The vain religion of the formal hypocrite, and the mischief of an unbridled tongue (as against religion, rulers, or dissenters) described, in several sermons, preached at the Abby in Westminster, before many members of the Honourable House of Commons, 1660 ; and The fools prosperity, the occasion of his destruction : a sermon preached at Covent-Garden / by Richard Baxter.

THE VAIN RELIGION Of the Formal HYPOCRITE.

Jam. 1. 26.

If any man among you seem to be Religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans Religion is vain.

BEloved hearers, I may suppose that we are all come hi∣ther to day, for the great end of our lives; and to labour in that work

for which we are created, redeem∣ed, preserved, instructed, and furnished with the helps and means of Grace: even to prepare for death that is coming to arrest us, and for the presence of our Judge, who stands as at the door; and to make our Calling and Ele∣ction sure, that the glory of the Saints may be our lot, when the world of the ungodly are cast into endless misery and despair. And I hope I may suppose that in order to this end, you would gladly be acquainted with the causes of dam∣nation, that you may avoid them; with your greatest dangers, that you may escape them; and with the hinderances of your salvation, that you may overcome them. When we read in the Gospel, that salvation is to be offered unto all, and no man is excepted or shut out, but such as shut out and ex∣cept themselves; and yet read

that there are but few that find the strait gate, and the narrow way, and that the flock is little that shall have the Kingdom, and that many shall seek to enter that shall not be able, (Matth. 7. 13, 14. Luk. 12. 32. and 13. 24.) we must needs conclude that some powerful ene∣my standeth in the way, that can cause the ruine of so many millions of souls: But when we go further and find what rich preparations God hath made, and what means he hath used, and what abundant helps he offereth and affordeth to bring men to this blessed state of life, it forceth us to admire that any enemy can be so strong, as to frustrate so many, and such excel∣lent means. But when we yet go further, and find that salvation is freely offered, and that the purchase is made by a Saviour to our hands, and that hearty consent is the con∣dition of our Title, and nothing

but our wilful refusal can undo us; when we find that salvation is brought down to mens wills, and also what motives and convincing helps, and earnest perswasions are appointed and used to make men willing; we are then surprized with yet greater admiration, that any deceiver can be so subtile, or the heart of man can be so foolish, as to be drawn (in despight of all these means) to cast away the im∣mortal crown, that else no enemy could have taken from him. And now we discern the quality of our enemy, of our snares, of our danger, and of our duty: It is not meer Violence but Deceit that can undo us: not force but fraud that we have to resist. And were not the mind of a carnal man exceeding brutish, (while he seemeth wise for carnal things) it were a thing incredible that so many men, could by all the subtilty of hell be drawn

in the day-light of the Gospel, de∣liberately and obstinately to refuse their happiness, and to choose the open way of their damnation, and leave their friends lamenting their calamity, that might have mercy, and cannot be perswaded to consent.

That Satan is the great De∣ceiver, and layeth the snare, and manageth the bait, we are all con∣vinced: that the world and all our fleshly accommodations are the in∣strumental Deceivers; the snare, the bait, which Satan useth, is also a thing that we all confess. But that beside the Devil and the World, a Reasonable Creature should be his own Deceiver, and that in a busi∣ness of unspeakable, everlasting consequence, and that Religion it self, (a seeming Religiousness that indeed is Vain,) should be made by himself the means of his Deceit, this is a mysterie, that is opened to

you in my Text, and requireth our most careful search and considera∣tion.

When Satan and the World have wounded us by their Deceits, Religion is it that helpeth us to a cure. He that is Deceived by plea∣sures, and profits, and the vain-glo∣ry of the world, must be unde∣ceived and recovered by Religion, or he must perish. But that Re∣ligion it self should become his deceit, and the remedy prove his greatest misery, is the most stupen∣dious effect of Satans subtilty, and a sinners fraudulency, and the sad∣dest aggravation of his deplorable calamity. And yet, alas, this is so common a case, that where the Go∣spel is Preached, it seems to be Satans principal game, and the high-way to hell. There is no other Name by which we can be saved, but by Jesus Christ, the on∣ly Mediator, between sinful man,

and the offended Majesty: and yet what is there in all the world, that is more abused to the deceiving of mens souls, then the Name & Grace of Jesus Christ? Men that might be saved by an effectual Faith, are cheated and destroyed by false Faith and presumption. The mer∣ciful nature of God, is the ground∣work of all the comforts of the godly: and yet there is nothing that is more abused, to the de∣ceiving of mens souls; that will profess that they trust in the mer∣cies of God, while they are labour∣ing to be miserable, by the refusing and resisting the mercy that would save them. The free promises of the Gospel do support true belie∣vers; but are abused to the de∣ceiving of the presumptuous world. And so the Apostle telleth us that many do by their Religion: They will have a Religion to de∣ceive themselves; but not to save them.

It is the Hypocrite that is the subject in my text, who is described by this double property. 1. That he seemeth to be Religious. 2. That his obedience answereth not this seeming or profession: the in∣stance is given in the bridling of his tongue, because that was the point that the Apostle had some special reason to insist on, with those to whom he immediately directed his Epistle. Though its plain in ver. 22, 23, &c. that it is the whole work of obedience that he implyeth, where he instanceth in this parti∣cular. The sin of the tongue which he specially intendeth to reprove, was the bitter reproaching of their brethren, upon the account of their differences in matters of Re∣ligion, and the vilifying of others, and uncharitable passionate con∣tendings and censures, upon pre∣tence of knowing more then others; as appeareth in the third Chapter throughout.

The Predicate is double: one by way of supposition; viz. that this hypocrite doth but deceive his own heart: The other by way of assertion; viz. that his Religion is vain.

Whether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be fetcht as far as from Orpheus the Thracian, as Erasmus and many others imagine, is of no great mo∣ment to our understanding of the text, it being evident that it is the worshipping of God, that is here meant by [Religion]; and it is men addicted to his worship, that are called Religious. The seeming here spoken of, refers both to himself and others: he that seemeth to himself to be Religious, or is judged so by other men. By bridling the tongue, is meant, re∣straining it from evil speech. By deceiving himself, is meant, the mistake of his judgement concern∣ing the sincerity, and acceptableness,

and reward of his Religion, and the frustrating of his own expecta∣tions hereupon. His Religion is said to be [in Vain] in that it shall not attain the ends of an unfeigned true Religion, of which more anon. The sence of the Text then, is con∣tained in these two Propositions.

1. There is a seeming Religious∣ness, which is but self-deceiving, and will prove in Vain.

2. Where sincere obedience doth not accompany the profession of Religion, and in particular, when such men bridle not their tongues, their Reli∣gion is but Vain and self-deceiving.

These two being contained in the text, the former comprized in the latter, I shall handle them to∣gether, and shew you, 1. What this seeming Religion is, and how it differeth from true Religion. 2. Wherein this self-deceiving by a seeming Religion doth consist. 3. Whence it is that men are so

prone to this self-deceit. 4. In what respects this Religion is Vain, and why. 5. And then we shall consider how to improve these truths by a due application.

1. Concerning the first, I must shew you, 1. What this seeming Religion is made up of. 2. And what it wants, which maketh it delusory and vain.

In general, This Vain Religion, is made up sometimes, of all that, 1. A laudable nature or tempera∣ture of body, 2. And good edu∣cation and excellent means, 3. As∣sisted by the common workings of the Spirit, can produce.

More particularly, 1. A Vain Religiousness, may have a great deal of superficial opinionative knowledge: and so may have the truest Religion for its object: the true doctrines of Faith, may be believed by a Faith that is not true: the hypocrite as to the

〈…〉〈…〉 Creed may be 〈…〉〈…〉 ignorance a bound∣•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 be a knowing man, and 〈…〉〈…〉 ignorance of others: when errors abound, he may be of the right opinion in Religion, and speak much against the errors of the times, as one that is wiser then the giddy heretical sort of people: He may [Know the will of God, and approve the things that are more ex∣cellent, being instructed out of the Law, and be confident that he him∣self is a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an in∣structer of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hath the form of know∣ledge, and of the truth in the Law,] Rom. 2. 18, 19, 20. He may know as much materially as the upright may, and be able to convince gain∣sayers, and be a notable Champion for the defending of the truth, against the many adversaries that oppose it: and so may be emi∣nently

usefull in his generation.

2. He that is but Religious in Vain, may be frequent in the wor∣shipping of God; and may seek him daily, and delight to know his wayes, and to approach him, and ask of him the Ordinances of justice, as if he were one of the people that did righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinances of their God, Isa. 58. 1, 2. He may be oft in fasting, and punctual in keeping holy dayes and ceremonies, as verse 3. Isa. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15. Luke 18. 11, 12, 13. and exercise much severity on himself, [after the commandments and doctrines of men in things that have a shew of wisdom, in Will-worship, and Humi∣lity, and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh,] Col. 2. 20, 21, 22, 23. Though he be slow paced in the right way, he is swift in his mistaken paths. Though he liketh not preciseness,

zeal, and forwardness, in the spi∣ritual works that God prescribeth; yet when it comes to his own, or other mens inventions, he will be religious and righteous overmuch, Eccles. 7. 16. and forward to of∣fer the sacrifice of a fool, that con∣sidereth not that he is but doing evil, while he thinks to please God with the sacrifice of his services, though he turn away his ear from an obedient hearing the word that should direct him, Eccles. 5. 1, 2. Prov. 28. 9.

3. He that is but Religious in Vain, may see the evil of discord and divisions, and inveigh much against schismaticks, and see the excellency of unity and peace; and therefore may joyn himself with the visible Catholick Church, and with the Christians and Congrega∣tions that are most for unity. There have alwayes been Hypocrites in the most orderly peaceable socie∣ties

of believers, and still will be.

4. The self-deceiving Hypocrite, is oft-times very sensible of the evil of vertiginous mutability in Reli∣gion; and therefore he may be much resolved to continue what he is, and may cast many a jeer at the weather-cocks of the times, and the unconstancy and levity of ignorant, or temporizing men: and may stand to his party, and pro∣fession, against much opposition, as glorying in his constancy, and being ashamed to be thought a changling, or such a turn-coat as others whom he merrily de∣rideth.

5. An Hypocrite that hath no other Religion but delusory and vain, may observe the weaknesses of persons that are of lower educa∣tion and parts, and may loath their indiscretion in conference and be∣haviour, and their unhansome ex∣pressions in prayer and other du∣ties,

and shake the head at them, as silly, contemptible, self-conceit∣ed fellows; and his heart may rise against their disorder, tauto∣logies and affectations: And its like enough, that hereupon he will jeast at conceived prayer, or extem∣porate (as they call it;) and bless himself as safe in his Parrot-like devotions, because the same spirit teacheth not fine words, and rhetorical language, to all that it teacheth to pray with unutterable sighs and groans, Rom. 8. 26, 27. though the searcher of hearts (who is not delighted with complements and set speeches) doth well under∣stand the meaning of the spirit.

5. The self-deceiving Hypocrite doth frequently pretend to be a man of moderation in matters of Religion, as distasting the hair∣braind zealots, as he counteth them, that cannot be content to have their faith and Religion to themselves be∣fore

God, and to live and talk as others do, but must be singular, and make a stir with their Religion, and turn the world upside down. The true zeal of the godly is usu∣ally distastefull to him; and the corrupt zeal of Schismatical per∣sons, doth cause him to bless him∣self in his lukewarmness, and to take his most odious indifferency, and want of fervent love to God and his holy ways to be his vertue.

6. This self-deceiving Hypocrite doth frequently pretend to an exceeding great Reverence in the managing of the outward part of worship; and to an extraordinary zeal about the Circumstantials of Religion. He accounts them all schismatical and prophane, that place not as much of their Religion as he doth, in gestures and forms, and other accidents of worship, ac∣quainting us that the Pharisaical temper in religion is natural, and

will still continue in the world.

7. If the temptation of the Hy∣pocrite lie on the other side, he can withdraw himself into some small or separating society, and place his Religion in the singularity of his opinions, or in the strictness of the way and party that he owneth; and in his conceited ability in his conceived or ready expressions in prayer; and can cry out as much upon the Formalist, as the Formal Hypocrite upon him: and glory in his zeal, as the other in his mo∣deration. It is in the Heart that Hypocrisie hath its throne; from whence it can command the out∣ward acts into any shapes that are agreeable to its ends: and can use materials of divers natures, as the fewell and nutriment of its malig∣nity. And what ever party such are joined to, and what ever way they have been trained up to, whether Formality, or schism, or more re∣gular,

sober, equal wayes, in all of them their Religion is but Vain, and they do but deceive themselvs by all.

8. The Religion that is but de∣lusory and Vain, may be accom∣panied with much Alms, and works of seeming Justice, and Charity, Mat. 6. 1, 2. Luke 18. 11, 12. He may have many vertues cal∣led moral; and be a man of much esteem with others, even with the best and wisest, for his seeming Wisdom, and piety, and justice. He may be no extortioner, unjust, adulterer, but as to gross sins seem blameless, Luke 18. 11, 12. Phil. 3. 6. and be much in reproaching the scandalous lives of others, and thank God that he is none such, Luke 18. 11.

9. He that hath but a vain Re∣ligion, may in his judgement ap∣prove of saving grace, and like the more zealous, upright, self-deny∣ing, heavenly lives of others: and

wish that he might but die their death; and wish himself as happy as they, so it might be had on his own terms: And he may have some counterseit of every grace; and think that it is true. Numb. 23. 10. Jam. 2. 14, &c. 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3. Mark 6. 20.

10. None will be more forward to call another Hypocrite, then the Hypocrite: nor to extoll sincerity and uprightness of heart and life. And thus you see what this Vain Religion is made up with.

2. IF you marvell what the Hy∣pocrite yet wants, that makes his Religion delusory and Vain, I shall now tell you I hope to your conviction and satisfaction.

1. For all his forementioned Re∣ligion, he wants the Spirit of Christ, to dwell as his sanctifier within him; And [if any man have not

the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his] Rom. 8. 9. But because this is known by the effects, I add,

2. He wants that spiritual new birth, by which he should be made spiritual, as his first birth made him carnal, John 3. 5, 6. Rom. 8. 6, 7, 8. He is born of the will of the flesh, and of man, but not of God, John 1. 13. Form the first man Adam he is become a living soul; but by the second man, Christ, the Lord from heaven, he is not yet quickned in the Spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45, 46. He is not born again of the incorruptible seed, the word of God, that liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 23. He is not yet saved by the washing of Regenera∣tion (save only as to the outward baptism) and by renewing of the Holy Ghost, which is shed by Christ on all his members, that being justified by his grace, they should be

made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, Tit. 3. 5, 6. They are not new creatures, old things being not past away, and all things, with them become new: and therefore it is certain that they are not in Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 17. They have not put off the old man with his deceitfull lusts, and deeds, nor have put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 3. 22, 23, 24. Col. 3. 9, 10. They have but patcht up the old unsanctified hearts, and smooth'd over their carnal conver∣sations, with civility and plausible deportment, and so much Religion as may cheat themselves as well as blind the eyes of others. But they are strangers to the life of God, Ephes. 4. 18. and never were made partakers of the Divine na∣ture which all the children of God partake of, 2 Pet. 1. 4. nor of that Holiness, without which none shall

see the Lord, Heb. 12. 14.

3. Though he make a slight and customary confession of his sins, un∣worthiness and misery, yet is he not kindly humbled at the heart, nor made truly vile in his own eyes, nor contrite and broken-hearted; nor emptyed of himself, as seeing him∣self undone by his own iniquities; crying out Unclean, and loathing himself for all his abominations; weary of his sin, and heavy-laden, as all must be that are fit for Christ. Read Isa. 57. 15. & 66. 2. Psal. 51. 17. & 34. 18. Lev. 13. 44, 45. Ezek. 36. 31. & 20. 43. & 6. 9. Matth. 11. 28. Rom. 7. 24.

4. This mans Religion must needs be Vain; for he wanteth the life of faith it self, and heartily believeth not in Christ. He hath but an opinion of the truth of Christianity, through the advan∣tage of his education and compa∣ny; and thereupon doth call him∣self

a Christian, and heartlesly talk of the mysterie of Redemption as a common thing. But he doth not with an humbled broken heart, betake himself to Christ as his on∣ly refuge from the wrath of God and everlasting misery, as he would lay hold on the hand of his friend, if he were drowning: The sense of the odiousness of sin, and of the damnation threatned by the righteous God, hath not yet taught him to value Christ, as he must be valued by such as will be saved by him. These hypocrites do but talk of Christ, and turn his name, as they do their prayers, into the matter of a dry and custo∣mary form. They flie not to him as the only Physician of their souls, in the feeling of their festring wounds: they cry not to him as the Disciples in the tempest, Save Master, we perish. They value him not practically (though notionally

they do) as the pearl for which they must sell all, Matth. 13. 44, 45, 46. Christ doth not dwell in his heart by faith: nor doth he long with all the Saints to compre∣hend, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19. He counteth not all things loss for Christ, and the excellency of his knowledge, nor doth he count them as dung, that he may win Christ, and be found in him, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, Phil. 3. 8, 9, 10. nor can he truly say, that he desireth to know nothing but a crucified Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 2. and that the life that he now liveth in the flesh, he liveth by the faith of the Son of God that loved him, and gave himself for him,] Gal. 2. 20. He is not taken up with that admi∣ration of the love of God in

Christ, as beseems a soul that is saved by him from the flames of hell, and that is reconciled to God, and made an heir of life everlast∣ing. He hath not understandingly, deliberately, seriously, and unre∣servedly given up himself and all that he hath to Christ: and thank∣fully accepted Christ and life, as given on the Gospel terms to him. This living effectual faith is want∣ing to the Hypocrite, whose Reli∣gion is Vain.

5. This Vain Religion doth ne∣ver practically shew the soul the amiableness and attractive goodness of God, so far as to win the heart to a practical estimation of him, and adhering to him above all; nor so far as to advance him above all the creatures in the practical judge∣ment, will and conversation: nor doth it cause the soul to take him for its portion, and prefer his sa∣vour before all the world, and de∣vote

it self and all unto his interest and will, and give him the super∣lative and soveraign honour, both in heart and life: Psal 63. 3. and 30. 5. and 4. 6, 7. and 16. 5. and 17. 14. Mat. 10. 37.

6. This Vain Religion is alwayes without that serious belief of the life to come, which causeth the soul to take it for its happiness and trea∣sure, and there to set its desires and its hopes, and to make it his prin∣cipal care and business to attain it; and to make all the pleasures, and profits, and honours of the world to stoop to it, as preferring it be∣fore them all, Matth. 6. 20, 21. and ver. 33. Luk. 18. 22, 23. and 14, 33. Col. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Phil. 3. 18, 19, 20. The Hypocrite tak∣eth heaven but for a reserve, and as a lesser evil then hell, and seeks it but in the second place, while his fleshly pleasures and interest have the preheminence, and God hath

no more but the leavings of the world; and he serveth him but with so much as his flesh can spare.

7. This Vain Religion consisteth principally in external observances: If he be a Formalist that hath it, his Religion lyeth in his beads and prayer books; in going so oft to Church, and keeping holy dayes and fasting dayes, and saying over such and such words, and using such and such gestures and ceremo∣nies, and submitting to Church orders, and crying down Sectaries and preciseness, and jearing at the simplicity of plain hearted Chri∣stians, that never learnt the art of dissimulation. Their Religion is but a pack of Complements, a flattering of God, as if they would mock him with cap an knee, (who will not be mocked,) Gal. 6. 7. while they draw near him with their lips, their hearts are far from

him, Mat. 15. 7, 8, 9. They wash the outside, and pay tithe of all; and give some almes, and forbear dis∣graceful sins, which would make them be esteemed ungodly among men, Mat. 15. 2, 3. Mar. 7. 4, 8. Matth. 23. 25, 26, &c. Mat. 6. 1, 4, 6. &c Isa. 1. 11, 12, 13, 14. Isa. 58. 1, 2. But these self-deceivers are strangers to the in∣ward spiritual work of holiness: Their hearts are not busie in the worship of God, by fervent desire, and exercise of other graces, while their tongues are put into an arti∣ficial pace, and they are acting the part of men that seem to be Reli∣gious.

If they be cast into the Sectarian mold, they place their Religion in the strictness of their Principles and Parties, and in contending for them, and in their affected fervour, and ability to speak and pray ex tempore. But the humble, holy, in∣ward

workings of the soul toward God, and its breathings after him, and the watch that it sets over the heart, this hypocrite is much a stranger to.

If he be brought up among the Orthodox in well ordered Churches, he placeth his Religion in the holding of the truth, and tak∣ing the right side, and submitting to right order, and using Gods or∣dinances: but the most of an up∣right mans employment is at home, within him; to order his soul, and exercise grace, and keep down sin, and keep out the world, and keep under the flesh, and carnal self, and do the inward part of duty: And he is as truly solicitous about this, as about the outward works: and contenteth not himself to have said his prayers, unless indeed his heart have prayed; nor to have heard, unless he have profited, or heard with obediential attention:

And he makes conscience of secret duties, as well as of those that are done in the sight of men: But this the hypocrite comes not up to, to trade in the internal spiritual part.

8. The Religion that is Vain, is without an universal hatred of known sin, and an actual conquer∣ing of it, so far as to live out of gross sin, (which some call mortal) and to be weary of infirmities, and to be truly desirous to be rid of all; and to be willing to use Gods means against it. Thus it is with the sincerely Religious; but not with these hypocrites that deceive themselves, Joh. 3. 19, 20. Rom. 7. 24. Luk. 13. 3, 5. Rom. 8. 1. to the 14. Gal. 6. 7, 8. The hypo∣crite hath not only some particu∣lar sin, which all his Religion makes him not willing to see to be a sin, or to forsake; but his very state is sinful in the main, by the pre∣dominancy

of a selfish carnal in∣terest and principle: And he is not willing of close plain dealing, much less of the diligent use of means himself to overcome that sin: be∣cause he loveth it.

9. This Vain Religion is not ac∣companied with an unseigned Love to a life of holiness, which every true believer hath, delighting to meditate in the Law of God, with a practical intention to obey it; and delighting in the inward ex∣ercise of grace, and outward ordi∣nances as advantages hereunto; desiring still more of the grace which he hath tasted, and grieving that he knoweth, and trusteth, and loveth, and feareth, and obeyeth God so little, and longing to reach higher, to know, and love, and fear him more, Psal. 1. 2. and ••19. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 &c. Heb. 12. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Matth. 7. 13, 14. But the self-deceiver either

hath a secret dislike of this serious diligence for salvation, and loving God with all the soul, and might, (because he is conscious that he reacheth it not himself,) or at least he will not be brought to en∣tertain any more then will stand with his carnal ends.

10. A Vain Religion doth not so far reveal the excellency of Christs image in his servants, as to cause an entire Love to them as such; and to delight in them above the most splendid and accomplisht persons that are strangers to the life of grace; and so far to love them, as when Christ requireth it, to part with our substance, and hazard our selves for their relief. Thus do the truly Religious, Psal. 16. 2. and 15. 4. 1 Joh. 3. 14. Matth. 10. 40. 11. 42. and 25. 34, 35, 40, 42, 45, 46. But the hypocrice either secr••tly hateth a heavenly holy life, and consequent∣ly

the people that are such, (be∣cause they seem to condemn him by overgoing him, and differing from him) or at least he only su∣perficially approveth of them; but will forsake both Christ and them in tryal, rather then forsake his earthen God. I have now shewed you what the self-deceiver wants, in which you may see sufficient reason why his Religion is but Vain.

II. WE are next to shew you, How these Hypocrites do deceive themselves, and wherein their self-deceit consisteth. It may seem strange that a man of reason should do such a thing as this, when we consider that truth is naturally the object of the under∣standing, and that all men necessa∣rily love themselves, and therefore love what they know to be simply

good for them: How then can any man, that hath the use of rea∣son, be willing to be deceived, yea and be his own deceiver, and that in matters of unspeakable conse∣quence! But it is not as falshood, nor as deceit that they desire it: but as it appeareth necessary to the carnal ease and pleasure which they desire.

The way by which they deceive their own hearts, consisteth in these following degrees.

1. The hypocrite resisteth the Spirit of grace, and rejecteth the mercies offered in the Gospel, and so by his refusal, is deprived of a part in Christ, and of the life of grace, and the hopes of glory, which were tendered to him.

2. But withal, he is willing of so much of this mercy as consisteth with his sinful disposition, and car∣nal interest: He is willing enough to be happy in general, and to be

saved from hell fire, and to be par∣doned, and to have such a heaven as he hath framed a pleasing imagina∣tion of.

3. And therefore he maketh him up a Religion of so much of Christianity as will stand with his Pleasures, profits and reputation in the world, that so he may not be left in despair of being saved, when he must leave the world that he must loved. The cheap and the easie parts of Christianity, and those that are most in credit in the world, and that flesh and blood have least against, these he will cull out from among the rest, and make him a Religion of, passing by the dearer, and more difficult, and spi∣ritual parts.

4. Having gone thus far, he perswadeth his own heart, that this kind of Religion which he hath patcht up and framed to himself, 〈…〉〈…〉 Religion, the Faith, the

Hope, the Charity, the Repen∣tance, the Obedience, to which Salvation is promised. And that he is a true Christian, notwith∣standing his defects; and that his spots are but such as are consistent with grace, and that his sins are but pardoned infirmities: and that he hath part in Christ, and the promises of life, and shall be saved, though he be not of the preciser strain. When he committeth any sin, he confidently imagineth, that his confession and his wishing it were undone again (when he hath had all the p••easure that sin can give him) is true repentance: and that as a penitent he shall be forgiven. And thus while he thinketh him∣self something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, Gal. 6. 3. He hath a counterfeit of every grace of God. A counterfeit Faith, and Hope, and Love, and Repentance, and Zeal, and Humility, and Pa∣tience,

and Perseverance: and these he will needs take to be the very life and image of Christ, and the graces themselves that accom∣pany salvation.

5. Having got this Carkass of Religion without the soul, he makes use of all those things to confirm him in his deceit, which are appointed to confirm true Christians in their Faith and Hope. When he reads or thinks of the infinite Goodness, Love and Mercy of God, he thinks God could not be so good and merciful, if he should refuse to save all such as he. When he readeth of the undertaking and sacrifice of Christ, and how he is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, he confidently hence con∣cludeth, that a Saviour so graci∣ous, that hath done and suffered so much for sinners, cannot condemn all such as he. When he readeth of the extent and freeness of Grace,

in the promises of the Gospel, he concludeth that these promises be∣long to him, and that Grace could not be so free and so extensive, if it did shut out all such as he. When he observeth the Mercies of God upon his body, in his friends, and health, and credit, and prosperity, he concludeth, that surely God loveth him as a child, in that he dealeth so Fatherly with him. If he suffer adversity, he thinks that it is the Fatherly chastisement of God, and therefore proveth him to be his son, and that he shall have his good things in the world to come, because he had his evils here. If he suffer any thing for a good cause, (or a cause that he tak∣eth to be good) he taketh himself to be a Confessor, and marked out for life eternal. If he give any considerable alms, he applyeth all the promises to himself that are made to those that are truly cha∣ritable,

though he giveth but the leavings of the flesh, and giveth but on common compassions, or for ap∣plause, or for some common end, and not as to Christ whom he ho∣noureth in his members, as one that hath resigned all unto him. If he pray, from the lips only, or only for pardon and such other mercies as flesh it self would be glad to have, without the unexpressable groans of the spirit, for spiritual mercies (Rom. 8. 26) he presently applyeth all the promises to him∣self that are made to the upright that call upon God. And thus Love, Mercy, and Christ himself are abused by him to this damning work of self-deceit.

6. Moreover, he makes use of all the ordinances of God, to the de∣ceiving of his own heart. The out∣ward part of Baptism, perswades him that he is inwardly regenerate. He receiveth the Lords supper, that

he may confirm his presumption, and increase his self-deceit, as the godly receive it to confirm and in∣crease their saving faith. He joyn∣eth with the Church in those pray∣ers and praises that are fitted to the true believers state, that he may thence more confidently deceive his own heart, with the conceit that he is a true believer. And thus he turneth the bread of life, and all the helps and means of grace, to the strengthening of his sin, and the furthering of his perdition.

7. Moreover, this miserable self-deceiver, doth usually get into such company as may further his self-deceit, and maketh use of them to that end. If he get into any holy well-ordered Church of Chri∣stians, it is that by his outward communion with the Saints, he may seem to himself to have inward communion with them. If he get among able godly Ministers and

other judicious Christians, and finds that he is well esteemed of by them, he is confirmed hereby in his presumption and self-deceit: when alas, we must in charity judge of men as they profess and seem, and leave the infallible judgement of the heart to God. Vsually this self-deceiving hypocrite doth as∣sociate with some carnal or facti∣ous men, with whom he makes himself a party: and such will smooth him up, and make a Saint of him, either because they are as bad themselves, and dare not con∣demn him, lest they condemn them∣selves; or because they are flat∣terers and dawbers, or men that were never themselves acquainted with those saving operations of the Spirit which he wants, or because they are partial to one of their own faction. And thus a formal hypocrite may be stroaked by For∣malists, and a Schismatical Hypo∣crite

may be soothed up by those of his own Sect (as lamentable ex∣perience telleth us that such do) to the increase of their pernicious self-deceit.

Yea more then so; if these hy∣pocrites fall in company with the notoriously prophane, from them they will fetch some confirmation of their self-deceit: when they hear them swear, and curse, and rant, and see them drunk, they secretly with the Pharisee rejoyce, and say, I thank thee Lord that I am not as this Publican. And this is one reason why such hypoorites are well content to have some ser∣vants in their families, or some neighbours or company about them that are notoriously prophane, that their deluded consciences, consi∣dering that they are more civil and religious themselves, may hence ga∣ther comfort, that they are the servants of God, and in a state of grace.

Hence also it is, that those of them that go on the Schismatical side, do purposely go into separated societies, that by withdrawing from so many, and (as they speak) com∣ing out from among them, they may seem to themselves to be fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and to be of the little flock that shall have the Kingdom. This is the use that self-deceivers make of their com∣panions.

8. Moreover, the Hypocrite confirmeth his self-deceit, by ob∣serving the great numbers of un∣godly persons worse then he, that are in the world: This makes him think that God should be unmerci∣ful, and heaven be empty, if all such as he should be shut out: the damnation of so many seemeth so incredible to him, that it much in∣creaseth his confidence and self∣deceit.

9. And he deceiveth himself al∣so

by a misobserving and misapply∣ing the falls and infirmities of the servants of the Lord, and the scan∣dalous lives of many Hypocrites like himself. When he readeth of Noahs drunkenness, and Lots drunken∣ness and incest, and Davids adul∣tery and murder, and Peters de∣nyal of his Master with cursing and swearing, he considereth not how much these singular actions were contrary to the scope of their lives, nor by what serious repen∣tance they did rise, and do so no more; but he hence concludeth that sure he is in a state of grace, that hath no such heinous sins as these: though indeed he hath more heinous continually within him, (even a love of the world and pleasure above God, a secret root of unbelief, a servitude to the flesh, &c.) when he seeth any about him that profess the fear of God, prove Hypocrites or Apostates, or fall

into any scandalous sin, he streng∣theneth his presumption by it, and concludeth that this profession of greater holiness then he himself hath, is but Hypocrisie; and that he is as good as those that seem more devout, though he make not so much ado with his religion: or at least that such as he shall be saved, when those are so bad that are accounted better: If there be but a Cham in the Ark and Family of Noah, an Ishmael in Abrahams house, an Esau in Jacobs, an Ab∣salom in Davids, a Judas among the Disciples of Christ, these self∣deceivers will thence fetch matter for their own delusion and perdi∣tion, as if the rest were all as bad, or sanctification were not necessa∣ry to salvation.

10. The self-deceiver also is confirmed in his presumption, by taking to himself the comforts that Ministers hold forth, for truly

humbled upright souls, that are apt to be too much disquieted and cast down. Our Congregations are mixt of godly and ungodly, and broken-hearted and hard-hearted, dejected and self-confident sinners (besides all those that are well set∣led in their spiritual peace.) And as we cannot tell how to tell the wicked of their misery, nor open the Hypocrites self-deceit, but the self-suspecting humbled souls will misapply it to themselves, and be more dejected by it, and say, It is thus with me; so we cannot tell how to comfort the distressed, and clear up the evidences of a droop∣ing soul, but the presumptuous Hy∣pocrite will lay hold upon it, and think that it belongs to him. Every comfortable Book or Scripture that he readeth, and every com∣fortable Sermon or discourse which he heareth, is abused to in∣crease his self-deceit.

11. It increaseth the Hypo∣crites self-deceit, when he findeth some partial reformation in himself, and that he hath mended many things that were amiss: This he takes for a true conversion, and thinks that the civilizing and smoothing of his life, the change of his opinion, and the taking up a form of godliness, are true Sancti∣fication; and that he is not the man that once he was; and there∣fore is in a safe condition: Though alas he hath never yet known by experience, the new heart, the new ends, the new resolutions, affections, and conversation of a Saint.

12. Lastly, he deceiveth himself by misunderstanding the nature of hypocrisie. Because he perceiveth not that he is a gross dissembler, but meaneth as he speaks, so far as he goes, therefore he thinks he is no Hypocrite: Whereas besides the gross Hypocrite that knoweth he

doth dissemble, and only deceiveth others, there are also close Hypo∣crites, that know not they are Hy∣pocrites, but deceive themselves. And these are they that my Text here speaks of, when it saith [He deceiveth his own heart.] It is Hy∣pocrisie [to seem better then one is, and to profess to be a sincere Christi∣an when he is none,] though he con∣fidently think that he is what he professeth himself to be.

III. BUt what is it that can move a Reasonable creature to be willfully guilty of such self-deceit in the day-light of the Gospel, when he hath so much help to see his way?

Answ. 1. The are first ac∣ceived by the vanities of the world, and the pleasures of sin, before they deceive themselves by their Religion. Their Religious self-de∣ceiving is but subservient to their fleshly servitude, and the worlds de∣ceit.

They are carnal from the birth: (for that which is born of the flesh only, is but flesh, Joh. 3. 6.) and custom in sinning fixeth and increaseth their sinful dispo∣sition. Their hearts are engaged to their worldly accommodations, and to their vain-glory, and the things that please the flesh: They are willing slaves to their con••u∣piscence. And therefore they cannot admit of that Religion which would deprive them of that which they most dearly love. Christ speaks too late to them. They tell him they are promised already. Their affections are pre∣engaged: sin hath taken up the chiefest rooms: And the heart that loveth sensuality and prosperity best, cannot love God best too: for it can have but one best. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of true Sanctification is to 〈…〉〈…〉 the darling of a carnal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and to cross it in its dearest

loves, and to lay that at our feet that before was as our treasure, and to tame that body, and bring it into subjection, which before was in the throne. The motions of such a change will not be acceptable, till they are made so effectual as to cause that change: The command will be unpleasant, till the heart be suited to the nature of the com∣mand. He that seeth what care and labour there is to gather a worldly treasure, and what a stir is made in the world about it, can never expect that all this should be vilified and despised at a word, and that any doctrine (how true and heavenly soever,) can be well∣come to these worldly men, that would debase their glory, and em∣bitter their delights, and make their Idol seem but dung. The doctrine of Christ would take the old heart out of their bodies: and they will not easily leave their

hearts. It doth not only com∣mand the drunkard to live soberly, and the glutton temperately, and the lascivious filthy sinner chastly, and the proud person humbly, and the covetous to live contentedly and liberally; but it commandeth the hearty forsaking of all, for the sake of Christ, Luke 14. 33. and the accounting them but as loss and dung that we may win him, Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9. and mortifying of that flesh which before we daily study∣ed to please, Col. 3. 4, 5. and the crucifying of its affections and lusts, Gal. 5. 24. and the denyal even of our selves, Luk. 9. 23, 24. And for a carnal mind to love and yield to such commands, were no other then to cease to be a carnal mind. All this is largely expressed by the Apostle, Rom. 8. 1, &c. They that are in Christ Jesus, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spi∣rit. —For they that are after the

flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit: For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh, cannot please God.—For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live.]

You see here why it is that the self-deceiver will not entertain the power of godliness, nor be Religi∣ous seriously according to the true intent of the Gospel, and the na∣ture of Christianity, even because he is engaged to a contrary object, and hath another game in chase, which he will not leave, and which true Religion requireth him to leave, and will not give him leave to follow. And therefore he part∣eth

with the Religion which would have parted him from that which he will not part with.

2. But withall, he is all this while under the threatenings of the Law of God, and conscience is ready to bear witness against him; and betwixt Law and Conscience, the poor wretch is as the corn be∣tween two Milstones; he would be ground to powder, and tortured with terrors before his time, if he had not some opiate or intoxicat∣ing medicine, to ease him by de∣ceiving him, and to abate his fears, and quiet his conscience as long as a palliate cure will serve turn. So that here are two things for which the self-deceiving Hypocrite is fain to fall into his Vain Religion: The one is, that it may be a cloak to the sin which he will needs keep: The other is, that it may save him from the terrors and disquietments, that for this sin his conscience would

else afflict him with. A belief that he may be saved, for all his sin, is the relief that he hath against the ter∣rors of the Law of God. He therefore chooseth out such par∣cels of Religion as may serve him for this use, and yet will not se∣parate him from the sin that he delighteth in. The power of godliness will not consist with his cove••ous, proud or fleshly life: but the form and outside will. And therefore this regeneration, and mortification, and self-denyal, and subjection to the whole will of God, and this heavenly minded∣ness, and watching the heart, and walking with God, and living a∣bove the trifles of this world, and making it the chief business to pre∣pare for another; this kind of Religion, which is Religion indeed, he cannot (because he will not) en∣tertain. This is the strait gate, and narrow way, that few men find.

Here he must be excused. God is no God for him, upon these terms, (And he cannot and will not be his God on any other terms.) Christ is no Christ for him, unless he will excuse him from this trouble, and bear with him in his carnal course; that is, unless he will be indeed no Christ to him. Heaven is no hea∣ven for him, unless he may pass to it through prosperity, and sin; and unless he may have it without the trouble of a holy life; that is, unless God will be unjust or false, and heaven cease to be heaven, and God cease to be God.

But yet these men are convinced that God is their rightful Gover∣nour, and that indeed they should love him and serve him with all their heart and might, and that without true Religion and godli∣ness there is no salvation. To be irreligious and prophane they know is a state that can afford no comfort,

or shelter from the wrath of God; and therefore some Religion they must have: They are not able to endure the thoughts of lying un∣der the curse of God. To con∣clude themselves to be utterly graceless, and the children of the Devil, and in a state of condemna∣tion, is so terrible, that they are not able to endure it: Then eve∣ry Sermon they hear would tor∣ment them, and every Chapter they read would torment them; and their pleasures would all be imbittered to them, and nothing that they enjoy in all the world, would quiet and content them. (No, nor shall do long) And therefore they must needs take up some Religion, to quiet them for a little while, and to make them hope, that for all their sins, they are not so bad, nor in so dangerous a case as Preachers tell them; some Religion they must needs have for

fear of being damned: A sound and serious Religion they will not have, because they love the world and sin, which it would deprive them of: And therefore they patch up a Vain Religion, composed of so much truth and duty as will stand with their prosperity and beloved pleasures: which will not save them, but sufficeth to deceive them.

Two parts make up this self. deceiving frame, as consistent with their sins: The one is the formal, outward, easie, cheap part of duty to God and man, in their practise; leaving out the spiritual, inward, difficult, dear, self-denying part. The other is, the strictest parts of Religion in bare opinion and notion; while they shut it out of their hearts and lives. For both these may stand with a sensual, worldly, selfish life. He may read or say his prayers, and be a worldling still:

He may come to Church, and with the greatest ceremony and seeming reverence receive the Sacrament, and bow before the Lord his Maker, and yet be sensual or a worldling still. And he may be of the strictest party or opinion, and notionally condemn all sin, and justifie the most holy life, and yet be sensual and worldly still. And therefore this much he may be perswaded to take up, to save him∣self from the lashes of his consci∣ence. And so the use of the Hy∣pocrites Religion is to be a skreen betwixt him and the flames of wrath, that would scorch him too soon, if he were of no Religion: and to be to him as a tent or pentise, to keep off the storms that would fall upon him, while he is trading for the world, and working for the flesh. His Religion is but the sheath of his guilty conscience, to keep it from wounding him, and

cutting his fingers, while they are busie in the brutish service of his lusts. It is but as a glove, to save his skin, when he hath to do with the nettles and thorns of the threatenings of God, and the thoughts of vengeance, that else would rack his guilty soul. It is but as his upper garment, to save him from a storm, and then to be laid by as an unnecessary burden, when he is at home. The Hypo∣crites Religion is but as his shooe: he can tread it in the dirt, so it will but save his foot from galling. As a man that hath an unquiet scolding wife, is fain to speak her fair by flatteries, lest he should have no rest at home; or as a thief is fain to cast a crust to the dog that barketh at him, to stop his mouth; so is an ungodly sensual person, fain to flatter his conscience with some kind of Religiousness, and to stop its mouth with some kind of

devotion and seeming righteous∣ness, that may deceive him into a belief that he is the child of God. Religion is the Soveraign in a gra∣cious soul, and the Master in an upright conscience, and ruleth above all worldly interests. But with the unregenerate, it is but an underling and servant, that must do no more then the flesh and the world will give consent to; and is regarded no further then for meer necessity; and when it hath done the work which the Hypocrite ap∣pointed it, it is dismissed and turn∣ed out of doors. God is acknow∣ledged and loved by the Hypo∣crite; but not as God. Christ is believed in and accepted; but not as Christ; but as an underling to the world; and a journy-man to do some job of work for a distres∣sed wrangling conscience; or as an unwelcome Physician to give them a Vomit when they have

taken some extraordinary surfeit of sensual delights. When they have faln into great affliction, or into any foul disgraceful sin, then perhaps they take up their prayer books, or call upon Christ, and seem devout and very penitent. But their piety is blown over with the storm. The effect ceaseth with the cause. It was not the Love of God, or of his holy wayes and service, that set them upon their devotions; but some tempest of adversity, or shipwrack of their estates, or friends, or consciences: and when the winds are laid and the waves are still, their devotion ceaseth with their danger.

3. Add hereunto, (to shew you the reason of the Hypocrites self∣deceit) that he is one that never practically saw the amiableness of holiness in it self; and never had a heart that was touched with the love of it by the Spirit of holiness: and

therefore he taketh it but for meer necessity: and therefore he taketh up no more then he thinks is of necessity to save him from dam∣nation, when he can live in the pleasures of the world no longer. God never had his heart. He had rather be about his sports or worldly business, if he durst, and thought he could be so excused. He loveth a pair of Cards, or Dice, or a Harlot, or his ambitious de∣signs and honours, better then he loveth the holy Scriptures, and the heavenly discourse or contempla∣tion of the life to come. And therefore he will have no more Re∣ligion then needs he must, because he taketh it not for love but need. The matters of the world and the flesh are his dyet, and his extraor∣dinary successes and prosperity are his feast: and therefore he will take as much of them as he can and dare: But Religion is but his Phy∣sick:

and therefore he will take it as little and seldom as he dare. Had he but seen the face of God by faith, and had he but the heart of a true believer, that is suited by holyness to the holy works that God commandeth, as the heart of a true friend is suited to the will of him whom he loveth, he would then be no longer Religious against his will, and consequently in Vain; but he would think the most pure and heavenly mind, and life, and the highest degree of love and holiness, to be the best and most de∣sirable state for his soul, as every true believer doth. Had this Hy∣pocrite any true love to God, as he deceitfully pretends to have, he would love his Image, and Word, and wayes; and then he would love best that kernel and marrow of Re∣ligion, that life and soul of worship and obedience, which now he sa∣voureth not, but shifteth••off as a

needless, or tedious, or unattaina∣ble thing.

The nature and use of these Hypocrites Religion, is to save them from Religion: They carry an empty guilded scabberd, accusing the sword of a dangerous keenness, as a thing more perillous, then ne∣cessary to their use. When they seem most zealous, they are but serving God that they may be ex∣cused from serving him; and they worship him, of purpose to shift off his worship. They offer him the lips, that the heart may be excused: and complement him with cap and knee, that they may excuse them∣selves from real holiness: They offer him the empty purse, for pay∣ment; and tender him a sacrifice of husks and shells, and lifeless carkasses: They will abound in the shadow and ceremony, that they may be excused from the spiritual life and substance. Alas, that dead

hearted hypocrite that sits there and heareth all this, is so great a stranger to the opening of the heart, and the deep entertainment of sa∣ving truth, and to the savoury re∣lish of the searching, healing, quickening passages of holy do∣ctrine, and to the thankfull well∣coming of an offered Christ, and to the lookings and longings of the soul after God, and to the serious de∣sires, and hopes, and labours of a gracious soul for life eternal, that he is idle, asleep, and dead, as to all this spiritual work; and if he had not some customary service to per∣form, and some ceremonies or ex∣ternal task to do, and some bodily worship to be employed in, he would find little or nothing to do in the Assemblies, but might sit here as a bruit, or as one of a strange language, that comes but to see and to be seen. And there∣fore if there be not somewhat

more suitable to him then power and spirituality, it seemeth as no worship to the formal hypocrite: It is the pretty jingles and knacks of wit, and the merry jears at the preciser sort, or some scraps of Greek and Latin Authors, or shreds of Fathers or Philosophy, or at best an accurate well set speech, that makes the Sermon good and acceptable to this hypo∣crites ears. It is not spirit and life within him, that brought him hi∣ther; nor is it spirit and life that he savoureth and that he came for. And therefore it is that this sort of hypocrites, are usually most im∣patient of a misplaced word, or of a worship performed in the primi∣tive simplicity. If a man deliver the Lords Supper but as Christ did, and receive it but as the Apostles did, or serve God but as the Churches in their dayes, he will seem unreverent, and slovenly and

sordid to these self-deceiving For∣malists. They are set upon excess of ceremonies, because they are defective in the vital parts, and should have no Religion if they had not this. All sober Christians are friends to outward decency and order: But its the empty self-de∣ceiver that is most for the unwar∣rantable inventions of men, and sticketh in the bark of Gods own Ordinances: that taketh the gar∣ments for the man, and useth the worship of God but as a Masque or Poppet play, where there's great doings, with little life, and to little purpose. The chastest woman will wash her face; but its the harlot, or wanton, or deformed that will paint it. The soberest and the comelyest will avoid a nasty or ridi∣culous habit, which may make them seem uncomely, when they are not: But a curious dress, and excessive care, doth signifie a crooked

or deformed body, or a filthy skin, or which is worse, an empty soul, that hath need of such a covering. Consciousness of such greater want, doth cause them to seek these poor supplies. The gawdi∣ness of mens Religion, is not the best sign that it is sincere. Sim∣plicity is the ordinary attendant of sincerity. It hath long been a pro∣verb. [The more ceremony, the less substance; and the more complement, the more craft.]

And yet if it were only for want of inward true Religion, that the hypocrite setteth up his shews, it were (bad enough, but) not so bad, as with most of them, or all, it is. For it is an enmity to Religi∣on that accompanyeth their Reli∣gion. As in lapsed man, the body that was before the souls obedient attendant, is become its Master, and the enemy of its perfection and felicity: so in the carnal Religion

of the Hypocrite, the outside, which should be the ornament and attendant of the inward spiritual part, hath got the Mastery, and is used in an enmity against the more noble part which it should serve: and much more are his humane inventions and mixtures thus destructively imployed. His bellows do but blow out the candle, under pretence of kindling the fire. He sets the body against the soul, and sometime the cloathing against both. He useth forms to the de∣struction of knowledge, and quenching of all seriousness and fervour of affection. By Preach∣ing he destroyeth Preaching; and prayeth till prayer is become no prayer, but the image or carkass of prayer at the best: And useth his words to the destruction of the due Principle, sense and ends. Having still his carnal self for his end, he preacheth, and prayeth, and serveth

God, in a manner that seems most suitable to his end, so that it is not Gods means that he useth, when he useth them, but his own: Nor doth he indeed worship God, while he seems to worship him; nor is in∣deed Religious, but seems Religious. It is materially (perhaps) Gods work that he doth, and his means that he useth, but Formally they are his own, and not Gods at all; when we meet with abundance of our people that are most nimble in their accustomed forms, that know not what Religion, or Chri∣stianity is, nor who Christ is, nor almost any of the substance of the Gospel, it assures us that its easie to be Infidels with Christian ex∣pressions in their mouths; and that its easier to teach a Parret to speak, then to be a man. As their bodies are but the prisons, or dun∣geons of their souls, so their form∣al words and ceremonies are used

to be the prison, and dungeon, or rather the grave of true devotion. Their Religion is excessively laced; but so scant of cloth, that it cover∣eth not their nakedness, nor keeps them warm. Its alwaies winter with the hypocrite in his formal lifeless services; and yet sometime his leaf doth never fall. He is like the Box-tree that knows no fruit, and yet its leaves are alwayes green. Whereever his heart is, the Formalists prayers are always ready: For his prayer-book or me∣mory is still the same: He can say them between sleeping and waking in his bed; and as he is dressing or washing him; and the interposi∣tion of a friend or some interve∣nient word or business, is so small a rub, that it seldom puts him out of his way. Though he cannot make Spiritual his common busi∣ness, he can make his Spiritual business common. Though he have

not the art, the heart, to manage his trade or worldly business, with a holy and a heavenly mind; yet he can manage his holyest businesses, with such a mind as he doth his trade. If you would know whe∣ther he be praying or playing▪ Preaching or prating, serving God, or himself and the flesh, you must not search deep for an internal difference, but must discern it by the shew and sound of words. He is not one of them that are above ordinances, as turning every day into a Sabbath, and every thought into a prayer, and every morsel into a Sacrament: But he can turn every Sabbath into a common day, and every prayer into common thoughts, and every Sacrament in∣to common food: and therefore that which is holy to others, is to him unclean. Hypocrisie is a na∣tural Popery: It filleth the places of worship with Images. Instead

of prayer, there's the Image of prayer: and instead of preaching, hearing, praising God, and other parts of worship, there is the Image of worship: and instead of Christians, Believers, Saints (and I was going to say, of men) there are so many Images of these. Church-images are usually hand∣somly adorned, and placed in a posture of reverence and devotion; and so are they. But life they have none, but meerly natural. They are seeing, hearing, speaking Images: but Images they are. They have eyes, but see not; ears, but hear not; hearts, but understand not.

And they are enemies to the life and power of Religion, in others as well as in themselves. The Publi∣cans were not so bitter persecutors of Christ, as the Scribes and Pha∣risees were. He can hate and reproach the faithful by the spirit,

though he cannot or will not pray by the Spirit: For he hath the spirit of malignity, though not the Spirit of supplication. He can rail without book, though he can∣not pray without book. Were it as natural and easie to be a Saint as to scorn a Saint, and to worship God in Spirit and in truth, as to hate such worship, the man might be∣come a Saint yet before he dyes. But his Vain Religion changeth not his nature, and therefore destroyeth not his serpentine enmity, against the holy nature and practice of Believers: (though perhaps the times may stop his hissing, or hinder him from putting forth his sting.) These Spiritual worshippers, and heavenly diligent sort of Christians, that make it the main business of their lives, to honour God and save their souls, are usually the greatest eye-sore of the Formalist. Many a disdainful thought he hath

of them; and many a bitter gird the gives them: (forgetting that their Redeemer heareth all; who is coming with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are un∣godly among them, of all their un∣godly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Jud. 14. 15.) The humble, Spiritual, Heavenly Believers, are they that condemn the Hypocrite by their lives: were it not for them, he could easily be∣lieve that he is a Saint himself, and shall undoubtedly be saved. He looketh on the openly ungodly, but as the beauty-spots of the Assem∣blies, that serve to set out the piety of such as he. If he saw no better then himself, he could easily take himself for one of the best. Every doted post and glow-worm, would be more resplendent and

observable, in the absence of all greater lights. They hate the sun for making their candle to be but a scarce-discerned fume. The life of a holy heavenly person, doth as much gall the conscience of the Hypocrite, and proclaim his mise∣ry, and bear a terrible witness against him, as a searching power∣ful Sermon doth. And therefore as it is a vexation to him to live under such a searching Minister, as is alwayes rubbing on the galled place, and causing conscience to torment him before his time; so is it a trouble to him to live among these heavenly believers, and to be dayly condemned by their lives, and galled by their reproving pra∣ctices.

By this time you may see the reason and use of the Hypocrites Religion: The self-denying part of Religion he cannot abide: The life and power of it is above him

and seems against him: The fears of hell and gripes of conscience he cannot abide: some hopes of hea∣ven he must have a while to keep him from despair: And therefore he must have some Religion to de∣ceive his heart, and maintain his hopes. And therefore he fitteth his Religion to these uses, and takes up with so much as will not much trouble him, or undo him in the world, or absolutely forbid his sinful pleasures. And though some∣time he be afraid lest the power and life of godliness will prove necessary to his salvation; yet he revives his fainting hopes, by running for comfort to his lifeless form. The rest he hath no mind to; and therefore will hope to be saved without it, till his deceit have brought him to the place of despe∣ration, where there is no hope. As the Merchant in a storm is loth to cast his goods into the sea, and

therefore hopes he may save him∣self and them, till he and they are drowned together; or as a Pa∣tient that abhors his Physick, or loves some forbidden thing too well, is hoping still that he may scape though he use the thing he loves, and forbear the medicine which he loathes, till he be past re∣medy, and he consents too late; so is it often with the self-de∣ceiving Hypocrite: he loves not this strict, and holy, and heavenly, and self denying life: and there∣fore he will hope that God will save him without it, as long as he is Religious in a way that he accounts more wise, and safe, and moderate, and comely, and suited to the na∣ture and infirmity of man; These are his hopes, and to deceive his heart, by maintaining these, it is that he is Religious: till either Grace convert, or Justice apprehend him, and his hopes and he are swal∣lowed

up, by convincing flames and utter desperation.

IV. VVE are next to shew you, in what respect it is that this Religion is called Vain. And first Negatively, it is not Vain to his own carnal ends, but to the true ends of Religion.

1. He intendeth by it the quiet∣ing of his own accusing con∣science; and the keeping up his hopes of salvation, and keeping off the terrors of the Lord, and so consequentially the deceiving of his own heart; and to these ends its not in Vain. Here he sitteth as quietly as if all were well between God and him; and heareth the threatenings as securely as if they concerned not him at all; and ap∣plyeth the promises as boldly as if he were one of the heirs of pro∣mise: you would little think that

this man must shortly be cast into utter darkness, from the presence of the Lord, and have his portion with Hypocrites, Matth. 24. 51. His everlasting horrours appear not now, to himself upon his heart, nor to others in his face: what sign can you see of the curse of the Law, or the wrath of God in that mans countenance? what sign of his spiritual captivity and slavery, and of the load of sin that lyeth upon his soul, unless it be that he feels it not? what sign of a man in so great danger, of eternal torment, unless it be that he little feareth it? Doth he sit there like a man that is within a step of hell, and shall shortly be there with the Devil and his Angels, as sure as he is here, unless he be saved by that grace and holiness which he now resists? No▪ he is as confident to be saved as the precisest of you all: he is as little troubled with the fears of

hell, or the wrath of God, as those that are discharged from it by Ju∣stification; and perhaps much less. For all this he is beholden to his Vain Religion, that in the point of self-deceiving is not Vain. As so∣lid evidences promote the com∣••orts of true believers; so this superficial kind of Religion pro∣moteth the present peace of the presumptuous.

2. This Religion is not Vain as to the frustrating of all the means of grace, and hindering the con∣version and Salvation of the Hy∣pocrite. This is his armour of defence against the sword of the Spirit, that would pierce his heart, and let out his close corruption, and separate him from his beloved sin. What tell you him of Repen∣tance and Conversion? He thinks he needeth no Conversion, or is converted long ago! what! is he not a Christian, a Protestant, a Re∣ligious

man? Tell swearers, and cursers, and drunkards, and ex∣tortioners, and cruel Land-lords, and fornicators, of Conversion: tell these that they are slaves of Sa∣tan, and under the wrath and curse of God, that are indeed so, past all controversie: but tell not him of it, that makes no doubt but he is a member of Christ, a Child of God, and an heir of heaven. He loveth to hear a Minister rouze up the prophane and grossely sensual offendors, and seems in pitty to wish for their conversion, and perhaps will exhort them to turn and mend their lives himself. But he little thinks that he is faster in the prison of Satan then they, and that he is himself in the same con∣demnation.

Do you go about to tell him of the necessity of the fear of God, and of loving him above all, and of trusting him, and serving him as

our only Lord? Why, all this he will confess, and perhaps is as for∣ward to say as you, and verily thinks that he is one that doth it: you may assoon make him believe, that he is not an English man, as that he is not a Christian: and that he loveth not himself, as that he loveth not God: even while he liveth not to think of him, to speak of him, to call upon him, to obey▪ him; while he loveth not his word, his waies or servants; or while he loveth the world and the pleasures of sin more heartily, and seeketh them more eagerly, and cleaveth to them more tenaci∣ously; yet if you would perswade him that he hath not a heart as true to God as any of you all, you will lose your labour. Do you tell him of hypocrisie? he will tell you that its the thing he hateth: who speaks against it more then he? And because the world shall see he

is no Hypocrite, he will call them all Hypocrites that are faithful to God and to their souls, and will not sit down in his truely-hypocri∣tical Vain Religion, but will be more holy and diligent then he. What can you say to such a man in order to his conversion, which his self-deceiving Religion will not fru∣strate? Do you tell him of hell fire, and of the wrath of God against the ungodly? All this he can hear as calmly as another man; for he thinks that he is none of the un∣godly, he hath scapt the danger; let them be afraid of it whom it doth concern. If you tell him of his sins, he can tell you that all men are sinners; we are here imperfect; and you shall never perswade him that his raigning deadly sins, are any other then such humane frail∣ties and infirmities as may stand with grace. Do you put him upon the inward practice of Religion,

and the fuller devoting of his soul to God, and the life of faith, and a heavenly mind? Hee'l tell you that in his measure, he doth all this already; though none of us are so good as we should be: And his heart being unseen to you, he thinks you must believe him. Do you blame him for his slightness and Formality in Religion, and put him upon a more serious diligent course, and to live as one that seek∣eth heaven with all his heart, and soul, and might? why he thinks you do but perswade him to some self-conceited over-zealous party, and draw him from his modera∣tion, to be righteous overmuch; and to make too much ado with his Religion. Unless he be an Hypocrite that falleth into the Schismatical strain: and then he will make a greater busle with his opinions and his outside services, then you can desire. So that one

with his meer book-prayers, forms and ceremonies; and the other with his meer extemporate words, and affected outside seeming fer∣vour; and both of them by a meer Opinionative lifeless carnal kind of Religion, subjected to their flesh∣ly ends and interests, do so effectu∣ally cheat their souls, that they are armed against all that you can say or do, and you know not how to get within them, or fasten any saving truth upon their hearts.

3. This Vain Religion is not Vain as to the preserving of his re∣putation in the world. It saveth him from being numbered with the filthy rabble, and from being pointed at as notoriously vicious, or branded with the disgraceful characters of the scandalous. Men say not of him, There goeth a drunkard, a swearer, a curser, a fornicator, or a prophane ungodly wretch. He may be esteemed

civil, ingenuous, discreet, and per∣haps Religious, and be much ho∣noured by wise religious men: Though most commonly his for∣mal, or opinionative, heartless kind of Religion, is discerned or much suspected by experienced judicious Christians, by his sapless, unexperienced, common and carn∣al kind of discourse and duty, sticking most in opinions, parties, or some outside things, and by his temporizing, and reserved, and uneven kind of conversation; yet it is not alwaies so; but some∣time he is as far unsuspected as the best: perhaps he may be esteemed a Reverend Preacher, or a discreet Religious, well accomplisht Gen∣tleman, and may be set in the head of Church or Commonwealth, as a leader of the Saints on earth, that shall be thrust into the place of Hypocrites, and not come neer the meanest of the Saints in heaven.

4. Lastly, (but better then all this) his Religion is not Vain as to the good of others. He may by the perfume and odour of his gifts, be kept from stinking to the annoy∣ance of others, while he is dead in sin. He may be very serviceable in the Church of God: a judicious, earnest expounder of the Scri∣pture, and Preacher and defender of the truth: In his place as a Ma∣gistrate, or Master of a family, he may be a severe corrector of pro∣phaness, and promoter of god∣liness; it being much easier to drive others from their sin, then to forsake their own, and to drive on others to a godly life then to pra∣ctise it themselves: And by their owning godliness, and disowning sin, they perswade themselves the more effectually, that they are truely godly. The Church cannot well spare the gifts and services of Hypocrites, and many ungodly

men. As, bad or sick Physicians may be Gods instruments to cure our bodies, and a wicked Carpen∣ter may make a good house; so a wicked Minister may well expound and apply the Scriptures; and he that refuseth the grace of Christ, may prevail with others to accept it: The sign post that stands out of dore it self, may invite others into the house: and the hand upon a post that goes not one step of the way, may point it out to others. There's more self-denyal▪ required to the forsaking of their own sins, then to perswade others to forsake theirs: A covetous man cares not how liberal others be; nor a glut∣ton, drunkard, or fornicator, how temperate and chaste his neigh∣bours be. And hence it is that ma∣ny of these, that refuse a holy life themselves, are willing their chil∣dren or servants should embrace it. The end of the ballance that goeth

down it self, doth cause the other to go up. Other mens souls are more beholden to Hypocrites then their own. They are like the com∣mon Mariners, that enrich the Merchant by fetching home his treasure, when they have nothing but a poor maintenance them∣selves: Or like Taylors that make garments for others which they never wear themselves: Or like Carpenters that build fair houses which they never dwell in. Or like the Cook that dresseth meat which he eateth not. God giveth Hypocrites their useful gifts, for the service of the Church more then for themselves. He some∣times maketh those to be nursing Fathers to his Church, that are butchers of their own souls: and makes those his instruments to un∣deceive others, that deceive them∣selves. And thus far their Religi∣on is not Vain.

But 1. It is Vain as to Gods spe∣cial acceptation. True Religion pleaseth God: but the self-decei∣vers Religion he abhorreth. He hath no pleasure in fools, Eccles. 5. 4. He asketh such, To what purpose is the multitude of their sacrifices? Isa. 11. 11. and saith, he is full of their burnt-offerings, and delights not in them? when they come to appear before him, he asketh them, Who required this at their hands, to tread in his Courts? and bids them bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abhomina∣tion to him: the calling of their assemblies he cannot away with, and their solemn meetings are iniquity, ver. 12, 13. Their appointed feasts his soul hateth; they are a trouble to him; he is weary to bear them. When they spread forth their hands, he will hide his eyes; when they make many prayers, he will not hear; because they do not forsake their

sins, ver. 14. Because they turn away their ear from he••ring his law, their prayer is abhomination to him, Prov. 28. 9. and 15. 8. and 21, 27. When they have sinned, instead of repenting and forsaking it, they think to please God by their Religion, and stop the mouth of Justice with their services; when as they do but provoke him more, by adding Hypocrisie to ini∣quity. Were they truly willing to let go their sins, and to please God by universal obedience, he would willingly accept them, and be pleas∣ed with their services. But when mens Religion, their prayers and other duties, are not used against their sins, but for them, nor to kill them, but to cover them, nor to overcome them, but as it were to bribe God to give them leave to sin, because they are not willing to forsake it, this is the self-deceiving Religion of Hypocrites, that is in Vain.

2. And this Religion is in Vain, as to any promoting of a work, of Sanctification upon his soul. It weaneth him not from the world: It crucifieth not the flesh, with its affections and lusts: It doth not further his self-denyal; nor driveth him to Christ, by a faith unfaigned: It never raiseth him to a heavenly life; nor kindleth the love of God within him: It is dead and uneffe∣ctual, and cannot produce these high effects. Yea on the contrary, it hardeneth him in sin and self-deceit: it hindereth his repen∣tance: it emboldeneth him in his fleshly worldly life: and quieteth him in the neglect of Christ and heaven.

3. Moreover this kind of Re∣ligion is in Vain as to any solid peace of conscience. It affordeth him none of the well-grounded, dureable comforts of the Saints: But on the contrary keeps out so∣lid

comfort, by feeding him with aery delusory conceits; and mak∣eth him to be but his own com∣forter, upon fancies and confidence of his own, when the Spirit of Christ is not his comforter, nor doth the Word of God speak any peace at all unto him.

4. Lastly, his Religion is in Vain as to his Salvation. As he had but an image of true Religion, so he shall have but an image of Hea∣ven. Some dreams and self-created hopes of happiness, may accom∣pany him to the door of eternity: but there they will leave him to everlasting horrour.

V. Vse. 1. FRom what hath been said, you may see the reason why an outside formal seeming Religiousness, is a thing so common in the world, in compa∣rison of the life and power of god∣liness.

It is an easier thing to bring men to the strictest opinion, then to bring them to the affe∣ctionate and deep reception and practice of the truth. A strict opi∣nion may be held without any great cost and trouble to the flesh. It is the practice that bereaveth a sinner of the pleasure of his sin. It is the common trick by which most Hypocrites cheat their souls, to turn to the side and opinion, and assemblies and company which they think to be the best; that so they may perswade themselves the more easily, that they are as good as those opinions and that compa∣ny doth import, and that they are truely such as those they joyn with. As men are taken by others for such, as those they correspond with; so hypocrites take them∣selves for such. As if it would prove that a man is sound, because he dwelleth with them that are so?

Or as if it would prove a man rich or honourable, that he converseth with such? As God will not save any Nations on earth, because they are such Nations; nor will he save men because they are of such or such a trade, or because they are skilled in this or that art or science; no more will he save men for being of this or that party or Sect, in matters of Religion. One thinks, when he hath lived a fleshly life, that he shall be saved for hearing or saying the Common-prayer, or because he is for Prelacy and Cere∣monies: another thinks he shall be saved, because he can pray with∣out a book, or form of words, or because he frequenteth the private meetings, of those that more dili∣gently redeem their time, for spiritual advantages then others do: another thinks he shall be sa∣ved because he is mocked as a Pu∣ritan or as too strict, as others are

that are serious believers, and diligent in the things of God: and another thinks that he shall be sa∣ved because he is rebaptized; or be∣cause he joyneth with some sepa∣rating Congregation, which pre∣tendeth to be more strict then others. But none shall be saved, on any such account as these. Cain could not be saved, for being the first born in the family of Adam: Cham could not be saved for being in the Ark and family of Noah: Nor Esau for being in the house of Isaac: Nor Absalom for being the son of David: Nor Judas for being a Disciple in the family of Christ. Even Mary that brought him forth, could not have been sa∣ved by him, if she had not had a better title; and had not bore him in her heart, Mark. 3. 34, 35. when they talk to him of his Mo∣ther and his brethren, Christ look∣ed upon those that sate about him,

and told them that Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is his Brother, his Sister, and his Mother. It is no outward badge and livery, but a heart-title, that must prove you the heirs of hea∣ven. You may be snatcht out of the purest Church on earth, and from the purest ordinances, and out of the arms of the most up∣right Christians, and cast into hell, if you have no better evidences then such, to shew for your sal∣vation. If ever you be saved, it must not be because you are Pa∣pists, or Protestants, Lutherans, or Calvinists, Arminians, Antino∣mians, Anabaptists, Independents, Presbyterian, or Prelatical; for∣mally and meerly as such: But because you are true Christians, that have the Spirit of Christ, (Rom. 8. 9.) and are conformed to him, in his sufferings, death and resurrection, and live in sincere

obedience to his will. But Hypo∣crites that want the inward life and power of Religion, and are conscious of their willfull sins, would fain borrow something from the parties which they joyn with, or the opinions which they take up, or the formal outward worship which they perform, or the alms which they give, to make up the want, and cheat their souls with a self-created confidence, that they shall be saved.

But more specially you may hence observe, the reason that Popery hath so many followers, and that it is so easie a thing to make an Infidel, or whoremonger, or drunkard, to turn a Papist, when yet it is not easie to bring them to faith, and chastity, and temperance, much less to the un∣feigned love of God, and to a holy heavenly life. Though I doubt not but there are many sincere-hearted

Christians among the Pa∣pists, yet Popery it self is of an hypocritical strain, and is notably suited to the Hypocrites dispo∣sition. It is revived Pharisaisme: I marvel that they tremble not when they read themselves so lively characterized by Christ, with the addition of so many ter∣rible woes, as in Matth. 23. and other places frequently they are: [Woe to you Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites.] They bind heavy burdens of external observances, to lay upon the consciences of their Proselytes: They make broad their Phylacteries; and in variety of holy vestures, they make osten∣tation of such a Religion, as a Peacock may have when he spreads his tail. They contend for superiority and titles, to be called Rabbi, Pope, Cardinal, Patriarck, Primate, Metropolitane, Archbishop, Diocesane, Abbot,

Prior, Father, &c. to the great disturbance of all the Nations of the Christian world. They must needs be the Fathers and Masters of our faith: They shut up the Kingdom of heaven against the people, forbidding all to read the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue, without a special license from their Ordinary: and commanding them to worship God in a strange tongue which they do not under∣stand: By the numbers of their Masses and prayers for the dead, they delude the souls, and devour the Patrimony of the living. In Temples, and Altars, and Images, and Ornaments consisteth no small part of their Religion: They make more of tything mint, anise and cummin, then of judgement, mer∣cy, and faith, the weightier mat∣ters of the Law. The outside they make clean, and appear as beauti∣ful to men, as ceremonies and

outward pompe can make them. They make it a part of their Re∣ligion to murder the living Saints, and keep holy dayes for the dead: They build the Tombs of the Prophets, and garnish the Se∣pulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had lived in the dayes of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. Thus Matth. 23. is their description. They have their Touch not, ••aste not, handle not, after the commandements and doctrines of men, their volun∣tary humility, and worshipping of Angels, and other rudiments of the world, and things that have a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh, Col. 2. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. How easie a thing is it to bring an ungodly man to be of a Religion that consisteth in

such things as these? in eating fish on certain dayes in stead of flesh; in saying over so many Pater Nosters, and Ave Maries, and naming so oft the name of Jesu: in worshipping a piece of conse∣crated bread with divine worship; in bowing and praying before an Image: in praying to the souls of such as the Pope tells them are Saints in heaven: in crossing themselves, and being sprinkled with holy water, and using agnus dei's, and consecrated grains and amulets: in dropping of beads: in saying such words as a prayer at such a canonical hour, and such words at the next canonical hour: in hearing a Masse in Latine; and saying a Latine prayer: in being a∣nointed with hallowed oyl; & burn∣ing hallowed candles on the Altars by day-light: in going so many miles to the Chappel of a Saint in Pilgrimage: in carrying about them

a bone, or some other supposed relict of a supposed Saint. In con∣fessing their sins so often to a Priest, and doing penance, if he impose it on them. And so while they live in whoredom, or drun∣kenness, or swearing, or lying, or all these, and many other such, it is but confessing and doing penance, and to it again; on which account (whatever some of them say for the necessity of contrition) it is usual with them, to venture upon the sins of whoredom, drunkenness and the rest, because they have so easie and cheap a remedy at hand. And therefore I wonder not that among Infidels (who after Baptism, Apostatize to deny the holy Scri∣ptures, and the immortality of the soul, and the life to come,) and a∣mong common swearers, and cur∣sers, and whoremongers, and drun∣kards, the Papists find their labours most successeful, and that no fish

will so easily take their bait: Nor do I wonder that it is a point of the Popish faith, that none but the Children of the Devil, that are void of the love of God, and are unjustified, can possibly turn Pa∣pists. (For they tell us that all are such till they are Papists: saving that they are many of them for the salvation of heathens.) A poor wretch that is captivated to his odious lusts, and goes under a galled accusing conscience, will be content to take a Popish cure, and quiet his soul with a few comple∣ments and formalities. But to bring one of these men to a through conversion, to a true humiliation, to a deep hatred of all sin, and a love of holiness, to close with Christ as his only refuge from the wrath of God, and to give up himself without any reservation, and all that he hath, to the will and service of the Lord: to love God

as his portion, and the infinite transcendent good; to take all the honour and riches of the world as loss and dung, and use all in due subserviency to everlasting happiness; to crucifie the flesh, and mortifie all his earthly inclinations, and live a life of self-denyal, and to walk with God, and serve him as a Spirit in spirit and in truth, and to keep a watch over thoughts, affections, words and deeds; to live by faith upon a world and happiness that is to us unseen; and to live in preparation for their death, and wait in hope to live with Christ; this is Chri∣stianity and true Religion; and this is it that they will not so easily be brought to. Its easier to make an hundred Papists, then one true regenerate Christian. Children can make them a baby of clouts: And the statuary can make a man of Alabaster or stone: But none

can give life, which is essential to a man indeed, but God. There needeth the Spirit of the living God, by a supernatural operation, and a kind of new creation, to make a man a real holy Christian. But to bring a man to make such a congee, or wear such a vesture, or say such and such words, and make to himself a mimical Religion, this may be done without any such su∣pernatural work. O therefore take heed of cheating your souls by hypocritical formalities, instead of the life and power of Religion.

Vse 2. ANd now, O that the Lord of life, would help me so to apply this truth, and help you so to apply it to your selves, that it might be as a light set up in the Assembly and in all your consciences, to undeceive the miserable self-deceivers, and to

bring poor Hypocrites into some better acquaintance with them∣selves, and to turn their seeming Vain Religion, into that which is real and serious and saving!

And now I am to search and convince the Hypocrite, I could almost wish that all the upright tender souls that are causelesly in doubt of their own sincerity, were out of the congregation, lest they should misapply the Hypocrites portion to themselves, and think it is their case that I am describing: as it is usual with ignorant pati∣ents, especially if they be a little melancholy, when they hear or read the description of many dan∣gerous diseases, to think that all or some of them are theirs, because they have some symptomes very like to some of those which they hear or read of. Or lest their fearful souls should be too much terrified, by hearing of the misery

of the Hypocrite; as a fearful child that's innocent, will cry, when he sees another whipt that's faulty. But if thou wilt stay and hear the Hypocrites examination, I charge thee, poor humbled drooping soul, that thou do not misunderstand me, nor think that I am speaking those things to thee, that are meant to the falshearted enemies of the Lord! and do not imagine that thou art condemned in his condem∣nation; nor put not thy self under the stroaks that are given him: but rejoyce that thou art saved from this state of self-deceit and misery. And that thou mayst have some shelter for thy conscience against the storm that must fall on others, look back on the foregoing descri∣ption of the Hypocrite, and thou mayst find that thou hast the saving graces, which I there discovered him to want. Let these at present be before thine eyes, and tell thee,

Thou art not the person that I mean.

1. Thou art humbled to a loath∣ing of thy self for thy transgres∣sions.

2. Thou art willing to give up thy self to Christ, without reserve, that as thy Saviour, he may cure thy miserable soul, upon his own terms.

3. The favour of God is dearer to thee then the favour of the world, or the pleasures and pro∣sperity of sinners: and thou long∣est more to love him better, and to feel his love, then for any of the honours or advancements that flesh and blood desire.

4. It is the life to come that thou takest for thy portion, and preferest before the matters of this transitory life.

5. Thy Religion employeth thee about thy heart, as much as about the out side and appearing part: It

is heart-sins that thou observest and lamentest, and a better heart that thou daily longest, and pray∣est, and labourest for.

6. Thou livest not in any gross and deadly sin; and thou hast no infirmity but what thou longest and labourest to be rid of; and goest on in the use of Christs holy means and remedies for a cure.

7. Thou dislikest not the highest degree of holiness, but lovest it and longest after it, and hadst rather be more holy then be more honour∣able or more rich.

8. Thou unfeignedly lovest the image of Christ on the souls of all his servants where thou canst discern it; and seest a special ex∣cellency in a poor humble heaven∣ly Christian, though never so low or despicable in the world, above all the pompe and splendor of the earth; and thou lovest them with a special love; and the holier they

are, the better dost thou love them.

9. Thou lovest the most con∣vincing searching Sermons, and wouldest fain have help to know the worst that is in thy heart; and comest unto the light that thy heart and deeds may be made ma∣nifest.

10. All this is the bent and by as of thy soul; thy habituated, ordi∣nary case; though there be not alway the same opportunity for the acts, nor the same degree of life in acting: It is not only a good mood that thou art frightened into by some affliction, and then returnest to thy carnal course of life again: But thou heartily continuest thy consent to the Covenant which thou hast made with Christ, and would∣est not turn back to a worldly, carnal, or a formal life, nor change thy Master, nor forsake the holy course which thou art engaged in for all the world.

This is the truth of thy case, poor doubting troubled Christian: Thou canst not deny it without much injury to thy self and God. And therefore-be not now trou∣bled at that which I shall say to the self-deceivers.

And now I am to speak to the self-deceiver, I perceive my task to be exceeding difficult: To get within him that is so guarded: and to pierce his heart that is so armed: and to open his eyes that is willing to be blind: and to undeceive him that hath been so long deceived, and that studyeth to deceive him∣self, and is engaged in that unhap∣py work, by such subtil enemies that further his deceit, and by so many allurements, and such strong corruptions, and by a seeming ne∣cessity for the quieting of his con∣science; all this is not an easie work. But we must attempt it, and leave the success to grace.

And first let me solemnly pro∣fess before you all, (for the remo∣ving of your prejudice, and the calming of your resisting hearts) that it is none of my desire by the discovery of your hypocrisie, to shame you before others, or to make you seem more miserable then you are, or to disturbe and grieve you any more then is ne∣cessary to the escaping of your exceeding danger, and then your own salvation and comforts do require. But when we know that Religion is your business in the world; and that an endless world shall presently receive you; and that Christ is coming; and your souls are ready to quit their resi∣dence, and take their leave of your flesh till the resurrection; and when we know that hypocrisie and self-deceit, is the thing that you are most in danger of, and that you must be saved from it, or

be in hell for ever; and that the enemies of your souls will do all they can, to keep their possession in peace, and to continue your de∣ceit till you are past remedy; what would you have us do in such a case? would you wish us to be silent, and betray your souls, and damn our own, for fear of disquiet∣ing and displeasing you? How hard are your hearts, if you would wish us to do thus!

Be awakened therefore O all ye self-deceivers, and know that Hy∣pocrisie as the Harlots paint, is but a base and borrowed beauty, that will vanish away when you draw neer the fire; and that self-deceit will quiet you so short a time, that it's as good let go your delu∣sory peace and comfortable dream to day as to morrow: And its better now begin and examine your selves, then stay till the dreadful Judge examine you, who

is even at the door! The discove∣ry of your case is the one half of your cure: And as you have been your own deceivers, let us in Ju∣stice find you so equitable to your selves, as to be willing of the light that must undeceive you; and to go along with us into your con∣sciences, and help us in the search, and impartially pass a preventing judgement, that Christ may not pass a condemning judgement.

And in order to your convicti∣on and recovery, I shall first ac∣quaint you with your misery, that so it may awaken you to look about you, while there is time and hope. If it were Gods way to work by ocular demonstrations, and the Christian life were a life of sense, and you had heaven and hell this hour open to your sight, how lit∣tle need should I have to plead this cause with you any further? you would then see and hear that

vengeance that would awake you; and make you presently fly into your hearts, and charge conscience to deal impartially with you, lest self-deceit should bring you to those flames. But its a life of faith that we are to call you to, and a word of faith that we have to preach; but of things that are as sure as if you saw them.

And, 1. If thy Religion be Vain, thy hopes and comforts that are built upon it, are all but Vain. How Vain is that hope that will vanish when the enjoyment is expected, and will end in endless desperati∣on? what though thou sit here with so great hopes and confidence of salvation, as maketh thee even scorn the man that questions it? Art thou ever the better when death awaketh thee, and thy confi∣dent dream is at an end? when thou art dying, wilt thou hope? perhaps thou mayst: But when thou art

burning, wilt thou hope? when thou art tormented, wilt thou hope? Desperation will then be essential to thy misery. The Devils that now feed thy hope by their deceits, will then as readily keep awake thy conscience, and exasperate thy despairing soul. If now thou wilt hope under the threatenings of God (that thou mayst be saved in thy present state) wilt thou then hope under his execution? Thy flat∣terers and prosperity may cherish thy deceitful hopes for a time; but who will maintain them, when God commandeth desperation to torment thee? Job 27. 8, 9 [For what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? will God hear his cry, when trouble cometh upon him?] As Sands turns it.

What hope hath the prevailing Hy∣pocrite, When God shall chase his soul to end∣less night? Will God relieve him in his ago∣nies? Or from the depth of sorrows hear his cryes?

His worldly glory will then de∣sert him, and leave him to the fruit of his deserts: His fruition will perish with his hopes, Job 27. 22, 23. [For God shall cast upon him and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place: Or as Sands turn∣eth it;

God shall transfix him with his winged dart: Though he avoid him like the flying Hart.

Men shall pursue with merited dis∣grace: Hiss, clap their hands, and from his Country chase.

Hopes that are built by self-deceit, have no foundation, but sand and waters, and in tryal they will fall, and their fall will be great and terrible, Matth. 7. 23, 24. Job. 8. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. [Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb: So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrites hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spiders web. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure,] Or,

Can bull-rushes but by the rivers grow? Can flags there flourish where no wa∣ters flow? Yet they, when green, when yet un∣toucht, of all That cloath the spring, first hang their heads, and fall. So double-hearted Hypocrites; so they Who God forget, shall in their prime decay. Their aery hopes, as brittle, as the thin And subtile webs, which toyling spiders spin. Their houses full of wealth and ryot, shall Deceive their trust, and crush them in their fall, &c.

Job 36. 13. [The Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.] Or as the Paraphrase,

For the deluder hastens his own fall, Nor will in trouble on the Almigh∣ty call. Who on the beds of sin supinely lie, They in the summer of their age shall die.

And what we say of the Hypo∣crites hope, we may say also of all his pleasures and delights. He may now be as merry as the most righ∣teous of his neighbours; and seem the most happy, because the most jocund; and abound with medi∣cines against melancholy and all wise and sober consideration; even his business, his cups, his wanton∣ness and uncleanness, or at least his less disgracefull pleasures and recreations, which fortifie his mind against the fears of death and judgement, and all the threaten∣ings of God;

As sleepy Opium fortifies the brain, Against the sense of sicknesses and pain.

And if this mirth could alwaies last, how happy a man were the self-deceiver? But saith Solomon, Eccles. 7. 6. As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.

As thorns beneath a Caldron catch the fire, Blaze with a noise, and suddenly ex∣pire; Such is the causeless laughter of vain fools; This vanity in their distemper rules.

And as Job 20. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. [Knowest thou not this of old since man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the Hypocrite for a mo∣ment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reacheth to the clouds; yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? He shall flee away as a dream, and shall not be found; yea he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him:] Or as the foresaid Para∣phrase,

This is a truth which with the world began, Since earth was first inhabited by man; Sins triumph in swift misery con∣cludes, And flattering joy the Hypocrite de∣ludes.

Although his excellence to heaven aspire; Though radiant beams his shining brows attire; He as his dung shall perish on the ground; Nor shall th' impression of his steps be found; But like a troubled dream shall take his flight; And vanish as a vision of the night. No mortal eye shall see his face a∣gain, Nor sumptuous roofes their builder entertain.

Thus as the Hypocrites Religion is Vain, so all his hopes and joyes will be vain, and will deceive him as he deceiv'd himself. As Zophar concludeth of him, Job 11. 20. [But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape: and their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost.]

Poor soul, thy Religion is alrea∣dy so vain, that it giveth thee no solid satisfaction or delight: Thou art fain to go to thy lands, or friends, or pleasures, or carnal ac∣comodations for delight: Thy Religion, which should let thee into heaven, and there refresh thee with the fore••asts of everlasting pleasures, and should daily fetch thee fresh delights, from the face of God, alas is an impotent lifeless thing; acquainted with shadows, but strange to the invisible sub∣stance; acquainted with formal shews and ceremonies, but unac∣quainted with God: acquainted with the letter, but not with the Spirit; familiar with the orders of the Churrh, but strange to the fore••asts of heaven. If thou hadst no other comfort. but what thy dead Religion brings thee from the face of God, thy pensive heart would be better to con∣sideration

and recovery, then it is. If thou hadst a faith that brought thee in any solid stablishing con∣ten••, what needst thou be hunting abroad the world, among thy crowd of vanities and deceits, to beg or borrow some short delight, which thou must return with grip∣ing usury? And what needest thou so many pittiful shifts to muzzle thy conscience, and to keep that peace a little longer, which will end in sorrow, and will part with thee as the devil went out of the possessed person, Mark 9. 26. that rent him, and left him as a dead man. That Religion is certainly vain, that is not sufficient to ac∣quaint the soul with matter of solid comfort and content, but leaves that felicitating work, to worldly transitory things, while it self is used only as a skreen, to keep hell fire from scorching the conscience, or as childrens rackets

to quiet them when they are apt to cry.

2. But the vanity of a superficial Religion, will most appear in the hour of extremity; when their help as well as their hope and com∣fort will to them prove vain. Prosperity will not alway last: As sure as winter followeth sum∣mer, and as the darksome night succeeds the day, so sure will ad∣versity take its turn: sickness will follow the longest health; and death succeed the longest life; and your house of darkness in the dust, will hold you longer then your present habitations. And then, when thou seest all things fail, O what wouldst thou give for a hope and help that will not fail, that thou mightest be received into the everlasting habitations? The con∣science that is now asleep, will be shortly awakened in such a man∣ner, that it will be utterly past the

skill and power, of thy self and all the friends thou hast, to cast it asleep or quiet it again. And then, what wouldst thou not give, for a lenitive to pacifie it! No wonder if thou sit here as senseless as if no harm were near thee: It is now in thy power not to believe that there is a hell for hypocrites, or that it is thy own inheritance: But the day is near (if a supernatural change prevent it not) when it shall no more be in thy power: but sight and feeling shall convince thee whe∣ther thou wilt or no. Now we must intreat thy own considerati∣on, and solicite thee for thy own consent, to know thy grievous sin and misery, and yet leave thee un∣convinced, because thou art un∣willing to know the truth, and because we cannot shew thee hea∣ven and hell while we are speaking of them: But then God will not ••••ave, but force thy consideration:

nor will he ask thy consent to feel thy misery: but the less thou art willing, the more hast thou to feel. And which way then wilt thou look for help? which way ever it be, it will be all in vain, be∣cause thy Religion was but vain; wilt thou look to thy duties and supposed honesty, whose sincerity now thou art so confident of? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this is the vain Religion, that this deceive thee, but cannot sin•• thee. Thou art like a man Re•• falling house, that hath no∣thing to lay hold on, but that ••••ch is falling, and is it that will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him unto death. Or like a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••owning man that hath nothing ••ut a handful of water to lay hold upon; which is it that will choak him, but is vain to save him. It is thy superficial hypocritical com∣plemental services, that will fall with thee, and fall upon thee, that will thus both deceive thee, and

choak thee, in the time of thy distress. To be told now that thy Religion is vain, is a thing that thy dead unbelieving heart can too easily bear: But to find then, when thou lookest for the benefit of it, that its Vain, is that which is not born so easily, but will overwhelm the stoutest heart with terrours. If thou were a man of no Religion, and so hadst none to deceive and quiet thee, 〈…〉〈…〉 couldst scarcely keep off thy 〈…〉〈…〉 now: If thou hadst not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hollow-hearted prayers, thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 zeal, or forms, and shews, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tasks of duty, thy profession, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 its secret exceptions and reserv•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy smoothed out-side, with the good conceit thou hast of thy self, and the good esteem that other men have of thee, if thou hadst not these to flatter thy conscience, and cloak thee from the storms of threatened wrath, thou wouldst

perhaps walk about like another Cain, and be afraid of every man thou seest, and tremble at the shaking of a leaf, and still look behind thee as afraid of a pursuit. But, alas, it will be ten thousand times more terrible, to find thy confidence prove deceit, and thy Religion vain, when God is judg∣ing thee, when hell is before thee, and thou art come to the last of all thine expectations! Nay then to find not only that thy superficial Religion was vanity, and lighter then vanity, nothing, and less then nothing; but that it was thy sin, and that which will now torment thee, and the remembrance of it be to thee as the remembrance of drunkenness to the drunkard, and of fornication to the unclean, and of covetousness to the worldling, the rust of whose money will eat his flesh, and burn like fire: O what a doleful plight is this! when the

sentence is ready to pass upon thee, and hell is gaping to devour thee, and thou lookest for help to thy vain Religion, and cryest out [O now, or never help: help me, or I am a fire-brand of unquench∣able wrath: help me, or I must be tormented in those flames: help me now, or it will be too late; and I shall never, never more have help] Then to have thy self-deceit discovered, and thy seeming Re∣ligion condemn thee and torment thee, instead of helping thee, what anguish and confusion will this cast thy hopeless soul into? such as no heart can here conceive. Thy guilty soul will be like a hare among a company of dogs: which so ever of thy duties thou flyest for help to, that will make first to tear thee and devour thee. Like a naked man in the midst of an army of his deadly enemies: which so ever he flyeth to for pitty and re∣lief,

is like to be one of the first to wound him. Poor self-deceiver what wilt thou then do, or whi∣ther wilt thou betake thy soul for help? The reason why thou canst now make shift with a lifeless shadow of Religion, is, because thou hast thy sports or pleasures, thy friends and ••latterers, thy worldly business to divert thy thoughts, and take thee up, and rock the cradle of thy security; and thy piety is not yet brought unto the fire, nor thy heart and duties searched by the all discover∣ing light: But when the light comes in, and when all thy fleshly contents are gone, and when thou comest to have use for thy Religi∣on, and seest that if it prove un∣sound, thou art lost for ever, O then it is not shadows, and shews, and complements that will quiet th••e. That will not serve turn then, that serves turn now. Thou

wilt find then that it was easier de∣ceiving thy self then God, Gal. 6. 3, 4, 5, 7. [For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself: But let every man prove his own work—For every man shall bear his own burden. Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: But he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life.]

But perhaps thou wilt say, It is not any duties but Christ that I must trust to: he will be my help, and he is sufficient, and will not de∣ceive the soul that trusteth him.

Answ. Undoubtedly he is suffi∣cient, and will not deceive thee. But doth he deceive thee, if he give thee not the salvation which he never promised thee? He never pro∣mised salvation to an Hypocrite

(without conversion) It is the upright soul devoted to him, that takes him for the absolute Master of his life, and for his only portion and felicity, to whom Christ hath promised salvation: And his pro∣mise shall be made good, and the sincere shall find that Christ de∣ceives them no••. But where did he ever promise salvation to a su∣perficial Pharisee? to such a seem∣ing Christian as thou? shew such a promise from him if thou canst; and then trust it and spare not. But thou dost not trust him, but thy own deceit, if he have given thee no such promise to trust on. Nay rather, should he not deceive all the world, if he should save such superficial hypocrites, when he hath professed in his word that he will not save them? and if he should not condemn such heartless Forma∣lists, when he hath so often told us that he will condemn them? Surely

he that breaks his word is liker to be a deceiver, then he that keepeth it. Be it known to thee therefore (and O that thou wouldst know it while there is a remedy at hand) that if thou trust that Christ should save an unsanctified fals-hearted person, whose soul was never renewed and revived by the Holy Ghost, and absolutely given up to God, and that setteth not up God and his service above all the interest of the flesh, and the commodities and contentments of the world, thou dost not then trust Christ, but thy own deceits and lyes: and it is not Christ that is the deceiver, but thou art a de∣ceiver of thy self, that makest thy self a false promise, and trustest to it; and when thou hast done, sayst, thou wilt trust to Christ: yea trustest thy self against Christ, and trustest that he will break his word, and not that he will make it good.

See whether he resolve not to con∣demn all such, Matth. 10. 37, 38. Luke 14. 27, 33. Matth. 7. 26, 27. Jam. 2. 14. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 8. 9. with the texts before cited, and abundance such. Christ will be a Saviour; but he is the Saviour of his body, and not of the affixed hypocrites, Eph. 5. 23. And his body is the Church which is subject to him, ver. 24. He will save to the utmost: but whom? even all that come to God by him, Heb. 7. 25. but not those that make the world their God, and would put God off with a few running heartless words and du∣ties. It is the living fruitful bran∣ches that he will save: but the withered branches he casteth forth, to be burned in the fire, Joh. 15. 2, 6, 7. No man can serve God and Mammon: nor live both to the Spirit and the flesh: he that hath two hearts, hath none that's

acceptable unto God: he that hath two faces (a face of devotion in his formal customary services, and a face that smiles on the world and fleshly pleasures when he hath done) hath none that God will ever smile upon. The leaves of the barren fig-tree, saved it not from the curse of Christ, Matth. 21. 18, 19. Hew it down and cast it into the fire, shall be the sentence of the most flourishing tree that's fruitless, Luk. 13. 7. [The earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: but that which beareth thorns and bryers, is rejected, and is nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned,] Heb. 6. 7, 8. So that if thy Reli∣gion be vain, the blood of Christ, and all the treasures of his grace, will be vain to thee, that are saving unto others. An Infidel may then

as well expect to be saved by the Christ whom he rejected, as thou. Nay it is Christ himself that will condemn thee: It is his own mouth that will say to such as thee, Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. And though thou couldest say, [Lord, Lord, I have Prophesied, or cast out devils, or done many won∣derful works in thy Name] he [will profess to thee that he never knew thee] or owned thee, Matth. 7. 22, 23. If crying would then serve, I know thou wouldst not spare thy cryes. But he must so pray as to be accepted and heard on earth, that looks to be accepted and re∣garded then; when the miserable soul with endless horrours in its eye, is looking round about for help, and findeth none; when all the creatures say, We cannot, and he that can shall say, I will not; who can apprehend the calamity of such a soul? What soul so

sleepy and regardless now, that will not then cry, [Lord, Lord open to us] when the door is shut, and it is too late? Matth. 25. 10, 11, 12. Then if thou roar in the anguish of thy soul, and cry out to him that saveth others [Condemn me not O Lord, but save me also! Now Lord have mercy on a miserable sinner! save me, or I am lost for ever: save me, or I must burn in yonder flames: Turn not thy heart against an undone perishing soul, [If thou cast me off, I have no hope!] A thousand such cryes would be in vain, because thou hadst but a vain Religion, Prov. 1. 24, &c. [Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity: I will mock when yonr fear cometh: when your fear cometh as desolation, and

your destruction cometh as a whirl∣wind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:—Therefore they shall eat of their own way, and be filled with their own devices] saith the Lord.

And when hell hath once taken thee into its possession, if thou cry and roar there ten thousand milli∣ons of ages, it will be all in Vain. Thy strongest and thy longest cryes, cannot procure thee a drop of water, to cool thy tongue tor∣mented in those flames, Luke 16. 24, 25, 26.

In a word, if thy Religion be Vain, all's Vain to thee. Thy life it self is Vain, Eccles. 6. 12. thou walkest in a Vain shew, Psal. 39. 6. Thou disquietest thy self in Vain, in all thy labours, Psal. 39▪ 6. and 127. 1, 2. and vanity and vexation

is all that thou shalt possess, Eccles. 1. 2, 14. Prov. 22. 8. And if conscience, when thy day of grace is past, shall force thee upon the review to say, My piety was but seeming and self-deceit, and all my Religion was Vain; it will be the voice of utter desperation, and will stab the heart of all thy hopes. This and no better being the self-de∣ceivers case, is not conscience now at work within you? and asking as each of the Disciples did, Mat. 26. 24, 25. Is it I? If thou have a heart within thee, beseeming a reasonable creature, by this time thou art afraid of self-deceit, and willing to be searched, and to know thy hypocrisie, while it may be cured. For my part, I shall pro∣nounce no one of you personally to be an hypocrite, as knowing that hypocrisie is a sin of the heart, which in it self is seen by none but God and him that hath it: But my

business is only to help such to know and judge themselves. Could I name the man to you in the Con∣gregation, that had none but a seeming vain Religion, I am per∣swaded you would all look upon him as a most unhappy deplorable wretch. Alas, sirs, Hypocrites are not so rare among us, as some imagine. There are few or none, but Saints and Hypocrites in this Assembly, or in most of the Assem∣blies in the land. I think here are none that make not a profession of the Christian faith, and of love to God: All therefore that have not this faith and love, must needs be Hypocrites, as professing to be what they are not. In your baptism you engaged and profest your selves the Disciples of Christ, and gave up your selves in solemn Covenant to God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: This Covenant you will say you stand to yet: & none of you will

be known to have renounced your Christianity: As Christians you use to come to these Assemblies, and here to attend God in the use of his Ordinances: and some of you to renew your Covenant with him, in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. I meet with none that will say [I am no Christian, nor a servant of the God of Heaven: I am an Infidel, and Rebell against the Lord.] I think there is none of you, but would take it ill, if I should call you such, or should deny you to be Christians, and men fearing God.] If therefore you are not such indeed, you must needs be Hypocrites. What say you? Is there any of you that pro∣fess your selves to be ungodly, un∣believers, and servants of the Devil, and will take this as your current title, disclaiming the love and ser∣vice of the Lord? I think you will not. If you are such as you profess,

you are all Saints, and shall be saved. If any of your be not such, they can be nothing else but Hy∣pocrites.

Seeing therefore that you are all either Saints or Hypocrites, come now to the bar, and refuse not a tryal, that may prevent the errors of another kind of tryal, that you cannot refuse.

And here let me set before you your Profession, and then try your selves, Whether you are such as you profess your selves to be or not? And I think I may take it for granted, that the Articles of the Creed, and the B••ptismal Covenant, is the least that every one of you do profess; and that the desires implyed in the Petitions of the Lords Prayer, you all profess to be your own desires; and that you take the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Command••ments for part of the rule of your obedi∣ence▪ Let us peruse them briefly in the several parts.

1. Do you not all say that you Believe in God the Father Al∣mighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, and that you will have no other gods but him? and are you not accordingly engaged in Cove∣nant with him? you will not deny it. And what is the meaning of this much of your profession? It is no less then to take God for the only infinite good, to be loved with the chiefest love, and to take him for your absolute Lord and Gover∣nour, the Owner of you and all you have, to whom you owe universal absolute obedience; and that you are truly willing to love him above all, and fear him, and trust him and obey him accordingly, though your flesh and all the world should be against it. He that meaneth not all this, doth dissem∣ble or lye when he saith, he taketh God to be his God. For to be God, is to be this much to us.

And really is it thus with you, as you profess? speak but as men that dare not lye before the Lord that knows your hearts? Do you indeed Love God as God? with your superlative love: Are your hearts set upon him? Do you make it your principal care to please him? Is it your delight to do his will? Is it sweeter to you to think and speak of him, then of the world? Doth it grieve you most to offend him? In a word, you are not such strangers to Nature, but you know what love is. And you are not such strangers to your own hearts, but you know what it is, to love your pleasure, your profit, your honour and your friend; can conscience say before the Lord, that you love him better then all these? if not more passionately, yet more deeply, effectually and resolvedly; with a love that will cause you to deny and part with all for him? If you

thus truly love him as God; (and above all) how comes it to pass that you seek the world more carefully, and eagerly then him? and that you are more pleased with worldly thoughts and speeches and employments, then with divine? were not the Hypocrite justly blinded, and a willfull stranger to himself, he could not but know that he loveth not God as God, and above all. And to love him in subordination to your flesh and its contents, is not at all to love him as God: As it is no degree of conjugal love, to love a wife but as a ser∣vant; nor no degree of the love due to your Soveraign, to love him as an equal, or as a slave.

And if really you take God for your absolute Lord and Governour, why is it then that you take no pleasure in his Laws; but count them too strict and had rather be at your own dispose? why is it

that you obey your fleshly desires, before and against the God whom you acknowledge? why will you not be perswaded to that holiness, justice and charity which you know his Law commandeth you? why do you willfully continue in those sins, which conscience tells you God forbids? will you live in will∣full disobedience, and love your sins, and loath your duty, and ob∣stinately continue thus, and yet profess that you take God for your God, and consequently for your Lord and Governour? and yet will you not confess that you are dissembling Hypocrites?

2. Do you not all profess that you believe in Jesus Christ? and have you not in Covenant taken him for your Saviour and Lord? And do you so indeed, or do you not play the Hypocrites? If you believe in Christ, and take him for your Saviour, you then take your

sins for the disease and misery of your souls, and you are so grieved for them and weary of them, and humbled in the apprehension of your lost estate, that you fly to Christ as your only refuge, from the wrath and curse of the offend∣ed Majesty, and value his justifying and healing grace before all the riches of the world; and you are willing to take his bitterest medi∣cines, and use the means appointed by him, for the destruction of your sin, and the perfecting of his graces. And is it thus with you, that have unhumbled hearts, that never felt the need of Christ, as condemned miserable men must do? and that love the sin that he would cure, and are unwilling to be mortified and sanctified by his grace? Unless a carkass be a man, such Hypocrites as these are no true Christians, and have but a seeing self-deceiving faith.

3. Do you not all profess to be∣lieve in the Holy Ghost? and are you not engaged to him in Cove∣nant as your Sanctifier? And do you not grosly play the Hypocrites here? If not, how comes it to pass that you stick in your natural state, as if you had no need of san∣ctification? and live as quietly without any acquaintance with true Regeneration, and the Spirit to dwell and rule within you, as it you needed no such change? Or else that you take up with a For∣mal, an affected, or a forced kind of Religion, in stead of Sanctification and spiritual devotion? And how comes it to pass that you distaste the highest degrees of holiness? and that you will not be brought to the mortification, self-denyal, and unreserved obedience, which are the essence of sanctification? As for the more deboist prophane sort of Hypocrites, that make a com∣mon

mock of godliness, and scorn at the very name of Holiness and Sanctification, and deride at all that pretend to have the Spirit; I had rather tremble at the thought of their misery, then now stand to reprove that notorious hypocrisie, which professeth to be∣lieve in the Holy Spirit which they deride; and Covenanteth with the Sanctifier, while they hate and mock, or at least do obstinately refuse sanctification. When God himself tells us, Rom. 8. 9. [That if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his.] And therefore to deride a man for pro∣fessing that he hath the Spirit, is to deride him for professing to be a Christian.

4. Do you not all profess to [Believe the Holy Catholick Church] that is, that Christ hath a people dispersed through the world, that are sanctified by his

Spirit, and made a holy peculiar people, whom he loveth as his Spouse and as his own Body, of which number you must be if you will be saved? And yet at the same time, the members of this Church, you contemn; the holiness of it you secretly hate; and the faith∣full Pastors in it you despise and disobey. Is not this Hypo∣crisie?

5. You all profess to [Believe the Communion of Saints:] that is, that the true members of the Catholike Church are all Saints, that have one and the same Spirit, and walk by the same holy Law or Rule, and in holiness must con∣verse together, and joyn in Church order, for the publick worship∣ping of God, according to his own institution: and must purely and fervently love each other, with such a charity as shall make one as ready to relieve another, when

God calls for it, as if our riches did belong in Common to the Saints.] This is the meaning of this Article of your Creed. And do I then need to ask you Whether those that profess this, are not Hypo∣crites, if they hate the Saints, and their inward spiritual Communion, and if they love them but with that lifeless charity that James de∣scribeth? Jam. 2. 14, 15, &c. Or if they despise or hate the Disci∣pline, Ordinances and Holy Com∣munion of the Church? And if they live in Communion with drunkards, with harlots, with worldlings, or sensual, vain, or ambitious men, and fly from the Communion of Saints? what dost thou, when thou sayst [I believe the Communion of Saints] but say [I am a dissembling Hypocrite] if it he thus with thee?

6. You all profess to [Believe the forgiveness of sins;] that is,

that through the blood of Christ all true repenting and believing sinners, shall be forgiven, and are not shut up under remediless de∣spair. And also I think you all profess that you do Repent your selves, that Forgiveness may be yours. And yet you love your sin: you love not to be told of it: you will not believe it to be sin, as long as you can strive against con∣viction; and when you must needs confess it, you will not forsake it; but while you seem to reform by parting with so much as you can spare, your dearer sins, which pleasure and honour and profit are much engaged in, you will not forsake: though repentance do consist in turning from sin to God; and Christ hath assured you, that except you repent, you shall all perish, Luk. 13. 3, 5. Is not this therefore palpable hypocrisie, to profess repentance for remission

of sin, and still keep the sin which you say you repent of, as if you thought to mock God with names and shews?

7. You all profess to [Believe the Resurrection of the body; and that Christ shall come again to judge the quick and dead.] But do you live as men that believe indeed, that they are passing unto such a judgement? If you seriously ex∣pected to be judged for your lives, for the words you speak, the deeds you do, the time you spend, the means of grace which you neglect or use, and for all that you receive and do, is it possible you could so waste your time, and neglect the means of your salvation, and sin so boldly and obstinately as you do?

8. You all profess that you [Be∣lieve the life everlasting] that the Righteous shall go into their masters joy, and the rest into everlasting

punishment in hell, Matth. 25. and 13. But do you not play the Hypocrites? Can you heartily be∣lieve that you stand so near to heaven or hell, to everlasting joy or torments, and make no greater a matter of it, nor make no better preparation for it, nor bestir your selves no more in a case of such unspeakable weight? If you be∣lieve sincerely the glory of heaven, you set your hearts on it, more then upon earth, and take it for your portion and most desireable felicity. But do I need to tell the worldly fleshly Hypocrite how far he is from this?

9. You profess (as the summ of the ten Commandements) that you Love God above all, and your neigh∣bours as your selves.] But doth not your selfishness and quarreling with your neighbours, when they do but stand in the way of your honour or commodity, convince

you of hypocrisie in this pro∣fession?

10. In the use of the Lords prayer, what word do you speak that is not in hypocrisie? Do you first and principally desire the hal∣lowing of Gods name, the coming of his Kingdom, and the doing of his will?] when you are far more tender of your own names then of Gods, and more regardful of your own honour? And when you care more for your own prosperity then for the prosperity of the Church and Gospel; and do your selves become the hinderers of his Kingdom and Government in the Church and in the souls of men? And when you cannot abide to do his Will, when it crosseth the inter∣est of your flesh, but dislike it as too strict, and had rather the Word and Will of God were agreeable to yours, then you will conform your own to his?

Do you only desire [Your daily bread, and that in subordination to the honour, and Kingdom, and will of God.] Or rather do you not play the Hypocrites in saying so, when it is not [daily bread] that will content you; but plenty and prosperity is sweeter to you then holiness?

When you pray for [The for∣giveness of your sins, as you forgive others] you intimate that you are weary of your sins, and hate them, and would forsake them; and that you forgive all that have wronged you, out of the sense of your own transgressions, and of the love of Christ: but is all this so, or is it meer dissembling, when you for∣sake not your sin, nor are willing to forsake it, and when your con∣sciences know that there be some that you forgive not?

You pray against [being led into temptation] and yet you love it

and cast your selves into it. Into tempting company, and tempting talk, and tempting employments: And for recreation, meat, drink, apparel, houses, attendants, estate, reputation, and almost all things else, you love and choose that which is most tempting.

You pray to be delivered from evil:] when the evil of your pride, flesh pleasing, and worldliness, you so love, that indeed you would not be delivered from them. What can you say to excuse all this from palpable Hypocrisie?

To conclude, you pretend to all that necessary to salvation; but have you that in reality which you pretend to?

1. You think your selves wise enough to be saved. But is it not folly that goes under the name of wisedom? When you should be converted and lead a holy life, you are wise enough to give reasons for

the contrary, and wise enough to confute the Preacher, and prove him a fool, instead of obeying the call of God. You are wise enough to prove the Physician to be igno∣rant, and to cast away the medi∣cine that should heale you. And what if no body could deal with you in subtilty of argument, but you could say that against the ne∣cessary means of your own salva∣tion, that none can answer? when you die by your wisdom; and have disputed your selves out of the reach of mercy, will you not bewail it then as folly? Is he wiser that being hungry eats his meat, or he that gives such reasons for his re∣fusing it, and pleadeth so learnedly against eating and drinking, that none can answer him? Is the con∣demned man wiser that makes friends for a pardon? or he that with unanswerable subtilty rea∣soneth against it, till the ladder be

turned? such is your vain and seeming wisdom. You are not wise enough to be cured, but to give reasons why you should continue sick. In the issue it will prove, that you were not wise enough to be saved, but notably wise to resist salvation, and plead your selves into hell.

2. You pretend that you have a saving faith, when your hearts refuse that salvation from sin, and that rule of Christ which is the object of faith: and when you will not believe the doctrines, pre∣cepts or threatnings that cross your own conceits; and when your belief of heaven will not car∣ry your hearts from earth, nor work you to a holy heavenly life.

3. You pretend to Repentance (as I said before) while you hold fast the sin, and give not up your selves to God: when as if your

neighbour, or Master, or Husband should but beat one of you, and tell you when he hath done that he repenteth, and do this as oft as you commit your willful sins, and say you repent, I am confident you would not take it for true repen∣tance. You repent, but will not confess when it is to your disgrace, as long as you can hide your sin. You repent, but will not make re∣stitution or reparation of injuries to your power. You repent, but your heart riseth against him that reproveth you. You repent, but you had rather keep your sins then leave them. Whats this but to deceive your own hearts, and to mock your selves with a seeming vain and mock-repentance?

4. You pretend to love God above all, (as was before said) when you love not his Image, waies or communion: but love that which he hateth, and still

prefer the world before him.

5. You pretend that you have true desires to be godly and what God would have you be: But they are such desires as the slug∣gard hath to rise, and as the sloth∣ful hath to work: that is, if it could be done with ease, and without labour: you lie still, and use not the means with diligence, for all your desires. When you can fit and have your work done with wishes, and your families maintained, and your necessities all supplied with wishes, you may think to come to heaven with wishes: The good desires that the poor may be warmed and cloath∣ed, that James speaks of, Jam. 2. 15. did neither relieve the poor, nor save the wisher. [The desire of the slothful killeth him, because his hands refuse to labour, Prov. 21. 15.] Up and be doing according to thy desires, or else confess that thy

wishes are hypocritical, and that thou deceivest thy own heart by Vain desires.

6. You also pretend to be sin∣cere worshippers of God. You pray, and you read the Scripture and good books, and you hear the Word, and receive the Lords Sup∣per. But I have before shewed you your hypocrisie in these▪ you pray against the sin that you love and would not leave: you pray for holiness, when you hate it or desire it not, in any degree to cross your flesh: you serve God with meer words (whether of your own conceiving, or of others prescri∣bing,) with some forced acknow∣ledgement of that God that hath not your hearts or lives. Let Christ pass the sentence on you, and not I, Matth. 15. 7, 8, 9. [Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias Prophesie of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and

honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me: But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men] You like that teaching that sooths you in your own opinions, and galleth not your consciences in the guilty place: A Ministry you would have, that should stand like an adorned Idol that hurts no body, and toucheth not your sores: or that is but instead of a pair of Organs, or a tinckling Cymbal, to tickle your fancy, and make Church-worship to be as a kind of religious stage-play to you. But a true Minister of Christ, to open to you the doctrine of the King∣dom, and roundly to awake you from security in sin, and to call you up to the most serious holy heavenly life, and follow you and let you take no rest, till you yeild and practise it; and to call you to open confession of your open scan∣dalous

sins, that you may make such reparation to the wronged honour of God and souls of men, as you are capable of, and ac∣cordingly to absolve you, or to bind you over to answer it at the bar of God, and charge the Church to avoid communion with you, if you are impenitent and incorrigi∣ble; such a Ministry as this (which is the Ministry of Christs appoint∣ment) you abhor; at least, when they come to touch your sores. Then you are too proud to be taught and ruled by such as these, though you hypocritically profess to be ruled by Christ, who ruleth his Church by his Spirit, Word and Ministers conjunct. Then you say, who gave you authority to do thus and thus by me? As if you knew not that Christ in Scri∣pture hath described, confirmed and limited the Ministerial office. Like condemned Traytors, that

should say to him that ••••••ngeth them a pardon [Who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you au∣thority to make so 〈…〉〈…〉 me?] or like a man that hath the plague or leprosie, that asketh the Phy∣sician [Who gave you authority to tell me that I am sick, and put me on such medicines as these?] or as the Israelite to Moses, Exod. 2. 14. [Who made thee a Prince and a Judge over us?] not understand∣ing that God by his hand would de∣liver them, saith Stephen, Act. 7. 25. Or as the Jews to Christ, when he was teaching men the way to hea∣ven, Matth. 21. 23. [By what authority dost thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?] so because you hate the way of your recovery, you will not be saved without authority, nor be satisfied of their authority that would save you, but are like a beggar that should proudly refuse a piece of gold, and ask, By what authority

do you give it me? A Ministry that agreeth with Gods d••scription▪ you cannot abide, Act. 20. 〈…〉〈…〉 36. Heb. 13. 7, 17. 1 Cor. 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. 1 Tim. 5•• 17. 20. and 2 Tim. 4. 1. So that indeed it is but a mock-minister, a mock-sacrament, a mock-prayer, and so a seeming vain Religion which you desire.

7. Lastly, you pretend also to sincere obedience: If we ask you, whether you are willing to obey God? you will say, God forbid that any should deny it. But when it comes to the particulars, and you find that he commandeth you that which flesh and blood is against, and would cost you the loss of worldly prosperity, then you will be excused: and yet that you may cheat your souls, you will not professedly disobey; but you will perswade your selves that it is no duty, and that God would not

have you do that which you will not do. Like a Countrymans ser∣vant, that promiseth to do all that his Master bids him: but when he cometh to particulars, threshing is too hard a work, and mowing and reaping are beyond his strength, and plowing is too toylsome; and in the conclusion, it is only an idle life with some easie charres, that he will be brought to. This is the Hypocrites obedience. He will obey God in all things, as far as he is able, in the general: But when it comes to particulars, To deny himself, and forsake his worldly prosperity for Christ, and to con∣temn the world, and live by faith, and converse in heaven, and walk with God, and worship him in Spirit and truth, to love an enemy, to forgive all wrongs, to humble our selves to the meanest persons, and to the lowest works; to con∣fess our faults with shame and sor∣row,

and ask forgiveness of those they have injured, these and other such works as these, they will not believe to be parts of obedience, or at least, will not be brought to do them.

Poor souls, I have stood here a great while to hold you the glass, in which, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you were willing, you might see your selves. 〈…〉〈…〉 you will yet wink and hate the light, if you perish in your self-deceiving, who can help it?

Briefly and plainly, be it known to thee again, whoever thou art that hearest this, that if thou have not these five characters follow∣ing, thy Religion is all but vain and self-deceiving.

1. If Gods authority, as he speak∣eth by his Spirit, Word and Mini∣sters, be not highest with thy soul, and cannot do more with thee, then Kings and Parliaments, and then the world and flesh, Mat. 23. 8, 9, 10.

2. If the 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••ing glory, be not practically more esteemed by thee, and chosen, and sought, then any thing, or all things in the world, Mat, 6. 21. Col. 3. 4. Joh. 6. 27. 2 Tim. 4. 8, 9. Matth. 22. 5. Luke 18. 22, 23. Phil. 3. 20.

3. If thou see not such a loveli∣ness in holiness, as being the image of God, as that thou unfeignedly desirest the highest degree of it, Matth. 5. 20. Psal. 119. 1, 2, 3, &c. Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14.

4. If any sin be so sweet and dear to you, or seem so necessary, that you consent not, and desire not to let it go, Mat. 19. 22. Phil. 3. 8. Psal. 66. 18.

5. If any known duty seem so costly, dangerous, troublesome and unpleasant, that ordinarily you will not do it, Mat. 16. 24, 25, 26. Psal. 119. 6.

In a word, God must be loved and obeyed as God, Christ must be

entertained as Christ: Heaven must be valued and sought as Hea∣ven; and Holiness loved and pra∣ctised as Holiness: Though not to the height of their proper Worth (which none on earth is able to reach) yet so, as that nothing be preferred before them.

BUt yet there is one more dis∣covery which if I pass by, you will think I bawk a chief part of my text.

An unbridled tongue in a Pro∣fessour of Religion is enough to prove his Religion vain.

By an unbridled tongue is not meant all the sins of our speech. [If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. But in many things we offend all] Iam. 3. 2. Every unwarrantable jeast, or an∣gry word, or hasty rash expressi∣on,

is not enough to prove a mans Religion to be in vain. Though Christ say that we shall answer for every idle word, he doth not say, we shall be condemned for every idle word: But when the tongue is unbridled, and is not kept under a holy Law, but suffered to be the ordinary instrument of wilfull known sin, or of gross sin which men might know and will not, this proves the person void of holiness, and consequently his Religion vain.

Its true; every Hypocrite hath not an unbridled tongue: some of them have the bridle of moral pre∣cepts, and some of Religious edu∣cation, and some of the presence and awe of persons whom they esteem: common knowledge, with natural mansuetude and modera∣tion doth bridle the tongues of many an Hypocrite: But as every wicked man is not a drunkard, or

fornicator, and yet every drun∣kard or fornicator (that liveth in it) is a wicked man; so every Hypocrite hath not an unbridled tongue (his vice may lie some other way); but every man that hath an unbridled tongue is an Hypocrite, if withall he profess himself a Christian.

The sins of the tongue are of three sorts. 1. Such as are against piety. 2. Such as are against Ju∣stice. 3. Such as are against Cha∣rity.

1. Against Piety, that is, direct∣ly against God, are, Blasphemy, Perjury, rash swearing, swearing by creatures, light and unreverent using of Gods Name, and attri∣butes, and Word and works: pleading for false doctrine, or false worship: disputing a••ainst truth and duty: scorning at godlines•• •• or reasoning against it. These and such impieties of the tongue, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

the evidences of prophaneness in the speakers heart; though some of them much more then others: and if the tongue be not then bridled, all is in vain.

2. Sinfull speeches against Justice and charity are these: reproach∣ing Parents, or Governours, or neighbours: railing and reviling: cursing: provoking others to do mischief, or commit any sin: di∣sputing against, and disswading men from truth and duty; and hindering them by your speeches from a holy life, and the means of their salvation: calling good, evil, and evil, good: lying; slandering; false witness-bearing; back-biting: extenuating mens vertues, and aggravating their faults beyond the certain apparent truth: re∣ceiving, and reciting, and carrying on evil reports, which you know not to be true: endeavouring to cool mens love to others, by mak∣ing

them seem bad, when we can∣not prove it: mentioning mens faults and failings without a call and just occasion, unchast, immo∣dest, ribald speeches: cheating and deceitful words to wrong others in their estates: with other such like.

But undoubtedly that sin of the tongue which the Apostle here had particular respect to, was the re∣proaching of fellow-Christians, especially upon the occasion of some differences of judgement and practice in the smaller matters of Religion: The Judaizing Christi∣ans gave liberty to their tongues, to reproach those that refused the use of those ceremonies, which they used themselves, and placed much of their Religion in: The quarrel was the same that was de∣cided by the Apostles, Act. 15. and by Paul, Rom. 14. and 15. and throughout the Epistle to the

Galathians. And this is the Re∣ligion that James calls vain here, which was much placed in ceremo∣nies, with a pretense of highest knowledge, and a censorious vilify∣ing of all that would not do as they.

There are especially three sorts that use to reproach each other about the matters of Religion. 1. Those that are hardened to that height of impiety, as to make a mock at seriousness and diligence in the practise of Christianity it self, hating and reproaching them that dare not sell their souls at as base a price as they.

2. Those that have so far ex∣tinguished charity by faction and self-conceit, as to confine their love and honour to their party, and to speak evil of those that are not of their own opinions.

3. Those that give liberty to their tongues unseasonably, un∣measurably

or unwarrantably to speak hardly of those that they suffer by upon Religious accounts; though perhaps they are their su∣periours whom they are bound to honour.

1. The first sort are arrived at such a measure of maliciousness and misery, that they are, as mad men, the objects of compassion to all men save themselves. Their sin and misery is so notorious, that I need not say any thing to discover it to others, that have any thing of reason and true Religion: And for themselves, being so far for∣saken of God, as to hate and re∣proach the means of their salvati∣on, no wonder if 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they are given over to tha•• blindness as not to understand 〈◊〉〈◊〉 words that should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them▪ and neither to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their 〈…〉〈…〉 the light that would 〈…〉〈…〉: and to such Impen••••••••••, as not to feel or

fear the wrath and threatnings of the Almighty; but boldly to rage on, till Hell hath brought them to their wits. Prov. 14. 16. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil, but the fool rageth and is con∣fident. Yet this much briefly I shall say to these, if any of them be this day my auditors, that I may not leave them as utterly past hope.

1. Thou art one of the most self-condemned stigmatized slaves of Satan in the world. Thou bear∣est openly so undoubted a brand of wickedness, that there is no room for any rational Hope in thy self, or any of thy friends, that ever thou shouldst be saved, if thou die in such a state: Some Hope is left that yet thou mayst be con∣verted; but none, that thou shouldst be saved without conver∣sion. It is possible with God that can do all things, that yet thy

wilful blindness may be cured, and thy tongue may unsay all that thou hast said; and thou mayst cry out of thy folly, and cry shame against thy self, for that which now thou gloriest in. It is possible for God of such a stone, to make a child of Abraham! and to melt that hardened heart of thine, and lay it bleeding at the feet of Christ, and make thee wish with tears or groans, that such thoughts had never entred into thy heart, nor such words of malice proceed∣ed from thy mouth. And happy art thou, if God will have so much mercy on thee, that hast derided mercy, as to vouchsafe thee such a change. And pray for it, and pray hard, and pray again, if thou love thy soul: For this is thy Hope: and thou hast no other. For that ever such a wretch as thou shouldst be saved, in the state that now thou art in, is as impossible as for

God to lie; and as impossible as for the Devils to be saved. I won∣der (but that such a forsaken soul, is a sensless block, and as a lifeless carkaise) that thou dost not quake with the fears of Hell, which way ever thou goest; and that thou art not still thinking whither thou art going, and how the De∣vils are ready to take thy soul, as soon as Death hath opened the door and let it out, into Eternity! As carelesly or scornfully as thou sittest here, I wonder that thou dost not tremble to consider, where it is that thou must shortly be, and where thou must abide for ever? It is one of the most notable discoveries of the power∣full craft of Satan, that he is able to keep such a Garrison as thy heart in so much peace, and to quiet a poor wretch, that is uncer∣tain to be one hour out of Hell! That thy sleep is not broken with

terrible dreams, and that thou dost not eat thy meat in terrours; and that ever a smile should be seen in thy face! That thy business, or company, or sports, or pleasures, should once put out of thy mind thy endless misery. While I am speaking, and thou art hearing, Hell-fire is burning, and the De∣vils are waiting, and thy blinded soul is posting on, and for ought thou knowest, may be there this night. Poor sinner, for my part, I know thee not! and therefore cannot justly be suspected to bear thee any ill will, or to speak these words with a desire of thy hurt. I know this is language that the guilty do not love to hear. But I must tell thee, that reproachest or deridest a serious holy life, that except the Blasphemers of the Ho∣ly Ghost, there is few in the world in more certain misery then thou. Other sinners, though miserable,

may have some more cloak to hide their misery. Though the drun∣kard shall not enter into Heaven, he may flatter himself with the remembrance that Noah was once overtaken with that sin. Though the Fornicator or Adulterer shall not enter into the Kingdom of God (Eph. 5. 5.) he may cheat himself awhile, with the remem∣brance of Davids guilt. Though the false-hearted, temporizing, self-saving Hypocrite, shall not be saved, he may deceive himself by the instance of Peters denying his Master, and his dissimulation, Gal. 2. But what cloak hast thou to hide thy misery! Did ever any true Disciple of Christ, either hate or reproach his servants and his wayes! What godly man hath made a mock at godliness, (unless it were when he was ungodly.) If any should think, that an act of drunkenness, or fornication,

might consist with grace; no man that understands himself can think, that a scorner at an Holy life, hath himself the Holiness which he scorneth! I would not for a world be in the case of that wretch, that speaks well of Holiness in others, while he lives in fornication, luxu∣ry or worldliness himself, though he think that he cuts scores by daily crying to God for mercy. But I would much less for a thou∣sand worlds be in the case of him that neither is godly, nor can speak well of it: that is not only void of the Spirit of Christ, but speaks against it: that is not only void of the Holy Image of God, but hateth it, and reproacheth it in others. O rather let me have no tongue to speak, no soul to think, then ever I should speak or think thus maliciously of the Image, and wayes, and servants of the Lord! I had rather be a dog or a toad,

then one of those men that use to mock at serious diligent serving of the Lord, or that maliciously reproach his servants, and bend their wits and tongues against them; so legibly is the mark of the Devil upon them, that I must needs tell you that are true Be∣lieve's, you are much to be blamed that you look not on them with more compassion, and weep not for them, as for men that are within a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of He••••, when you hear them rail at the Laws or servants of the Lord. I mean those of whom the Apostle saith, [For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ (that is, to the self-denying mortified state of Christians, and following him even through sufferings) whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their

shame, who mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 18, 19. that not only do wickedly, but teach men so to do, Matth. 5. 19. and have pleasure in them that do it, Rom. 1. 32. and think it strange that we run not with them to the same excess of ryot, speaking evil of us; who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead, 1 Pet. 4. 4, 5

2. Thou bearest most eminent∣ly the image of the Devil, and most expresly speakest his mind, and art most openly employed in his works. What is the Devil, but an apostate spirit, filled with en∣mity against God and his servants, and hating Holiness, the malicious Accuser of the Brethren, slander∣ing and reproaching them, and seeking their destruction! And shall a malicious, lying sinner live, that imitateth Satan in his enmity to God! O that thou knewest

whom thou servest! and that thou knewest whom thou speakest against! Wo be to him that stri∣veth with his Maker, Isa. 45. 9. Its hard for thee to kick against the pricks, Acts 9. 5. Who ever hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Job 9. 4. If Satan were to speak with open face, what would he say, but as the tongues of the malicious ene∣mies of holiness do; even to speak evil of the wayes and ser∣vants of the Lord? Might he ap∣pear and speak himself in the As∣semblies and Councils of the great ones of the earth, he would speak against the same men, and to the same purpose, as those that I have described. Your tongues are his instruments. You speak what he secretly suggesteth, as verily as if he had written you your instructi∣ons, and you had read it in his words: He hateth holiness, and

therefore he tempteth you to hate it. He would bring it into hatred in the world, and therefore he speaks disgracefully of it by your tongues. His will is your will. And your words are his words: and the pleasant'st musick that you could make him. O how it pleas∣eth him to make a reasonable crea∣ture reproach the Word and waies of his Creatour! How eager was he to have got Job to have spoken evil of God!

3. Be it known to thee, thou reviler, that if ever thou be saved thy self, it must be in that way that thou revilest. Thy hope lyeth in it. As sure as thou livest, there is no other way to life eternal. With∣out holiness none shall see God, Heb. 12. 14. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, Matth. 5. 8. When thou hast all done, thou must come ••ack, and go that way thy self or burn for ever. Either thou

must be such as those that thou dost speak against, or thou art everlastingly undone. And if thou think to be such a one thy self, and to come to heaven by the very way that now thou dost revile, canst thou yet revile it! And if thou perish in hell for want of holiness, thou shalt then have enough of thy rebellion. Then thou shalt cry out against thy own malicious re∣proaches a thousand times more, then ever thou didst against the servants of the Lord. Though the very distinction between the Godly and Vngodly be now thy scorn, yet I shall be bold to tell thee in the words of Henoch, yea of God, Jud. 14. 15. [Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are un∣godly among them, of all their un∣godly deeds, which they have ungod∣lily committed, and of all their hard

speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.] Now you have your day, and judgement must begin at the house of God! and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God! and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Pet. 4. 17, 18. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful! But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in his Law doth he me∣ditate day and night.—The un∣godly are not so; but like the chaffe which the wind driveth away: there∣fore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the con∣gregation of the righteous: For the Lord knoweth the way of the righ∣teous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish, Psal. 1. This is Scri∣pture distinction; which God will make good.

I make no question, but the worst of-you will put by all this in your self-deceit, and say, It is not holiness that we speak against, but its Hypocrisie, or Schisme, or some such accusation that malice shall suggest, will be your mask. But will you answer me these few Questions.

Quest. 1. Why then do you not imitate them so far as they do well! why are you not as much in works of holiness, as they! in reading, and meditating on the Word of God, in holy conference, and secret prayer, and instructing your families &c? and then leave them and spare not where they do amiss.

Quest. 2. Why do you not hate as much the sins of the notoriously ungodly, who shew them without shame? Nay why do you make such men your companions?

Quest. 3. Why go you to the

heart, that is unseen, and arrogate the prerogative of God, to censure men of Hypocrisie and such secret sins that are out of your discern∣ing? If you know your heart by outward actions, insist upon your proofes.

Quest. 4. Why speak you not of their good as well as of the sup∣posed evil? why are you not more in speaking well of what is well, then in speaking ill of what is ill?

Quest. 5. Why is it that you speak of men that you know not? and of others that are innocent, for the sakes of those that you ima∣gine to be guilty? and why do you so greedily snatch at any matter of reproach, and take it by hearsay from the most ignorant, rash, or malicious mouths?

Quest. 6. If it be Hypocrisie or other vice that you so hate; why do you not hate them in your selves? why live you so viciously,

while you profess obedience to the Lord? and why do you take on you to believe a heaven and hell hereafter, and to give up your selves in Covenant to God, and live so contrary to that profest be∣lief and Covenant?

Quest. 7. Do you not feel that it is partly malice, and partly the recriminations of a guilty galled conscience, that fain would steal a little peace by thinking others to be as bad as you?

I shall dismiss this unhappy sort of men with these two requests. 1. You are the men that of all others have the most notable ad∣vantage for your conviction, of the misery of your present state: and therefore I beseech you take that advantage. One would think it should be the easiest matter in the world, for such as you to know that you are ungodly, that hate godliness and oppose it? you have

no plausible pretence for self-flat∣tery or self-deceit. And there∣fore confess your misery, and look out to Christ, for help and pardon, while there is hope and time.

2. For the time to come, will you but try a serious holy life be∣fore you speak against it any more? For shame speak not evil of the things you know not, as those bruits described, Jud. 10. And holiness was never well known but by ex∣perience. O that you would be intreated but to yeild to this most equal motion. Away with your worldly fleshly lives; and live in faith and holiness, a just, a spiritual and heavenly life, but one year, or one quarter, or one moneth, and then if by experience you find just cause for it, reproach a holy life, and spare not.

II. TO the second sort, (that speak evil of men upon differences of opinion, especially while they profess the same Re∣ligion, in all the essential necessary parts,) I shall propose these ag∣gravations of their sin, for their humiliation.

1. Consider, can you think it agreeable to the Law of Christ, to reproach men behind their backs, and unheard, for that which you never soberly and Christianly told them of to their faces? Did you lovingly first admonish them, and impartially hear what they can say for themselves? what is your end in speaking against your brother? Is it to do him hurt, or good? If hurt, be sure you do him Justice; and backbiting is not the way of Justice. If good, you cross your own intention. For what good

can it do him, that another hears him evil spoken of?

2. If you are Christs Disciples, it must be known to all men by your special love to one another, Joh. 13. 35. And is reproach and evil-speaking the fruit or evidence of such love? can you talk so of the friends that are most dear to you, or that you love indeed? how do our hearts rise against that man, that speaks reproachfully of our dearest friends? Love would scarce suffer you to endure such abuse of Christians in another, without a serious reprehension: much less to be the abuser of them your selves.

3. Your evil speaking of your brethren destroyeth love in others, as it proves the want of it in your selves. And to destroy their love, is to destroy their souls. You do your worst to quench the love, both of him that you speak evil of, and of

them to whom you speak it. Good is the object of love: and there∣fore to speak of men, and manifest them to be lovely, is the only way to make them loved. Evil is the object of hatred: and therefore to speak evil of them, is to make them seem hateful, and draw men to the guilt of hating them. To praise a man will do more to make him loved, then if you only intreat another to love him. And to dis∣praise a man will do more to make him hated, then if you directly perswade another to hate him. And what service you do the Devil, and what disservice unto Christ, by destroying love, and sowing hatred among his servants, were you impartial, you might easily discern.

4. Is it not shame and pitty, that the followers of Christ should imitate the Devil, and ungodly men, as by detraction and reviling

words they do? you aggravate your brethrens faults, and find faults where there are none; and so do Satan and ungodly men. You have a secret desire to make them seem contemptible and vile; and so have Satan and ungodly men. And hereby you seem to justifie the wicked, and encourage them in their reproaching. They think they may boldly speak such lan∣guage of you all, as they hear you speak of one another. O what pitty is it to hear the professed children of the Lord, to use the hell-bred language of his enemies, as if they had gone to school to Satan!

5. Are there not tongues enough sharpened against us in the world, but we must wound each other with our own? Is it not enough, if we are the seed of Christ, that every where the ser∣pents seed do hate us; and that all

manner of evil is falsly spoken of us, and that we are made as the scorn and the off-scouring of all things, but we must also hate and reproach each other? Have you not load enough from the world? Have you not enemies enough to do the work of enemies, but friends must do it? And hath not Satan instruments and tongues enough of his own, but he must use those that are Christs against himself?

6. If thou hate thy brother, yet sure thou dost not hate thy self. Why then dost thou hurt and shame thy self? His hurt is but to be defamed, which is little, if any thing at all (for it is much in himself whether it shall hurt him.) But thy hurt that dost it, is to provoke God against thee, and incur his wrath, and wound thy soul by the guilt of sin. And if another hurt thee, in the heel, wilt thou there∣fore stab thy self to the heart? If

another be bad, wilt thou become so by unjust defaming him? And how dost thou cross thine own intentions? The stone that thou castest at him, flyes back in thy face. Thou proclaimest thy own trans∣gressions and shame, when thou art uncharitably proclaiming his. Is not a backbiter, a reviler, if not a malicious calumniator, a worse name (which thou tak'st to thy self) then that which thou canst fasten on him whom thou dost reproach?

7. Thy uncharitable speeches are a dangerous sign of an unhum∣bled and unpardoned soul. If thou canst not forgive, thou art not forgiven. Did you know your selves, it would teach you to deal more compassionately with others. You would have the act of Oblivi∣on as extensive as you could, if you knew what danger you are in your selves. Do you not know as much by your selves as you have

to reproach your brother with? Do you not then invite both God and man to take you at the worst, and use you as you use your bro∣ther? methinks you should rather be desirous of a more tender and indulgent way, as knowing what need your selves have of it.

If you say, [O but he hath done thus and thus against me] Let conscience say what you have done your selves against God & others. If you say, He is a Schismatick, an Hypocrite, or this or that; remember, that malice is blind, & never wants matter of accusation or reproach, & innocency is no defence against it: else Christ and his Prophets and Apostles had been better used by the world. And ask conscience whether more then you can truly say of him, may not be said against your selves. If all such must be de∣famed, how infamous will you be?

8. If you will speak ill, you must

hear ill. You teach men how to use you. [Si mihi pergit quae vult dicere, quae non vult audict.

Benedictis si certasset, audisset be∣ne] saith the Comaedian. And God usually in justice suffereth it so to be. And as those that by violence trample down others, when they feel themselves on the higher ground, do oft live to be trampled on themselves; so those that take their advantages to insult, and defame others, do usually live to be defamed. For with what mea∣sure you mete, it shall be measured to you again, Matth. 7. 1, 2. Judge not therefore, that ye be not judged.

TO which of these two former ranks you should refer the common names of scorn that re∣ligious persons have been most loaded with among us, you must judge by the particular occasion and person. It is not my intenti∣on

on or desire to plead for any fa∣ction, disobedience, irregularity, or hypocrisie; much less to palli∣ate heresies or odious crimes that are cloaked with the name or pro∣fession of Religion. It is the Hy∣pocrite that I am all this while detecting. But I must say that it hath been the highest brand or cha∣racter of Hypocrisie and impudent profaneness conjunct, and one of the most crying transgressions of this Land, that men baptized into the Name of Christ, have made a scorn at the diligent serving of him, and lived in the hatred of that Religion in the life and practice, which themselves profess. And that if upon some small circum∣stantial differences, any of their superiours have but encouraged them, to use any nickname of re∣proach against their most consci∣encious brethren, they have been glad of the occasion, and used

those reproaches against the seri∣ous practice of Religion, which others pretend to use only against mens different opinions, which they account their exorbitancies or mistakes. How the names of [Zealots, Precisians, Puritans,] and such like, have been used in this Land; and what sort of peo∣ple have been made thereby (and by the discountenance of those that should have cherished a dili∣gent holy life) to be the common scorn; and how great a hindrance this hath proved to the salvation of many thousand souls, is a thing that's much more sad to mention, then difficult to prove. And when one nickname is grown out of use, the serpentine enmity watcheth for the opportunity that's afford∣ed by differences and discounte∣nance of the times, to take up another that may have a sharper sting. The dead form of Religion,

and as much as you will of words and shews, they can reverence or endure: But Life, and Seriousness, and Practice is the thing they hate. Just like a Bear or other ravenous creature, that will let their prey alone while it seems dead and stirs not: but if it stir, they leap upon it, and tear it into pieces. And therefore it is that the diligent zealous exercise of Religion, among the Papists, by Images, and Tautologies, and lifeless Ceremo∣nies and forms is not half so much hated or reproached by the vul∣gar, as the serious exercise of un∣questionable duties, that all are in words agreed in, is here with us. To pray in our families; to in∣struct our children and servants in the necessary points of faith and duty; to exhort a drunkard, a swearer, a covetous person, or other ungodly ones to repent and to give up themselves to a holy

life; to take up any serious speech of death and judgement, and the life to come, and the necessary preparations thereto; these and such like are the odious marks of a Zealot, a Precisian, or Puritan with the ungodly rabble▪ so that serving the great and glorious God is with them become a matter of scorn; while serving the Devil is taken for their glory, if they can but do it in the plausible less disgraceful mode.

But because some of the chief accusers of the Brethren, would needs perswade men, that the or∣dinary usage of the forementioned Nicknames hath been less impious and more justifiable, against a sort of people only whom they feign to be unfit for humane society, I shall only appeal now to the Godly Bi∣shops and conformable Ministers that mention it.

Bishop G. Downame (who though

he hath written so much for Bi∣shops, hath written as much to prove the Pope to be the Anti∣christ) in his Sermon called, Abra∣hams Tryal, p. 72. saith [And even in these times, the godly live among such a generation of men, as that if a man do but labour to keep a good conscience in any measure, though he m••d••le not with matters of state, or Discipline, or Ceremonies; (As for example, if a Minister diligently Preach, or in his Preaching seek to profit, rather then to please, &c.— Or if a private Christian makes conscience of swearing, sanctifying the Sebb••th, frequenting Sermons, or abstaining from the common cor∣ruptions of the time) he shall strait way be condemned for a Puritan, and consequently be less favoured, then either carnal Gospeller or a close Papist, &c.] Such were the times then.

Dr. Robert Abbot, publike Pro∣fessor

of Divinity in Oxford, and after Bishop of Salisbury, in a Ser∣mon on Easter-day, 1615. saith; [The men under pretence of truth, and Preaching against the Puritans, strike at the heart and root of faith and Religion now established among us: that this Preaching against the Puritans was but the practice of Parsons and Campians Counsel, when they came into England to se∣duce young Students: And when many of them were afraid to lose their places if they should professedly be thus, the Counsel they then gave them was, that they should speak freely against the Puritans, and that should suffice,] &c. so he.

Of Arch-Bishop Lauds tract of Doctrinal Puritanism, drawn up for and presented to the Duke of Buckingham, see Prin in his Tryal, p. 156. Divers Bishops have af∣firmed that the Jesuites were the masters of this nickname here in

England, and the promoters of it.

But of the common sense of this word, and the use of it, I shall now call in no more witnesses but Mr. Robert Bolton, a man that fre∣quently publisheth his judgement for conformity to Prelacy and Ceremonies; In his Discourse of Hap. p. 193. he thus speaketh.

I am perswaded there was never poor persecuted word, since malice against God, first seized on the damn∣ed Angels, and the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man, that p••ssed through the mouths of all sorts of unregenerate men, with more distastfulness and gnashing of teeth, then the name of Puritan doth at this day; which notwithstanding as it is now commonly meant (N. B.) and ordinarily proceeds from the spleen and spirit of prophaneness, and good fellowship, is an honourable nickname, that I may so speak, of Christianity and grace. And yet

for all this I dare say, that there is none of them all, but when they shall come unto their beds of death, and are to grapple immediately with the painful terrours of the King of fears, and to stand or fall to the dreadful tribunal of the living God,—then (except the Lord suffer them to fall into the fiery lake with senseless hearts and seared con∣sciences,) would give ten thousand worlds, were they all turned into gold, pleasures and imperial crowns, to change their former courses of vanity, &c. into a life of holy pre∣ciseness, strictness, sincerity and sal∣vation. Oh! when the heavens shall shrivel together like a scroll, and the whole frame of nature flame about their ears; when the great and mighty hills shall start out of their places like frighted men, and the fearful reprobate cry and call upon this mountain, and that rock, to fall upon him; when as no

Dromedary of Egypt, nor wings of the morning, shall be able to carry them out of the reach of Gods re∣venging hand: no top of Carmel, no depth of sea, or bottom of hell, to hide them from the presence of him that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; no rock nor mountain, nor the great body of the whole earth, to cover them from that unresistible power, that laid the foundations of them; no arm of flesh, or armies of Angels, to protect them from those infinite rivers of brimstone, which shall be kept in everlasting flames by the anger of God, when their poor and woeful souls shall infinitely desire, rather to return into the loathed darkness of not being, and to be hid for ever in the most abhorred state of anni∣hilation, then now to become the everliving objects of that unquench∣able wrath, which they shall never be able to avoid or to abide, and to

be chained up by the omnipotent band of God among the damned spirits, in a place of flames and perpetual darkness, where is torment without end and past imagination: I say, at that dreadful day (and that day will come) what do you think would they give for part in that Purity which now they persecute? and for the comforts of true-hearted holiness that now they hate? and yet without which (as it will clearly appear, when matters are brought before that high and everlasting Judge) non shall ever see the Lord or dwell in the joyes of eternity. Nay I ve∣rily think there are no desperate de∣spisers of godliness or formal oppo∣sites to grace, which do now hold Holiness to be Hypocrisie, Sancti∣fication singularity, practice of sin∣cerity too much preciseness,—but when the pit of d••struction hath once shut her mouth upon them, and they are sunk irrecoverably into that

dungeon of fire, would be content with all their hearts, to live a milli∣on of years as precisely as ever Saint did upon earth—to redeem but one moment of that torment] so p. 159. [The common conceit of these men is, that civil honest men are in the state of grace, and that formal professors are very forward, and without exception; but true Christi∣ans indeed are Puritans, Irregula∣rists, exorbitants, transcendents to that ordinary pitch of formal piety, which in their carnal comprehensi∣ons they hold high enough for hea∣ven: They either conceit them to be Hypocrites, and so the only objects for the exercise of their Ministerial severity, and the terrours of God; or else though the Lord may at last pardon perhaps their singularities and excesses of zeal; yet in the mean time they dissweeten and vex the comforts and glory of this life, with much unnecessary strictness and a∣bridgement.]

[Now of all others, such Prophets as these, are the only men with the Formal Hypocrite; exactly fitted and suitable to his humour: for however they may sometime declaim boysterously (N. B.) against gross and visible abominations, (and that is well) yet they are no searchers into, nor censurers of the state of Formality: and therefore do rather secretly and silently encourage him, to sit faster upon that sandy founda∣tion, then help to draw him forward to more forwardness, &c.]

See also his description of a Puritan, p. 132.

So in his Direct. for walking with God, p. 172. [Good-fellow meetings and Ale-house revellings are the drunkards delight: but all the while he sits at it, he is perhaps in a bodily fear of the Puritan Con∣stable.]

Many such Passages tell you how the word [Puritan] was com∣monly

interpreted in Oxford, Northamptonshire, and whereever Learned and Holy Mr. Bolton was acquainted.

And having mentioned his te∣stimony of the use of that word, I shall add somewhat of his disco∣very of this spirit of malignity and detraction that worketh in the Antipuritans. In his Disc. of Hap. p. 190, 191. he saith,

The reverence and respectful car∣riage to godly Ministers, which may sometimes be found in the Formal Hypocrite, doth grow towards di∣stast and disaffection, when they press them by the powerful sense, and piercing application of some quick∣ning Scriptures, to a fervency in spirit, purity of heart, preciseness in their walking, supernatural sin∣gularity above ordinary and moral perfections, excellency of zeal, and a sacred violence in pursuit of the Crown of life: to an holy strictness,

extraordinary striving to enter in at the strait gate, and transcendent eminency over the formal righte∣ousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, to a nearer familiarity with God by prayer, daily examination of con∣science, private humiliations, me∣ditation upon the endless duration in a second life; to a narrow watch over the stirrings and imaginations of the heart, and expression of holi∣ness in all the passages of both their callings, &c.—Points and pon∣derations of which nature are or∣dinarily to him so many secret seeds of indignation, and many times breed in his formal heart and cold affection exasperation and estrangement, if not meditations of persecution and revenge. Sanctification, preciseness, purity, holiness, zeal, strictness, po∣wer of godliness, spiritual men, holy brethren, Saints in Christ, Commu∣nion of Christians, godly conferences, conceived prayers, sanctifying the

Sabbath, family exercises, exercise of fasting, and mortifying humili∣ations, and such like, are commonly to men of thus temporising temper, and lukewarm constitution, terms of secret terrour and open taunting.—And sometimes they villanously sport themselves with them, and make them the matter of their hate∣ful and accursed jeasts, that so they may keep under as much as they can, in disestimation and contempt, the faithful Professors and Practisers thereof, whom naturally they hearti∣ly hate, and also seem thereby to bear out the heartless stourishes of their own formality with greater bravery. Hereupon it is that if they take a child of God but tripping in the least infirmity, (against which too perhaps he strives and prayes with many tears, &c.) slip∣ping only in some unadvised precipi∣tant passage of his negotiations, &c.—they take on unmea∣surably!

then they cry out, These are your men of the spirit; these are the holy brethren; these are your precise fellows; these are they which make such shew of Purity and forwardness! you see now what they are, when matters come out, and their dealings are discovered, when it comes to the tryal indeed, or to a matter of commodity, &c. Are not they proud? are not they malicious? are not they hard-hearted and co∣vetous as well as others, &c. When by the mercies of God (in their sense) they are neither so nor so; but such censures as these are very often the meer evaporations of pure malice, and the bitter ebullitions and over∣flowings of their gall,] &c.

And p. 164. [The ordinary con∣ceit which unregenerate men enter∣tain of these (experimental Mini∣sters) is—that they are troublers of Israel, Preachers of terrour, transgressors of policy, un∣fit

to Prophesie at Court, or in the Kings Chappel, pestilent fellows, Seditioners, Factionists, born only to disquiet the world, and vex mens consciences.—In these dayes of ours especially, which are strangely prophane and desperately naught, in what man soever the power of grace, undaunted zeal, resolute sincerity, are more working, emi∣nent, and remarkable, ordinarily the more and more implacable, outra∣gious and inflamed Opposites shall that man find, wheresoever he lives.]

And p. 10. The formal Hypo∣crite is moved to think his state good, and the way of his life to be right, from a prejudice which he conceives from the imputations which the world layeth upon the children of God; such as are Pride, Hypocrisie, singularity, melancholy, simplicity, &c.]

Page 38. [His form of godliness,

in his conceit is the only true state of Salvation: Whatsoever is short of him is prophaness; whatsoever is above him is preciseness. But when upon his death-bed he awak∣eth.—]

And Direct. for Walk. p. 131. [The more forward he is in the nar∣row way, the more furiously is he persecuted by the spite of tongues: The most resolute for Gods glory, and in good causes, is ordinarily most railed against, and reviled. The foul spirit of good fellowship, as they call it, is still foaming out against Gods chiefest favourites the foulest censures: that they are Hy∣pocrites, Humorists, Factionists, Traitors, Pestilent fellows, and all that's naught.—There is no creature that ever God made, not Satan himself excepted, which is more maliciously set against and censured then good men. Neither should any have so bad a name as

they, could the hellish mists of vi∣rulent tongues obscure and stain the glory of their reputation.]

And p. 43. [At this day pro∣fessors of the gracious way, be in greatest disgrace with the most, and a drunkard, and swaggering good fellow, an Vsurer, a son or daugh∣ter of Belial, shall find more favour, applause, and approbation with the world, then a man which makes conscience of his waies, &c.—]

Page 350. [They cry, These for∣ward Professors will all turn phan∣tastical, Familists, Anabaptists, Arrians, any thing: which cry awakes the eye of State jealousie, and so by an unworthy consequent, draws upon those who are true of heart, even Gods best servants, and the Kings best subjects, discountenance, suspicions, if not molestations, un∣necessarily, causelesly.]

And p. 351, 352. out of Austins Epist. 137. he shews, that it was so

in his time, [They every way, and infinitely labour, that when some Professors of holiness have foully fallen indeed, or be only so slandered, the world would believe that they are all such: Do you not think in his time the world did thus exult and exclaim, or in the like manner upon Lots fall! Here now you see Puritane Lot, who could not endure the good fellowship of the Sodomites, he is now himself seized on by incest: They are all such I warrant you] citing du Bartas translat. by Sil∣vester, p. 412.

Base, busie stranger! comest thou hither thus Controler-like, to prate and preach to us?

No Puritan, thou shalt not here do so, &c,

Thus you hear from a conform∣able

Divine, how men calling themselves Christians, and being (some of them) Formally Religi∣ous, do prove themselves self-deceiving Hypocrites, by their un∣bridled tongues, in reviling at those as Puritans and too precise, that will not be self-deceiving For∣malists as well as they. I shall only add some of Bishop Halls chara∣cters of an Hypocrite, that you may see what Formality is in the judgement of knowing men.

Page 169. Walking early up into the City, he turns into the great Church, and salutes one of the pil∣lars on one knee; worshipping that God which at home he cares nor for, while his eye is fixed on some win∣dow, or some passenger, and his heart knows not whither his lips go. He rises, and looking about with admi∣ration, complains on our frozen cha∣rity, commends the ancient— with the superfluity of his usury,

he builds an Hospital, and harbours them whom his extortion hath spoil∣ed; so while he makes many beggars, he keeps some. He turneth all gnats into Camels, and cares not to undo the world for a circumstance. Flesh on a Friday is more abomination to him, then his neighbours bed. He abhors more not to uncover at the name of Jesus, then to swear by the name of God.] &c. So Bishop Hall.

But, perhaps you'l say, These persons whom you describe, that will make a mock of godliness it self, are not to be numbred with Hypocrites, but with the openly prophane.

To which I answer, 1. Even these profess themselves to be Christians, and therefore are Hy∣pocrites when they are not what they do profess. 2. They per∣swade themselves that they are as truly godly as those that they

reproach: and do not think that it is godliness indeed for which they do reproach them: But for engrossing the name or reputation of Godliness to themselves, and for some differing manner or way of worship. For this is one of the most notable cheats, by which the devil undoes the empty Formal Hypocrite: Finding that this man doth own Christianity, in his Opinion, but is void of the true Spirit, and power, and life of Chri∣stian Religion, he raiseth some controversies between the serious Christian and the Hypocrite, about some controvertible points of do∣ctrine, or about some modes or circumstances of Discipline and external worship: and when they fall into two sides, the Hypocrite thinks that it is but in these con∣troversies that the difference lyes: The question, (thinks he) is not whether men should be regene∣rate,

godly and Religious: But whether my way of Religion or the Puritans and Precisians be better!] And presently he hence concludes, that indeed it is he that is the more truly Religious: [For (saith he) my judgement is sound, and the Puritans is erroneous: I am of the judgement of the Church, which he is against: The Reverend Prelates, or Doctors are more of my side then on his: I am for order, and he is for confusion, and unreverence, and followeth the humours and fancies of his own brain.] And thus the Devil turn∣eth his eye from the main differ∣ence, and makes him believe that it is these controversies that are all that sets them at a distance. But alas man, thou overlookest the point that thy life and soul lyeth on. Agree first in the serious hearty entertainment and practice of the substance of that holy truth,

which you are both in point of Opinion agreed in, and do not con∣demn thy self in the things which thou allowest; contradict not thy Creed and profession by thy flesh∣ly, worldly, negligent, careless and ungodly life; but love God with all thy heart and might; and first seek his Kingdom and his Righte∣ousness; (which thou confessest thou shouldest do) and then the principal difference is healed, and thou hast scaped the principal danger of thy soul: and then it is not a few circumstantial differ∣ences that will divide your hearts, or divide you from each other in the life to come. Men that differ about Bishops, and ceremonies, and forms of prayer, may be all true Christians, and dear to one ano∣ther and to Christ, if they be practically agreed in the life of godliness, and joyn in a holy hea∣venly conversation. But if you

agree in all your opinions and formalities, and yet were never sanctified by the truth, you do but agree to delude your souls, and neither of you will be saved for all your agreement.

III. THE third sort to be spoken to, is those that let out their passion in hard speeches, against superiours or others that they think do wrong or persecute them on a Religious account. At this time I will sup∣pose the injury be real, and the complaint be just; It yet beseems not Christians to revile.

1. Consider, how contrary this is to the example of our Lord. And that he left us his example in this particular, with a special re∣commendation for our imitation. When he was falsly accused, and the high Priest urged him to an∣swer

for himself, Matth. 26. 62, 63. he was silent, to shew that he could bear a false accusation, with∣out so much as vindicating his in∣nocency by a just defence. O learn both the lesson and motives re∣commended to you, 1 Pet. 2. 18. to the end. [Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully: For what glory is it if when ye are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us; leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again: When he suffered, he threat∣ned

not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.] Here is the description of your duty, and your example. Are you used worse then Christ was used? [Isa. 53. 7, 8▪ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his sh••arers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.] And if you will come to him and be his Disciples, you must [Learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart, that you may find rest unto your souls] Matth. 11. 28, 29.

2. Consider, as our Kingdom is not of this World, so we are not to strive for worldly preheminence, nor with carnal weapons, but must know that our greatness here is in being the least, and our digni∣ty in being the servants of all; and our gain is by our loss, and our honour by evil reports, and by

disgrace, and our advancement by our debasement, and our prefer∣ment by being kept from worldly honour, and our joy by sorrow, and our exaltation by humiliation: And therefore it is contrary to our state of faith, to murmur at them that deprive us of the pleasures of sense, or the ease and priviledges of the flesh. Mark the description of Christianity in the Gospel, and see how much of it consisteth in contempt of the esteem and honours of the world, and of all the accommodations and pleasures of the flesh, because of the expectation of the unseen eternal pleasures; and in the for∣saking all, and taking up our crosse and following a crucified Christ: and in patience, and meekness, and forbearing and forgiving: and rather then seek either verbal or actual revenge, to give the cloak also to him that

takes away our coat, and turn the other cheek to him that smi∣teth us. Unmortified passion, and untamed nature, will not give some men leave to understand these passages of Christ; but they search for some such figure to expound them by, as shall annihilate the plain and proper sense. Self-love so blindeth men, that when they read these Gospel precepts, they feel not their consciences touched and bound by them; but they read them as if they read them not, and retain no more, then if it were non-sense which they read. Had the commands aforesaid (of patience, forbearing and for∣giving) but as much force and efficacy upon the souls of most professours, as the command∣ments have that are against swear∣ing, and cursing, and drunkenness, and fornication, we should have much better maintained our inno∣cency,

and our peace, and have more honoured our profession, by shewing the world Christianity exemplified, in its proper genuine nature and effects.

3. Consider, it is not oppressi∣on, persecution, or hard usage that will exempt us from the ob∣ligation of the fifth Command∣ment, which requireth us to ho∣nour our superiours, (our Natural, and Civil, and Ecclesiastical Fa∣thers.) It is the evil and froward, and not only the good & the gentle that we must honour and obey. And the reason is plain from their Original and end. It is not as our Trustees, or agents, or friends only, that our rulers must be honoured: but as the Officers of the God of heaven: nor is it only as they do good to us: but as they preserve order and justice in the world, and are the pillars of the Com∣monwealth. If Magistrates should

deal never so hardly with you and me; yet still their office is of necessi∣ty to the common good: And if their office be necessary, their honour is necessary: I or when they are dis∣honoured and despised, they are disabled. And therefore for the common good we must be careful to keep up the honour of our Go∣vernours, even when we suffer by them our selves. Princes were none of the best when the Apo∣stles commanded the Churches to honour them, and obey them, and this not only for fear of their pe∣nalties, but for conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5. O•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it was ••hey that walkt after the flesh, in the l••st of uncleanness, that were presumptu∣ous and self-willed, and despised Government, and were not afraid to speak evil of dignities: whereas the Angels that are greater in power and might, bring not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 accu∣sations▪ against them before the

Lord] 2 Peter 2. 10, 11. Jude 8. 9.

4. Consider, that reviling is a tongue-revenge: and revenge is Gods, and he is engaged to repay, and hath commanded us not to avenge our selves. As we must not step into the Judges tribunal when ever we think he is negligent in his administrations; so much less must we accuse God of negli∣gence or injustice, by stepping into his throne. And though the Railers of these times, excuse their sin with the name of Justice, they must shew their Commissions for the executing of that Justice, be∣fore it will pass in heaven for an excuse. Is not God severe enough? will not his judgement be terrible enough? would you wish men to suffer more then he will inflict on the impenitent? what! more then hell? and will it not be soon enough? are you so hasty for so

dreadful a revenge, can you not stay when the Judge is at the door? Mark both the usage and remedy of believers, in Jam. 5. 5, 6, 7, 8. To the rich and great ones of the world he saith [Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.] There's your usage. [Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord] There's the remedy. But must we stay so long? he thus re∣peateth his advice. [Be ye also pa∣tient: stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.] Let your moderation be known to all men: the Lord is at hand] Phil. 4. 5. [Shall not God avenge his own elect, that cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily] Luke 18. 7, 8. There's

no contradiction between crying long and avenging speedily.

5. Consider, what compassion, rather then reproach, you owe to those by whom you suffer. They do themselves much more hurt then they do you. Are they great? they have the more to answer for, and their fall will be the greater, Jam. 5. 1, 2, 3. If you are your selves believers, go into the San∣ctuary, and ask the Scriptures what will be their end? and then deny them compassion if you can. Alas, consider, they are at the worst, but such as you were formerly your selves, as to the main. Paul makes a sad confession of his own persecution of the Church, when he was before Agrippa, and doth not complain that he was himself so hardly used. [I verily thought, saith he, with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus.—〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the

Saints I shut up in prison (little thinking that they were Saints) I gave my voice against them. I punished them oft in every Syna∣gogue. —And being exceed∣ingly mad against them, I perse∣cuted them.—Acts 26. 9, 10, 11, 12. He would not tell Agrippa that he was mad, but he might speak more freely of himself. O sirs, pitty poor men that have the temptations of worldly greatness and prosperity, and must go through a Camels eye if they will come to heaven: who stand so high that sun and wind have the greatest force upon them; Who see so much vanity, and little se∣rious exemplary piety: who hear so much flattery and falshood, and so little necessary truth, saith Seneca, [Divites cum omnia habe∣ant, unum illis deest; scilicet, qui verum dicat: si enim in client••••am falicis hominis potentumque per∣veneris

veneris, aut veritas, aut amicitia perdenda est.] If you were in their places, you know not how far you might be prevailed against your selves. If little temptations can make you miscarry in your places so oft and foully as you do, what would you do if you had the strongest baits of the world, and allurements of the flesh, and the most dangerous temptations that Satan could assault you with? Have you not seen of late before your eyes, how low some have fallen from high professions, and how shamefully the most pro∣mising persons have miscarried, tha were lifted up, and put to the tryal of such temptations of pro∣sperity, as they had never been used to before? O pitty those that have such dangerous tryals to pass through, and be thankful that you stand on safer ground; and do not cruelty envy them their

perils, nor reproach them for their falls, but pray, and daily pray for their recovery.

6. Consider, this speaking evil of those by whom you suffer, hath too much of selfishness and cor∣rupted nature in it, to be good. If another suffered as you do, and you were advanced as another is, would you not speak more mildly then? Or if not so, yet the proneness of nature to break out into reviling words, though it were for Religi∣on and for God, doth intimate to you that it hath a suspicious root. Do you find it as easie to be meek and patient, and forgive a wrong, and love an enemy? Take heed lest you serve Satan in vindicating the cause of God. Its an unfit way of serving God, to do it by breaking his Commands. Read seriously the description of a con∣tentious, hurtful, soul-tongued zeal, in Jam. 3. and then tell me

what thanks Christ will give you for it. The two great Disci∣ples James and John thought it would have notably honoured Christ, and curbed the raging Spirit of the ungodly, if he would have let them call for fire from heaven, to consume a Town that refused to receive him. But doth Christ encourage their destroying zeal? No: but he tells them, Ye know not what spirit ye are of.] They little knew how unlike to the tender merciful healing Spirit of Christ, that fiery hurting spirit was, that provoked them to that desire! nor how unpleasing their temper was to Christ. This is the very case of many thousand Chri∣stians, that are yet young, and green, and harsh, and have not attained to that mellowness, and sweetness, and measure of chari∣ty, that is in grown experienced Christians. They think their pas∣sions,

and desires of some plagues on the contemners of the Gospel, are acceptable to God, (and blame the charitable as too cold:) when they little know what spirit it is that raiseth that storm in them, and how unlike, and unacceptable it is to Christ. Were you as zea∣lous to serve all others in love, and to stoop to their feet for their salvation, and to become all things (lawful) to all men, that you may win some, this saving zeal would be pleasing to your Lord, who comes to do the work of a Physi∣cian, and not of the Souldier, to save and not to destroy, and there∣fore most approves of those that serve him most diligently in his saving work.

7. Lastly, consider your passi∣ons and evil speakings will but increase your suffering, and make it seem just, if otherwise it were unjust. If you are not meek, you

have not the promise of inheriting the earth, Matth. 5. 5 If you honour not your Parents or su∣periours, you have not the promise that your daies shall be long in the land. And your evil speaking will make men conclude, that you would do evil if you could and durst. As its said to be Zoilus answer when he was askt, why he spoke evil of Plato and such wor∣thy men [Quoniam malum facere cum velim non passum] Because I would do them hurt and cannot] Give not occasion for such a charge.

[Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another: love as brethren: be pittiful: be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing; for he that will love life and see good daies, let him

refrain his tongue from evil,— 1 Pet. 3. 8, 9, 10, 11. But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terrour, nor be troubled, ver. 14.

But I suppose you will here say, Is it not lawful to call a spade a spade? Is not a wo against them that call evil good? may not a man speak of the hurtful crimes of others? I answer. 1. Yes, when as a Ma∣gistrate, a Minister, or a brother, you have a just call to tell them of it lovingly, though plainly, to their faces, in order to their recovery. 2. And when you have a just call to speak of it to others, either in seeking justice, or in charity and mercy, for the preservation of those that else will be more hurt by the silencing of mens faults, then you do hurt by mentioning them.

But, 1. You may not slander men as guilty of what indeed they are not.

2. You may not make mens faults seem worse then they are.

3. You must endeavour the good of the person as much as you can, while you blame the sin.

4. You must not mention mens faults without a call: unless the good of himself or others do re∣quire it.

5. You must not do it with a revengesul mind, for personal in∣juries.

6. You must manifest love and compassion in all.

7. You must difference between raigning sins, and humane frailties: and between a course of sin, and an unusual fall: and between a sin re∣pented of, and not repented of: and must censure but as you find God censure in his Word.

8. You must be more ready to speak of the good that is in the same men as you have a call, then

of the evil: and not maliciously stick only in the galled place.

9. Let it be as far as may be to his face.

10. Let it be according to the common rule of equity. [Do as you would be done by.] Not mea∣suring out duty to others, by a corrupt impatience of bearing such your selves: but speaking nothing for matter or manner to another, which you would think unmeet to be spoken to you, if you were in his case.

11. And especially be tender of the honour of superiours, yea though they were evil, and do you wrong.

12. And foresee the conse∣quents, whether your words are not like to do more hurt then good.

And if still you think that suffer∣ings will justifie reviling, contume∣lious complaints, consider these two causes of your mistake.

1. You make a Great matter of a Little one. As there is not so great good in the prosperity of the flesh, as worldlings think; so nei∣ther is there so great evil in the loss of it: what great harm is poverty, imprisonment, reproach or death? Nay, you have a pro∣mise that all shall work together for your good, Rom. 8. 28.

2. You make a strange matter of that which is the ordinary condition of believers: To be hated of all men; to have all manner of evil spoken falsly of you: to be per∣secuted from one City to another: to be killed all the day long, and counted as sheep to the slaughter. Do these seem strange matters to you? did you never read or hear the Gospel? nor know the terms of Christ till now? did you never read of forsaking all for Christ, if indeed you would be his Disciples? did you never count what it must

cost you to be saved? did you not renounce the world and the flesh in your Baptismal (oft renewed Covenant,) 1 Pet. 4. 11, 12. Be∣loved, think it not strange con∣cerning the fiery tryal, as if some strange thing happened to you: But rejoyce, in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings.] And will you think so strange of smaller matters, as to think they excuse your impatience, and evil speeches?

BY this time you may see, if you are willing to see, that all among us that are not real Saints, are Hypocrites, if they profess themselves Christians and the ser∣vants of God: and that miserable ungodly souls, that call such Hypo∣crites as are more diligent then themselves for their salvation, do but discover their ignorance and

malignity, and condemn themselves in bewraying their hypocrisie, while they reproach the practice of the same Christian Religion, which themselves profess; and the obedience to that Scripture, which they confess themselves to be the Word of God. All the prophane, and unsanctified among us, that call themselves Christians, are certainly Hypocrites. And for the godly, it is the very same Religion, that is profest by them and you: It is the same engage∣ment and Vow that you all made to God in baptism: And suffer but reason impartially to tell you, when two men have entred the same Covenant, and one never mindeth it so as to keep it; and the other makes it his chiefest care; which of these is liker to be the dissembler in his Covenant? When two men profess themselves the servants of God, and such as place

their hopes in heaven, and one of them makes a jeast of sin, and serveth the flesh and the world which he hath renounced, and hates those that diligently serve the Lord; and the other maketh it the principal care and business of his life to serve and please him, insomuch as he is reproached for it, as making more ado about it then needs; which of these are Hypocrites, and which are serious, in the performing of their Cove∣nants, and living according to their profession? If two servants promise to do your work, and one labour as hard as he can, and the other sit down and deride him for making so much ado, which was it that plaid the Hypocrite in his promise? If diligence in Gods service be a sign of hypocrisie, then promise-keeping is hypocri∣sie, and promise-breaking is since∣rity; And then you may transfer

the case to God (who will be the rewarder of them only that dili∣gently seek him, Heb. 11. 6.) and say that it is his faithfulness to break his promises, and his un∣faithfulness to keep them. But who will spend words on such im∣pious absurdities? so gross, that the Devil would have shewed him∣self a fool to vent them, if he had not made his followers such fools as to believe them. But for the faithful servants of the Lord, let them know, that they must serve him on such terms: They must live above the judgement and reputation of this world; and be content that God the searcher of hearts shall be their Judge, who knoweth both sincerity and hy∣pocrisie; and will bring forth their righteousness as the light. Christians, you must not only be sincere▪ but also patiently expect to be accounted hypocrites, and point∣ed

at as the only dissemblers of the world: You must not only be honest, but patiently expect to be accounted dishonest: you must not only bewise and sober, but patient∣ly expect to be accounted fools and mad men. You must not only be liberal, charitable, and contemners of the world, but patiently expect to be called covetous, even though you give away all that you have. You must not only be chaste and temperate; but also patiently ex∣pect to be defamed as incontinent and licentious, and as Christ was called, a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners. A Minister must not only lay out himself wholly for the saving of mens souls, and spend himself and all that he hath on his Masters work; but also patiently expect to be ac∣counted unfaithful, cove••ous, and negligent, and murmured at by almost all whose unreasonable de∣sires

he doth not answer, and be censured by almost all, whose wills and humours he doth not fulfill; and that is, most, that have a self that ruleth at home, and therefore they think should be the Idol of others, as it is their own: and that are but unacquainted with the reasons of those things that do displease them. Its little comfort to us to do good, if we cannot bear the estimation of doing evil, and cannot lose all the observation, acknowledgement and applause of man, as if we had never done the good at all. It is far from Christi∣an perfection to be honest, and god∣ly, and sincere, if we must needs be accounted to be as we are, and cannot patiently be esteemed dis∣honest, ungodly, and hypocritical; and be judged worst, when we are best; what have the servants of Christ lost their lives for in flames, and by other sorts of torments, but

for the best of their service, and greatest of their piety and fidelity? When dogs bark at passengers, commonly it signifieth but two things, viz. that they are persons that they know not, or that they hate: but it is no sign that the persons are bad, or poor, or sick: For be they never so bad and mi∣serable, if they know them, and love them▪ the dogs will not bark at them. See that thou be not an Hypocrite, and then it must be accounted a small matter by thee, to be called an Hypocrite: yea if persons that fear God themselves shall so esteem thee, it is no other affliction but what thou must be armed for, and patiently undergo. Even from the godly through mistake, we oft suffer most for our greatest duties, and are censured most for that which God and con∣science most approve us for; and lose our reputations for that

which God would be greatly offended with us if we did other∣wise. As ever then you would not prove your selves Hypocrites, see that you look not for the Hypo∣crites reward, as Christ calls it, Matth. 6. 2. which is, to be ap∣proved of men; be they good or bad men, their overvalued ap∣plause may be but the Hypocrites reward. To be content and pa∣tient in doing well, and being judged to do ill; and in being good, and being judged to be bad, is the property of him that is sincere in∣deed: therefore to be unthankfully requited, and reviled, and spit upon, and buffeted, and shame∣fully used and put to death, even by those whose lives and souls he had with greatest care and conde∣scension, pittied, this was the pat∣tern of love and self-denyal that was set us by our Lord. And though we cannot reach his mea∣sure,

and distempered Christians find much strugling before they can bring themselves to patience, under such ingratitude and un∣worthy usage from the world, especially from their mistaken fro∣ward brethren, yet in some pre∣vailing measure, it must be done. For he that cannot serve God without the Hypocrites reward, is but an Hypocrite. If he will not be a Christian, obedient, chari∣table, diligent, faithful, for heaven and the pleasing of God alone, he is not a Christian indeed. And, alas, what a pittiful reward is it, to be thought well of, and ap∣plauded by the tongues of mortal men? How few, were ever the more holy by applause? but thou∣sands have been hurt, if not undone by it. Thou givest all thou hast to the poor: thou spendest thy self wholly, and all that thou hast for the service of God, and the

good of others: Its well: it must be so. But after all thou art censured, slandered, vilified and unthankfully, and unmannerly used. And what of that! what harm dost thou fear by it? what advantage thy pride and selfishness might have taken, even by due applause and thankfulness, its easie to perceive: But now, the tempta∣tion is taken out of thy way: thou art secluded from all creature-comforts; and so art directed and almost forced to look up to the love of God alone: Now thou hast no other reward before thee, its easier to look singly on the Saints reward. When God hath no competitour, to whom else then canst thou turn thy thoughts? when all others abuse thee, it is easiest to have recourse to him. When earth will scarce afford thee any quiet habitation, thou'lt surely look to heaven for rest.

Thus much I thought meet to interpose here for the confirmati∣on of the sincere, on occasion of the worlds unjust accusations; and so to perswade them to be satisfied in the portion of the sincere. I now return again to the self-deceiver.

ANd here I shall conclude all with these two requests to you, which as one that foreseeth the approaching misery of self-deceivers, I earnestly intreat you, for the sake of your immortal souls, that you will not deny me. The first is, that you will be now but as willing to try your selves, as I have been to help you; and as diligent and faithful when you are alone, in calling your own hearts to a close examination, as I have been to hold the light here to you. O refuse not; delay not, to with∣draw

your selves sometimes from the world, and set your selves as before the eye of God, and there bethink your selves whether you have been what you have vowed and profest to be! and whether that God hath been dearest to your hearts, and obeyed in your lives, and desired as your happi∣ness, who hath been confessed and honoured with your lips? Consi∣der there, that God judgeth not as man; nor will he think ever the better of you, for thinking well of your selves: and that there must go more to prove your approbati∣on with God, then commonly goes to keep up your reputation in the world. The Religion that serveth to honour you before men, and to deceive your selves, will never serve to please the Lord and save your souls. And the day is at hand when nothing but God can give you comfort, and when

self-deceivers will become ever∣lastingly self-tormentors. O there∣fore go willingly and presently to the Word, to your lives, and hearts, and consciences, and try your selves, and try again, and that with moderate suspicion, that in so great a business you may not be deceived, and be self-deceivers.

2. My second request is, that if you do discover, or but justly su∣spect your selves of hypocrisie and self-deceit, you would stick there no longer, but presently change your vain Religion, your seemings and formalities, for the power of godliness, and sincerity of heart.

But I suppose that some of you will say, There lies the difficulty. O that we could do it? But how should it be done?

I answer; If thou be really willing to be above Hypocrisie, and a vain Religion, the cure is half wrought at least. And I will

not tire thee now with many, but help and try thee by these few directions.

In general; Be but what thou hast promised and vowed to be in thy Baptism, and what thou still dost profess to be as a Christian, and it will serve the turn: what that is, I have told you before.

More particularly. Direct. 1. De∣liberately renew thy Covenant with God: and with a grieved heart, bewailing that thou hast been a Covenant-breaker, give up thy self presently to God the Fa∣ther, Son and Holy Ghost, as thy Creatour, Redeemer, and Sancti∣fier, thy Owner, thy Ruler, and thy Father.

2. Renounce sincerely the De∣vil, the World, and the Flesh, and be at a point with all below; and quit all conceits and hopes of feli∣city or rest on earth: And abso∣lutely devote and resign thy self,

and all thou hast to the will and service of thy Lord, without any secret exceptions or reserves. This is the property and plague of Hy∣pocrites, that secretly they have exceptions and reserves in giving up themselves to God. They will follow him, except it would dis∣grace them or undo them in the world: he shall have all, provided the flesh may not be too much pinched: that is, in plain English, they take him not for God, but for a second to themselves and the world, and will give him but what the flesh can spare.

3. Fix the eye of a lively faith upon God and upon the everlast∣ing joyes, and there take up thy whole reward, and look for no other. Quit all expectations of a reward from men. Let it seem a small thing to thee, what any mortal man shall think or speak of thee; unless as Gods honour or

interest is concerned in thine. I have told you before, that he is an Hypocrite that will not be god∣ly without the Hypocrites reward; and that can sail no further then he is moved by the wind of mans applause, or of some other worldly end.

4. Stick not in any externals of Religion, nor in notions and bar∣ren uneffectual opinions. So far art thou Religious, as thy soul is engaged unto God, and thy life imployed for him: And so far thou dost truly worship him as thy heart is drawn up to him in love, and as thou dost fear him, admire him, trust him, and take thy pleasure in him. Think not, that it is a saving Religiousness, to be of such or such an opinion, or such a party, or such a Church, or to say over so many words of prayer, or to keep a task of out∣ward duties; or to be of a ready

voluble tongue, in Preaching, Prayer or Discourse. Religion lyeth in the Heart and Life.

5. Indulge not thy self in one known sin. Retain no gross or will∣full sin: Plead for no Infirmity, but make it the business of thy life to extirpate the relicts of the body of death. Be willing of the most searching Word, and of the plain∣est reproof, and of all the help thou canst get against so dangerous an enemy.

6. Stint not thy self in any low degrees of holiness; but love, and long, and strive after the highest. If thou bear a secret core of distast against those that outgo thee, it is a mortal sign. Thou must be per∣fect in desire, or thou art not sincere.

7. Walk alwaies as in the pre∣sence of the holy, dreadful, heart-searching God: Remember that he seeth thy ends, thine affections,

and all thy thoughts. Be the same therefore in secret as thou art in publike, sincerely search the Word of God, and know what it is that he would have, and that resolve on, if all the world should be against it. Unresolvedness is hypocrisie: and temporizing or following the greater side, for the security of the flesh, is no better. Never think thou canst be too holy, or too obedient. But make it thy study to do God all the ser∣vice that thou canst, whatever suffering or cost it put thee to. Be not ashamed openly to own the cause of Christ. In the presence of the greatest, remember that thy master is so much greater, that they are worms and vanity to him. Take heed of culling out the easie and cheap part of Religion, and laying by the difficult and dear. Thy Religion must be as the heart in thy breast, which is alwaies

working, and by which thou livest; which cannot stop long, but thou wilt die. But the Hypocrites Re∣ligion is like the H••t upon his head, for ornament and shelter from the weather, and not for life: in the night when none seeth him he can lye without it; and in the day he can put it off for the sake of a friend, and perhaps stand bare in the presence of a greater person that expecteth it. So can the Hypocrite too oft dispense with his Religion.

8. Be hearty and serious in all thou dost. Hear, and read, and pray as for thy life. Sincerity consisteth much in seriousness. Re∣member thou art almost at ano∣ther world! while I am speaking and thou art hearing, we are both hasting to our endless state. O how should men live on earth, that must live here for so short a time, and must live for ever in heaven or

hell: These things are true, and past all question: and therefore for your fouls sake lose not heaven by trifling. Pray not in jeast, and serve not God in jeast, and resist not sin in jeast, least you be damned in good sadness. When you are at work for eternity, its time to do it with all your might. O what unconceivable mercies are now offered you! O what an excellent price is in your hands! and no∣thing is so likely to deprive you of the benefit, as dreaming and dally∣ing, when you should be up and doing; as if this were not your business, but your play; and sal∣vation and damnation were mat∣ters of sport. O do but set your selves to the pleasing of God, and the saving of your souls with all your might, and ply it with dili∣gence as your chiefest work, and then you are out of the danger of the Hypocrite. But if still you

will give the world the prehemi∣nence, and your flesh must be pleased, and your prosperity se∣cured, and God must have but complements, or the leavings, your misery is at hand, and vengeance shall undeceive those hearts that would not be undeceived by the Word. And you shall remember to the increase of your anguish, that you were told this day, that your seeming trifling Religion would prove vain. But I beseech you, as you are men, as you love your souls, dismiss us with some better hopes; and now resolve to be downright Christians. Which as I have begged of you, I shall now beg of God.