Christ for they were lifted up with high thoughts and conceits of themselves They said They were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing they needed therefore to buy and to be clothed with this Garment that their shame might not appear namely to put on and be clothed especially and firstly with all humility of mind Acts. 20. 19. To put on humbleness of mind Col. 3. 12. And needful it is for us all to be inwardly apparalled herewith to have a low esteem of our selves of our knowledge parts gifts attainments or otherwise we shall sit loose from Christ as they We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2. 31. Those that are puft up with their fleshly mind notwithstanding their voluntary humility do not hold the head Jesus Christ but treacherously depart from him Col. 2. 18 19. Good therefore it is for us all and especially for the Angels 1 Pet. 5. 1-5 To put on this to judge our selves unworthy Creatures less then the least of God's mercies and favours Gen. 32 10. The chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. The least of Saints Ephes 3. 8. To count that we have not yet attained neither are already perfect Philip. 3. 12 13. To say when we have done all that is commanded us we are unprofitable servants Luke 17. 9 10. To be nothing 2 Cor. 12. 11. And therefore to come to Christ as the only foundation of our faith as he died for sinners ungodly ones and enemies yea as by the Grace of God he tasted death for every man and is raised again as the reason of our hope as the beginning of our confidence To come unto and abide in him as the fountain of our light and teaching as our only Rabbi and to learn the truth as it is taught in Jesus To put on him as our righteousness to appear before God in whose righteousness is prepared for all that have sinned To feed upon him as our bread even on his flesh as given for the life of the world To have our approch to God by and through him as our only way and to come in through that low door opened for every poor sinful Creature of Mankind to be comforted in all our tribulations and sadnesses with Gods consolations even with the consolations of and in Christ and not to have some secret thing with us to comfort us Job 15. 11. with 2 Cor 1. 3-5 To have our rejoycing in Christ where all may rejoyce with us and to have no confidence in the flesh in any priviledges thereof or in any works of righteousness of our own Philip. 3. 3-8 And to think soberly of our selves yea and this humility is also to be exercised in all our words and demeanour Ephes 4. 2. And this humility is the Spirit effecting and bringing unto us that it might be put on by us in glorifying Christ and commending unto us the freeness of Gods love in him shewing that he hath prepared righteousness for us and imputeth it to every one that believeth freely without any works of ours Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of works Nay but by the Law of faith Rom 3. 21-28 And that he saved us from our ignorance of him and enmity unto him according to the rule of his mercy and so not by any works of righteousness of ours By Grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast It is by Grace as the motive whereby he was moved to bring salvation to us as opposed to debt he was not indebted to us for any goodness of ours or by any purpose or promise on his part necessitating him thereto but it was freely by his Grace he saved us and by Grace as the Argument and motive wherewith he prevailed with us even through the discovery of the freeness and greatness of his love as commended to us continually in this that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Ephes 2. 1-8 with Rom. 4. 4. Tit. 3. 3-5 And so what ever the believers have received it is by Grace for who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it 1 Cor. 4. 7. And so his forgiving the sins of those that come to God by him and cleansing them from their filthiness and giving unto them a new heart and new Spirit it is not for their sakes but for his own name sake and were this known and taken notice of by them it would cause them to be ashamed and confounded and powerfully hide pride from them and cloth them with humility Ezek. 36. 21-32 And indeed nothing doth so powerfully work and tend to the humbling of us as his Grace and to this end he giveth more Grace Grace abounding our natural pollution and corruption wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble Jam. 4. 5 6. yea and to the effecting this humility in us he proposeth to us and setteth before us the humility of Christ That we might learn of him who was lowly not in his outward carriage only but also in heart and in so doing we shall find rest to our Souls Mat. 11. 29. Philip. 2. 4-6 7. Zeal for God to be clad therewith as with a Cloak Isa 49. 7. This was that which this Angel and Church were much wanting in and destitute of they were Luke-warm and neither Cold nor Hot as we have seen before This was needful therefore to be bought by them in and with humility and unless that be put on this cannot be had by us for while men have high thoughts of themselves and their attainments this disposeth them to lukewarmness and hindreth them from being zealous Now that zeal that is to be bought of Christ it is principally Fervency of Spirit in selling all that we have for Christ that we may win him and be found in him as before is shewn And fervency of Spirit in seeking after the knowledg of him and promoting the things of his Kingdom contending earnestly and fervently for the faith of the common salvation and not giving place by subjection no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue with us and so highly valuing and prizing Christ and his Gospel and fervently loving him and it as not to love our lives unto the death for his sake and his Gospels but willingly to lay them down and lose them when called thereunto The zeal of Gods house did even eat up Christ and such zeal is to be bought of him as whereby we may not please our selves but deny our own wisdoms wills designs affections enterprizes yea and forsake all that we have that we may be his Disciples and follow him in the regeneration Rom. 12. 11. Luke 14. 26 27-33 And this zeal he is effecting in us especially and principally by
with this luke-warmness and let us come unto and follow him whithersoever he goeth induring hardness as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ who profess him to be our Captain the Captain of our Salvation he hath set us an example that we should follow his steps 2 Tim. 2. 1 3 8. The Apostle setteth before us his being a faithful Witness in both respects viz. as a Peace maker and Peace-preacher to provoke us to fervency of Spirit and demeanour Let us saith he not faintly or fearfully go but run and that not for a season only but with Patience the race set before us as for our lives and for a Crown an incorruptible Crown looking unto Jesus Who for the joy set before him indured the Cross despising the shame and is now set down on the right hand of the Throne of God For consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Heb 12. 1 3. And the true Witness in his Testimony in which he hath declared what he hath done and the fathers love in him and that he is the Amen he is the truth it self and his word is the word of truth Prov. 8. 6 8. Psal 119. 160. 1 John 5. 20. The true light now shineth 1 John 2. 8. His word was always true but the truth of it is now made more apparent in the preaching of the Gospel according to the revelation of the Mystery his record is true concerning all things there is no lye of it but he is a true witness in what he speaketh of God the Fatheir himself the work of the Spirit Mankind sin righteousness judgement life death and of what he is become and hath for us Gold tryed in the fire white raiment and of the lothsomness of this luke-warmness to him these things he saith Who is holy he who is true Rev. 3. 7. He is true and worthy to be listened unto and believed by us in all his declarations promises discoveries requirings instructions reproofs threats c. a faithful and true witness who will not lye one who is faithful to the interest of our Souls Prov. 14. 5. a true Witness who delivereth Souls from their transgressions wanderings luke-warmnesses who hath power to deliver from sin Satan fears evils dangers yea from the wrath to come and is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him Prov. 14. 25. 1 Thes 1. 10. Heb. 7. 25. Oh! hear the instruction and hearken to the Counsel of this true Witness that you may be delivered he that hearkeneth to Counsel is wise that you may be zealous and repent The beginning of the Creation of God He is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 17 18. the beginning both of the first and old Creation and that both 1. In giving a being to it when it fore-had none it was Gods Creation but made by him God Created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 9. By him were all things created visible and invisible All things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. he is the creator of the ends of the Earth that sainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding he knoweth how and hath understanding to help us when we are faint dead dry decaying He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he incrâ—aseth strength Isa 40. 27 29. Oh Lord God saith the Prophet Behold thou hast made the Heaven and the Earth by thy great power and stretched out Arm and there is nothing too hard for thee Jer. 32. 17. What cannot he do that created all things and All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made John 1. 1. 3. he can restore heat and health and heal us of our wounds and cure our loathsom distempers when our bruise is incurable and wound grievous and we have no healing Medicines nor is there any to plead our cause that we may be bound up Jer. 30. 12 17. 2. And He is the maker of the Creation of God when it was marred by mans seeking out foolish inventions The Earth and all the inhabitants thereof were dissolved he beareth up the Pillars thereof Psal 75. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. the world was made by him preserved from perishing and upheld when it was marred spoiled and dissolved by the iniquity of Mankind John 1. 10. and therefore though you have destroyed your selves and deserved to be rejected and cast off and out from his presence and favour for ever yet in him is your help neither is there Salvation in any other Acts 4. 12. Oh turn again unto him from whom you have revolted He hath made peace by the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself Col. 1. 20. And he is the beginning of the new Creation through and by means of his personal abasement and sufferings the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. In him there is a compleat Creation he is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the Preeminence for it pleased the father that in him all the fulness should dwell Col. 1. 18 19. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and in him we are compleat compleatly prepared for and furnished with all furniture who is the head of all Principality and Power Col. 2. 9 10. In him our Nature is restored again into the Image of God after a more glorious manner then ever it was made in the first publick man and so there is in him a compleat and perfect provision of all things that may tend to our being brought back to God in our own persons and so made new Creatures as every one is that is in him because he died for all and rose again Jam. 3. 9 Ephes 2. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 14 17. there is in him justification and acquittance from the guilt of our first sin and sinfulness So as all that have sinned and are come short of the Glory of God are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 4 25. 3. 23 24. and he hath obtained forgiveness of our personal sins gifts for men yea for the rebellious also healing of our diseases decays deadnesses Gold to inrich poor wretched miserable ones White Raiment to cover our shameful nakedness eye-salve to cure our blindness and dimsightedness Spirit to quicken and inliven us and to put heat into and recover luke-warm ones The last Adam was made a quickening Spirit to quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins 1 Cor. 15. 45. there is in him perfection for every man Col. 1. 28. he hath by his Blood obtained eternal redemption forgiveness of our sins for ever by that one offering of his body offered once for all and the recovery of our loss
Idols and to fulfill in them the whole good pleasure of God's goodness and the work of faith with power And were the faith the word of faith believed with the heart it would work by love as from God's love as the motive of it so in the exercise of love toward Christ and God in him so as to part with all as loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that they might win him and be found in him and towards men and brethren Galat. 5. 6. And truly he is one who knoweth mens works and without respect of persons judgeth according thereto 1 Pet. 1. 17. Men may appear to be somewhat when they are nothing and profess themselves to believe on the name of the onely begotten Son of God whise notwithstanding they love darkness their sins and vanities rather then light Joh. 3. 18 19. They may have a great many leaves upon them and make a fair face in the flesh while yet thier works may not be upright before him But these he taketh notice off as here he saith I know thy works But what did he observe in his taking notice of their works and pondering them Surely he saw that their works were not perfect before him and thence saith and observeth That thou art neither cold nor hot Not cold there was still some profession of the faith with them some seeking God waiting upon him and approching to him they had not wholly lest off all professed worshipping shipping of him and calling upon his name but still reckoned themselves Christians they might still read and hear and pray and speak one to another and have some use of the ordinances of Christ among them and have a form of godliness they had not wholly and professedly left off the thing that was good but there was some warmth with them still and they might and did surely assemble themselves together for they were yet reckoned by Christ a Church of his a Golden-candlestick that did in some measure receive and bear forth the light yea there might appear with them a great deal of fervency in their outward professions and behaviours of themselves They were not cold Nor hot Not zealous vers 19. Not fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 12. 11. Their hearts did not burn within them Luk. 24. 32. They were not inflamed with love to him and the things of his kingdome Or as considering the scope of the place they were not hot that is they did not so value Christ and the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the things most excellent that durable riches and righteousness in Christ as to buy them with a relinquishing and selling all that they had they did not so highly value Jesus Christ that pearl of great price as to part with their sins and idols and to go on to count all but loss and dung that they might be made partakers of him to hate Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and their own lives also for the sake of Christ Jesus and to take up their cross and follow him That this is here meant by hot appeareth by the counsel he giveth them I counsel thee to buy of me Gold c. And by the reason and end of his rebuking and chastening them that they might be zealous and that their zeal might be exercised and evidenced in receiving and obeying that counsel and so in buying vers 19. And by his call to them and desire of their attention behold I stand at the door and knock vers 20. He was not readily received it seemeth but the door was shut against him and somewhat else entertained in his room and stead and he was fain to knock for admission and entrance and to stand there till his head was filled with dew and his locks with the drops of the night as Cant. 5. 2. While they gave their love to others and took in others instead of their husband and imbraced the bosome of a Stranger This was the heat they were destitute of and in this sense they were not hot they did not forsake all things for Christ Jesus they were as silly doves without heart professedly waiting upon God but yet retaining sin in their hands or double mindedness in their hearts Hos 7. 11. Or they were seeking their own things their praise honour glory name or to establish a righteousness to themselves and though they might appear to be and might be zealous yet not in a good matter Gal. 4. 18. They were like to a man that hearing of an excellent commodity at such a Mart or Market goeth thereto he is not so cold as to stay at home but taketh so much pains as to go to the place where it may be had and looketh upon it and liketh it and heareth delightfully what is spoken in commendation of it and taketh delight in approching to it but yet he is not so hot as to come up to the price of it though he may bid somewhat and be willing to part with something yet he hath not such an high estimate of and affection to it as to preferr it before all other things and to purchase it how dear soever it be Truly such an one though he be not cold yet he is not hot such a man is hot that is resolved to have such a commodity whatever it cost him that spareth no pains or cost In such a sense they were not hot they were not so cold as wholly to desist from a professed waiting at Wisdom's postes but they might come and sit before God as his people and hear his words and it might be as a lovely and pleasant song to hear what was spoken in the praise and commendation of that Gold tried in the fire c. But still their hearts went after their covetousness or their pride and high thoughts of themselves they conceited themselves to be rich and encreased with goods and therefore did not forsake all that they had for Christ they did not so highly prize him nor so ardently affect him as to count and go on to count all other things as dung and dogs meat in comparison of him Ezek. 33. 31 32. Oh let us search and try our hearts in the light of God's testimony and see if we also be not such manner of persons such Lukewarm ones as these were to whom this counsel was given the testimony of Christ the perfect law of liberty is a faithful glass that giveth a true and impartial discovery of all things and persons it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soâ—l and Spirit and Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Therein let us examine our selves and not trust to our own hearts or lean to our own understandings for the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things and he that trusteth therein is a fool Our wisdom and understanding will pervert us and make
Chron. 28. 9. Of a truth God is no respecter of persons he is not tied to any man's person but Christ is the Amen to him are the promises made and in him they are confirmed and sure to all the seed who are begotten and born of the spirit and led by the spirit for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen and if we be Christ's then are we Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise But if a man that hath been ingraffed into him abide not in him he is cast forth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and they are cast into the fire and burned Joh. 15. 1 6. In abiding in him is safety and security none can pluck them out of his hand or mouth that hear his voice and follow him as he is drawing them and working in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure But beware of him saith God and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him he will not forgive if we sin against him and serve other Gods and continue so to do but will spue such at last out of his mouth though he be long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and goodness He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith to the Churches For he can do the same to any particular person that hath an ear if he grow lukewarm and remiss which he can do and threatneth to do to such a Church Oh that every one of us may consider that our standing is by faith that so we may not be high minded but fear The Apostles had a good usefulness of considering the terrour of the Lord to quicken them to diligence in seeking and serving the Lord And the Apostle Paul including himself with the Holy Brethren saith if we sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth received there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Oh consider this ye that forget God! Exod. 23. 20 24. Rev. 3. 16 22. Rom. 11. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 8 11. 1 Cor 9. 27. Heb. 10. 26 29. Ver. 17. Because thou sayst I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable or piteous and poor and blind and naked This Verse containeth in it either 1. An evidence and demonstration that they were Lukewarm and is a declaration of the cause and reason of their Lukewarmness their high thoughts and conceits of themselves made them so And so there was more hope of a fool of such as were Cold then of them Prov. 26. 12. When men are highly conceited of themselves and think that they are already rich this will make them grow indifferent and remiss and slothful and though they come daily and sit before God as his people and seem to take delight in approching to him and remain in the assemblies of his people yet it will make them do what they do out of Custom and for fashion-sake or in service to some Idol and it will cause them to be like a door that turneth upon his hinges it will keep them at a stand and though they go backward and forward like such a door yet they will at last be but where they were at first they will not grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it will hinder them from being hot from such a prizing of Christ as to hate all for his sake that they may win him and be found in him Prov. 26. 12 16. The full Soul loatheth the Honey-combe and that causeth a man also to wander from his place as a Bird from her nest Prov. 27. 7 8. Thus it was with Israel of old when they were low and mean and little in their own eyes and in the day of their espousals oh then what fervency and heat of Spirit and demeanour was found with them they followed the Lord out of the Land of Egypt and through the Wilderness through a Land of deserts and pits through a Land of drought and so the shadow of death through a Land that no man passed through and where no man dwelt but when they conceited themselves to be rich and said they were Lords free persons now no longer in bondage as when they were in Egypt they were now brought out of the house of Servants a type of the state of the world and were become owners grown rich and increased with goods now they were become possessors and had need of nothing then their former fervency was gone they would come no more to him but forsook him when he led them by the way and forgot him days without number and trimmed their way to seek love elsewhere and yet wiped their mouths and said they were innocent and therefore surely his anger should turn away from them and still flattered him with their lips and called him My father and the guide of my youth Jer. 2. 7 31 35. Oh! blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Mat. 5. 6. But the full and rich he sendeth empty away Luke 1. 53. The Apostle Paul confesseth and acknowledgeth that he had not yet attained neither was already perfect and therefore forgetting the things behind and reaching forth to the things before he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus christ he run as for his life and did strive as for an incorruptible Crown he was fervent in Spirit and laboured and indeavored that whether present or absent he might be accepted of the Lord and he instructeth the believers who were perfect upright-hearted to be like-minded with him to reckon themselves to be imperfect as to attainment That so they also might run with patience the race set before them Phil. 3. 12 16. 1 Cor. 9. 24 26. Whereas on the other hand when men begin to take notice of themselves and to think more highly of themselves then is meet and of their knowledge and attainments this cutteth off the feet and maketh persons to be Lukewarm and when a price is put into their hand for getting wisdom they have no heart thereto this high thought of themselves maketh them sit loose from Christ and lightly to esteem the Rock of their Salvavation and though it blow up men like a Bladder yet it doth not build them up according to that we all know we have knowledge every one is too ready and forward to take notice of that knowledge even the knowing and taking notice of our knowledge puffeth up maketh men appear high and full but it is but with wind but it edifieth not as Charity doth which is not puffed up And when men are so puffed up by their fleshly mind it taketh them off
possessed of That which is said of Wisdom may be said of this also it is more precious then Rubies and all the things we can desire are not to be compared herewith Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living It cannot be gotten for Gold neither shall Silver be weighed for the price thereof it cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire c. Prov. 3. 13-15 8. 10 11. 16. 16. Joh. 3. 31. Jam. 3. 17. It is even the Lord himself and what is treasured up in him and all nations are before him as nothing and they are counted to him less then nothing and vanity To whom then shall we liken him or what likeness shall we compare unto him Isa 40. 15-18-25 46. 5 6. The world and all the things thereof and all we injoy and are possessed of are not to be compared to this unsearchably rich treasure which we are here counselled to buy Cant 8. 7. 2. And it also appeareth that by buying is not meant parting with any thing as a valuable consideration if we consider what manner of persons they are that are counselled to buy to wit such as had no worth or worthiness in them such as were indigent worthless creatures such as were wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and therefore such as could give nothing in exchange for this excellent commodity that might in the least be valuable therewith or comparable thereto And elsewhere such are invited to buy that have no money nor price Isa 55. 1 2. Luke 14. 21. 3. And it further appeareth that this is not meant by buying because it is highly provoking to God to think that we can purchase the gift of God with any thing we have as a valuable consideration This was the great and hainous iniquity of Simon Magus to think that the gift of God might be purchased with money And therefore Peter said unto him Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Act. 8. 18-23 2. But this is called and compared to buying 1. Because we must part with somewhat that we may be made partakers of Christ As in in buying any commodity a man must part with one thing for another so here We must part with what we have even all that we have of our own We must be like the wise Merchant who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Matt. 13. 44-46 So must we do we must part with and forsake all we have that we may have this Gold and white raiment As to say We must at first and always let go our Pride and high thoughts and conceits of our selves and of our being in a good condition already and without Christ This was the great and fundamental evil found with these as is before noted they said they were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing and hereby they grew remiss and lukewarm and therefore unless this evil and high conceit of themselves were abstained from and parted with by them how could they with fervency seek the Lord Hence this faithful and gracious counsellour instructeth and admonisheth them Vers 19. Be zealous and repent and the latter is needful to the former And so it is as if he should say that you may with earnestness and intention of spirit seek to know and be made partakers of Christ and those durable riches in him needful it is that you repent change your minds let go your proud and lofty thoughts and conceits of your selves and of the goodness of your present condition that you may seek the Lord the Lord himself and that substantial preparation in him Forsake your unrighteous thoughts without which you cannot return to the Lord with whom is plenteous redemption Isa 55. 1-6 7. Wash your hearts from wickedness how long shall vain thoughts lodge within you Jer. 4. 14. This haughty concert of the goodness of their present condition was that which hindered the leaders of the people in â—orâ—eâ— times from coming to Christ as the rest and refreshing and directing others thereto because they thou â—â—t the evil should not overtake nor prevent them They had made a covenant with Death and with Hell were they at agreement they were not afraid of death or hell they were in an happy estâ—te already Isa 28. 12-15 and this hindred the Jews from entertaining Christ and his Gospel they thought they were whole already and that eternal life appertained to them they had it in the Scriptures assured to them and they knew all already and took it hainously that they should be reproved or faulted for any thing or that the goodness of their condition should be suspected hence they came not to Christ that they might have light life and righteousness Matt. 9. 10-12 Joh. 5. 39 40. 9. 40 41. Luke 11. 45. God doth in due time give grace to us that we might have our high thoughts of our selves subdued and that we might hate them Oh! that it may be received by us to such end and purpose Jam. 4. 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. So also we must let go and forsake our double mindedness and halting between two opinions This Angel and Church were somewhat polluted herewith they were lukewarm and neither cold nor hot they were not so cold as to leave off all professed waiting upon Christ and use and observance of his ordinances nor so hot as to be chastly and singly for him to be for him and for him only which is a very sad and nauseous distemper and very loathsome and provoking to Christ Jesus and therefore needful it is that we cleanse our selves in the light and strength of God's grace here-from And indeed this is the consequent of pride and high conceits of our selves and of the goodness of our conditions and of our attainments and injoyments as hath been foreshewn and as also appeareth in Jam. 4. 5 6-8 The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men cometh first to save us from our pride and high thoughts of our selves and then and therewith instruction is given to cleanse the heart from couâ—le-mindeâ—ness This double-mindedness as it is very 〈◊〉 and dangerous so also it is very frequent and ordinary amongst many professours who have a great form of godlineâ—s upon them They have some appearance of love for the grace of God in Christ to man-ward and they will come to hear the Gospel in and amongst the Societies of God's people and seem to take delight therein And yet also they have love to and an heart for those differing and contrary doctrines which deny the grace of God to mankind or confess it not speak it not out openly and all are honest and godly men with them both those that declare and contend for the faith of the common salvation