of men than of God Mat. 6. 1. to the 12. You do your almes before men to be seen of them c. Gal. 1. 10. Or doe I seeke to please men for if I â—et pleased men I should not bee the servant of Christ John 7. 18. John 8 50. 1 Sam. 15. 30. I have sinned yet honour me now I pray thee before the Elders of my people c. He trusts more in other things than in God Isa 30. 2 3. They cover with a covering c. That walk to goe into Egypt Hosea 7. 14. Hee gives more respect to the Traditions and Inventions of men than to the Word and Command of God Mat. 15. 1 2 c. Thus have you made the commandements of God of none effect by your tradition Isa 65. 4. Isa 29. 30. Mark 7. 3 4 c. And to save himself he can be contented to lose Christ SECT II. In his care of his conversation 2 It is a good proofe of a mans sinceritie when there is joyned to his profession of Religion and the light of his understanding in the Word of God a holy conversation 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie c. wee have had our conversation in the world c. Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven c. Psalm 119. 1 3. They doe no iniquitie Psalm 101. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes Phil. 3. 17. Psal 26. 1 6. 2 Sam. 22 24. Tit. 2. 11 12. And it is a dangerous evidence of Hypocrisie when a man is loose and careless herein 1 John 2. 4. Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 6. Men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous hoasters proud disobedient to parents c. truce breakers c. having a form of godliness Luke 13. 26 27. Then shall yee begin to say wee have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say c. Depart from me all yee workers of iniquitie Psalm 56. 1 2. The transgressions of the wicked c. untill his iniquitie bee found hatefull Hosea 7. 8. 14. 16. Rom. 15. 17. Amos 5. 10. Isaiah 1. 1 2. c. and 48. 1 2. Tit. 3. 8. Ps 58. 2. SECT III. In his labour to cleanse his heart 3 It savours much of sinceretie and is very much a sign of a sincere Christian when a mans main study and labour is to make and keep cleane his heart and to bee indeed as well as to seem to be good within and without when hee labours to be what he desires to seem to be and doth affect the thing as wel as the name to be within indeed what hee is without in appearance Psalm 73. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain c. Psalm 101. 1 2. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside 2 Tim. 1 3. I serve with pure conscience c 1 Pet. 3. 3 5. Whose adorning let it not be outward c. but the hidden man of the heart for so holy women which trusted in God adorned themselves Tit. 2. 11 12. Psalm 51. 10. And on the other side it savours as much of Hypocrisie and is very much a sign of an Hypocrite
keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point hee is guiltie of all And this hee doth in all places times company and cases as having God in his eye and seeing himself to be before God in all that hee doth Luke 1. 6. walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord. Job 1. 8. feareth God and escheweth evil Psalm 101. 1 2. I will set no wicked thing c. Psalm 119 2 3. But on the other side it savours much of Hypocrisie is very much a signe of his Hypocrisie in a man when he is partial or local or temporal in his obedience when he doth onely forbear some evils and doe some duties or he is for lesser and not for greater duties or he doth all but at some times and in some places cases in some company and he is changeable and unconstant wher he is all for publick and not at all for private duties where he is better abroad than at home and â—n time of prosperity than in time of adversiâ—tie Mat. 23. 23. Ye have omitted the weighties matters of the Law Judgement c. these ought yee to have dune and not to have left the other undone c. Mark 7. 4. Mat. 27. 6 7 c. And such was the obedience of Saul Jehu Herod and others noted for Hypocrisie in Scripture Mat. 15. 2 3 c. Job 27. 10. Will he alwaies call upon God 2 Chron. 25. 9 10 16. 2 Chron. 24. 2. SECT VIII In his impositions upon others consciences 8 It is a good sign of Sinceritie to be tender and merciful as to impositions upon the consciences of others but rather to bee severe against a mans selfe A sincere Christian can spare others in that wherein hee will not spare himself He dareth not to impose hard things upon the conscience of others and such as he is not willing to bear himself Acts 15. 28. And it savours much of hypocrisie and is very much a sign of an hypocrite where a man is severe and rigid to presse and impose hard burdens either such as God imposeth otherwise than God imposeth them or Impositions of men that God never imposed when a man shall rigorously in his reproofs inveigh against other mens sins make every moaâ—e a beam and presâ— duties much upon others whereof he will not bear any part himself hee is very partial and favourable to himself his beam shall be but a moate and he can indulge and spare himself in the neglect or careless performance of duties Matth. 23. 4. Luke 11. 46. You binde heavy burdens c SECT IX In his acceptance of Reproof of his sin 9 It savours much of Sincerity and is very much a sign of a sincere Christian where a man is very glad to see his sins and to be reproved for his sinnes and can love the Reprover hee can like of a close Reproof and that faithful Ministerie which hee is at present under and when being shewed his sinne he is very ready to confesse and forsake it Iohn 3. 21. He that doth truth cometh to the light Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me 2 Cor. 7. 11. 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 13. Iob 31. 33. But on the other side it savours as much of Hypocrisie and is as much a signe of an Hypocrite when a man cannot endure to be faithfully dealt with in this thing and to have his his sinne detected and laboureth by all means to hide and retain it either he doth cloak it mince it shift it justifie or excuse it or impudently deny it and hates the reprover of him for it Hee cannot endure the faithful Ministery hee is under for the present Matth. 23. 30. And say if we had been in the dayes of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets So Herod for this distasted John the Baptist and tooke away his life as may appeare by Mark 6. 17 18 19 20. compared with 14 1 2 3 4 5 c. 1 Kings 22 8. There is another c. But I hate him c. Amos 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh c. They abborre him that speaketh uprightly Mal. 1. 6. And yee say wherein have wee despised thy name Prov. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 11. SECT X. In his esteem of true Christians 10 It is a good sign of Sinceritie in a Christian Professor that hee doth love them that appear to be true Christians because they are such and that he doth shew his love to them by word and deed and amongst the rest of the manifestations thereof doth shew it by delight in their company 2 Cor. 6. 4. 6. In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of GOD c. By love unfeigned 1 John 3. 14. Wee know that wee have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Hee that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Psalm 26. 1 4 5. I have not sate with vain persons c. 1 John 2. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in light Psalm 119. 63. In whom is all my delight And on the side it is a very shrewd signe of Hypocrisie to hate them that appear to be sincere Christians to look upon them as signes and wonders Isa 8. 18. to deale hardly with them to decline their company and to keep the company of suspected Hypocrites Isa 66. 5. Your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake c. John 17. 14. The world hath hated them c. 1 Iohn 3. 14. Hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death 2 Chron. 18. 7 But I hate him 1 John 3. 10. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil whosoever loveth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother Mat. 23. 33. Psal 69. 9. Cant. 1. 5 7 James 3. 17. SECT XI In his desire after perfection of Grace 11 It savouâ—s much of Sinceritie and is much a sign of a sincere Christian in a man that hee still findes fault with himselfe for his defect in Grace and duty he never thinks he hath grace enough and hee mourns under his weaknesse therein and want thereof and findes dislike in his own performances albeit hee doe his best therein doth alwayes hunger and thirst after and labour for more grace and for perfection herein But he doth provoke others to goe beyond him and is glad that others doe God better service than himself Phil. 3. 14 15 c. I presse forward c. Mat. 5. 6. they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Rom. 7. 24 25. O wretched man who shall deliver me c. Psalm 84. 2. 7. My soul longeth c. for the Courts of the Lord c. they goe from strength c. 2 Cor. 7. 1. And it savours as much of hypocrisie to set a stint to a manâ— selfe in his grace and obedience and to thinke he hath enough and to care or labour for
no more when hee thinketh he is and doth good enough and doth not care to be better than hee and to doe more than he doth And to thinke every man else must keep his pace and that hee that goeth not so farre goeth not far enough And that he that goeth farther and faster goeth too fast and too far Rev. 3. 17. Because thou sayest I am rich c. and have need of nothing c. Psalm 36. 3. He hath left off to be wise and to doe good Luke 6. 25. Wo unto you that are full c. and 18. 12 13. and 1. 53. SECT XII In his affection to the Word 12 It savoureth much of sinceritie to have a great love to and constant delight in the Word of God Ps 119. 20. 97. O how I love thy Laws c. My foul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Judgements at all times Job 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word c. Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God as to the inward man And it savours of hypocrisie to hate the Word John 3. 20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light c. or faignedly or sleightly or for a time only to love it Ezek. 33. 31. And they heard thy words but will not doe them for with their mouthes they shew much love c. Isa 58. 2. yet they seek me daily and delight to know my waies c. Luke 8. 12 13 14. SECT XIII In the frame of his Spirit as to greatnesse of place 13 It savoureth much of Sinceritie that a man is of an humble spirit that he thinks every man better than himself and himselfe the worst of the company where ever he comes not having he doth not affect nor seek titles of honour and having he doth not value them he cares not for precedency or superioritie but can and doth prefer others perhaps beneath himself in place and parts before him Psalm 131. 2. I am as a weaned child 1 Tim. 1. 15. Sinners of whom I am the chief Mat. 18. 3. Except yee bee converted and become as little children c. Iob 31. 14 15. Rom. 12. 10. And it savours of Hypocrisie in professors ambitiously to desire and seek greatnesse of place or title precedencie or superioritie to think a mans self to be the best of the company wherever he goes and to exalt a mans self over others Mat. 23. 5 6. 7 8 9 10 11 12. They love the uppermost roomes at feasts and the chiefe seats in the Synagogues c. and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi c. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall bee abased Luke 18. 11. The Pharisee c. 3 John v. 9. Diotrephes who loveth to have preheminence c. Iames 3. 1. Be not many Masters c. SECT XIV In his striving against beloved sinnes 14 It is a great sign of sincerity in a man where he sets himself with all his might and most of all against spiritual and heart sins and inward lusts and amongst them against his most intimate and beloved sins that serve most to answer his worldly ends when hee looks on sinne as a Toad and keeps it as far from his bosom as hee can So David Psalm 18. 22. I was also upright c. and kept me from mine iniquitie Job 31. 1 c. I have made a covenant with mine eyes c. Psalm 19. 12. Cleanse me from secret faults And a great signe of Hypocrisie in a man when hee shall by all means labour to keep conceal and retaine such sins Job 20. 12 13. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth and he hide it under his tongue c. Mat. 23. 25. compared with Luke 16. 14. the Pharisees were covetous and ful of covetousness and this they did maintain by all the means they might Mat. 23. 14. SECT XV. In his care of private duties 15 It savoureth much of sinceritie in a man when he chooseth to be most carefull of secret and spiritual duties and performances as secret prayer meditation self-examination the like But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet c. Acts 10. 9. Peter went up upon the house to pray c. Gen. 24. 63. Isaac went out into the field to meditate c. Ps 119. 59. I thought on my waies c. And it savoureth as much of hypocrisie when a man is very zealous of publick or outward but very careless of private and spiritual duties and observances Mat. 23. 5. But all their works they doe to bee seen of men Mat. 6. 1 2 5. They love to pray standing in the sinagogues c. Take heed ye doe not your almes before men c. to be seen c. SECT XVI In the motives and ends of their Actings 16 It savoureth much of Sinceritie and is very much a signe of a sincere man when the motives and ends of all his actings are pure and heavenly when hee doth all that he doth out of a pure heart from the love and fear of God and principally and chiefly for the workes sake to the end to please and glorifie God and not for any corrupt end to himselfe and therefore hee careth not to be seen of men in what hee doth But it is a vehement cause of suspition in a man when hee is not moved at all by such motives nor aimeth at such ends but his motives and ends are corrupt when hee doth what hee doth alone or chiefly for selfe-ends selfe-praise honour or other advantage when he doth ambitiously or vain-gloriously seeke the setting up of himselfe more than God therein Mat. 23. 14. yee make long praiers and under colour thereof devour widdows houses Mat. 23. 5. All their works they doe to be seen of men SECT XVII In his jealousie over himself 17 It is a very good sign of Sinceritie in a man when he is ever doubtful and feareful of himselfe in the general and especially in the point of Sinceritie and when he is often trying and searching of himselfe and doth all that hee can to know himself and is therefore willing to bee discovered and reproved by others glad to have himselfe and his worke brought to the light Psalm 26. 2. I have walked in mine integrity c. Ioh. 3. 21. He that doth truth cometh to the light c. Psalm 26. 2. and 139. 23. Search me c. Iob 31. 6. Psalm 119. 50. And it is a dangerous signe of Hypocrisie in a man when hee is confident of and secure in himselfe herein when hee never suspects himself nor will he endure to be suspected or to put himself or to be put by others upon the trial herein Iohn 3. 20. Every one that doth evil hateth the light c. SECT XVIII In the order of his observance of Gods Commands 18 It savoureth much of sinceritie that a man is orderly in his
sometimes by some accident or distemper all the motions and symptomes of life as sight hearing breathing and the like seemes to be stopped and nothing of the natural life appeareth So it is in this spiritual body little or nothing of spirituall life may appeare for the present in it and yet it may bee alive And ordinarily where this spiritual life is it doth appear more or less by all or some of the signs and manifestations thereof we have before layd down See for these things Psal 88. 1 2. c. v. 16 17. Ps 51. 9 10 11. Ps 77. 1 2 7. Ps 38. 1 2 5 6. Job 1 2 c. and 30. 15 16 17. We have done with the tryal of persons and have dispatcht the differences we have thought upon to be between the sincere Christian Hypocrite in their inside outside apart in their inside and outside together And now it remaineth we say a word as to the trial of their works and services and to lay downe what is requisite to the making of a work good CHAP. X. The trial of the sinceritie of works And what is requisite to make a work good ANd now from the tryal of the sincerity of Persons and hearts we come to the tryal of the sinceritie of Workes and Services And for this we are to know That there are many things required whereunto the sincere Christian hath respect for the making of a service and worke good or a suffering acceptable There is some thing repuired in the person doing or suffering And some things there are required in the thing to be done and suffered 1 In the person doing or suffering it is requisite that he be rightly qualified 2 In the thing to be done or suffered 1 It is requisite it be done by a right rule or warrant 2 In a right manner 3 And to right ends For the qualification of the person doing or suffering it is requisite that hee be in Christ by faith and so one with him and thereby become a new creature a childe of God John 1. 12 13. and so accepted in his person for otherwise his worke cannot be accepted For God must first have respect to him ere he will have respect to his offering or service Dent. 33. 10 11. They shall teach Iacob c and accept the works of his hands Gen. 4. 4 5. And the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering But God heareth not sinners Iohn 9. 31. Prov. 15. 8. 21. 27. And of all sinners the Hypocrite is the greatest sinner Mat. 22. 11 12. one not having on a wedding garment And he said Friend how comest thou in here Rev. 19. 8. Zach. 3. 1. Psal 45. 13 14. 2 For the thing to bee done and suffered 1 It must come from a right principle from the Spirit of God in this new man and from his renewed nature 2 As a consequent of the former it must be done by him out of a pure heart that is a conscience that doth not know of any guilt or of wilfull wickedness towards God or man upon it but that it doth in al things desire to live according to the Word of God Acts 23. 1. 24. 16. Heb. 13. 18. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and good conscience c. And there is no work that any prophane man doth that therefore can bee good because it comes from an evil heart and the fountain and tree being corrupt the streames and fruit must be so also Mat. 12. 34 35. Iames 3. 11. Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord. Prov. 28. 9. And hee must be moved and carried forth in his doing and suffering by and from right and true considerations and motives As from a love and respect to God that commandeth the work arising from the sense of Gods love to his person a love to the command it self a love to the thing commanded 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us c. 1 Iohn 5. 13. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements And by and from a sense and apprehension of Gods Greatness Mercy Goodness Iustice Holyness and Wisdome and his royal command upon him his Soveraignty over him as his Creator Lord and King and the Conscience of his obedience due to God and the danger of disobedience Iob 31. 1 2 c. I made a covenant c. Is not destruction to the workers of iniquity c. Doth hee not see my waies c. What then shall I doe when he riseth c. By reason of his highness I could not endure Heb. 11. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God c. moved with reverence Rom. 7. 12. The Commandement is holy just and good Psal 19. 7 8. The Law of God is perfect c. From the fear of God a desire to please and feare to offend him Exod. 1. 15 16 17. The Midwives feared God Gen. 42. 18. this doe and live for I fear God From a sense of the wrong he hath done to God by his sin and the plyableness of his heart therein to make what amends to God it can and from the great reward there is promised to the obedient The work I say and service to be done and thing to be suffered when well and acceptable must bee undertaken upon these or some such like motives and considerations Ps 44. 21. Eph. 5. 14. Col. 3. 22. Heb. 11. 4 5 c. But the miscarriage herein is when one is moved or carried forth herein out of self-love only for fear that he may have hurt by the not doing or suffering or out of hope that he may have good by the doing or suffering or when it comes from some erroneous conceite or opinion of God and his owne service to God that he cannot be without his service or is much beholding to him for what hee doth or that it is accepted with God for it selfe however it be done or the like Is 66. 1. 2 c. The heaven is my throne c. i. e. doe you think that I so much care for your Temple service But to this man wil I look i. e. that is him and his service shall I favour and accept that is poor and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at my word that is him that is sensible of his emptinesse of grace and guiltiness of sin and hath his heart broken for and from sin This is the soul which is the temple wherin I wil dwel and these are the sacrifices in such a soule that I shall accept He that killeth an oxe is as if he slew a man that is all these outward performances and services without these inward dispositions and affections of soul are no better than the services and sacrifices of an heathen than the most vile and horrible crimes committed against my Law when he that doth them is moved and carried forth
is sincere is perfect 2 Kings 20. 3. Iob 1. 8. and 2. 3. Ps 125. 4. Gen. 6. 9. 12 God himself is most upright and doth in uprightness all that he doth and so is Christ and so is all that he doth faith If. 26. 7. Thou most upright doest weigh the paths of the just Jer. 32. 41. I will rejoice over them to doe them good c. with my whole heart and whole soul Psal 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord c. And it is said of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 22. There was no guile found in his mouth 13 There is and will be nothing but up rightness in heaven Ps 143. 10. Lead me into the land of uprightness 14 The Saints in all times have been and the Saints now are all of them upright and they have been carefull to be and continue so and to decline hypocrisie Is 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightness Cant. 1. 4. the upright love thee John 1. 47. Ps 32. 2. and in whose spirit there is no guile Rev. 14. 5. and in their mouths was found no guile Prov. 13. 5. a righteous man hateth lying c. Zeph. 3. 13. 15 All that a man hath let him have what he can And all that a man doth let him doe what he can without Sincerity is nothing This is the Christians master peece and makes him to excel amongst men For God esteems every man and he is accepted in what he doth and hath within him and without him as he is sincere 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. And though I have all knowledge c. and have not love c. I am nothing c. it profiteth me nothing c. Gen 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. God had respect to Abel and his offering by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain c. God testifying of his gifts c. Prov. 15. 8. The praier of the upright is his delight And if a man be sincere notwithstanding he hath many weaknesses and his services be but mean and defective for the matter and manner thereof yet he is accepted and shall be rewarded for the good is in him and done by him So Asa 2 Chron. 14. 2. compared with chapter 16. 1 2 3 7. 10. and 1 Kings 15. 11 14 15. and 15. 5 6 c. compared with 2 Chron. 30. 15 18 19. But on the other side if hee be an Hypocrite albeit he have many singular gifts and doe many glorious things he is no body hee is not regarded nor shall bee rewarded And no work that the Hypocrite doth though never so glorious pleaseth God but his most glorious workers though of Gods own Institution are abominable to him for the Hypocrites sake that doth them Therefore of the most glorious workes that Hypocrites ever did or can doe the Lord speaketh after this manner Who hath required these things of you Isa 1. 11. Psalm 50. 16 17. To what purpose are they Isaiah 1. 11. Your labours are but in vain in it Mat. 15. 8 9. I am not pleased with them I shall not accept or regard them Micah 6. 7. Psalm 66. 18. Malach. 1. 10. Hosea 8. 13. Nor shall I reward them Mat. 7. 21 22 23 c. 1 Cor. 13. 3. They are to mee sinfull Isaiah 1. 11. Psalm 109. 7. Isaiah 66. 1 2 12 13. Grievous abhominable and hatefull Amos 5. 21. Hosea 9. 4. Isaiah 62. 1 2 12 13. Prov. 15. 8. See 2 Kings 10 1 2 3 c. 16 17 c. compared with Hosea 1. 4. 1 Sam. 15 16 17. and 14. 35. and 13. 12 13. 2 Chron. 25. 2 4 7 8 9. 16 God seeth knoweth and judgeth of every man what he is and as he is not as he seems or thinks himself to be or as men do see him And every man shall be made known and seem to the world as he is And shall receive of God according to what he is in Gods acccount whether it be good or evil Isa 26. 7. Thou most upright doest weigh the paths of the just Prov. 21. 2. Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon know the Lord God c. for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts c. 1 Cor. 3. 13. Every mans work shall be manifest for the day shall declare it Prov. 16. 2 and 21. 2. The waies of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. Wherefore we lobour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him For wee must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Rev. 2. 2. Luke 12. 3. Therefore whatsoever yee have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which yee have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops Mat. 10. 26. there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed Job 31 4. doth not he see my waies and count all my steps Rev. 2. 23. Ps 7. 10. and 26. 2. 17 Sincerity is that onely that can and will in this world distinguish us from Hypocrites and devils who may and can as we have shewed at large make a fair shew in the flesh and do and suffer as much therein as the best Christian in the world Numb 22. 40. Luke 8. 28. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 c. Job 2. 1. Mat. 13. 29. 18 If a man be an Hypocrite he is still unregenerate and in his naturall estate and so long all that is in him and comes from him is evil in Gods eye he cannot doe a good work That he doth as to God is as the breath of one that hath an unsavory breath let him speak never so good words his breath is notwithstanding unsavory still His thoughts Gen. 6. 5. Ps 50. 16. All his actions civill Prov. 21. 4. Titus 1. 15. Religious Prov. 15. 8 9. and 28. 9. Is 58. 1. c. Hosea 1. 4. albeit it may be materially good and so rewarded of God as Iehu's work yet is it Theologically evill And so they are but glorious sins And so it is of al his moral actions works of Charity Mercy and Justice Mat. 6. 5. So his words he may speak and think of good things but cannot have good speeches nor good thoughts As on the other side a good man may think of evil things and yet his thoughts thereof be good yea this very wisdom of the Hypocrite is sin Rom 8 7. Col 2. 18 19. How can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Mat 7 18 He wants love to God and seeks not God but himslfe in what he doth and therefore cannot be accepted 1 Cor 13. 1 2 c. No more than a woman in all her observances of her Husband when she loves another man better
and keepe it and prevent hypocrisie We answer by these following meanes 1. Let him labour to be sincere in his state in general for till this it cannot be expected he should do any thing in sinceritie 2. Let him labour to get the Spirit of God into his heart and by this to get a newheart a heart convinced of sin by the worke of the Law Jo. 16. 7 8 9 10. And drawne to Christ by faith and so to become one with him and made a new creature for no man can otherwise bee sincere And hee that is in Christ is and must bee so a new creature assoone as he is in him Jo. 1. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. And when there is a full and powerfull change of the whole man by the grace of God then and not till then doth he begin to be sincere For every mans heart naturally is deceitfull above all things and till God hath changed it there is no integritie in it and a mans heart is never plaine and even till it be polished by grace for till this be a man makes himselfe the center and all lines to meete in him Then he will have the cleane right Spirit that David prayeth for Ps 51. 10. Ephes 4. 23. and 3. 19. Phill. 3. 9. 3. Let him get an understanding heart of the things of God for without knowledge the heart cannot bee good without this there can bee no feare of nor love to nor trust in God Prov. 19. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart c. Prov. 15. 23. A man of understanding walketh uprightly Prov. 2. 10. Phill 1. 9 10. And this I pray that your love may abound in knowledge c. That ye may bee sincere c. Psal 36. 10. and 9. 10. Jo. 10. 38. 4. Let him labour for unfeined faith which is ever accompanied with and never severed from Sinceritie 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5 7. 5. Let him labour from the sense of Gods love to him to get and increase in an unfeined love to God which will make him sincere Psal 26. 1 2. I have walked in mine integritie for thy loving kindnes is before mine eyes 1 Jo. 4. 19. 2 Cor. 6. 6. 6. Let him labour much in the mortification of his lusts and especially in his lusts of coveteousnes for this inclines a man to hypocrisie Luke 6. 14. And the Pharises also who were Coveteous heard all these things and they derided him Mat. 26. 9. Jo. 12. 4 5 6. Rom. 8 13. Coll. 3. 5. And for the better doing and attainment of all these things 1. Let him thinke much of God his omnipresence and omniscience the fearefull judgements to come upon hypocrites And let the feare of these judgements take hold of him Prov. 14. 2. Hee that walketh in his uprightnes feareth the Lord. 2 Sam. 22. 24. For all his judgements were before me c. I was also upright c. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Know thou the God c. and serve him with a perfect heart for the Lord searcheth all hearts c. Job 31. 4 23. Doth hee not see my wayes and count all my steps Psal 50. 21 22. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee c. Consider this yee that forget God least hee teare you in peeces and there bee none to deliver you Mal. 1. 6 7 8 9. Psal 139. 1 2. 2. Let him keepe a narrow watch over his heart and the motions thereof the principles motives intentions ends of every thing that passeth thorough it Pro. 4. 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of life Marke 13. 37. Psal 134. 24. 8. Let him pray and pray much and earnestly for them to God who giveth them Ier. 24. 7. And who hath promised this very thing Ezech. 11. 19. I will give them one heart c. And put a new Spirit within you c. James 1. 5. If any man want wisedome c. Let him aske of God Mat. 5. 42. Aske and yee shall have Phill. 1. 9 10. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement c. That yee may bee sincere c. Luke 11. 13. 1 Chron. 29. 19. Psal 139. 24. Acts. 8. 23. Psal 119. 80. Let my heart bee sound in thy statutes c. 4. Let him bee much in converse with Gods word And especially with these scriptures we have in this work proposed for a preservative from and cure of this disease This will be as a rule to the Mason in his work yea the Word will not onely discover crookedness but amend it and make a man strait 1 Sam. 22. 23 24. I have kept the wayes of the Lord c. And as for his statutes I did not depart from them I was also upright before him Ps 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee v. 7. I shall praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall learn thy righteous judgements Prov. 15. 21. 2. 10. 5 Let him labour to remove out of his heart all low and undervaluing thoughts and get and cherish a high value and esteem of God his Ordinances and Institutions Mal. 1. 1 2. 6. 14. c. 6 Let him take heed of hearkning to carnal wisdome either that which comes from a carnal fountaine or that which inclineth to or produceth the workes of the flesh or that which rules onely for fleshly motives and carnal ends 2 Cor. 1. 12. James 3. 13. 7 Let him decline the company of such who give vehement cause to be suspected to be Hypocrites For he that toucheth pitch will be defiled therewith And get into the company and call in help from the prayers and counsel of them that appear to be sincere Prov. 13. 20. Hee that walketh with the wise shall be wise We have now done and said all wee have to say There remaineth that onely which we have promised to be added by another hand to the clearing of what we have in our fourth Chapter touching this Question Whether the Saving Grace lye in the Quality or Quantity Nature or Degree thereof or not CHAP. XVI Sr YOu were pleased to require my opinion in that Question Whether the difference between common and speciall or saveing grace be specificall or onely graduall and also what I thought of M. Baxters discours concerneing that particular Now although it signify little what my opinion is and although I am unwilling to censure any mans positions or proofes of them especially M. Baxters whom I highly esteem for his learning and industry his moderation and ingenuity yet in obedience to your command without any further Apology or preface taking the same liberty to judge of other mens discourses which I freely give all men to judge of mine I shall crave leave to tell you 1. That
I beleeve the difference to be more theÌ„ graduall 2. That M. Baxters discourse doth not concludingly evince the contrary Now that this may not be gratis precario Dictum I shall 1. Sett down M. Baxters reasons 2. That which to me seemes a solution and just answere of them Obj. 1. To prove that Common and speciall grace differ onely gradually hee reasons thus a M. Baxters Saints everlasting rest pag. 225. c. Is not common knowledge and speciall knowledge common beleife and special beleife all knowledge and beleife is not beliefe the same thing in one and another though but one saveinge our understandings and wills are physically the same of the like substance and an Act and an Act are accidents of the same kind and we suppose the object the same common love to God and speciall love to God are both Acts of the same will c. Sol. That I may give a just answere to this discours and withall state the Question and give you the reasons and proofes of my former positions with more evidence and perspicuity I consider Consid 1. That by grace in this Question we meane something inherent in us be what it will Act or disposition or habit or any other quality whatsoever and therefore the favour and love of God to his people commonly call'd grace in Scripture comes not now into consideration 1. Because the graces we now speak of are properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dona gratuitâ— the gratious effects of Gods love and favour such as are subjective inherent in us whereas the favor and love of God is Subjective in Deo and terminative onely in us as it produceth good and gracious effects in us 2. Because the grace of God in this notion as it signifies his love to us is not capable of any degrees the love of God as all other acts of the divine nature being like God himself absolutely simple without any composition essentiall or graduall Consid 2. By grace in this Question we must understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doâ—uÌ„ aliquod homini in esse constituto superadditum something superadded to a mans being which he has by grace not by nature For seing all the grace we now speake of is doâ—uÌ„ gratuituÌ„ homini datum therefore it is supposed a man has his naturall being before he receave this grace For Titius and Sempronius must necessarily be supposed to be men before they can have any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bestowed on them to make them gratious men every gift presupposing the being and the existence of the person to whom it is given Whence it follows that our bodies and sonles our naturall powers and faculties as understanding and will the acts of them which naturally flow from these faculties none of these simply properly are or can be call'd graces Seing all of theÌ„ are naturall by grace in this Question we and all men else generally understand Aliquid naturae superadditum some addition to our naturall perfections The reason and use of this Consideration will further appeare anon Consid 3. When it is said Onr understandings and wills are physically the same of the same substance and an Act and an Act are Accidens of the same kind c. To this I say 1. That this assertion as 't is here express'd is evidently untrue for our understanding and will are so far from being the same in specie for that 's the Samenesse meant that all who know any thing almost in Philosophy or Schoole Divinity know thus much that it is the a Vid Aquin. Part. 1. Quaest 77. 78 79 80 82. CoÌ„mentatores ejus seqnaces vindices generall receaved opinion that they are two distinct species or two naturall faculties of the soule specifically distinct Soe that as Intellectus humanus is a faculty of the rationall soule specifically distinct from all other faculties comprehending under it hunc illum intellecium So Voluutas humana is a distinct faculty Or species in ordine ad hanc illam voluntatem 2. But if by these words Our understandings and wills are physically the same this be meant that the understandings of all men in the world are specifically the same and the wills of all men in the world are soe too This is granted as evidently true For facultas Intellectiva in all men wise and foolish and facultas volitiva in all men good or bad is specifically the same So that the understanding and will of a Saint and Sinner of an Hypocrite and Regenerat person doe not att all differ specifically Nay not onely so but the wills and understandings of all mankind whether here or in hell or heaven even our blessed Saviours understanding will are of the same species But then 3. It must be considered that this makes nothing to the present purpose nor any way proves that Common and savâ—ing graces differ not specifically For 1 The Will and Understanding being Naturall faculties of the soule neither are nor congruously can be call'd graces as appeares by the 2d. Consideration above For what is naturall necessary and universall So that it is equally in every Individuum of that species in which it is Naturae donum est non Gratiae Adjunctum necessarium non gratuitum 2. Yet if the will and understanding were Graces they are not capable of any degrees Potentiae naturales non habent magis minus is a knowne Axiome in the Schooles of Philosophers and Divines toe So that although the wil understanding of all meÌ„ be specifically the same yet this signifies nothing but is wholy impertinent as to the present purpose Consid 4. When it is said Is not common beleife and speciall beleife common knowledge and speciall knowledge all knowledge and beliefe Is not beliefe the same thing in one and another though but one saveing I answere yes 't is most certain that all beliefe is beliefe and all knowledge is knowledge But then 2. Quid hoc ad Iphieli Bones Will it hence follow that all beliefe and all knowledge are specifically the same may not all knowledge be knowledge and all beleife beleife and yet knowledge and knowledge beleife and beleife be specifically distinct Yes 't is evident they may The demonstrative knowledge of Arithmetique and Geometry the artificiall knowledge of a Taylor or Shoomaker the supernaturall knowledge of God in Jesus Cbrist wrought in the hart of true beleivers by the holy Ghost all these I say are vinvocally knowledge and yet I beleive none will sure I am none truely can say that all these are specifically the same knowledge and differ onely gradually 2. But if any should say otherwise I shall desire him to consider 1. That the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ I mean the knowledge of him by a lively faith wrought in the hart of a true beleiver by the holy Ghost is a divine knowledge ratione principii à quo objecti in quod tendit the other
good spirit ineffectuall to those who are so happy as indeed to have it Was the title of the Athenian merchants any worse to their ships which came into the Piraea or Port of Athens because the madd man in the story thonght and confidently said they were all his May not those who have good and well disposed eyes see and certainely know the objects they looke upon are immoveable and fix'd because they who have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus omnia rotari circumferri videntur thinke otherwise The mad man in the Tragedy said and I doubt not beleived it too that he saw two sunnes and another Thebes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet those who were not guilty of so much Phrensie did and might trust their owne eyes that both Thebes and the the sunne were single The Church of Rome was sure enough of the truth of her beleife by the Ghospell and the good Spirit of God confirmeing and witnesseing the truth of it to their soules even then when Donatus sayd that the Church and Spirit of Christ was onely in him and his faction Those first and commonly call'd purest times haveing a Vid. Jrenaei lib. 5. advers Haereses cum Epist Erasmi Nuncupatoria Augustinum de Haeresibus ad Quod vult Deum cum Notis Lamb. Danaei Gen. 1595. Philastrii Brixiensis Catalogum Haeresium cum Supplemento Helm 1611. Epiphanii Responsad Epist Acacii Pauli libros 3. adversus Haereses as many and as wild Heresies as we now The truth is the errors and heresies of those who confidently pretend to the Spirit of Christ but have it not are no prejudice to or argument against those who are so happy as to have it but that they may and ought to rely upon the witnesse and Divine testimony it gives to the truth So that their faith and theirs onely is divine not onely respectu objecti the sacred word of God containeing the truthes beleived but respectu principii too the regenerateing Spirit of Christ from whom their understandings have divine illumination to know and strength and confirmation to beleive and obey the truth 4. I have onely this to add that this witnesse and testimony of the spirit is onely argumentum ad intra a convinceing argument to him that has it whereon he may rely and be assured himselfe not argumentum ad extra whereby he may convince others This is that inward witnesse which did so confirme the primitive persecuted Christians in their faith so persuade and convince their understandings of the present truth of the Ghospel and that all the gratious promises contained in it would be fulfilled and made good for the future that they who could not dispute could and did dy for their faith and that with so much courage and miraculous constancy as amazed their persecutors and made even the Pagan world beleive that such strange courage and confidence in the losse of what this world calls dearest livelyhood life too could not proceed from any principle lesse then divine Whence it was that Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae the death of many old gave life to more new Christians Sed manum de tabula enough of this Rat. 6. If saveing and common grace be essentially the same then irregenerate and impious persons who may and many times have common graces might be call'd and indeed were as truely gracions and as truely beleivers as the best Saints and Sonns of God although not in so high a degree For by this hypothesis against which we now dispute they have as true faith and grace as regenerate persons themselves seeing common in the wicked and speciall grace in the regenerate are by this hypothesis essentially the same For as the smallest wire of good gold is as truely gold as the whole wedge though not so much and as a body hot in the second or third degree is as truely hot as that which has heate in the 6. or 8. degree So if common grace in hypocrites and saveing grace in the Saints be essentially the same then such impious persons for common grace may be in such may be justly call'd as true beleivers and as truely gratious as the most regenerate persons in the world But this is certainely untrue and repugnant to the receaved and cleare principles of Divinity and Philosophy too The Morall Philosopher truely tells us that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de moribus lib. 2. cap. 5. Commentatores universi ib. virtus est habitus rectâ ratione electivus prout vir prudens definiverit So that he that has not morall prudens that great Virtus directiva has indeed no morall vertue for all vertues as Philosophers b Vides is Aristotelem Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem habent A. Aphrodisaeus G. Pachymerius G. Burlaeus Commētatores in Aristotelem universi ut Scholastici ut videre est apud Aquinat 1. 2. Quaest 63. Art 1. c. quem sequuntur Medina Suarez Vasquez Universa Scholasticorum turba universaly aggree sunt in prudentia connexae Now c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Qui voluptate corruptus est ei statim principii videndi facultas eripitur neque cernere potest se hujus rei causa omnia agere opor tere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 5. Vide Aphrodisaeū Averroem Eustratium Hyperiū eâ de re idē asserentes Aristotle saith truely that no vitious person is or can be prudent vice and the irregular passions in such corrupting that great vertue And ergo wicked men whatever common graces or vertues they may seeme to have neither are nor can be truely vertuous no not in respect of Morall vertues 2. And. ergo much lesse in respect of those vertues we call Theologicall as wanteing faith which is the first and foundation of all Theologicall Vertues and Christian prudence all wicked men being in scripture phrase and really fooles But I shall not insist upon this which I believe no sober person will deny if they should 'tis by a Vid. Baron Exercitat de Fide c. Art 30. pag. 279. Rat. 7. others proved 7. M. Baxter b Aphorismes in explicat Thes 69. pag. 277. tells us 1. That the wills acceptance of Christ is the essentiall forme of saveing and true justifying faith 2. That love to Christ as our saviour and Lord is c Ibid. pag. 266. essentiall to this acceptance Whence I inferre thus If the essence of saveing faith consist in accepting Christ and loveing him as our Lord and Saviour then those who doe not so love and accept him have not the essence of saveing faith but no irregenerate person lett him have what common faith he will doth so accept and love Christ as it evident and ergo No irregenerate person hath the essence of true saveing faith Now this being granted it further followes That common and saveing beliefe are not essentially the same
seeing common beliefe may be many times is in Hypocrites who doe not cannot while such so accept and love Christ For I reason thus That beleife and love which is said to be essentiall to saveing faith must either be 1. A love and beliefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beliefe and love inapperance onely without truth and reality I confesse common beleivers may have such a faith and love as this but this is not it which is essētiall to saveing beleife as I take for granted the assertiō of the contrary being not onely ridiculous but impious 2. Or such a love and beleife as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really and truely such which of necessity must be meant and then I deny that Hypocrites or any irregenerat person whatsoever let him have what common faith he will hath any such beleife in or love to Christ 1. For common faith such as is in hypocrites and irregenerate persons Calvin saith thus a John Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap. 2. ¶ 9. 10. Fidei Vmbram obedientiae speciem solum Rectè nam irregeniti fidem amorem Christi verum non habent Nam qui non sunt verè Christiani Christi discipuli fiden veram non habent cum a fide verâ veri Christiani denominantur ficut non est verè sciens qui scientiam veram non habet At irregeniti non obstante fide communi quam habent aut habere poterant non sunt verè Christiani ergo Minor sic constat John 8. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e Si praecepta mea observatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opponūtur 2 Epist Joh. 9. est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius ergo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est observare facere obedire Vide Grotiū Theophylactum in loc Cum ideo irregeniti non obediunt Evangeli◠ergo non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vere Christiani per consequens veram fidem non habent Hypocritae fideles solum sunt per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedientiae speciem solum prae se ferunt fidei umbram solum habent seu Imaginem fidei appellatione indignam a Rob. Baronius exercitat 3. de fide scientia Arr. 30. pag. 280. 281. c. Rob Baronius and others generally have many things to the same purpose I confesse Hypocrites may have so much common faith as really to beleive the whole History of the Scripture to be true as they beleive Livy or Thucydides and even Devils doe as much but that Christ hath actually satisfyed for their sins so as the debt is pay'd and they freed that he hath reconciled his father to them that their sins are pardon'd or they justifyed that they are sonns of God here or shall be heires of Heaven hereafter all these and such like which regenerate men by saveing faith beleive they neither doe nor upon any just ground can beleive but rather that the b Rom. 1. 18. wrath of God lyes upon them and will so longe as they continue in that condition Hyprocrites and such irregenerate persons qui res mundi curant non Christi may have a sceptique speculative and floateing faith such as may beget disputes and opinions in their head by not Christ in their heart fides c Vide Epistolam Eubuli Cordati Monreseosuo dat Romae 1529. Inter Opera Nicolai de Clemang part 2. p. 2. syllogismos in capite non Christum in corde progeneratura 2. The acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Saviour which is here affirmed to be essentiall to saveing faith is not in hypocrites and common beleivers and therefore common and saveing faith are not essentially the same For if they were then every common beleiver though otherwise an impious irregenerate Hypocrite should as such accept of Iesus Christ for his Lord and Saviour But this is manifestly untrue For. 1. The a Rom. 6. 16. Apostle tells us that he is our Lord and we his servants whom we obey it being manifest that we accept him for our Lord to whose commands we obediently submit Now if irregenerate persons submitted themselves to the Ghospell or obeyed the Lord Jesus then indeed they might be said to accept him for their Lord but seeing 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 point blanke contrary seeing they b Ibid. Rom. 6. 12 13 14 16 17 18. obey sin and Satan as their soveraigns which raign over them seeing either their c Phil. 3. 19. Rom. 16. 18. belly or d Col. 3. 5. money or some thing of this world is their e 2 Cor. 4. 4. God and of necessity must be so while they are irregenerate such f Rom. 16. 18. serve not the Lord Jesus saith the Apostle and. ergo accept him not as their Lord. and if so let them have what common faith they will then they not the essence of saveing faith and then it evidently followes that common and saveing faith are not essentially the same Quod erat demonstrandum 2. Christ is offered to us a Lord and Saviour not absolutely but on a M. Baxter Aphorismes of Justification Thes 14. 15. c. pag. 89. c. condition of faith and repentance and erge He that doth not performe the condition receaves him not As if Sempronius tell Titius he will receave him into his seruice and be a good Lord and Maister to him if he will first pay 5l or doe some such thing If in this case Titius pay the 5l and fulfill the condition be what it will 't is evident he accepts the offer and takes Sempronius for his Maister and not otherwise Now I subsume that irregenerate persons notwithstanding any common faith they have or can have doe not performe the b Mark 1. 15. 6. 12. c. conditiō upon which Christ is tendered to them as their Lord and Maister and ergo accept him not And by consequence though they have common faith yet they have not the essence of justifying faith and then common and saveing faith will not be as is pretended essentially the same 2. When 't is said a M. Baxters Aphorisimes of Justifcation In Explicat Thes 69. pag. 266. That love to Christ as our Lord and Saviour is essentiall to justifying faith I subsume But common beleivers such as have onely common faith being indeed hypocrites and irregenerate have no such love to Christ and ergo though they have common faith yet they have not the essence of true saveing faith whence it necessarily followes that common and saveing faith are not essentially the same for if they were he that had one had the essence of both That common beleivers have no such reall love to Christ as their Lord and saviour appeares 1. Because in Scripture onely regenerate and penitent persons are b Exod. 20 5 6. said to love God all others are haters of him For by haters there the
disobedient and impenitent are meant and by those tht love him the contrary regenerate and penitent persons 2. Irregenerate persons let them have what common faith you will obey not God nor the Ghospell of Jesus Christ and therefore they love him not If any man love me he will keepe my word saith our a John 14. 23. all that love Christ keep his commandements aud ergo those that keep not his commandements as Hypocrites and irregenerate persons doe not doe not love him Vide H. Grotium in versum 24. Qui precepta mea non observant ut mundani homines ij me non diligunt c. Saviour and my Father will love him c. But enough of this for I am ashamed to prove a truth so evident in Scripture so Catholikely receaved and beleived by the Christian world that I hardly ever heard of any save a Pelagian or Socinian who beleived that Hypocrites and irregenerate persons either did or could really love Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour especially with such a love as is essentiall to justifying faith and that as the b M. Baxters Aphorismes in Explicat Thesis 69. pag. 277. forme of it seeing it is impossible that such love should be in an unregenerate person for if it be then either it is there without faith and to say this implyes a manifest contradiction to the nature of the thing For how can the essentiall forme of justifying faith be where justifying faith is not Or if it be sayd that saveing faith and this love are both together in an irregenerate man this will be to say that an injust and irregenerate man hath justifying faith which is no lesse a contradiction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Barlaam de Primatu cap. 14. pag. 120. Editionis Salmasianae Barlaam said in the like case How can these things consist with reason or sobriety Rat. 8. If common saveing beleife be as is affirmed essentially the same then suppose Cajus for instance while he continues irregenerate have an Historicall or temporary faith produced by reading the Gospell the helpe of good education and industry and afterwards be regenerate it followes that all which he hath from the regenerateing Spirit of Christ can be onely a greater degree of that faith which quoad totum esse was in him before his regeneration and then justifying and saveing faith is not donum Dei quoad esse but onely quoad gradum so that the essence of saveing faith and that includeing a reall love to Christ as our Lord and Saviour we shall owe to our selves and naturall abilities the degree onely to the regenerating Spirit of Christ which is directly contrary to expresse Scripture resolved to be so by the Ancient Church and in terminis condemned not by private men onely and particular persons but by a Vid. Concil Arausicanum 2. Can. 4. 5 6 7 8. apud Franc. Joverium pag. 44. 45. Sect. 1. Class 2. Councilium Carthag Anno 418. Impp. Honorio 12. Theodosio Coss Can. 112. 113. apud Justellum in God Can. Eccles Africanae pag. 294. Hist Pelag. Vossii parte 2. lib. 3. Thes 1. deinceps Councels as a Pelagian and hereticall Doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ and the truth of the Ghospell But it is objected that love may be essentiall to faith because 't is agreed that Fiducia is an act of faith and that in the will and not onely b Ubi supra The Saints everlasting rest part 3. c. M. Baxter but c Bellarmine de Justificat lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 2121. Tom. Operum eius 4. Ingolst Bellarmine and many Reformed Divines say so and put Fiducia in the very d Catechis Palatinus Part. 2. Quaest 21. Ursinus ibid. pag. 108. Calvin Insâ—it lib. 3. cap. 2. ¶ 12. pag 187. definition of saveing faith as if there were no e Calvine ibidem ¶ 16. saveing and true faith without that Fiducia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so Calvin too severely determines Fidelis non est nisi qui divinae erga se benevolentiae promissionibus fretus INDVBITATAM Salutis expectationem praesumit In Answere to this so far as it may concerne our present purpose I say 1. It is not rationall to put this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fiducia in the Definition of saveing faith it being manifest that this Fiducia is not an essentiall but graduall perfection of faith It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a higher measure and degree of saveing faith such as all should labor after though all are not so happy as to have it There is a a Math. 6. 30 8 26. Gal. 4. 19. Rom. 14. 1. Grotius in Math. 8. 26. Ostendit Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. trepidam illam formidinem prolem esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in locum pag. 45. C. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non dicit incredulos sed parvae fidei nam cum dicunt Demine servâ— nos fidem monstrant quod autem dicunt perimus non est fidei illo enim simul navigante non erat formidandum little and Weake faith which may coÌ„sist with doubteing as well as a great and stronge faith which hath full assurance and fiduciall confidence The weake faith of a doubting Christian may be as good and sincerely true though not as great as his who hath fiduciall confidence He that should define Calidum to be that which had Calor in gradu 7. vel 8. Were fouly out in Philosophy seeing Calidum in gradu 6. aut 7. Is as truely hott as that in an higher degree and he is no lesse mistaken in Divinity that defines faith by Fiducia because there may be and many times is true faith which is not in so high a degree of perfection As in the naturall man there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hippocrates calls it Deliquium Animi in Celsus his language a sowneing wherein a man is so far from being sure that he is alive that he knowes not at all for the present that he lives So there may be in great temptations and desertions spirituall sowneinges and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein even a good Christian may be so for from assurance of Eternall that he may doubt of his Spirituall life whether he be really in Christ or no. 2. But that this Fâ—ducia is not in the will nor is any Act of it an ingenuous rationall a Rob. Baronius Exercit. 3. Art 19. ¶ 4. pag. 241. person gives us 2. Reasons 1. Thus Diffidence which is the formall opposite to Fiducia or confidence is not in the will but understandinge ergo Fiducia is there too The consequence is evident from the nature of such opposites which are allwayes circa idem apta nata esse successive in eodem subjecto so if ignorance be in the understandinge science must be there too if Caecitas be in the
the best of the time and place as he did 1 Sam. 14. 33 34. observe all Gods commands and desire to know what is lacking Mat. 19. 20. In a way of Religion he may advance farre and goe beyond others comply with the designe of Christians and professe and doe as the true Christian and so doing hold out till Christ come Mat. 25. And be drawn to all this by the operation of the word so that for his outside he may seem to be as glorious as the house built upon the Rock Mat 7. 24 25 26 27. and as faire for heaven as the wise Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 3. c. Gal 1. 13 14. Ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews Religion c. and profited above many of my equalls Phill. 3. 4 5 6. If any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the 8th day c. touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeale persecuting the Church touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law blamelesse 2 Pet. 2 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they be againe entangled and overcome c. it happeneth to them according to the Proverb The Sow that was washed to be wallowing in the myre Mat 12. 43 44 45. So the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 3 c. The man not having on the wedding garment Mat. 22. 11 12. The young man Mat. 19. 20. The pharisee Luke 18. 11 12. Herod Mark 6. 20. Ioash 2 Chron. 24. 25 26. But yet more particularly for this Outwork 1. The Hypocrite being a master of a Family or Magistrate he may goe very farre and doe and suffer very much in the work of Reformation for the suppressing of evill and the advancement of good so did Iehu 2 Kings 10. 16 17 18. c. v. 29 30. and Ioash 2 Chron 23. 1 2 c. 2. And being a Minister or other Officer of the Church he may Preach or write or both as much and as well for the truth as any man and seem very zealous therein And thereby or otherwise in Goverment of the Church he may be very active and doe very much toward the advancement of Christs and overthrow of Satans Kingdome So Iudas Mat. 10. 1 2. c. Luke 9. 1 2 c. Demas Coll. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Philemon 24. And for any man he being publickly trusted he may be faithfull to his trust in any publick work Esay 8. 2. Nehem 13. 13. 3. A man may be externally called Heb. 3. 1 2. Or be converted to Christianity 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor 1. 2 3 c. He may be Baptized 1 Tim. 1. 20. Acts 8. 9 13 18. He may make a publick confession of his Sinnes and of particular Sinnes and of his Faith in Christ and his voluntary subjection to him 1 Tim 1. 20. 1 Cor 5. 1 20. Mat. 7. 22. 23. 1 Sam 15. 24 30. Mat. 3. 16. compared with Io. 5. 35. He may be convinced that a Church of Christ is a blessed Society and upon this become a member of a visible and pure Church and walk orderly by Christs rule therein 1 Tim 1. 20. Phill 1. 5. 1 Cor 5. 1 2 3. All this must needs be true of them who were cast out of the Church for they could not have been cast out if they â—â—d not been in the Church 1 Io. 2. 19. He may be a bold Professor of the Faith Acts 16. 17. Mat. 25. 1 2 3 4. c. He may associate himselfe with Saints Mat 25. 1 2 3. He may dispense the Sacraments divinely and purely He may Preach the word by voyce or pen or both have a singular gift and take much pains therein 1 Cor. 13. 1. Luk 9. 1 2. Mat. 7. 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord c. then will I professe unto them I never knew you c. And in his Preaching or writing he may be a sharp reprover of Sinne he may cry out against the prophanenes of the wicked civill honesty and Hypocrisy of others coldnesse of the best And perhaps say very much against Hypocrisie it selfe Io. 12. 3 4 5 6. Mat 7. 3 4 5. He may partake of the Lords Supper Luke 13. 25 26. And ye shall knock and say Lord open to us And he shall answer I know you not whence yee are then shall yee begin to say we have eaten and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me c. He may heare and repeat Sermons Heb. 4. 1 2. Perhaps heare and delight to heare the best and most searching Preachers Io. 5. 35. He may read and study the Scriptures much so did the Pharises and were by this means exceeding skilfull therein He may Prophesy or expound Scriptures and have a great gift and take much paines therein 1 Cor 13. 2. And though I have the gift of Prophesy c. He may pray and pray much and fast and pray and fast and pray often and have a singular gift of the Spirit in prayer and make long prayers and seem very devout therein 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Though I speak to God or man with the tongue of Angells c. Mat. 23. 14. and 9. 14. Luke 11. 1. He may use to pray alone or perhaps in private Luke 11. 10. and 18. 10. But see more for the proofe of all these things Mat. 10. 7. 1 Cor. 5. 1 2 c. Rom. 2. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 16. c. Luke 22. 14 15 16 c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Isa 1. 11 15. Mark 3. 12 19. He may in all this service of God be very diligent and industrious Esay 58. 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did Righteousnesse and forsook not the Ordinances of their God they aske of me the Ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God He may in case of some trouble or upon some other speciall occasion make a solemne engagement to God and man of amendment of life and in especiall to forbear such and such things or doe such and such duties Psal 78. 34 35 36. He may have or seem to have and take some delight in all these things Isa 58. 2 3. He may doe as much in the outworke or upon the outward man in mortification and selfe-deniall by fasting and the like and goe as farre in appearance of like zeale and devotion without by Teares c. as any true Christian shall doe Mat. 6. 16. so Jehu and Paul when a Pharisee Phill. 3. 6. Acts 22. 3. He may bestow much to good uses and doe many singular good works He may build Churches give maintenance to Ministers for Preaching give to the poore and the like Yea he may give all that he hath to such uses
1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I give all my goods to feed the Poore and have not love it profiteth me nothing Acts 5. 1. Ananias gave his estate And in all these things he may seem to be the most forward of all others as was Joash 2 Chron. 24. 4 5 6. And in all his externall carriage he may seem to seek after and to follow Christ fully John 6. 2 26 66. and 7. 34 36. Mat. 19. 22. And this he may continue to doe all the time of his life Mat. 25. 11. Mat. 19. 20. And for this he may suffer much persecution all his life time and at the last dye in the defence of the Truth as a Martyr as the thorny ground hearers Mat. 13. 21 22. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. And though I give my body to be burnt and have not Love it profiteth me nothing See for these things 1 Tim 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. Acts 6. 5. Rev. 2. 15. Gal. 3. 4. Ob. Against this it is objected out of Mat. 13. 21. that in time of persecution they fall away Ans This is meant of the one sort of hearers that are represented by the stony ground not them that are noted by the thorny ground which went farther and endured the scorching of the Sun and fell away after 5. And when there were extraordinary gifts in the Church as when there was the gift of Miracles extraordinary Prophesy or the like the Hypocrite had as large a share therein as the true Christian had Mat. 7. 22. 1 Cor 13. 2. Thus a man may strive to enter and not be able Luke 13. 24. And so neere he may come to the Kingdome of God and yet goe without it Marke 12. 34. And how many that are called Christians come short of this SECT III. How farre the Hypocrite may goe in his Inside with the true Christian But the Hypocrite whose heart is yet unchanged may goe farther and neerer to the Kingdome of God which is within Ro 14. 17. then all this and yet come short of it For he may be another man as Saul was 1 Sam. 10. 9. he may be seemingly regenerate come very neere to or have the semblance of all the saving graces and workes of the true Christian in the soule And therefore there are found in some of their hearts all these following things In his Illumination 1. Illumination He may not only heare but receive and entertaine the word Luke 8. 12 13 14. And have as much of the speculative knowledge of God and Christ the word of God and Gospell as is in any true Christian 1 Cor. 13. 2. And though I understand all mysteries and all knowledge c. and have not love I am nothing Heb. 6. 4. It is impossible for those who were once enlightned c. Rom 2. 18 20. Io. 3. 10. 2 Pe. 2. 20. Numb 24. 3 4. In his Memory 2. He may have as good a memory to retain the things that he doth know of God and Christ as the true Christian hath He may by the frequent exercise of it about Heavenly things improve it so as to be able to repeat a Sermon by it which seems to be implied 1 Cor. 13. 2. In his Soundnesse of Opinion 3. He may be as Orthodox and sound in his Judgement about the things of God as the best Christian Rom 2. 20. Rev. 2. 13. In his zeale against the Heterodox 4. He may in appearance be as zealous against them that are unsound and Heterodox in judgement as the best Christian may be Rev. 2. 3 4. Phill. 3. 4 5. In his Selfe conviction 5. He may have a large conviction upon his Spirit as to his Judgement and Reason he may be as Judgement Reason and Perswasion much for good and all that is good as the true Christian and he may goe very farre in his perswasion He may be convinced in his judgement and perswasion of all these things 1. The sinfulnesse of his own ways Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Judas Mat. 27. 3. 2. Of the dangerous consequenses of his sinne Rom 2. 15. 1. 32. Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death c. 3. That there is a necessity of a change 4. Of the Equity and reasonablenesse of Gods ways and commands 5. Of the sweetnesse and goodnesse of Gods ways 6. Of the truth of his promises and threatnings 7. He may have strong inclinations to close with Christ but upon his own and not upon Christs termes 8. He may be perswaded and resolved to close fully with Christ and to comply wholly with his will hereafter but not yet Or to doe it presently but not in all times places and things or to doe all his will in the outside and forme but not in reality and Truth See for proof of all this Luke 8. 13 14. Heb. 6. 5. Mark 6. 20. Mat. 3. 6. Rev. 3. 15. Hosea 7. 8. Luke 9. 59. 61. 57. Ezech. 33. 31. 32. compared with Ezech. 8. 7 8 9. In his Repentance 6. He may hereupon have some shakings and tremblings of heart or a heart wounded for sin be under the feare of eternall vengeance and have a kind of Repentance for his sinne as Judas Mat. 27. 3. I have sinned c. Psal 78. 34 35 36. Saul 1 Sam. 15. 24 30 I have sinned c. In his feare of God 7. He may feare the Lord and his judgements James 2. 19. The Divells believe and tremble Esay 33. 13 14. 15. The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprized the Hypocrites Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire c Exod. 14. 31. In his delight in the word of God 8. He may have some delight in the word of God he readeth and heareth and he may desire and delight in the best Preachers and Preaching Heb. 6. 5. It is impossible for such as are enlightned have tasted that is to say the sweetnesse of the good word of God If they fall away c. Luke 8. 13. They on the Rock are they who when they hear receive the word with joy Ioh. 5. 35. Christ speaks to the Jewes of John the Baptist and his Ministry He was a burning and a shining light And you were willing for a season to rejoyce in that light And it is said of Herod that he feared John and heard him gladly Marke 6. 20. Ezek. 33. 32. And Loe thou art unto them a very lively song of one that hath a pleasant voyce or can play with an instrument for they heare thy words and doe them not Esay 58. 23. 9. He may perhaps be devout indeed and take much delight in the service of God Esay 58. 2 Or he may at least seem to doe so Esay 58. 2 Jer. 7. 9. In his Faith 10. He may have an Historicall Faith give