come near you, nor caft his eye towards you, but with abhorrence. Hear and fear, then, you that are ftouthearted, and far from righteousness; whose consciences can atteft, that the day never yet dawned, where you found not your fins a pleasure to you. You are fo far from being humbled or troubled for your fins, that it is your only trouble that you cannot commit them with content, and without controul: and you are only troubled with admonitions, counfels, commands, threatnings, fcriptures, and fermons that cross you.-Know for certain, if you be never humbled, and broken for your abominations, you must burn for them one day. Your proud hearts were never abafed and laid in the duft; and if they remain fo, the Lord will ruin both you and them.-There are a few in the world, whofe hearts fail them, under the weight of their abominations; and and who lie low in the duft for their fins: but you, being pure in your own eyes, and never humbled for your heart and life-abominations, deride and scorn these humbled and broken ones, and look down upon them, with a fupercilious eye, as filly and despicable men: But yet a little while, and you fhall fee them exalted to glory, and faved for ever; when fuch felf-conceited, proud, and prefumptuous wretches, as you are, fhall be turned into hell! O Sirs, Be not high-minded, but fear.

The fecond ufe that we make of the doctrine, is for debortation and caution. 1. To the wicked. 2. To the

godly. 3. To all in general.

1. To the wicked and ungodly. Is this felf-conceit fo incident to a multitude of profeffors? O Sirs, do not draw this inference from it, as if there were no real Chriftians in the world, becaufe many pretend to be fo, who yet are not fo. Nay, God hath his own remnant in the world; his Nathaniels, who are Ifraelites indeed, in whom there is no guile, no allowed or unlawful guile. In the church vifible there is a heap of chaff; but there is fome wheat among the chaff. In Zion there is a heap of ftones; but there are fome diamonds among the ftones. Though many fatisfy themselves with a form of godliness, without having the power thereof: yet

there

there are some to whom the gospel hath come, not in word only, but in power; and that understand the power of godliness.

2. To the godly there is this caution. Do not think that you ought not to profefs religion, because fo many profeffors do deceive themselves, and profefs very folemnly, who yet are impure indeed. The poffeffion of Chrift in the heart is the principal thing; but the confeffion of Chrift with the mouth is alfo duty: With the heart man believeth unto righteoufnefs; and with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation, Rom. x. 10. Give not over your profeffion of the name of Chrift; although many have but a name to live, and are dead: but endeavour, through grace, to prove our profeffion before the world, by your practice conformed thereunto; and to prove your practice before God and confcience, by the principle of faith, in love to and zeal for a God in Christ, moving you thereunto.

3. To all in general. The caution and dehortation we tender is, Seeing this abominable evil doth fo much prevail and abound, and that many pretend to call themfelves by the God of Ifrael, and take great titles to themselves in the church of Chrift, and are pure in their own eyes, who yet are nought in reality; O then, Sirs, be not high-minded, but fear. What reafon have we to fear, left we be amongst the number of felf-conceited perfons, and felf-deceivers? For, if we furvey our hearts, we will find what a high conceit of ourselves we have entertained. Beware of this fin; for it is a dangerous evil, as I have already fhewn on the doctrinal part, and might here refume, were it not for gaining of time.

The third ufe of the fubject, is for reproof. This doctrine reaches a reproof to all that are pure in their own eyes, and filled with felf-conceit.

1. Some have an high conceit of their own perfon. They are proud, perhaps, of a white fkin, amiable features, and a handfome fhape; little remembering what a few days ficknefs will produce, and that all will moulder into duft in the iffue. They that are proud of their

bodily excellencies, or yet of their foul accomplishments, do not duly ponder, that their body is but a piece of clay, and their foul a piece of hell, by nature.

2. Some have an high conceit of their poffeffions and attainments; puffed up because they have an opulency of worldly things, and some natural and acquired abilities; not knowing that they are without life, without light, without holiness; yea, without God, and without hope in the world; really poor, miferable, wretched, blind, and naked, Eph. ii. 12. Rev. iii. 17. Surely the best of us want more than we have.

3. Some have a high conceit of their performances; while yet they do little or nothing for God, or for the generation; nothing for their own fouls; nothing for their families; nothing for the fpiritual good of the neighbourhood that are about them. They have the leaves of a profeffion, the flowrifh of refolutions, and the appearance of fruit; but it never ripens to a spiritually good work.

4. Some have an high conceit of their own power and ability: they think they can repent, they can believe, they can pray, they can meditate, they can mortify fin when they please: they think they can communicate as well as the best; they can love God and their neighbour; while yet they are wholly without strength, and can do nothing; yea, are not fufficient of themselves, to think any thing as of themfelves.

5. Some have a high conceit of their own fufferings, as well as doings. Some will fpeak very boaftingly of their fufferings that they have undergone, and what perfecutions they have endured for religion, and a good caufe; and, perhaps, think more of thefe than they do of Chrift's fufferings for them: but they are not of Paul's difpofition; God forbid, faith he, that I fhould glory, fave in the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Gal. vi. 14.

Many are pure in their own eyes; and, why? Because they judge amifs concerning themfelves.

(1.) Some judge themfelves pure, because of their profeffion, their eminent profeffion; who yet may be curfed with the barren fig-tree. Such a fandy foundation many build upon, that they take a profeffion of reli

gion for true Chriftianity. What! fay they; ministers talk of converfion, regeneration, the new birth, and we know not what unintelligible things: but, God be thanked, we are not Papists, neither are we Atheists, nor Infidels, without the church; we are within the very bofom of the church, and even enjoy the privileges of the church. Alas! Sirs; mistake not your own fhadow for a bridge, and fo, venturing thereupon, drown yourselves for ever.

(2.) Some judge themselves pure, because of their gifts. One may have the gift of prattling, and be able to speak well of religion, and recommend religious things; and think, who but he. Another may have the gift of prayer, while he is a stranger to the grace of it; yet he may suppose the gift to be fufficient; and being thus eminent above many others, he may think he is well enough. But gifts and graces are not the fame : many have gone down to the pit of hell with their great gifts, and with all their wisdom and learning, that they valued themselves fo much upon.

(3.) Some judge themfelves pure, because of their common graces, which they mistake for faving graces. There is many times fuch a refemblance between common and faving grace, that they take counterfeit coin for true, because of its likeness to it. As Saul took the devil for Samuel, because of his mantle; fo many take a common work of the Spirit, for the true faving work, because of its good appearance.--In the understanding there may be a common illumination, as well as a faving one, Heb. vi. 4.; though there is a vaft difference be tween the two. For the common illumination doth only adorn and beautify the foul; but the faving doth irradiate, inlighten, and warm the foul. The one is informing, the other is transforming: the one is barren, the other fruitful. In the confcience, there may be common convictions and qualms, as well as thofe that iffue in faving converfion. Some may have had fuch a work upon their hearts, as that the relating of it may procure them ample teftimony among minifters and Chriftians: and no doubt but the difciples would have given a good teftimony of Judas, before he was difcovered; tho' Chrift gave him none. VOL. I. Nnn

But

But what though we had a testimonial written, with an ample recommendation from men or angels; if Chrift's hand be not at it, God will reject it; and the bleffed Redeemer of finners will fay, I never figned it. In the affections, there may be common defires and delights, as well as fpecial: there may be false joys and forrows, like the joy of the ftony-ground hearers; and like the forrows of Efau for losing the birth-right.-Yea, in the will, there may be a common change, as well as a faving one: Men may take on good refolutions, and starts of devotion, as if they would take heaven by violence; and yet the will never renewed, or made willing in the day of God's power.O then, Sirs, let us take heed that we be not deceived in this matter.

(4.) Some judge themselves pure, because they have efcaped the pollutions of the world. They have, it may be, forfaken fome fins, that only time, and circumftances changing, have tired them out of. They may imagine, that their abstaining from the grofs evils of the generation is true fanctity. But there is a two-fold fanctification; one of the flesh, and another of the fpirit: I take the former to be an abftaining from grofs and fcandalous fins, like thofe fpoken of, 2 Pet. ii. 20. They may come this length, and yet be strangers to purity, or true fanctity of heart or life. But there is a fanctification of fpirit, when God gives the promised new heart and new fpirit. Now, many take the former for the latter: they take reftraining grace for renewing grace. God restrains Pagans, yea, devils alfo, from doing a thousand ill turns, that they would otherwife do. What is the motive that makes them abftain from these fins? Is it the love of God? or the fear of God? Nay, take away public fhame and reproach, they would go forward to all manner of wickednefs: and yet because they are outwardly pure, they are ready to conclude themselves innocent. But, man; what though you had not a tongue? yet you can curfe God in your heart. What though you had not eyes? yet you can commit adultery in your heart.

(5.) Some judge themfelves pure, because they fide with the strictest party, like Paul; an Hebrew of the He

brew's: