and in his own sin which comes from a natural principle thereof within him Job 20. 12 13. Though wihkedness be sweet in his mouth c. Yea he loveth the sin he hath left and dareth not to commit it for some inconveniencies onely that may follow upon it to him Psal 36. 4. He abhorreth not evii Hosea 127. He is a Merchart c. he loveâ—h to oppress Psal 52. 3. Thou lovest evil more than good He is resolved to continue in his sin unless he see it be for his earthly advantage to leave it and therefore doth he plead so much for it and labour so much as he doth to continue it and doth continue in it Psal 36. 4. He setteth himself in a way that is not good Psal 2. 3. It suteth wel with his corrupt nature impure heart It is with him therfore as with a sluttish Cook-maid who doth not care to keep her self from the soyl and filth but from the fire of the kitchin So if the Hypocrite can keep himself from the fire of hell he cares not to be kept from the filth of sin He hath and this is the best of his case some desire to be clean and cleansed of sin as it is necessary to save him from the fire of hell and carry him to heaven and no further And for these things see 1 Sam. 21. 7. Rom. 1. 32. 2 Pet. 2. 15. 22. Psal 50 16 17. They hate to be reformed 2 He doth watch and pray against it Psal 9. 12 13. Mat. 6. 13. Job 31. 1 2. But so doth not the Hypocrite but rather watch an opportunity to commit it being that which he desireth delighteth and purposeth to doe Mark 6. 21 2 In the sin committed 1 It is against the main bent purpose and resolution of the heart of a true Christian to sin for his firm purpose is to follow God fully and to doe his whole will and he doth strengthen himselfe hereâ—n He doth not contrive and forecast to sin but when he doth so he is for the most part surprized therein Psal 119. 33 117 106. I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgements Psal 17. 3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgresr James 3. 2. Job 31. 1 2. I made a covrnant c. Psal 101. 2. Acts 11 23 Deut. 4. 4. Heb. 13. 18. Gal. 6. 1. Ro. 7. 16. â—9 Heb. 10. 26. And therefore is hee apt to hearken to any counsell that may prevent his sin 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. But the Hypocrite his purpose is to sin he doth forecast and devise mischief Psal 52. 2. Prov. 6. 14. He keeps a Method in his sin his plot is to sin but to sin so secretly as it may not be known His sin is premeditated and as we say in coole blood he watcheth his time for it and that he doth herein is with the full consent of his will Isa 5. 18. They draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sin as with cartropes Psal 50. 19. thou givest thy mouth to evil Psal 7 12 13. and 36. 3. He sets himself in a way c. So the Pharisees Judas Jâ—hu and others They yeeld themselves as servants to the service of sin Rom. 6. 16. and sell themselves as Ahab to do wickedly 1 King 21. 25. 2 The true Christian doth very rarely fall into grosse sin but some Hypocrites so commonly that they make it as it were their trade to doe wickedly and by a customary acting of it have gotten such a customary habit thereof that they cannot leave Jer. 9. 5. They have taught their tongue to speak lies and wearted themselves to commit iniquitie Jer. 13. 23. Can the Aethiopian change his skin c. then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe evil But the true Christian doth for the most part keep himself unspotted from the sins of the times he doth as the traveller albeit he meet with dirt in his way yet doth he as much as much as he may keep from the offence of it so the true Christian as much as he can keeps himself from being solved by the sins of the time and place 2 Pet. 2. 7. 3 The true Christian doth not sin so universally as the Hypocrite doth The true Christian doth not act sin with all the faculties and powers of his soul and body as the Hypocrite doth but there is some reluctancy in the heart therein There is in him flesh and spirit a regenerate and an unregenerate part Rom. 7. 18 22. I delight in the Law of God in the inward man c. that which I do I allow not c. the evil I have that doe I Gal. 5. 17. Psal 32. 2. Nor doth the true Christian or he is not ready to commit all sorts of sin and at all times and alwaies as the Hypocrite is who maketh it his trade to sin Psal 50. 19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit thou sittest and speakest c. And therfore he laboureth to be as skilful in it as he can Jer. 9. 5. They have taught their tongues to speak lyes And he giveth up himself wholly to it and to act all kinde of sin as a man of a trade doth give himselfe up to his trade to doe all that belongs to it and to doe it alwaies Now he that is born of God cannot thus sin Joh. 3. 9. It is not his ordinary practise so to sin but if happily he fall into a sin he doth not often his sin is occasional like to the true mans going out of the highway who comes in again presently and like a river that is turned out of its channel by some stop or diversion which will get in again as soon as it can He doth not go in the way of Gods commandments as the Hypocrite doth for hee like as the thiefe comes in the true mans way for the present to serve his turn and to doe mischief onely else he keeps by-waies and obscure places Nor doth the true Christian give and yeeld up himself to the service of sinne as a servant to his masters work Rom. 6. 16. but as a prisoner is carried away from it against his will he yeeldeth himself for the present as being unable to prevent it Rom. 7. 23 24. But I see another law in my members bringing me into eaptivitie c. Nor doth the true Christian or can he fall totally and finally Mat. 24. 24. deceive if possibly the very elect as the Hypocrite may doe and oftentimes doth The true Christian is like to the good tree that doth ordinarily bring forth good fruit which yet happily may by some accidents faile some years or he is as a man of healthy constitution that falleth once or more than once into a fit of sicknes but otherwise is healthy alwaies But the Hypocrite he is iike to one that hath one of his noble parts his liver or his lungs corrupted and rotten he is alwaias
he in whom these things are found is certainly a sincere Christian and an adopted childe of God All this seems to be put together in the words of our Saviour Christ Iohn 1. 12 13. But as many as received him that is by faith and obedience as the true Messias to them gave he power that is the dignity right or privilege to become the Sons of God 1 John 3. 1 Gal. 4. 6. which were born that is born again as John 3. not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man not in a natural course and way wherin men have children in their owne likeness Gen. 5. 3. But of God and according to his own likeness Gen. 1. 26. and 5. 1. But the Hypocrite being still in his natural estate let his place and gifts bee otherwise what they will understandeth none of these things 1 Cor. 2. 11 14. and is a stranger to them John 3. 1 4 8 9. Nor can any man know these things but he that receiveth them Rev. 2. 17. So that now by comparing of a mans heart and life to the VVord of God in the particulars before layd down a man may know as much of his own as touching his Sincerity in his profession of Religion as can be known And by coâ—paring another mans life to the Word of God a man may know as much as touching his Sincerity in his Profession as can be known by another man SECT IV. Some Objections and Answers to them Objest If it be said some are sanctified from the womb and some are changed insensibly Answ We answer They are changed from the state of natural men whose state is to bee seen in the glasse of the VVord and by their contrarietie to natural men that are in the world being opposite to them So that by a carefull comparing of these things together a man may see much herein But out of all this an objection may be made thus Object If there go so much to the making up of a true Christian and that in his heart there be such a work of Grace as we have shewed and no lesse than this will speak him sincere who then shall be saved Answ To this we do answer 1 That wee know there is some Hypocrisie more or lesse in the best Christian under heaven for we are not perfect here And therefore when we press Sincerity and a necessity of it we mean not such a sincerity that is so perfect and compleat that it hath no deceit or falshood joyned with it But as other graces are but in part wee know but in part wee love but in part so likewise we are sincere but in part So David a man after GOD's own heart yet cryeth out who can understand his errours Ps â—9 12. Yea there is more Hypocrisie and selfe ends in the best than he can perceive So much is discovered even to the best man as to make him humble and to trust in Christ onely and to make him cry out with David Ps 51. 6. for truth in the inward parts 2 As we doe not judge of a mans integrity by one act and call him a sincere man that doth some things in a natural uprightness of heart as Abimelech Gen. 20. 5. and as some think of Vriah whom the Prophet Isaiah calleth a faithfull witnesse that hee was the same grosse Idolater named 2 Kings 16. 10. Is 8. 2. So do we not judg a man an Hypocrite by any particular act or carriage at one time but by the constant course of his life his constant walking and way And so the godly man is said to walke in his uprightnesse Prov 14. 2. 3 VVe have said that the best Christian hath a time of Infancy and tender age when hee is but weak and his strength small 4 VVee doe not understand or intend that there is or of necessity must be such a lively and constant acting of grace by every sincere Christian at all times and such manifestations therof by the signes and characters we have before given so as there shall bee no ebbe stop or interruption therein VVe know the state of a Christian here is a warfare between the flesh and the spirit typed out by the house of David and Saul And that it is in this in the soul as it is in the body it hath its distempers it is sometimes sick weak and faint and sometimes it seems to be dead for many daies and yet alive The true Christian may grow lukewarme perhaps cold for a time there are times of temptation with him that as in the winter there doth outwardly appear no difference between a dead tree and a living tree both are without fruit and leaves so between a true and counterfeit Christian But in the worst time somewhat more or lesse will appear of what we have observed herein SECT V. Quest But then it may be asked what at the least is required of the true Christian and yet is to bee found in the lowest least and weakest state of true Grace Answ For answer to this wee are to know That as there is a strong so a weak Christian Rom. 15. 1. and there are little children as well as young men and fathers in Christianity 1 Iohn 2. 13. so amongst them that are weak there are two sorts or Christians are weak in two cases or under two considerations 1 Such as are now weak by accident but have been stronger at other times and so the strongest Christian may become weak as a man that is strong in his natural strength of his body may by sicknesse fasting or the like bee brought to be so weak that a child may push him down or he may be ready to fall of himselfe And as the natural body by a distemper from a disease a blow on the head or some other accident may lye a while for dead so it is with the spiritual body of the new man and with his spiritual strength It may be by some extraordinary pressures and burdens of affliction or temptation for the present brought to a very low and weak estate and perhaps into a kinde of swound to have in appearance very little or no sign of life left but to bee as it were starke dead But there are another sort of weake Christians and they are such as were never stronger And such are for the most part all Christians at their first comming into Christ they are rude and raw and have but little faith such were Christs disciples Mat. 17. 17. Luke 9. 41. Matth. 6. 30. and 8. 26. and 16. 8. Mark 9 19 24. Nathaniel John 1. 45 46 20 27. and others 1 Cor. 9. 22. And yet it is so possibly with some as it seems it was with Paul that they have very much of the Spirit given them and they are very strong Christians at the first But for the most even of true Christians they are weak and childish in the things of God a while after the first conversion
discovered for disordered p. 30. l. 11. r. right c. p. 31. l. 8. r. Now for No. p. 48. l. 28. r. or for and p. 66. l. 10. r. leave for fear p. 94. 1. 5. r. his for their p. 106. l. 7. r in the fruit p. 117. l. 24. r. â—0 14. 9. p. 11 8. l. 27. r. 10. p. 125. l. 12. r. clear p. 129. l. 29. r. not after p. 134. l. 24. r. Pro. 22. 9. p. 136. l. r. or suspension p. 137. l. 9. r. â—â— 6. 69. p. 145. l. 14. r. gestures p. 146. l. 17. r. beleeved for beloved p. 147. l. 21. r. 1 13. p. 149. l. 17. r. Luke 3. 19. p. 154. l. 15. r. were born p. 155. l 3 r. Acts 16. p. 161. l. 11. r. wickedness p. 166. l. 3. r. degrees p. 173. l. 20 r. Christ for Chist p. 178. l. 9. r Ps 19 12 13. p 179. l. 17. dele customary l. 18 r. leave it p. 184. l. 5. dele not p. 193. l 10. r. flourishing l. 13. r. from p. 202. l. 21. adde Phill. 1. 17. p 203. l. 24. r. further then p. 207. l. 6. r. Bride for Bridegroom p. 211. l. 6. r. Mat. 23. p. 217. l. 21. r. word for wod p. 225. l. 13 r. 2 4. p. 225. l. 22 r. the power of p. 233. l. 16. r. other side p. 214. l. 9. r. 1. 12. p. 247 l. 16. r. 16. 8. p. 250. l. 20 r own case p. 288. l. 11. r. 25 p. 289. l. 28. r. do not name p. 302 l. 4. r. seene for seem p. 303. l. 23. r. yea his for this p. 326. l. 15. r. univocally p. 340. l. 20. r. Grotium for Grotius p. 344 l. 22. r. affore for affari p. 369. in marg l. 9. r. Martinez p. 376. l. 13 in marg for altj r. alios p. 380. l. 24. for tame r. some p. 395 l. 12 in marg for vides is r. videsis p. 406. l. 9 for for r far p. 407. l. 17. for assent r. assents CHAP. 1. What Sincerity is and what Hypocrisy is The Nature of them OUr work being to shew to man his uprightnesse towards God Job 33. 23. And therein to shew the right way to Salvation and to unmark the Hypocrite we shall for the doing hereof observe this method We shall first of all for a ground-work or Foundation lay downe what sincerity and what hypocrisy in men professing Religion are the nature of them and who is the sincere Man and who is the Hypocrite and the severall kinds of Hypocrisy and Hypocrites and wherein Sincerity and Hypocrisy consist and this in a way of Explication And then in the second place we shall make some kind of inferences thereupon In which we shall set forth these things 1. How far the Hypocrite may goe in the way with the true Christian towards Heaven 2. What is lacking in the Hypocrite wherein he and the true Christian differ the Hypocrite doth come short the true Christian doth goe beyond him 3. The signes or degrees of Sincerity 4. Motives or Encouragements to it 5. The signes or degrees of Hypocrisie 6. Arguments to perswade against it 7. And in the last place we shall adde some other things And all this in a way of Application We shall begin with the first and open the nature of Sincerity and Hypocrisy together Sincerity what Sincere man who Sincerity is that holy Frame of soule wrought in it by Gods spirit whereby the soule stands right to God in its purpose and endeavour to understand his mind from his word that thereby it may exactly please him in all things which he requireth therein And such a heart wherein this Sincerity is is called a right heart Acts 8. 21. Psal 51. 10. a whole heart Psal 9. 1. 119. 2. a perfect heart 1 Kings 11. 4. 15. 14. c. A pure heart Psal 24. 4. Mat. 5. 8. and a single heart Ephes 6. 5. And he that hath such a heart we call the true or Sincere Christian or the Christian indeed Ioh. 1. 47. The Nature of Sincerity To open this a little This Sincerity lieth within it is a heart work or businesse in the Soule wherein the spirit of God doth dwell And therefore it is set forth in Scripture by the Metaphor of the Root of a Tree Mat. 13. 21. or Foundation of a building Mat. 7. 24. It is a frame of the heart it spreads it selfe through the whole heart or Soule understanding conscience will and affections And there is an habitualnesse and constant tenor and temper in it And it is such a thing as like a spring that runs it streams makes them relish of it doth run into all the motions and operations of the Soule and body called by one the proper quality of our obedience if it may be said to be a grace of it selfe and not a thing that doth mingle it selfe with all graces and as one calls it the Spirituall tune of all the graces in the Soule it is then certainly a grace made up of many spirituall and choyce graces like as was the holy oyle powred on the head and garments of the High-Priests compounded and made up of many precious Ingredients For it must spring from the new life of the new Creature the Soule whereof is Christ which hath within it and must include Faith love and the rest of the Graces that accompany salvation For it must flow from the pure and even workings of the internall Principles towards their ends And therefore if a man act never so much in duties and have not a divine Spirituall Spring a heart impulsed and moved by Gods spirit acting in it If there be not an acting of all the graces together in a harmony purely and really towards God this Sincerity is not there 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. c. We call it the work of the Spirit and so it must needs be for as the naturall life of the body springs from the Soule within so all the life of grace in the Soule springs from the spirit of Christ within the Soule Ioh. 6. 63. We say the work begins with a mind savingly enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God Iames 3. 17. Prov. 17. 2. Ephes 1. 18 19. Psal 36. 10. Mat. 11. 25. For without knowledge the heart cannot be good and without this there can be no Faith no foundation of any Sincerity nor any thing wherein or whereby it may shew it selfe And therefore when the Apostle Phil. 1. 9. 10. prayeth for the Philippians that they might be sincere he begins with this And thus I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere c. So that the Sincere Christian is not only true cordiall and reall in what he thinketh saith and doth but that which he thinketh saith and doth is generally according to the truth of the Gospell Gal. 6. 16. And as
glister be not gold yet all gold doth more or lesse glister But in the true Christian there is and must be another Spirit then that which is in other men Numb 14. 24. He must be something more and have something in him beyond what is in the Hypocrite or he cannot be saved Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5. 47. What singular thing doe yee The differences then that we find between the motion and operation of true grace in the true Christian and of counterfeit Grace in the Hypocrite are Either in the Rise Principle or spring of it or in the proceed and end of it SECT I. In the Rise Root or Spring of true and Counterfeit Grace in them The first of these is as the Root in relation to the Tree or tree to the fruit or spring to the streames We shall open it first in the Root or Spring and then in Fruit or Streames The maine thing wherein the difference seems to lye is in something which is secret and invisible which is called a hidden life Coll. 3. 3. The hidden man of the heart 2 Pet. 3. 4. and that which is within us Luke 17. 20 21. and the hidden Manna a white stone and therein a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Rev. 2. 17. and the Inward part and hidden part Psal 51. 6. And it is said to passe knowledge and understanding Phill 4 7. To be unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. And they in whom it is are called Gods Secret or hidden ones Psal 83. 3. The foolish Virgins wanted nothing that the wise had in sight but they wanted this hidden wisdome 1 Cor 2. 7. The secret and inward work of Grace in their hearts This Secret and hidden work then lieth in this That the true Christian in order to the execution of Gods eternall decree for his Salvation having a new nature wonderfully formed in him by his spirit is by faith in a Spirituall and Mysticall way to be united to Christ as a body to the head and building to its foundation and to have his Spirit dwelling in him And the Soule and the Body is as one body animated by Christ as the Soule thereof so that Christ is said to live in him dwell in him and walk in him And the Christian to live by him So that as we all in the state of corrupt nature partake of the nature of the first Adam even so all that are saved partake of the divine nature of Christ the second Adam 2 Pet. 1. 4. Gal 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the saith of the Sonne of God Joh 5. 26. 2 Cor 13. 5. 2 Tim 2. 14. Rom. 8. 10 11. If Christ be in you c. But if the spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Jo. 14. 16 17. 1 Io 5. 12. He that hath the Sonne hath life c. And together with this union ariseth our Regeneration or the new Creature called the New man Ephes 4. 24. which after God is created in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse Compared to a new engrafted Tree that brings forth the fruits of Love joy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse and Temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. This great work in reference to the Fruits and effects of it is compared to and set forth by severall things as 1. By the Oyle in the vessell which the foolish Virgins wanted Mat 25. 1 2 3. c. to note that there must be something within to feed and maintaine the life of grace and holinesse in a true Christian which Christ by his Spirit doth give forth to every true believing Christian that is a member of his mysticall body Io. 15 1 2 c. Heb. 1. 9. Psal 133. 2. 2. By the Root of a Tree or Hearb in relation to the Tree or hearb Rev 22. 16. I am the Root c. Rom 15. 12. There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to raigne Rom. 11. 17. Job 19. 28. To note that the true Christian hath all his life and vertue from Christ by his spirit as the Tree hath its life and vertue from the root of it Coll. 2. 6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walke ye in him rooted and built up in him c. 3. By the earth that feeds the Tree Mat. 13. 6. To note that Christ must feed the true Christian or he will not be fruitfull 4. By the Tree in relation to the branches thereof Io 15. 1 2 3. c. I am the true vine c. Every branch in mee c. To note that the Christian hath his rise support growth and feeding from Christ 5. By the strong foundation of a Building in relation to the building Ephes 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation c. Iesus Christ himselfe the chief corner stone c. In whom you also are builded together for an habitation by the spirit Coll. 2. 7. rooted and built up in him 1 Cor. 3. 11. 1 Pe. 2. 4 5. To note that the true Christian as a Christian hath all his Rise and Support from Christ 6. By the engrafting of a Cion of a Sprig in a Tree in relation to the Stock Rom. 6. 5. To note that all the good that comes from him is from Christ being incorporated into him 7. By a lively spring in relation to the streams thereof Zach 13. 1. Jo. 4. 14. 7. 38 39. To shew that all the operations of grace within us issue from the spirit of Christ within us 8. And by a new Birth or Resurrection from death to life in Relation to the operations of Life Jo. 3. 3. Ephes 2. 1. Jo. 5. 25. To note that all the motions Acts and works of grace in the true Christian move from this new life Coll. 3. 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God 2 Cor. 4 10. That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh c. Now this union between Christ and the true Christian soule and the presence of Christs Spirit in the soule is not at all to be found in the case of the Hypocrite and that work that is wrought in his heart for he hath neither the Spirit of God nor Faith Jude v. 19. Jo. 6. 64. There is no such root of the matter in him which we have spoken of Iob. 19. 28. But rather there is still in him the root of Bitternesse Acts 8. 23. that will bear fruit accordingly and he stands by himselfe and at a distance from Christ He is therefore a Lamp burning that hath no more to maintain
the heart of an Hypocrite is without root or foundation the 〈◊〉 e is no spring within to feed or maintaine it but it is as a plant ungrasted or as water in a poole or cisterne Mat. 13. 21. Mat. 7. 26. The parables of the severall sorts of hearers and of the house built on the sand 2. True grace in the heart of a true Christian doth flow naturally from it as the water out of a spring that will still issue forth and as the operations of life move in a living body which cannot be stopt while the body is alive Acts 19. 20. We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard Io. 7. 38. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water this he spoke of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive c. 1 Io 3. 3. Acts 15. 9. Phill. 2. 20. Psal 119. 174. and 40. 8. and 39. 3. Pro. 10. 11. 1 Pe. 2. 2 But the motions and operations of that seeming grace which is in the heart of an Hypocrite are forced and come heavily as water drawne up by a Pumpe bucket or such like engine and as the motions of seeming life in a dead body made by art after the fashion of men and beasts which have been made to act and doe like to living beasts and men He is as a Cisterne that hath no water any longer then it is powred in it Mat. 13. 21. Yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while 3. The true grace in the heart of a true Christian is for the most part quick lively active and vigorous as the spring water is and the motions of life in the living part of the body are the more it doth the more it may move and act Heb. 6. 10. Your labour of love Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by Faith 1 Io. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifyeth himselfe c. Jo. 7. 38 39. 1 Pe. 1. 3. Vnto a lively hope c. But the common work of the spirit in the Hypocrite is not so but dull dead and ineffectuall Iames 2. 20. Faith without works is dead He is not so active within in his heart towards God as he is without in his tongue but his heart acts another way for this doth naturally in him work wickednes Ps 58. 2. Ezek. 33. 33. With their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their coveteousnesse And he doth no more in his heart towards the things that are good then an Artificiall leg or tooth to the motions of life in the body Jam. 2. 17. 4. True grace out of the heart of a true Christian doth commonly flow out abundantly as the water out of a lively Spring Jo. 7. 38 39. Out of his belly shall flow Rivers c. But that which is within the heart of an Hypocrite is but little and of another kind That therefore that the Hypocrite receiveth herein is compared to a Tast that which is as by a Gargarisme in the mouth received in but that the true Christian receiveth to eating and drinking or to the vertue and strength he gets by strong a Cordiall which remaineth Heb 6. 4 5. 5. The true grace in the heart of the true Christian is fixed constant and certaine as the Root of a tree and doth establish him that hath it Heb. 13 9. But that which appeares in an Hypocrite is fleeting transient and incertaine like to a thin vapour or Cloud Jade v 12. Clouds they are without water carried about with wind Hosea 6. 4. Your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away 6. The true grace in the true Christian is commonly increasing growing as the young tree or child Psal 84. 7. They goe from strength to strength 2 Thess 1. 3 Your faith groweth exceedingly Psal 1. 2. But otherwise it is in that which is in the Hypocrite because it lacketh root it doth not grow but wither away Ma. 13. 6 21. Because they had no root they withered away 7. The true grace albeit it doth grow yet it doth commonly grow leasurely and by degrees Heb 5. 12. Jer 14 9. Luke 24. 25. But that which is in the Hypocrite is soon up and groweth very fast Mat 13. 20 21. And in him the proverb is fulfilled Soon ripe soon rotten 8. True Grace in the true Christian as it is pure in it selfe so is it of a purifying and cleansing nature it worketh out sinne and corruption out of the heart As the Spring the dirt that is within it Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith 1 Pe. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your soules c 1 Io. 3. 3. Io 7. 38 39. But otherwise it is in the heart of the Hypoc 〈◊〉 ite which is still as filthy as ever it was Acts 8. 23 Thou art in the gall of bitternesse c. Mat. 23 25 27. Within they are full of wickednesse 9. The true Grace in the heart of the true Christian is very powerfull prevalent and victorious as a lively Spring or flood of water that doth carry all before it it will make its way through all difficulties till it hath attained its end 1 Io. 5. 4. Whatsoever is borne of God overcometh the World Ro. 8. 35 38 39. What shall separate us c Ephe. 1. 19. And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us word who believe c. Cant 8. 6 7. Love is as strong as death Rom. 8. 37. We are more then conquerors c. 1 Cor. 4 20. The kingdome of God is not in word but in power 1 Thess 1. 5. But the common work of the Spirit in the heart of an Hypocrite hath no such power or prevalency in it but it may be easily interrupted and abated by temptation or opposition Mat. 13. 6 21. Job 8. 13. 12. And lastly true Grace out of the heart of the true Christian doth issue continually without end as a lively Spring that is seldome or never dry Io 7. 38 39. Psal 1. 3. But it is otherwise with the common work in the heart of the Hypocrite this like a standing poole in a dry Summer doth often faile altogether it is therefore said to be mortall and corruptible 1 Pe. 1. 23. And very often Hypocrites doe discover themselves by a totall and finall Apostasie Job 8. 13. Mat. 13. 6 21 22. 1 Io. 2. 9. If yet you shall desire to see more particularly the differences that there are between the true Christian and the Hypocrite we shall in the next place lay downe some of them CHAP. VII The differences that are between the true Christian and Hypocrite in some particulars AND now having hinted at the generall differences that are between the operations of true of counterfeit grace in the heart of a true and false Christian we shall descend to some particulars and speak to these heads 1 The difference that is between the outside or the outward
there is no doubt but he and his temporary faith may continue together till death These things premised I shall proceed and that I may doe it with more method and regularity I shall 1. Give you my position 2. The proofe of it The position is this Common temporary or Historicall faith lett them be all one or some way different as a Jac. Vsserius Armachanus in his summe of Christian Religion pag. 197. Zach. Vrsinus part 2. Catech. in Explicat ¶ 2. Quaest 21. pag. 107. c. good Divines thinke rationally enough I shall be content for the Issue will be the same as to my purpose and the proofes I am to bring differ more then gradually from saveing faith which in Scripture is call'd the faith of the b Tit. 1. 1. fidem quam Deus infundit facit credentes quos in prescientia sua elegit Primasius Vticensis in Tit. 1. 1 pag. 182. Fidem electorum i. e. Praedestinatorum qui per fidem salvantur Dion Carthusianus iu locum Elect faith c 2 Tim. 1. 5. vide Calvini Institutiones lib. 3. cap. 2. ¶ 12. pag. 188. unfaigned and an d Gal. 5. 22. effect of the regenerateing Spirit of Christ in his true members Now before I come to the proof of this I must acknowledge that the e Mart. Becan in Compend Manualis lib. 1. cap. 16. Quaest 3. pag. 335. in Summa Theol. part 2. Quaest 8. pag. 802. Maldonatus in Joh. 9. c. Jesuites and some f Pet. Bertius de Apostasiâ Sanctorum pag. 42. 43. Actâ— Synodalia Remonstrant in Defens Arteculi 5. de Perseverant Sanct. pag. 230. 231. Remonstrants c. are in this particular my adversaryes who tell us that the faith we cal common or temporary is not onely specifically the same with saveing faith but even gradually too so far as to justify those persons that have it and would if they continued in it save them This they affirme as subservient and useful for them in the maintenance of a worse error the final Apostasy of the Saints The arguments they bring to establish their position seeme to me very weake and inconsequent such as deserve coÌ„miseration pity rather then a solution as may in due time shall be made appeare and therefore I shall passe them by The rather because the learned and ingenuous person with whom I have to deale goes not so far if I mistake not nor beleives Common Temporary Historicall or miraculous faith to justify However that Common faith be it call'd Temporary Historical miraculous or what else you will is not the same with special or saveing faith nor justyfies them that have it which the Jesuits some Remonstrants say may I conceave be manifestly evinced from many circumstances of the sacred a Math. 13. 5 6 21 22. Text. For that common faith we speake of is described in the Parable by 4. Conditions or circumstances which cannot possibly agree to a lively and justifying faith 1. The ground or heart in which it is is hard and stony v. 5. 20. And that in opposition to the good ground vers 8. 23. and therefore the faith which is in that ground that heart cannot be Justifying faith It being impossible that Justifying faith shold grow in a stony heart or so great and good a vertue in bad ground seeing saveing faith necessarily presupposeth the Spirit of Christ from whence onely it springs and is perpetually accompanyed with saveing hope and a Terra petrosa significat duritiam cordis arescit semen qui caret radice charitais Ven. Beda in Math. 13. pag. 42. charity So that Cor molle si non invenit presentia sua facit 2. The text tells us vers 6. 21. that common faith had no roote and therefore it was not justifying faith For that never does nor can want a roote Christ himself and he onely being the b Col. 2. 6 7. Vid. Eph. 3. â—7 roote from whence it springs the true c Joh. 15. 4 5. Vine on which alone this branch can grow It is the fruit of the d Gal. 5. 22. Spirit of Christ in us and cannot possibly come from any other principle and ergo cannot want a roote True beleivers are implanted and ingrafted into Christ the true Vine and from him receave a perpetual supply of sapp and moisture so that they cannot wither for want of a roote or moisture Christ is our a Col. 2. 19. Col. 1. 18. 19. head certainely of all those who saveingly beleive from which all the members receave nourishment Now it is neither an unusuall or insignificant metaphore to call the head in the body natural or mystical the roote of the body Aristoteles calls a man Arbor inversa makeing the head the roote for as sapp and moisture is convey'd from the roote to all parts of the tree so is nourishment to all the members from the head Christ then being and dwelling in his members by his Spirit and being the head or roote from whence they receave all their graces and the nourishment and supplyes of them it is impossible that true saveing faith should waÌ„t a roote ergo that faith in the parable call it what you will which wanted a b Gloss Interli nearia non habent radicem i. e. charitatem Non fundatur semen in humore fidei devotionis Ita Nicol. Lyranus in Math. 13. Ideo fides vera viva non erat charitate destituta roote was not true justifying faith 3. The temporary faith in the parable brought forth no fruit therefore it was not a justifying faith which works by love and never does nor can want fruit 'T is said indeed that the stony ground or heart receaved the seed with joy i. e. was pleased with the word and beleived it but that 's all nothing of any fruite that 's the property of the good ground onely and ergo ' t is emphatically said of it that it brought forth fruit And indeed how could it beare fruit haveing no roote to beare it at least not the true roote Jesus Christ without whom 't is a Joh. 15. 5. impossible to bring forth any fruit Hence b Chrisost Homil 46. in Math. pag. 450. Edit Savil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Pareus in locum aliique passim Chrysostome and the Greek Scholia and Divines generally truely tells us that three parts of the seed perished 1. That by the way 2. In the stony 3. In the thorny ground and brought forth c Quarta pars tantum fecit fructum Nicol. Lyranus in Math. 13. parte stres infructuosae Euthemius in Math. 12. pag. 177. Tres Semin is partes pereunt quarta sola fructificat Aretius in locum Ex pugillis 4. tres redduntur inutiles no fruit but had the faith which receaved the word been a true saveing and justifying faith as they say it was for the time it continued that is did
was with S. Paul Acts 23. 1. where he saith I have lived in all good Conscience before God untill this day His meaning is though he had fiercely persecuted the Servants of Jesus Christ yet he thought he did well his conscience though erring concurring with him so that he sinned not against his conscience but acted according to that light which was in him even then when he sinned against the Law of God and the Gospell 3. A thing may be done truly as to the reallity of it but not truly as to the formality of it Hypocrisie therefore is said to lye in two things or to be considered two wayes 1. As it stands in opposition to the truth and reality of a thing 2. As it stands in opposition to the Sincerity of a mans intention in the thing A man out of Christ is not a Christian indeed no more then a dead corps without a Soule is a man And that he doth let him doe it never so really and cordially cannot be good because he that dot it is evill Gen 4. 4. Mat 12. 33. And if the thing to be done be evill let it be done never so cordially and really it cannot be good And the thing done albeit it be for the manner well done as to the reality and intention yet if the thing done be in the matter and in its own nature evill it cannot be good a thing also that in its own nature is good may yet for the manner and forme of doing it be evill And to this therefore we are to know That the thing that the thing that is said of done is for the matter of it good or evill If good yet it may be done amisse in the manner In 2 Chron 25 2. It is said of Amaziah that he did that which was right that is that which was according to his will and pleased him well but not with a perfect heart though the thing he did as also the greatest part of that which Iehu did was according to Gods command and that which for the matter of it God approved when done yet they did it with an eye to themselves only out of selfe-love and for their selfe interest and advantage only and not of any love to God or care or desire to please or glorify him in it Esay 10. 6 7. But if the thing for the matter of it be it opinion or practice be evill the doing or saying thereof from the heart will not make it good or better then it is For if by this the opinion or Action may be justified or absolutely excused then must the most horrid opinions and practises that ever were held or done by this be so farre countenanced such as the opinions against Christs Divinity and that to eat flesh is as bad as to eate Soules and the practice of the killing of the Saints of God and the sacrificing of mens children to Idolls and the worshipping of the Hoast of Heaven For all this those that did maintaine and act them at least some of them were perswaded of the lawfulnesse of And if no men of any Judgement or perswasion amongst us shall judge themselves only to be the true Christians and all others Antichristians and shall take up this perswasion and perhaps from those Scriptures Rev. 16. 6. Psal 137. 8 9. That as they are able they may and must destroy all the rest Or being of a levelling judgement that they may take away as they are able from others that have much to make an equality May they therefore doe it or is the thing ever the better because they are perswaded they may nay it may be that they must doe it and is not the thing being sinfull and against Gods law sinfull still notwithstanding their perswasion This poynt and case of Conscience is cleared and determined to our hands by the Apostle Paul himselfe in his own case who tells us in 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. that he in what he did was a blaspheamer a persecutor and injurious but that he obtained mercy And we doe not find that the opinions or practises of those Hereticks in Jude and 2 Pe. 2. and 2 Tim 3. are said to be ever the lesse sinfull or dangerous to some because they did probably believe them to be Truth We grant it to be true that it doth somewhat lessen the offence because it is of Ignorance in them that are misled and yet we affirme that it is so much the greater again as there is more of the will in it 5. But there is much of Hypocrisie also in these persons in these cases For they pretend to be indeed the only enlightned men and Saints to have the spirit That the truth is with them and that their way is Gods way and the true and the right way Whereas they are in truth but Hypocrites False Teachers Devills in the appearance of Angells of Light understand not what they say not having the Spirit and going themselves and leading others with them to destruction Jude 2 Pe. 2. Acts 20. 30. Prov 2. 10 11. We shall in the next place lay down some particular instances of the Hypocrisie Sincerity we are treating of and wherein they doe each of them consist CAP. III. Wherein Sincerity doth especially consist And some particulars thereof And wherein Hypocrisie doth especially consist And some particulars thereof IT will much make towards the clearing of our matter in hand that we lay downe some things more particularly wherein Sincerity and Hypocrisie in men professing Religion or pretending to any way or forme of Godlinesse do consist And for the doing hereof we shall offer these considerations following for the things in such Persons wherein they doe especially appeare and consist That he that thus makes a profession of Religion that is of the Christian Religion Faith in God by Jesus Christ That cryeth Lord Lord Mat. 7. 21. that shall make an open confession of Christ and his hope in him That nameth the name of Christ 2 Tim 2. 19. Luk. 9. 20. Psal 50. 1. that is a hearer of his word That hath a forme of Godlinesse 2 Tim. 2. 1 5. That professeth he knows God Tit. 1. 16. That is a Christian in shew or outwardly Ro. 2 28 29. Jo. 1 47. Rev. 3. 1 9. Ro. 9. 6. That calls himselfe or is called or reputed by others to be a Christian Rev. 2. 9. Jer. 14 9. A Disciple of Christ Luke 6. 40. Jos 8. 31. Of the holy Seed of Gods Children Esay 7. 13. Of the holy City the Church of God Esay 48. 2. Acts 11. 26. That layeth claime to and boasteth of the Gospell and the rest of the priviledges of the Church of Believers Ma. 3. 8. Rom. 2. 23. Io. 8. 37 38 39. SECT I. As he is a Christian indeed The Sincerity or Hypocrisy of such a Professor will appeare and lye much in this as he hath or hath not within him a Principle and Foundation for what is acted and doth appeare without him That
have it 2. He thinks he hath true grace and will not be perswaded to the contrary as one of a thing he dreameth 3. That the Hypocrite himselfe be he here a member of a true visible Church and never so glorious a professor is in Gods account and in truth no Christian no more then the picture of a man is a man Nor is part of Christs mysticall body more then an artificiall Eye Tooth or Legge is a part of the body to which it is annexed And yet for his outward appearance he is said to be in Christ Io. 15. 2. Every Branch in me that beareth not fruit c. Rom. 2 17. Matt. 23. 27. Ye are like painted Sepulchres which appeare beautifull c. Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Jew that is one outwardly c. Rev. 2. 9. Them that say they are Jewes and are not c. Rev. 2. 2. and 3. 9. That the works done by the Hypocrite albeit they are sometimes said to be works done because they seem so to others and so they think themselves Psal 78. 35 36. Yet are they not works really and truly done nor done to or for God and therefore he doth look upon and account of them as workes not done at all or as evill deeds Hosea 10. 1. Israel is an empty vine c. Esay 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices c. Who hath required this at your hands c. Bring no more vaine oblations c. Esay 58. 5. Is this the fast that I have chosen c. Zach. 7. 6. When ye fasted c. did ye at all fast unto me even to me And when ye did Eat and when ye drink in your holy feasts did ye not Eat for your selves and drink for your selves Hos 7. 14. They have not cryed unto mee when they howled c. For as the prayer of the heart not uttered by the mouth is notwithstanding a Prayer in Gods account so the Prayer of the tongue not in the heart may be said to be no Prayer to God at all 1 Sam 1. 13. In this sense Rom. 2. 28. it is said that Circumcision outward and not in the heart is no Circumcision And so for the common Graces or gifts that are in the heart of an Hypocrite albeit they be sometimes for the likenesse they have to the true Graces called by their names Esay 48. 2. Io 2. 23. Esay 58. 2. Micha 3 11 17. yet coming from an evill man and out of an evill heart they cannot be good Mat 7. 11. 12. 35 The Lord doth not account of them nor are they to be esteemed in a Theologicall or spirituall sense as any Graces at all no more then painted fire is fire or a thing a man doth fancy in his dreame the thing it selfe or counterfeit coyne true coyne And as God herein takes the will for the deed in that which is not so in that which is the deed without the will not to be at all hence it is Io. 6. 64 70. that Judas albeit he had a temporary faith yet he is said not to believe But for the Text objected in Mat. 23. 24. That from him that hath not that hath not indeed shall be taken what he hath These words are in Luke 8. 18. Resolved and expounded thus And whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have or thinketh he hath Ob. It may perhaps be farther objected that the oyle which the foolish Virgins that were Hypocrites had was the same kind of oyle which the wise Virgins had Matt. 25. 1 2. c. Ans For Answer to this we say 1. That Theologica parabolica non est argumentativa 2. That it is true that the text saith that the foolish Virgins had oyle in their Lamps but it cannot appeare by the text to be of the same kind of oyle that the wise Virgins had Nor is it probable to be so for the wise had their supply about them but the foolish theirs from without them We grant the Hypocrite to have seeming Grace or gifts but not of the same kind with the true Christian whose oyle is of another kind fed by the spirit of God within him which spirit the Hypocrite hath not His seeming grace hath no rooting as the feed of the stony and High way ground and the building on the sand It hath not the causes of the true Graces that are in the heart of the true Christian it is not so rooted and bottomed upon Christ and his spirit it works not so downward to break and humble the heart for sinne and that out of a deep sense of the love of God and Christ so as to engage and fasten in it a root and foundation of love towards God and his people for his sake that can never be razed out but will be increasing and growing still according to the promise of our Saviour Ioh. 14. 16. 17. And I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Hypocrite is a tree that beareth fruit like as the true Christian doth but not a good tree and therefore bringeth not forth good fruit as the true Christian doth But the common grace of the Hypocrite is a loose and slight piece of work in the soule an opinion and fancy of Faith Joy and Peace like to a building on the Sand and to a rootlesse plant standing on his own bottome and loose and not engrafted into the tree Without any true love to Christ sense of sinne change of the heart or any such like thing and therefore will not stand under any storme will not abide any Temptation but will fall downe dry and wither away and come to naught Ob. But it may perhaps be farther objected out of the Parable of the divers sorts of hearers Mat 13. That the same kind of grace that was in the bad hearers was also in the good hearer and differed only in degrees Ans To this we answer That the scope of that Parable is only to comfort and satisfy the Disciples as touching the fewnesse of them that did receive the Gospell and profit by the Preaching thereof And it was to lay open the various effects of the Preaching of the Gospell the meanes of begetting and increase of the saving grace of Gods elect and of the common grace of the Hypocrite by the comparison of the Sower and his sowing of seed corne in the ground That the effect thereof is various according to the ground in which it is cast That where the word falls into a stony heart Ezech. 36. 26. and a heart lost in the love of the world Jer. 4. 4 James 4 4. 1 Jo. 2. 19. Which is alwaies a wicked heart there it is fruitlesse and lost But where the word meets with a good and honest heart which is a heart broken and contrite for sinne and a heart that loveth God more then the world of
which there are few there it doth bring forth more or lesse fruit So that the seed sowen in all the grounds is the same but the fruit not the same for the bad ground it is said of the seed sowen in it that it had no root and that it brought forth no fruit So that although it be the same word that woâ—ks the common grace in the Hypocrite and the speciall grace in the Elect yet that which is wrought thereby in one is not the same that is wrought in another hearer thereof 2 Cor 2. 16. And now by all this that hath been said it may appeare that Sincerity lyeth more in the quality and nature then in the quantity and measure of the thing But there will be something more added we hope for the clearing of this poynt by a better hand in the last Chapter of this book And therefore we shall leave it in this place and proceed We have done now with the explicatory and shall come next to the Applicatory part of our discourse And out of what hath been already said may we not now draw up this conclusion That there is great cause to suspect That Sincerity towards God and Christ amongst the Professors of the Christian Religion is rare and that the Sincere Professors thereof are few But that Hypocrisy amongst these professors is very common and that the false Professors thereof are very many And now we shall make some Inferences and uses of that we have formerly laid downe CAP. V. Wherein the true Christian and Hypocrite may agree And how farre the Hypocrite may goe SECT I. ANd now we shall make some Inferences upon and improvement of all that we have said in our Explicatory part The first improvement we shall make of these things we have laid downe shall be For the tryall of our selves upon these heads 1. How farre an Hypocrite may goe in his perswasion practice and performance Or what he may be or have within or doe without him that the true Christian is hath and doth 2 What is lacking in him and what the true Christian is must be have and doe more then the Hypocrite And wherein he doth goe beyond and excell him And then secondly for the tryall of our works services 1. For the first 1. This is agreed in the generall by all men That a man may be not only almost but altogether at least in his perswasion converted from being a Jew Turke or Heathen to be a Christian from being a Papist or other Heretick to be a Protestant and Orthodox from being prophane and unrighteous to be a morall or civill man from being an Atheist or irreligious to be a Formalist or a man seemingly Religious and all this by the Preaching of the Gospell and yet be an Hypocrite So Judas Mat. 27. 1 2 c. Symon Magus Acts 8. 1 2 c. and many others Acts 5. 1 2 Mat. 23. 15. 2 The Hypocrite may be as rich honourable and prosperous in the world as the true Christian Psal 52. 1 2. 1 Sam. 22. 9. 3. He may come of a Godly Parentage and have a Godly education Phil 3. 4 5. Acts 22. 3. 4. The Hypocrite may have and enjoy as much in the outward Ordinances and Priviledges of the Church as the true Christian may have and enjoy 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. 9. 4 5. Moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea And were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ that is to say that the Fathers did upon the matter enjoy the same spirituall benefits and outward Sacraments But with many of them God was not well pleased c. Heb 3. 18 26. But some when they heard did provoke c. And to whom did he sweare c. but to them that believed not Luke 13. 25 26 27. When the Master is up and hath shut the doore c. and ye begin to stand without and to knock saying Lord Lord open to us And he shall answer and say 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 not whence yee are Heb. 4. 2. For unto us was the Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them c. Jude 4. Acts 22 3. 5 The Hypocrite may have as great a share in the Manifestation of Gods presence with a people by outward protections deliverances Salvations and Mercies as the true Christian may have Jude v. 5. I shall therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew it how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that believed not 1 Cor 10. 1 2 c. 6. The Hypocrite for his outward station and condition may be placed as nigh to God as the best Christian may be He may be the chief officer of a Church or a Nation or the like Jude v. 5. And the Angells which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaynes under darknesse c. So Judas Rev. 2. Demas Philemon 24. and others But more particularly SECT II. How farre the Hypocrite may goe in his outside with the true Christian The Hypocrite as to his practise and performance and for his outside and appearance therein may be visibly changed into another man 1 Sam 10. 6. He can and may doe as much and goe as farre as the best Christian whatsoever Nay he may possibly doe and suffer as much and in appearance before men with as great and as much Spirit and zeale as any man Yea seem more glorious and for matter and manner both go beyond the best Christian as the lustre of false gold may exceed the lustre of true gold and as an Artificiall picture and painted face may excell the naturall face and as a Stage-player may more lively act a man or thing said or done then the man or thing he doth act to be said or done He may therefore leave not only some but all the outward evills of his life and do in appearance all that is good he may seem to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and Godly and so in shew make a compleat outward reformation He may take up the whole forme of Godlinesse and Religion go round from day to day in the practise of piety keep the Sabbath Pray heare read conferre expound receive the Sacraments Fast and pray and do all other duties publick and private incumbent on a Christian he may seem good amongst good as Saul 1 Sam 10. 10. and better then most of
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
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
named particulars within this Section See Numb 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the Righteous Numb 24. 2 3 c. 1 Cor 11. 30 31 32. For this cause many are weake c. If we would judge our selves c. but when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we be not condemned c. which would seem to have this intimation that notwithstanding all your gifts Parts and progresse in Christianity if you have secret evills and do not labour to find them out and judge your selves for them you may be condemned with the world 1 Cor 15. 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ c. which words seem to imply thus much That if all our Parts gifts desires works c. reach and look no farther and last no longer then for this present life that our Faith Hope c. be but temporary moved from and carried to something that is not beyond this life we are in a sad case it will doe us no more good then the wealth glory and good things which Dives had Luke 16. 25. Io. 6. 27. 1 Cor 13. 8 13. 1 Pet. 1. 22 24 25. Seeing ye have purified c. Being borne again not of Corruptible seed c. By which words are intimated thus much That unlesse you manifest the work of the spirit within you in obedience to the truth by having your hearts purifyed and by an unfeyned pure and fervent love of the Saints beyond that work which is wrought in the hearts of Hypocrites you will not have the evidence within you of that Regeneration which is true and effectually wrought of God by his spirit through the word by which there is effected an immortall seed of Grace that abideth for ever But if it be only some morall vertues or common gifts be they never so excellent and glorious that have the face of the new Creature and he in whom they are be not a new Creature indeed they are reckoned with God but as flesh which is as grâ—sse and the flower of the field they will doe a man no more good nor last any longer then riches honours and such like things which are but for this life only Phil. 3. 4 5. 2 Pe. 3. 4 It is said Psal 106. 11 12. then believed they his words that is when they had seen such signall manifestations of Gods power and working for them against their enemies they were for the present as full of Faith in God his promise and joy as a bladder of wind they soon forgat c. it had no root nor well grounded principle they fell back But lusted exceedingly c. Mat. 13. 21 22. Phill 3. 4 5 19. 1 Tim 6. 5. 2 Pe. 3 4. Exod 14. 31. compared with 15. 23 24. Numb 13. 26 27. c. 14. 1. 27. c. And thus he may strive in his inward as well as in his outward man to enter into heaven and not be able Luke 13. 24. SECT IV. What it is that doth carry the Hypocrite thus farre And why he goeth no farther If it be asked how it comes to passe that an Hypocrite doth goe so farre We answer 1. That he may be drawn or driven to it by some or all of these following means 1. He may be drawn hereunto by the work of his naturall Conscience Rom 2. 15. Rom. 1. 32. For when the Gentiles that have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law to themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witnesse c. Prov. 20. 27. The spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Or by occasion and reason of some eminent and miraculous work of God done before their eyes Io. 4. 41 44 45 46. c. Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not believe or by occasion of some eminent work of Gods Providence done for his people or against their enemies or by the feare of death or some great affliction upon him Psal 78. 34. When he flew them then they sought him c. Psal 106. 11 12. And the waters covered their enemies c. then believed they his words they sang his praise they soon forgat his works c. Or by occasion of some light breaking in and some powerfull conviction upon the Conscience by the word and Spirit of God whereby it is pressed and moved to doe what it doth Perhaps it cannot otherwise be in peace It may be it is convinced there are some good and desireable things to be had and duties to be done in the profession of the Christian Faith and happily it may find more temporall good in such a life then in a wicked loose life 2. He may be moved or brought hereunto by Education discipline or example of Parents or such like persons under whom he hath been brought up So by Education many Creatures have been brought to be quite contrary to their nature and so doe many strange things And by this means he hath perhaps taken in some truths and taken up a profession or customary practise of doing some good And by custome herein he hath as it were gotten another nature and now doth act almost as freely as he that acts Naturally by grace and so he doth continue till by strength of temptation he be taken off and so discovered Luke 8. 12 13 14. This seems to be the case of Joash who continued good all the dayes of Jehoiadah 2 Kings 12. 2. This being that which moved him when this was gone his Action ceased 3. But there are many carnall and corrupt ends that draw in and bring on so many into a profession of Religion and that doth make them to engage so farre as to follow Christ a great way and a great while therein For some enter into a profession of Religion out of a designe and desire to doe mischiefe in it And this sometimes doth make men act vigorously as if Religion were their principall aime So some â—â—ve joyned themselves to the Church of Christ and preached and made profession of the Gospell of purpose to destroy the Gospell and overthrow the Church of Christ Gal. 2. 4. False brethren c. who came in privily c. that they might bring us into bondage Phil 1. 16 17. Some preach Christ of envy c. supposing to add afflictions to my bonds that is by drawing away the more to the Profession of the Gospell and so enraging the enemy the more against mee or by exalting and preferring of themselves before me so as to hinder the fruit of my Ministry Some engage in a profession of Religion that thereby they might cover some wickednesse they are intending to doe or in doing Prov. 7. 14. 1 Kings 21. 9 12. But most commonly and most men herein are carried forth in their profession of Religion from selfe love to and for selfe-ends as
selfe-praise or Applause Acts 20. 30. Mat 6. 2. Selfe honour or advancement Mat. 23. 6 8. Selfe-greatnesse in office or command James 3. 1. 1 Pet 5. 3. Mat 23. 4 5 6 7 Selfe profit or gaine Mat 23. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Selfe-case Mat. 23. 4 Selfe content Gen 34. 18 19. Selfe-pleasure 2 Tim. 2. 3. and so to satisfy their lusts Iames 4. 3. There are many professors of the Christian Religion now as heretofore that suppose gaine to be Godlinesse 1 Tim 6. 5. that is that the Religion which brings most worldly advantage to the professors thereo◠〈◊〉 the best Religion And whose God is their belly c. who mind earthly things Phill. 3. 18 19. That serve not the Lord Jesus but their own bellyes c. Rom. 16. 18. That serve the Creature more then the Creator c. Rom. 1. 25. that are lovers of pleasure more then Lovers of God 2 Tim 3. 4. That are lovers of their own selves c. Men of corrupt minds 2 Tim. 3. 2 5 7. That seek their own not the things of Iesus Christ Phill 2. 21. Phill 1. 16 17. That love the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2. 15. And these things or some of them doubtlesse were the things that carried forth and made so many followers and disciples of Christ in the dayes of his flesh They might see and Historically believe what was prophesied of him and by this and what they heard from and saw in him might expect he would be great and able to doe great things for them and some good they had at the present by him And this was it that doubtlesse did make Judas engage so farre with him Io. 6. 26. Io. 12. 6. And hereof Christ did sometimes give caution to his Disciples who were all of them a little sick of this disease Io. 6. 27. Marke 10. 14. Luke 18. 17. Mat. 18. 1. Luke 22 24 26. So that it is in the state of the Kingdome of Christ and where the Preaching of the Gospell is as where a man hath a corrupt stomack and all the meats the purest and the best he taketh in do corrupt in it And as the Sunne by his shining upon a stinking dunghill draws forth the smell and doth make the stink thereof to be the more and the greater So the foulenesse and corruption of some mens hearts is so great and so much that it corrupts all the pure truths of the word of God that comes in it And the word gives occasion to them or rather they take occasion by it to shew forth their heart-corruption the more And to them it is a savour of death unto death 2 Cor 2. 16. And where the preaching of the Gospell is there is begotten in man occasionally and by accident from the same Gospell and from the corruption of mans heart together a Resolution to become a Gospell professor that is like to a false Conception Phill. 1. 16. 2 Pet. 2. 3. out of which at last there is bred and brought forth by a seeming act of Regeneration a kind of changed or a new Creature like to a false Birth one like to a Christian but one that is no Christian indeed And this being made up of such corrupt matter as the principles foundation and ends thereof which are altogether carnall It is said to be a Birth of the flesh and the will of man and not of God by his Spirit and word as the Regeneration of the true Christian is Mat. 16. 16 17. Io. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 25. And therefore these men as they are but dead pictures of the true Christian so are all the seeming works gifts and graces of such men but the similitude and appearance only of the graces and works of the true Christian 2 Tim. 3 5. Psal 78. 35 36. And hence it is that they and their graces and works are said to be carnall temporall perishing for this life only and of the nature of all earthly things which are but as grasse and the flower of the field that withereth falleth away Io 3. 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh that is carnall and savoureth of the things of flesh and corrupt nature But that which is borne of the spirit is spirit that is is spirituall and savoureth the things of the spirit or of a nature renewed by the spirit 1 Pet. 1. 21 22. Being borne again not of corruptible seed but of Incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever for all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of the grasse the grasse withereth c Phill 3. 4 5. If any man thinke he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more circumcised c. 1 Cor 15. 19. Mat 13. 22 23. Io. 6. 26. 1 Cor. 8. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 12. James 3. 15. Jude 19. And this corrupt matter we speak of hath frequently a great influence upon men professing Religion in their actings in publick works that whiles they act much and goe very farre therein they are carried forth in it by some of these sinister respects So Rulers in Churches and Commonwealths in their work of Ruling and Preachers of the Gospell in their work of Preaching whereof the Prophet complaineth Micah 3 11. The Heads judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof Divine for money yet leane upon the Lord c. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Ro. 16. 18. And it is much to be feared that in this golden time wherein it is with us as it was with the Jewes in the time of Esther Esther 8. 17. The Jewes had joy and gladnesse a feast and a good day and many of the people of the land became Jewes For the feare of them fell upon their enemies So now the profession of the Gospell of Christ is so much in request that the same is the high way to advancement and favour To be a zealous able Preacher of the Gospell or a carefull painfull Magistrate in the Common wealth after the example of the greatest men of the time is a way to bring much furtherance to a mans selfe-ends And therefore it is to be doubted that these selfe-ends and sinister respects may have a great influence now upon some of the Preachers of the Gospell That their engagement therein may be and is only or especially that they may be Rulers of Congregations masters of Assemblies Lords over Gods Heritage or for filthy lucres sake to have a livelihood and maintenance to live by and not to glorify God winne the soules of men feed the flock of Christ and the like the which hath been and ought alwaies to be the main and principall motive of the servants of Christ herein 1 Tim 3 3 8. 1 Pet 5. 2. Tit. 1. 7 11. 2 Cor. 4. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 33. Rom 10. 11. Psal 78. 72. Io. 21. 15. 1 Pet 5. 2. And it is very probable that some of these corrupt ends
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
it but what is in it selfe and therefore cannot burne long or as a Tree that hath no Root or as a branch of a tree cut or broken off the tree and put into the ground or as the Cions of a Tree grafted into another stock that doth not grow into and up with it kindly These and such as these will never bear fruit kindly and lastingly So that then the Christian which is not in Christ by Faith and in whom Christ dwells not by his Spirit cannot bear good fruit at all much lesse can he bear good fruit long Ioh. 15. 1 2. c. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And as a stone not well put into the building but hanging loose by it will fall out and the building that hath a bad foundation will never stand long So will it be with the Hypocrite Mat 7. 24. Luke 8. 13. Rom 8. 9 10. SECT II. In the exercise and proceed of true and counterfeit Grace in them If it be asked how this Indwelling of Christ by his Spirit in the soule and the union of the Christian thereby to Christ may be known We answer That this is not known so much by it selfe as by some fruits and effects as also by some reflect acts of the soule upon these fruits Io. 3. 2 3 8 9. Marvaile not that I said unto thee ye must be borne againe The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is borne of the Spirit but it may be known by the fruits of it Gal 5. 20. The fruit of the Spirit is Love joy Peace Long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith mecknesse temperance Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is not c. But Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost This is one thing that doth ever accompany or follow this work in the soule that it makes a very great and a generall change therein there is a new light and a new life in the soule and this is discovered by such like effects and works as discover the life of the body such as are constant breathing the use of the Spirituall senses Hunger thirst walking talking and the like The soule doth long and breath after God and Christ and the things of God it can heare see and relish divine things it doth hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and the meanes of grace Gods word and the like it can walk with some strength in Gods waies talk of good things And this change is very great so that of a Lyon the man is made a Lamb Esay 11. 6. Of darknes he is become light Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are light in the Lord Ephes 2. 1 2. c. You that were dead hath he quickned c. All things are become new in him and therefore is he said to be a new Creature 2 Cor 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new He hath a new Name Rev. 3. 12. A new life Psal 51. 10. He hath a new Heart a new understanding judgement will and affections new principles new motions new qualities his Heart of stone is become a heart of flesh E zech 36. 26. A new heart will I give you c. Ezek 11. 19 20. And I will put a new Spirit within you And I will take the stony heart out of them and give them a heart of flesh that they shall walk in my statutes So that when by reflect acts of Faith upon this Change wrought in him and upon these fruits of the spirit he looketh upon himselfe he may now say with Paul Gal. 2. 20. I am Crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not 〈◊〉 but Christ in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the saith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Now he seeth God as he is and judgeth of God and Christ and the things of God and the world as they are and finding himselfe beloved of God and Christ he loves them againe more then the world more then himselfe he delights himselfe much in God willeth him as his last end and his chiefe good and willeth Gods will and being now made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pe. 1. 4. and having Gods Image of Righteousnesse and holinesse reinstamped upon him he hath the same mind in him that is in Christ and he doth walk in this World as Christ walked in this world his words works and life are clean changed Ephes 4. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousnesse and true holinesse 1 Cor. 15. 49. Coll. 3. 10. And instead of the Fruits of Adultery Fornication uncleanesse lasciviousnesse wantonnesse Idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife sedition Heresies which are the works of the flesh Gal. 5. 24 25. and were the fruits he brought forth before Now his work is and the fruits he bringeth forth are Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance which are the fruits of the Spirit And by reflecting upon them he knoweth them But these reflect acts and operations of Christs spirit are not to be found in the heart of an Hypocrite his heart is still the same or worse then ever it was as full or more full of Pride malice coveteousnesse and all manner of secret wickednesse then ever it was Mat. 23. 25 27. within they are full of Extortion and excesse and of all uncleannesse Acts 8. 23. thou art in the gall of bitternesse c. Psal 58. 2. In heart ye work wickednesse c. Mat. 12. 34. Prov. 26. 24 25 26. And it must of necessity be so with him for he hath no Faith which doth purify the heart Acts 15. 9. 1 Jo. 3. 3. And hence it is that the Hypocrite is still called upon to repent and wash his heart Esay 1. 10. Jer. 4. 14. If it be objected that there is in the heart of an Hypocrite some work of the spirit much like to the work that is wrought in the heart of the true Christian To this we Answer That there is some likenesse between the common and the speciall work of the spirit in the hearts of good and bad And yet if these workings be well observed these differences may be found between them 1. In the heart of the true Christian as the heart it self is rooted in Christ So is grace by Christs Spirit rooted in the heart springs from the spirituall life that is within it which is Christ who dwelleth in it Ephes 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Coll. 2. 7. Rooted and built up in him c. Rom. 6. 5. For if wee have been planted together c. But that which is in
And sometimes he takes offence at some word or work of God or by some other occasion and falls clean away by Apostasy 1 Jo 2 19. 2 Tim. 4 10. 1 Sam 13. 8. 28. 7. Luke 18. 22. Mark 6. 20. And thus much of the differences between them in their outside SECT II. The Differences between the saving work of Gods Spirit in the true Christian and the common work in the Hypocrite We come now to the Second head to speak of their Inside And herein shall observe the differences that there are between the saving and reall Graces of the true Christian and the counterfeit Graces of the Hypocrite in some particulars 1. In their Knowledge The true Christian hath and must have the knowledge of God for without this the heart cannot be good Prov. 19. 2. And so the Hypocrite may have and hath also But there are these differences between the knowledge of the one and the knowledge of the other 1. The knowledge of the true Christian is commonly a more clerae and distinct knowledge Phill. 1. 9 10. Mat 13. 11. But that of the Hypocrite a more generall confused and obscure knowledge and such was the knowledge of the Scribes and Pharisees of the Scripture 2. That of the true Christian is more certain as being grounded upon the Scripture and also upon some practise and experience of the things known And it is like to the knowledge that a man hath of meats drinks and medicines by the view tast and trial over and besides his reading of them And to the knowledge that a man hath of a Country that he hath dwelt walked in and beheld with his own eyes over and above his knowledge thereof by the Mappe Phill. 1. 9 10. Heb 5. 14. Psal 34. 8. 1 Pet 2. 3. But that of the Hypocrite is only speculative and discoursive like to the knowledge that a man hath of a farre Country by a Mappe or by reading of it or to the knowledge that a man hath of the vertues of meats medicines by the reading thereof only Mat. 23. 16. 17. Jo 3. 10. Acts 22. 3. Phill. 3. 4 5 6. 3. That of the true Christian is alwaies accompanied with a desire and labour of increase thereof and the more he hath the more he desireth and laboureth to have still Phill. 1. 9 10. Coll 1. 10. 2 Pet 3. 18. But in that which the Hypocrite hath it is otherwise for he being full cares for no more thereof nor doth he desire it farther then it will make to his advantage in his designe he drives Job 21. 14. Rev. 3. 17 18. 4. That of the true Christian is a Spiritualizing knowledge it doth spirituallize the man and his heart in whom it is 2 Cor. 5. 16. 1 Cor 2. 7 14. Mat. 13. 11. But that of the Hypocrite is carnall earthly naturall and sensuall as the man in whom it is is And hence it is that he takes things yea the most spirituall things carnally Io. 3. 4 9. and 6. 41 45 52 60 63 66. 2 Cor 2. 14. and 4. 3. 5. That of the true Christian is a lively effectuall and working knowledge that produceth great and lasting effects in the heart and life of him in whom it is It is like to fire that doth not only give light but heate purify consume and otherwise work according to the matter on which it cometh and wherewith it meeteth and so it is 1. A heart affecting knowledge For thereby and therewith there is wrought and kindled in the heart deere affections towards the things known God Christ Word Christians and other known spiritualls a high esteem of a vehement love to delight in an ardent and strong appetite as of the child after the mothers breast after the enjoyment of them Psal 119. 72 97 103 162. 1 Pe. 2. 3. Phill 3. 8. and 1. 9. 1 Cor. 2. 2. 1 Cor 8. 1. 1 Io. 4. 7 8. Cant. 6. 1. But that of the Hypocrite is a remote knowledge that doth swimâ—â—e in the braine onely and doth never come neer to the heart it is a cold flat and dead knowledge that either doth not at all affect the heart with any life or hear or if it doth it is but sleightly and for a little time and it is soon quenched againe Ezech 33. 31. Mat. 13. 11 20. Mark 4. 6. 2. It is a heart purging knowledge for hereby the heart is more and more purged from its sinne and wrought and changed into an holy frame after the likenesse of the word as the wax to the Seale put upon it 2 Cor. 3. 18 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth c. 1 Pe. 2. 3. Jam 3. 17 1 Io. 3. 6. But it is not so in the heart of the Hypocrite his heart is not changed at all or not changed throughly and to purpose Heb. 4. 5 6 and 11. 12 but he continues therein as bad or worse then ever he was Acts 8. 21. 22. Rom. 1. 32 3. It is a heart humbling and Souleabasing knowledge It makes a Christian vile and despicable in his owne eyes the more he sees of God and Divine Mysteries the more humble selfe emptie selfe denying and selfe abhorring he is Iob. 42. 5. 6. Rom. 7. 18. 24. Gal. 2. 20. Phil. 3. 7. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 9 Ephes 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. But that of the hypocrite doth puffe him up So the knowledge of the Pharisees puffed them up Io. 9. 40. Are we blind also 1 Cor. 8. 1. And this knowledge in Gods account is no knowledge at all 1. Cor. 8. 2. 4. It is a life-reforming knowledge and obedientiall and practical knowledge and makes him in whom it is fruitfull in all good workes 1 Ioh. 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandements Iames 3. 17. the wisdome that is from above is c. full of good workes 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding the glorie of the Lord are changed unto the the same Image 1. Ioh. 4. 6. Joh. 13. 17. But that of the Hypocrite is but seldome so and if it doe worke upon him any change of reformation it is but in the outside only but generally he is a hearer and Talker but no Doer of the word Mat. 23. 3. they say and doe not v. 27. ye appear beautifull outward but within c. are ful of all uncleaner 1. Jo. 2. 3. 4. 6 The knowledge of the true Christian is a communicative knowledge in order to the edification of others wife children servants neighbours c. It is still scattering and dispering it selfe abroad Prov. 15 7. His lips disperse knowledge Psal 112. 9. He hath dispersed c. Psal 51. 12. 13. But the Hypocrite he either hides his Talent or if he doe imploy it he doth it to advance his owne prayse or to further his owne corrupt ends Mat. 25. 25. I was afraide and hid my Talent c. Mat. 23. 15. ye compasse
it is to all the VVord and that part most of all that shall detect and correct his most secret sin Psal 141. 5. Rom. 7. 12 13 14. 6 It is a fruitfull changing and efficacious love it makes the man in whom it is by the use of this VVord to grow still and be changed into the very likeness of it and so to love the knowledge of it as to fall into the practise and obedience of it He loves to do it as well as to know it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Rom. 6. 17. But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine Job 23. 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips c. 1 Pet. 1. 22. But the false love and so the short and sleight delight of the Hypocrite to and in this VVord hath none of all this for it is commonly to a part of it onely he cannot brook that part thereof that shall discover and correct his sin especially his secret and beloved sin John 3. 20 21. Mark 6. 17 18. 3 Luk. 19 20. 2 Chron. 18. 7. And that love he hath to the rest doth usually arise from the excellencies or noveltie of the matter treated of therein the singular gifts of the Preacher or some view he hath of the sweet promises of the Gospel contained therein the Redemption by Jesus Christ and the happiness of such as believe in him and that he by mistake doth apprehend he hath a share therein But it works no change at all in him nor is he at all conformed thereunto in his heart and life He doth hear but not doe it he casteth it behinde his back and commonly he hateth it Ezek. 33. 31 32 33. Isa 58. 2. and 59. 2. Ps 50. 16 17. Rom. 2. 13 23. James 1. 22. Jer. 7. 23 24. SECT VIII 7 In their love to Ordinances The true Christian doth love and delight in all the rest the Ordinances of God the Sabboâ—h Sacrament Prayer and the like And some kind of love and delight there may be also in the heart of an Hypocrite but with a great deal of difference The love of the sincere Christian to them is as they are pure Ordinances from God and are by divine institution and serve to his glory and the good of souls and as they serve to bring God and us near together and to maintain our communion with him And it is his meat and drink to use thâ—m Rom. 7. 22. Heb. 8. 10. His Laws are put into their mind and written in their hearts Rom. 7. 22. He doth delight in the Law of God after the inward man And together with his use of them he doth joyn Reformation of heart and life Psal 119. 14 I have rejoyced in the waies of thy Testimonies Psal 119. 10 I have refrained my feet from every evil way Ps 40. 8. But that which is in the heart of an Hypocrite of delight and pleasure in them is very little and short And that is onely for his self ends at the most because he conceiveth there is a necessity of the doing of them in order to salvation And so an Hypocrite may like of and use them as a bridge to goe over to heaven or as men use Physick But commonly he doth account all these things as a burthen and he doth use them as a cloak to his wickedness Isa 58. 2 3 4 c. Isa 59. 2 3 c. Ezech. 33 32. Amos 8. 5. When will the New Moon be gone c. the Sabboth c And he doth continue still in his wickedness at the least of the heart as before Psal 58. 2 3 Yea in heart ye work wickedness c. Mat. 23. 27. Acts 8 22 23. SECT IX 8 In their love to and desire after Grace The true Christian doth and must love and desire Grace And the Hypocrite also as he hath a kinde of love to Gods VVord and to godly men so hath he a kind or appearance of desire and love to Grace But there is a great deal of difference between them For 1 The love desire of the true Châ—istian is a true and natural love arising from his new nature and Gods Spirit in him The love of Grace is Grace and a part of the new creature 2 His love to it is for it self and its loveliness in his eye and the likenesse it hath to God and the agreement that there is between the true Christians changed nature and it and because it makes him like to God But that which is in the Hypocrite is counterfeit and not from a new nature for he is not regenerate neither hath he the Spirit of God in him But that seeming love and desire of Grace which is in him is onely for himself and his own end and so he may have a confused desire of it as apprehending it may be a means to escape the wrath of God and the condemnation of hell and to obtain heaven and happiness for him 3 The true Christians desire after Grace is vehement active and unsatiable Psal 84. 2. 7. Cant. 4. 16. He cannot be satisfied with any measure of it but hungers and thirsts still for more Ps 119. 97. O how I love thy Law c. My soul breakeâ—h for the longing c. Phil. 3. 12. Rom. 7. 24. Luke 1. 53. Mat 5 6. Isa 55. 1 2. But the love that is in the Hypocrite is a weak cold careless and unactive love he thinks he hath enough and cares for no more Rev. 3. 17. Because thou saist I am rich c. Luke 6 25. and 1. 53. Luke 18. 12. But more of this afterwards in the fifteenth Section SECT X. 9 In their faith and trust in God The true Christian doth beleeve and trust in God Iohn 14. 1. Psal 31. 1. And so he must do 2 Chron. 20. 20. Psal 130. 7. The Hypocrite also hath a kind of trust and hope in God Psal 106. 12. Job 8. 14. But there is a great deal of odds between the faith trust and hope of the one and of the other 1 The faith and hope of the true Christian is grounded upon the Word of God and the Promise and Covenant of God in Christ which he doth well understand and wherein he hopes himself to be included Psal 78. 7 8. Psal 119. 42. 94. I am thine save me Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee c. But the Hypocrite doth commonly trust in himself or somewhat else besides God Luke 18. 11. 21. Rom. 10. 3. That which the Hypocrite hath is oft times wrought by something else besides the Word of God Psal 106. 12 13. John 2. 23. and 6. 2. and 4. 48. And
commandement of God and rebelled against him Isa 58. 6 7 8. Gen. 4. 13 14. 2 Much after the same manner is the repentance and sorrow of the Saints upon their particular falls into gross sins Psal 51. 1. And for their daily weaknesses and frailties there is a daily and continual repentance and mourning for it Rom 7. 24. SECT XIII 12 In their Humilitie The true Christian must be and is of an humble and lowly frame of spirit and hath low and mean thoughts of himself and of his own works and worth and hath an humble confidence in the free Grace of God in Christ only for all the good he looks for here and hereafter Mat. 18. 8. Psal 131 1. Gen. 32. 10. The Hypocrite we grant hath a kind of humility also Col. 2. 18 23. The difference between them lyeth in this 1 The true Christian being truly humble doth declare it by his whole conversation in word deed Psal 131. 2. Neither doe I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me The Hypocrites humility is shewed onely in some particulars and in other things he sheweth himselfe very proud Mat 23. 5 6. The true Christian doth prefer other men and their gifts before himself and his own gifts and hath an honourable esteem of all such as are of worth but suspecteth himself 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief Luke 18. 13. But the Hypocrite having high thoughts of himself and his works and worth â—tusts to himself and despiseth others better than himself Luke 18. 11. The Phaiisee stood up and praied thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican Hab. 2. 4. Behold his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him c. SECT XIV 13 In their joy and delight in God The true Christian doth may and must rejoice and delight in God and Christ and in the things of God 1 Chron. 29. 9. 17. Psal 119. 47. But the Hypocrite hath also some delight and joy in God and in his Word c. But there is a great difference between this affection in the one and in the other 1 The true Christian doth rejoice and delight in God and Christ and the matters of God for themselves and the goodness and holiness therof Psal 27. 1 2 c. Psal 63. 1 2 c. and 84. 2 3 c. Rom. 7. 22. But the Hypocrite doth not delight in God at all Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Or if his delight be in the Word of God it is for some good it seems to hold forth or that he apprehends in it to himself 2 The delight and sweetness that is wrought in the heart of the true Christian ariseth from an inward principle or new nature that is within him which was formed by the power of the Spirit of Christ Ps 110. 3. But there is none of this in the Hypocrite for he is without the Spirit of Christ Jude 19. and he was never changed by it 3 The joy and delight of the true Christian is a deep large and transcendent joy Ps 119. 14. 72. Phil. 4 7. It passeth all understanding Ps 71. 23. Psal 4 7. But the joy of the Hypocrite is but a shallow sleight and superficiall joy compared to the taste of a thing Heb. 6. 10. He hath much more joy and delight in his just as Iudas in his covetousness and Herod in his Herodias than in God and the things of God Psal 4. 8. 4 The joy of a true Christian is a clear and pure joy and there is no sorrow in it Prov. 10. 22 But the joy of the Hypocrite is an obscure and mixed joy Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter their heart is sorrowful c. 5 It is in the upright accompanied with godly sorrow that goeth before or with it Psal 2. 11. Acts 2. 37 38. But all the joy that is in the heart of the temporary is without this as in Herod Mark 6. 20. Ezek. 33. 32. Mat. 13. 20. 6 The joy of the upright man grows up by grees and leisurely Acts 2 37. 38 46. Isa 64. 5. But the Hypocrites joy is up and very high upon a suddain Mat. 13 20. 7 The joy of a sincere man is a lasting and permanent joy Isa 35. 10. Psal 35 10. But the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment it is soon up and soon down Job 20. 5. Mat. 13. 20 21. Psal 106. 12. 13. Then beleeved they his words they sang his praise they soon forgat his works c. 8 There is strength in the joy of the sincere man Neh 8. 10. For it will help him to bear his cross Rom. 5. 1 2. Psal 119 92. Phil. 4. 7. But otherwise it is of the Hypocrites joy for when tribulation comes he falls off and hath no strength to bear it Mat 13. 21. Luke 8. 31. 9 It will make him that is sincere more carefull and active for God whiles he is on his feet and when he falls it will help to recover him Luke 1. 74 78 79. Acts 9. 18 19 20. Psal 119. 32 93. Psal 77. 6. SECT XV. 14 In their desires The true Christian hath and must have good desires motions and dispositions to good Ps 37. 4. Isa 26. 8 9. 2 Cor. 7. 11. The Hypocrite also hath somewhat like to this Numb 23. 10. Joh. 6. 34. Luke 14. 15. But there is a great difference 1 Those desires of the sincere Christian are eager and earnest 1 Cor. 14. 1. Psal 42. 1. As the Hart panteth c. Cant. 2. 5. I am sick of love Psal 143. 7 and 119. 20. Mat 5. 4 6. But these of the Hypocrite are weak and faint desires that can away with delay and denial Numb 23. 10. Iohn 5. 34 35 36. 2 The desires of the upright are laborious and diligent desires that make a man industrious in the use of all means to attain them as in the bodily hunger which will break through stone walls as that in Paul Phil. 3. 8 9. I count all things but losse c. and dung to win Christ verse 13 14. I presse towards the mark c. and David Ps 119 20 40 c. But these of the Hypocrite are sloggish and he is notwithstanding them lazie like to the sluggard Prov. 21. 22. 26 and 13. 5. So those Iohn 6. 34 35. So Balaam Numb 23. 10. desired to die the death but would not take the pains to live the life of the righteous 3 The true desires are constant and restless desires Psal 119. 20. My soul breaketh for c. at all times Psal 84. 2. My soul longeth c. But these of the Hypocrite are unconstant and sickle desires Iames 1. 7 8. a double minded man is unstable c. and he is like a deceitful bow Hosea 6. 16. SECT XVI 15 In their
pleasure more than lovers of God Having a form of Godliness c. Rom. 1. 25. Served the creature more than the creator c. That doe all for reward Jude 11. Mic. 3. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 3. through covetousnesse shall with feigned words make merchandize of the soules of men Acts 20. 30. And so he may forbear to doe the evil that otherwise he would doe and doe the good that otherwise he would not do So the Scribes and Pharisees did fast and pray to get praise and wealth Mat. 6 2. 16. Mat. 23 14 15. Zach. 7. 5. Did ye fast unto me even to me c. Hosea 7. 14 15. And they have not cried unto me with their heart they assemble themselves for corn and wine c. and 10. 1. He bringeth forth fruir to himself Sometimes the fear of man keeps him from the doing of evil Mat. 14. 5. and 21. 46. Sometimes this also may provoke him to some good Gen. 28. 8. And as there is a great deal of difference in their minds as to their doings so there is as to their sufferings also for Christ The true Christian must suffer for Christ and must be ready and will be able to leave all for him The Hyocrite also may and somtimes doth suffer many things for Christ But the one of them hath first learned to deny himself before he take up his cross the other takes up his cross before that he hath learned to deny himself The one doth suffer out of love to Christ for Righteousness and the Gospels sake for the glory of Christ and advantage of Christians The other out of a self-love for his own sake as for his own glory and praise or for some earthly advantage to himself So Judas suffered with the rest for Christ to fill his purse and to be great in Christs kingdom which hee thought would be an earthly kingdom 1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I give my body to be burned and have not charitie it profiteth me nothing Psal 44. 22. 2 Tim. 2 10. Mark 10. 28 29. Gal. 3. 4. Jerem. 15. 15. Mat. 10. 39. and 16. 25. And thus much for the differences between them in their outside and inside considered asunder It remains now that we lay down some few differences that there are between them in their outside and inside considered together SECT XVIII 17 In their falling into continuance in and getting out of sin The Hypocrite is naturally a sinner and so is the true Christian There is no man good no not one Rom. 3. 10. And they both sin for there is no man liveth and sinneth not 1 Kings 8. 46. And in many things we offend all James 3. 2. And if we say wee have no sin we make him a lyar c. we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1. 8 10. Psal 19. 12. Who can understand his errors Psal 38. 4. and 40. 12. and 65. 3. and 130. 3. But more particularly 1 The true Christian hath in him originally the same pravitie and corruption of nature that the Hypocrite hath and by nature they are both alike sinfull Ephes 2. 1 2 3. 2 The true Christian hath after his conversion somewhat of the corruption of his nature still remaining in him And therefore there is still in him some propensitie and inclination to all sin and a possibilitie of his falling into any sin but the sin against the Holy Ghost there is still flesh and spirit in him Rom. 7. 15 16 17. Gal. 5. 17 18. James 1. 13 14. 3 He may be somewhat tainted and touched with any of the sins of the time and place as were the true Christians and members of the best Churches in all times more or less which is to be perceived by the Epistles of the Apostles written to them 4 This corruption may somtimes in the heart boyl up break out to som height in the inward motions and lusts thereof as in uncleanness impatiencie pride and the like as in David 2 Sam. 11. 2 3. in Asa 2 Chr. 14. 1 2 compared with 16. 1 2 3. 7. 10. Jonah 4. 1 2 3. and others 5 For the lesser sins of Infirmity these hee may commit daily all his life long Rom. 7. 15. 6 He may occasionally fall into foul scandalous sins Murder Adultery Drunkenness and the like as Noah Peter David Lot and others did 2 Sam 11. 2 3 c. Gen. 9. 24. Gen. 19. 32 33. But for this see more in chap. 8. at the beginning of it 7 There may be very much of the will going along with his commitment of these sins for the present time as in Davids case Ps 19. 13. 8 These acts of sin may by him be repeated again and again Gen. 19. 33. 34 35. 9 He may after his commission thereof rest and continue secure therein for a while without repentance as David did 2 Sam. 11. 12. In all these things there is little or no difference to be found in outward appearance between the true Christian and the Hypocrite but that for a time they may be alike And yet there is an vast an real difference to be found between the Hypocrite and the true Christian herein also as to their committing of and continuance in their sin and that before the sin done 2 In the commission of the sin 3 After the sin committed For he that is born of God cannot may not so sin as the Hypocrite can and may do 1 Joh. 5. 18. Deut. 32. 5. Their spot is not the spot of his children c. And there are to be found these differences between the sin of the one and of the other 1 Before the sin committed the sincere Christian doth generally hate all sin for the evill that is in it as well as for the evil consequences of it And he hates it in all men more in those that are near about him most of all in himself 2 Chron. 15. 16. Ps 101 1 2 3. He looks upon sin as a filthiness and flies it he hath a resolution against it yea he cannot love or delight in it there being as great a contrarietie between him and it as between light and darkness And it is against his new nature as it is contrary to the nature of a sheep to wallow in the dirt although happily this hatred in the very act of the commission of the sin may be suspended hee is like a neat huswife in a kitchin that doth keep her not onely from the fire hut from the filth and soyl of the place He doth not seek sin Psal 119. 128. I hate every false way Rom. 7. 15. But what I hate that I doe Psal 119. 57. I have said I will keep thy words Psal 19. 12 13 14. Cleanse me c. keep hack thy servant c. Psal 97. 10. Prov. 8 13. But the Hypocrite doth not hate sin for if hee did he would hate all as well as some sin But he doth naturally love and delight in sin
and all over sick And sin in the sincere Christian is in some of these respects fitly compared by some to the dirt in a lively pure spring that will not suffer it to bee quiet bvt will be working it out But it is in the Hypocrite as in the standing pool that gathereth the mud and keeps in when it hath it or as it is in a bad stomack that loves devoureth and feedeth upon trash and retains it to the destruction of the body but a good stomack will not endure it but cast it out one way or other or if it continue till it corrupt the body it pusheth out the corruption by boyls and the like so the good soul cannot wil not endure sin long within it in peace 4 After the sin committed i. The true Christian having sinned doth not rest secure in his sin hee doth not allow or approve of what he hath done much less doth he justifie or defend leest of all doth he glory in it as the Hypocrite doth but finding himself to be polluted and wounded by it hee labours with all speed to be cleansed and cured He is therfore displeased with himselfe and grieved for it repenteth of it is afraid of Gods displeasure by it as a child of the displeasure of a father when he hath done a fault and therefore he is glad of any help herein for his cure For the sin of the true Christian to him is as the cruel service of the Israelites under their cruell Taskmasters in Aegypt was to them Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Or as a man that being fallen into the fire and like to bee burnt is snatcht out of the same and so escapeth the danger so the true Christian he is ready to confess and willing to forsake his sin as David 2 Sam. 12. 13. And doth forsake it 2 Cor. 4. 2. And afterwards make amends to God and man what he can for it Luke 19. 18. and Zacheus stood up c. And Peter Mat 26. 70 72 75. For ordinary and daily frailties the true Christian doth mourn for them daily as hee doth commit and observe them Psal 19. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me c. Rom. 7. 22. If he fall into greater sins hee is more deeply humbled for them and doth more emineutly repent thereof as Peter Mat. 26 75. David Psal 51. 1 2 3 c. 2 Sam. 24 1 2 c. Job 40. 1 4 5 c. But otherwise it is with the Hypocrite in all these particulars Hee is pleased with his sin and not troubled with it but when it brings him into trouble Otherwise hee is resolved to continue in his sin and his sin in him Psal 36. 2 3. He flattereth himself in his own eyes till his iniquitie be found to be hatefull Takes a special contentment in it is never better but when he is acting of it And he is secure in it and as one that is fast asleep cannot endure to be waked so hee cannot endure to be told of his sin to be troubled about it For he stiffens himself in it is resolved because it serves his turn and sutes with his disposition that he will not leave it and therefore doth deny excuse defend justifie or perhaps glory in it Psal 36. 4. Phil. 3. 19. Whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame Hosea 12. 7 8. Rom. 2. 32. 2 Hee is after his fall into sinne made more watchfull and heedfull than before that he fall not into the like sin again Joh. 21. 15 17. Ps 119. 29. Remove from me the way of lying c. that is let me no more not dissemble with God and Man as I have done but let me be sincere according to thy Law But there is no such thing in the Hypocrite the more he doth the more he may sin and groweth worse and worse And therefore the sin of the true Christian is not at all imputed to him Psalm 32. 2. Vnto whom the Lord imputeth not inquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile SECT XIX In their growth in Grace and the working and appearance thereof The true Grace of the true Christian doth not use to decay but to grow 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 Thes 1. 3. Revel 219. And the seeming grace of the Hypocrite as we have elswhere hinted doth seemingly grow also But there are these differences herein 1 The true Grace hath root and life groweth indeed John 15. 4 5. I am the Vine ye are the branches c. He thut abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Psal 84. 7. They goe from strength to strength Rom. 7. 3. 4. Mat. 13. 23. It floweth from the eternal Spirit of God in the soul of a Beleever as water from a lively spring John 4. 14. But the counterfeit Grace of the Hypocrite hath neither root nor life in it and growâ—th but in appearance onely and it is like to a standing poole of dead and corrupt water which will fail in the summer time when there is most need of it Job 10. 16. Mat. 13. 21 22. 2 It is a lively and working Grace 3 Thes 1. 3. Your work of faith and labour of love Heb. 6. 10. Your work and labour of love 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraineth us c. and 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh c. and 8. 24. The proof of your love James 1 4. and 2. 8 2 Thes 1. 11. Gal. 5. 6. But the common Grace of the Hypocrite is dead and without fruit Mat. 13. 22. He becometh unfruitful Jam. 2. 17. 20. 3 The true Grace is a pure and incorruptible Grace and therefore an enduring increasing and immortal Grace 2 Thes 1. 3. Your faith groweth exceedingly 2 Pet. 1. 118. Psal 119. 33. 1 Io. 3 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not sin for his seed remaineth in him c. But the common worke of Grace that is wrought in the Hypocrite is but a wordly carnall and corrupt work and therefore it decaieth withereth and never comes to perfection 1 Iohn 2. 19. They went out from us c. But ye have an unction c. Mat. 13. 20 21 c. But he that received the seed in the stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it yet bath he no root in himself but dureth for a while c. Heb. 6. 7 8. For the earth c. But that which bringeth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh to cursing c. 1 Cor. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 7. 10. SECT XX. In their Mohtification and Self-denyal The true Christian doth and must mortifie sin keep under his body c. Col. 3. 5. Rom. 8. 13. The Hypocrite he doth something in this also But herein there is this difference between them All or the greatest part of that which the Hypocrite doth herein is upon the outside his care and pains
and with a loud voice glorified God Psalm 26. 7. 2 Sam. 7. 18. But the Hypocriee having high thoughts of himself and his own worth and works as if God were beholding to him for his service to him he is commonly very unthankful for what he receives from God Luke 17. 14 15. As in nine of the ten Leapers Isa 58. 3. We have fasted and thou regardest it not 7 The sincere Christian hee is careful to submit to Gods means and goe Gods waies for the attainment and accomplishment of Gods ends But the Hypocrite hee wil not stick at the use of any unlawful meanes to bring to passe Gods end when it may also sute with his own end therein Hab. 2. 3 4. 8 The sincere Christian hee doth much more labour against the sins of his own family and relations But the Hypocrite he looks al abroad and takes no care at home hee is bitter against the sinnes of others and seems very active many times in the reformation of the evil that is abroad but doth nothing at hom Mat. 7. 1 3. Mat. 23. 15. Why seest thou the mote c. 9 The sincere Christian is commonly of a more composed spirit and behaviour in prosperitie and adversitie than the Hypocrite is Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to bee content Job 2. 9 10 and 21. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken c. But the Hypocrite in such times is commonly more discomposed and disturbed in time of adversitie he doth despair 2 Kings 6. 33. What should I waite for the Lord any longer And in time of prosperity hee is lifted up to forget the Lord and himself both Psal 106 throughout 10 Hee is and doth shew himselfe to bee really more merciful just true loving meek humble and peaceable in heart word and work than the Hypocrite is who is and very often shews himself more fraudulent unjust ambitious cruel envious contentious John 1. 30. and 3. 28. 1 Cor. 4. 6. Micah 6 8 Mat. 33. 5 6 12 13. 3 Joh. 9. Luke 18. 10 12. Isa 65 5. Job 31 throughout 11 And lastly some sincere Christians are by the witnesse of the Spirit of God in them some more some lesse assured of their interest in Christ and their part in eternal life 1 Io. 5. 6 7 8 9 10. Hee that beleeveeth c. hath the witness in himself c. Heb. 10. 15. 1 Iohn 4. 13. Hereby know we that wee dwel in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Ephes 1. 13. Ye were sealeo by that holy Spirit of promise And in this the Hypocrite hath no share at all But many of them lye and dye under the feare of eternal vengeance from God as the just reward of his Hypocrisie and none of them ever had any true and well grounded assurance Ier. 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprithe Hypocrites Rev. 6. 16. SECT XXIII So that now upon the whole matter wee may perceive that the sincere Christian doth out strip and go beyond the Hypocrite throughout 1 Quoad principium gratiae as to his Foundation Root or Spring the immortal and incorruptible seed of Grace in the New Creature he is Regenerate But the Hypocrite is not so And therefore that which is wrought in him is a corruptible thing that will never come to good 2 Quoad incrementum gratiae as to the increase of Grace he doth more or less grow and increase in Grace But it is otherwise with the Hypocrite who commonly after a little while doth grow worse and worse 3 Quoad exercitium gratiae as he hath every grace so it is as true that his graces put him upon the exercise of them but the graces of hypocrites are but seemingly such their faith being but a dead Faith And as for that work of Grace in a sincere Christian which lyeth in the external actings hee doth excell also in these things 1 That which he doth he doth by the right rule of Gods Word which shews the wil of God and he doth all that But the Hypocrite he followeth his own and the will of other men and at the most he doth but a part of Gods wil only 2 Hee doth that which hee doth in a right manner with the whole heart But the Hypocrite otherwise 3 He doth that which he doth to the right end to Gods glory and not to the praise of himself as the hypocrite doth SECT XXIV But by all this we have spoken of the compleat and exact obedience of the sincere Christian we do not intend nor would be understood that the sincere Christians life is perfect and without sinne for that is to affirm contrary to what the Holy Ghost affirmeth and experience hath evidenced to us of the lives of all men and the best men that ever lived that they all had their faults and to assure us thereof some of them yea very many of them are recorded in Scripture and left us for our learning to let us know that there is not a man that liveth sineth not The phrases of speech therefore which we have used and that which we have affirmed of the obedience of the sincere Christian that hee leaveth all sinne and doth all duties at all times and in all places cases c. And the Phrases of the Scripture applyed to the Saints that they followed the Lord fully were in all the commandements of God blamelesse and were perfect they are to be understood not in a legal or in a litteral but in an Evangelical sense For doubtlesse the utteâ—most obedience that is expected or that can be performed by the most absolute and perfect Christian that is most sincere is That hee hath a real and unfained will and desire and a real intention and purpose and doth his endeavour with all his might to doe and fulfil the whole wil of God therein And he is grieved that he cannot doe it more perfectly And that which he doth of it he doth in sincerity And when he hath done all he thinketh himself to be but an unprofitable servant and to have done lesse than was his duty to doe And he doth not trust to himself therein but to the Righteousness of God in Christ And in this only or especially in this point doth the sincere Christian eminently excel and outstrip all the Hypocrites yea the most refined Hypocrites in the world who have not any such unfained wil desire purpose or intention but rather the contrary thereof in them Nor do they endeavour at all so to doe in all things as we have shewed elswhere at large And this progress towards the perfect doing in the sincere Christian is esteemed with God as the perfect doing of the thing it self Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham when hee was tried offered up Isaac c. 1 Cor. 8. 12.
obedience to Gods commands and that he doe it in a due manner that he doth preferre the greater before the lesser the first Table before the second c. Fundamentals in Faith and Practice and things absolutely necessary to salvation before lesser things substantial before circumstantial things And it savours of Hypocrisie where a man is preposterous herein Mat. 23. 23. You tythe Mint and Annis and have omitted the weightier matters c. If yet you would see further the signs of such things as accompany sinceritie you shall have them in the next place CHAP. IX The signes of some other things that doe alwaies goe along with or are necessary to make up sinceritie WE are now come to the last sort of signs which are the signs of such things as do accompany or are constitutive of sinceritie and without which there cannot be sinceritie in the heart Such are Christs indwelling in our hearts by his spirit by meanes whereof we are made partakers of sinceritie for there is none in us but what floweth and is fetcht out of this fountain of grace and truth and Regeneration the first work of Christs Spirit which necessarily implyeth Faith and Love Wee have already laid downe the principal signs of Faith and Love It remains onely tha◠we give you the principal signs or effects of our union with Christ and the indwelling of his Spirit in us which are both at once For he that is one with Christ is one in whom Christ dwelleth and hath Christ in him by faith through the spirit 1 John 4. 15. And to have Christ in us and his Spirit dwelling in us is all one or at least goe alwaies together and are never apart The signs of the Spirit will be signs of this union 1 John 4. 13. By this we know that we dwell in him and he in us that he hath given to us of his Spirit Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwel in your hearts by faith Rom. 8. 9 10 11. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if the Spirit of God dwel in you Phil. 2. 1. These signs of the indwelling of Christ by his Spirit and of Regeneration wee shall give you with relation both to the external conversion of those sincere Christians in whom Christ is and who are truly born again as also to the inward frame of their hearts SECT I. Signs of our union with Christ and of his Spirit dwelling in us Our being in Christ and his Spirit abiding in us may be known by such like signs as these 1 By the death of sin and life of grace in us by holyness in heart and life opinion and practise Rom. 8. 9 10 11. Ye are not in the flesh c. if so be that the Spirit of God dwel in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin But the Spirit is life because of Righteousnes But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwel in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Gal. 5. 24. 1 Joh. 3. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him Ephes 2. 21 22. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Jude v. 19. 2 By the fruits of the Spirit The tree is known by his fruit Mat. 12. 33. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. Gal. 5. 5. 22. Eph. 5. 9. 3 By our Regeneration he that is in Christ is a new creature hath a new soul and doth manifest it by a new life 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a new creature Gal. 6. 15. For in Christ Iesus neirher Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature 4 By the spirit of Prayer an essential part of the work of Grace he that is in Christ hath this in him Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his Son crying Abba father Eph. 2. 18. Zach. 12. 10. Rom 8. 15. 5 By a rooted and grounded love to God and his people Eph. 3. 16 17 18. That he would grant to you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the Inner man that Christ may dwel in your hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able c. 1 John 4. 12. If we love one another God dwelleth in us 6 By having of the same mind in us as was in Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 5. Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Iesus and 3. 9. I account all things but loss that I may win Christ that I may know him c. and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death c. 1 Pet. 4. 1. 7 By a walking and living after the example of Christ 1 Iohn 2. 5 6. Hereby we know that we are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to walk as he walked 8 By a care to keep the Commandments of God and Christ 1 Ioh 3. 24. And he that keepeth his Cōmandments dwelleth in him he in him And hereby we know he abideth in us by the Spirit he hath given us 9 By growth and increase in grace Eph. 4. 15. That we henceforth be no more children c. But speaking the truth c. may grow up into him in all thines which is the head even Christ Eph. 2. 21. 2 Thes 1. 3. Your faith groweth exceedingly c. SECT II. The signs of our Regeneration may be these 1 An understanding heart to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent 1 John 5. 18 20. And we know that whosoever is born of God c. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us understanding that wee may know him that is true c. Joh. 5. 24. Iohn 17. 3. 2 Faith in Christ 1 Iohn 5. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God John 1. 12. 3 Holyness and Righteousnesse of life without and puritie of heart within 1 John 2. 29. Every one that doth righteousnesse is born of him 1 Joh. 3. 9 10. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure 1 Iohn 5. 18 20. 4 Love of God it is as natural for the new born children of God to love God as for children to love their parents Iohn 1. 12 13. 5 Love to the godly 2 Iohn 4. 7. Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 1 Iohn 3. 9 10. Whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth
when he doth it either to still the noyse of his own conscience or to get him a name or to procure himself some outward advantage in the world thereby Joh. 6. 26. Ye follow me for the loaves c. or at the most to save his soul by it and because that cannot be done otherwise And without any love to God to whom the work is done or love of the work done And without any respect at all to Gods glory or the good of other men Ephes 6. 5. Col. 3. 22. Not with eye service as men pleasers Matth. 6. 2 10. Ye doe it to be seen of men Mat. 23. 14. That ye may appear to men c. Or for a worse end James 4. 3. Ye ask amiss that you may consume it on your lusts Phil. 1. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. 12. See more for this in Chap. 7. Sect. 21. Object It may be asked whether a man in the good he doth and evil he suffereth may not have an eye also to his own good a temporal reward here as wel as to his eternal salvation hereafter Answ To which we answer Yes doubtlesse 1 For God doth set this before him to encourage him in it and no Scripture motive can draw out any unlawful affection and whatsoever Gods VVord requireth the Spirit of God worketh by degrees in the heart of the Beleever 1 Pet. 5. 4. 2 The servants of God it is true have within them an ingenuous and supernatural principle whereby they love God and holy things because of the excellency of them even as a carnall man loveth sin because of the sutablenesse of it with his own heart And yet Gods servants in the things they have done and suffered have had an eye yea a fixed and constant eye upon their owne temporal and eternal good also for their encouragement therein Heb. 11. 14 26. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country For hee had respect unto the recompence of reward 3 Our Lord Jesus in that he did suffered had an eye to this Heb. 2. 2. Looking unto Iesus c. who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross c. And therefore all amor mercedis is not amor mercenarius Some make Gods glory and our happiness to differ as the supream and subordinate ends some as coordinate ends onely but to be sure GOD hath so infallibly eonjoyned them together that one cannot bee without the other So that by all this now wee may try our selves as to our workes and our works themselves whether they be such as God will approve whether they be wrought in God Gal. 6. 4. But let every man prove his own works and then shall he have rejoycing c. The more they doe answer to these rules the more perfect they are and the more they swerve from them the more they savour of Hypocrisie in them VVee shall now in the next place make some other uses of and infereuces upon all that wee have sayd and therein a little enlarge our selves upon the whole matter before layd down CHAP. XI Other Conclusions and Inferences upon all the premises HAving opened and laid down the main differences that are between the sincere Christian and the Hypocrite and how and wherein the true Christian doth and must goe beyond the Hypocrite in heart and life And having in this set forth the difficulty pains and charge of a true Christian life and how far many men goe therein and yet come short of heaven and how much there doth go to the making up of a sincere Christian we shall make some other inferences thereupon and uses thereof for the edification of our selves and others in the Christian Faith Some of which will be for Information or Instruction some for caution or admonition and some for exhortation SECT I. 1 For Information 1 To shew us somewhat of the reason of the Disciples speech to Christ and his answer to them in Luke 23. 23 24. Lord are there fâ—w that shall be saved And hee said unto them strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter and shall not be able c. And of Christs words Matth. 7. 13 14. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there bee that finde it And of that in 1 Pet 4. 18. If the Righteous scarcely bee saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appeare 2 To shew us that there is great cause to doubt that amongst the many glorious Professors of Religion in these days there may be very few sincere very many And if so may we not in our time take up the complaints and lamentations of the holy men of former times and of such times wherin were godly Kings and wherein Religion flourished as in the time of the Prophet David Psal 12. 1 Help Lord for the godly faile c. and of the Prophet Jeremiah Ierem. 5. 1 run too and fro c. and see c. and seeke if he can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth c. And of the Prophet Isaiah Isai 59. 15. Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey And of the Prophet Micah Micah 7. 1. 2. 4. the good man is perished out of the earth and there is none upright amongst men they are as the grape gleanings of the vintage c. the best of them is as a brier the most upright is sharper then a thorn-hedge where we have the best of them of the time compared to thorns and briers which are of a hurtfull catching scratching pricking vexing greiving nature to all that come neer unto or medle with them Ezech 28. 24. Numb 34. 55. Iudges 9. 14. 15. Iosh 23. 13. And are not most of the glorious Proffessors of Religion of our dayes such one towards another VVhat meaneth else the bitter Envy malice wrath jealousie contempt and evill surmisings of mens hearts within And from without the strife debate contention whispering back-biting slandering censuring judging threatning provoking scoffing scorning rayling reproaching sleighting by gestures words and deeds pass from one of them towards another And what else mean the manifold Heresies Seditions Calumniations Invectives Confusions and evil works that are to be found every where amongst the eminent Professors of the Gospel agreeing together in the Head Christ and substance of Doctrine about differences of ceremonie and circumstance Have not parties factions and interests almost devoured and eaten up all appearance of Sinceritie amongst us Prov. 20. 6. Most men proclaim every man his goodness but a faithfull man who can find 3 To shew that the sincere Christian is a rare piece and precious jewel in Gods account his delight is much in his heart is much upon him John 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed c. Psal 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright c. 4 To shew the gross mistake
then justify them would have saved them had they continued in it it had been impossible it should have beeÌ„ fruitlesse 4. The temporary faith is such as cannot hold out in time of persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8. 13. They fall away as we render it or they become Apostates as the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficio unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defectio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostata Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Macedonibus deficere Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desero Glossae Vet. in calce Cyrilli So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one as if he had said signa deserunt Apostatae fiunt word signifyes and that not after a long combat and conflict but presently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by and by presently they are offended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke has it they Apostatize like a degenerous cowardly Soldier who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazian calls Julian a Runagat who stayes not for an onset but before battle throwes away his buckler and quitting his station runs away This want of courage in a temporary beleiver to hold out in time of persecution is argument enough that his beleife is but spurious true saveing faith is a faith that dare b 1 Tim. 6. 12. fight not onely so but 't is armour of proofe against ALL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Eph. 6. 16. Vide Hug. Grotium in 1 John 5. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the darts of the Devil and in the Issue ever is and will be victorious nay victory it selfe So the Apostle tells us d 1 Joh. 5. 4. whatsoever is borne of God overcometh the world and this is the VICTORY that overcometh the world even our FAITH Not your common or temporary feith not a faith without roote or fruit but it must be fides formata per charitatem as a Nicol. Lyranus in 1 Joh. 5. 4. Lyranus tells us such a faith as has good b Qui credit â—ungit digna opera fidei Gloss Inter lin in loc workes joyn'd with it c Gloss Ordinar in 1 Joh. 5. Quae per dilectionem operatur such a faith as is the d Vid Theophyl in John 6. pag. 646. A. B. worke of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Oecumen in 1 John 5. pag. 211. Edit Graecae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the happy fruit of the Holy Spirit justifying and sanctifying our Soules Intellige non fidem qualemcunque saith a very f H. Grotius in loc learned Commentator sed efficacem Such a faith preserves them so that they cannot be overcome Gratia Christi quâ renati sunt fideles conservat eos ne peccatum ad mortem committant si deliquerint ne ab hoste maligno possint taugi defendit So g Ven. Beda in 1 Joh. 5. 18. Colon. 1541. pag. 149. Bede and many others both before and after him But enough of this if not to much for I see no ground at all to induce us to beleive that temporary faith is a true and justifying faith and thinke that censure of Paraeus not much amisse spoken of those who would have temporary faith to justify a Paraeus in Math. 13. 20. pag. 724. Qui pro temporariâ contendunt fidem veram nesciunt 2. Now though this were enough to shew that common and saveing faith are not specifically the same but that the difference between them is more then graduall yet I shall add some more distinct confirmations of this particularas Rat. 1. A more then graduall distinctioÌ„ may be evinced froÌ„ the nature of the principles causes froÌ„ whence they springe which are toto caelo different Common beleife being generally an acquired Disposition or habit for it may be both and in several times and persons is so produced by the ability of our naturall understandings assisted with good education and industry But saveing faith is of a far higher discent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecumen in 1 Joh. 5. pag. 211. Veron 1532. Vid. Jo. de Lugo de Virtute fidei Disp 1. Sect. 5. num 65. 66. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coeli soboles the immediate worke of the Spirit of Christ From which vast difference of their causes Divines generally both Protestants and Papists have conceaved those habits more then gradually even a Habitus est Infusus vel ac quisitus quae divisio formaliter considerata sumitur ex diversis causis efficientibus Si tamen per se consideretur indicaâ— diversitatem essentialem Francis Suares Metap Disp 44. Sect. 13. ¶ 5. essentially distinct calling the one habitus acquisitus the other justifying faith habitus infusus 2. The one of these habits as they stand in relation to the principles from whence they come is call'd habitus ordinis naturalis to wit common beleife as being produced by the naturall power of our understandings assisted with Art Education and Industry The other saveing beleife they call habitus ordinis supernaturalis and justly too as being the immediate effect of a supernaturall cause the regenerateing Spirit of Christ 3. In relation to the same principles common beleife is called fides humana as produced by the power of humane causes saveing faith they call fides divina as being the proper and sole product of the Holy Ghost 'T is true indeed both of them may be and are call'd divine Respectu objecti ad quod terminantur but of this we speake not now But in respect of the principles from whence they flow saveing faith is properly divine common beleife is not as being generally of an humane descent and pedigree Now if an Infused and acquired a supernaturall and naturall an humane and divine habit differ onely gradually I and very many more am much mistaken in my Metaphysiques Sure I am a Vid Suaretii Metaphys Disp 42. Sect. 6. ¶ 15. 16. Aquin. 1. 2. Quaest 49. Art 2. 3. Gabr. Vasquez in 1 2. Disp 78. cap. 3. pag. 531. ¶ 19. Suares one who understood Metaphysiques as well as any out of Aquinas tells us 1. That 't is confess'd that habitus and Dispositio differ per facile difficile mobile by their mutability and permanency in relation to the subject whose habits and dispositions they are 2. That this facility difficulty of seperation from their subjects may distinguish an habit and disposition essentially For thus he saith Qualitates perficientes potentias animae quae veniunt suh nomine disposition is habitus possunt ESSENTIALITER distingui per facile difficile mobile ex naturâ suâ causis propriis Nam qualitas quae natura suâ dependet ex actuali influxu potentiae as commoÌ„ beleife doth inde habet quod sit facile mutabilis ESSENTIALITER differt à qualitate quae naturâ suâ noÌ„ habet talem dependentiam as saveing faith hath
not quia cujusque rei natura non potest melius judicari quam ex habitudine ad suas causas c. If it were granted then what on no just grounds is pretended that Temporary or common faith be it what it will were onely a disposition facile mobilis and saveing faith an habit and difficulteâ— mobilis yet they might differ specifically that difficulty and facility of separation from their subject ariseing from the causes and principles from whence they flow and not onely from the multiplication or continuation of those Acts which first introduced them And thus saveing faith is difficulter mobilis not onely in adultis in old beleivers who are advanced very far in grace towards the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ but even in babes and new-borne Christians as soon as they have true faith even in the least and lowest degree it is a fix'd and permanent quality a 1 John 3. 9. He that is borne of God sinneth not for the seed remaines in him nor can he because he is borne of God The regenerateing Spirit of God by which faith is wrought is such a principle as gives permanency to its owne product Whence it is that true faith even in the lowest degree of it being difficulter mobilis is in propriety of speach an habit and not a disposition Rat. 2. Another ground from whence we may evince a more then graduall difference between common and special grace is this drawne from the nature proper acts of both Qualities saveing beleife is the first Spirituall life by which a true Christian a Every good Christian hath a twofold life 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall and as his naturall life is either 1. Substantialis as Philosophers say the Soule or 2. Accidentalis the reall effects and operations of it So Spirituall life is proportionably 1. Substantialis So the Spirit of Christ or Christ who is our life Col. 3. 4. Workeing by his Spirit in us is our Vita Substantialis the first principle of all our spirituall habits or operations 2. Accidentalis so faith and all Spirituall motions in us lives The just shall live by faith Heb. 10. 38. it justifyes sanctifyes and saves us But common beleife is no part of our Spirituall life seeing it may be and many times is in those who are dead in trespasses and sins it neither justifyes sanctifyes or saves him that hath it seeing it is evident confess'd that it may be in b Alia munera mea habent non mei linguas prophetiam Scientiam fidem c. Ven. Beda in 1 Cor. 13. impious reprobate persons who live dye in impiety Now if these Qualities differ onely in degree I desire a reason why common beleife should not be our spirituall life though in a lesser degree seeing all qualityes natural moral and Theological affect and denominate their subjects proportionably to that degree they are in So Calor in gradu 3. denominates its subject calidum as well as Calor in 6. gradu though in a lesse and inferior degree So all Morall and Intellectuall Vertues denominate their subjects vertuous proportionable to the degree they are in For instance fortitudo moralis in minori gradu denominat subjectum suum forte according to the measure and number of those degrees it hath as well as fortitudo in gradu eminentiori Rat. 3. 'T is evident that commoÌ„ beleife may in many knowing and studious persons thrive into a radicated habit For there are but. 2. Principal ingredients which make up common faith Notitia assensus Now an impious and irregenerate persons who hath an accute and perspications understanding who is bred to the knowledge of Tongues Antiquity and Scripture who hath good Tutors and is industrious such a one I say may come to a very great measure of knowledge of Divine verities both Speculative and Practical and haveing many Mediums and arguments to demonstrate the truth of those Conclusions may have a firm and radicated assent such as it is proportionable to the many mediums which produce it 2. I suppose that special or saveing faith hath it's many degrees as well as common beleife for there is a a Revel 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little Childern So Math. 6. 30 8. 26 14. 31. little and a great a strong and a b Act. 20. 35. Rom. 4. 19. Rom. 14. 1 2 21. 1. Cor. 8. 7 8 9 10 11. weake saveing faith yet all saveing there are babes in Christ and yet in Christ strong men such as are come to a more perfect consistence toward the a Eph. 4. 13. Fidei Christi perfectionem Primasius Vticensis in loc pag. 139. measure of the statute of the fulnesse of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be perfect men in b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumenius respect of their spirituall growth consistency in it Now take the very lowest degree of saveing faith and it is really our spirituall life it makes us acceptable to God justifyes sanctifyes and saves us whereas the highest degree and most radicated habit of common faith doth no such thing So that it seemes evident to me and generally to all Divines beside that saveing faith is not onely a higher degree of common faith but an other faith specifically distinct from the former differing Respectu essentiae naturae suae although Respectu Inhaerentiae they c Vid. Johan de Lugo de Virtute Fidei Divinae Disp 2. Sect. 2. Num. 91. 92. pag. 114. may be and many times are simul semel in the same subject Cantuariensis Alhazen Vitellio c. Tell us that the light of the Sunne and the lesser light of the Moone in the Aire are not severall degrees of the same specifical light but several lights though at the same time in the same subject essentially differeing haveing both distinct principles from whence they flow and distinct formall effects and operations Lumina say they sunt in medio impermixta distincta and they demonstrate it from their distinct shaddowes c. As all know who know any thing in optiques Now as these 2. Lights in the Aire are essentially distinct and not different degrees of the same light so the lesser light of common and the greater of saveing faith are not different degrees onely of the same faith but two different beleifes distinct in their nature and essence as proceeding from far different Principles and haveing different formall effects and operations Suppose then a Soule enlightned with common faith which is to the soule as that of the moone to the eye but a dimme light and then leâ—t such a one be regenerated so that the sunne a Malach. 4. 2. Luk. 1. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oriens ex alto lux coelestis matutina Isa 9. 2. of Righteousnesse which is the true light which enlightens every Saint and true servant of his
such principle to assure them of the promises and therefore no such infallibility in their faith And a most learned Commentator on the same Text to the same purpose on these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that establisheth you with us and annoints you is God Adds thus a Hug. Grotius in 2 Cor. 1. 21. pag. 459. Qui confirmat nos in Christo i. e. In side Christi Et unxit nos spirituali unctione Spiritus Sancti Dionys Carthusianus in loc pag. 260. A Deo procedit ista Vnctio id est Spiritus operatio interior FIDEM in Christo FVLCIENS ET ROBORANS So that in the regenerate not so in hypocrites and those who have onely common faith the internal operation of the Spirit doth support and roborate and confirme their faith in Christ 4. And to this purpose is that of S. John b 1 John 2. 20. Hinc fit ut docente vos interius Spiritu Sancto minus indigeatis hominum Institutione Beda in loc pag. 119. But ye have an unction from the holy Ghost and know all things and need not that any man teach you save as that annointeing teacheth you Whence it is evident that the holy Ghost teacheth the regenerate all things that is all necessary things at least in reference to their seducers c Grotius in 1 John 2. 20. Quod ait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intellige quae ad vitandos impostores erant necessaria And although the Papists miserably pervert this Text yet they grant that by unction here the Holy Ghost is meant d Estius in 1◠John 2. 20. pag. 1267. col 6. c. Quo velut oleo mentes fidelinm persundit Christus multiplicem eis gratiam largiendo tum Doctrine tum Scientiae 5. Lastly by the Testimony of the Holy Spirit within they who are borne of God may and doe know that God is reconciled to them and is now their a Rom. 8. 15. 16. Father that he b 1 John 3. 24. dwelleth in them and therefore that their sins are pardoned c. This blessed Spirit is a c 1 eohn 5. 6. witnesse in the hart of all true beleivers and d 1 John 5. 10. Rom. 8. 16. Ephes 1. 17. testifyes of the truth of their faith and as S. Paul tells us beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the Childeren of God But enough of this if not too much for I am persuaded there is hardly any thing in Scripture more manifest then this That all regenerate persons have the Spirit of Christ in them which testifyes and beares witnesse to the truth of the Ghospel beleived by them illuminates their understandings that they may know it and is a seale and confirmation of their assent to it So that saveing faith in regenerate persons relying upon the inward testimony of the Spirit of Christ which common beleivers have not a Divine and Infallible Testimony their faith must of necessity differ from the faith of Hypocrites more then onely in degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod erat demonstrandum And here give me leave to ad these considerations 1. That they of Rome laugh and jeare at our Divines when they speake of this Inward testimony and call it a Vid. Tho. Stapletonum de Authorit Interpretandi Scriptur Controvers 6. lib. 10. cap. 4. pag. 359. c. 360. private Spirit and so thinke to fright us out of our true faith with false calumnies and a good opinion with bad names Ans Non sic abibunt odia We will not cannot be jeared out of our profession and a manifest Ghospell truth All we say is this 1. That the regenerateing Spirit of Christ is in all his reall members in every true Christian who is indeed borne of God 2. That the good Spirit is 1. A Spirit of illumination inabling them to know 2. Of corroboration and confirmation inabling them to assent to the truth so discovered and knowne and. 3. A Spirit which workes adhesion constancy and perseverance in that truth by beareing witnesse with our Spirits and giveing testimony to that truth and victoriously assisting the regenerate in continueing in it against all temptations and persecutions whatsoever Whereas the want of this is the reason why those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common and temporary beleivers fall away and loose that which they seeme to have Now this Spirit which onely we assert is noe private Spirit as they ignorantly or malitiously would make the world beleive but the publick spirit of the true Catholique Church the Mysticall body of Christ which actuates and animates every member of of that great body and communicates spirituall life to it a Vid. Johan Calvini Instit lib. 3. cap. 2. penè per totū Calvin nor any sober Protestant Divine sayes no more and they b Vid. Thom. Stapletonum de Authoritate Interpretandi Script Controvers 6. lib. 10 cap. 4. pag. 359. 360. sequēt Aquin. 1. 2. Quaest 68. Art 1. in resp ad Arg. 2. 3. themselves though with much Sophistry and impertinency they would palliate the businesse after great Tragedies and longe harangues to obscure the truth in the Issue neither dare nor doe say lesse 2. Why but all heresies and sects pretend to the spirit Anabaptists Seekers Quakers c. And possibly at least some of them really beleive they have it and yet run into wild and monstrous errors both of saith fact fitter to be conceal'd and buryed in eternall silence then repeated And therefore little heed to be given to this pretēce of the spirit Answere 1. That this our age and Country hath been unhappily fruitful quae est fundi nostri calamitas in produceing wild herefies and I feare it is the crime of our Nation as well as the calamity 2. That these as nothing else in the world come by change a Pagan could tell us a Sophocles in Ajace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 385. pag. 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the good providence of God which for reasons infinitely wise in themselves though many times unknowne to us permits their ingresse into the world puts limits and bounds to and orders their progresse to the glory of his name the good of his owne and the punishment of others and for their egresse will in his good time put a period to them That he will speedily doe it is my b Bona quaedam spes habet animum meum fore◠ut hanc Ecclesiae tempestatem dominus inscrutabili suo Consilio vertat in bonos exitus excitetque nobis Irenaeos aliquot qui compositis dissidiis pacem orbi restituant D Erasmus Epist Nuncuparoria Epis Tridentino Jrenaeo praefixâ hope and prayer Haereses orationibus suspiciis Lacrimis sunt refellendae their refutation may possibly be as soon effected by our prayers and piety as by our pens 3. But what if Heretiques falsely pretend to the Spirit of truth shall their lye make the direction and illumination of that