And first in general,1 though he lived more than forty years in his Fathers house a religious man, and a careful worshipper of God, ⟨p. 20⟩yet he lived there as an hypocrite, and got no true goodness, as appears by that he was not kept from fratricide, or brother-murdering, by any conscience to God, but alone by a kind of love and respect to his Father. Look to your selves I pray you, you that be children of godly Parents, and have been trained up by them as well as they knew how, look to your selves, that you continue not sinful, and wicked, and hypocrites at the last, such I mean, as care not to get the true knowledge of God, but continue still lovers and servants of sin, though you have a little form of godliness, to forbear some sins, and do some good things for your Parents sake. This is to be an Esau, even to enjoy the means of grace and salvation in a godly house, and there to conform a little outwardly, and to abstain from some sins out of respect to the Governors, though you have no true conscience to God. Search your hearts you wives, children, servants, that are educated, and live under the roof of good men in the Church of God, under good means, and see your misery, if you be no better than this man was. And now labour to profit by the means of grace, to get the truth of grace causing you to stand in awe of God, and to depart from all wickedness, out of due obedience to his Majesty, that it may be said of you, these and these, and all sins you resolve to leave, not for sinister respects of this or that person, or thing, of a Father, or the like, but out of love to God, and a true desire to honour him that hath taken you to be his people. Think not well of your selves because some self respect, or humane consideration keeps you from running into grosser sins, but drive to imprint such a filial regard to the living God in your hearts, that may cause you to shun all wickedness for the Lords sake, and then you may comfortably say in your selves, now I know I am a true member of the Church, and not as Esau was, at least then, a rotten, and a withering, and a fruitless branch, that bringeth forth leaves alone and no good fruit.
And first in generall,1 though he lived more than forty yeares in his Fathers house a religious man, and a carefull worshipper of God, ⟨p. 20⟩yet he lived there as an hypocrite, and got no true goodnesse, as appeares by that he was not kept from fratricide, or brother-murdering, by any conscience to God, but alone by a kinde of love and respect to his Father. Look to your selves I pray you, you that be children of godly Parents, and have been trained up by them as well as they knew how, look to your selves, that you continue not sinfull, and wicked, and hypocrites at the last, such I meane, as care not to get the true knowledge of God, but continue still lovers and servants of sin, though you have a little forme of godlinesse, to forbeare some sins, and doe some good things for your Parents sake. This is to be an Esau, even to enjoy the meanes of grace and salvation in a godly house, and there to conforme a little outwardly, and to abstaine from some sins out of respect to the Governours, though you have no true conscience to God. Search your hearts you wives, children, servants, that are educated, and live under the roofe of good men in the Church of God, under good meanes, and see your misery, if you be no better than this man was. And now labour to profit by the means of grace, to get the truth of grace causing you to stand in awe of God, and to depart from all wickednesse, out of due obedience to his Majesty, that it may be said of you, these and these, and all sins you resolve to leave, not for sinister respects of this or that person, or thing, of a Father, or the like, but out of love to God, and a true desire to honour him that hath taken you to be his people. Thinke not well of your selves because some self respect, or humane consideration keeps you from running into grosser sins, but drive to imprint such a filiall regard to the living God in your hearts, that may cause you to shun all wickednesse for the Lords sake, and then you may comfortably say in your selves, now I know I am a true member of the Church, and not as Esau was, at least then, a rotten, and a withering, and a fruitlesse branch, that bringeth forth leaves alone and no good fruit.
- 1His faults, 1. In general, he was an hypocrite.His faults, 1. In generall, he was an hypocrite.
