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THE Falseness OF THE Hopes of Many Professors, Shewed in a SERMON Preached in Boston, the 8th. of July, 1708. Being the Lecture Day.

By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton.

BOSTON in N. E. Printed by Bartholomew Green. Sold by Samuel Phillips at the Brick Shop, 1708.

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THE Falseness of the Hopes Of Many PROFESSORS.

MATTHEW. VII. 26.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

CHRIST JESUS in this Sermon upon the Mount, having given ma­ny Divine Rules & Counsels, doth here in the close of that Discourse, give an account of two sorts of Hearers that were present: The first sort he commends, He compares them to a wise man that built his house upon a Rock, v. 24, 25. The second [...]ort he condemns, v. 26, 27. In this verse he [...]peaks of a second sort of Hearers: Where (1.) We have their Character, they do them not. They do not practise what they hear; they give at­tention [Page 2] to the Word, but do not live according­ly; they listen to Temptation, and do not what they are Commanded; they forbear not what they are forbidden: They please their Curiosity by hearing; they give themselves a diversion from their Labours, they fill their Heads with Knowledge, they get Estimation, but they do not put what they hear in practise; there be few but do some things, but these don't yield Universal Obedience to Christ. (2.) The cen­sure that he passes upon them, he resembles them to a Foolish man that builds his house upon the Sand. They act imprudently for themselves, they are like a man that builds his house upon a moveable foundation, which will not stand when the Torrent comes, and the Winds blow: So these men build their hopes for Heaven, upon [...] foundation that will fail them.

The DOCTRINE is, That many Profess [...]r [...] build th [...]ir Hopes of Salvation [...] F [...]undation.

H [...]pes of [...]alvation a [...] comfortable, they are a great [...] Aff [...]iction▪ and under the ap [...]ehens [...]ns of ap [...]roaching Death, but the wil [...] [...] is T [...]t many mens hopes have a rotten [...]dation. Mens hopes of Salvation are of two [...]rt [...] [...]ome are firmly built upon a Rock, others [Page 3] are built upon grounds that will utterly fail them. Hopes of Salvation are no evidence that men are in a good condition; men had need examine the foundation of their Hope. It would be well for some Professors, if their hopes were converted into fears: They meerly cheat themselves by nourishing such hopes. Some Professors are much put to it to get and keep an Hope for Salvation, and when they have got it, it is good for nothing: Many Professors are careless and presumptuous, and take up with such hopes as will utterly deceive them: Job 8.13, 14. The Hypocrites hope shall perish, whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a Spiders web. Job. 27.8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God shall take away his Soul? Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods and hast need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor & blind and naked.

Here I shall answer two Enquiries.

Quest. 1. When do men build there hopes upon a good foundation: upon a foundation that will not fail in a time of tryal?

Before I answer this Question, I shall premise a distinction.

You must distinguish between the foundation of Faith and of Hope: Faith and Hope are two distinct Graces: Faith is an Accepting of the offer of Salvation by Christ: but Hope is the [Page 4] Expectation of Salvation: and accordingly yo [...] must distinguish the foundation of Faith fro [...] the foundation of Hope▪ the foundation [...] Faith [...]s Ch [...]i [...] J [...]s [...]s. 1 Cor. [...].11. Other f [...] ­dation can [...]o ma [...] l [...]y, th [...] [...] whi [...]h [...] [...]e­sus Christ. Ac [...]. 4.1 [...] [...] [...]here Salvation [...] any other, for [...] o [...]r Name [...] [...] ven given am [...]nt m [...]n [...] we must [...] The righteousne [...] o [...] Jesus Christ freely off [...]re by a faithful God, is the foundation of faith▪ We rely on the Grace of G [...]d, as the mo [...] cause of Salvation, and on the Righteousness o [...] Christ, as the purchasing cause of it. Christ [...] laid in Zion for a foundation, Isa 28.1 [...].

An [...]w. There are two foundations of hope

1. A knowledge t [...]t are [...]ave accepted [...]he offer of the G [...]spel There [...] abundance [...] Pr [...]se [...], m [...]e [...] t [...]e Scripture [...] [...]elievin [...] Job [...].3 [...]. H [...] to [...] to [...] nev [...]r [...] and [...] n [...]ver th [...]rst [...] H [...] [...] 5.24. H [...] [...]at [...] th [...] [...] and [...] I f [...] [...] the [...] wanting [...] be eve [...] [...], and if [...] in [...]ut [...] th [...]y [...] b [...]liev [...] [...] Christ, th [...] [...] very [...] to expect [...] [Page 5] several mistakes about mens believing in Christ: some men take that for believing, which is not believing. Some men take encouragement from their own Righteousness to trust in Christ, and they call that Faith: but men may know that they do believe. Faith in Christ is a thing that may clearly be discerned and understood; faith is sometimes very visible: and when it is seen, men may assuredly gather, that God will bestow eternal Life upon them: they have no reason to be afraid though they have a great many Infirmities: but they may conclude upon the Pardon of their Sins, & everlasting Life. Faith is like the Sword of Saul, & Bow of Jonathan, it never fails of bringing men to Salvation: 1 Pet. 1.9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the Sal­vation of your Souls: Rom. 15.13. The God of hope fill you with all joy & peace in believing.

2. A knowledge that we have the other Qua­lifications that Salvation is promised unto. There be several Qualifications, which though they be not properly the conditions of the Co­venant of Grace, yet they are things that do ac­company Salvation. So Love to God: Jam. 1.12. God has promised the Crown of Life to them that love him. So mortifying the deeds of the flesh: Rom. 8.13. If ye by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. So walking in the Law of God: Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Having a re­spect [Page 6] to all Gods Commandments: Psal. 119.6. Being righteous: Mat. 13.43. Then shall the righteous shine like the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. The knowledge of God: Joh. 17.3. This is eternal life to know thee, the only true God. There may be difficulty in making application of these signs; there be images and false re­semblances of all Grace: and this makes some men mistake, and think they have Grace when they have none: but when they do discover any of these signs in themselves, they may cer­tainly conclude that they shall be Saved. If men see any Grace in themselves, they may certainly lot upon Salvation; they shall not need to be at a loss about their condition: this de­cides the controversy about their Eternal Estate: 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the Brethren.

Quest. 2. When do men build their hopes upon a false foundation, and flatter themselves with vain hopes, when their Estate is nought?

Answ. 1. When they misapply good Rules to themselves. The Rules are good, but the application of them is false. As,

(1.) When they think that they accept of the offers of the Gospel, but do not. Many men are pretenders to faith, that have none: Jam. 2.14. What doth it profit my Brethren, if a man say, he hath faith? Isai. 48.2. They make mention of the holy City, and stay themselves on the Lord God [Page 7] of Israel. The mistake ariseth two ways, one is they don't understand the Nature of Faith; some have a perswasion, that the Gospel is true, and they call that faith: some are convinced that Justification is not by Works, but by Faith, and they call that faith: some men hope that Christ will have pity upon them & save them, and they call that faith: some men desire to be found in the Righteousness of Christ, and they call that faith: some men have a confidence that God will Save them, and they call that faith. The mistake of some others does arise from Ignorance of the Working of their own hearts. They have a right notion of the nature of faith, but they do not discern their own hearts: they think, they come to Christ upon the meer en­couragement of his Righteousness; but indeed they take only part of their encouragement from thence; the first ground of their encourage­ment is their own Sorrow, their desires, their love to the People of God: yet they take in the Plea of the Righteousness of Christ. This makes the Apostle speak as he doth: Rom. 11.6. If it be of Grace, it is no more of works, otherwise Grace is no more Grace; but if it be of works, it is no more Grace, otherwise work is no more work.

(2.) When they think they have the other Qualifications, that the Promises are made to, but have them not. Many men are deceived about Gold, and about Jewels; and so they [Page 8] are about Grace▪ Men may judge that the [...] have love to Christ, w [...]en they only have some pangs of Affe [...]tion unto Him. Like that ma [...] th [...]t said▪ [...] where-ev [...] [...] think they love God only because the [...] [...] about matters of Religi [...]n, as the [...] had. Rom. 1 [...].2. S [...] [...] t [...]i [...]k, they know God because they have g [...] m [...]e literal Knowledge than other men, [...] because they have only some common Illuminati [...]n; as carnal men may have▪ Heb. [...] Th [...] [...] b [...] inlightned and ta [...]te of the powers [...]f th [...] W [...]rld to come. Men may think that their Sin [...] are mortifyed, because they are restrained, and they do [...] indulge themselves in any Immorali­ty, they have escaped the Pollutions of the World. So men in [...] think that they love God­ly M [...]n, bec [...]use they have an honourable re­spect fo [...] them, [...] pity them when they a [...] Persecut [...], [...] kind to them. They think they walk [...] law [...]f the Lord, bec [...]se they are [...] is every frequent t [...]ing for m [...]n to [...] t [...]mselve [...], when the [...] be only [...] they [...] upon themselv [...] [...] and Gracious Re [...] sons, w [...]thout [...] Ex [...]mination, and [...] no [...]ish [...] expect [...]on of Eternal Life & Hop [...] t [...]ere is [...] their [...]

[...] themselves o [...] [...] Men make many [...] [Page 9] of Tryal, which will not bear Examination.

As,

1. They judge well of themselves, because they enjoy Gospel Privileges. Some men ima­gine, because of their Privileges, that God loves them, He has caused their lot to fall in a Place of Gospel light; they are no Papists, they belong to an Orthodox Church; they have been devoted from their Child-hood unto God: they sit under Good Teaching, and sit at the Table of the Lord: they belong to the Militant Church, and hope to be translated to the Church Triumphant: this is but a Sandy Foundation. John warns men against this confidence, Matt. 3.9. Think not to say within your selves, we have Abraham to our Father. There is a great deal of chaff on the floor of the Gospel Church: there be bad fish as well as good, caught by the Net of the Gospel. The means of Grace are a savour of Death unto Death to some: the Gospel is hid from many that hear it; many are called and few are chosen; some are blinded & hard­ned by means: Luk. 13.26, 27. Many will say have we not eaten and drunk in thy presence, & thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tel [...] you, I know you not whence you are. A [...]os 9.7. Are [...]ou not as the Children of the Ethiopians unto me, O Children of Israel?

2. Because they are Conscientious. If they [...]now any thing to be a duty, they are careful [Page 10] to attend it, if they know any thing to be a Sin, they are careful to avoid it; and so they think, they are obedient and walk in the law of the Lord: they don't walk after the flesh, but have a respect to all Gods Commandments; but these men put a cheat upon themselves, and lay a snare for their own Souls. Paul was Consci­entious when he was a Pharisee: Phil. 3.6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law, was blameless. The common work of the Spirit of God will make men Conscientious: Fears of Hell, and hopes of Heaven, will make men studi­ously to avoid Sin, and to attend Duty. Gene­rally mens Consciences are very tender a con­siderable time before they come to Christ; such as are Godly may remember, that they were Conscientious before they were Godly, or had any Spiritual acquaintance with Christ. There is a gracious Conscientiousness, and a legal Conscientiousness: Some that are Conscienti­ous for a time, do afterwards loose that ten­derness of Conscience, and indulge themselves in ways of iniquity. They escape the Pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Christ, and are again intangled therein, 2 Pet. 2.20.

3. Because they are well Esteemed of. They are generally reckoned Saints: they understand what others say of them; and men desire their Prayers; and Godly men love their Company, and take a delight to converse with them: but [Page 11] this is a very poor argument: for the judgment of men about other mens Piety, is but a Suppo­sition: 1 Pet. 5.11. By Silvanus a faithful brother, as I suppose. No man can look into the heart of another, and see the workings of a gracious Spirit. Men can't see the Principles of Grace in themselves, and they can neither see the Principles nor the actings of Grace in others. Godly men are often mistaken in others; the Disciples did not discern Judas: and tho' David did discern Doeg, yet for a great while he did not discern Ahitophel. In corrupt times, men are wont to be under great mistakes; one Hy­pocrite commends another: the Jews had a mighty Opinion of the Scribes and Pharisees.

4. Because God answers some of their Prayers. They can tell several particulars, which they have Prayed for, & God has granted; and they think that that word has therein been made good, That the eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous, & his ears are open to their cry. But you must distin­guish between the granting of the thing Pray­ed for, and the accepting of the Prayer: Mens Prayers may be accepted, when they are not granted; and they may be granted when they are not accepted: the thing might be done out of common bounty. God heard the Voice of Ish­mael, Gen. 21.17. God hears the Ravens that cry, Psal. 147.9. It may be the thing was done out of respect to the Prayer of some other Per­son, [Page 12] who Prayed for you in general, or possi­bly for that particular Mercy. God many times hears the crys of afflicted Persons, whe­ther they be Godly or Ungodly: Exod. 22.22, 23. Ye shall not afflict any Widow, or Fatherless Child, if thou afflict them in any wife, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their Cry.

5. Because they have some inward Incourage­ments. They have had some comfortable word come to them with a great deal of Power. Some incouraging Scripture has been set home upon their hearts, and they take that to be the Witness of the Spirit; but this may be where there is no Grace: Men may have tastes of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, yet utterly fall away, Heb. 6.4, 5. They may receive the word with joy, yet have no root, Matt. 13.20. Godly men have sometimes great terrours, God shakes threatnings over them; and carnal men may have great incou­ragements: Sometimes God terrifies Ungodly men, and sometimes he incourages them, to make them more diligent in seeking him, and quicken them to Pursue after Peace with God, and they strain their Incouragements too far.

USE. I. Hence see that many Professors will not doe well at last. Such as are building upon the Sand will fall: Mat. 7.27. Abundance of Christians will perish, and abundance of Pro­testants [Page 13] will perish. There be [...]ut a [...] at walk i [...] [...]he [...], Mat [...] [...] Many seek, and [...]ot [...], Luk. 13. [...] [...] a [...] called, and [...] Mat. 2 [...] N [...]e will stand b [...] those that are built [...] R [...]ck▪ The day [...] Judg [...] [...] a trying [...]; Ch [...]st will n [...]t t [...]e wh [...]le Churches toge [...]her to Heaven. If i [...] [...] be as the Sand of the Se [...], [...] [...]mnant [...] shall be Saved. Christ Jesus wi [...]l make a S [...]ation between the precious [...] the vile: He [...] me w [...] his [...] in hi [...] [...]nd, Mat. 3.12. Christ Jesus has a [...] Kingdom here, but He [...] [...]f his Kingd [...]m all things that st [...]nd, [...] them [...]. Mat. 1 [...] 1. When the [...] are g [...]ther [...] [...] the bad [...] [...]e [...]h [...]p from the [...] Mat [...].

Some that have had great confidence will [...]. No [...] that has [...] will mis­ [...] [...] [...]ut many men that have had great Con­fi [...] [...] will [...]. Some carn [...]l People a [...] [...] [...]ey to [...]y, as the [...], Are we blind [...] They have drunk in [...] high [...] [...]mselves, upon slighty grounds: [...] th [...] not [...], [...]sed i [...] [...]est not t [...] [...] and m [...]ble, [...], and h [...] [...]. They s [...]y [...] that, J [...] [...]. P [...]v. [...]; let [Page 14] them be striven with in Private, they will hold their own; they live under searching Preach­ing that startles many a Saint, yet they hold their integrity, they can answer any thing that is objected against them, they lot upon going to Heaven, as much as they do upon going to bed at Night; but when they come to be searched by Christ, and to be weighed in the Ballance, they will be found wanting, and their hopes will crack and break, and utterly fail them: Job 27.8. Where is the hope of the Hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God shall take away his Soul?

2. Some that have made a great blaze with their Profession. Some carnal men have by their gifts of Prayer and Preaching, made a great blaze: there has been a shew of more than ordinary Grace, they have seemed to be like green Olive-trees in the house of God. Some have been men of mighty zeal against this or that moral evil; they have had a fervour of Spirit against vicious Practices: Some have been mighty sticklers in Religious controversies, mightily engaged for that which they called Purity, and the cause of God: but many such men will fail at last: Men that have Prophesyed it Christ's Name, and in his Name have cast out De­vils, will be rejected by Christ, Mat. 7.22, 23▪ Foolish Virgins that had shining Lamps will be excluded. The Pharisees made a mighty blaze, [Page 15] as if they were the most Eminent men in the World. They were very Scrupulous, they would not eat with unwash'd hands, they took abundance of pains to make Proselytes, they a­bounded in Prayers & Fastings; yet they mis­sed of Salvation, Mat. 23.33.

3. Some that have the good Opinion of other men. Many men are generally accounted Saints, they live in honour, and dye in honour, they have an Innocent and Religious carriage, and thereby a good Reputation; but many of these men have only had a common work of the Spirit, and they will perish at last. Saints when they come to Heaven, will miss many that they thought to see there: Wicked men when they come to Hell, will find many there, [...]hat lived in good Reputation; when they dye, [...]hen give a good Character of them, and they say [...]ow there is an end of all their troubles, & they have a reward of their Obedience; there is no great cause of Mourning on their account, for [...]hey are well on it: Men say, Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord; but alas, the men are gone the other way, they never come within [...]housands of Miles of Heaven: their condition was like the condition of that Young man, Mat. [...]9.20. Multitudes that are Sainted on earth, are Damned in Hell.

[Page 16]4. Some that have been Helps to the Souls of others. It is an Honour & a Mercy to be Ser­viceable to the Souls of others, to be a means of the Conversion of Sinners, and of the Edifi­cation of Saints: but some have been so that have missed of Salvation themselves. Men that are Instruments to awaken others, may be secure themselves; Men that are Instruments to Convert others, may be Unconverted them­selves. The efficacy of the Word of God doth not wholly depend upon the Piety of him that dispenses it: Men may Preach Profitably to o­thers, yet be cast-aways themselves: Men may call others to Meeting, yet not go themselves: So men may call others to Heaven, yet not go thither themselves. Men that are in a carnal condition, may be Instruments to edify others. The Crows brought flesh and bread to Elijah. Many that have been helps to the Souls of o­thers, may loose their own Souls: Men may have gifts for the Edification of others, yet not have Grace for the Salvation of their own Souls. Mat. 7.22, 23. Many shall say in that day, have we not Prophesied in thy Name?

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USE. II. Of Examination.

Whether you have built upon a sandy Foundation, o [...] not? There be a great many of you, that have hopes that you are in a State of Salvation, and are nourishing some expectations of Eternal Life and it would be very strange if none of you should build your hopes upon a solid foun­dation, and it would be more strange if none of you should build your hopes upon a sandy foundation: Such Persons are generally ming­led in Assemblies. The Wheat and the Chaff are mixt together: So the Tares & the Wheat. Do not say that it is not likely that your hopes are built upon the [...]and; but if there be any ground of Suspicion, it is worth the while to Examine your Selves Some that have made a Profession for many years, have found that the [...] foundation was not good; and have been con­ [...]nced, that they have for many years deceived themselves, it may be so with some of you: if y [...]u Examine your Selves, you may make the [...] discovery; self-flattery is a common disease. P [...] [...]0 1 [...] The [...] [...] a Generation that are pure in t [...] [...] eyes▪ yet are nor cleansed from their filthi­n [...] [...] I [...] you Examine your Selves, you may d [...]cover the falsenes of your hopes. Be per­s [...]ded then to take pains▪ You must be Exa­m [...]d throughly therefore Examine your

[Page 18]In order to your Examining of your selves, I shall propose two questions to you.

Question I.

Have you any thing Substantial indeed to plead for your selves? Have you any thing to plead that is indeed Evidential, that puts the goodness of your hopes beyond controversy? I take it for granted that you have several things to plead for your selves, you have arguments enough, if they be but good; the Question is, Whether any of them be of weight? A man that goes to Law, had need see to his tackling▪ A man that is to have a tryal before the Tribu­nal of Christ, had need to see that he has that which will bear Examination. Are your pleas such as are common to Hypocrites? There are some pleas, which if they be true, are very strong. That is a good plea, that God has made Spiritual discoveries of his Glory, and the Glory of Christ to their Souls: That is a good plea, that they have had the visible actings of Grace, Faith & Love & Repentance; if men have been able to say with Peter, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. That is a good plea, that God has by his Spirit manifested his love unto them. But men are ready to lay weight upon insufficient pleas, they take notice of se­veral probabilities, but many false hearted men [Page 19] [...] make the same pleas; they say they are [...] for their Sins, they desire to walk in ways [...] Obedience, they are not tainted with Im­ [...]lities, they seek God dayly, they read good [...]ks, &c. But the inquiry is, Whether you [...] any thing that is peculiar to Saints? Twenty probabilities, will not prove you to be [...]n heir of Salvation: Twenty probabilities may make the thing more probable, but they will not make a Certainty: You cannot draw a certain conclusion, unless you have something [...]ubstantial to prove it.

Here Consider two thing [...].

1. Th [...] may stand by you, when you are well, [...] w [...]l not stand by you, when you are dying. Many men when they are in health are taken [...] about Worldly business, and carnal injoy­ [...]ents, and have very little sence of Eternal things, and then they can make a shift to quiet [...]hemselves with some probabilities of Eternal [...]ife: When Death is looked upon a remote [...]ing, small incouragement will support their [...], but when they come to dye, they are [...] times sensible that it is a dreadful thing [...] [...]arry, if they should be mistaken, they [...]ould be unspeakably miserable, and they don't [...]ow how to content themselves with uncer­ [...] hopes; if a man should tell them, that there [Page 20] is a probability of their Salvation, they think with themselves, But what if it should be other­wise? how can I bear the blackness of dark­ness, and the never dying worm, and unquen­chable fire? Now they are more accurate in searching themselves, they cannot satisfy them­selves with small appearances, and slender grounds of comfort; and sometimes they plain­ly discern that their hopes were delusions, that they have miserably cheated themselves, that their Religion has been nothing else but For­mality. I have heard a dying Professor bitterly bewail the want of Sincerity. Then men will consider more thorowly after what manner they have lived. When the Bridegroom was com­ing, the foolish Virgins complain, That their Lamps were gone out, Mat. 25.8. Thus they are terrifyed: Job 27.20. Terrours take hold upon him as waters.

2. That way stand by you, when you are dying, that won't stand by you when you are dead. Men when they are dying, may be under delusion, especially if they have Religious affections▪ they are sorry for their Sins, and intend if God spares them, to live more carefully than they have done, and they gather hopes from thence: they make a kind of Faith, and that keeps them from despair: Sometimes dying men flatter themselves, and make a great matter of frivolous [Page 21] signs; mens eyes are not always open when they are dying: the Devil cheats them then, and sooths them up with vain hopes of Salvation. Psal. 73.4. There are no bands in their death. But when they are dead they shall see things as they are, God determines things right. If carnal men go out of the World with great hopes, their hopes will vanish in a Moment; when they are dead, their hopes will be as the giving up of the ghost. Job 27.8. Where is the hope of the Hypocrite, though be hath gained, when God shall take away his Soul?

Question. II.

Is there nothing Substantial against you? You take notice of many things that make you afraid, as that you are ready to be carryed away with Temptation, to do such things again as you have confessed before God. You are ready to excuse your selves from duty, you have an unsavoury Spirit; you are apt to seek your self, with a neglect of Gods glory; you are very formal in Duties of Religion; you feel a great deal of Pride and Discontent, and Worldliness, and Unbelief working in your own hearts: but you recover your selves, and say that such things are consistent with a prin­ciple of Grace: and you hear others of the People of God complaining of these things, [Page 22] and good men are often in a bad frame. Paul found a law in his Members warring against the law of his mind. Abraham was scared into a denyal of his Wife: Sarah denyed that she laughed: Hezekiah's heart was lifted up, and he rendred not according to the benefit received: Jonah was froward, and Barnabas was carryed away with dissimulation; and by such consi­derations they strengthen their hopes: but look more narrowly into things; Is there nothing Substantial against you? Do you not allow your self in the neglect of some duty? Do you not live in a way of disobedience to some of Gods Commands? Doth not a Self-seeking Spirit rule you? Do you Mourn for Sin as the great­est evil? Are you not under the dominion of some Lust? Are you not an utter stranger to the Glory of God, and Jesus Christ? Do you not live upon your own Righteousness? Is there nothing that is inconsistent with Grace? if there be any thing Evidential against you, your hopes are vain.

Here consider two things.

1. You may deceive men, but not GOD. Men that have not a spark of Grace in their hearts may carry it so, that men may take them for very holy men: They talk Religiously, abstain from vicious courses, have an orderly and religious [Page 23] Conversation, and so they may pass currently among men for Godly men; and live Twenty or Thirty years in good Reputation: Men do not discern what their ends be, what their Spi­rit is, nor those Secret practises that they are guilty of. Men may have blemishes on their bodies, and others know nothing of them: Men may be very poor and others not know it: So men may be Spiritually blind & dead, and others be ignorant of it: but there is no hiding of the thing from God; the hearts of men are un­der his eye; God has a Window into every mans heart: Men may cheat other men; but they cannot cheat God. Men don't know the thoughts of Gods heart any further than he reveals them, but God knows their hearts; neither the Spirituality of the Soul, nor the darkness of the Night; nor the false shews that men make, can be a cover to hide the heart from God: all thoughts, desires, purposes and ends are open unto God: God seeth not as man seeth: Jer. 17.10. I the Lord search the heart and try the reins, to render to every man ac­cording to his works▪ though the heart is very deceitful, yet it is not so deceitful as to deceive GOD.

2. You may deceive your selves, but not GOD. Many Persons have deceived themselves: Men often take that for Silver that is not Silver, and [Page 24] that for Grace which is not: the difference is narrow between true Faith and common Faith, between saving Love and common affection, between Godly sorrow and legal sorrow, be­tween Godly zeal and common zeal. Some­times men do not search accurately, sometimes their common affections work so high, that they carry a mighty resemblance of Grace; and men are naturally inclined to have a fa­vourable Opinion of themselves, and pronounce a Sentence of justification on themselves, with­out sufficient grounds: Men are acquitted in the Court of Conscience, without sufficient cause: but they cannot deceive God, He sees thorow all shews and pretences, and can distin­guish between the substance and the shadow▪ God is better acquainted with men, than men are with themselves: Psal. 139.2. Thou under­standest my thought afar off.

USE III. Of Warning.

That you don't build your hopes upon a sandy foun­dation. He is a foolish man that builds his house upon the Sand, Mat. 7.26. Men are careful that they may not expose themselves to great hazards, but he that builds upon the Sand, is in extream danger: Hopes built on the Sand are flattering and deceitful hopes, all the advantage of them is, that the men go the more quietly [Page 25] unto Hell. It is well worth the while to build upon a Rock; but men will loose their labour that build upon the Sand. If the design of men be Salvation, these hopes will be an hindrance to them, it is better a great deal to be without hopes, than to have hopes built upon the Sand. If men build upon the Sand, the building will fall: And at the time, when you should prin­cipally have the benefit of your Religion, your hopes will fall about your ears: therefore be Careful.

I shall apply this Warning particularly.

1. To Ignorant Professors. When Ignorant Persons have a case depending in the Law, it is an easy thing for a crafty Fellow to make them believe that their case is good: So Satan has great advantage on Ignorant Professors; blind men may easily be led into the ditch. Some men be Ignorant which be certain signs, and which be uncertain; they are likely to de­pend upon those that are uncertain. Some men cannot tell wherein the Nature of true Faith doth lye, neither are they able to distin­guish common from Saving Grace; such are in great danger to be imposed on; Ignorant men are in the next preparation to be deceived: The darkness of the mind exposes them; it is easy to deceive the simple, Rom. 16.18. Men [Page 26] that do not know Silver, may easily be cheated about it. Men that are ignorant of the Law, are not fit to be Judges. Ignorance makes men bold to continue in dangerous ways. It is strange that knowing Persons should continue in dangerous ways, 1 Cor. 6.9. but 'tis not strange to see Ignorant People continue in such wayes.

2. To such as have not had a distinct work of Conversion. Some men have had a very accu­rate and distinct work of Conversion, they have been plainly led along from step to step, and have been clearly brought home to CHRIST: but there be some others with whom the case is otherwise, they pretend to be Saints, but they give a miserable account of their Conver­sion: Some of them may be Converted, but many of them are not: ordinarily if men be Converted they know more about it: for Con­science is a great observer of mens behaviour, and such men are in great hazard to build up­on the Sand: It is possible for them to attain to a certainty: Joh. 9.25. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. But many such Persons do deceive themselves, their arguments for a Converted condition are far short of a demonstration.

[Page 27]3. To such Professors as are carried on in a still w [...]y. Some Professors are mightily hurried with Temptation: They have mighty fears and terrors, and Satan is casting in his fiery darts; these are under more advantage to look to themselves, and many times such have great Consolations: But there be some others, that go on in a still quiet way, they have no great Sorrow, nor any great Joys, go on in a way of Profession one year after another, and they have little Temptation and little Comfort, they have scarce any dark hours, they have little to say against themselves, and very little to say for themselves; it will be a wonder if many of these men do not miscarry, if they be Godly it is much they have no more Temptation; if they be Godly it is much they have no more comfort; it is well if their quietness do not arise from stupidity: they had need diligent­ly to Examine themselves. When the strong man armed keeps the house, many times all is quiet, Luk. 11.21.

4. To Old Professors. There be some Young Christians that are very much exercised with fears, whether their Sins be Pardoned, or not. That is the occasion of those words, 1 Joh. 2.12. I have written to you Children, because your Si [...]s are forgiven for his Names sake. But there [Page 28] be some Old Professors that have had an hope a great while: and it is so confirmed by custom and length of time, that they think much to Examine their hopes, they say, they have been in the Church Twenty or Thirty years, and they think they are too old now to begin, and to lay a foundation of Religion. They do not know certainly what their Re­ligion is, but they must run the venture of it they have looked upon their hopes to be pretty good these many years, and they cannot tell how to be brought to it now, to call all in question again; they are for running the venture of it, right or wrong; there is more hopes of some vicious men than of these: Mat. 21.31. Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of God before you.

FINIS.

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