Thirdly, A man is naturaly carnal in religious Ordinances. Because he is apt to
put trust in them, to think he merits at Gods hands, or maketh satisfaction for his
••ispasses. This is not to be spiritual, but carnal; We have low, carnal appre∣hensions
of God. when we think that by our righteousnesse, though it were ten
thousand times more perfect than it is, that we are able to profit God therewith.
Thus those false Teachers with their followers, they are said to make a fair shew
in the flesh, Gal 6. 12. and Phil. 3. 3. to have confidence in the flesh; To worship
God in the Spirit, and to have no confidence in the flesh, are two opposite things;
Now by flesh there is meant circumcision, and all other Church-priviledges,
which Paul did eminently enjoy, and while a Pharisee, he wholly rested in them,
but when once the sonne of God was revealed to him, then he renounced all con∣fidence
in these things, judging himself to be only carnal in them; But now little
was Paul, while a Pharisee, and so exactly diligent in the discharge of them,
perswaded that all he did was rejected by God, that he abhorred all, that he was
only carnal in those things? It is therefore of great consquence to be spiritual in
the particular, for this is a secret sweet poison, that is apt to undo us; Therefore
the Particular, the formal the devout man, who is ignorant of Regeneration,
while he abhorreth all bodily flesh-sinnes, he may be highly guilty of soul flesh
sinnes: So that there is little cause for a Pharisee to boast, saying, He was not a
prophane grosse sinner like a Publican, he did not wallow in bodily sinnes of the
flesh, for he was dangerously diseased with soul sinnes; The flesh there made
him abominable in the eyes of God, for that which they did so highly exalt, it
was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 before God; What an heavy and sad deceit will this prove, when
thou shal•• find that wherein thou blessest thy self, and applaudest thy self in, will
be thy condemnation, as Christ told the Pharisees, Moses in whom ye trust, he
will condemn you? Oh that this Truth might be like a sword piercing into the se∣crets
of your heart! How wilt thou be overwhelmed, when that which thou ho∣pest
will save thee, that will damn thee? There is a carnal Religion, there is a
fleshly devotion, in which men putting their confidence, may thereby be con∣demned,
as well as by grosse prophanenesse: Certainly this confidence in what
religious duties we perform (as some at the last day will plead, Have not we pro∣phesied,
and wrought miracles in thy Name?) doth insensibly and incurably
damn the greatest part of formal Christians, and it is very hard to make them di∣scern
or judge themselves carnal in this, To trust in the arm of flesh, they will ac∣knowledge
quickly to be a sinne, but to trust, and rest in the holy duties
they have performed, out of this sinne no sonnes of Boanerges can awaken
them.
Fourthly, A man is naturally carnal in all his religious performances, Because
when he d••h them, it is not out of any love to God, to exalt and honour him,
but out of love to himself, thinking thereby to avei•• some judgement or other.
It is true, we deny not but it's lawfull to serve God, to be humbled for sinne with
respect to our own good, that we may escape temporal evil, but yet we are not
to do it principally and chiefly for this, we are not to uti Deo, and frui Creatu∣ris,
to enjoy the creatures for themselves, as the utmost end, and make use of
God only for our outward help, as John 6. 26. our Saviour told the multitude
that followed him, That they did seek him only because they did eat of the loaves
and were siled: This is a fundamental principle of flesh in every man by nature
not to love himself subordinately to God, but God subordinately to himself,
which is a sinne of a very high nature, and immediately opposing the great ma∣jesty
of God; They worship God upon no other reason, then what some Hea∣thens
did sacrifice to the Devils, Tantùm ne noceant, That they might do them
no hurt: I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not then out of any love to God, or desire to magnifie him, but
wholly for their own ends; and hence it is, that they alter, and change the wor∣ship
and wayes of God, as they please, and as it serveth for any political interest,