The Covenant of Grace, Chapter 10

The Covenant of Grace · Chapter 10

p. 170CHAP. X.

Of uprightnesse and of the worshipping of God in holinesse before him.

THe second property of our new obedience is uprightnes, signified in these words foreign before him. Whereby is p. 171meant, that we are to serve God in holines and righteousnes, not as before men in eye-services as men-pleasers; but as before God, in sincerity and truth. And so the Lord himselfe seemeth to expound this phrase Gen. 17. 1. I am God all-sufficient, walke before me, and be upright. For to walke before God, or to walke with God (both which phrases are used in the Scriptures, sometimes joyntly, as 1 Kings 3. 6. somtimes severally with God, as did Henoch, Gen. 5. 22. 24. and Noah, Gen. 6. 9. and as we are required to doe, Mich. 6. 8. before God, Es. 57. 2. as did Abraham, Gen. 24. 40. and Isaa… Gen, 48. 15. David▪ Ps. 116. 9. Iotham, who prepared his wayes before the Lord, 2 Chro. 27. 6.) it is to behave our selves as in the sight and presence of God, setting God before our eyes, admitting him to be the beholder, witnes, and judge of our actions; that is, to demeane our selves uprightly. And this property is required, not onelyonly in the duties of piety, which we performe directly to God; but also in the duties of righteousnes, which we owe unto men: for so it is here said, that we should worship him in holines and righteousnes before him; in which two, being sincere and upright, the image of God renewed in us doth consist, p. 172Eph. 4. 24. in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth, that is in true, sincere, upright, and unfained righteousnesse and holinesse. But first we are to speak of worshipping GOD in holinesse before him, or of uprightnesse, as it hath relation to GOD. In which sence it is opposed to hypocrisie, and so what is upright, is said to be foreign, without hypocrisie, or unfained.

What uprightnesse is] Now what this uprightnes is, we may gather by those divers words and phrases, whereby it is expressed, both in the Old Test. and in the New.

As first, by the word josher (Psal. 25. 21.) which signifieth uprightnesse, and jashar, which signifieth right or upright, as Psal. 37. 37. Iob. 1. 1, 8. 2, 3. but more plainly and fully, when it is joyned with some other word, as right in heart, signifying the inward disposition; or right in the way, signifying the conversation. For so the upright are called recti…orde, right or upright in heart, as Psal. 7. 10. 32. 14. 36. 10. 64. 10. 94. 15. 94. 15. 125. 4. and uprightnesse rectitudo cordis, 1 King. 3. 6. Psal. 119. 7. they are also called recti via Psal. 37. 14. upright of way, Psal. 119. 1. or perfecti via, ambulans integer. [Integer vitae Horat.] Psal. 15. 2. whose way is uprightnesse. Es. 26. 7. their way being made straighy by God. Both p. 173which do concurre in the upright, for he is properly integer, who is both outwardly straight, that is rectus via and inwardly sound, that is rectus corde. Both must con…urre, 2 Chron. 25. 2.

2. By the word Emeth which signifieth truth, for as there is truth in words, opposed to lying, so also in deeds, opposed to dissembling and hypocrsie, which is uprightnesse, as Io…. 24. 14. Psal. 51. 6. Es. 8. 3. Psal. 145. 18. and as there is a saying, …2 Chron. 31. 20.) so also a doing of the ruth. Ioh. 3. 21. 1 Ioh. 1. 6. and walking … truth, 2 Joh. 4. and 3 John 3. hence to walk uprightly, is to walk before God in …ruth. 1 King. 2. 4. and 1 King. 3. 6. in …ruth and righteousnesse and uprightnesse of heart, 2 King. 20. 3. in truth with a perfect heart, and to worship God uprightly, is to worship him in Spirit and in truth, Joh. 4. 23, 24. or as Samuel exhorteth, in truth with all our hearts, 1 Sam. 12. 24.

3. The most usuall word to signifie, either the upright is Tham or Thamim, which commonly is translated perfect, as Gen. 17. 1. Deut. 18. 13. Psal. 15. 2. 37. 37. 119. 1. … uprightnesse, is Thom or thamim, which …sually is translated perfection, whereby …ot legall perfection is meant (which is …bsolute and compleat, not only in respect p. 174of the parts, but also of degrees) but evangelicall, according to the covenant of grace; which is nothing else) the Lord (2 Cor. 8. 18. Gen. 22. 16. 2 Sam. 7. 2. &c.) accepting in his children the will for the deed) but integrity or uprightnesse; and is so expounded Psal. 25. 21. Ios. 24. 14. Iob. 1. 1. 8. 2, 3. Psal. 37. 37. For very many in the Scriptures have this perfection attributed to them, who notwithstanding had their imperfections, as Noah, Gen. 6. 9. Job. 1. 1. 8. 2, 3. Iacob, Gen. 25, 27. &c. Of Asa it is said 2 Chron. 15. 17. that his heart was perfect all his dayes: and yet in the next Chapter there are recorded three foul sinnes which he committed, 2 Chron. 16. 7. 10. 12.

4. By the word Shalem, which is the Greek is translaned, sometimes foreign perfect, sometimes foreign, and sometimes foreign ful or compleat exampls of the first, 1 King. 8. 61. 11. 4. 15. 3. 14. 2 King. 20. 3. 1 Chron. 28. 9. 2. Chro. 15 12. of the second Es. 38. 3.

Of the last 1 Chron. 29 9. 16. 9. 19. 9. 25. 2. And in this sence, they that are upright are said to have fulfilled after the Lord, that is fully or entirely to have followed him, Num. 14. 24. 32. 11. 12. Deut. 1 36. Ios. 14. 8. 9. 14. as contrariwise of p. 175those who are not upright, but have a name that they live, and yet are dead; it is said that their works are not foreign full or perfec before God. Apoc. 3. 2, 3. but dimidiata, worshipping and obeying God by the halfes not fulfilling after him, Num. 3…. 11.

5. By the whole heart, being not legally, but evangel cally understood, as when duties are to be performed with the whole heart, or with all the heart, and with all the soule, as Deut. 4. 29. 26 6 30 2. 1 Sam. 12 24 2 Kings 23 3 Psal 1 9 2. 10. 34. (9. I…el 2 12 which being legally understood, import a greater perfection, then is incident to any man since the fall: but being evangeli…ally understood according to the covenant of grace, nothing else is meant thereby, but that they are to be performed with an entire or upright heart, or as David speaketh, Psal. 119. 7. with uprightnesse of heart.

6. Not with an heart, and an heart (after the manner of hypocrites, who are foreign Iam. 1. 8. 4. 8) Psal. 12. 2. 1 Chro. 12. 33. 38.

7. Without guile, that is hypocrisie, Psal. 17. 1. 32. 2.

8. As the upright are called recti corde, so also puri corde, pure in heart, Psal. 24. 4. 73. 1.

p. 176Whereby is not meant, that they are wholly pure of free from sinne: for who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sinne? Prov. 20. 9. or if an … shall say so, in him there is no truth, … Ioh. 1. 8. But they are pure in heart, who are sincere and upright, purified from the leaven of hypocrisie, Iam. 4. 8. in whose heart there is no guile, Psal. 32. 2. who being indued with faith unfained, which purifieth their hearts, Act. 15. 9. as the instrument apprehending the blood of CHRIST, which doth purge our hearts from sinne, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and purifieth our conciences from dead works to serve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. and being also indued with this hope, that they shall be like unto Christ in glory, will (1 Ioh. 3. 3,) purifie themselves even as he is pure. But this is puritas inchoata, not perfecta.

In the new Testament uprightnesse is expressed sometimes by this phrase foreign before God, as not only in this, but also in other places, where we are taught to speak, as before God in Christ, 2 Cor. 12. 19. to preach, as before God in Christ, 2 Cor. 2. 17. commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 4. 2. and to take care for the people of God, as in his sight, 2 Cor. p. 1777. 12. to heare as before God, Act. 10. 33. Thus▪ both those persons which be upright, are siad to be righteous before God, Luke 1. 6. and those hypocrites, whose heart is not right before God, Act. 8. 21. and those actions and duties, which are upright, are said to be acceptable, pleasing and unproveable before God, 1 Tim 2. 3. 5. 4. Heb. 13. 21. 1 Ioh. 3. 22. Col. 1. 22.

2. Sometimes by the word truth, Iohn 4. …3. 4. 1 Cor. 5. 8. 1 Iohn, 3. 18. Phil. 1. 18. …ph. 4. 24. hence an upright heart is called foreign a true heart. Heb. 10. 22.

3. Sometimes by the word foreign that is sincerity as 1 Cor. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 2. 17. and 2 Cor. 1. 12. where it is called the sincerity of God, that is, godly sincerity▪ for that is foreign which is sincere, or without mixture, as bread without leaven, 1 Cor. 5. 8. without the leaven of the Pharisies, which is hypocrisie, Luk. 12. …. or as hony without wax (as the word sincere doth signify) or as Hesychius expoundeth it foreign, pare, sincere, or without deceipt, land true. This sincerity the Lord required of the Israelites, by forbidding divers sorts of mixture: as to plant their vineyards, or to …ow their fields with divers sorts, to plowe with an oxe and an asse together, to wear a garment of divers p. 178stuffes, as of woollen and linnen together, Deut. 22. 9. 10. 1…. Levit. 19. 19.

4. Sometimes the upright man is signified by the word foreign, which signifieth a sound, or an approved Christian; such as are not only hearers, but doers also of Gods word▪ who are not only in the Church visible, but also of the Church invisible, who are sheep in Christs flock…, and not goates; wheat in Gods floore, and not chaffe, corne in Gods field, and not tares; children in Gods family, and not bond-servants, Ioh. 8. 34, 35. and contrarywise, those who are hypocrits or vnsound Christians are called foreign (1 Cor. 9. 27. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8.) which doth not signify reprobate, as opposed to the elect; but reprovable, as opposite to foreign ▪ that is, approved. 1 Cor. 11. 19. there must be heresies, that those who are foreign sound and approved may be knowne, Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man who endureth temptation; for when by triall he shall be found foreign that is, a sound and approved Christian, he shall receive the crown of life. For temptations and trials, are foreign probations, by enduring and overcomming whereof the upright, or foreign (who have the priviledge of perseverance) are discerned and known▪ Sometimes the word is used with p. 179some addition, as foreign approved in CHRIST, that is an approved Christian, Rom. 16. …0. foreign approved of GOD, a Tim. 2. 15. for not he who commendeth himself is foreign, but he whom God commendeth 2 Cor. 10. 18. foreign, acceptable or well-pleasing to GOD, and approved of men, Rom. 14. 18.

5. …hat which is upright and sincere is somtimes signified by the word foreign, (for to be upright, is not to be an hypocrite) as Rom. …2. 9. 2 Cor. 6 6. 1 Pet. 1. 22 1 Tim 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Iam. 3. 17. and somtimes by the word foreign, 1 Pet. 2. …. sincere or without guil…, And they are said to be upright, in whose spirit there is n… guile, that is hypocrisie, Psal. 32. 2. true Israelites, in whom there is no guile, Ioh. 1. 48. for such fooles are hypocrite…, as that they (dancing, as it were, in a net) go about with their flattering words, and faire pretences to deceive …od Psal. 78. 36.

6 As in the old t…stament, so al…o in the new, the upright are called pure in heart, as Mat. 5. 8 and the upright heart is called a pure heart … Tim 1 5, …im 2. 2… 1 Pet 1. 22.

7. Lastly, to walk uprightly is foreign to go with a right foot Gal 2. 14. neither treading awry…y dissimul…tion n…r halting p. 180as the Israelites did betwixt God and Baal, 1. King. 18, nor declining to the right hand or to the left, Deut. 5. 32. 28. 14. 2 Chro. 34. 2. or as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12. 13. to make steight or right pathes to our feet, according to the exhortation of Solomon, Prov. 4. …6. as it is rendred by the 72. foreign, make right pathes to thy feet, and order right thy wayes, decline (v. 27.) not to the right hand nor to the left, and as he exhorteth, v. 25. let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-liddes look straight before thee, would you know then what it is to worship God in holinesse before him? it is to walk with God, or before God without hypocrisie, in sincerity and truth, with perfect, with pure, with our whole hearts, that is to say, with entire or upright hearts, walking in the way of religion and godlines with a right foot, looking right before us, declining neither to the right hand, nor to the left neither treading awry by dissimulation, nor halting down-right, either as neuters in religion, betwixt CHRIST and Anti-Christ, or as worldlings between GOD and Mammon; nor worshipping or obeying GOD by halves, but approving our selves to be foreign entire and sound Christians, p. 181to him that tryeth and searcheth the heart and the reynes, setting God alwayes before our eyes, and behaving our selves as in his sight and presence, doing that which is right in his sight.

Arguments to move us to integrity] Now that we may be moved to labour for this integrity and uprightnesse of heart, I will use the 3. usual arguments of commendation, viz. the excellency, the profit, and the necessity of it as it were a triple chaine.

1. The excellency of ir is such, that first it goeth under the name of perfection: and those thing, which are done (though with great weaknesse and much imperfection) with an upright hea…t, that is to say with a sincere desire, unfained purpose, and upright endeavour to please God, are accepted of God as done with a perfect heart.

2. Uprightnesse is the inward beauty of Christs spouse, in regard whereof, though she be outwardly despicable in the eyes of the world; yet she is glorious within, Psal. 45. 13. like to the Tabemacle, which was a type of the Church, which though outwardly covered with Rammes skinnes and Badgers skinnes Ex. 36. 19. which made but a homely shew; was neverthelesse p. 182most beautifull and glorious within Or as the spouse in the Canticles c. 1. 5. saith, I am black but comely; black without, as the tents of Kedar, who were scenitae having tents of sackcloth; comely within, as the hangings of Solomon within his house, as the lining thereof.

3. Integrity is of all things most pleasing to God, Psal. 51. 6. Behold, thou art delighted with truth in the inward parts, I know also my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightnesse, 1 Chron. 29. 17. Yea, I may say more, that to be upright, is not only pleasing to God, but also the pleasing of him, Prov 11. 20. the upright in the way are Gods delight. The Hebrew word▪ jashar which signifieth right, is translated foreign pleasing, and the verbe w…i…h signifieth to be right, signifieth also to please foreign & is often times so translated, as the noue, Exo 15. 6. Deut. 6. 18. 12 25. 13 18 21. 9. the verbe Iud. 14. 3. 7. the young woman of Timnah was right in Samsons eyes; that is, she pleased him well, so, 1 King 9. 12. 2 Chro. 30. 4 Ier. 18 4 Dan 4 24 but most plainly Num. 23. 27. perhaps it will seeme right in the eyes of God; that is, as we also translate it, peradventure it will p…ease God.

p. 183In like manner the phrase of walking with God or before God is every where by the 72. translated by the verbe foreign, that is, to please God. As Gen. 5. 2…. 24. where it is said, that Henock walked with God, they read, foreign, he pleased God: so Gen. 6. 9. 17. 1. 24. 40. 48. 15. Psal. 116. 9. the sonne of Syrach speaking of Henoch▪ observeth the same translation, Eccles. 44. 16. so doth the Author of the book of Wisedome. ch. 4. 10. and so doth the Apostle himself, Heb. 11. 5. Henoch before his translation had this testim… ny, foreign that he pleased God.

4. The excellency of uprightnesse is such, as that it is that vertue which God cheifly re…uireth, Gen. 17. 1. Mich… 6. 8▪ 1 Sam. 12 24. which he most highly esteemeth Gen. 5. 22. …4. which hath alwayes been the chief commendation of the faithfull, as of E…och, Noah, Iob, &c. 1 King. 3. 6. The chief thing wherein the faithfull are to rejoyce in time of prosperity, 2 Cor. …. 2▪ and their chiefest stay and comfort in d…stresse, Esaiah▪ 38. 3. Act. 23. 1.

The profit.] 2. Put come we to the profit, by which most men (Psal, 4. 6.) are drawn. In generall it is said, that God is good to those that are of a clean heart, Psal. p. 18473. 1. according to Davids prayer, Psal. 125. 4. more particularly, Psal. 84. 11. the Lord is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will … withhold from them that walke in upright…esse. He is a sun, that is, the Author of all …omfortable blessings, which are signified …y light, according to that Psal. 112. 4. to the upright there ariseth light in darknesse, that is to say, comfort in afflictions; yea, to them that are upright, the conscience of their own integrity doth minister singular comfort. It was Ezechias his stay and comfort, when he had received the sentence of death, Es. 38. 3. and this was Paul his rejoycing, the testimony of his conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation here in the world, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Act. 23. 1. For God to him that is good before him, that is upright, …iveth joy, Eccles. 2. 26. yea to them▪ all … joy, and praising of God with joy and …ladnesse is appropriated, Psal. 32. 11. 33.

64. 10. For lighs is sowen for the righte…us, and gladnesse for the upright in…heart, Psal. 97. 11.

And as the life of the upright is comportable, is upright conscience being unto …im as a continuall (Prov. 1. 15.) feast; …his end is happy, Psal. 37. 37. Observe the p. 185perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. So Esay 57. 2. which is further proved, because uprightnesse is evermore attended with perseverance to the end, as hereafter shall fully be proved in the Treatise of perseverance. For the integrity of the upright doth guide and preserve them, Prov. 11. 3 Psal. 25. 21. the upright man who is not only a hearer, but also a doer of Gods word, is like the wise man, which built his house upon the rock, which could not be overthrowne, Mat. 7. 24, 25. wherefore the upright shall never be moved, but his righteousnesse endureth for ever, Psal. 112. 3. 6.

The Lord is also a shield to them that walke uprightly, Prov. 2. 7. For the eyes of the Lord perlustrate the whole earth, to shew himselfe strong in their behalfe, whose heart is perfect or upright towards him, 2 Chro. 16. 9. which David applying to himselfe, saith Psal. 7. 10 God is my shield, who saveth the upright in heant.

He giveth also grace and glory; grace in this life, and glory in the life to come, Grace: for uprightnes being the soundnes of all graces, God hath therefore layed up in store for the upright Tushijah, whatsoever is sound and truly good, as Solomon saith, Pro. 2. 7. And such is the concatenation p. 186of all saving graces, that where any of them in truth, (as they are in the upright) there is a concurrence of them all in some measure: some going before, as …auses producing the rest, others following and presupposing the former. As for example, where is faith unfained, there is also hope and charity; and where these are in truth, no other saving grace can be wanting, and therefore …od may truly be said to give al manner of graces to the upright, as saving knowledge, and true wisedome, Eccles 2 26. which David found by his owne experience Psal 119. 98. 99 100. and so of the rest. And upon this foundnesse of grace followeth the increase of grace, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Eccles. 2. 26. assiance and confidence Pro. 28. …. when feare surpriseth the hypocrites, Es 33. 14. patience, constancy, and perseverance, Luke 8. 15, by which the upright and sound Christians are knowne, when contrarywise the double-minded man (that is the hypocrite) is inconstant in all his wayes. I am. 1. 8. and his heart being not right with God, neither is he stedfast in his covenant. Ps. 78 37. but is subject to defection, … Iohn 2. 19. as having built upon the sand, Mat. 7. 26.

The Lord also giveth glory to the upright; p. 187for whosoever walketh …orightly shall be saved, Pro. 28. 18 they shall dwell in the presence of God, Ps 40 13 in the mountaine of his holynes, Ps 15 12. Ps. 24. 3, 4. the pure in heart shall see God (in which vision of God our eternall happines doth consist:) and therefore they are blessed▪ Mat 5 8 Ps 119 1. and not onelyonly themselves are blessed, but their children also after them, Pro. 20. 7. Ps 112▪ 2. Of this happines we have a notable example in Henoch; whom, because he walked with God, the Lord translated into the kingdome of glory. Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 1… ▪ 5. to let us understand by this precedent, as being the first mentioned in this kinde, what accompt he maketh of uprightnes. Now, if the Lord doe graunt them glory in his owne kingdome, it may not be thought, that hee will (Ps. 84. 11.) withhold any thing from them that is good, Luk. 12. 32. any good thing, I say, which they shall aske at his hands: for the prayers of the upright are accepted of God, Pro. 15. 8. and he is neere to all that call upon him in truth. Ps. 145. 18. insomuch that whatsoever they doe aske they doe receive, because they doe those things which are pleasing in his sight. 1 Iohn 3. ….

3. But if neither the golden chaine of p. 188excellency will allure, nor the silver chaine of profit draw us; then must the iron chaine of necessity compell us to uprightnesse. The necessity may be shewed by these considerations.

1. As with uprightnesse the smallest graces, and the weakest meakest measure of obedience are accepted with God: so without it, the best graces which we may seeme to have, are but counterfeit; and the best worship that we performe without it, is but hypocrisie. For the soundnesse of all grace, and of all worship standeth in uprightnesse. Our faith therefore must be foreign unfained. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1…5. or … els it is no true faith; our charity also must be unfained, Rom. 12. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 22. that is, we must love in deed, and in truth, and not in word only, and from the teeth outward, 1 Ioh. 3. 18. Iam. 2. 15, 16. Our wisdome likewise must be foreign Iam. 3. 17. not that mixt… prudenti… of our Polititians, which is mingled with disguising and deceipt, for such is earthly, carnall and devilli…h, Iam 3. 15. Our repentance also must be unfained, and from the bottome of our hearts, Ioel. 2. 12, 13, not like that of the Israelites, when the hand of God was upon them, who made shew of repentance, but their heart was not p. 189upright with God, Psal. 78. 34, 36, 37.

Likewise our obedience must be from the heart, Rom. 6. 17 Yea it must be performed with our whole heart. Deut. 26. 16. 30. 2. 2 King. 23. 3. Psal. 119. 34. 69. If with Amasiah we do that which is right before God, but not with a perfect, that is, upright heart; we may fall away from God, as he did 2 Chro. 25. 2. 14. for when mens hearts are not upright with God, neither are they stedfast in his covenant, Psal. 78. 37. If therefore without uprightnesse our faith be dead, our love fained, our wisedome divelish, our repentance unfound, our obedience counterfeit, and so of all other graces, then is uprightnesse as necessary, I say not, as any one grace, but as all of them put together: uprightnesse being the truth and foundnesse of them all, without which they are not foreign indeed and in truth; for ens & verum convertuntur. And therefore that which is not a true faith is not faith indeed, and so of the rest, And as the graces, which we seem to have without uprightnesse are but counterfeit; so all our worship and service of God, without it is meer hypocrisie. Our worship therefore of God must be in spirit and in truth, Ioh. 4. 23, 24. we must seek the Lord with our whole heart, (whereby seeking, we are duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page p. 190to understand the whole worship and service of God) Deut. 4. 29. Psal. 119. 2. Thus David sought the Lord Psal. 119. …0. Thus Asa and his subjects did make a covenant to seek the Lord with all their hearts, 2 Chro 15. 2. Thus Iehosaphat 2 Chro 22. 9.

It is not our bodily exercise 1 Tim 4. 8 but our reasonable and spirituall service that is acceptable to God R…m. 12. 1. It is the heart that the Lord requireth Prov. 23 26 and that he respecteth, 1 Sam. 16 7. If therefore we draw neer to God with our mouthes, and honour him with our lippes, but remove our hearts farre from him. Es 29 13. we must expect the reward of hypocrites.

[Necessary to Invocation.] But let us descend to the parts of Gods worship, and first, (To prayer.) to prayer and thanksgiving, which are the two sorts of invocation. If we would have our prayer accepted of God, both we our selves must be upright, and our prayers also, we; for the Lord delighte…h in the prayer of the upright. Prov. 15. 8. but abhorreth the prayer of the hypocrites, Prov. 28. 9. Es. 29. 13. If therefore we regard wickednesse in our hearts (as hypocrites use to do) we must make our accompt with David, that the Lord will p. 191not heare us; Psal. 66. 18. Our prayer must also be upright, when we are to pray, we must prepare our hearts to seek the Lord; 2 Chro. 30. 19. we must pray in spirit. Eph 6. 18. in truth, Ps. 145. 18 Our prayer must be the lifting up of our soules to God, Psal. 5. 1. 86. 4. a lifting up of our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41 powring forth of our soules before the Lord, Psal 6…. 8. we must pray out of a pure and upright heart. 2 Tim. 2. 22 with our whole heart, Psal. 119. 145. with lippes unfained, Psal 17. 1. And to this manner of praying is the promise of hearing our prayers restrained, Psal. 145. 18.

But if we pray with fained lippes, if in our prayers we speak with an heart, and an heart, Psal. 12. 2. if we ask with our mouth that which we do not desire in our hearts; if in our prayers we pretend that which we do not intend; if we promise that which we do not mean to performe; if we draw neare unto GOD with our mouthes, and remove our hearts from him, as hypocrites use to do, we shall offer a great abuse to the the Majesty of GOD. For fained lips are as the Psalmist calleth them, Psal. 17. …: lips of deceipt, whereby hypocrites in their prayers lying unto GOD, Hos. 7. 13, 14. go about to deceive him.

p. 192The like is to be said of praise and thanksgiving, which if we would have accepted of GOD, both we our selves must be upright, (for praise is comely for the upright, Ps. 33. 1. for they only can rejoyce in GOD: and therefore they alone can praise him aright, Psal. 32. 11. 145. 10.) and our prayses also and thanksgiving must be uprightly performed. First, therefore we must prepare our hearts, Psal. 5. 77. 108. 1. and stir up our soules to praise God, Psal. 103. 1, 2. 104. 1. 146. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy Name, then must we sing and praise him with grace Col. 3. 16. that is, with thankfulnesse, and with gladnesse in our hearts, with our whole hearts, Psal. 91. 86. 12. 111. 1. 138. 1. that is with uprightnesse of heart, Psal. 119. 7. Otherwise we shall make but bad musick in the eares of the Lord, if there be a discord between our hearts and our tongues.

Let us come to the ministery of the word, which must uprightly be both preached and heard. The Preacher must not adulterate the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God he must speak in CHRIST, 2 Cor. 2. 17. 4. 2. not seeking to please men, Gal. 1. 10. but studying to shew himselfe approved to p. 193God who tryeth our hearts, 1 Thes. 2. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 15. neither seeking his owne praise or profit; but seeking only the glory of God in the salvation of the hearers.

And as the word is to be preached with integrity, so is it also to be heard with uprightnesse, and to that end, before we come into the house of God, we ought to l…ok to our feet, that is, to our affections, Eccles. 5. 1. and to put off the foule shooes (Exod. 3. 5. Jos. 5. 15.) of our feet that is, our corrupt affections, Iam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. that we may receive the word into honest and good, that is, upright hearts, Luk. 8. 15. And when we are come into the assembly, the place of Gods presence, we are to set our selves in the presence of God, that we may say with Cornclius, Act. 10. 33. we are here present before God, to heare what shall be delivered out of his word, And as the Minister must preach, as he that delviereth the oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4. 11. so we must hear foreign the word preached …ot as the word of man, …ut as it is indeed the word of God, 1 Thess. 2. 13. with earnest attention hanging as it were upon the mouth of the preacher, Luk. 19. 48. and so desiring to hear God▪ as we desire to be heard of God, (for withou… attention being present in body, we are absent p. 194in minde,) with a sincere desire (1 Pet. 2. 2. to profit by it, and an unfained purpose to practise it For if we be hearers, and not doers of the word, like Ezekiels hearers, Ezech 33. 31. 32. as we shall play the hypocrites to deceive others, so we shall prove Sophisters to beguile our selves, …Iam. 1. 22. (foreign)

To the Sacraments] There remain the Sacraments For as in the old Testament the Circumcision of the flesh was of no value, (Rom. 2. 8. 29 without the circumcision of the heart; so is it to little purpose to have the body washed 1 Pet. 3. 21. with outward Baptisme, unlesse our heart be clensed with the bloud of CHRIST apprehended by fiath unfained. For what will it availe us, if without uprightnesse, of heart we do with Simon Magus professe our selves to believe, and to be baptized? For if our heart be not right before God, we have, for all our baptisme and profession, no part in CHRIST: but do remaine as he did, in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity, Act. 8. 21.

And as in celebrating the Passeover, the Iewes were to use unleavened bread: so must we receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, (which is the antitype to the Passeover) not with the leaven of hypocrisy, p. 195but with the dzymes or unleavened graces of sincerity and truth, 1 Cor. 5. 8. For what will it availe us, if with Iudas Iscariot, we shall receive the Sacrament, and carry our selves so smoothly, as he did, that when our Saviour told his Apostles, that one of them should betray him; all of them were as ready to suspect themselves, as him? for if our hearts be not upright, but false, as his was, well may we receive, as Augustine sayth of him, pan…m Domini, the sacramentall bread, but we shall not receive pan…m Dominum, the Lord, who is the bread of GOD which came downe from heaven, Iohn 6. 33.

But if when we are to receive the Sacram…nt, we pr…pare our hearts to seeke the Lord, (2 Chron. 30. 1.) and come with upright hearts void of hypocrisie; though we have many imperfections and wants, and though the graces req…ired in a worthy receiver be very small and weak in us; yet if they be in truth, we shall in Christ be accepted, as worthy receivers. But without uprightnesse of heart, the most glorious shew that can be made, either in our preparation, or in the receiving of the Sacrament, is but hypocrisie.

2. Secondly, the necessity of uprightnes is proved by the a…thority of God speaking p. 196in the scriptures, as 1. By the commandement of God imposing a necessity of duety, Deut. 18. …3. Ios. 24. 14. who so requireth it as a maine and principall duety, Gen. 17. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 24. Mich. 6. 8. which in all dueties is, as it were, all in all and without which all is nothing Act▪ 24 16. For this cause Israel was called Ieshurun. Deut. 32. 15. 33. 5. 26. Es. 14, 2 because this was the thing which the Lord required cheifely in every Israelite, this is the true Israelite, Iohn, 1. 47. Rom. 2. 29. This is Iacob, Ps. 24. 6. or this is the generation of Iacob (who was ish T am, perfectus or integer Gen. 25. 27) this, the Israel of God. Gal. 6. 16. Secondly▪ by the testimony of our Saviour, Mat. 5. 20. except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the scribes and Pharisies (whose righteousnesse consisted in outward appearance, not in inward truth, they being soured with the leaven of hypoc…sy) you shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven. If therefore we have a forme foreign of godlynesse, but deny the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 5. if we have lampes without oile Mat. 25. 3. greene blades without root. Luke 8. 13. greene leaves without fruit, Matth. 21. 19. we cannot please God. And thirdly, by the oath of God in this place inferring a p. 197necessity of …; that those, who are the redeemed of the Lord shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him.

3. Thirdly if we be not upright, then are we hypocrites, for not to be upright is to be an hypocrite. But pocrisy is a sinne most odious into God; and most pernicious to the hypocrite. For as the upright are the Lords delight, so they that be of a perverse heart, that is to say the hypocrites, are an abominat…on to him, Pro. 11. 20.

And so pernicious it is to him that is infected therewith, that as there is no assurance of his salvation, (for what hope hath they hypocrite, when GOD shall take his soule Iob 27. 8▪) so there is great certainly of their damnation, unlesse they repent: wherof there is less hope: in an hypocrite, then in an open sinner. For which cause our Savio…r CHRIST telleth the (M…t, 21. 32.) pharisaicall hypocrites, that publicanes and h…r…o…s enter into the Kingdome of heaven before them. And such is the certainty of their damnation, that our Saviour Christ, when he would signify, that the wicked servant of whom he speaketh Mat. 24 48. should certainly be damned: he saith, he should have his portion with hypocrites, where shalbe weeping and g…ashng of teeth. v. 51.

p. 198Seeing therfore uprightnesse is a grace so excellent, that it goeth under the name of perfection, that it is the inward bewty of the spouse of Christ, wherein especially he is delighted, that it is not onelyonly pleasing to GOD, but also the pleasing of him: so profitable, that all good things are promised to the up…ight, and no good thing kept back from them; so necessary, that in it consisteth the soundness… of all saving graces, and of all religious worship, in so much that without it the best graces are counterfeit, and all our best worship but hypocrisie; so necessary as that without it men can have no assurance that they are redeemed of the Lord, or that they shall bee saved: but that as without it they being no better then hypocrites; have no sound hope that they shalbe saved, so there is a certainty and assurance that they shalbe condemned: it behooveth us by all meanes to labour for this vertue, which is so excellent in it selfe, so pleasing to God, so profitable, and so necessary to us.

Other meanes to uprightnesse.

And first, for asmuch as it is the gift of God from whom every good and perfect gift doth come, Iam. 1. 17. for it is he that maketh our way perfect. Ps. 18. 3…. it is he p. 199that sweareth in this place, that he will give those that are redeemed to worship him in holynesse and righteousnesse before him we are therefore to begge this grace at the hands of God by hearty and faithful prayer, after the exampl… of David. Ps. 51 10. Create in me a cleane heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me; and Ps. 119. 80. let my heart be sound or thamim upright in thy statutes, that I be not ash. med.

2. To our p…ayer let us joyne ou… endevour to keepe a watch over our heart, and as Solomon exhorteth Pro. 4. 23. above all k…eping to …epe our hearts, fo… out of …t are the issues of l…e, that is, as it is the …ountaine of life, so of living well or ill from whence all our saying and doing doe streame: The good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things, and the evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evill things, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Luk. 6. 45 and accordingly the hand worketh, wherefore in reforming our lives, our first and c…eife care must be of purging the heart; for that is the foundation of a godly life, without which there is no sound reformation.

…irst, (saith our Saviour CHRIST) p. 200Mat. 23. 26. clense the inside of the cuppe and platter, that the outside may …e cleane also, In vaine do we goe about to cleare the streames, whilst the fountaine is corrupt: In vain do we go about to stop the streams, whiles the well-spring floweth in his full course, In vaine shall we like the summer fruit be faire and mellow on the outside if we be rotten at the core: In vain have men a name that they live, when they are dead. Apoc. 3. 1.

And the rather we are to tak care of our hearts, because GOD himselfe doth especially looke unto the heart, 1 Sam. 16. 7. and according to the quality and disposition of the heart, he judgeth of the man. If the heart burne with lust, the man is an …dulterer before GOD; if the heart be fraught with coveteousnesse, the man is a thiefe before GOD, as Iudas was. Ioh. 2. 6. If the heart boyle with hatred and malice, the man is a murtherer before GOD, 1 Iohn 3. 15. If the heart be removed from GOD, and set upon the world, and the things that are therein, then is the man a spirituall adulterer, that is, an idolater before GOD, Iam. 4. 4.

And finally, the heart is to be kept above all keepings, because it is deceiptfull above all things, Ier. 17. 9.

p. 2013. Thirdly, that we may learne to walk with God, and to behave our selves as in his …ight, and in his presence, it is necessary, that we sho…ld effectually acknowledge, believe and remember, and upon all occasions meditate of the om…science and omnipresence of God, after the example of David, who was in respect of his integrity and uprightnes, a man according to Gods owne heart Ps. 139 the first 12. verses. …or if we doe powerfully, acknowledge, and effectually believe and remember, 1. that the eye of the Lord is in every place, beholding the just and unjust, Pro. 15. 3. 11. and that he knoweth all things, even those which are most hidden and secret, and namely that he knoweth the …eart, and scarcheth the reynes, that he knoweth our thoughts before we think them, Ps. 139. 3. and that no thoughts can be hidden from him: Iob 42. 3. we thereby be moved to behave our selves as in the sight of God, labouring to approve, not onelyonly our words and deeds, but also our inward thoughts and affections to God, who not onelyonly knoweth the heart, but especially looketh to the heart. It is the argument, which David useth to move Sol…mon to uprightnesse. 1 Cor. 28. 9. And thou my son Solomon (saith he) Know thou the God of p. 202thy father, and serve him with an upright heart, and willing minde, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all imaginations of the thoughts.

2. If we would meditate of the omnipresence of God, that God is at all times, in all places present with us, and that we cannot (Psal. 139. 7.) possibly avoid ou… of his presence, that would make us behave our selves as in the presence of God. Inferiours when they are in the sight and presence of their Superiours, are very carefull of their behaviour. He were an ungracious sonne, or a lewd servant, that would misdemeane himselfe in the sight and presence of his father, and of his Lord, She were a very lewd and impudent wife, that in the sight and presence of her husband would prostitute her selfe to another man. This is our case: God is our father, we are his children, he is our Lord, and we are his servants; he is our husband, we are his spouse, and we alwayes are in his sight and presence. If therefore we could truly and effectually believe, and remember this, (which is a most certain and undoubted truth, and no lesse certain then that there is a God, which of all truths is the most certaine truth) we would abstain from sinne, neither would we be so shamelesse, p. 203as in his sight; and in his presence to sinne against him, see Job 31. 4. 34. 21. Psal. 119. 168. Prov. 5. 21. To this purpose, Seneca (Epist. 11.) admonisheth his friend Lucilius, that he would set before him Cato or Laelius, or som… other grave and reverend person, that so he might behave himselfe as in their presence: for magna pars saith he) peceatorum tollitur, s… peccaturis testis assistat, a great part of sins would be prevented, if when we are about to sinne there were some witnesse present with us. How much more would the presence of almighty God restraine us from sinne, if we had the eye of Moyses, the eye of faith, to see him who is invisibly present with us alwayes, and in all places, Heb. 11. 27.

4. To the meditation of Gods omniscience and omnipresence, let us joyne the consideration of his all-sufficiency. For this is the argument, which not on…ly the Prophet Hanani used to Asa, 2 Chron. 16. 9. the eyes of the Lord perlustrate the whole …arth, to sh…w himselfe strong in their behalfe, whose heart is upright towards him; but also which God himselfe used to Abra…am, Gen. 17. 1. I … God all-sufficient, walke before me, and …e upright. For what is the reason, why men doe play the hypocrites? p. 204Is it not because they desire to please men, and to approve themselvs to them rather then to God? And why doe they seek to please men, rather then God, is it not because they feare men, more then God? or trust in men more then in God? But if we did effectually acknowledge Gods all-sufficiency, we would learne to feare him, and to trust in him above all; knowing that no creature is able, either to doe us good, unlesse God use him as his instrument for our good, or to hurt us, unlesse God use him as his rodde to scourge us, and therefore as we would feare him, and trust in him rather then in his instruments; so would we labour to please him above al.

5. Let us meditate of Gods bounty towards us, whereby he hath shewed himselfe all-sufficient to us, (Deut. 33. 16.) and for our good; which argument is …sed both by Samuel, 1 Sam. 12 24. and by Iosua c. 24. 14. where having recounted Gods bleffings towards them, even from Terah Abrahams father, he inferreth this use, Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in uprightnesse and in truth. But cheifly we are to meditate of his spirituall blessings and of the end for which he hath bestowed them. For why did he elect us? was it not that we should be …oly and blameles…e p. 205before him? Eph. 1. 4. that is to say, upright? why did he redeeme us? was it not that we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him? hath he not reconciled us unto God, that we should be holy and blamelesse before him? Col. 1. 22. hath he not regenerated us according to Gods image, that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse of truth, that is true and upright holinesse and righteousnesse, Ephes. 4. 24. In vaine therefore do men professe themselves to be elected in Christ, redeemed by him, reconciled unto God, regenerated by his Spirit, if they be not upright. For the end which God propoundeth to himself cannot be frustrated.

6. Finally, if the consideration of Gods benefits will not move us, let us consider the terrour of the Lord, as the Apostle calleth it, 2 Cor. 5. 11. Let us set before our eyes our Saviour Christ, sitting in judgement at the last day, at which time he shall judge the secrets of men, Rom. 2. 16. Eccl. 12. 14. that so we may endeavour in the meane time to walk uprightly before him, and approve our selves to him, that judgeth secrets; that when he shall appeare, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed (John 2. 28.) foreign that is, not depart p. 206from him, as hypocrites shall, flying from the face of the lambe, and desiring that the hilles would fall upon them, and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lambe, (Apoc. 6. 16.) For horrible will thy shame and confusion be, if having prof…s…ed religion, and made shew of christianity before men, thou shalt then before all the world, not onelyonly be discovered and convicted to have been an egregious hypocrite, but also be condemned to have thy portion with hypocrites, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But on the other side, if we shall walk uprightly in GODS Tabernacle, we shall rest in the mountaine of his holinesse; if we bee sound and upright members of the Church militant, we shall be inheritors of glory in the Church triumphant; if we be sheepe in CHRISTS flock and not goates, we shall be set at his right hand, and receive that blessed sentence; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world, Matth. 25. 34.

The signes of uprightnesse.

Now, forasmuch as the Lord hath promised to all the sonnes of Abraham, the heyres of promise, that is to say, to all the p. 207faithfull, that being redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enemies, he will give us to worship him in holiness before him; it be…veth us seriously to try and examine our selves, whether we be upright with the Lord our God or not▪ (Deut▪ 18. 13.) For if we be hypocrites and unsound Christians, we can have no assu…ance that we are the redeemed of the Lord. God having sworn, that to those whom he redeemeth, he will give grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him. And to the same purpose, and with the same labour, we are also to try our selves whether we be hypocrites or not. For such is the imme… diate opposition betweene uprightnesse and hypocrisie; that if we be not hypocrites, then are we upright, and contrariwise.

But here it will be said, that hypocrisie is in all men, either more or lesse, and that as all men are subject to lying, so also to hypocrisie. This, the Papists whose profession notwithstanding of Christianity (being for the most part a meere formality of religion denying the power thereo…) is meere hypocrisie▪ will hardly grant▪ namely, that the sinne of hypocrisie is in all. For they teach, that a man who is justified, as every one of them is, who either p. 208in his infansie is baptized, or absolved preist, when he is come to yeeres, is withwithout sinne; and that there is nothing in him that God hateth, nothing that properly can be called sinne, untill he draw upon him the guilt of some mortall sinne. Thus, saying that they have no sinne, they are convinced to have no truth in them, 1 Iohn 1. 8. But we confess▪ that originall sinne, which is equally in all men by nature, is not onelyonly a privation of all spirituall goodness, but also an evill disposition and proneness to all manner of sinne; as to infidelity, pride, self-love, hardness of heart, carnall security, hatred, uncleanness, cotousness, ambition, lying, and hypocrisie, &c. and that these sinfull corruptions, being so many habituall sinnes, remain in all men both regenerate and unregenerate; but with this difference, that in the unregenerate they remaine in their full strength, and for the most part with increase, as the incrementa of originall sin, unless perhaps abated or restrained by the contrary sinnes, which contrary vices being from evill dispositions, grown to wicked hab…ts, are said to reigne in carnall men. But in the regenerate, these corruptions remaine onelyonly as the reliques of originall sinne, in some measure mortified in them, p. 209some more, some less. All which are the infirmities of the fai…hfull but especially those which are less mortified.

All which, like the scattered fo…ces of rebels vanquished, but not utterly destroyed, still remaine ad agonem, to encounter with us upon all advantages. So that in the best of us there remaineth a spice, as of infidelity, pride, selfe-love, hardnesse of heart, carnall security, hatred, uncleanenesse, covetousnesse, ambition, lying, so also of hypocrisy. But so long as a man seeth, and detesteth this corruption, and laboureth to mortify it, so long as he is carefull to a voide it, and jelous over himselfe, lest his profession or other his good endevours bee contaminated or taynted therewith; though there be some matter of hypocrisie remayning in hin, yet he is not formally an hypocrite, but is reputed upright. For as it is said both of the faithfull themselves in generall, though partly spirit, and partly flesh, that they are men spirituall and regenerate, having their denomination from the better part; and also of their actions performed in odedience, though taynted with the flesh, that they are good workes; so is it in this particular, even as a wedge of gold, in which there is much drosse, is notwithstanding a p. 210wedge of gold, though not of pure gold; and as an heape of corne, wherein is store of chaffe, is called an heape of corne, though not of pure grayne: so the faithfull though some drosse of hypocrisie and as the Prophet called it tinne, Es. 1. 25. remayne in them, are notwithstanding upright.

Therefore though hypocrisie be in all men, yet all are not hypocrites; but they in whom this corruption reigneth without resistance. Yea but in baptisme originall sinne withall his branches is taken away, I answear with Augustine: (De N…ptiis & Concup. 1. …. c. 25.) it is taken away, first, in respect of the guilt, non ut peccatum non sit, sed ut in peccatum non imputetur, not that it should not be at all, but that it should not be imputed to them that believe, Secondly in respect of the dominion; for it is taken away, not that it should not remayne at all but that it should not reyg…e in the faithfull. Rom. 6. 14. wherefore as I said, though hypocrisie be in all men, yet none of the faithfull are hypocrites.

Who is an Hypocrite.

For an hypocrite is he, who being inwardly void of grace, and full of wickednesse, maketh an outward shewe of p. 211Christianity, and piety, dissembing that, evill which is in him, and making semblance of that goodnes which he hath not: having as even now with the Apostle I said of the Papists, foreign an outw…rd formality of religion, but denying the power thereof: Being, as our Saviour saith, like to whited sepulchers which in deed appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleannesse. Mat. 23. 27: like to those summer peares, which being faire and mellow without, are rotten at the core.

Now, hypocrites are of two sorts, for as of not speaking the truth, that is lying, there are two degrees the one is me…tiri (which is co…tra mentem ire, wittingly to lye, and to avouch for a truth that which himself knoweth, or at least thinketh to be an untruth,) the other mendatium dicere, to tell an untruth, unwittingly, supposing it to be a truth: so of not walking in the truth that is, of hypocrisie there are two degrees. viz. of such as be hypocrites, either wittingly or unwittingly. Both are deceivers; the former, knowing himselfe to be an hypocrite, goeth about to deceive others, yea God himselfe with his faire, shewes; the other, not knowing himselfe to be an hypocrite, but being deceived by p. 212the devill, and his owne deceiptfull heart Jer. 17. 10. deceiveth himselfe, as St. Iames saith ch. 1. 22. Be yee doers of the word, and not hearers onelyonly, deceiving your owne selves, and v. 26. If any among you seeme to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his owne heart, this mans religion is in vaine, and likewise S. Paul Gal. 6. 3. If a man think himselfe to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himselfe. Both of them are foreign, that is unsound, being not inwardly and in truth, that which in profession and outward shew they would seeme to be, to both of them the description of an hypocrite doth agree, they have a formality of religion, but deny the power thereof 2. Tim. 3. 5.

The former, is the grosse and notorious hypocrite, who doth best deserve the name; for foreign an hypocrite, in the greeke tongue, signifieth a stage-player. whose profession it is to take upon him the person of another man, the other, is the close and the most ordinary hypocrite, who being not the man; which he professeth or taketh himselfe to be, acteth also another person, as well as the other, though not so grossely and as it were upon the stage seeming to himselfe, and desirous to be reputed of others, that which in deed p. 213he is not a good Christian, having a name that he liveth, but is dead. Apoc. 3. 1.

The former is a damned hypocrite damned in his owne conscience, the other is a s…lfe-pleasing and a selfe-deceiving hypocrite, pleasing himselfe, by reason of his profession in his pride and selfe-love, in his vaine presumption and carnall security, in his infidelity and impe…itency, professing himselfe to be a true Christian, and yet being a meere worldling, a carnall Gospeller, a temporizing and temporary professour. Of which sort, by how much the greater is the number, for the world is full of such; by so much the greater must our desire and care be, that we may be cryed, and proved, and vponupon tryall found to be sound and upright Christians. Our desire we must expresse in prayer to God, that we may be proved and vponupon tryall approved (for untill we be tryed we know not our selves) saying with David. Ps. 139. 23, 24. Ps. 26. 2. search me O LORD and know my heart, that is, make it know… vntounto me, try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any way of wickednesse in me, and lead me in the way everlasting, that is, in the way which leadeth to everlasting life. Now GOD doth try both the upright and the hypocrite, though in a d…fferent p. 214manner. The upright he tryeth, both by proving them himselfe, and that for their good. Deut. 8. 16. and by suffering them to be tempted by others; and that, either to manifest his graces in them, to his owne glory, their comfort, and good example of others: (thus he tryed Abraham Gen. 22. 12. Iob and all the martyres:) or to discover unto them their owne weaknesse, that they may be humbled, and be made the more circumspect for the time to come: And to that end, he doth not only suffer them to be tempted unto evill, but also sometimes (when he leaveth them for a time unto themselves) to take a foyle. Thus God for a time left Ezechias, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart, 2 Chron. 32 31. and therefore those who come to serve the Lord, must prepare their soules for temptation, (Eccles. 2. 1.) But howsoever the Lord suffereth them to be tempted, yet he doth not lead them into temptation; and though he permitteth them sometimes to fall, yet he doth not suffer them to fall away from him.

The Lord also trieth the hypocrites, that their hypocrisie may be discovered. Therefore our Saviour adviseth his disciples, Luke 12. …, 2. to beware of the …eaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisie; p. 215and his reason is, because nothing is covered, which shall not be discovered. And thus he doth, not onelyonly by suffering them to be tempted, & leaving them to themselves; but also sometimes for a punishment of their former wickednesse and hypocrisie, he leadeth them into temptation, giving them over to their own lusts, and to the temptations of Satan, not only to fall into sinne, but also to fall away from God; which falling away is an evident signe of hypocrisie, 1 Ioh. 2. 19. wherefore as the sonne of Syrach well admonisheth, c. 1. 28. 29, 30. Come not to the Lord with a double heart, be not an hypocrite in the sight of men, and take good heed, what thou speakest. Exalt not thy selfe, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soule, and so God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation; because thou camest not in truth to the feare of the LORD, but thy heart is full of deceipt.

Our care we must shew by trying our selves, as the Apostle exhorteth, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether that you be in the faith, foreign, that is, prove your selves whether you be foreign sound and upright.

Here therefore we are to set down the notes both of the u…r…ght, and also p. 216of the hypocrites. The knowledge whereof, as it will be comfortable to so many as are true Christians; so it will be profitable to the rest.

These notes are either more

generall

speciall

Generall notes of uprightnesse.

The urst generall note is set downe in the place even now cited, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your selves, know ye not your owne selves, how that Iesus Christ is in you unlesse you be foreign that is, not …ound or approved Christians, but hypocrites, for the word foreign (which commonly is translated reprobate) doth not signifie a reprobate opposed to elect, but to foreign to him that is approved. See vers. 6, 7.

But how shall we know that CHRIST is in us, seeing he is in Heaven, and we upon earth? we may k…ow it by his spirit, 1 Joh. 3. 24. which dwelleth in us, Rom. 8. 9. 11. and in all his members, which by reason of the union, which is betwixt them and their Head are said to be in Christ, and Christ in them, for even as in the naturall body, the feet are united to the head by the same soule, which being principally seated in the Head, is also in all the members: so in the mysticall body of CHRIST the lowest members which are upon earth, p. 217are united to their Head by the same spirit, which being pr…ncipally in the head, is also in all the members. But how shall we know that the spirit of Christ is in us? if we be led by the spirit (Rom. 8 14. Gal. 5 18) that is, if we live not after the flesh, but after the spirit And how shall we know that? by the fruits of the spirit and of the flesh, which the Apostle hath set downe, Gal. 5. 19 22. The works of the flesh, saith he, are manifest, which are these adultery, fornication, …ucleannesse, lasciviousnesse, idolatry, witcherast, hatred or …mni…yes, c…ntentions, …mulations, indignations, strife, seditions or divisions, heresies or sects, envyings, murthers, drunkennesse, revellings: foreign, comessationes, expressed elswhere by the word foreign carpula, which is translated surfettings, Luke. 21 34 both of them having their name from their effects; for foreign dicitur foreign because it troubleth the head by excesse of rating and drinking; so foreign because it causeth foreign that is, drowsinesse, or the drowsie evill, or rather ryotings, as it is translated, Rom 13. 13. and so ought to be, when it is joyned with drunkennesse; the French fitly translate it, g…rmandise, and it signifieth excess of be…l chreere in ryotous, feasts and compotations, and such p. 218like) of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold you heretofore, that they which doe such things shall not inherite the Kingdome of God. Now as in setting forth the workes of the flesh, the Apostle mentioneth chiefly the offences of the second table; so in setting downe the fruits of the spirit, he reckoneth up the dueties of the second table opposed to the offences thereof formerly mentioned; and not the vertues of the first table wherein our piety, which is to be tryed, doth consist. For this cause the Apostle mentioneth, not either faith in CHRIST, or love of GOD, or hope of salvation, or assiance in GOD or the feare of GOD, and such like, which are the principall fruits of the spirit; because these are not the notes of tryall, but the things to be tryed; for the tryall whereof, as namely whether we have true faith, the true love and feare of God, &c. The Holy Ghost commonly propoundeth such notes, as expresse those dueties which we owe to men, as Ps. 15. & 24. Esay 33. 14, 15.

1 The fruit therefore of the spirit, is charity, saith the Apostle, that is, the love of our neighbour, opposed to hatred, with the fruits thereof, 1 Iohn 3. 14.

2. Ioy, opposed to envy and emulation, whereby the carnall man repineth at the p. 219welfare of his neighbour, in which the spirituall man rejoyceth.

3. Peace, opposed to contentions, strife, divisions and factions.

4. Long-suffering and patience, opposed to wrath and indignation.

5. Gentlenesse or kindnesse foreign a fruit of charity, 1 Cor. 13 4. foreign which the Apostle hath fully expressed, Eph. 4. 31. 32. Let all bitternesse and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice, and be you foreign kinde one to another, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you, Col 3. 12, 13.

6. Goodnesse, whereby we are free from desire to hurt any body and are ready to doe good to all, Gal. 6. 10. even to those that deserve ill of us, ov…rcoming ill with goodnesse, Rom. 12. 21. opposed to hatred and murther.

7. Fuith, that is, fidelity or faithfulnesse, as the word elswhere is used, Tit. 2. 10. and is one of the weighty points of the law, Mat. 23. 23. A faithfull man is he, who is both true in his words, and firme in his promises, both which are tokens of the upright. Ps. 15. 24.

8. Meeknesse, or the spirit of meeknes, p. 220so called 1 Cor. 4. 23. Gal. 6. 1. because in the faithfull it is a fruit of the spirit, called also mildnesse and lenity. (1 Pet. 3. 4. 2 Tim. 2 24, 25. Tit. 3 1) Which being a morall vertue proceeding from humility, charity, patience or long suffering, with which it is joyned in the Scriptures (with love 1 Cor. 4, 21. 13. 4. 5. 7. with humility Eph. 4. 2. Mat. 5. 3. 5. 11. 29. Pro. 16 19. with long-suffering and patience, Col. 3. 12. 1 Tim 6. 11.) moderateth and …estrayneth anger and griefe, with all the fruits thereof, which are called the irascible passions and perturbations of the soule, such as be impatience, desire of revenge, and all insolent cruell, bitter, sierce, harsh, contentious, clamorous, and turbulent disposition towards our nighbour: with which vertue whosoever is indued, is by Solomon prefered before the men of might, Pro 16. 32. for howsoever it be despised in the world, as a signe of fooles and mecockes; yet it is of especiall accompt with God, 1. Pet. 3 4. as being the most proper, and if I am so speake characteristicall marke of Christs …eepe. Whereby as they best resemble the Lambe of God, Esay 53. 7. who was meeke in spirit, and humble in heart, Mat. 11. 29. so are they best discerned from those, who being of an insolent, a …ierce, p. 221an harsh, a cruell and turbulent behaviour; are to bee accompted wolves, rather then the sheepe of Christ. And therefore it is reckoned by our Saviour among the 8. notes of …eatitude Mat 5 5. Blessed are the meeke▪ for they shall inhe…ite the land, meaning the celestiall Canaan, the land of the living foreign Hebrewes 2. 5. as being in Christ the heires of the world whom the Lord will beaut…fie with salvation. Ps. 149. 4. 76 9.

9. The last is temperance, which is also a morall vertue moderating the other sort of affections▪ which are called desires and concupiseences foreign referred naturally either to the preservation of the individuum, in the nourishing and cherishing of the body; or to the propagation of mankinde by generation, and restraying the abuses and disorders thereof. This vertue, as it respecteth the former, is Sobriety in meat, drink, apparell, opposed to drunkennes and bellicheere before mentioned, and vanity in apparell, as it respecteth the latter, it i… called Chastity, opposed to adultery, fornication, lasciviousnesse and all uncleannesse.

And this was the first generall note of difference, that the upright Christian doth know, or may know, that Christ is in him, p. 222by the fruite of the spirit: but the hypocrite though he professeth himselfe a Christian and consequently a member of Christ; yet neither doth nor can knowe it, seeing that neither he is in CHRIST by faith, nor CHRIST in him by his spirit.

2. The second is this; The upright man walking with God, and before God, is desirous chiefly to approve himselfe to God who seeth the heart, (1 Thess. 2. 4.) and therefore is as religious (if not more) alone and in secret, as before others, yea, chooseth rather, according to the advise of our Saviour, (Mat, 6. 46. 18.) to do private duetyes in secret, rather then before others. The hypocrite, walking as before men, who see the outward man onelyonly, seeketh chiefly to approve himselfe to men; and therefore is more religious before others, then alone; and those good things, which he performeth he doth them to be seene of men, Mat. 23. 5. as our Saviour sheweth in the duties of almes prayer and fasting, Mat. 6. 2. 5. 16. And one the other side, those sinnes which he forbeareth, or feareth to commit before men, he feareth not in private to commit before God. And in a word, if men be not acquainted with his actions, hee neither p. 223carech to doe good, nor feareth to doe evill.

3. The upright man preferreth the testimony of his owne conscience concerning himself, (2 Cor. 1. 2…. 1 Cor 4. 3. Iob 31. 36) before the opinions of other men, and therefore laboureth to keepe his conscience cleare towards God and towards men. The hypocrite preferreth the opinion of others concerning himselfe before the testimony of his owne conscience not regarding the verdict of his owne conscience condēmning him; so he may have a good reputation among men commending him; not caring though he be dead, so he may have a name that he liveth: desiring to seeme to be good, rather then to be so; and to be evill rather then to seeme so; which is extreame madnesse, seeing it is better to be good then to seeme good; and worse to be evill, then to seem evill.

The speciall notes respecting.

The spiciall notes respect either good things intended by the upright and pretended by the hypocrite; or evil things, whether of sinne, or of punishment.

Good things, as their

Profession of Religion,

Worship of God,

Obedience,

Graces.

p. 218duplicate page p. 219duplicate page p. 220duplicate page p. 221duplicate page p. 222duplicate page p. 223duplicate page p. 224The profession of the upright is i… truth,

Both in respect of the

Purpose and desire of his heart.

Practice of his life.

The purpose of his heart is sincere, without any sinister, sinnefull, or worldly re…spects; or if any worldly respects may seeme to concurre, yet they are not the chiefe, or those for which he professeth religion, but secondary respects, which he subordinateth to his profession, and to his care of keeping a good conscience, being resol…ed (Luke 14. 28. 13.) not to forsake his profession for a world, nor willingly and wittingly to violate his conscience, though he might gaine never so much, for what would it profit a man to gaine the whole world and to loose his owne soul…? Mark 8. 36. The hypocrite maketh his profession in pretence Phil. 1. 18. pretending religion to his worldly, and sometimes to his wicked respect; and first, for his worldly respects, whereunto he subordinateth his profession, and his seeming ca…e of keeping a good conscience, careing indeed for neither, …urther then they may stand with the fruition of his worldly desires; halting betwixt God and Mammon, and p. 225dividing himselfe between them; but so, as to God he giveth the outward, shewe, and to Mammon his heart, of such Mammonists the Apostle speaketh, Phil. 3. 18, 19.

There be many (saith he) that walk o… whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, and who are these of whom all this evil is spoken? viz. such as walk, that is make profession of christian religion; and yet minde and affect principall earthly things: These men, when they are brought to this exigent, that either they must make ship-wrack of a good conscience, and perhaps forsake their profession, or forgoe their worldly desires; they will readily violate their conscience, and renounce their profession, rath…r then they will be disappointed of that worldly thing, which they princip…lly affect, and which is in deed their God.

Such a profession made Saul 1 Sam. 18. of providing …, when in his covetousnesse he spar…d all the best of the cattell which he ought to have destroyed. Iudas (Iohn 6. 71. …2. 6.) who for his gayne followed Christ, being a those, and for all p. 226his faire shewes, a Devill. The people that followed our Saviour, that they might be filled. (Iohn 6. 26.) Ananias and Sapph…ra, who seemed …orward professors, but were worldlings, Act. 5. and in a word all such, to whom not godlinesse is gaine, but gaine is godlinesse. (1 Tim 6 5, 6.) These men professing themselves Christians, doe withall professe themselves to be pilgrimes on earth, (Heb. 11. 13.) citizens of heaven, whose foreign and countrey is above, (Phil. 3. 20) but in deed behave themselves like earth-wormes, being wholly addicted, and as it were glewed to the earth, and worldly desires, not desiring nor expecting a better countrey, (Heb. …. 14. 1….) but placing their Paradise upon earth.

Sometimes also they pretend religion to their wicked designes as the Scribes and Pharisees, (Mat. 23. 14.) who devoured widowes houses, and for a pretence made long prayers; even as the Priests and Jesuits at this day do prey upon their devout Proselites. Absolom when he intended rebellion, pretended the performance of a vow, 2 Sam. 15. 7. Iezabel, when shee meant to have Naboth unjustly condemned; appointed a fast to be proclaimed, as a preparative to that judgement, 1 King. p. 22721. 9. Herod maketh a shew to the Wiseman, that he would come and worship CHRIST, when he meant to kill him, Matth. 2. 8. Thus men many times pretend conscience, either to the not doing of their duties: as they will lend no more, because they have vowed the contrary; or to the committing of sinne, because they think they are bound thereto by oath: as Herod, rather then he would break his oath, beheaded Iohn Baptist: so they sinne double, first in their promise, but much more in the performance. The high priest Caiphas (Matth. 16. 25.) when he sought most unjustly to condemne our Saviour unto death, in an hypocriticall zeale rent his clothes, pretending that he had spoken blasphemy. And what zeale soever those Priests and Pharisees, which most hotly p…rsecuted our Saviour, pretended towards God and his Law yet their true intent was This is the heire, come let us kill him, and let us seize upon his inheritance, Mat. 21. 38. In respect of the desire of his heart, the upright is a forward professour, and i… some measure (Tit. 2. 24. zealous of religion, The hypocrite is backward, carelesse and luke warme, Apoc. 3. 17.

So much of the intent, purpose, and desire of the heart; now followeth the practise.

p. 228The upright, being Christians within, (Rom. 2. 10) and not without onelyonly, doe Walk in the truth 2 John 4. 3 John 3. endeavouring to frame their lives according to their profession and as the truth is in Iesus, Ephel. 4. 21, 22, 23, 24. joyning workes with faith, (Iam 2. 24) and doing with hearing, (Iam 1. 2.) and well-doing with saying well, sanctification with justification, (2 Cor. 17.) living not after the …lesh, but after the spirit, which by the Apostle is propounded as the proper signe of those who be in CHRIST, Rom 8. 1.

The hypocrites, being Ch…istians without, (Rom. 2. 28) and not within▪ professe the truth, but doe not walk in the truth: not framing, nor desirous to frame their lives according to their profession, but live after the flesh, and not after the spirit, professing …aith (Iam. 2. 14) without works, justifi…ation without sanctification; saying well, but doing ill, being hearers of the word, but not doers; being fruitlesse branches in the vine, John 15. 2. 6. siggetrees in Gods vineyard bearing no sigges, Luke 13. 6. having leaves but no fruit; like the fig-tree which Christ cursed, Matth, 2…. having lamps, but no oyle, like the foolish virgins, Mat. 25. Of such our Saviour speaketh, Mat. 7. 21, 22, Luke 13. 25, 26, that p. 229notwithstanding their profession, they shall at the last day be excluded from the kingdome of heaven.

Gods worship.] Now I come to the worship of God; first, in generall: The up…ight worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, 1 King. 3. 6. the hypocrites draw neere the Lord with their mouthes, but remove their hearts farre from him, Es. 29 13. Mat. 15. 7, 8.

In speciall the upright pray in truth, Ps. 145. 18. with lips unfained, Ps. 17. 1. lifting up their hearts, Psal. 25. 1. (Lam 3. 41.) and powring forth their soules (L…m. 1. 15.) before the Lord. The hypocrites in their prayer cry, but not with their heart, Hos. 7. 14. They lift up their eyes and their hands, but not their hearts; they poure forth their voice, but not their souls. Their prayer is but a lip-labour, for both their mouth speaketh what their heart doth not think, making a common and perpetuall trade of praying with wandring thoughts, (which I deny not sometime to be incident to the upright) and also asking with their mouth that which they doe not desire in their heart, promising (especially in time of af…liction) (Ex. 10. 17. Ps. 78 34) what they doe not truly meane to performe, pretending what they doe not intend, p. 230making shew of that which they are not (as in the Lords prayer throughout) craving that in prayer, which they doe not seeke by any indevour of their owne, or by use of other meanes ordained of God.

Thanksgiving] The upright praise God with grace, (Col. 5. 16.) that is thankfullnesse in their heart, and with humility acknowledging their owne unworthinesse, (Gen 32. 10. 1 Chron 29. 14.) and Gods undeserved favour towards them. The hypocrites give thanks without thankfullnesse, without humility; praysing themselves, (Luk 18. 11.) when they should praise God, or if they doe praise him, they doe it to this end, to praise themselves.

But here it may be demanded; may not a man praise God for his grace and blessings bestowed upon him, unlesse withal he shall seeme with the Pharisey, Luk 18. to praise himselfe.

Whereunto I answer; first, the Pharisaicall hypocrite thanketh Go… for that which he neither hath received, nor yet expecteth from God: which is both falshood and arrogancy. But the upright man thanketh God for that which he hath received, or assuredly hopeth to receive, (as Zachary in this hymne praiseth God for our redemption by the promised Messias, p. 231before CHRIST was borne,) which to doe is not arrogancy, but thunkfullnesse; not falshood, but truth.

2 The hypocrite thanketh God to that end and purpose, not so much to praise God, (to whom he is a false witnesse,) 1 Cor. 15. 15. as to praise himselfe. The upright man in thanking God seeketh not his owne praise, but the glory of God, stripping himselfe of all praise, that God alone may have all the glory. For he thanketh God, as I said, in humility, acknowledging his owne unworthinesse, and the more, he extolleth the undeserved bounty and favour of God towards him, the more he depriveth himselfe of praise: and on the other side, the more he acknowledgeth his owne unworthinesse, the more he magnifieth Gods goodnesse towards him. Thus Iacob, Gen. 32. 10. O Lord (saith he) I am lesse then the least of thy mercies: and David, 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? and … Chro. 29. 14. but who am I, and what is my people? &c.

Preaching] The upright Preacher endeavoureth to approve himselfe to God, 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Thess. 2. 4. seeking sincerely the glory of God in the salvation of the p. 232The hypocrites preach themselves, and not the Lord Jesus; not seeking Gods glory in the edi…ication of the people, but their owne praise, or profit; not striving to approve themselves unto God, but to please carnall men, which whosoever doth, he is not the servant of Christ, Gal. 1. 10, Herein, they grievously offend, who affecting the praise of humane eloquence, feed the people as Heliogabalus did his parasites, with painted dishes; and in steed of drawing forth the two edged sword of the spirit, bring forth an embroidered sheath; professing themselves embassadours from God, but bringing no message from God, which concernes the people to heare, either for the informing of their judgments, or reformation of their lives, whose preaching serves for no other use, but to please the itching eares of carnall men, and to work in them a loathing of the sincere food of Gods word.

The upright preacher is carefull to practise that which he preacheth unto others, and to avoid that in his owne preson, which he reproveth in others.

The hypocrite say, (Mat. 23. 8.) but doe not, commending that to others which themselves have no desire nor care to practise; and reproving that in others p. 233whereof themselves are no lesse guilty, Rom 2 21, 22. Ps. 50. 16. who therefore may expect both from the hearers this censure, Medicecura toipsum; and from God this sentence, out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee thou unsaithfull servant, Luk. 19. 22.

Hearing] The upright hearers take heed how they heare. Luk. 8 18. hearing the word of God preached, as the word of God, (1 Thess. 2. 13.) (acknowledging Gods ordinance,) as in the sight of God, (Act 10. 33.) with humility and submission, with reverence and attention receiving the seed into upright hearts, (Luk. 8. 15.) as it were into good ground, with desire to profit by it, (1 Pet. 2. 1.) and care to practise it, being doers of the word, and not hearers only, (Iam. 1. 22.)

The hypocrite heare, not regarding, so they doe heare, how they heare, not looking to their feet, who they are affected, but come so disposed as to a stage-play, desiring that their itching eares may be delighted with vaniloquence, rather then their hearts to be edi…ed with sound and profitable doctrine, not acknowledging Gods ordinance, nor behaving themselves as before him, hearing without submission as to Gods word, hearing not as learners, p. 234but as censurers, without reverence, without attention, being present in body, and absent in soule, without desire to profit by it, without any purpose or care to practise it, receiving the seed into stony ground, or els among thornes, like to Ezechiels hearers, c. 33. 31. 32. they come unto thee (saith the Lord) as the people of God doe use to come, and they sit before thee as my people, and they heare thy words, but they will not doe them, for though with their mouths they make shew of much love and delight, yet their heart goeth after their covetousnesse; And loe thou art unto them as a very pleasing song of one that bath a pleasent voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they heare thy words, but they doe them not.

Sacraments, Baptisme] The upright are carefull in some measure to performe their vow made in Baptisme, and to find the effect and fruit thereof: which is to seale and assure to them that belive and repent, their union and communion with Christ, for they receive Christ by a true faith are baptized into Christ, Gal. 3. 27. and consequently put on Christ.

The hypocrite resteth in the outward baptisme, as if the washing of the flesh did save, (1 Pet. 3. 11.) taking no care to performe his vow made in baptisme; who p. 235therefore though baptized, hath no part in Christ, because his heart is not upright in him, Act. 8. 21.

The Eucharist] The Upright are carefull, not onelyonly to receive the sacrament, but also to receive it worthily; and are therefore earefull (1 Cor. 11. 28.)

to prove and approve themselves, before they come to the Lords table preparing their hearts (2 Chron. 30. 19) to seeke the Lord and so receiving the sacrament with the unleavened graces of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5. 8.) doe eat the body of Christ and drink his blood.

The hypocrites not greatly caring how they receive, so they doe receive, not preparing their hearts to seeke the Lord, not caring to prove, and much lesse to approve themselves unto him, comming to the Lords table as the guest without the wedding garment, indued neither with saving knowledge, nor true faith, nor unfained repentance, nor sincere love, with which graces every worthy receiver is in some measure qualified: but being sowred with the leaven of hypocrisy doe eat the bread of the Lord, as Iudas did, but not panem dominum that is the Lord who is the bread of life which came downe from heaven.

p. 236Obedience] Thus much of the worship of God, now we are to speak of obedience. For, 1. the upright yeeldeth simple obedience to the commandements of God, (Heb 11. 8.) not consulting with flesh and blood, as for the commandements of men, he observeth them no further then in obaying them he may obay God, Ex 1. 17. Act. 4 19. 5. 29. Dan 3. 18. 6. 10.

The hypocrite is more carefull to observe the commandments of men, Mat. 15 9. 6. then the commandements of God; insomuch that for the commandements of men he maketh the commandements of God of none effect, yea he scarcely obeyeth the commandements of God any further, then as they are commanded by men, insomuch that he embraceth Religion it selfe, as commanded by the Soveraigne Prince, being ready to change his Religion, as the Prince changeth. So that their feare towards God is taught by the precepts of men, Es. 29. 13.

To this purpose consider these instances. The Lord commandeth us to receive the holy communion, when it is administred: and the upright man maketh conscience so oft to receive it as it is administred, unlesse he be hindred by sufficient occasion. But forasmuch as the law of man p. 237in some places doth require the receipt of the Sacraments once a yeare at the least; and namely at Easter, hence it is that many will receive but once a yeare at the most.

The upright man maketh conscience of his thoughts, because the law of God is spiritual, restraining the thoughts as well as the hands. The hypocrite taketh no care of his thoughts, which he thinketh to be free because the law of man doth not reach to them

The Lord forbiddeth all rayling, and cursed speaking all stealing: and the upright man maketh conscience to abstaine from all: but forasmuch as the law of man doth not take hold of all evill speaking, nor of all stealing, therefore the hypocrite feareth not to practise such evil-speaking, and such stealing as is not punishable by the law of men, though perhaps the neighbour be more wronged by that ill speaking, or damnified by that stealing, then by that rayling against which lyeth an action of the case, or by that stealing against which an action of …elony lyeth.

2. The obedience of the upright is voluntary, and from the heart, Rom. 6. 17. proceeding from his will renewed, which appeareth not onelyonly in his good actions, but also in his sinnes, whether of omissio…or p. 238of commission, for the good which he doth not, he would doe: and the evill which he doth, he would not doe, Rom. 7. 19. But the obedience of the hypocrite is forced from him, because be dareth do no other; for that good which he doth, he would not do it; and that evill which he doth not, he would faine do; so that in respect of the inclination of the will, which God chie…ly regardeth▪ the disobedience of the upright is better then the obedience of the hypocrite.

3. The obedience of the upright is ordinata, well ordered, For he preferr…th the greater duties before the lesse, morall duties before ceremoniall, and the substance before circumstances, Matth. 1 …. 7. … Sam. 15. 22. But it hath alwayes beene the hypocrites guise, to preferre the lesse duties before the greater; as to tythe mint and cumin, and to neglect the weighty points of the law, Matthew 23. 23. Luk. 11. 42. to straine at a gnat and to swallow a camell, Mat 23. 24. to stumble at a straw, and to lea…e over a block (Mat. 12. 17. Luk 15. 13.) to preferre ceremonies before moral duties, yea somtimes to place the height of their Religion, either in the boistero…s urging, or in the strict refusing of ceremonies. Thus the p. 239Priests and Phariseyes who made no conscience of delivering our Saviour through envy unto death, yet at the same time made conscience to goe into the judgment hall, lest forsooth they should be defiled, Iohn 18. 28.

They made no conscience to hire Iud…s with 30 pieces of silver to betray his Lord: but when the pieces were brought them back againe, their conscience would not serve them to put the money into the treasury, because it was the price of bood, Mat. 27. 6.

4. The obedience of the upright is totall, not in respect of the performance, but in regard of the upright desire, unfained purpose, and sincere endevour, according to the measure of grace received, to walk in the obedience of all Gods commandements; to lye in no knowne sinne, but to make conscience of all his wayes. Not, but that the upright contrary to their desire and purpose do oftentimes fall; but that the Lord accepting of the will for the deed, esteemeth the upright and entire obedience of his servants, (who are freed from the rigour of the law) as totall and perfect. Abraham hath this testimony in the Scripture, (Gen. 26. 5.) that he obeyed the voice of God, and kept his…mishmereth, p. 240his whole charge, that is, whatsoever God requireth to be observed. viz …his commandements, his …, and his lawes. Zacharias likewise, and Elizabeth, Luk. 1. 6. and many others are said to have been perfect, and to have fulfilled after God. that is, fully to have obeyed him, who had notwithstanding their slips and their falls, as before I noted of Asa in the same chapter, where it is reported of Zacharias, that he walked in all the commandements of God blameles, we read that for his incredulity in not believing the word of the Angell, he was stricken with dumbnesse, and as it may seeme with deafnesse also, (Luk 16. 20 61.) for the space of ten moneths. In this evangelicall sense the obedience of the upright is totall, in 3. respects; [totius legis, hominis, vit…, as being the obedience of the Whole law, of the whole man, and of the whole life, after our justification and reconciliation with God, obeying the law in respect of thei… desire and purpose [totam, toti, tota vitae.

The whole law they obey both in respect of the two tables of the law, and in respect of all the severall commandements.

As for the two tables, the upright man joyneth the obedience of them both together, as here the Lord hath promised to all p. 241true Christians, that they shall worship him, not in holines alone, not in righteousnes alone, but both in holines & righteousnes b… fore him. Neither can these two, if they be… in truth (as they are in the upright) be severed. For a man cannot truly love God, (Iohn 4. 20.) unlesse he love his neighbour also; neither can a man love his neighbour as he ought, that is, in and for the Lord, unlesse he love the Lord much more, as I have shewed heretofore. And this we see veri…ied in the examples of those, who have been upright; who have this testimony in the Scriptures, that they were holy and righteous, as our Saviour himselfe (whom we are to imitate) Act. 3. 14. and all his upright servants as Noah Gen 6. 9. David, 1 King. 3. 6. Iohn Baptist. Mark 6. 2 Symeon, Luk 2. 25. Cornelius, Act. 10. 22. &c.

But it is the fashion of hypocrits to sever these two, which God hath so unseparably linked together, that whosoever hath the one in truth, hath also the other; and whosoever hath not both, hath neither. For some content themselves altogether with a profession of holinesse and religion towards God, not caring or desiring to performe the duties of charity and righteousnesse towards men, whereby notwithstanding, as it were by a touch-stone, God p. 242would have the uprightnesse of our piety tried. Others wholly content themselves with a faire civil conversation before men, having neither true faith in Christ, nor repentance towards God, nor the feare of the Lord, nor any sanctifying o… saving g…ace, living in ignorance, infidelity, impenitency, &c.

Farre be it from me to speak, either against the profession of piety, or the practise of civill honesty; but I speak against the severing of them and the resting in either of them alone being severed from the other. For so necessary is civill honesty, as those who have it not, are worse then many among the heathen that know not God, who were commended… for morall vertues: against whom notwithstanding the Holy Ghost denounceth that fearfull curse, po…re out thine indignation upon the heathen that doe not know thee, and upon the nations that have not called upon thy name, P…. 79. 6. And so necessary is the profession of piety, as that those who professe not religion and piety towards God, are worse then the Pharisees themselves; against whom notwithstanding our Saviour denounceth so many woes, Mat 23. Wherefore those that content themselves with a bare profession of religion, without p. 243any desire or care to practise the duties of charity and righteousnesse among men, are no better then the hypocriticall phar… …ees, concerning whose obedience our Saviour hath given us this caveat, Mat. 5 20. except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdome of God: and on the otherside, those, who professing themselves Christians content themselves with the practise of civill honesty, without any desire or care of religion, being not onelyonly void of all spirituall graces, but also guilty of much outward profanenesse, as inordinary swearing, and profaning the Sabbath, in neglect of hearing the word, and of prayer, &c. are no better then some of the heathen, who were alienated from the life of God, strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and being without God in this World, Eph 2. 12. 4 18.

Be not deceived, true piety towards God is alwayes fruitfull in the dutyes of charity towards men. And on the otherside, the streames of charity and true righteousnesse are ever derived from the fountaine of piety.

In respect of the severall commandements; the obedience of the upright is universall, in the evangelica. I sense, that is, p. 244in respect of his entire desire, and unfained purpose (though contrary thereunto he faile, as wee doe in many particulars) (Iam. 3 2.) having respect to all the precepts of God. Psal. 119. 6. and walking in all his commandments Luk. 1. 6. making conscience of all his wayes, both in performing all knowne dutyes, and avoiding all knowne sinne; not willingly retayning any one, but repenting of all, in respect whereof he is said, to fulfill after God, Num. 32. 12. that is wholly and universally to follow him.

The hypocrite fulfilleth not after God. Num 32 11. neither are his works full, Apoc. 3. 2. he obayeth God by the halves, or not so much: he can be content to avoid some sinnes, unto which he is not so much addicted, but his darling sinnes, perhaps his usury, or other gainfull sinnes, perhaps whordome, perhaps drunkennesse, &c. he will not leave. Herod reverenced Iohn the Bap…ist, and observed him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him foreign with delight, but for all that he would not leave his Herodias, Mark 6. 20. The ship of a mans soule may be sunk with one leake, if it be not stopped; and one breach in the fort of a mans soule, if it be not made up, is sufficient to let in the enemy to the utter overthrow therof. The continuance in any one crime unrepented p. 245of is sufficient to drowne the soule in perdition▪ He repenteth of no sinne, who is not willing to repen… of all; and he that willingly persi…teth in the br…ach of any one commandement is guilty of the breach of the whole law, (sa…. 8. 10.) for the law of God is …, and copolatively to be understood, both in respect of the affirmative, and of the negative. For he that is a keeper of the law … keepeth both the first and the second and the third commandement, &c. and he transgresseth neither the first, nor the second, not the third, &c. as therefore in … true; and as in a chaine consisting of many links coupled together, if any one linke be broken in the draught, the whole chaine is dissolved; so the transgression of any one …

p. 246page missing p. 247to the quality and disposition of the heart; so that he whose heart doth burne with lust is an adulterer in the sight of God; (Mat. 5. 28.) and he whose heart doth boyle with malice, (1 Iohn 3. …5.) he is a murtherer before God.

And as ther is great discord between the heart of the hypocrite, and his outward appearance; so in the outward man also his workes many times agree not with his wordes, nor his wordes with his workes. His workes, I say, agree not with his words when he saith well, and doth ill, having Iacobs voice, and Esaus hands. Neither due their words agree with their deeds when s…eming … to wrong any man by thei… deeds make no conscience of speaking evill, thinking that their words are but winde, and lightly to be regarded. But they should remember him who sayeth, that of every idle, and much more of every malicious word, men shall give an accompt at the day of judgment. For by thy words▪ saith he, thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. If therefore any among you, saith St. Iames, (I am 1. 26.) seeme to be religions, and hath not learned foreign as it were with a bitte or a brible to refraine his tongue; that man deceiveth himselfe, and his religion is p. 248vaine, that is to say, he is an hypocrite, having a shew of religion, but denying the power thereof For in whom there is any power of religion, they have learned to bridle their tongues.

Yea in their words i… a dis…ord, not only between them and their hearts and between their words and their works, but also between their words and their words. For as they spea…e with an heart and an heart, that is a double hart, whence they are called foreign so also with a tongue and a tongue, that is a double tongue; whence they are called foreign (1 Tim. 3. 8.) and foreign bilingues. (Eccles. 28. 13.) Out of the same mouth they breath hot and cold, which the Satyre liked not, out of the same fountaine issueth both bitter and sweete, both salt water and fresh; with the same tongue blesse God and curse men, (Iam. 3. 9. 16. 11. 12.) out of the same mouth procedeth blessing and cursing. It is strange to see, and lamentable to consider, how some men and women, who would seeme religious, are given to ill speaking, being not onelyonly …ar…e cen…rers and depravers of their brethern, but also detracters, back-biters, and slanderers, and (which is an evident signe of an hypocrite) thinking, that the dispraise of other men …endeth p. 249to their …, and the praise of others to their disgrace.

3. The obedience of the upright is …o tall in respect of his whole …, after the time of his justification and reconcilation with God, as it is here said, all the dayes of our life. Not, but that sometimes he stumbleth in the way of Christianity, and sometime falleth: but yet notwithstanding in respect of his desire, purpose and endevour, his obedie…ce is constant and permanent. For he keepeth a constant course in well-doing; as namly, in the practise of piety, wherein by continual practise he is habituated. He so giverth himselfe to prayer, as that in the scriptures he is said to pray alwayes; (Acts▪ 10. 22.) not, that he doth nothing els but pray, but that he prayeth both ordinarily at see times every day perhaps thrice a day as Daniel did (D…. 6. 10.) and also extraordinarily, a… oc…asion is offered. Likewise he keepeth a constant course, in reading, meditating, and hearing Gods word, and in other Christian duties wherein he sted fastly goeth on, with desire to increase in goodnesse.

And as his obedience is constant so … it is permanent. For uprightnesse is evermore accompanyed with perseverance to p. 250the … … as … I shall shew.

But the obedience of the hypocrite is neither constant, but as it were by fits, for the double minded man is inconstant in all his wayes, Iam. 1. 8. neither permanent, but mom…ntany, o… temporary, like the morning …ist or the early dew. Hos. 6. 4. like the seed sowne upon the roc…ie ground, which in time of heat withereth, Luk. 8. 13. like the building of the foolish man, which in …ime of temptation is overthrowne, Mat. 7. 26.

Graces] Now I come to the graces; every one whereof in the upright is foreign, that is unfained, and as Salomon speaketh, Pro. 3. 12. tus…jak that which truly is; but in the hypocrite, counterfeit. In these, the generall note of uprightnesse is desire of increase, and striving forward towards perfections (Phil. 3. 14) (for in this life we are in foreign) in our growing age) and God doth orowne their righteousnesse with incr…ase, for to him that hath it shall be given. The hypocrite… are non-proficien…s, contenting themselves with that measure of gra…e which they seeme to have, and have not, and having not, they are so farre from increasing in grace, that, that which they seeme to have, (Luk 8. 8) is taken from them.

p. 251And first, the faith of the upright is lively and effectuall, both to justification apprehending and applying Christ who is our righteousnesse; and also to sanctification, because it doth purify the heart, (Acts 15. 9.) and worke by love. (Gal. 5. 6.) Againe the faith of the upright is permanent, by it he standeth, (Rom. 5. 2.) and by it he shall live, Heb. 2. 4. by the power of God through faith he is preserved unto eternall life (1 Pet. 1. 5.) And therefore those who are of the defection, are not of faith. And contrarywise, Heb. 0. 39.

The seeming faith to the hypocrite is dead▪ being nether effectual to justification as being without roote, Luk. 8. 13. nor to sanctification; as being without …uit. For as the body without breath is dead, (Iam 2. 26.) so is faith without works.

Neither is the faith of hypocrites permanent, but temporary, which in time of tryall faileth, Luk. 8. 13.

Love] The love also of the upright is unfained, whether we speake of his love to God, which appeareth by obedience, both active, which is obedients legis, (for this is the love of God, that he keepe his commandements, 1 Iohn 5. 3. Exod 20. 6.) and passive, which is obedientia crucis. that is to say, patience, for love suffereth all p. 252things, 1 Cor. 3. 7. or of his love to man, which appeareth in giving and forgiving. But more specially an undoubted sigue of uprightnesse is to love and respect the godly, though of mean accompt in the world for their godlinesse sake; (Iam. 2. 24.) and to disrespect the wicked, though great in the world, for their wickednesse. Ps. 15. 4. following therein the disposition of God himselfe. 1 Sam. 2. 30. and the example of Elisha 2 King. 3. 13, 14. for in the eyes of the upright prety maketh men honorable, but wickednesse maketh them vile and despicable, Dan. 11. 21. And as the upright are an abomination to the wicked, so contrarywise. Pro. 29. 27. The world loveth her owne, but those, that be not of the world, the world hateth, it is therefore a good signe that we are not of th… world, if we love and affect those whom the world hateth.

The love of hypocrites is not true, neither towards God, For they be haters of God, (Exod 20. 5. 6.) that will not keepe his commandements; nor towards men, being in word and tongue onelyonly, (1 Iohn. 3. 18.) or (as we use to speake) from the teeth outward. But especially their hypocrisy is discovered, as by hating or envying the godly, even for his godlinesse sake, p. 253because they cannot endure that any should be esteemed better then themselves: (Thus Cain hated Abel, (1 Iohn 3. 12.) and Saul David, (1 Sam. 18. 9.) and the Pharisees Christ,) so by favouring and affecting the wicked. For liking is a signe of likenesse.

Hope] The hope of the upright man conceived of a better life doth in some measure weane him from the world; neither will it suffer him ordinarily, cuter to be drawne away in sinne, by the desires of the world, which are but vanities in comparison of that heavenly happinesse, which he …xspecteth. (Heb. 11. 24. 26.) no… to be driven from goodnesse by the terrors of the world, which he contemneth in respect of the joy that is set before him: but causeth him to purifie himselfe in some measure, even as Christ is pure. 1 Iohn. 3. 3.

The hypocrite, for all his pretended hope, is either so addicted to the desires of this world, as if he did not expect an other world: or is so daunted with the afflictions of this life, as a man without hope, and as he liveth without the feare of God; so he dyeth without hope. For what hope hath the hypocrite, when God taketh away his soule? Iob. 27. 8.

Feare] The upright man is indu…d with p. 254a sonne-like feare of God, which is a feare to offend him. For such feare and uprightnesse alwaye; goe together. Iob 1. 1. 8. Deut. 10. 12. 1 Sam. 12. 24. The hypocrite either hath no feare of God at all, Ps. 39. 1, 2. but is overgrowne with carnall security: or but a servile feare, which is the feare of bondslaves, who are under the law, whereby he doth not indeed feare sinne, or the offence of God, but the punishment onelyonly which sinne deserveth.

Humility] The upright man is indued with humility. For he that walketh with God, setting God before his eyes, and therefore behaving himselfe as in the sight and presence of God, cannot but humble himselfe to walk with his God. (Mich. 6. 8.) Abraham when he stood before the Lord, acknowledged himselfe to be but dust and ashes, Gen. 18. 27. The holy Prophet Esay, when in a vision he beheld the Majesty of God, …ryed but Woe is … because I am a man of polluted lippes Es 6. 5. The Apostle Peter, when by the miraculous draught of fishes he perceived CHRIST, then present with him, to be the Sonne of God, …ell downe at his feet, and said depart from me, for I am a sinfull man, O-Lord. Luk. 5. 8. And no doubt, but so many of us, as have that eye of faith, which Moses had, (Heb. p. 25511. 27.) to see him that is invisible presen… with them, are in some measure affected with his presence, as these men were. But pride is an evident signe of an hypocrite, who setteth not God before their eyes. Behold (saith the Prophet Habakuk) his soule that is lifted up in not upright within him▪ Hab. 2. 4. we see it in the example of the Pha…see, Luk 18. 11. who comming topray, in stead of humbling himselfe before GOD▪ …olleth himselfe above other men, and for that thanketh GOD: but to this end to praise himselfe.

Confidence] The upright are confident▪ For he that walketh in integrity, walketh confidently, Pro. 10 9. for confidence is a consequent of integrity, or that which truly is (…) Pro. 3. 21. 23, 24, 25. Keep th…t which truly is, that is sound wisdom & discretion, then shalt thou walke in thy way safely; when thou lyest down thou shall not be afraid, thou shall not be afraid of lud…en feare, for the Lord shalbe thy confidence, A consequent of truefaith, Rom. 5. 2. Eph 3. 12 of the spirit of adoption, which expelleth the spirit of fretfulnesse, Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. of the true feare of God. For, in the feare of the Lord there is strong confidence, Pro. 14, 26. of a good and upright conscience, which feareth no evill, Ps 112. 7, 8. The upright … p. 256shall not be afraid of evill tydings, his heart is stood tursting in the Lord his her at is established, he shall not be afraid, but is as bold as a lyon. Pro. 28. …. Neither doth he feare the censures or ill reports of men, 1 Cor. 4. 3. but as Iob, in the integrity of his conscience desireth that his cause may … tryed; professing, that if his adversary would write a bill or libell against him, he would be so far from being daunted there with, that it should redound to his credit, and he would bind it as a crowne unto him. Iob 31. 35, 36. Of affiance in Gods al-sufficiency, providence, and protection. For setting God before his eyes, and knowing, that the Lord is at his right hand, he is confident, that he shall not be moved. Ps. 1. 6. 8. for he believeth, that God is his buckler, and his exceeding great reward. Gen. 15. 1. a sun and a shield to them that walk uprightly, Ps. 84. 11. Pro. 27. that the eyes of the Lord perlustrate the whole earth to show himselfe strong in the behalfe of them, whose heart is upright towards him, 2 Chron. 16. 9. that God by his fatherly providence causeth all things to work together for the good of those that love him, Rom 8. 28. therefore with David he professeth, my defence is of God, who saveth the upright in heart, Ps 7. 10. and therefore resolveth not to feare, Ps 3. p. 2575. 6. 4. 8. 23. 4 27. 1. 3. 46. 1. 2. 3. 56. 4. 1… 8. 6. For what should hee feare that needeth not to feare death it selfe, which of all things in this world it most feared, seeing as it freeth him from all other evill and danger; so i… is an entrance unto him, and an intro…ion into happinesse.

Thus is the upright confident. But fears surpriseth the hypocrites, Es. 33. 14 fearing not onelyonly where is occasion of feare, but also where there is no cause of feare, Ps. 14. 5. 53. 5. They will be afraid at the wagging of a leafe. Levit. 26. 36. and they will … where no mean pursueth them. Pro. 28. …. And this feare happeneth unto them for wane of true faith, Mat. 8. 26. for want of the spirit of adoption, instead where of they are possessed with the spirit of bondage, and of feare, Rom. 8. 15. 2 Tim. 1. 7. For want of the true feare of God. For they that feare not God, feare all things … For want of a good conscience, for a bad and guilty conscience, conscious to it selfe of evill, feareth evill. For want of affiance in God, with whom they have no peace. The conscience of the wicked is like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose … cast up mire and dart, there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, Es 57. 20, 21.

The repentance of the upright is entire, … a turning unto God with all his heart p. 258heart from all his sins (Deut. 4. 29. Ezra …8. 2…. 28.) The repentance of the hypocrite is neither from the heart, but in outward showes, (Kings 21. 7.) as of hanging downe the head like a … ▪ Es 58. 5. of putting on sackcloth, and going softly, of rending the clothes, (Ioel l. 13) but not the heart▪ Neither is it from all his sinnes; for he will be sure to retaine some darling sinne from which he will not be reclaimed▪ But as he who truly repenteth of any one sin, repenteth of all, in respect of the desire and purpose of his heart, being not willing to retaine any) so he that repenteth not of all, repenteth of none at all in deed and in truth.

Simplicity] He that walketh in uprightnesse towards God, without hypocrisy, walketh also before men in simplicity and …inglenesse of heart, without guile. Both implied in the word: for foreign as Basil saith or foreign as Chrysoft speaketh, foreign simplicity of maners, and of speech, the character of an harmlesse or upright man. But he that useth dissimulation and guile towards men, is an hypocrite, and so is called, Mat. 22. 18 Mark. 12. 15.

So much of the notes that respect good things; now follow those which respect evill. And that either of sin, or of punishment

p. 259The … man hateth sinne as well in himselfe as in others, or rather more, and more severely censureth it in himselfe, then in others: not excusing nor extenuating, but rather amplifying and aggravating the same. The hypocrite hateth sinne in others, but not in himselfe, and to that end he is curious to pry into other mens behaviour and neglecteth his owne. He can see a mote in an other mans eye, but cannot discerne a blame in his owne, Mit) 7. 3. 4. he is a sharpe censure… of other mens faults, but fla…tereth and blesseth himselfe in his owne sinnes, Ps 36. 2. Deut. 29. 19. examples hereof in Saul. 1 Sam. 14. 44. in Iud… Gen. 85. 24. yea in Da…id. whiles … conce…led his sinne, 2 Sa…. 1. 2. 5.

Affliction… ] The evill of punishment … afflictions, which God hath ordayned as tryalls to discerne the sound and upright, from the unsound and hypocrite▪ by the patient bearing whereof the faithfull are found to be foreign that is, found and approved, Iam. …12. For tribulation being foreign (1 Pet. 1. 7. Iam. 1. 3) the trial of our faith worketh patience; and patience, foreign, (Rom. 5. 3. 4. that is, as Chrysostome (with whom others agree) expoundeth foreign, it maketh him approved that is tryed, as we see p. 260in Iob, and in the three children, Dan. 3. in the faithfull Iewes Ps. 44. 7 and in all the faithfull, but chiefly in all that are martyrs. By afflictions likwise the hypocrite being tryed is discovered, and as it were unmas… ed, by the not patient bearing and enduring thereof. For either he doth foreign, set light by the affliction, and not take it to heart; or else foreign, he f…inteth under it, contrary to the counsell of the Holy Ghost, Heb 12. 5 cited out of Pro 3. 11.

He that taketh not to heart an affliction, cannot be said patiently to beare it; for in patiendo est patientia, in suffering is patience, and not foreign, in not suffering, as …ppeareth in the examples of Iob, (Iob. 1. 20.) and David. (P…. 6. 38. 6.) And this is the cause many times, why the hypocrite doth not profit by aff…ctions, because he is not sensible thereof, Ier. 5. 3. and being unsensible, becommeth incorrigible, …. 2 30. And the cause hereof is, because hypocrites not walking with God; doe not acknowledge his hand; but ascribe their affliction, either to misfortune, or to secondary causes, which are but the instruments of God, Or if they doe acknowledge the hand of God; yet they are not humbled under it, neither doe they bewayle their sinnes, nor crave pardon of p. 261them, nor turne to him that smiteth them, (Es. 9. 18.) nor promise amendment; or if they doe, they meane not, or at least afterwards they doe not performe, nor submit themselves meekly to beare their affliction, nor learne obedience by that which they suffer, neither are they bettered by them, but become worse, Es. 1. 5. If they take it too much to heart, then either they impatienly beare it, murmuring against God, and fainting in themselves, or they seeke an evasion out of it by some sinne, and so fall away from God; by which their defection, their hypocrisie is discovered.

To these tryals by affliction, we may adde other temptations, as by the doctrine of false teachers, either a…uring to idolatry, which the Lord sometimes permitteth to prove us, whether we love him intirely or not, Deut. 13. 3. or to heresies, which the Lord also suffereth, that those which are approved, may be knowne 1 Cor. 11. 19.