And this bewrayeth another sin in hypocrites: that though in words they can make good their cause, and can justify themselves to be as blameless as any other, yet he that will observe it, shall find, that they will never be brought to plain dealing, nor be willing, what soever they say, to be judged by the Word of God. The reason is, their conscience tells them they are guilty. They would make a simple body believe, that none would more readily yield to have their doings tried by the Scripture then they (as is to be seen in them who call for the day of the Lord) ⟨p. 44⟩which if they would do indeed, they should prove themselves to be such, as they would be taken for, that is good Christians, and faithful servants of God: but alas it is nothing so with them, but they please themselves in thinking, that their estate is good, seeing they do some things that are commanded: but in what manner, and with what affection, they do them, and to what end, or in how many things they offend, they will in no sort be brought to examine, as may be seen by the Pharisee in the Gospel. Lord I thank thee I am not as other men. 1But if they be driven by some occasion to be more nearly sifted & examined, whether their lives be as innocent as ⟨p. 45⟩they boast them to be, then ye shall see them bewray that they are possessed with Sauls spirit, that is, not to answer, •or clear themselves by the word: but seeks shifts, by bringing in pretences of their good works and prayers: and that they be not (they hope) so bad as some, & that they would be loath it should be proved by them, meaning some open & gross offenders, or else thus they shift and say, do not some professors the same that we do, yet they are thought well of, and they would that none did worse then themselves, and though they have not such knowledge as some have (they say) nor cannot make such shows as some do, yet they trust they have ⟨p. 46⟩as good hearts, and meant as well as the best. By these and such like shiftings they defend themselves; but what is all this to the purpose, to free themselves from blame: Is this to go to work plainly, and to stick to the Scripture to be tried by them? The which palpable and gross deceiving of themselves, when it is showed them, do they acknowledge and so repent of it? which yet if they were truly humbled, they would do.
And this bewrayeth another sin in hypocrites: that though in words they can make good their cause, and can iustifie themselues to be as blamelesse as any other, yet hee that will obserue it, shall finde, that they will neuer bee brought to plaine dealing, nor be willing, what soeuer they say, to be iudged by the Word of God. The reason is, their conscience tels them they are guilty. They would make a simple body beleeue, that none would more readily yeeld to haue their doings tried by the Scripture then they (as is to be seene in them who call for the day of the Lord) ⟨p. 44⟩which if they would doe indeede, they should proue themselues to bee such, as they would be taken for, that is good Christians, and faithfull seruants of God: but alas it is nothing so with them, but they please themselues in thinking, that their estate is good, seeing they do some things that are commanded: but in what manner, and with what affection, they do them, and to what end, or in how many things they offend, they will in no sort be brought to examine, as may bee seene by the Pharisie in the Gospel. Lord I thank thee I am not as other men. 1But if they be driuen by some occasion to bee more nerely sifted & examined, whether their liues be as innocent as ⟨p. 45⟩they boast them to be, then ye shall see them bewray that they are possessed with Sauls spirit, that is, not to answere, •or cleere themselues by the word: but seekes shiftes, by bringing in pretences of their good workes and prayers: and that they bee not (they hope) so bad as some, & that they would bee loath it should be proued by them, meaning some open & grosse offenders, or else thus they shift and say, doe not some professors the same that wee doe, yet they are thought well of, and they would that none did worse then themselues, and though they haue not such knowledge as some haue (they say) nor cannot make such shewes as some doe, yet they trust they haue ⟨p. 46⟩as good hearts, and meant as well as the best. By these and such like shiftings they defend themselues; but what is all this to the purpose, to free themselues from blame: Is this to go to worke plainely, and to sticke to the Scripture to bee tryed by them? The which palpable and grosse deceiuing of themselues, when it is shewed them, doe they acknowledge and so repent of it? which yet if they were truely humbled, they would doe.
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