leasi degree of saving Grace c. 9. sect 4 What seeming Grace a Hypocrite may have c. 5. p. 91 92 c. Difference between true counterfeit grace p. 96 97 98 99. The difference between the spring and motion of true grace in the heart of the true Christian and the spring and motion of counterfeit grace in the heart of the Hypocrite c. 6. p. 106 c. H. Hatred of the godly a sign of hypocrisie c. 8 Of sin a sign of sincerity c. 6. sect 18 Heart Cleansing of it a sign of sincerity c. 3. p. 39. c. 8. 224. sect 3. 14. 17 Hipocrisie See Hypocrisie Hipocrite See Hypocrite Holyness of heart and life a sign of sincerity c. 8. sect 4 6 What appearance hereof may be in an Hypocrite c. 8 sect 4 6 Humilitie What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 7. p. 1 69 Wherein this and the true humility in the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 163 A sign of sinceritie c. 7. p. 209. c. 8. sect 5. 13 Hypocrisie What it is c. 1. p. 7 The nature of it c. 1. p. 7. c. 2. p. 21 The parts or kinds of it c. 1. p. 11. c. 2. p. 17 Some particular kinds of hypocrisie c. 2 3 Wherein it consisteth c. 3. throughout How it may be in a thing done from the heart c. 2. p. 29 30 31 Hypocrite who p. 7 How called p. 16 Who were such p. 12 The gross Hypocrite c. 2. p. 20 The refined hypocrite c. 2. p. 24 How far an hypocrite may go in the way to heaven And what he may doe and have in common with the true Christian c. 5. throughout c. 8. p. 217 In general c. 5. p. 73 In particular for his outside c. 5. p. 76 For his inside c. 5. p. 82 83 c. For his inside and outside together c. 7. sect 18 19 20 What it is that carrieth him so far p. 93 Why he goeth no further p. 101 Wherein they differ And the true Christian goeth beyond the Hypocrite c. 6. throughout c. 9. sect 3. In his inside In the principle and spring of Grace in the heart c. 6. p. 106 In the exercise or proceed of it p. 111. c. 7 In the frame of his heart in the good hee doth evil he suffereth for good c. 7. p. 179 In his outside or outwork c. 7. p. 120. and so forwards Some special signs degrees or pieces of Hypocrisy c. 3. throughout and c. 8. through The danger of it and motives against it in general c. 12. throughout And in services c. 13. throughout Helps against it c. 14 c. 11. throughout I. Illumination See Knowledge Joy VVhat joy or peace of conscience an Hypocrite may have c. 5. p. 87 Wherein this and the true joy of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 164 Judgement See Knowledge K. Knowledge What knowledge an Hypocrite may have c. 3. sect 3. c. 5. p. 83. c. 7. p. 125 Wherein this and the knowledge of the true Christian differ c. 3. sect 3. c. 7. p. 125 127 128 L. Light See Knowledge Love of God What love of God may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 89. c. 8. p. 220. Wherein this and the true love of God in the true Christian differ c. 7 p. 131. c. 8. p. 221 The signs and properties of this love of God c 7. p. 131 Love of Christ What of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 89 Wherein this and that true love in the true Christian differ c. 7 p. 136 The signs or work of this Love c. 7. p. 136 Love of good men VVhat of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. Wherein this and the true love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 142 How this love doth shew it self c. 7. p. 142 Love of the Word of God What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. c. 8. sect 12 Wherein this and the love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 147 Love of Grace and the means thereof what of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 90. c. 7. p 151 Wherein this and the true love of the true Christian differ c. 7. p 150. 151 Love of enemies a sign of sincerity c. 7. p. 207 M. Memory What may be in an hypocrite c. 5. p. 83. Mortification What may be in an Hypocrite and wherein the difference is between him and the sincere Christian c. 7. p. 184 O. Obedience What the Hypocrite may doe as to his external obedience c. 3. p. 39 40. c. 5. p. 76 Wherein the difference lyes between his and the obedience of the sincere Christian c. 3. p. 39 40. c. 6. p. 121. c. 7. p. 169 187 213 214. c. 8. sect 6 7 15 16 18 P. Patience under reproof of sin a mark of sincerity c. 4. p. 52. c. 8 sect 9 Peace of conscience See Joy Perseverance a sign of sincerity c. 3. sect 8 Pride See Humility Purity of heart and life See Holiness R. Regeneration Signs of it c 9 sect 2 Religion Wherein profession lieth c. 3 p. 1 Repentance what of this may be in an hypocrite c. 5 p 85 Wherein this and the true repentance in the true Christian differ c 7 p 157 Reproof of Sin Sce Patience Rigour See Severitie Self-seeking a sign of an Hypocrite c. 7. p. 131. c. 8. sect 1 Self-conceitedness a sign of an Hypocrite p. 51. c. 8. sect c. 3. sect 9 Severitie against others more then against himself a sign of Hypocrisie c. 8. sect 8 Sin what sin a true Christian may fall into c. 8. p. 218 219 220 The difference between him and the hypocrite in the commission of sin p. 274 216 Hatred of sin a sign of sincerity c. 7. sect 18 To mourn for the sins of the time a sign of sincerity c. 7. p. 207 Sinceritie what it is c. 1 The nature of it c. 1 2 How called in Scripture c. 1. p. 6 Wherein it consisteth c. 3. throughout Certain marks of it c. 8. throughout Motives to labour to get keep and use it c. 12 13 throughout Means and helps to get and keep it c. 14 throughout Spirit Signs of the Spring being in us c. 9 s 1 Simpathizing with Christians in their trouble a sign of sinceritie c. 7. p 208 T. Trust in God See Faith W. Word of God What love of it may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 85. See Love Wherein this and that of the true Christian differ c. 7. p. 147. See Love Works What is a good work and when well done c. 10 throughout World Contempt of it a sign of sinceritie c. 7. p. 209 Z. Zeal What of this may be in an Hypocrite c. 5. p. 84 VVherein this and the true zeal of the true Christian differ c. 7. 129 ERRATA PAge 3. l. 11. r. And if p. 13. l. 28. r. as for and. p. 18. r. to it l. 28. r. 106 for 136. p. 19. l. 7. adde 3 these p. 27. l. 7. r.
have it 2. He thinks he hath true grace and will not be perswaded to the contrary as one of a thing he dreameth 3. That the Hypocrite himselfe be he here a member of a true visible Church and never so glorious a professor is in Gods account and in truth no Christian no more then the picture of a man is a man Nor is part of Christs mysticall body more then an artificiall Eye Tooth or Legge is a part of the body to which it is annexed And yet for his outward appearance he is said to be in Christ Io. 15. 2. Every Branch in me that beareth not fruit c. Rom. 2 17. Matt. 23. 27. Ye are like painted Sepulchres which appeare beautifull c. Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Jew that is one outwardly c. Rev. 2. 9. Them that say they are Jewes and are not c. Rev. 2. 2. and 3. 9. That the works done by the Hypocrite albeit they are sometimes said to be works done because they seem so to others and so they think themselves Psal 78. 35 36. Yet are they not works really and truly done nor done to or for God and therefore he doth look upon and account of them as workes not done at all or as evill deeds Hosea 10. 1. Israel is an empty vine c. Esay 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices c. Who hath required this at your hands c. Bring no more vaine oblations c. Esay 58. 5. Is this the fast that I have chosen c. Zach. 7. 6. When ye fasted c. did ye at all fast unto me even to me And when ye did Eat and when ye drink in your holy feasts did ye not Eat for your selves and drink for your selves Hos 7. 14. They have not cryed unto mee when they howled c. For as the prayer of the heart not uttered by the mouth is notwithstanding a Prayer in Gods account so the Prayer of the tongue not in the heart may be said to be no Prayer to God at all 1 Sam 1. 13. In this sense Rom. 2. 28. it is said that Circumcision outward and not in the heart is no Circumcision And so for the common Graces or gifts that are in the heart of an Hypocrite albeit they be sometimes for the likenesse they have to the true Graces called by their names Esay 48. 2. Io 2. 23. Esay 58. 2. Micha 3 11 17. yet coming from an evill man and out of an evill heart they cannot be good Mat 7. 11. 12. 35 The Lord doth not account of them nor are they to be esteemed in a Theologicall or spirituall sense as any Graces at all no more then painted fire is fire or a thing a man doth fancy in his dreame the thing it selfe or counterfeit coyne true coyne And as God herein takes the will for the deed in that which is not so in that which is the deed without the will not to be at all hence it is Io. 6. 64 70. that Judas albeit he had a temporary faith yet he is said not to believe But for the Text objected in Mat. 23. 24. That from him that hath not that hath not indeed shall be taken what he hath These words are in Luke 8. 18. Resolved and expounded thus And whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have or thinketh he hath Ob. It may perhaps be farther objected that the oyle which the foolish Virgins that were Hypocrites had was the same kind of oyle which the wise Virgins had Matt. 25. 1 2. c. Ans For Answer to this we say 1. That Theologica parabolica non est argumentativa 2. That it is true that the text saith that the foolish Virgins had oyle in their Lamps but it cannot appeare by the text to be of the same kind of oyle that the wise Virgins had Nor is it probable to be so for the wise had their supply about them but the foolish theirs from without them We grant the Hypocrite to have seeming Grace or gifts but not of the same kind with the true Christian whose oyle is of another kind fed by the spirit of God within him which spirit the Hypocrite hath not His seeming grace hath no rooting as the feed of the stony and High way ground and the building on the sand It hath not the causes of the true Graces that are in the heart of the true Christian it is not so rooted and bottomed upon Christ and his spirit it works not so downward to break and humble the heart for sinne and that out of a deep sense of the love of God and Christ so as to engage and fasten in it a root and foundation of love towards God and his people for his sake that can never be razed out but will be increasing and growing still according to the promise of our Saviour Ioh. 14. 16. 17. And I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Hypocrite is a tree that beareth fruit like as the true Christian doth but not a good tree and therefore bringeth not forth good fruit as the true Christian doth But the common grace of the Hypocrite is a loose and slight piece of work in the soule an opinion and fancy of Faith Joy and Peace like to a building on the Sand and to a rootlesse plant standing on his own bottome and loose and not engrafted into the tree Without any true love to Christ sense of sinne change of the heart or any such like thing and therefore will not stand under any storme will not abide any Temptation but will fall downe dry and wither away and come to naught Ob. But it may perhaps be farther objected out of the Parable of the divers sorts of hearers Mat 13. That the same kind of grace that was in the bad hearers was also in the good hearer and differed only in degrees Ans To this we answer That the scope of that Parable is only to comfort and satisfy the Disciples as touching the fewnesse of them that did receive the Gospell and profit by the Preaching thereof And it was to lay open the various effects of the Preaching of the Gospell the meanes of begetting and increase of the saving grace of Gods elect and of the common grace of the Hypocrite by the comparison of the Sower and his sowing of seed corne in the ground That the effect thereof is various according to the ground in which it is cast That where the word falls into a stony heart Ezech. 36. 26. and a heart lost in the love of the world Jer. 4. 4 James 4 4. 1 Jo. 2. 19. Which is alwaies a wicked heart there it is fruitlesse and lost But where the word meets with a good and honest heart which is a heart broken and contrite for sinne and a heart that loveth God more then the world of
which there are few there it doth bring forth more or lesse fruit So that the seed sowen in all the grounds is the same but the fruit not the same for the bad ground it is said of the seed sowen in it that it had no root and that it brought forth no fruit So that although it be the same word that woâ—ks the common grace in the Hypocrite and the speciall grace in the Elect yet that which is wrought thereby in one is not the same that is wrought in another hearer thereof 2 Cor 2. 16. And now by all this that hath been said it may appeare that Sincerity lyeth more in the quality and nature then in the quantity and measure of the thing But there will be something more added we hope for the clearing of this poynt by a better hand in the last Chapter of this book And therefore we shall leave it in this place and proceed We have done now with the explicatory and shall come next to the Applicatory part of our discourse And out of what hath been already said may we not now draw up this conclusion That there is great cause to suspect That Sincerity towards God and Christ amongst the Professors of the Christian Religion is rare and that the Sincere Professors thereof are few But that Hypocrisy amongst these professors is very common and that the false Professors thereof are very many And now we shall make some Inferences and uses of that we have formerly laid downe CAP. V. Wherein the true Christian and Hypocrite may agree And how farre the Hypocrite may goe SECT I. ANd now we shall make some Inferences upon and improvement of all that we have said in our Explicatory part The first improvement we shall make of these things we have laid downe shall be For the tryall of our selves upon these heads 1. How farre an Hypocrite may goe in his perswasion practice and performance Or what he may be or have within or doe without him that the true Christian is hath and doth 2 What is lacking in him and what the true Christian is must be have and doe more then the Hypocrite And wherein he doth goe beyond and excell him And then secondly for the tryall of our works services 1. For the first 1. This is agreed in the generall by all men That a man may be not only almost but altogether at least in his perswasion converted from being a Jew Turke or Heathen to be a Christian from being a Papist or other Heretick to be a Protestant and Orthodox from being prophane and unrighteous to be a morall or civill man from being an Atheist or irreligious to be a Formalist or a man seemingly Religious and all this by the Preaching of the Gospell and yet be an Hypocrite So Judas Mat. 27. 1 2 c. Symon Magus Acts 8. 1 2 c. and many others Acts 5. 1 2 Mat. 23. 15. 2 The Hypocrite may be as rich honourable and prosperous in the world as the true Christian Psal 52. 1 2. 1 Sam. 22. 9. 3. He may come of a Godly Parentage and have a Godly education Phil 3. 4 5. Acts 22. 3. 4. The Hypocrite may have and enjoy as much in the outward Ordinances and Priviledges of the Church as the true Christian may have and enjoy 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. 9. 4 5. Moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea And were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ that is to say that the Fathers did upon the matter enjoy the same spirituall benefits and outward Sacraments But with many of them God was not well pleased c. Heb 3. 18 26. But some when they heard did provoke c. And to whom did he sweare c. but to them that believed not Luke 13. 25 26 27. When the Master is up and hath shut the doore c. and ye begin to stand without and to knock saying Lord Lord open to us And he shall answer and say I know you not whence yee are then shall yee begin to say We have eaten and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know not whence yee are Heb. 4. 2. For unto us was the Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them c. Jude 4. Acts 22 3. 5 The Hypocrite may have as great a share in the Manifestation of Gods presence with a people by outward protections deliverances Salvations and Mercies as the true Christian may have Jude v. 5. I shall therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew it how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that believed not 1 Cor 10. 1 2 c. 6. The Hypocrite for his outward station and condition may be placed as nigh to God as the best Christian may be He may be the chief officer of a Church or a Nation or the like Jude v. 5. And the Angells which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaynes under darknesse c. So Judas Rev. 2. Demas Philemon 24. and others But more particularly SECT II. How farre the Hypocrite may goe in his outside with the true Christian The Hypocrite as to his practise and performance and for his outside and appearance therein may be visibly changed into another man 1 Sam 10. 6. He can and may doe as much and goe as farre as the best Christian whatsoever Nay he may possibly doe and suffer as much and in appearance before men with as great and as much Spirit and zeale as any man Yea seem more glorious and for matter and manner both go beyond the best Christian as the lustre of false gold may exceed the lustre of true gold and as an Artificiall picture and painted face may excell the naturall face and as a Stage-player may more lively act a man or thing said or done then the man or thing he doth act to be said or done He may therefore leave not only some but all the outward evills of his life and do in appearance all that is good he may seem to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and Godly and so in shew make a compleat outward reformation He may take up the whole forme of Godlinesse and Religion go round from day to day in the practise of piety keep the Sabbath Pray heare read conferre expound receive the Sacraments Fast and pray and do all other duties publick and private incumbent on a Christian he may seem good amongst good as Saul 1 Sam 10. 10. and better then most of
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
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.
14. 23. 1 Ioh. 2. 3 5. 5 By a desire after fellowship and communion with God in Christ Psal 42. 2. 6 By a tenderness and respect of Gods glory manifested and declared 1 By a mans own personal obedience to God Ioh. 15. 8. Mat. 5. 16. 2 By his stirring up of others to obedience to him Ps 67. 1 2 3 3 By his affection to Gods cause and interest in the world which when hindred he grieveth Ps 119. 136. when prospering he rejoyceth Ps 97. 1. and 122. 1. 4 And by his adventure of himself in it Mat. 26. 58 69. 11 It makes him that hath it to desire and labour to be like to God Psal 17. 15. 12 It is communicative and open it makes him that loves open handed and ready to communicate himself and all that he hath to and for God and his service 2 Cor. 9. 11. Pro. 7. 9. 13. It wil make a man do all that he can for and nothing against God Prov. 31. 12. 14 And it will make him in whom it is to suffer any thing for Gods sake Gen. 30. 20. But the false love of the Hypocrite if he can love God at all ariseth from some false perswasion that he may have of Gods love to him in this that he doth him no hurt but good because he doth prosper in the world is healthy great and rich and the like or because he may have a fancy that the promise of the Gospel and Christ doth belong to him or he may have a little kind of seeming love to God for his selfe ends and for some present use or need he hath of him as Soul did love David or he may live in hope that God will or may doe him good or do him no hurt for some such causes or upon and by some such motives as these somewhat like to love or some little weak and corrupt love may be in an Hypocrite but really he is a lover of himself and loves the world more than God 2 Tim. 3. 2 4. He is a lover of his belly Phil. 3. 19. Mat. 19. 21 22. He loveth evil more than good Psal 52. 3 4. Or he loveth God and the world both together Mat. 6. 24. Iâ—â—â—es 4. 4. Hee seekes the praise and favour of men more than the praise and favour of God He doth not love God more than Father Mother Wife c. Mat. 10. 37. He doth not delight himself in the Almighty Iob 27. 10. Ob. But here it may be said out of Rom. â— 30. and 8. 7. Iohn 15. 19. That the Hypocrite being still in his natural estate is a hater of God Ans It is true the Hypocrite being still in his natural estate is a hater of God in his heart and that which is of love or the appearance thereof therein is but forced and against his nature and is a kind of restraint of suspension of hatred so a Lyon tamed may be brought to seem to like and to converse with the Lamb but retains his nature still and upon the first occasion will shew it or at the best it is but a politick artificial or carnal and corrupt love from self respects and to self ends as a man that loves a woman for her portion onely and not for her person or parts SECT V. 4 In their love of Christ The properties of this love The true Christian loves Christ And so he must for without this he cannot be a true Christian 1 Cor. 16. 22. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. And the Hypocrite may have a kind of love to Christ also Mat. 19 16. But herein also we shall find a wide difference between them 1 The true Christian he ha thnot onely a good will to Christ Ioh 3. 26. to 30. Ioh. 3. from 1 to 11. but a longing desire after him Cant. 1. 2. Rev 22. 17 20. And satisfaction in him Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 2 The love of the true Christian to Christ is like to his love to the father and so doth manifest it self as the love of the child of God doth manifest it self to God As 1 It ariseth from the knowledge of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel and that discovery he hath thereby of Christs beauty glory excellency and necessity in reference to his soul Psal 45. 2. c. Cant. 2. 3. and 5 10. 6. 1 Joh. 6. 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternal life And from his faith in him Iohn 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God 1 Pet. 1 8. whom having not seen ye love c. Yet believing c. And from the good which he hath experimentally got by him Cant. 1. 3. 4. 15. and 2 3 4 5 6. and 5. 10. Luke 7. 38 c. Psal 45 6 11. 15 Isa 33. 17 and 45. 22. 3 It ariseth from Christs love and the sense thereof to him Ephes 5. 2. Rev. 1. 5. to him that loved us and washed us in his blood 4 It is pure also for he loves Christ as well for himself and the loveliness he sees to be in him his odoriserous smel and for his sweet tast as for the need he hath of him and the benefit he may have by him Cant. 1. 3 4 15. Ioh. 7. 7. and 21. 16. 17. 5 It is a strong and transcendent love that is in the soul of the true Christian to Christ it will part from all rather than part from him Cant. 8. 6 7. It is as strong as death the coals thereof are coals of fire which have a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Luke 18. 28 and 14. 26 c. 10. 37 38. Rev. 12. 11. Acts 21. 13. 6 It is a laborious love Heb. 10. 6. Iames 1. 4. 7 It is a constant lasting and unchangeable love Cant. 8. 6 7. it cannot be quenched 8 And it is a love that is like to the love of a dear Wife to her loving Husband or the love of a contracted Virgin betrothed to her lover a young man where the love is exceeding strong and doth manifest it self by such like effects as these 1 By a high esteem of his love and all the manifestations thereof by tokens letters kisses c. Cant. 1. 2. and 7. 10. 2 She looks upon all that ever he is and doth as lovely Cant. 1. 4 6. and 2. 1. and 5. 10. 3 She doth highly esteem all that is about him and doth concern him So hath every true Christian an high esteem of Christs love and the manifestations of it thinks well of all he is and doth loves all his ordinances and graces Cant. 2. 3. and 5. 10. 4 She thinks much of him in his absence 5 She hath an earnest desire after a fuller assurance and evidence of his love and the full and perfect enjoyment of him that as man and wife they may for ever dwel together and never be sundred any more And
whole heart with a perfect heart and willing mind with a true heart in sinceritie and truth 1 Chr. 28. 9. Deut. 10. 12. Heb. 10. 22. Hos 7. 14 15 16. That whatever they do in their profession they doe it to and for the Lord and noâ— to or for themselves or for other men Col. 3. 23. Hos 7. 14 15. That their repentance towards God faith towards the Lord Jesus their love to fear of and joy and delight in God and Christ and their profession and declaration thereof bee unfeigned and with all their heart and soul Prov. 23. 26. Deut. 30. 10. 2 Kings 23. 25. 2 Cor. 6. 6. Ps 78. 34 35 36. That they follow God fully Numb 14. 24. and Christ wheresoever he shall goe or call them Mat. 8. 19. That whatsoever they doe unto men be not done with eye-service as men pleasers but as doing the wil of God from the heart heartily with singleness of heart with good wil as the servants of Christ as serving him fearing God and as unto the Lord. Col. 3. 22. Eph. 6. 6 7 8. That such as pretend to the faith love and obedience of and suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ that they doe it in sinceritie to exalt his honour and the honour of the Father in him Eph. 6. 24. Joh. 5. 23. That whatsoever they speak to men be the truth and from their heart 1 Thes 46 Ps 52. 2. Jer. 9. 5 6 8. Prov. 26. 22 23. c. Gen. 34. 13. 2 Sam. 3 27. Psal 15. And that they talke walk and live like Saints that they be not only hearers and talkers but doers of the Word of God James 1. 2 2. and that their hearts be purified and their hands be cleansed Iames 4. 8. that those as name the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. Mat. 7. 22 23. Psal 119. 1 2 3. That the Rulers be Ministers of God for good to the people revengers to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Rom. 13. 2 3. And that they be not a terrour to good works but to the evil That they rule in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23 3. To the glory of God and the good of them that are ruled especially of the people of God amongst them 2 Sam. 23. 2. Ps 78 72. 1 Tim. 3. 4 12. That the Judges professing godlyness be such as feare God men of truth hating covetousness Exod. 18. 21. That in their judgement they doe take heed to what they do and consider that they judge not for man but for the Lord who is with them in the judgement And that the fear of the Lord be upon them and that they doe take heed and doe it as considering that there is no iniquitie with the Lord nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Chron. 19. 6 7. And that the Teachers and Preachers preach the Truth Feed the Flock of God taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as Lords over Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flock 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. That herein they seek not their own but the things of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 21. and the good of others 1 Cor. 10. 24. 33. not to please themselves or men but to please God Gal. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 33. that they give no offence to God or man 1 Cor. 9. 20. And that in all they doe God may bee glorified the Name of the Lord Jesus exalted 1 Cor. 10. 31. 6. 20. the peoples souls saved Gal. 6. 10. and they themselves be able to give up their account therof with joy at the last day Heb. 13. 17. And now for our last word to others that do not so much as appear to be the friends but rather the enemies of Christ Let us perswade them onely to lay down their weapons and give over their opposition against Christ for he will be too strong for them It is hard to kick against the priks Acts 9. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Mat. 21. 44. And therefore what the Prophet Ps 2. 10 11. said to great men we say to all Be wise now therefore c. kiss the son c. And now having set forth wherein the Christians life doth consist and the difficulty thereof it is high time we lay down some motives or encouragements and helps therein CHAP. XII Arguments to perswade to Sinceritie and against Hypocrisie in the general THE next thing we have to do is to lay down something by way of motive to perswade not only to a Christian life but also to Sincerity and against Hypocrisie therein And this first in general And in the next place in particular services to perswade us to be Christians indeed to the profession of the Christian faith and to sincerity therein And to move us to labour to bee and to keep sincere in our state or in the general Besides what we have before layd down let us take up and use these following considerations 1 Hypocrisie in Religion is a sin we are all very prone to for every man by nature is an Hypocrite and every true Christian hath more or less hypocrisy in him Job 31. 33. If I cover my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom Gen. 3. 12. Hence it is that Christ bids his Disciples beware of it Mat. 6. 1. Luke 12. 1. 2 Yea it is much to be feared that Hypocrisie in Religion is now very common and that Hypocrites are very many and that Hypocrisie is now become the general disease of the time because there is now more to breed feed it than in former times Religion is now in request the greatest and most of men be religious Religion is now looked upon with a good eye and religious godly men are now in great esteem with the greatest men of the time so that it is now as in the time spoken of in Esth 8. 17. The Iews had light and gladness and joy and honour c. and a good day and many of the people of the land became Iews for the fear of the Iews fell upon them A false heart will work upon this and the man in whom it is will for his outward advantage in the world put himself into any form of Religion 1 Tim. 6. 5. 3 The sin of Hypocrisie in the nature and working of it is a most dangerous sin For 1. It is a soul-pleasing sin being a part of the old man and natural to us Ps 52. 3. thou lovest evil c. and lying c. Hosea 12. 7 8. Col. 3. 9. 2 It is a soul killing sin Acts 8. 21 22 23. 3 It is of a very infectious nature Gal. 2. 12 13. 4 It is as we have said a very common evill where the contagion of the plague is common the danger is greater 5 It is hardly discerned in him in whom it is It is as
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
good spirit ineffectuall to those who are so happy as indeed to have it Was the title of the Athenian merchants any worse to their ships which came into the Piraea or Port of Athens because the madd man in the story thonght and confidently said they were all his May not those who have good and well disposed eyes see and certainely know the objects they looke upon are immoveable and fix'd because they who have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus omnia rotari circumferri videntur thinke otherwise The mad man in the Tragedy said and I doubt not beleived it too that he saw two sunnes and another Thebes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet those who were not guilty of so much Phrensie did and might trust their owne eyes that both Thebes and the the sunne were single The Church of Rome was sure enough of the truth of her beleife by the Ghospell and the good Spirit of God confirmeing and witnesseing the truth of it to their soules even then when Donatus sayd that the Church and Spirit of Christ was onely in him and his faction Those first and commonly call'd purest times haveing a Vid. Jrenaei lib. 5. advers Haereses cum Epist Erasmi Nuncupatoria Augustinum de Haeresibus ad Quod vult Deum cum Notis Lamb. Danaei Gen. 1595. Philastrii Brixiensis Catalogum Haeresium cum Supplemento Helm 1611. Epiphanii Responsad Epist Acacii Pauli libros 3. adversus Haereses as many and as wild Heresies as we now The truth is the errors and heresies of those who confidently pretend to the Spirit of Christ but have it not are no prejudice to or argument against those who are so happy as to have it but that they may and ought to rely upon the witnesse and Divine testimony it gives to the truth So that their faith and theirs onely is divine not onely respectu objecti the sacred word of God containeing the truthes beleived but respectu principii too the regenerateing Spirit of Christ from whom their understandings have divine illumination to know and strength and confirmation to beleive and obey the truth 4. I have onely this to add that this witnesse and testimony of the spirit is onely argumentum ad intra a convinceing argument to him that has it whereon he may rely and be assured himselfe not argumentum ad extra whereby he may convince others This is that inward witnesse which did so confirme the primitive persecuted Christians in their faith so persuade and convince their understandings of the present truth of the Ghospel and that all the gratious promises contained in it would be fulfilled and made good for the future that they who could not dispute could and did dy for their faith and that with so much courage and miraculous constancy as amazed their persecutors and made even the Pagan world beleive that such strange courage and confidence in the losse of what this world calls dearest livelyhood life too could not proceed from any principle lesse then divine Whence it was that Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae the death of many old gave life to more new Christians Sed manum de tabula enough of this Rat. 6. If saveing and common grace be essentially the same then irregenerate and impious persons who may and many times have common graces might be call'd and indeed were as truely gracions and as truely beleivers as the best Saints and Sonns of God although not in so high a degree For by this hypothesis against which we now dispute they have as true faith and grace as regenerate persons themselves seeing common in the wicked and speciall grace in the regenerate are by this hypothesis essentially the same For as the smallest wire of good gold is as truely gold as the whole wedge though not so much and as a body hot in the second or third degree is as truely hot as that which has heate in the 6. or 8. degree So if common grace in hypocrites and saveing grace in the Saints be essentially the same then such impious persons for common grace may be in such may be justly call'd as true beleivers and as truely gratious as the most regenerate persons in the world But this is certainely untrue and repugnant to the receaved and cleare principles of Divinity and Philosophy too The Morall Philosopher truely tells us that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de moribus lib. 2. cap. 5. Commentatores universi ib. virtus est habitus rectâ ratione electivus prout vir prudens definiverit So that he that has not morall prudens that great Virtus directiva has indeed no morall vertue for all vertues as Philosophers b Vides is Aristotelem Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem habent A. Aphrodisaeus G. Pachymerius G. Burlaeus Commētatores in Aristotelem universi ut Scholastici ut videre est apud Aquinat 1. 2. Quaest 63. Art 1. c. quem sequuntur Medina Suarez Vasquez Universa Scholasticorum turba universaly aggree sunt in prudentia connexae Now c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Qui voluptate corruptus est ei statim principii videndi facultas eripitur neque cernere potest se hujus rei causa omnia agere opor tere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 5. Vide Aphrodisaeū Averroem Eustratium Hyperiū eâ de re idē asserentes Aristotle saith truely that no vitious person is or can be prudent vice and the irregular passions in such corrupting that great vertue And ergo wicked men whatever common graces or vertues they may seeme to have neither are nor can be truely vertuous no not in respect of Morall vertues 2. And. ergo much lesse in respect of those vertues we call Theologicall as wanteing faith which is the first and foundation of all Theologicall Vertues and Christian prudence all wicked men being in scripture phrase and really fooles But I shall not insist upon this which I believe no sober person will deny if they should 'tis by a Vid. Baron Exercitat de Fide c. Art 30. pag. 279. Rat. 7. others proved 7. M. Baxter b Aphorismes in explicat Thes 69. pag. 277. tells us 1. That the wills acceptance of Christ is the essentiall forme of saveing and true justifying faith 2. That love to Christ as our saviour and Lord is c Ibid. pag. 266. essentiall to this acceptance Whence I inferre thus If the essence of saveing faith consist in accepting Christ and loveing him as our Lord and Saviour then those who doe not so love and accept him have not the essence of saveing faith but no irregenerate person lett him have what common faith he will doth so accept and love Christ as it evident and ergo No irregenerate person hath the essence of true saveing faith Now this being granted it further followes That common and saveing beliefe are not essentially the same