the worke wrought and not chieflie respected the inward affection of the worker had he required onely the ceremoniall action of sacrificing and not the spirituall conformitie of the heart to his will why he had not need to desire sacrifices of them nor expected supplie from their hands as appeareth in that sacred anti royall contestation of God with his people about the question of his worship Psal. 50. I will not reproue thee for thy sacrifices sâ—ith God or thy burnt offerings that haue not beene continually before me I will take no Bullocke out of thine house or Goates out of thy folds For all the beasts of the forrest are mine and the beasts on a thousand â—ils I know all the sowlâ—s on the Mountaiâ—es and the wâ—ld bâ—asts of the fiâ—ld are mine If I be hungrie I will not tell theâ— for the world is mine and all that therein iâ— Will I â—ate the flesh of Bâ—ls or drinke the blood of Goatâ—s Nay if we consider God in his absolute soueraignty and essentiall glory euen that is true of the most sanctified works of Gods child which is in Iob. 35.7 If thou bâ—â— righteous whâ—t 〈…〉 or what receiueâ—h heâ— at thine hand and that of Dauid Psal. 16.2 My weâ—doing extendeth not vnto thâ— For what can that little sparke of holinesse in vs which doth first too proceed from him and is onely darkened in ouâ— corruptions adde vnto that infinite Gâ—ory and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that no man can attainâ— vnto with which he hath incomprehensiblie liâ—n â—ncompassed froÌ„ alâ—terniâ—y Only iâ—pleâ—seth him of his infinit goodnesse and out of a gratious desire of our saluation to accept our sincerity though mixâ— with imperfections and to crown his owne graâ—â—â— in vs 〈◊〉 then shall appeare the bare outwardnes of hollowhearted Christians If the heart bee wanting what magnificence or glory of outward seruices shall be able to dazle his sight whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne and sees cleaâ—ely our inmost thoughts Wherewith shall we come bâ—foâ—â— th◠〈◊〉 or what shall we offer vnto him Will the Lord be pleased with ten thousands of rams or with ten thousand riuers of Oilâ— Shall we giue our first borne for our transgression euen the fruite of our bodie for the â—inne of our soule No though weâ— gaue all that wee had to the poore and our owne bodieâ— to bee burnt nay if it were possible that by our meanes we could vindicate the soules of all men now liuing from the iawes of eternall death yet all would profit vs nothing except our harts be first purged by faith pure from an euill conscience and possest of a sound and constant loue to God his word his honour his truth and seruants Let this then be the conclusion to this point Though a man were a moral Saint an Angell amongst the Phrisees absolute in all other perfections yet without the inward power of grace to giue them life he is but a spectacle of commisâ—ration to Angels to meÌ„ euen as that body is which adorned with sundry other exquisite beauties wanteth eye-sight the chiefest grace that nature hath in that kind to bestow Or as a cunning Organist skilful in the outward touch of his instrument yet without wind inspired cannot possibly strike the care or please the heart with any mâ—lodious noise so though his actions be flourished ouer with a faire tincture of outward religiousnesse and he exact in morall honesty yet without the breath and life of grace infused there can be no true spiritual harmony in his affections woâ—ds or conuersation thâ—t either will beget sound ioy and spirituall delight in the soule or be pleasing in the â—ares of almightie God You see then beloued in Christ Iesus that the performances of outward duties of religion euen the best sâ—â—h as are Prayers hearing the word of God recâ—iuing the Sacraments almes-deeds and the like though they bee good in themselues commanded of God necessarie to be done of euerie Christian yet if they be diuided from inward sanctification and sinceritie of heart are so farâ—e from putting vs into possession of true happines that they are odious and abominable in the sight of God I told you in the beginning if you remember that besides outward righteousnesse the formall hypocrite may beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and infeâ—iour working of the Spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him and this faith may bring forth some fruits and some kinds of inward graces But that all this comes short of saluation appeares in the parable For there the hearer compared to the stonie ground which I call the formall hypocrite is one of the reprobate hearers vpon whom the word is not the power of God to saluation As for those fiue degrees added out of the sixth to the Hebrues of which I told you the formall hypocrite may be partaker it is manifest out of the same Chapter that they come short of the state of grace For a man but so furnished may not onely fall bâ—cke to a worse and more ordinarie state of a râ—probate but euen to the depth of all impietie and apostasie He may not onely haue his measure of inward illumination all his lighter ioy and comfort in Gods word quite extinguisht but become a wilfull and malicious scorner of true godlinesse He may not onely grieue and quench the spirit but hee may tread vnder foot the Sonne of God count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing and despite the very Spirit of grace so that it may be impossible that hee should be renewed againe by repentance In the last place I told you that besides all these the formall hypoâ—rite might entertaine a perswasion of his being in the state of true happinesse and so with contentment and securitie walke in the path that leads to eternall death but how weak and false the reasons and motiues to this perswasion were I haue before largely deliuered It remaines therfore that I should now lay downe certaine markes and properties of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace but I must referre a large prosecution and distinct treatise of them to some other place and time Yet at this time by the grace of God I shall deliuer so much that any man that will deale faithfully with his owne conscience and follow me with attention to the end may in some good measure be informed whether hee lie yet in the shadow of death or liue in the light of grace Some difference then first may arise out of the distinction of the degrees and workings of faith Which that you may better conceiue you must remember three sorts of faith Historicall Temporarie Sauing or Iustifying faith Historicall faith is not only a knowledge of the word of God but also an assent of the heart to the truth of it And this is of two sorts either Infused which is wrought in vs by the illightning spirit of
our first loue Would to God that we would keepe fresh in our minds but this one consideration That the same God which against the expectation both of heauen and earth of Rome and hell of diuels and Papists turned our feares and amazements at the death of that glorious Saint the late Queene into safetie and a sure foundation by the most happie succession of our gracious Soueraigne and his roiall seed can out of his iust iudgements for our vnthankefulnesse and securitie in the very turning of an hand and closing of an eie dash all our hopes and shut vp the whole Body of this flourishing kingdom in the pit of irrecouerable destruction It had bin done had Fauks fired the powder and who knowes what those busie and bloody heads are euen now hammering in the same kind Besides these two now mentioned there is another capitall cause of Gods heauie displeasure which though iâ— make no great noise nor be much taken notice of vpon earth yet â—t is much lothed of God almighty and cries loud in heauen for vengeance vpon vs It is a Lukewarmenesse and vnzealousnesse a cold and carelesse mediocritie in spirituall matters and as it were a neutralitie betwixt notorious sinfulnes and sauing sinceritie When men perhaps with diligence willingnesse and forwardnesse submit themselues to the hearing of the word but subordinate the power and practise thereof to their â—ase honours and worldly contentments When they wil needs hold an outward correspondence with the world and yet inwardly maintaine and nourish hope of saluation in themselues When they straine their wits and striue to partake both of the comfortable fauour of God and corrupt fashions of the times both of the pleasures of their sweet sinne and the sweetnesse of the true peace of conscience which are as inconcurrent as two parallel lines and as incompatible as light and darkenesse These men though in the worlds opinion they be of ciuill honest cariage of moderate spirits and of a stated temper in religion and in their owne conceits rich and enriched and want nothing yet indeed they are meere staruelings and starke beggers in respect of the true riches and lasting treasures of sauing grace and in the very case of those except in the meane time they buy of him gold garments and oile which shall neuer see Christ Iesus in his Kingdome to their comfort for Amen the faithfull and true witnesse hath vowed it that he will spue such out of his mouth and wishes much rather that they were key-cold then such formall Christians His speech imports thus much I had rather you were Pagans and Infidels then professors without zeale Now my chiefe and speciall aime is with all humble submission to beâ—ter iudgements and the censure of the Prophets to lay open the state of thâ—se men because besides their fearefull deceiuing their owne soules and particular certaine damnation if they so continue they mightily inceâ—se the Lords wrath against this laâ—d with an insensible and vnacknowledgde prouocation and mainly hazard the continuance of his glorious Gospell amongst vs. It is commonly conceiued indeed both of themselues and of the world that if they bee morally honest and outwardly conformable to the ministery of the word so that they bee hurtlesse and innocent in respect of humane iustice that they are also I know not how harmelesse and guiltlesse before the Tribunall of God But the Euangelist telles vs That that which is highlie esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God And God himselfe by Isaiah That his thoughts are not our thoughts neither are his waies our waies For certainely the state of Lukewarmnesse and formalitiâ— in religion howsoeuer it may be full of worldly applause and happinesse and beare away the bell vpon earth yet it is as burdensome and hatefull vnto God as luke-warme water or the most lothsome potion to the nicest stomacke And doth with a more naturall importunitie then other sinnes knock at the gates of diuine iustice for the remooueall of our candlesticke and the glory of his Gospell from amongst vs. All kinds of sinnes according to their nature measure and ripenesse haue proportionally a part and hand in drawing downe all manner of plagues vpon the sonnes of men but this hath a peculiar and predominant power in hastening that particular and greatest of all iudgements the famine of the word For God cannot endure without speciall indignation that his word which is his power vnto saluation should recâ—iue such limitation and prescription from mens wisdome that it should worke no further vpon them nor beget more change and holinesse then may consist with the enioyment of their worldly contentments reputation and the pleasures of their beloued sinne He cannot abide that men discontented with the straâ—tnesse of the gate of grace and impatient of a strict course of godlinesse should labor to find out and follow another way to heauen then that which is sanctified by his word and which hath and must be troden by all those that will euer see the Lord. Knowledge and profession of Gods truth without sanctification and zeale are but meanes in the meane time to put out the glory of Israel and will hereafter but encrease the number of stripes and adde waight vnto endlesse torment In the name of God therefore let all luke-warme and formall Christians be contented to take notice of their state and before the Sun goe downâ— ouer the Prophets suffer their hearts to be thorowly heated with true zeale and besides their outward reformation and generall lightnings of the Spirit to entertaine that speciall sauing and sanctifying grace which onely can saue their soules and prepare them for the glory that is to be reuealed Lest now at length for he hath borne with vs miraculously our iust God cause our Sunne to goe downe at noone and darkenesse to surprize vs in the cleare day Lâ—st he roote vs out of this good land as a fruitlesse and faithles nation turne vs out of our houses of peace as the vnworthiest and vnthankefullest people vnder heauen and let out his vineyard to other husbandmen which will deliuer him the fruites in their seasons And the more secure and fearelesse wee bee as wee were neuer more the more sudden and ineuitable is like to bee our surprizall and destruction For as Gods mercies are then most magnified when they relieue the extremest miserie and shine into the depth of discomfort and darkenesse when all other helpe is vtterly despaired of so his iudgements are most glorious when they strike at the height and top of pride and impenitencie while they thinke themselues most sure and with greatest confidence repose vpon the arme of flesh and policie of man The third reason and motiue why I insist so long in the point of formal hypocrisie was taken from the condition of mine auditors who being of deepest vnderstanding are naturally aptest and stroÌ„gliest tempted to mistake vnderualue the mystery of godlines and to deceiue their owne
God and staying it selfe vpon his authoritie Or Acquired which is produced by the light of reason discourse and created testimony The latter is to bee found in the diuels for they beleeue and tremble And in the Papists for their faith is no better according to their grounds and principles My reason is this briefly for I will deliuer my selfe of this point in a word The Iesuites by their iugling haue cast themselues into a circle about the faith of the truth and diuinitie of Scriptures and that is this Ask any Papist in this land how he beleeues Scripture to be the word of God and diuinely inspired he will answere Because thâ— Church deliuereth it so to be And why beleeueth he the testimonie of the Church Because it it is infallibly guided by the spirit And how doth that appeare Because it is so contained in Scripture as in Iohn 16. The Spirit will leade you into all truth And how shall wee know this scripture of Iohn to bee the word of God and diuinely inspired Because the Church deliuereth it so to bee and so they must needs run round in this circulation Now I would propose to the Papists the choice of these three one of which they must of necessitie accept First whether they wil run round in this circle wax giddy and fall and sink into that pit where Poperie was first hatcht or they wil break the circle at the authoritie of the Scriptures and so by consequent they must fall to our side and the truth or they will breake it at the testimonie of the Church and so all their faith as I told you must needs be onely acquired because it depends on a finite and created testimonie and consequently comes farre short of saluation I doubt not but the Papists will acknowledge and approoue that difference betwixt infused and acquired faith consented vpon by the Schoolemen That infused faith relieth immediately vpon an increated authoritie but acquired vpon a finite and created testimonie I know the Iesuites a kind of men inspired with a transcendencie of Antichristian imposture labour busilie to passe plausibly and handsomly out of this circle but if their shifts be thorowly sisted they followed with force of argument it is certaine they will either be driuen into the circle againe or enforced to start out at the one of those breaches I told you of Becaâ—us one of them after hee had long tired himselfe in this circle and at last by the helpe of Gregorius de Val. and former Iesuites got out but with shamefull absurditie and inconuenience in a poore reuenge to relieue himselfe he threatens vs with another circle and so writes a Treatise de Circulo Caluinistico but very weakely and falsly as might be demonstrated euen out of the sounder Schoolemen in their question of the last resolution of faith But I intended no discourse of controuersie but of sanctification and therefore I proceed and take the formall hypocrite along further towards the state of grace For besides knowing and assenting to the truth of Gods word by an historicall faith hee may by the vertue of a temporarie faith adde three degrees moe That is He may moreouer professe it in outward seruices of religion He may inwardlie reioice in it He may bring forth some kind of fruit But these things are onely found in him so long as they do not mainely crâ—sse but are compatible with his worldly peace wealth libertie and other delightfull contentments Here therefore I must leaue him and acquaint you with those workings and degrees of sauing faith which qualified as I shall propose them are peculiar to Gods child and so distinguish and diuide the regenerate man from the state of formall hypocrisie They are these A feeling and speciall approbation of the word of life and promises of saluation a most feruent expetition and thirsting for the enioyment of them an effectuall apprehension a particular application a full perswasion a delight and ioy thence rising sound and vnconquerable That you may vnderstand these you must conceiue that the soule of Gods child comming fresh out of the pangs and terrors of his new-birth a mysterie to the formall hypocrite humbled vnder the mightie hand of God by a sight and sense of his sinnes lookes vpon the whole body of diuine truth as vpon a precious iewel wherin Christ his gratious promises shine vnto him especially as a stone of inestimable worth and valuation whereupon with a peculiar dearenes he sets such a liking that with it hee holds himselfe an heire of heauen without it a child of endlesse perdition Hence followes an expetition and desire of it enforced with groanes vnutterable and a gasping for it as the dry and thirstie ground for drops of raine Thirdly hee apprehends it with a fast and euerlasting hold Fourthly hee applies it closely and particularly to his owne soule Fifthly he is truely and fully perswaded by Gods good spirit out of a consideration of his vniuersall change that it is his owne for euer Lastâ—y he lies downe in peace that passeth all vnderstanding He is filled with ioy that no man can take from him He delights in the grace apprehended as in a treasure farre more deare vnto him then the glory of infinite worlds or life it selfe From the power and workings of this inward grace spring outward actions both in his generall calling of Christianity and his particular vocation which by the mercies of God are faithfull constant vniforme impartiall resolute vniuersall comfortable Whereas those which are produced by the more weake and inferiour degrees of temporarie faith incident to the formall hypocrite are weake wauering many times interrupted variable guided much by occasions the time forced by hope or feare swayed by secret respects to priuate ends and worldly contentments But these more inward markes of difference howsoeuer by a sweete and gratious experience they be felt and acknowledged of the child of God yet generally and to the vnregenerate they are hidden mysteries and vndiscernable to the brightest eye of the naturall man Therefore I will come to those markes of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace which are more outward familiar and more generally and casilie discernable Of which one may be this The power of grace doth beget in a regenerate man a watchfulnesse care and conscience of smaller offences of secret sins of sinfull thoughts of appearances of euill of all occasions of sinne of prophane companie of giuing iust offence in indifferent actions and the like whereas the formall hypocrite taketh not such things as these much to heart but either makes no conscience of them at all holding it a point of precisenes to be too conscionable or else proportions it to serue his owne turne or to giue satisfaction to others And in forbearance of sinnes he hath an especiall eye onely at those that may notoriously disgrace him in the world entangle him in danger of law or vexe his conscience
that bloudie act But that which is the accomplishment of all miseries and terrour they iustly fall into the hands of the liuing God who will certainely iudge them after the manner of them that shead their owne bloud and will giue them the bloud of wrath and of iealousie And whereas they looked to leaue a name behind them it shall rot away with as vile detestation as their carcases in the graue The memoriall of the iust faith Salomon shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot If it doe liue it shall liue to their shame and infamy For I dare say this boldly There was neuer any man rightly informed either in the principles of nature or in the gracious way to heauen in the sober passages of moralitiâ— or in the iustice of state and policie or acquainted with the fairenesse of true honour that euer gaue any allowance or euer will to the reputation of manhood falsely so called purchased in priuat quarrell in the field This is then all they get for the losse of soule and bodie of heauen and earth of name and posteritie they onely gaine the damned applause of diuels swaggerers and wicked men But if it fall out otherwise that they be not kild but kill marke what befals themâ— they depart the field drunken with blood as with new wine and therefore they shall be sure at length to be fild with drunkennes and with sorrow euen with the cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the very dregs For presently after the murder committed they haue Caines fearefull marke stampt vpon them The furies of conscience and cries of blood shal for euer persecute them with restlesse horrour As they clothed themselues with rage like a raiment so shall it now come into their bowels like water and sinke like oile into their bones In the meane time they shall liue in the hell of conscience vpon earth and expect euerie houre to be tumbled into the hâ—ll of wicked diuels for euermore in the world to come Let me then in the name and feare of God aduise them if they would win an opinion of true valor indeed if they look for any portion in the mercies of God or honour amongst his Saints to settle and compose such wild affectionâ— by the word of truth to turne the greatnesse of their courage and gallantnesse of Spirit to the subduing and conquering of their owne corruptions and to the wrastling against principalities and powers against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places This fight is Christian and couragious indeed the victory is glorious the reward is immortalitie A third note of difference may be this Euery child of God by the power of sauing grace doth hunger and thirst after all those meanes God hath ordained or offers for his furtherance in the way to heauen and for his comforting and confirming in a Christian course and doth make a holy vse of whatsoeuer is either publickly or priuately laid vpon him for his amendment and therefore he continually profits and proceeds in sanctification by his word his iudgements and his mercies by the exercise obseruation and sense of which hee growes sensiblie in heauenly knowledge faith humiliation repentance thankfulnesse and all other spirituall graces But the formall hypocrite doth so farre take notice and regard of them as they further his temporal happinesse and as his neglect of them by consequent threatneth danger and ouerthrow to his outward worldlie state For the present perhaps hee is mooued with the hearing of the word of God with the terror of his iudgements while they lie with some extraordinarie waight vpon himselfe or the whole land and with the sweetnesse of his mercies because they secure him in his prosperitie But these things sinke not into his soule with the power of mortification to the destroying of his sinfull affections and the shaking off of euery knowne sinne Beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus let vs euery one of vs I beseech you trie himself faithfully by this note of difference And the rather because our gracious God hath most plentifully and incomparablie vouchsafed vs in this land all meanes to bring vs vnto heauen He hath visâ—ted vs with his word his iudgements and mercies to the astonishment of the whole world Now let vs consider whether as they haue bred admiration in men and Angels so they haue brought saluation to our owne soules First for his word For these fiftie yeeres you know hee hath spread out his hands all the day long he hath sent all his seruants the preachers of his word rising vp earely and sending them saying Returne now euery man from his euill way and amâ—nd your workes Let vs then examine our selues in this point Hath this glorious Gospell which hath so long shined bright in our eies and sounded loud in our cares hath it I say bin mightie in operation vpon our soules in planting in them the power of true godlinesse Doe wee daily grow more sound by it in the knowledge of the truth and see more particularly into the way and whole course of Christianitie Doth it continually build vs vp more strongly in faith repentance and an holy obedience to all his commandements Why then blessed is our â—ase for this powerful experience in our soules of daily growth in godlinesse by the word is a notable mark vnto vs that we are in the state of grace and so al the blessings in the book of God belong vnto vs and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number But if otherwise which is rather to be feared if we haue either bin no hearers or but now and then as our worldly commodities would giue vs leaue or hearers onelie of forme and faâ—â—â—on not of zeale and conscience to profit by it and yeeld obedience vnto it or onely hearers and no doers why then we may assure our selues we are yet short of the state of grace and marke what will be the end both of vs and the whole land it must needs be the same with that of Iuda and Ierusalem for they were as wel beloued of God as euer England can be Goe saith God vnto Ieremie Goe and tell the men of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem I haue sent you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp earely and sending them but you would not encline your care you would not obay me therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Behold I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem all the euill that I haue pronounced against them I will doe vnto this house whereupon my name is called wherein also ye trust as I haue done vnto Shilo I will cast them out of my sight And will make â—his City a curse vnto all the nations of the earth And the Lord was so vnremoueable
vnsearchable corners thereof Hath it humbled it with the sight of thy sinnes and sense of Gods iudgements Hath it filled it with fearefull terrours compunction remorse and true sorrow for thy life past Hath it after quieted and refreshed it with a sure faith in Christ Iesus and a delight in heauenly things Hath it mortified thy inward corruptions and broke the heart of thy sweet sinne Hath it planted a holy moderation in all thy affections that whereas heretofore they haue been enraged with lust with immoderate anger with ambition with insatiable desire for the enlargement of thy wealth possessions and greatnesse and with hatred of Gods dearest seruants and their holinesse are they now inflamed with zeale for Gods honour truth and seruice with a feruent loue vnto the Lord and his Saints with Christian courage to oppose against the sinnes of the time to defend goodnesse and good causes to contemne the lying slanders and prophane scoffes of worthlesse men Hath it begot in â—hy will an hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of thy soule the Word and Sacraments so that thou haddest rather part with any worldly good then not enioy the incomparable benefit of a conscionable and constant ministery Are thy thoughts of which heretofore thou hast made no great conscience but letten them wander vp and downe at rondom wickedly idely and wantonly are they now I say bounded within a sacred compasse and spent vpon holie things and the necessary affaires of thy honest and lawfull calling Is thy vnderstanding informed and acquainted with the mysterie of saluation which the world and the wise men thereof account nothing but madnesse and follie Is thy memorie which hath heretofore been stuffed with trash and toies vanities and follies now capable and greedy of diuine knowledge Are thy words which heretofore haue been full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse now directed to glorifie God and to giue grace vnto the hearers Nay yet further besides this inward renouation of the faculties of thy soule hath the power of grace sanctified all thy outward actions Dost thou now order in euery particular al the businesse of thy vocation religiously conscionably and by direction out of the word of God Art thou inwardly affected and faithfull in the performance of religious duties as in hearing the word of God in sanctifying the Sabbath in prayer and the rest Dost thou now heare the word of God not onely of course and custome but of zeale and conscience to reforme thy selfe by it and to liue after it Doe not the weeke daies duties and worldly cares drowne thy mind on the Sabbath but that thou dost the whole day entirely freely and cheerefully attend the worship of God Dost thou exercise daily with fruit and feeling prayer that precious comfort of the faithfull Christian Thou being conuerted dost thou labour the conuersion of others especially of those which are committed any way to thy charge and for whom thou must giue a more strict account as if thou be a master of a family dost thou pray with them and instruct them in the doctrine of saluation and waies of godlinesse Dost thou now not onely sticke at and forbeare great and grosse sinnes but dost thou euen hate the garment spotted of the flesh and al appearance of euill Doth the tendernes of thy conscience checke thee for the least sinnes and make thee fearefull to offend though it bee but in a wandring cogitation After euery fall into infirmities art thou carefull to renew thy repentance and learne wisedome and watchfulnesse to auoid them afterwards Doest thou feele thy selfe profit grow and encrease in these fruits and effects of grace And hast thou such a gratious tast of the glory of God and of eternall life that thou art euen willing and desirous to meet thy Sauiour in the clouds not so much for to be rid out of the miseries of this life as to be freed from the heauie burthen of sinne which hangs on so fast and to enioy his presence in the heauens for euer In a word as thy soule giues life spirit and motion to thy whole body and euery part thereof doth the spirit of God euen so inspire thy soule and body and all thy actions with the life of grace Why then thou hast past the perfections of the formal hypocrite and art possest of the state of true blessednesse thou art then happie that euer thou wast borne thy way is certainely the way of life And I can assure thee and I dare boldly pronounce it that thou art already vtterly out of the reach of all the powers of hell Satan is chained vp for euer doing thee any deadly hurt All the creatures are reconciled vnto thee and at league with thee Thou hast filled the Angels with joy at thy conuersion they will for euer guard thee Thou shalt neuer more be afraid for any euill tidings Though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea thy heart shall abide strong vnshaken and comfortable When thou fallest downe vpon thy bed of sicknes thou shalt find no mortall poyson in thy flesh no sting in death no darkenes in the graue no amazement at that great and fearefull day For all the merits and sufferings of Christ are thine all the comforts of Gods children are thine all the blessings in the booke of God are thine all the ioyes of heauen are thine euen all things are thine and thou art Christs and Christ is Gods Onely stand fast in the faith quit thy selfe like a man and be strong gird thy sword vpon thy thigh buckle fast vnto thee the whole armour of God ride on because of the word of truth and the Lord thy God be with thee Breake thorow for a while with vndaunted courage the bitternesse of the worlds malice the keene razours of empoysoned tongues thâ— teares and tediousnesse of a few wretched daies for thou art nearer the price of the high calling then when thou first beleeuedst Shine more and more in faith in patience in loue in knowledge obedience and all other Christian graces vntill the perfect day vntill thou reach the height of heauen and the full glory of the Saints of God I now proceed more distinctly to other markes of difference betwixt the state of grace and formall hypocrisie Some notes of distinction for my purpose may be raised out of those places of Scripture which I proposed for to acquaint you with the kinds of perfection and degrees of goodnesse whereof a man as yet vnregenerate is capable and may bee partaker In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite Hee receiues the word of God with ioy as doth the faithfull Christian though â—ot in the same measure But here is the speciall point and marke that differenceth the one from the other The word and faith in the formall hypocrite haue no roots They are not deepely and soundly rooted and planted in his vnderstanding conscience thoughts
of sinner but fully as soule and abominable For if we could look into his heart though his outward life be ordered smoothly and ciuilly yet we should see within a bloody slaughter-house of malice crueltie and reuenge an hateful stewes of impure imaginations and adulteries of the heart a forge of much mischiefe of furious and fierie rage against the power of grace an insatiable gulfe of greedie desires for wealth and riches for vndeserued respect and reuerence in the world indeed a cage of all vncleane and rauenous birds Here is only the differeÌ„ce the notorious sinner dares act and execute the abominations of his hart in the sight of the Sun but the grosse hypocrite would gladly sinne vnseene and go to hell with as little noise and notice of the world as may be and therefore he drawes a curtaine of cosenage and hypocrisie betwixt the sight of the world and foulenesse of his sinne In the hearts of Ahab and Iezebel was nothing but blood and murder couetousnesse oppression and mercilesse enclosure onely vpon the vgly visages of these soule fiends they put a vizard of a fast formall witnesses and legall proceeding The ordinarie thoughts then of the grosse hypocrite are the same as vile and hellish as those of the notorious sinner Nay he doubles his iniquitie and addes waight â—o the vengeance preparing for him in that he straines the vtmost veine of his wit and founds the depth of his damned policie to clothe them with faire pretences and colourable shifts as they passe and present themselues vnto the world in words and actions and in that he labours to seeme a Saint while he is in truth an incarnat diuell But the thoughts of the formall hypocrite for with him I am specially to deale I haue onely added in this point the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite for further distinction and illustration I say his thoughts as they come certainly short of true sanctification so they are farre better then these now mentioned For we suppose his heart to be seasoned with goodnesse of nature and ciuill honesty to haue tasted of the generall graces of Gods spirit and in some sort of the powers of the world to come and therefore his thoughts are more faire ingenuous sober and moderate then those soule and hateful ones of the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite His heart will rise and be affrighted with suggestions of infamous consequence and markeable horror as those of Atheisme Crueltie Drunkennesse Adulterie Herâ—sie and such like but notwithstanding because it is not softned and sanctified by speciall grace without much scruple or conscience it will let the imaginations loose to much idlenesse and vanitie to many fruitlesse conceits impertinencies and prophane wandrings but especially into the endlesse maze of worldly cares earthlymindednes For he doth in some sort in his practise approue and iustifie that wicked and pestilent prouerb Thoughts are free They are free indeed in respect of obnoxiousnes to humane iustice in respect of discouerie and danger from any creature but the eie and vengeance of heauen takes first and speciall notice of them and holds them punishable as the principals and chiefe plotters of al transgressions Words and actions are as it were sinnes at second hand the very first life and freshest vigour of all ill is immediately receiued and inspired into the thoughts Hence it is that Peter aduiseth Simon Magus to pray God if it were possible that the thought of his heart might be forgiuen him as though there lay the greatest guilt and deepest staine before God By the way before I passe to the thoughts of Gods child obserue one speciall marke of difference in this point betwixt the true Christian and formall hypocrite The formall hypocrite doth euer harbour and maintaine in himselfe one sweet pleasing bosome sinne or other as voluptuousnes worldlinesse a greedy pursuit of temporall felicitie an excessiue desire of greatnesse and note in the world an opposition to sinceritie a delight in good fellowship or some such like carnall contentment or secret sinne on which his mind most runs whereupon the best and the flower the feruency and dearenes of his thoughts are spent Gods word honor and seruice checkes of conscience motions of the spirit ministrie of the word admonition of friends saluation of soule by an vnreasonable and inconsequent discourse of his sensuall reason are all made subordinate and seruiceable to this Idoll To which with much delight he daily sacrificeth the noblest and immediate workes and issues of his soule As for the state of his conscience spirituall affaires care of heauen that One necessarie thing these things take vp his thoughts but at reuersion by starts by accident and when they come into the heart their entertainement is very cold and strange their abode short and while they stay they are apprehended and enioyed with much wearinesse and weaknesse I conceiue this to be the reason Hee hath a full taste and present feeling of the pleasures of his sweet sinne hee hath sensible and certaine possession of worldly contentments but no reall and sound assurance by sauing faith and his forsaking all sinne of the ioyes and comforts aboue and therefore doth greedily follow and feed vpon the present with consent of his erring iudgement delight of heart the best of his affections and most of his thoughts And as for hereafter sith he is conscious to himselfe of an honest ciuill life of a sober formall cariage in the affaires of religion and that he is not infamous with any notoriousnesse in the world but as good as the best a few precise fellowes of purer straine onely excepted whose pretence and profession of extraordinary sanctity is nothing in his conceit but humour and hypocrisie he therefore I say for hereafter referres himselfe at all aduentures vnto the mercy of God and to the lot and condition of many thousands which are in the same case and state with himselfe But it is otherwise with Gods child For by the power of sanctifying grace as hee hath also mortified all other so specially he hath broke the very heart of the sweete sinne of his vnregeneration And as in a besieged citie where the greatest and most dangerous breach is made there the inhabitants concurre with chiefest care and highest resolution to fortifie and make resistance euen so sith he knowes and feeles that before his calling his delightfull and darling sinne most fearefully wasted his soule and wounded his conscience hee makes sure to imploy his thoughts with speciall edge and indignation to countermine preuent resist abominate and abandon all thought of that sinne And now by the grace of God sitâ— the heart the fountaine is purged and sanctified the streame and heate of their intention and delight is caried another way For he hath found that rich and inestimable Treasure in the Gospell and therfore he sels all that he hath he parts with euery pleasure he casts out of his conceit whatsoeuer hath beene formerly deare