learne to â—oe well Isay 1 16. 17. for as grace enters into the heart sin goes out like â—â—re out a vessell when wine is powred in Or as it fares with Women that having once conceived cannot admit of a second conception untill they be delivered of the first They Saith St. Paul that arâ— Christs have â—ruâ—ified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. But more fully to the point iâ— hand is that 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and that we may know likewise who are his it followeth excellently Let every one that calleth on the name of Christ depare from iniquitiâ—â— Words and actions expresse our hearts to men thoughts to God So that this is one infallible rule which the word of God hath set downe whereby in many cases one man may know and judge of another for the tree is knowne by his fruit Mat. 12. 33. Sect. 21. 2. The second rule is by his words and this is no lâ—sse infaliable for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat 12. 34. A good 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thingâ— He will be as carefull of what commeth out of his mouth as what enters into it and as circumspect to keep his speech free from obsâ—enety and prophanesse as his meat from poyson He will either â—e silent or his speech shall be better then silents Yea his tongue usually as being touâ—ht with a coale from the Altar ministreth grace unto the hearers and warmes the affections of the standers by Whereas contrarily An evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things Mat. 12. â—5 Yea his tongue is so set on fire from hell James 3. 6. that your eares willglow tâ— hâ—â—r him For for the most part he utters nothiâ—â— but 〈◊〉 and filthy language 〈◊〉 with oâ—ths â—nd untruths Yea it is much if oatâ—s sâ—rivâ— noâ—â—or nâ—mber with words scoffes with oathes â—nd vâ—ine 〈◊〉 wiâ—h both So that their very spâ—eâ—h â—ewraâ—â—th them as she said to Peter and Sir Thomas Moore to 〈◊〉 or as Austine of Ciprians stile For as if it weâ—â— not miserie enough for them to be wicked except they also shewed it to the world that others might hate them for the same and certainly it is both a mercy to us and a just judgement of God upon them that their tongues are as bad aâ— their hearts like serving men they suddainly tell us without asking who ownes them whether God or the Divell that Satan and not the holy spirit beareth â—ule in their soules For where have you a drunkard or swâ—arer or lyar or lustfull person and the like so wise but he must tell to every one that comes in his company that he is such an one Even as a fâ—â—le â—â—lleth every one â—e meers that he is a foole Eccles 10. 3. And indeed as oylâ— will not be hid in water No more can superlative wickednesâ—â— be kept close in the heart For heare such but speake and you shall find them to be of the sâ—rpents broods â—ither by their swearing or by their ribâ—ulâ—ry or â—y their venting some way their enmity and mâ—liâ—â— against Cods people and goodnesse Which 〈…〉 how can they blame us for granting whaâ— they boâ—h 〈◊〉 â—nd invite us unto Or for indeavouring thâ—â—â—haâ—â—ood which if wise they would vâ—â—ue more â—hen â—en thousand worlds But thirdâ—y 〈…〉 tâ—eir pasâ—â—on they would but heare reason Bâ—sides ouâ— warrant from Gods word and their inviting us so to doe It cannot be otherwise in the judgement of nature for the tongue saith Pithagorus is the bewrayer of the heart And a man is by nothing better knowne saith Seneca then by his communication The habit of the mind saith Diogines is best perceived by a mans talking And Socrates is peremptory that he who cannot rule his tongue can much lesse rule his lusts And another of them There is the like correspondence between the heart and tongue that is betweene the bell and clapper Evill speaking discovers an evill heart as the striking of the clapper does a broken bell Yea It were sencelesse to beleeve the contrary for is it possible that the fountain should be pure when the streames which flow from it are â—o corrupt Can it be imagined that one should defile his owne tongue that he may defile anothers eares That he should take the fire of his owne lust and by the utmost of his endeavour fling it in at the windowes of every soule that heares him to set them on fire also If his heart were not altogether gracelesse Nor is this all for least this poyson should not hurt he conserves and sugars his filthinesse in wit that death may be sure to be swallowed And that it may enter and piarce the deeper he pointeth it with the sharpnesse and pleasantnesse of invention and eloquence so becomming a Divell unto men by turning wit into temptation and perverting that excellent issue of the soule to be a factor for the flesh Yea to carrie errands of beastlinesse betweene the inventer and the hearer so becomming a destroyer of soules while it foldeth up the sin in sweetnesse Now well may the clusters of grapes which grow upon a spirituall vine be hid under the leaves of temptation sometimes that they cannot be seen but it s never knowne that grapes and garicke grow upon the selfe same stalkâ— Nor will any man beleeve good wine to be in that vessell from whence vinegar is dayly drawne forth True it is such an one may flatter himselfe and boast that he hath a good heart and meaning what soever men judge of his words But Satan gulls him most grossely for besides what hath been spoken The Holy Ghost witnesseth that there is no fellowship betweenâ— light and darkenessâ— Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. That the Arke and Dagon cannoâ— lodge under the selfe same roofe 1 Sam. 5. 4. And our Saviour Christ tells us plainely that both good and bad at the last day shall be judged by their words Mat. 12. By thy words thou shall be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned verse 37. Yea how light soever thou makest of them thou shalt give an account at the day of judgemâ—nt for evâ—ry idle word thou speakest vâ—rse 36. Away then with that more foolish then common boast of a good hâ—art when the tongue is foule and the lifâ— filthy For when smoake comes forth of the chimny there must needs be fire on the harth when the floods of corâ—uption come gusâ—ing out at thinâ— â—yes hands and mouth there must needs be a fountain within thine heart which maintaines them True we know nothing of thy future estate or touching Gods decree what then It is easie to say whether it be day or night with thee although wee neither sâ—e Sâ—nâ—or â—or Moone Thou seest not the wind thine heart
most prank up our selves and detract from God is the false Nor would their scoffing adversaries accuse the religious of this crime were they not stupidly blind or divelishly malicous for how can it be thought that they are pure in their own eyes when ministers or other faithfull Christians can hardly comfort them or perswade them of Gods favour whereas their prophane accusers snatch the comfort of every promise they heare as belonging to them and find nothing amisse in themselves as commonly they think best of themselves that have least cause yea how afraid are the one to approach unto the Lords Table by reason of their unworthines whereas the other cannot be kept from it though they are told from the word that they eate and drinke damnation to themselves as not dâ—cerning the Lords body nor once examining their owne hearts 1 Cor. 11. 27. 28. 29 30. Sect. 5. I confesse there are a generation whom the blind world suspects for religious that think too well of themselves whom the holy Ghost hath well painted out Pro. 30. 12. Isa 65. 5. Luke 18 9. they are as righteous as Christ himself they cannot sinne or be n Christ and then sin if you can they neede not â—ray nor repent God can see no sin in them nor be â—ngry with them c. namely your Antinomians â—ut farre be it from me to acknowledge them religious a people who will not allow the Law either to â—e a schoole-master unto Christ or for a rule â—o walk by yea if I speak for or spare to speak against these white devils let my words be underva ued and my errors aggravated for such take the â—eady way to plucke up all piety and the power of Religion by the rootes yea they shame Religion by professing it and make Gods truth suspected â—hough iâ— men were wise they would not accuse the sober for what drunken men do nor the wise for what fools do True they have a forme of Religion and a feâ—orish kind of zeal but hear them discourse and you shall soon see that an ignorant pride hath frighted them out of their wits and that they are a people whom Satan hath reserved for there last times and violently stirred up to disturbe the peace of our Church and to hinder that blessed reformation so much fought after and hoped for which nothing could hinder so much as errors on the right hand and Satans transforming himself into an Angel of light â— Cor. 11. 14. And so much to prove that the accused doe not in the least justifie themselves Now bring we their accusers to the tryall and you shall see it is far otherwise with them As Sect. 6. First How common is it with all that are in their naturaâ—l condition that are scoffers at Religion or that at any time use the name Puritan in â—â—risiâ—n to have all their thoughts yea and their words too taken up with other mens faults and their owne perfections Luk 18. 11. c. yea whatsoever their words and actions be they thanke God they have good hearts and mean aswell as the best and they have so strong a faith that they never doubted in all their lives yea it were pitty they should live if they did not beleeve in Christ and hope to be saved by him never considering how that perswasion only which followes sound humiliation is faith that which goes before it presumption for as Saint Ambrose speaks none can repent of sin but he that beleeves the pardon of sin nor none can beleeve his sins are pardoned except he hath repented No they have not the wit to know that as faith is wrought by Gods spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it brings forth the fruits of the flesh vers 19. But the better to know the purity of their hearts Aske them are you proud a good question to try whether a man be spiâ—â—tuall and his knowledge experimentall whether he be acquainted with his own heart c. they will answer proud no not they none are proud but fooles and they hate a proud man c. And yet it is pride only mixt with ignorance that makes the answer they condemn pride but it is with a greater pride Men that care only to seem Christians if they can get Gods livery on their backs and his name in theiâ— mouthes if they can keep their Church give an Almes bow their knee say their prayers pay their tithes and once a year receive the Sacrament not caring how corrupt hearts how filthy tongues how false hands they have they thinke themselves as compleat Christians as live and that they may out-face all reproofes when the truth is they are so far from being Christians that they have not made one step towards Christianity for the first step to Religion is to love Religion in another whereas these men generally hate scoff at and persecute the power of Religion wherever they perceive it And doth not God hate them so much more then pagans by how much they being pagans pretend themselves and might be excellent Christians But Sect. 7. Secondly Let a Minister come to any ignorant worldling and such are all that are not Religious and question withthem upon their death-beds about their estate or ask them how their soules fare and what peace they have What is their manner of answering especially if they have not been notorious offenders are they a whit troubled for sinne either originall or actuall or will they acknowledge themselves to be in a lost condition without Christ no their consciences are at quiet and they are at peace with themselves and all the world and they thank God no siâ—ne troubles them they have been no mâ—râ—herers no Adulterers no common drunkards neither have they been oppressours yea will such an one say I doe not know that I have wronged man woman or child I have been a Protestant and gone to Church all my dayes c. The middle sort of Christians so called have a notable way to delude their owne soules and to put of all reproofes and threatnings namely by comparing themselves with such as are worse then themselves counting none wicked but such as are notorious for wickednesse as for example because they are not so drunke as Nabal they thinke themselves sober because not so proud as Haman therefore they be humble because not so bloodily minded as Doeg therefore they are mercifull because not so trecherous as Judas therefore loyall because neither Gallowes nor pillory can take hold of them therefore they are honest and square dealers Nor can there be a more plausible deceit for as the swarthy compared with the Blackmore thinkes himselfe fair so civiâ—l men looking upon the prophane admire their owne holinesse But such should do well to mind what our Saviour â—aâ—â—h Matth. 5. Except your rightâ—ousnesse exceeds the rightâ—ousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall
Luthers story speakes of the Church of Rome in generall His words are these under pretence saith hee of Peters Chair they exercise a Majesty above Emperours and Kings under the Vizard of vowed Chastity raigns adultery under the Cloake of professed Poverty they possesse the goods of the temporality under the title of being dead to the world they not only raigne in the world but also rule the world under the colour of the keys of heaven to hang under their girdle they bring all the Estates of the world under their girdle and creep not only into the purses of men but into their consciences also they heaâ— their confessions they know all their secrets they dispence as they are disposed and loose whom and what and where they list And wherein did our Lordly Prelats who have alwaies made Gods people under the colour of puritans the onely object of their cr uelty come short of the Papists Did they not under a colour pretence of being fathers of the Church by their usurped government dethrone Christ the head of the church and under the colour of Religion take away the vigour and power of Religion And while they calld themselves the chiefe priests were they not Christâ— chief enemies certainly none will now when they are so well discovered deny it that have eyes in their heads and open But I hasten to acquit the innocent whom all these guilty persons do most unjustly and maliciously accuse and stigmatize for the sole and only puritans and hypocrites In whose tryall two things are principally to be examined and enquired of First What profession they make and how agreable that is to the rule of Gods word Secondly What their practice is and how agreeable that is to their profession Sect. 88. Ob. Now as touching the first they are much found fault withall as what needs so much profession faith the sensualist when his spight is at Religion cannot men serve God in secret but they must blow a trumpet and hang out a flag for others to take notice of it Answ To the which that I may make a full and satisfactory answer pardon the prolixety of it First Such are to know that profession can no more be separated from the truth of Religion then light from the Sun If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve with thine heart thou shalt be saved for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 9. 10. 11. True fire not painted cannot but heat breake forth and ascend We cannot carry musk in our bosome but the sent will disperse it self There cannot be a candle in the house but it will appear at the window every fountain hath it streams by which it may be known Three things saith the Spanish proverb cannot be kept in Fire love and the cough it may as truly be said of grace If Christ the Paschall Lamb be in the House of the soul the sprinkling of his blood will be seen without by sanctification and holines of life Whosever is indeed good shall and must also seem good for first his works will praise him whether he will or no his fruits will shew what tree he is Indeed profession may be without grace as leaves may be without fruit but grace cannot be without profession as fruit cannot be without leaves That which is not gold may glister but that which is gold cannot chuse but glister We read of Wolves that come in sheeps cloathing but never of sheep that come in wolves cloathing Many harlots will put on the semblances of chastity never the contrary It is no trusting those who wish not to appeare good Good men in Scripture are compared to good and fruitfull trees the heart is the root grace the sapp good works the fruit profession the leaves and blossomes Now if there be sap in the root of a tree and fruit grow on the branches its impossible but some blossoms and leaves will shew themselves Nor can it be expected that eveiy such tree like the mulbery should first bring forth fruit and then blossoms For even repentance and good works are but the fruites of faith and the usuall method is First the roote then the tree then the leaves and blossoms and last of all the fruit Sect 89. Indeed there is a dead faith spoken of Iam. 2. 17. 20 26. which cannot be seen which resembles the Ebone tree that bears neither leaves nor fruit But a true and lively faith is operative and works by love Gal. 5. 6 Yea it constrains thereunto for the heart and mind having begot holy thoughts the lips will not fail to bring them forth witnesse the thiefe upon the crosse If the law of God saith David be in a mans heart his mouth will speak of wisdom and his tongue will talk of judgement Psal 37. 30. 31. The soul that hath received fuâ—l confirmation from God in the assurance of its salvation cannot but bow the knee and by all gestures of body tel how it is ravished whence it is that many at their first conversion are held by their carnal friends to be mad or beside themselves as our Saviour was by his kinsfolk Mark 3. 21. Ioh. 10. 20. Secondly Vnlesse he keep his lips alwaies sealed up he must either dissemble which is cowardly and base Or else his language will bewray what countryman be is For if he speak like the vertuous woman in the Proverbs he opens his mouth with wisdome and the law of grace is in his tongue And while the door of his mouth is open the standers by may behold as it were in a temple the goodly similitudes and images of the soul Neither can he avoid speaking for admit he be in adverse company they will so beset a man with questions and draw him on and pick it out of him that without an absuâ—d silence he must shew an inclination one way even as a ballance cannot stand still but falleth to one side or other or if he do not they will gather as much by his silence as by his speech For in this case carnall men are very apprehensive for as the paynter Protogenes knew Apelles by the draught of one line though he had never seen him before so will they a gracious soul by his very silence Or lastly a man cannot dissent from their wicked customs he cannot refuse to run with them to the same excesse of ryot in drinking swearing prophaning the Lords day and the like much lesse can he admonish them and so discharge his conscience as who having but a spark of the spirit of God in him can choose but he makes too great a shew and his profession troubles them Sect. 90. Indeed they name profession but their spight is against your religion for be but as prophane as they their quarrel is at an end yea it is only your holy religious conversation
men for matter of act they are loyall subjects live civilly amongst their neighbours paâ— every man his owne are neither drunkards nor adulterers but deny the power of Godlines and are reprobate to every good worke for to let passe other things scarce one in forty of them will allow God upon his own day above four hours Or that duely prays in his family yea this is a superfluous expence of time and a means to hinder each one in their severall stations For as touching that of the Prophet Pour out thy fury upon them that know thee not and upon the families which call not on thy Name Jer. 10. 25. it is a hard scripture and out of their reading yea of these civill honest men scarce one of an hundred that fears an oath or makes conscience of a lie for at least they will â—wear by their faith and troth I do not say they will forswear themselves for an advanvantage but I that scarce know what a tryall in law is have not a little suffered bâ— their wicked answers in Chancery And as for lying and commanding others to ly what more usuall then to bid a wife or servant if such an one ask for me say I am not within which none dare do that fear God or that have any truth of Religion in them Indeed others often pay them in their own coyn with shame to boot as once Cato served Nasica And sometimes God reckons with them for all their lyes together for it often falls out that a servants denying his master to be at home brings him within compasse of the statute for banquerupts a just punishment for such as will be wise without God and good without grace Sect. 86. Again I know these civill men passe for as good Christians as the best with men of the world Yea with the reverend Prelats and their creatures for they count men religious as they are conformable to their Canons And all the Congregation is alike holy and holy enough to naturall men as Korah and his prophane consorts told Moses and Aaron when they rose up against them Numb â—6 1. 2 3. But as Isaac if he had not been blind would not have blessed Jacob for Esau nor Jacob taken Leah for Rachel if it had not been in the dark so these if they were not ignorant of the Scriptures would not take meer civil men for true Christians but as empty pots and boxes in Apothecaries shops having written upon them fair titles of the best drugges and electuaries do deceive ignorant commers in so these though their hearts be base and vile empty pots yet as they are overlayed with the silver drosse of glozing words and glorious shews do deceive simple Christians who onely judge according to the outward appearance Yea perhaps they may deceive wise and able Christians for a while since the lamps of these foolish virgins blaze no lesse then the wise ones Matth. 25. And treeâ— that have onely leaves may make as great a flourish as others that bear abundance of fruit True wise men having heard them speak and observed their practice will soon see what christians they are at least Christ that knows their hearts and cannot be deceived with shews will one day cull them out and let them know what it is to come into his presence and sit at his table without the wedding garment of faith and love Matth. 22. 11. At which time it will be too late to expostulate Or if so their own consciences shall stop their mouths much after this manner Thou thankest God with that Pharisee Luk. 18. 11. That thou hast been no extortioneâ— thou hast paid thy tythes given every man his own c. but what will satan and conscience say is this enough to make thee a true christian no thou payedst men their dues but didst thou pay God his dues the due of praying hearing beleeving reading confaring meditating in his word of sanctifying his sabbaths loving his children promoting his glory gaining of otherâ— to imbrace the Gospel didst thou repent and beleeve the gospel precepts and menaces aswell as promises didst thou declare thy faith by thy works didst thou fear an oath hate a lye c. no not one of these things ever troubled thy mind yea thou didst ever hate zeale and devotion so inveterately that thou couldst in no case away with it in others What difference then between thee and an honest Infidel Is not unhonest religion as good as irreligious honesty Alas honesty without piety is but as a body without a head yea without a soul even a rotten and stinking carrion and not a sweet smelling sacrifice in Gods nostrils Divers will say of morall men if they go not to heaven Lord have mercy upon us yet Christ saith except your righteousâ—esse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not come there Matth. 5. 20. Yea he plainly affirms that publicanes and harlots shall get into heaven sooner because the other beleeved not neither are they so apt to justifie themselves as the civilly righteous Matth. 21. 31. Many arguments might be brought to aggravate the wickednesse of a negative christian but nothing can be spoken to his comfort for the best of such christians shall without sound repentance and true saith in Christ go to hell as the Scripture every where shewes It is not onely the robbing of Christ or imprisoning him but the not giving to him the not visiting of him shall condemn us Matth. 25. 42. 43. The servant that increaseth not his talent though he does not diminish it shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darknesse Matth. â—5 30. And what saith our Saviour Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down and cast into the fire Matth. 3. 10. Neither was it sufficient that the Fig-tree which he saw Matth. 11. made as great a shew wâ—th leaves as any other but he cursed it for being fruitlesse Mucâ— more does that earth deserve rather a curse then a blessing which having been watered with the dew of heaven brings forth nothing but thornes and bryars to scratch and teare the husband man that manures it Heb. 6. 7. 8. Sect. 87. And so much to prove that all naturall men viz. Prelatical and scandalous Ministers prophane and loose libertines Cunning Polititians ignorant persons and civil honest men Who professe the same religion with us and who unanimously call the religious Puritans and hypocrites are really and indeed most grosse hypocrites and puritans I might likewise shew that our open Antagonists the Papists even while they curse and raile so upon the truly religious for Puritans and hypocrites are of all others the most notorious ones for besides their works of merit and congruity how contrary yea how diametrially opposite is their profession and practice but to speake to them were to knock at a deafe or dead mans dore Only let the ingenuous stander by heare what Mr. Fox in the beginning oâ—
more make a good heart unrighteous then a trade of sinne can stand with regeneration for as there are some acts where in the Hypocrite is like a Saint so there are some agâ—ine wherein the greatest Saint upon 〈◊〉 â—ay 〈◊〉 like an Hypocrite As whiâ—h 〈◊〉 the Saint have not once done that even after convâ—â—sion and regeneration whereof they are ashamed Yâ—a 〈◊〉 â—r a few sinfull acts were a 〈…〉 an Hypocrite what would become of all the 〈◊〉 evâ—n the best recorded in Scripture And therefore the wise charity of Christians like the mercy of Godâ— can distinguish betwixt siâ—nes of infirmity and the common practice oâ—siâ—ne and esteem men not by a transient act but by a permâ—nent condition knowing that the tenor or accustomed course of a mans life his whole conversation must either alow or condemne him before God not some suddaine â—rruptions For neither good nor bad at the last day shall â—e judged by every one of his actions but by all not according to his â—â—eps but according to his wayes Jer. 32. 19 Indeed as charitiâ— in them does not alow oâ— groundâ—eâ—se â—uspition so it doth not thrust out diâ—cretion They may not judge rashly but they ought to juâ—ge 〈◊〉 As they are not so oveâ—ly as to take motâ—s for beames so neither are they so partiall as to account beames motes least thereby they should foster iniquitie For to be vices friend is to be verâ—â—â—â—es enâ—mie and â—o â—â—stiâ—iâ— the wicked is as bad as to condemne the just Pro. 17. 15. Sect. 20. Therefore though they will not condemne a man for one single act or sâ—â—dain accident yet iâ— they see the mâ—in◠〈◊〉 and course of his life to bâ— wholely vicious and sinfull they will and may boldly censure him a wicked man As for example If we know a man to be a common Drunkard Isay 5. 22. Heb. 2. 15. Joel 1. 5. Or a conâ—inuall Sweater Psal 10 7. Jer. 23. 10. Exod. 20. 7. 〈◊〉 5. 12. Oâ—â—n 〈◊〉 companion of Haâ—loâ—s Pro. 7. 10. 1 Cor 6 â—5 Or aâ—â— â—â—câ—stomary Deceiver Pro. 1. 13. and 20. 17 and 2â— 6. Or a frequent Slanderer of his neighbâ—â—r Dâ—ut 27. 24. Psal 101. 5. Or an open Sabbath bâ—eâ—kâ—r for God hath given the Sabbath as a â—igâ—e between him and his in point of Sanctification Exod. 31. 13 to 18. So that he who cares not to prophaâ—e the Sabbath by that signe is knowne to be none of Gods people Againe If we heare a man boast of sinne and mischiâ—fe or defend it Psal 52. 1. If we perceive that a man makes no conscience of prayer reading the word c. in his famiâ—ie Psal 14 4. and 79. 6. Jer. 10. 25. If we find one to be of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons estâ—eming good evill and evill good Pâ—o. 17 15. and â—9 27. Isay 5. 20. Or â—hâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hâ—â— brother â—or doing that which iâ— good as â—aiâ— did Abâ—ll 1 Johâ— 3. 12. Or to be an affected Scoffer at râ—ligion Gen. 21. 9. 10. 2 Sam. 6. 16 20. 21. 22. 23. Psal 1. 1. Or to lay ploâ—â— or consult 〈◊〉 others against thâ— godly Psal 83. 2 to 10 Mat. 26. 4. maâ—ke the 3 6. Or to be an accusâ—r of them Revel 12 10 Levit. 19. 16. Pro. 16. 28. If we heare one â—ejoyce at the secrâ—t infirmities of the godly or open scandals of Hypocrites Pâ—o. 11. 13. for none doe so but Gods enemies as is plaine by 2 Sam. 12. 14. because our brothers fall is the Devils victory Againe If we heare one carp and fret against the word refusing to heare it John 6. 66. and 8. 47. 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16 Pro. 29 1. Or to withstand the preaching of it â— Tim. 3. 8. Acts 13. 10. Or lastly If we heare a Minister in his preaching to disgrace or revile the godly So making sad the hearts of the righteous Or to â—astifie the wicked so strâ—ngâ—hning them in their evill â—ouâ—ses by preaching unto them pâ—â—â—â— Eze. 13. 22 Pro 24 24. Vpon any of these grounds we may boldly censure him a wicked man and for the present in a damnable condition And this is warranted by the word of God for besides that they are sufficiently marked out and branded by the Holy Ghost for such in the places before quored The word else where gives two infallible ruâ—â—s whereby to know and judge of a wicked man The one is by his â—orkes the other by his words the which will be more dâ—monstrative if we take this received Axiom along with us as a ground whereon to build our insuing discourseâ— Namely that Every particular man is either in his sinnes unregenerate in the state of nature and so a wicked man or else he 〈…〉 the state of grace a beleever and so the child of God For there is not a mean betwixt them Every soule saith Chrysostome is either the spâ—use of Christ or the Aâ—â—ltâ—â—sse of the Divell We are either a branch spâ—â—â—g from Adams stock which drawes sap from that cursed â—oote of death or else we are transplanted into the vine Christ and dâ—aw our sap from him Now if we draw sap from this vine Christ its impossible but we should beare the fâ—uits of the spirit which are love ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meâ—kenessâ— temperance recknoed up by the Apostle Gal. 5. 22. 23. And so on the contrary if we draw sap from nature and bring forth the fruits and workes of the flesh which are manifest as Adultery uncleanesse Idolatry witch-craft hatred varience emulations wrath strife seditions herisies invyings murthers drunkâ—nnessâ— revilings and such like verse 19 20. 21 Its impossible but we should be the children of the Divell for he that committeth sinne saith our Saviour meaning constantly and greedily iâ— of the Divell 1 John 3 8. Which maketh him say to the Jowes Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of yâ—ur father yee will doe John 8. 44. And againe verse 34 39. Where the point is further amplified And to this St. Paul gives testimony Rom. 6. Saying Know yee not that to whom yee yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants yee are to whom yee obey whether of sinne unto death or of obedience unto righteousnesse verse 16. Whence it is that our Saviour warning us to beware of wicked men saith Yee shall know them by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. Do â—â—n gather grapes of thorns or sigs of thistles saith he Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit verse 17. 18. And in verse the 20. he tells us againe repeating the same words that by their fruits we shall know them Yea we may know them by their want of fruit we more then suspect want of sap in the root of a trâ—e if we find barrennes in the branches If either it have bad fruit or no fruit it is but a dead faith And the true method of grace is cease to doe evill