of Refuge But The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eys their hearts fixed upon Imputed righteousness seem◠to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full cloathed our first parents The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice the skins to put them in mind that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves imperfect that therefore they must be justified another way whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine or are clouded and obscured is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Beloved there is a twofold righteousness in Christ First there is his essential and personal righteousness as God Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us But then there is Secondly his Mediatory righteousness that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator whereby he did subject himself to the preceptt to the penalties commands curses answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice This is communicated to us and made ours by virtue of which we stand recti in curia justified in God's sight The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes First the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities Secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law and by his passive obedience his voluntary sufferings he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions Mark that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires either in way of punishing for sin or obedience to the Law made by the Lord Jesus Christ God and Man the Mediator of the new Covenant Osiander was of opinion that men were justified by the essential righteousness of Christ as God which opinion is largely confuted by Calvin in his Institutions as a common head representing all those whom the Father hath given to him and made over unto them that believe in him This is that righteousness that is imputed to us in justification No other righteousness can justifie us before the throne of God Look as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us as the Scripture clearly evidences 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness would not have this sentence The Lord our righteousness blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness c. And pray how is Christ made righteousness to the believer Not by way of infusion but imputation not by putting righteousness into him but by putting a righteousness upon him even his own righteousness by the imputing his merit his satisfaction his obedience unto them through which they are accepted as righteous unto eternal life Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ's righteousness is his in respect of inhesion but it is ours in respect of imputation his righteousness is his personally but ours meritoriously Look as there is a true and real union between us and Christ so there is a real imputation of Christ's righteousness to us And a gracious soul triumphs more in the righteousness of Christ imputed than he would have done if he could have stood in the righteousness in which he was created This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul that he stands righteous before a judgment-seat in that full exact perfect compleat matchless spotless pearless and most acceptable righteousness of Christ which is imputed to him The righteousness of Christ is therefore called the righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 22. Rom. 10.3 Phil. 3.9 because it is it which God hath designed and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of justice Luthers great fear was that when he was dead this glorious doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ would be sent packing out of the world That we are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us is the very Basis foundation and state of Christian Religion whereby it is distinguished from all other Religions whatsoever Jews Turks Pagans and Papists explode an imputed righteousness yea Papists jeer it calling it a putative righteousness Well Sirs remember this once for all viz. That the Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the life of your souls and will afford you these most admirable comforts First In this righteousness there is enough to satisfie the justice of God to the utmost farthing The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is so perfect so full so exact so compleat and so fully satisfactory to the justice of God as that divine justice cryes out I have enough and I require no more I have found a ransom and I am fully pacified towards you Ezek. 16.62 63. But Secondly This Mediatory righteousness of Christ takes away all our unrighteousness it cancels every bond it takes away all iniquity and answers for all our sins Lord Isa 53. Col. 2.12 13 14 15. here are my sins of omission and here are my sins of commission but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all here are my sins against the Law and here are my sins against the Gospel and here are my sins against the offers of grace the tenders of grace the strivings of grace the bowels of grace but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all When a cordial was offered to one that was sick O said he the cordial of cordials which I daily take is this The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins O Sirs 1 Joh. 1.7 it would be high blasphemy for any to imagine that there should be more demerit in sin Rom. 8.1 33 34 35. in any sin in all sin to condemn a believer than there is merit in Christ's righteousness to absolve him to justifie him But Thirdly This righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God It is that pure fine white linnen garment whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God And to her was granted that is to the Lambs wife that she should be arrayed in fine linnen Rev. 19.8 clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints or the righteousnesses or justifications of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greek is plural Some by righteousnesses understand the righteousness of Christ imputed and the righteousness of Christ imparted but I rather close
known in prosperity nor hid in adversity True love is like that of Ruth's to Naomi that of Jonathan's to David permanent and constant Job 6.15 16. Many there be whose love to the Saints is like Job's brooks which in the Winter when men have no need of them overflows with tenders of service and shews of love but when the season is hot and dry the poor thirsty traveller stands in most need of water to refresh him then the brooks are quite dried up They are like the Swallow that will stay by you in the Summer of prosperity but flie from you in the Winter of adversity It is observed by Josephus of the Samaritans Joseph Anti. lib. 11. p. 286. that when ever the Jews affairs prospered they would be their friends and profess much love to them yea they would vaunt of their alliance saying That they were near akin and of the race of Ephraim and Manasses the sons of Joseph But when the Jews were in trouble and affliction and brought to an under then they would not own them Lib. 11. p. 272. Lib. 12. p. 304. Lib. 13. p. 322 323. c. nor have any thing to do with them yea then they would set themselves with all their â—ight against them as the same Historian tells us This age is full of such Samaritans yet certainly such as truly love they will alwayes love such as truly love the people of God they will love them to the end In the primitive times it was very much taken notice of by the very Heathen that in the depth of misery when fathers and mothers forsook their children Christians otherwise strangers stuck closs one to another their love of Religion and one of another proved firmer than that of nature They seem to take away the Sun out of the world said the Orator who take away friendship from the life of man for we do not more need fire and water than constant friendship Though wicked men may pretend great love to the Saints yet their love is not constant Gen. 31.24 29. 33 1 2 3 4 5. Dan. 6. God sometimes indeed over-rules their spirits with a very strong hand as he did Laban's and Esau's or as he over-ruled the spirits of the Lions to preserve Daniel and of the Ravens to feed Elijah but so soon as that over-ruling providence is over they are as they were befoâ—e God for a time gave the Israelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians but before and after they were their utter enemies But now a gracious soul he loves the Saints at all times his love to them is constant But Fourteenthly That soul that dares not say that he has grace yet can truly say before the Lord that he prizes the least dram of grace above ten thousand thousand worlds certainly that soul has true grace in him Doubtless there are none that can prize grace in their understandings and judgments above all the world Mic. 6.6 7. Phil. 3.18 19. Mat. 19.16 to 25. Psal 2.21 but such as are first taken out of the world by grace There is no man on earth whose heart is void and empty of grace but sets a higher value and price upon his lusts or upon his relations or upon his honours or riches or pleasures or upon this or that worldly enjoyment than he does upon grace or the fountain of grace yea how many thousands are there that set a higher price or value upon a Hound a Hawk a Horse a Harlot a good Trade a fair Estate a rich inheritance yea upon the very toyes and trifles of this world than they do upon God or Christ or grace 'T was never yet known in the world that ever God sent such a man to hell who prized grace above heaven it self who had rather have grace and holiness without heaven than heaven it self without grace and holiness Fifteenthly That soul that dares not say that his condition is good yet can say in truth of heart before the Lord that he would not change his condition with the vain carnal formal and prophane men of the world for ten thousand worlds that man is certainly for heaven and heaven is certainly for that man we may be very highly and groundedly confident that God will never cast that man to hell among devils and damned spirits at the great day who in his day of life would not chuse to be in the condition of the men of the world for as many worlds as there be men in the world Look as none meet in heaven but such as are like to like in their renewed natures principles and practises so none meet in hell but such as are like to like in their old natures Deut. 22.10 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17 18. principles and practises That God that would not suffer an Ox to be yoked with an Ass in this world nor a Believer with an Infidel will never suffer such to be yoked with devils and damned reprobates in that lower world who would not to gain many worlds be willingly yoked with wicked men in this world certainly they shall never be a Christians companions in that other world whose society and company and whose wickedness and baseness have been a grief a torment a hell to him in this world Psal 119.53 136. Jer. 9.1 2. Ezek. 9.4 6. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. When Mrs. Katherine Brettergh was upon her dying bed and most grievously assaulted by temptations in the midst of her sore conflicts this was no small support and comfort to her That surely God would not send her to hell to live for ever among such wicked persons whose company and whose sin was a burden to her in this world c. But Sixteenthly James 3.2 Eccles 7.20 Prov. 20.7 Joh. 1.1 8. That soul that dares not say that he does not sin For in many things we offend all and there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not and who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin And if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us yet can say in uprightness before the Lord that he would not willingly resolutely maliciously wilfully wickedly and hab tually sin against the Lord to gain a world that soul that don 't nor won't through grace assisting Psal 119.1 3. 1 John 3.9 allow himself or indulge himself in a course of sin or in a trade of 〈◊〉 in the common practise of any known sin that soul is certainly a gracious soul Rom. 7.15 The evil that I do I allow not 'T is one thing for a man to sin 't is an other thing for a man to allow himself in sin 't is one thing for a godly man to step into a sin Psal 139 24. and 't is another thing to keep the road of sin Search me and try me and see if there be any way of wickedness in me or as the
by any fears or dangers on the other Sincere Christians have not taken up Religion on such slight grounds as to be either flattered or frighted out of it sincere Christians reckon upon afflictions Joh. 16. ult Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 4.8 temptations crosses losses reproaches on the one hand and they reckon upon a crown of life a crown of righteousness a crown of glory on the other hand Jer. 6.16 and hereupon they set up their staff fully resolving never to depart from the good old way wherein they have found rest to their souls Sincere Christians take Christ and his wayes for better for worse for richer for poorer in prosperity and adversity they resolve to stand or fall to suffer and reign to live and die with him When all outward incouragements from God shall fail yet a sincere Christian will keep closs to his God and closs to his duty Heb. 3.17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herds in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvaâ—ion When all necessary and delightful mercies fail yet he will not fail in his duty though God with-hold his blessings yet he will not with-hold his service in the want of a livelihood he will be lively in his duty when he hath nothing to subsist by yet then he will live upon his God and joy in his God and keep closs to this God Though war and want come yet he will not be wanting in his duty Mark there are three things in a sincere Christian that will strongly encline him to keep closs to the Lord and closs to his wayes in the want of all outward incouragements 2 Cor. 5.14 Phil. 4.12 13. Rom. 14.7 8. and in the face of all outward discouragements And the first is a forcible principle Divine Love the second is a mighty aid the Spirit of God and the third is a high aim the Glory of God Look as Ruth kept closs to her mother in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all outward discouragements And Ruth Ruth 1.16 17. said whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge and nothing but death shall part thee and 〈◊〉 So saith a sincere Christian I will take my lot with Christ were ever it falls I will keep closs to the Lord and closs to my duty in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all outward discouragements Though outward incouragements be sometimes as a side wind or as oyl or as chariot wheels means to move a Christian to go on more sweetly easily and comfortably in the wayes of God yet when this wind shall fail and these chariot wheels shall be knockt off a sincere Christian will keep closs to the Lord and his wayes All this is come upon us Psal 44.17 18 yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy wayes But what do they mean by saying All this is come upon us Why that you may see in the foregoing part of the Psalm Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame Vers 9 10 11 12 13 14. The Jews sold Christ for thirty peace and the Romans sold thirty of them for a penny as Josephus relates and goest not forth with our armies thou makest us turn back from the enemy and they which hate us spoyl for themselves thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat and hast scattered us among the heathen thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us thou makest us a by-word among the heathen a shaking of the head among the people Antiochus Epiphanes lookt upon the Jews Religion as superstition his wrath and rage was exceeding great both against the Jews and against their Religion he practised all manner of cruelty upon the miserable Jews but yet there was a remnant among them who were faithful to the Lord and to his Covenant and to his Laws and to his wayes even to the death though in the time of the Maccabees many revolted to Paganism yet some maintained their constancy and integrity to the last That is a great word of the Prophet Micah Mich. 4.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever This absolute and peremptory resolution to be really the Lord's and for ever the Lord's is of the essence of true conversion 'T is not the world's flatteries that can bribe off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God nor 't is not the worlds frowns that can beat off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God But an hypocrite will never an hypocrite can never hold it out to the end his ground-tackle will never hold when the storm beats strong upon him An hypocrite is hot at hand but soon tires and gives in But Tenthly No hypocrite ever makes it his business his work to bring his heart into religious duties and services he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into his work Mat. 15 8. â— Mark 7.6 An hypocrite is heartless in all he does Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God The Fox when caught in a gin looks pitifully but it is only to get out They worshipped the Lord as the Indians do the devil that he may do them no hurt Ver. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues Ver. 37. For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfâ—st in his Covenant All lip-labour is but lost labour When mens hearts are not in their devotion their devotion is meer dissimulation These hypocrites sought God and enquired early after God but it was still with old hearts which are no hearts in the account of God They made lip work of it and head-work of it but their hearts not being in their work all was lost their seeking lost their enquiring lost their God lost their souls lost and eternity lost Hos 7.14 And they have not cried unto mâ— with their hearts when they howled upon their beds When mens hearts are not in their prayers all their praying is but as an hideous howling in the account of God As dogs bruit beasts and Indians do when they are hunger-bit The cry of the heart is the only cry that God likes loves and looks for he accepts of no cry he delights in no cry he rewards no cry but the cry
spiritual mysteries by carnal reason and fame among the Pharisees and he fasted and prayed and gave alms and paid tythes c. and yet a meer stranger to the new birth Regeneration was a paradox to him How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born This great Doctor was so great a Dunce that he understood no more of the doctrine of Regeneration than a meer child does the darkest precepts of Astronomy 1 Cor. 2.14 Look as water can rise no higher than the spring from whence it came so the natural man can rise no higher than nature An hypocrite may know much and pray much and hear much and fast much and give much and obey much and all to no purpose because he never manages any thing he does in a right manner he never carries on his work from inward principles of faith fervency life love delight c. Will the hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty Ans No he cannot delight himself in the Almighty Job 27.10 Job speaks of the hypocrite as is evident ver 8. 1. To delight in God is one of the highest acts of grace and how can an hypocrite put forth one of the highest acts of grace who hath no grace An hypocrite may know much of God and talk much of God and make a great profession of God and be verbally thankful to God but he can never love God nor trust in God nor delight in God nor take up his rest in God c. 2. An hypocrite knows not God and how then can he delight in that God whom he does not know An hypocrite has no inward saving transforming experimental affectionate practical knowledge of God and therefore he can never take any pleasure or delight in God 3. There is no sutableness between an hypocrite and God and how then can an hypocrite delight himself in God There is the greatest contrariety imaginable 'twixt God and an hypocrite God is light and the hypocrite is darkness 2 Cor. 6.15 16 God is holiness and he filthiness God is righteousness and he unrighteousness God is fulness and he emptiness Now what complacency can there be where there is such an utter contrariety 4. Every hypocrites heart is full of enmity against God and how then can he delight himself in God The carnal mind is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 To delight in God is Christianorum propria virtus saith Hierom. for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The best part of an hypocrite is not only averse but utterly adverse to God and all goodness The Eagle saith the Philosopher hath a continual enmity with the Dragon and the Serpent And so an hypocrites heart is still full of enmity against the Lord and therefore he can never delight himself in the Lord. 5. The stream cream and strength of an hypocrites delight runs out to himself and to this lust or that to this relation or that to this creature-comfort or that to this worldly enjoyment or that or else to arts parts gifts priviledges c. and therefore how can he delight himself in the Almighty An Hypocrite alwayes terminates his delight in something on this side God Christ and Heaven Look as the Apricock-tree though it leans against the wall yet it is fast rooted in the earth so though an hypocrite may lean towards God and towards Christ and towards heaven yet his delight is still rooted fast in one creature-comfort or another c. Mark 6. God nor Christ is never the adequate object of an hypocrites delight An hypocrite is never principled to delight himself in a holy God neither can he cordially divinely habitually delight himself in holy duties An hypocrite may reform many evil things and he may do many good duties and yet all this while it is only his practises but not his heart or principles that are changed and altered Mark though an hypocrite hath nothing in him which is essential to a Christian as a Christian yet he may be the compleat resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to him An hypocrite in all the externals of Religion may be the compleat picture of a sincere Christian but then if you look to his principles and the manner of his managing of holy duties there you will find him lame and defective and as much unlike a sincere Christian 1 Sam. 19.13 16. as ever Michal's Image was unlike to David and this will prove the great crack the great break-neck of hypocrites at last O Sirs It is considerable that outward motives and natural principles have carried many Heathens to do many great and glorious things in the world Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon the difference did only lye here that the great things which Gideon did he did from more spiritual principles and raised considerations than any Sisera was acted by Heb. 11. And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world as well as Moses The difference did only ly in this that Moses trampled under his feet the gay and gallant things of this world from inward gracious principles viz. faith love c. and from high and glorious considerations viz. heaven the glory of God c. whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor low prineiples and from meer outward carnal external considerations The favour of men the eye of men the commendations of men the applause of men and a great name among men were golden apples great things among the Philosophers The application is easie Mark A sincere Christian he looks to the manner as well as to the matter of his duties he acts and performs duties not only from strength of parts and acquired qualifications but from strength of grace and infused habits Rom. 11.24 Ezek. 36.25 Jer. 31.33 Rom. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.19 2 Pet. 1.4 Eph. 3.17 2 Cor. 13.5 he acts from God and for God he acts from a new heart he acts from the Law written in his heart he acts from the love of God shed abroad in his heart he acts from the divine nature communicated to him he acts from the spirits in-dwelling in his heart he acts from the fear of God establishing his heart These be the springs and principles of a sincere Christians spiritual life and actions and where they act and bear rule it is no wonder if such motions and performances as the world may admire but not imitate Sauls life after his conversion was a kind of constant miracle 2. Cor. 11. so much he did and so much he suffered and so much he denyed himself that if he lived in these dayes his life would be a miracle but yet if we consider the principles that he was acted by the great wonder will be not that he did so much but that he did no more Gal. 2.20 For saith he
Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Fox Acts and Monum It was a great saying of blessed Bradford That he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame he could not leave confession till he had found his heart touched broken and humbled for sin nor petition till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and carried out after them nor could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit enlarged and his soul quickned in the return of praises And it was a great saying of another that he could never be quiet till he found God in every duty Nunquam abs te absque te â—ecedo Bern. Meditat and enjoyed communion with God in every prayer O Lord said he I never come to thee but by thee I never go from thee without thee A sincere Christian that is taken with Christ above all can't be satisfied nor contented with duties or ordinances without he enjoyes Christ in them who is the life soul and substance of them But now hypocrites they do duties but all they do is from common principles from natural principles and from an unsanctified heart and that marrs all Remigius a Judge of Lorraigne tells this story That the Devil in those parts did use to give money to Witches Preston's four Treatises which did appear to be good coyn it seemed to be currant at first but being laid up a while it then appeared to be nothing but leaves Hypocrites they make a great profession and are much in the outward actions of Religion they make a very fair shew they hear they read they pray they fast they sing Psalms and they give alms But these duties being not managed from a principle of divine love nor from a principle of spiritual life nor from a sanctified frame of heart turn all into leaves they are all lost and the Authors of them cast and undone for ever and ever But Twelfthly No hypocrite in the world loves the Word or delights in the Word or prizes the Word as 't is a holy Word a spiritual Word a beautiful Word a pure Word Luther said he would not live in Paradise if he might without the Word but with the Word he could live in hell it self a clean Word Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it There are no hearts but men after God's own heart that can love the Word and delight in the Word and embrace the Word for its holiness purity and spirituality witness Paul Rom. 7.12 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good Well and what then why saith he Ver. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But is this all No saith he Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God Holy Paul delights in the Law as holy and serves the Law as holy just and good A sincere heart is the only heart that is taken with the Word for its spirituality purity and heavenly beauty None can joy in the Word as it is a holy Word nor none can taste any sweetness in the Word as 't is a pure Word but sincere Christians Psal 19.8 9 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart These several Titles Law Statutes Testimony Commandements Judgments are used promiscuously for the whole Word of God commonly distinguished into Law and Gospel The commandements of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes The fear of the Lord is clean that is the doctrine of the Word that teacheth the true fear of God enduring for ever The judgments of the Lâ—rd are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey comb or as the Hebrew hath it Sweeter than the droppings of honey combs The Word of God as it is a pure Word a spiritual Word a clean Word a holy Word so it rejoyces a sincere heart and so it is sweeter than the very droppings of honey combs The Word as it is a pure Word a holy Word is more sweet to a sincere Christian than those drops which drop immediately and naturally without any force or art which is counted the purest and sweetest honey There is no profit nor pleasure nor joy to that which the purity of the World yields to a sincere heart Psal 119.48 My hands will I lift up to thy commandements which I have loved Sometimes the lifting up of hands betokens admiration when men are astonished and ravished they lift up their hands I will lift up my hands to thy commandements that is I will admire the goodness spiritualness holiness righteousness purity and excellency of thy commandements Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible he took such sweet pleasure and excellent delight in it Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusalem Talmud sayes That in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the Law Mr. Fox The Martyrs would have given a load of Hay for a few Chapters of the Bible in English Some of them gave five marks for a Bible they were so delighted and taken with the Word as it was a holy Word a pure Word a spiritual Word Dolphins they say love musick and so do sincere Christians love the musick of the Word It 's upon record that Mary spent the third part of her time in reading the Word she was so affected and delighted with the holiness and purity of it King Edward the sixth being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short arm one that stood by espying a boss'd Bible lying on the Table offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him Sir John Hayward in vita but the good young King disliked the motion and instead of treading it under his feet he laid it to his heart to express the joy and delight that he took in the holy Word But now neâ—er did any hypocrite since there was one in the world ever love God as a holy God or love his people as a holy people or love his wayes as holy wayes or love his word as a holy word There is no hypocrite in the world that can truly say with David Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Saul could never say so nor Ahab could never say so nor Herod could never say so nor Judas could never say so nor Demas could never say so nor Simon Magus could never say so nor the Scribes and Pharisees could never say so nor the Stony ground could never say so nor Isaiah's hypocrites could never say so 'T is true Isa 58. some of these did rejoyce in the Word and
the net the fish is caught if he obtains not the mercy then he will grow weary of his duty Thou hast been weary of me O Israel Mal. 1.13 Isa 43.22 Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in prayer is heart-work and that proves heavy work to him The soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of the soul before God and this is a work that an hypocrite has no skill in 1 Sam. 1.15 It was a prophane and blasphemous speech of that Atheistical wretch that told God he was no common beggar he never troubled him before with prayer Hil. Mic. p. 376. and if he would but hear him that time he would never trouble him again Even such a spirit and such principles lye lurking in every hypocrites breast Doubtless he hit it who said How canst thou expect that God should hear thee Cyprian de oratione Dominica Psal 116.1 2. Gen. 32.24 to ver 29. Hos 12.3 4. Mat. 15.22 to ver 28. when thou wilt not hear thy self or that God should give thee a return in prayer when thou art not mindful what thou askest in prayer But now a sincere Christian he will go on in prayer speed or not speed if he prevails he will love prayer the better all his dayes if he don't for the present prevail he will be so much the more importunate with God in prayer 'T is as natural for a bird to live without Air and for a fish to live without water and for a man to live without food as 't is for a sincere heart to live without prayer O saith Chrysostom it is more bitter than death to be spoyled of prayer Dan. 6. Prayer is porta coeli clavis paradisi the seat of heaven a key to let us into paradise And hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose or give over his private prayers Prayer is the key of heaven and a sincere Christian loves much to be a handling of that key though he should dye for it As that Emperor said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori It behoves an Emperor to dye standing So may I say Oportet Christianum mori praecantem It behoves a Christian to dye praying An hypocrite will never hold out to the end let but outward incouragements fail him and his heart will quickly fail him in a way of duty Hypocrites are like blazing Stars which so long as they are fed with vapours shine as if they were fixed Stars but let the vapours dry up and presently they vanish and disappear let but the eye the ear the applause of men fail the hypocrite and he will be ready to throw up all 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 4.10 If an hypocrite can't make some gain of his godliness some profit of his profession some advantage of his Religion he will be ready with Demas to turn his back upon all religious duties and services Look as a lame horse when he is heated will go well enough but when he cools will halt down right even so an hypocrite though for a time he may go on fairly in his way yet in the end he will halt down right bid farewel if not defiance to all religious duties and services Profit and applause are usually the baits that hypocrites bite at and if they miss these baits then farewel profession farewel Religion farewel all John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Many hypocrites who had given up their names to Christ and who for a time had been followers of Christ at last deserted him and turned their backâ— for ever upon him Mat. 13.5 Some fall upon stony places where they had not much earth not much care to receive not much understanding to apprehend not much faith to believe not much will to obey or not much love to retain it and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth Ver 6. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root they withered away This second ground goes beyond the former For 1. It receives the seed 2. Incontinently 3. With joy 4. It brings up the seed sown it sprung up to sundry degrees 1. To external obedience and reformation in many things 2. To an outward profession 3. To a kind of faith but when the Sun of persecution beat hot upon them they withered and fell away not all at once but by little and little as a leaf loseth his greeness and flourish and withers by degrees In the Palatinate when the Sun of persecution began to scorch them scarce one Professor of twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in Autumn The Chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering so an hypocrite looks like a Christian and in many things acts like a Christian till he comes to be hammered by sufferings by persecutions and then he discovers himself in his colours and with Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Hos 5.2 he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms and when they have quencht that light then farewel faith farewel profession farewel a good conscience farewel all The wolf though he often dissembles and clossly hides his nature yet he can't alwayes do so for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite It is reported of the waters of Nilus that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea it begins to grow brackish and salt and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites they won't retain their spiritual fairness clearness and sweetness long but by degrees will grow brackish and salt and lose their names and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them But now a sincere Christian he will hold on and hold out in the wayes of the Lord in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all multiplyed discouragements When the eye of men the favour of men the bounty of men and all other encouragement from men fails yet then a sincere Christian will hold up and hold on in his work and way Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger The righteous man shall go on in a way of righteouss to the end no multiplyed calamities or miseries shall ever work him to decline the way of righteousness From this way a sincere Christian will never be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or