there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Psalm 125. 5. And as he is of all sinners the greatest for his counterfeit holyness is in Gods sight a double wickedness so will his punishment in hell be the greatest Mat. 23. 14. Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation Job 20. 5. 23 24 25. God shall rain down the fury of his wrath upon him c. He shall suck the poyson of Asps the Vipers tongue shall slay him c. God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him All darknes shall be hid in his secret places and fire not blown shall consume him c. This is the portion appointed to such a man by God And this portion is the portion of unbelevers expressed in Ps 11 6. Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup they shall be cut asunder and torn in pieces there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Luke 12. 46. compared with Mat. 24. 51. the Lord of that servant shall come c. and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Psalm 50. 16. 22. Now consider this ye that forget God least I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver CHAP. XIII Arguments to perswade to Sincerity and against Hypocrisie in Services AND now to perswade us to Sincerity in our particular Works and Services especially in the service of God we may take up and use these motives 1 God is upright in his work and all that he doth he doth in uprightnesse and wee are to be followers of God Ier. 32. 41. And I will plant them c. with my whole heart and whole soul Ephes 5. 1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children 2 God requires uprightness in us in all that we doe in his service Heb. 20 22. Let us draw near with a true heart c. Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord c. and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 1 Sam. 12. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 Sam. 12 10. Rom. 12. 8 9. 1 Chr. 28. 9. 3 This sincere service agreeth with the nature of God whom we serve 1 For he is a Spirit Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth 2 He is a great King Mal. 1. 14. For I am a great king saith the Lord of hosts my name is dreadful c. He is not as man but as far above man as the heavens are above the earth Ps 55. 9. Mal. 1. 6. A son honoureth his father and a servant his master If I then be a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my name Eccles 5. 1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God c. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth c. 4 This is Gospel service and fit for Gospel times and Gospel worshippers and such service as God doth call for Ioh. 4. 23. The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Jer. 24. 7. with 3. 10. Ezek. 36. 26 27. 5 This is the only beautiful and excellent service where there is an harmony and consent between the soul and the body in the work Heb. 11. 4 6. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain 6 By this the meanest service may become a glorious work have much acceptance and reward from God Luke 21. 2. the widdows two mites Mat. 10. 42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Exod. 1. 17 21 22. Jer. 35. 18 19. 7 Such are the services of the true servants of God 1 Thes 2. 3. Ps 119 7. 2 Tim. 2. 22. 8 The services so done only are accepted and wil be rewarded with God 1 Chron. 28. 9. Neh. 13. 14. Ezek. 18 24. 9 For no outward service can or doth please God or is accepted with him for it self or the work done but as it is joyned with sinceritie in the inward worship of Faith and love to God a desire to please and purpose to obey him Gen. 4. 4. Ps 51. 16 17. For thou desirest not sacrifice c. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Isa 66. 1 2 3. But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word He that killeth an oxe c. Hosea 8. 13. and 9. 4. Amos 5. 21. Micah 6. 7 8. Heb 11. 4. 10 The Hypocritical service is a lye and a lye not to men so much as to God Hosea 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes c. Acts 5. 3. 11 The Hypocritical service albeit it be not despised by men yet God doth know it and will make it known to others to the shame of him that doth it 1 Chr. 28. 9. And then Solomon know thou the God c. and serve him with a perfect heart c. for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understâ—â—deth all the imaginations of the thoughts c. Mat. 6. 5 6. Mat. 19. 29. with Ps 44. 21 22. And it is not onely not accepted but sleighted of God it being a grievous sin a pollution and prophanation of Gods name it is a provocation of his wrath and doth draw down grievous judgements upon men that doe so perform it Mal. 1. 7. 13. 14. Should I accept this saith the Lord c. But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Lev. 10. 8. Ezek. 23. 38. Numb 18. 32. Ob. But here may be objected that hypocritical service hath had a reward 2 Kings 11. 18 19 20. 1 Kings 17. 18 c 27 28 29. 2 Kings 10. 14 15. c. Ans It cannot be denyed but that God may sometimes doth give for an outward hypocritical service for the work done because it is that he would have done a temporal reward But this will not at all preserve him from the punishment of the hypocrisie of his service here nor help to prevent the eternall punishment that will unavoidably come upon him for it hereafter Mat. 6. 5 6. and 23. 33. 2 King 10. 14 c. compared with Hosea 1. 4. CHAP. XIV Meanes or helpes to get and keepe Sinceritie IF any now shall desire and will labour for sincerity and would know by what meanes he may get
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
many as walk according to this rule c. 3 Ioh. 4. 2 Ioh. 3. 4. I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in truth as we have received a commandement c. Coll. 1. 13 2 3 4. 5. For otherwise let what will be done and let a man act in what he doth never so much ex animo from his very heart and sincerely according to the light he hath received as many doe upon false Principles yet may he be called an Hypocrite Who were such By the Sincere Christian therefore throughout this Work we understand such a one as the Scripture noteth Nathaniel to be Io. 1. 47. Behold a true Israelite indeed in whom is no guile And such were David 1 Kings 11. 4. Ps 78. 72 Iosiah 2 Kings 23 25. Hezekia 2 Chron. 29 2. Abraham Gen. 17. 1. and 24. 40. 2 Kings 22. 2. Asa 2 Chron. 20. 32. 1 Kings â—1 14. Iob Iob. 1. 1. and 2. 3. Noah Gen. 6 9. Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20 32. Paul after his conversion and the rest of the Apostles 2 Cor. 1. 12. 6. 20. Acts 24. 16. Abâ—l Gen. 4. 4. 5. Heb 11. 4. and others whose Sincerity is thus described of some of them That their hearts were perfect with the Lord of others that they did that which was right in the sight of the Lord of others That they walked with God of others that they walked before God of others that they did turne to the Lord with all their heart with all their Soule and with all their might of others That they laboured to keep their Consciences voyd of offence c. And these kind of men in Scripture language are some-times called Holy men or Saints Psal 37. 14 28. Sometimes wise men Mat. 25. 1. 2. Mat. 7. Sometimes perfect men Gen. 6 9. Sometimes upright men Psal 37. 14 18 37. Sometimes righteous Men Psal 37. 14 16. Sometimes just Men Gen. 6. 9. Sometimes plaine men Gen. 25. 27. 11. 14. Sometimes innocent men Mat. 10. 16. Sometimes the true worshippers that worship God in Spirit and Truth Io. 4. 23. Sometimes such as love the Lord Jesus in Sincerity Ephes 6. 24. Sometimes the pure in heart Math. 5. 8. Psal 24. 4. Sometimes the undefiled Psal 119. 1 3. Sometimes the poore and needy Mat. 5. 3. 7. Psal 37. 14. Sometimes good men Psal 37. 14 23. For the Sincere Christian is a compleat Christian Coll 2. 10. 4. 12. A perfect and entire Christian James 1. 4. Heb. 13. 21. And he that wants one grace or one grace in truth wants all grace That known position in Ethiques Quod virtutes sunt connexae is as true in Divinity as Morality so that he that hath not all hath indeed none at all and hence it is that true blessednesse is annexed to one of them Mat. 5. 3. Bles-sed are the poor in spirit c. And the sincere Christian is more or lesse all this Holy Wise Just Righteous c. So that by this work we shall see as in a glasse as well who is the Holy Just and Righteous man as who is the Sincere man This Sincerity now and the Sincere man are opposed to Hypocrisie and the Hypocrite And that they may more lively appeare in their colours we shall set them the one beside the other and in the next place give a description of Hypocrisy and the Hypocrite Hypocrisie What. Hypocrite Who. Hypocrisie is an evill frame of Spirit whereby a man would seem to be right towards God and to be carried to act really for him but in truth it is not so Or where a man pretends to more good towards God or Men without then is within him or whereby he would seem to himselfe or others to be better then he is He that hath this heart is said to have a heart and a heart or a double heart Psal 12. 2. Iames 1. 8. A crooked heart or perverse heart Prov. 12 8. and a divided heart Hosea 10. 2. 7. 14. And he that hath such a heart is he we intend by and call the Hypocrite The Nature of Hypocrisie But to open this Hypocrisie and the nature of it and to shew who we mean by this Hypocrite we are to know first of all that Hypocrisy stands in opposition to the Truth and reality of a thing and it stands also in opposition to the Sincerity of a mans intention in the thing and so Hypocrisy may be with reference to either of these 2. By the Hypocrite in generall we doe not intend one that appears worse then he is indeed as Peter did when he denied his Lord ' which yet he did not without Hypocrisy being so well acquainted with him Nor by the Hypocrite doe we intend one that acts this part for once or is deceitfull in one thing as Peter and some others with him were Gal. 2. 3 14. And as the best men sometimes may be and are unfainedly sorry for the same afterwards Nor doe we intend by the Hypocrite in generall such a man as by humane frailty only falleth into lesser sinnes Rom. 7. 17 19 For in many things we offend all Iames 3. 2. And there is not a man that liveth and sinneth not 1 Kings 8. 47. 1 Io. 1. 7 8. Deut. 32. 5. Nor doe we hereby intend him that by strength of Temptation may fall into greater sinnes against his purpose whereof he doth afterwards repent as David Solomon Peter and others did and the best of Gods own people may doe For as a man may be in some Acts without Hypocrisie and yet be an Hypocrite so a man may be Hypocriticall in some Acts and yet be sincere and there is some Hypocrisie in the best who at one time or other or in some things may appeare better then they are 3. But by the Hypocrite we meane him that is an Hypocritie through his heart and life one that for holinesse and goodnesse seems to others and perhaps also to himselfe to be what he is not but yet ought to be or one that desires to make a faire shew without of that goodnesse and holinesse which he hath not nor any root or foundation of within him He is one that seems to be and to act the part of a true Christian but is none he appears in the shape of a living Christian but is dead Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a name to live but art dead Rom. 2. 28. He is not a Iew that is one outwardly He doth seem to be a Saint or Angell of Light and is a Devill Io. 6. 70. 2 Cor. 11. 14. Hence it is that Hypocrites are compared to Tares which are like to Wheat Matth 13. 25. As Hypocrisie is compared to Leaven Luke 12. 1. which cannot be known by sight so the Hypocrite is compared to a wolfe in a sheeps skin Mat. 7. 15. For the likenes and agreement that is in appearance between him and the true Christian for they are indeed very hardly to be known the one from the other And the
they lyed to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Psal 50. 16. But to the wicked God saith What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction Esay 1. 10 11. c. To what purpose the multitude of your Sacrifices c. Hosea 7. 14 15 16. They have not cryed to me with their heart when they howled on their beds c. they return but not to the most high they are like a deceitfull bow c. Tit. 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him Esay 41. 1 2 3. c. Heare ye ô howse of Iacob which are called by the name of Israell which came forth of the waters of Judah which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israell but not in truth they call thēselves of the holy City c. thou art obstinate c. 2 Tim. 1. 2. 5. Having a forme of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof 1 Tim. 4. 2. Speaking lyes in Hypocrisie Tit. 1. 10. Deceivers c. Teaching for lucres sake Esay 58. 1 2 3. They seek me daily c. Esay 65. 5 8. Which say stand by thy selfe come not neare to me for I am holier then thou Mich. 3. 11. They leane upon the Lord and say c. Psal 106. 12. Then believed they his words They sang his praise they soon forgat his workes c. Mat. 7. 22. Luke 13. 27. Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. In thy name have we prophecied cast out Devills and done wonderfull things We have eaten and dranke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets c. I know you not c. Such were the whole Nation of the Jewes that professed themselves to be Gods people and did not live like his people that gloryed in their having of the Law of God and kept it not that they were the Children of Abraham but did not walk in his steps that boasted of the Temple and worship but were unholy in their lives that came of Israel but were not the Israel of God nor true Israelites indeed Esay 10. 6. Rom 9. 6 7 8. Gal 6. 10. Io. 1. 46 47. Rom 2. 23 29. Esay 41. 1. Io 8. 33. Mat 3. 9. Such were the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 13. c. and 15. 7 8 9. The five foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2. c. The three sorts of bad Hearers Luke 8. 12 13 14. And such are they that are spoken of in Psal 69. called the enemies of David and Christ and his Church v. 4. under the name of his Brethren and Mothers Children v. 8. and in Psal 139. throughout So in Psal 58. throughout 2 Pe. 2. 3. Col 2. 22. Iob 27. 8 9 10. Iosh 1. 16. Deut. 5. 20. And such are Intended by the Tares and bad fish in Mat 13. 25 38 48. And the house built upon the sand Mat 7. 23 24 25. Of such is it spoken Amos 5. 21. Micha 6. 7. Hosea 9. 4. and 8. 13. Ier 5. 1 2 3. and 9. 10. and 7. 21. Phil 1. 18. Psal 58. 1 2. Ezek. 1. 2. c. Ier. 11. 15. Mat. 7. 15. Rom. 16. 17 18. Acts 20. 30. Esay 66. 1 2 3 c. Esay 42. 1 2 3. c. 43. 24. Ezech 14 1 2. Psal 35. 16. compared with Psal 41. 6. And in divers other places of Scripture And all these in Scripture sense and in some degree are to be accounted Hypocrites And these Hypocrites in Scripture Language are How called called and said to be fooles Mat. 23. 17. Sinners evill doers Esay 1 4. Wicked and ungodly Jude 4. Psal 50. 16. Prov 15. 8. The children of the Divell Jo 8. 44. 1 Jo 3. 12. Devils Jo 6. 70. A generation of vipers Mat 3. 7. and 12. 34. The perverse Pro 12. 8. Such as are without the Spirit of Christ Jude ver 19. Such as forget God Psal 50. 16 22. Reprobates 2 Tim 3. 8. Out of Christ for he knoweth them not Mat. 7. 23. Treacherous Jer. 12. 1 2. Deceitfull Psal 109. 2. Unbelievers Jo 6. 64. 70. Workers of Iniquity Matth. 7. 23. And all this is true of them and therefore hereby also we may see who is not a child of God or in Christ but a Reprobate a wicked person or a Child of the Divell We will now passe to the sorts or kinds of Hypocrisie and Sincerity CHAP. II. Of the severall kinds of Hypocrisy and Sincerity And of the Severall sorts of Hypocrites HYpocrisie and so Sincerity also as to the kinds thereof are considerable in men diverse wayes 1. In reference to the man in whom it is in generall as it respects his heart in what he doth whether he be rotten or sound therein So Christ calleth the Pharises Hypocrites in Mat. 23. often 2. With reference to the matter wherein it is acted and sheweth it selfe And so it is considerable also Either in relation to the inward affections and motions of the heart or the words of the mouth or the works of the hands It is considerable as to the affections and motions of the heart within whether they be indeed as they seem to be in shew by the words and works without For a man may pretend to true Faith Love Repentance and other Graces and works of the Spirit whereof there may be some appearance or likenesse upon him and which he may think he hath in truth within him but hath it not indeed nor any thing but the picture and Image thereof only For there are some things like to that are not saving Graces and there is no saving Grace in truth in a Saint but there may be and is the likenesse of it in an Hypocrite There are naturall gifts and works arising from the naturall constitution and temper of a man And so a man may be naturally meeke loving kind mercifull curteous and peaceable There may be and are many very commendable qualities wrought in a man by Education reading example and the like And hereby some have attained to virtues like to saving Graces And there are Spirituall Gifts or common operations of the spirit of God distinct from saving grace which is called unfeighned grace 1 Tim. 1. 5. Acts 8 37. The grace of Gods Elect and Grace which doth accompany Salvation Tit. 1. 1. Heb. 6. 9. And so a man may have the appearance of any saving Grace and yet not have the Grace it selfe Mat. 23. 27 28. Jo. 2. 24. Psal 78. 36 7. Acts 8. 21 23. Psal 136. 11 12 13. Exod 14. 31. Rom. 12. 9. 2. Hypocrisie and Sincerity also are considerable as to the words whether they be so in the intention of the Speaker in themselves and may produce the effect they doe prima facie seeme to be and to produce Or they be not lyes spoken in Hypocrisie 1 Tim.
and 3. 9. Which say they are Jewes and are not but the Synagogue of Satan 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. False Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ c. Rom 16. 18. By good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple to serve their bellies c. So many Papists and others at this day keep their formes and wayes of worship and pretend they are in the right way to salvation when they themselves know the contrary And that they doe so of purpose for some advantage to themselves The lesse Grosse Hypocrite we call him that is a grosse Heretick or Idolater as a Papist Arrian and the like or one that together with his profession is very loose in his conversation as those Hypocrites Isa 1. 1 2. c. and 2 Tim. 2. 3 4 5. The Refined Hypocrite is also more refined or lesse refined The Refined Hypocrite The more Refined Hypocrite is he that pretends to any thing of Grace and true Godlinesse without the which is in part only or he taketh to be altogether within The Nature of his Hypocrisie him So many a man in the profession of the Gospell and his carriage with-out pretends to truth of Grace within where there is something like it and he doth judge it to be there in Truth and that he is not an Hypocrite but upright And it is not to be doubted but that a man may be an Hypocrite and not know it He may doe all things according to the letter of the word right in appearance and as to the reality of what he doth in Truth and be hereupon perswaded that he hath grace in his heart in uprightnesse is in the favour of God and in a happy and safe estate and so continue to his dying day and yet be damned at last Prov. 14. 12. There is a way that seemeth right to a man but the end thereof are the wayes of death Prov. 30 12. There is a generation that are Pure in their own eyes and yet not washed from their filthinesse So Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13. The foolish Virgins Matt. 25 and the young Man Matt. 29. Were all of them reall in what they made shew of and pretended to And yet they were Hypocrites and so are all such as shall doe likewise as many doe at this day who pretend to be true Christians and Saints c. And doe make a profession of that and doe appeare to others and themselves to be such as they are not for they would be thought to be true Christians and yet have not the Soule of a true Christian within them Rom. 2. 28. For he is not a Iew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tryed them that say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars The lesse refined Hypocrite we call him that possibly may either hold some more grosse opinions as some Superstitious Persons that are only Popish in some points or some worse practises or are not so exact in their lives as the former sort And yet perhaps may be secure and judge themselves in an estate good enough Ia. 1. 25. 26 So that we call them more or lesse Grosse as there is more of their wills and purposes by designe in their Profession and painted outside of good to device Or as their evill opinions and practises they hold or doe are more or lesse evill And more or lesse Refined as they are more or lesse privy to their own mistake and deceit or as the opinions or practises they hold or act are more or lesse dangerous This difference of Hypocrites the Apostle seems to hold forth 1 Tim. 1. 13. Acts 3. 17. I did it ignorantly so that there is a simple ignorant as well as a willfull knowing Hypocrite The first sort of these Hypocrites deceive others only But the latter sort deceive themselves also Iames 1. 21 26. If any seem to be Religious c. that deceiveth his own heart c. So the foolish virgins that were never disordered by the wise nor themselves till the gate of grace was shut upon them Some make a third sort of Hypocrite between the two forenamed ones and make him such a one that doth somewhat suspect himselfe and yet for some selfe ends continues and bears up in his profession as long as he can And amongst these diverse sorts of Hypocrites there are found these differences Or they may be distinguished thus 1. There is a malitious or spitefull Hypocrite and he is such a one as doth hate and maligne the true Christian and will doe to him all the mischiefe he can And this is such a one as for this is compared to a Viper or Serpent for his venome and mischiefe against and danger to the true Church And such were the Scribes and Pharises Matt. 12. 24. and 23. 33. Io. 6. 70. and 8. 44. called therefore Gods enemies Psal 109. 4 29. and 79. 26. 14. Esay 56. 6. your Brethren that hate you c. 2. There is a loose or carelesse Hypocrite one that together with his profession of Religion is very licentious and loose in his conversation Such were those in Esay 1. 1 10 11 12. c. and those in 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 3. There is a strict or an exact Hypocrite one that for his outward conversation is as faire and looks as beautifull as the most Sincere Christian but is rotten within Such were the Foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2. c. Hosea 7. 11. Mat 22. 17. Ob But it may be objected That we call him an Hypocrite that doth what he doth really and from his heart which is no Hypocrite Ans 1. We grant that men may be and are in their hearts within oft times in that which is evill in opinion and practise the same as they are in their profession and appearance without So we find in Pauls case Acts 28. 9. I verily thought with myselfe that I ought to doe many things against the name of Iesus c Christ tells his Disciples Io. 16. 2. that the time was coming that whosoever should kill them should think they did God service in it And we are perswaded that most of the Common people under the various formes of Religion in these times as Papists Quakers and the like are cordiall and doe take themselves to be in the right But 2. If we say to this farther that a man may doe many things well and in his own judgement and opinion according to the Law and Gospell of Jesus Christ and yet the person so doing be so farre from being a Sincere good Christian that he is all the while a desperate sinner and in that sense we now speak of an Hypocrite So it
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
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
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
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
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
works of the true Christian and the Hypocrite 2. We shall lay down the difference that is herein in their inside and in the operations of their hearts to wit the differences between the reall good in the heart of the true Christian and the seeming good in the heart of the Hypocrite 3. We shall lay down some of the differences that are between them both in their inside and outside 4. We shall lay downe some markes or signes of Sincerity and Hypocrisie setting the one in opposition to the other the which may serve to discover both 5. And then lastly we shall lay downe some other characters and signes of Sincerity which are signes of other things that do alwaies accompany Sincerity SECT I. The difference between the true Christian and the Hypocrite in their Outside For the first The difference that there is between the true and counterfeit Christian in their outside or by their externall works we are to know that the Hypocrite As we have said may have as faire an Outside as the best Christian in the World And some Hypocrites are such and continue so to their dying day and can say with that young man Mat. 19 17 18 19. All these things have I kept from my youth up And yet in most of them perhaps if they be narrowly watched some halting may be found in this also as to their conversation The true Christian is altogether a Christian doth follow Christ fully in all things and whether soever he goes and allwaies And he being wrought upon so effectually by the word and spirit as to be cast into the mould or transformed into the likenesse thereof he is for a present compliance with the whole will of God in all things he doth walke in all the commandments of God blamelesse He escheweth all that is evill and doth all that is good Ephes 4. 28. Zach. 13. 4 5 Isa 1. 16 17. He is for all duties to God and duties to man he is for piety justice and sobriety And he is for Godlinesse not only in the forme but in the power thereof he is for greater for lesser for publick for private duties he is for duties that are in esteeme and duties out of esteeme he is for more and for lesse profitable duties and performances for duties of mercy and charity as well as for duties that have outward profits and advantages attending them and in them all he is alike constant and industrious in their proper places And as to all the will of God and duty and work thereby incumbent on man he is universall and uniforme amongst all persons in all times places and cases one and the same and changeth not but continueth so to his dying day Psal 18. 21 23 24. For I have kept the waies of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God I was also upright before him And I kept my selfe from mine iniquity Luke 1. 6. It is said of Zacharie and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements of God blamelesse Caleb that he did fully follow the Lord in Deut. 1. 36. Numb 14. 24. and 32. 11 12. Of Auna Luke 2 37 She served God with fastings and Prayers night and day Of Cornelius Acts 10 2. He was a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much almes unto the people and prayed to God alwaies Psal 101. 2. I will walk uprightly in the midst of my house Acts 2. 43. And they continued steafastly in the Apostles doctrine Psal 101. 1 2 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes Ephes 5 1. Mat 8. 10. and 16. 24. Jo. 4. 24. 1 Sam. 12. 3 4. 2 Cor. 7. 2. But the Hypocrite is but almost or halfe a Christian doth but some things and follow Christ in part And he as to this is commonly faulty in one of these particulars 1. Either he will put off and delay to doe what he is commanded Luke 9 59. Suffer me first to goe and bury my Father c. 2 Or he will doe it but by halves when he doth it Hosea 7. 8 16. Numb 32. 11. 3. Or he will doe too much more then is given him in command by God being led therein by his own fancy or the commandements of men or some humane Tradition and so it is a Will worship Mat. 15. 2 3 6. c. Why do thy Diseiples transgresse the Traditions of the Elders c. But he answered why doe you also transgresse the commandements of God by your Tradition For God commanded c. In vaine doe you worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men So Jehu 2 Kings 15. 1 2. c. Luke 18. 10 12. Psal 119. 81 82. Hosea 5. 11. 4. Or else and this is more common with him he doth too little he doth lesse then God commandeth and in the rest will doe his own will Hosea 7. 7. 5. Or he is all for the duties of the first table he is towards God religious but towards man unjust cruell unfaithfull c. Esay 1. 11 12 13. For what purpose are the multitude of your sacrifices c. your hands are full of blood c. Mal. 2. 6. Have been partiall in the Law Ezech 22. 26. 6. Or he hath somewhat of both but he hath a reserve he must be borne and dispensed with in some things he hath some beloved sinne or other of Profit and Pleasure as Naaman 2 Kings 5. 18. the Jewes Exod. 16. 28 29. Saul 1 Sam 15. 8. Herod Morke 6. 20. and others 7. Or he is very exact in the lesser but very carelesse in the greater things Mat. 23. 23. Woe to you Scribes c. Ye pay Tithe of Mint Annis and Cummin but have omitted the weighty matters of the Law judgement mercy and Faith c. 8. Or he is all for duties that are more publick and not at all for private 9. Or he is for duties that are in request and of selfe advantage and for none others Acts 8. 21. There is scarce an Hypocrite to be found but lives in some known sinne or other and under the power of some lust which he serveth He will serve two masters Mat 6. 24. He supposeth the love of God and the world may stand toget her and that he may serve both Iames 4. 4 The dog hath his kennell and the Sow her swill And if you mark well his stepps you will finde him in time of Temptation drawn or driven to the omitting of some good or doing of some foule evill And to take the boldnesse at least at some time or in some places or amongst some company or in some case to offend wickedly Ezek. 33. 30 31. compared with Ezek. 8. 7 8 9. 1 Sam 10. 10. and 14. 33 34. Mark 6 20 21 22 27. 2 Kings 5. 18. Mat 13. 22 23. Iob. 27. 10. Isa 65. 3 4 5 6 7. Hos 7. 7 8 9 10. c. Zeph 1. 5. Iob. 27. 10. Luke 17. 15.
sea and land to make a proselite c. SECT III. 2 In their zeale The Hipocrite may have and hath as wee have shevved a zeale and this zeale may bee upon religious grounds as is and must bee the zeale of the true Christian and according to the dictates of his Conscience But vve shall find a vvidc difference betvvene the zeale of the one and of the other in these things 1. The true Christians zeale is after knovvledge received from the Word of God and it is for Christ and his truth Isa 8. 16. Rev. 3. 19. Tit. 2. 14. Numb 25. 11 13 But the zeal of the Hypocrite is nofter the knowledge of Gods Word but after his own or other mens opinions and inventions Rom 10 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Mat. 15. 9 Gal. 4. 17 18. and against Christ as that of Paul was at first Phil. 3. 6 9. 2. The true Christians zeal is and springs from the work of Gods Spirit and his own faith in Gods word Jer 20. 9. Acts 19 19 20. But the Hypocrites zeal ariseth from some humane Motive Tradition Custom Education or some such like thing without and the corruption of his own heart within Act. 22. 3. I was zealous toward God as ye all are this day Mat. 15. 9. Teaching for doctrines the coÌ„mandments of men Joh. 4. 20. 3. The true Christians zeal is accompanyed with a deep sense of his original and internal wickedness which the Hypocrite mindeth not Luke 18. 10 11 12. The Publican went up to pray c. He stood afar off c. 4. The true Christian being sensible of his own heart-empâ—iness of Grace and the insufficiency of all things without Christ to fill it sets a low value upon all other things in comparison of Christ and longs after and looks for all from Christ Phil. 3. 8. Luke 1. 53. But the Hypocrite hath with his zeal a heartfulness and self-confidence of his own sufficiency Luke 1. 53. Mat. 5. 6. Rom. 10 2 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness c. SECT IV. 3 In their love to God And the properties of true love to God The true Christian loveth God and so he must for this is the whole duty of man Mat. 22. 37. And so perhaps the Hypocrite may doe But there is a wide difference betwixt the one love and the other love thus The sincere love of the true Christian is 1 A rational and understanding love it ariseth from the knowledge of God his excellencies loveliness goodness beautie and works and especially as he is revealed in Christ by the Gospel Psal 63. 2 3. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my sonl thirsteth for thee c. to see thy power and thy glory c. For thy loving kindness is better than life c. Psal 9. 10. Heb 1. 3. Joh. 14 9. 2 It ariseth from Gods love and the sense thereof to him and the apprehension he hath that God is a reconciled Father to him 1 Joh. 4 10. We love him because he first loved us Joh. 3. 16. Luke 7. 47 2 Thes 2. 16. 3 It is a natural love as the love of a childe to the father arising from his new nature as he is born and brought forth a childe of God And so he loveth God as in the relation of a Father to him Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 4. It is a pure love he loves God for his own sake and for the good he seeth to be in him and for the good he doth to others as well as for the good he doth to him And in this it is like to the true love of a man to a woman when he loves her only for her person and qualities sake and not for her portion Psal 34 8. Cant. 1. 4 15. Psal 63. 1 2 3. 5 It is an open and ingenuous love it moves the heart towards God as the heart of one faithful friend to another James 2 23. Ioh 3. 29. Ioh. 15. 14 15. 1 Cor. 13. 4. 6 It is a strong transcendent and supernaturall love And more and greater than his love is to his Father Mother Brother Sister Wife Children Self or any thing else in the world for he looks on God as his chief good and cannot be satisfied with any thing else in the world without him can acquiâ—sce in and be satisfied with him without all things else and for his sake he can and will do or suffer any thing and for the enjoyment of him he can and will part with his right eye right hand or any thing else whatsoever never so near or dear to him and in him is all his delight Mat. 10. 37. Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27 28 35. Rev. 12. 11. Cant. 8 6 7. Luke 18. 28. Psal 63. 1. 116. 7 8 4. 2. 5 7. Psal 37. 25. Luke 14. 27. 7 It labours to improve it self by all advantages and thaâ— it may love more Psal 116. 1. 8 It is a laborious and working love Gal. 5. 6. 1 Thess 1. 3. 9 It is a true love that runs through the whole man inward and outward The Thoughts 1 It will make them be all upon him Ps 113. 13. and 63. 6. ubi amor ibi oculus ibi animus 2 The Judgement it will cause it to set a great value on him Lam. 3 24. 3 The Desires it will make them to goe much after him Isa 26. 9. 4 It will make him content to wait for him Isa 26. 8 9. Psal 40. 1. 5 It will make him to be patient under delay and suffering till he come Psal 40. 1. 6 It will make the Will to close with him hold him fast and not to let him go Cant. 3. 4. Psal 18. 21. 7 It will make him rejoice in his presence and mourn for his absence c. Ps â—2 1. 11. 19. 8 It will make his tongue to be still talking of him Psal 119. 27. and 63. 3. and 145. 21. 9 It will make his hands still ready to be working for him 10 It will make the whole man to be ready to doe or suffer any thing for his sake Psal 119. 168. And not be satisfied but mourn that he can do no more for him 10 It is a lasting constant unchangeable and never dying love Cant. 8. 6 7. 11 It cannot be quenched and it doth manifest it self by these and such like signs and effects 1 By the hatred of evill Psal 97. 10. Yee that love the Lord hate evill 2 By the love of the godly 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 13 14. 3 By pittying of and yeelding help to them in time of misery 1 Ioh. 3. 17. 4. By care to keep the Commandements of God Ioh.
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
that kind of trust he hath in God is a groundless trust it hath no root Micah 3. 11. Luke 8. 13. 2 The true faith and trust of the true Christian brings forth obedience and submission to all Gods will in doing and suffering Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith Isa 25. 9. Psal 40. 1. But the faith and hope of the Hypocrite is fruitless to himself and others Job 8 14. The hope of the Hypocrite shall fail him and be as the spiders webb Ps 106. 6 7 13. 3 It is a continuing and a growing trust but the faith and trust of the Hypocrite is a temporary and vanishing faith and trust Psal 106. 12 13. Then beleeved they his words c. they soon forgat his works c. Exod. 14. 31. Mat. 13. 6 20 21. Ps 78. 34 35. SECT XI 10 In their Faith in Christ Signs of it The true Christian is such a one as doth believe in Christ and so he must John 14. 1. But the Hypocrite as we have shewed may believe in Christ also John 2. 23 24 25. Luke 8 13. But there is a vast difference between the faith of the true and the faith of the false Christian herein 1 The one the unfeigned faith of the true Christian is a grace of the Regenerating Spirit and alwaies accompanied with Regeneration John 1. 12 13. But as many as received him to them he gave power to be the Sons of God even to them which beleeve in his Name which was born not of blood c. Eph. 2. 8. Gal. 5. 22. John 3. 5. 2 The faith of the true Christian is grounded upon the promise and is alwaies accompanied with the knowledge of the promise of the Gospel it doth beleeve Ephes 1. 13 14. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel c. Isa 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many c. John 17. 3. It is life eternal to know thee c. 1 John 5. 10 11. Rom. 10. 14. 3 He takes accepts and receives Christ for salvation and that upon his own terms Luke 9. 23. If any man will come after me let him deny himself John 1. 12. Acts 6. 31. 4 It is a faith whereby a man takes Christ to him and gives himself up to Christ Heb. 11. 13. Having seen the promises afar off c. and embraced them c. Phil. 3. 12. John 5. 24. and 6. 37 38. Rom. 12. 1. 5 It is a soul melting faith Zach. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn c. 6 It is a soul-purifying faith Acts 15. 9 Purifying their hearts by faith c. and 26. 18. Which work it doth 1 By application of the VVord against sin John 17. 17. 2 By application of Christs blood Zach. 13. 1. 3 By an inward efficacy and operation so it is a part of sanctification Gal. 5. 22. 7 It is a soul-conflicting Faith it hath many doubts fears and difficulties to encounter with Mark 9. 24. And stratway the father of the child cried out and said with tears Lord I beleeve help thou mine unbelief Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation 8 It is an obedient-making faith it makes a man sincerely obedient Heb 11. 7. 8. 17. and fruitfull in good works Gal 5. 6. But faith which worketh by love Tit. 3. 8. Heb. 11 throughout James 2. 17 20. and ready and chearful therein Gal. 5. 7 9 It is a soul-supporting faith in time of trouble Hab. 2. 4. But the just shall live by his faith Job 13. 15 16. and 19. 26. 27. 10 It is a prevalent and a conquering faith it makes a man able to doe the hardest things to break through all difficulties overcome all temptations part with his dearest interests trample under his feet all the threats pleasures profits and honours of the world and makes a man hang loose from them James 4. 7. 1 Per 5. 9. Heb. 11. By faith Noah c. prepared an Ark c. ver 24. 25. By faith Moses when he came to years refused c. chusing rather c. 2 Thes 1. 11. 1 Thes 1. 3. Acts 17. 32 34. 11 It is a quickning powerful lively and a laborious faith 1 Thes 1. 3. Remembering without ceasing your work of Faith c. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 2. 20. James 2. 18. 12 It is very apprehensive of unbelief Mark 9 24. Luke 17. 5. And the Apostles said to the Lord Increase our faith 13 It hath with it a spirit of Prayer Rom. 10. 14. Psal 116. 10. 14 It hath with it some peace Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God 15 It is a growing and increasing faith 2 Cor. 10. 15. Rom. 1. 17. 2 Thes 1. 3. Your faith groweth exceedingly But the faith of the Hypocrite is a groundless faith that for which he hath no promise it is either Historical onely as was that of Agrippa Acts 26. 27. and of the devils James 2. 19. that he doth beleeve the things written in the VVord to be true The devils beleeve and tremble Or that of miracles which Judas and others had by which they did miraculous and wonderfull things Mat. 27. 22 23. Or an imaginary fearless and confident faith a meer fancy and dream of the brain whereby a man doth conceive his estate to be good and in Christ and yet is still in his carnal estate without any fruits of faith James 2. 14 17 20 26. And this indeed is presumption Or it is a temporary faith which doth usually vanish like a Comet in time of trial and he that hath it falls away by Apostasie Luke 8. 13. with Mat. 13. 20 21. Mark 10. 17. And is not accompanied with the purification of the heart or reformation of the life or any such lively effects as we have before observed to be in the faith of the true believer but it is like the corn either withered by the Sun or choaked by the thorns Luke 8. 5 6 7 12 13 14. Acts 8. 21 22. SECT XII 11 In their Repentance The true Christian must be convinced of his sin inwardly grieved and humbled for his sin and this before and after his calling and conversion and must be changed and converted in heart and life from it Luke 13. 3. Acts 17. 30. Acts 11. 18. Isa 1. 11. to 29. Tit. 1. 15. Psal 66. 18. Wee find also that there is a kind of grief and sorrow and that there are gripings and affrightings in the heart and some effects thereof in the life of the Hypocrite Mat. 27. 3. Psal 68. 35 36. But there is between the one and the other a great difference 1 In the first conversion and repentance for sin in general And 2 in particular conversions upon particular falls As to the first That of the true Christian is wrought by the VVord of God with the operation of the Spirit discovering to him his sin and
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
fear of God The true Christian must fear God 1 Pet. 3 14 15. Jer 5. 22. Mat. 10. 8. And he doth so Nehemiah 7. 2. Mal. 3. 16. But there is also a kinde of fear of God in the heart of the Hypocrite But the differences are many and great between the one and the other 1 The fear that is in the heart of the true Christian is a Sonne-like fear and joyned with love and he doth fear the Lord as well for his goodness and mercy as for his judgments Hos 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness But the fear of the Hypocrite is as the fear of a slave or a servan towards the master or as a prisoner to the Judge And he fears the Lord for his judgements onely Isa â—3 14. Fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites who among us shall dwel c. 2 In the measure or degree The fear of God in the true Christian is a transcendent fear hee feareth God above all Heb. 11. 22 23. Mat. 10 26 28. Gen. 39. 9. But the Hypocrite feareth man more than God Mat. 21. 26 27. 3 The fear of God in the true Christian causeth him to depart from all that is evil and to doe all that is good Prov. 8. 13. and 16. 16. But the fear of the Hypocrite makes him rather to forbear the doing of good and to adventure upon the doing of evil Mat. 25. 24 25. 4 It is a lasting fear but that of the Hypocrite onely temporary and soon gone Exod. 14. 31. and 15. 23 24. SECT XVII 16 In the frame of their heart in what they doe or suffer The true Christian doth and must reform his life And the Hypocrite seemeth to doe so for the evill spirit seems to be cast out of him also Mat. 12. 45. But there is a great deal of odds in the frame and disposition of their hearts therein both in the first undertaking and in their further acting and that in the leaving or omission of evil and in the doing of good and their motives and ends therein The true Christian in his first undertaking of the profession of Religion doth design and aim at an universal and compleat obedience conformity to the whole will of God to keep all his Commandments Ps 101. 1 2 3 c. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandements Heb. 13. 18. We trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Acts 24. 16. But the design of the Hypocrite is to go so far and doe so much therein as may serve to his own end which is not to please and glorifie God but to please and advance himself And hence it is that it doth sometimes forbear to doe the good he ought to do and sometimes forbear to do the evil he ought not to do sometimes doe the good he ought to doe Mat. 14. 5. Mark 12. 12. Luke 20. 19. and 22. 2. Joh. 9. 22. And in his further acting in what he doth and in what he forbeareth to doe All that the Hypocrite doth think of in the forbearance of or flying from evil is to forbear it for his own end therein But the true Christian therein is moved from the fear of God Gen. 39. 9. Prov. 14. 1. and the hatred of sin Ier. 4. 4. And all that he doth think of in doing of good is the work to be done as in Praier only to pray c. But the true Christian is carefull of the manner and order of his doing of the disposition of his heart and his aim and ends therein That in it he be carried out from the conscience of the command of God and his obedience thereunto his love to God 2 Cor. 5 14. That hee be swayed more therein by the fear of God than the fear of men and with desire to please God rather than to please men and that he take more care to fulfill the will of God than of men Gal. 1. 10 Nor do I seek to please men c. Psal 119. 24. That what he doth be done by the rule of Gods Word Luke 18. 20 21. That he doe it with his whole heart willingly and cheerfully Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power As for example with this acknowledgement of sin there is joyned a heart broken for sin hating it resolving against it and faith in the blood of Christ 2 Sam. 24. 10. Psal 51. 4. Luke 18. 10. Dan. 7. 7 8 9. Ezra 10. 2. Mark 1. 15. And he hath an end beyond himself and the saving of his soul To please God to doe it to the Lord for Gods sake as well for his own sake for the advancement and glory of the name of God and Christ as well as for the good of his own soul Phil. 1. 21. For me to live is Christ that is Christ is both the author and end of my life I live for him I live in him I live by him I live to him or all the gain that I aim at in life or death is to glorifie him Acts 20. 24. and 21. 13. I am ready to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus Mat. 6. 9 13. Rom. 9. 3. Lam. 2. 18. But otherwise it is in the heart of the Hypocrite in all that hee doth of good and forbeareth to do of evil It is for his own end He leaves his sin but loves it stil He hath not left it for love of God possibly he may leave it for some fear of God and his Judgements or fear of men as Magistrates Ministers Parents and the like and fear of some harme that may come to him by them for he hath a slavish fear Gen. 28. 8. Mat. 14. 5. but bee is the same man and hath the same mind still as he had Prov. 1. 22 28 29. He loveth simplicitie c. So he may confess sin without any heart broken for or broken from sin without any hatred of sin or purpose to leave it or faith in Christ at all as Iudas Saul and Cain did 1 Sam. 15 24 25. Mat. 27. 2 3 Gen. 4. 4 c. Deut. 1 41. Prov. 28. 13. And he leaveth evill and doth good from the love to himself and for his self-satisfaction and that he may doe himself good thereby either for his own ease or for his own glory and applause or some other advantage that hee hath or hopeth to have thereby to accrew to himself for he is mercenary John 6. 26. Ye seek me not because c. but because ye eat of the loaves and were filled He may make again by godliness and so for self ends and out of self love doth seek himselfe and serve his own ends altogether whiles he pretendeth to seek God out of love to him and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 16. 18. Serve not our Lord but their own belly Phil. 3 19. whose God is their belly 2 Tim. 3. 4 5. Lovers of their own selves c. Lovers of
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 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
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
is only to appear and seem beautiful Mat. 23. 25 27. Ye make clean the outside c. but within are ful of all uncleanness 1 Kings 21. 1 2 3 c. But the maine study and labour of the sincere Christian is to mortifie his evil affections to put out the fire of his lust his covetousnes pride uncleanness envy anger and the like Job 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I think on a maid and v. 24. If I have made gold my hope c. Psalm 19. 12. Cleanse thou me from secret faults c. 1 Cor. 9. 27. But I kee under my body Rom. 8. 3. Col. 3. 15. SECT XXI In their new obedience in the general and the exactness and compleatness thereof The sincerre Christian as he is a new creature so he is to yeeld and perform a new obedience to God in Christ in his doing and suffering of the will of God according to the Gospel Rom. 16. 19. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Rom. 6. 17. The Hypocrite he doth somewhat like unto this for the unclean spirit seems to be cast out of him Mat. 12. 13. But there is a vast difference between them herein also 1 In the person doing 2 In the thing done 1 In the person doing The sincere Christian looks to it that he himself be rightly qualified for the work that he himself be good and accepted of God that he be in Christ by faith so a new creature otherwise his works cannot be accepted Deut. 33. 10 11. Gen. 4. 4 5. God had respect to Abel and his offering c. But the hypocrite hath no regard of this but being stil in his sins without the wedding garment of Christs righteousness upon him his work is not accepted God heareth not sinners Joh 9. 31. Mat. 24. 11 12. Pro. 28. 9. 2 In the thing done The obedience of the sincere Christian flows from the true and right principle viz the new nature from his being renewed by the Spirit of God Phil. 1. 11. But the the obedience of the Hypocrite floweth from corrupt principles 1 Pet. 1. 22 23. 2 The new obedience of the sincere Christian is regular and orderly He is first taught and commanded he heareth what he is to beleeve and doe and then hee is obedient to it Jer. 31. 19. After that I was instructed I smote upon the thigh c. Acts 9. 6. and 16. 30. and 2. 37 38. Isa 2. 2. Ephes 1. 13. In whom ye trusted after that ye heard the word c. Rom. 10. 14 15. But the obedience of the Hypocrite is oft times a blind and irregular obedience not grounded upon and warranted by the Word of God but upon his own or some other mans fancy and opinion Rom. 10. 1 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowlege 3 He doth it knowingly and beleevingly he not onely hath a word for what he beleeveth and doth but he knoweth he hath such a word for it and so doth it in faith which the Hypocrite heedeth little and therefore is not accepted Rom. 14. 1 2 3 c. Heb. 11. 4 6. Acts 17. 23. 4 The new obedience of the sincere Christian is an exact and compleat obedience 1 it is universal He is holy in all manner of conversation and yeelds himself to do and suffer all that God will have him 1 Pet. 1. 15. But that of the Hypocrite is lame and defective And the obedience of the sincere Christian it is universal 1 As to the things to be obeyed 2 It is entire as to the man that doth obey As to the first the Hypocrite he is lame and defective in this His obedience is but by halves or in part onely as Jehu Saul and others Mal. 2. 9. And have been partial in my Law Hosea 7. 8. Ephraim is a cake not turned He doth as Herod Mark 6. 20. did many things not all that God commanded But the true Christian he is through paced in his goings herein as were Caleb and Joshua who followed the Lord fully Numb 14. 24. and 32. 12. Deut. 1. 36. and David who had respect to all Gods commandements Psal 119. 6. and Paul who had a conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards man Acts 24. 16. and Zacharie and Elizabeth who walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. But more particularly The sincere Christian he ceaseth from doing all that is evil and he doth all that is good Isa 1. 6. The Hypocrite he doth not cease from all that is evil for either he is erroneous in his opinion as those in 2 Pet. 2. and Jude 1 2 c. 1 Cor. 15. 12. or in his practise or in both Or at the most and at the best he doth depart from evil onely in his outside his heart is where it was still psal 58. 2. Yea in heart ye work wickedness Psal 52. 3. And some evill or other hee doth most commonly retain in his life still as Judas he kept his covetousness still Joh. 12. 6. Herod he kept his brothers wife still Mark 6. 18. 20. Iehu whiles hee boasts so much of the zeal he had for the Lord and the uprightness of his heart therein depart not from the sins of Iereboam which made Israel to sin 2 Kings 10. 15 31. Saul whiles he pretends so much tenderness of conscience in smaller matters yet carrieth still within him his murdrous intentent to kill David 1 Sam. 14. 33 44. and 18. 10. and 20. 5. Exod. 16. 28 29 2 Kings 5. 18. Zephan 1. 5. Hosea 7. 7 8 9 10. Isaiah 65. 3 4 5 6. But the sincere Christian hee leaves all that is evil in opinion in practise in heart in life The sin of his love and delight inclination age temper and constitution profit trade office calling that which he is most tempted to his open his secret his greater and his lesser sinnes So David Psal 119. 128. I hate every false way and 101. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes and 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way and 18. 23. I kept my self from mine intiquitie Psal 19. 12. Cleanse thou me from secret faults So Job from the sin of his inclination he would not look on a maid of his calling as a Magistrate he despised not the cause of the meanest of his condition as a rich man hee would not oppress the poor he kept from the sin of his affection occasion and profit Job 31. throughout the chapter And for the second part the sincere Christian as hee doth cease from all that is evil so hee doth all that is good The Hypocrite many of them I mean have not an appearance of some Graces Acts 8. 21. Thine heart is not right c. Mat. 9. 13. Either he is failing in his doing or in his suffering Hee is commonly failing in the doing of some duties or works So the Pharisees Mat. 23. 23
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
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
shed a broad his glorious beames in his heart b That common and saveing Grace may coexist in the same subject I doubt not no more then that opinio and scientia may which is generally confess'd by Philosophers and Schoole-men Vid. Ant. Ruvio de Habitibus Tract 5. Quaest 3. Num. 81. pag. 192. Halensem Part. 3. Quaest 79. memb 3. Atisiodorensem Bonaventuram Henricum c. à Ruvio citatos ibidem these remaine distinct lights and not onely degrees of the same light For as the light of the Moone as it is in the waine waxeing or full Moone may produce a lesse or a greater light yet cannot possibly produce the light of the Sunne nor are those degrees of light caused by the Moone any dispositions at all to produce the light of the Sunne for 't is evident the light of the Moone no more disposeth the Aire to receave the Sunne-beames then darknesse doth so a good naturall understanding help'd on with learning good educatiō industry may acquire common faith in a high degree but has no possibility to produce saveing beleife that must come from higher principles nor is common faith any Disposition morall or Evangelicall whereby the subject that hath it is or can be disposed in the way we now speake of for the Introduction of the Habit of saveing faith for 1. Till a Fides in Christum est INITIVM fundamentum salutis per eam TOTA reliqua salus impetratur Estius in Eph. 2. 8. we have this faith saveing and justifying faith we are b Qui mortui sunt à seipsis non excitantur ad Vitam nec ad eam accipiendam aliquid conferunt de suo Zanchius in Ephes 2. 8. idem ibidem pag. 59. Col. 2. Non ex vobis Intellige nec ex dignitate personae vestrae nec ex Viribus vestris nec ullo desiderio vestro petitione vel Juvocatione c. dead in trespasses and sins Now as a man naturally dead cannot possibly dispose himself to a naturall life so a man Spiritually dead and such all are before saveing Faith cannot dispose himself to a spirituall life 2. Our new birth is in scripture phrase a new creation which is ex materia indisposita and therefore hath no such preceeding Dispositions 3. Our Regeneration and the workeing faith in our soules is solely and wholy a gratious Act of the good Spirit of God regenerateing us and so a supernaturall Act and how any a Sine Gratiâ nemo currit ad Gratiam Prosper Resp 8. ad cap. Gallorum Ipsa Gratia in eo quem vocat primam sibi receptricē famulam donorum suorum praeparat Voluntatem Idem de Vocat lib. 2. cap. 26. naturall or artificiall product of our understandings though help'd and advanced with learneing education and Industry can be a Disposition to supernaturall Grace and such a disposition as we now speake of which differs from that supernaturall Grace onely in degree I am yes to learne 4. The Apostle tells us b Eph. 2. 8. Gratiâ servati estis gratis data per fidem quam Spiritus Sanctus dono suo Infundit Primasius Uticensis in loc pag. 136. That we are saved by faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God saveing faith is so intirely the gift of God that we have no hand in procuring it and therefore all Divines generally call it an Infused a Vid. Aquin 1. 2. Quaest 51. Art 4. Rob. Baronium Exercitat 3. Art 8. pag. 177. Reliquósque citatos a Joh. Martiner in 2. Sent. Dist 27. Quaest 1. pag. 298. habit of a supernaturall order to which we neither doe nor can actively concurre But if common faith may be acquired by our owne understandings helped with education learneing and Industry and this be essentially the same with saveing faith then I see not how saveing faith can be the gift of God so that it is not of our selfes Because if this hypothesis be true it is and may be more of our selves and of our Acquisition then of the Holy Spirit by infusion seing the essence of saveing faith may be acquired by us which is more then the degree of tha Quality which is onely left to be the product of Gods Spirit 5. I doe not find that saveing faith is promised us upon any precedent condition to be performed by us and therefore I know no preparatory Dispositions to it which can dispose and fitt the subject as Dispositions doe to the reception of such Habits as gradually onely differ from them for the Introduction of it 6. It is to me evident that whatsoever goes before saveing faith a Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 8. 8. Fides est fundamentum omnium bonorum ideo sine fide non possu mus Deo placere Primasius Vticensis in Heb. 11. 6. pag. 236. Idem habet Estins in Ephes 2. 8. neither is nor can be pleaseing to God nay not onely so but highly displeaseth him b Rom. 8. 5 6 7. c. The carnall minde and such is every mind of man till it be made spirituall by regeneration and collation of saveing faith is enmity against God Now how that which displeaseth God and is enmity against him can morally or evangelically for there can be no naturall disposition to a pure supernaturall effect dispose us to our regeneration and the Infusion of saveing faith at present I understand not 7. If a temporary faith or Historicall such as Hypocrites and Devils themselves may have and such common graces of knowledge either in naturall civil or sacred things were as is pretended dispositions to saveing faith then it were rationall to thinke that such persons so qualified and disposed should generally with more facility be converted and prove reall Christians For why should not that water be sooner hott in gradu 8. Which is hott in gradu 3. or 2. Already then that which is not hot at all or why should not that man sooner attaine the Habit of morall prudence who hath some dispositions to it then he who hath none or in a lesse degree or is not he like to come sooner to his jorneyes end supposeing the jorney to be the same who is 10. or 12. Miles on his way then he who is scarse got on horsebacke to take his journey I say 't is rationall to beleive that persons so qualifyed and disposed to saveing faith should sooner be brought to it then those that want such dispositions or have them in a lower and lesse degree Yet if the Ghospel be true 't is evidently otherwise and generally those have been converted to Christianity who had not such measures of knowledge and common graces when those have not which had In our Saviours time few of the Pharesies and learned Rabbies imbraced the Ghospell who yet knew much more of the word of God of the Divinity and sense of the whole law and of the promises which concerned the Messias then the common people did I say few of
saveing faith is built upon better principles as proceeding from the Spirit of Christ and being built upon his immediate illumination and testimony which is evidently divine and infallible and so begets an assent of faith like the cause and principle from whence it comes divine and infallible Now this latter assent must of necessity differ from the former more then in degrees Now I beleive that no sober and intelligent person who understands Philosophy and Metaphysiques will say that an assent which is humane dubious and Incertaine differs onely gradually from an assent which is divine and most infallibly certaine as proceeding from and relying immediately upon the Testimony of the regenerateing Spirit of Christ For the further explication of this take this Instance This conclusion Omnis homo habet potentiam Intellectivam is the same material object of Science properly so call'd and Opinion but formally different So that those 2. Habits though they have the same objectum materiale yet they have objectum formaliter diversum Which formal difference is taken from the tendentia and Habitudo those two Assents have to that object in relation to severall a Vide Martini Smiglecii Logicam Dispurat 11. Quaest 2. pag. 414. mediums produceing such assents For he that assents to this conclusion Omnis homo habet potentiam Intellectivam per medium necessarium demonstrativum his assent like the medium which produces it is necessary and scientifical But he that assents per medium probabile onely his assent proportionable to the medium which inferres it is onely probable and opinative So that although that Conclusion be the object of science and opinion too and be materially the same yet it is formally a different object from whence ariseth not only a gradual but a formall and specificall difference between science and opinion For many probable mediums may dispose to an higher probability and produce an habituall and more firme opinion but all the probable mediums in the world can never produce science a necessary and infallible assent that being an assent of a higher not degree onely but nature which no argument lesse then demonstrative can possibly produce So that as opinion and science though about the same conclusion are Habits specifically distinct and knowne and confessed to be so by reason of the different mediums which produce such assents so likewise are common and saveing faith more then gradually different by reason of the several mediums and motives which are the Premisses and foundations upon which those assents are built and constitute their objects in a several formality and habitude in relation to those Assents To bring all this home to our present purpose I grant that common and saveingly beleiveing Christians may beleive these and such like conclusions Christ dyed for us satisfyed Gods justice interceeds for us with his Father c. to be divine truthes 2 But they can have no greater assurance of the divine truth of these conclusions then they have of the mediums and premisses which inferre them 3. Hypocrites and impious persons who may have common faith have no premisses to inferre them but such as are humane and dubious at least not absolutely infallible that is they have onely Topicall and probable arguments such as the authority of their teachers of councells Fathers and Tradition c. If it be said they have Scripture for them I reply that the same Question returnes what mediums and motives have they to beleive that to be Gods word for their assent to the divine truth of Gods word can be no firmer and certaine then the premisses which inferre that assent Now Hypocrites neither have nor can have any premisses or motives to beleive the Divinity of that word but such as I named before that is Topical and probable inducements and ergo their assent proportionable to those motives must of necessity be onely probable and opinative But on the other side regenerate persons who are borne of God and have true saveing faith have surer and more infallible principles which induce them to beleive and know the divine truth of those conclusions For besides all those inducements which Hypocrites have they have the inward testimony of the Spirit of God beareing witnesse to those truthes That this may appeare I say 1. That 't is evident that all regenerate persons have the a Rom. 8. 9. Spirit of Christ dwelling in them 2. It is as evident that this good Spirit of Christ gives testimony to these saveing truthes and conclusions Inlightening the understandings of his childeren that they may know the truth and omnipotentissima facilitate induceing their assents for 1. Our Soviour saith b John 7. 17. If any man will doe his will he shall know of the truth of the doctrine whether it be of God c. He shall know when others shall not And ergo holy regenerate persoÌ„s have some c Deus illustrat eos qui vitiis suis non patrocinantur H. Grotius in Joh. 7. 17. Glossa Ordin Si â—is intelligere crede Si quis credit in filium Dei cognoscet de Doctrina c. better meanes of knowing truth then Hypocrites have 2. Hence the regenerate are said to be ledd by the d Rom. 8. 14. John 16. 13. Spirit of God and he leads them into all truth at least all necessary truth if it be e And if in this place it be granted to be meant onely of the Apostles yet you have the same expression by he same John extended to other beleivers 1 Joh. 2. 20. meant of any but the Apostles And no question the Spirit of truth doth in some proportion teach the truth and illuminate the understandings of all those who are borne of God He is as Tertullian calls him Vicarius Christi Spiritus his deputy as to his prophetical Office and as Christ taught he truth in person while here so he still teacheth it by his Spirit being gone 3. If you continue in my word saith our a John 8. 32. Saviour then are you my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth They shall when Hypocrites shall not who continue not in his word and therefore are not his disciples indeed Ye shall know the truth by the illumination of the Spirit and his confirmation of you in it Whence it is said that we are b 2 Cor. 1. 21. 22. unxit nos scilicet Spiritu Sancto Primasius in locum Vide Johan Calvini Instir lib. 3. cap. 2. Staplet de sola fide Justif lib. 8. cap. 25. pag. 399. c. annoynted sealed by the Spirit and established and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pignus the earnest given in part to assure us of all the promises c Ambrosius seu Comment quisquis sit in 2 Cor. 1. 22. pag. 886. in edit Eras Qui signavit nos dando Spiritum Sanctum nobis pignus ut non ambigamus de promissis ejus Hypocrites those who have common faith onely have no
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