Mr. Bolton's last and learned work of the four last things death, judgement, hell,…Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things death, iudgement, hell,…

Hence it is also that we find it to be a constant property of a worldly-wise man to conceive or censure a zealous profession of GODs truth, and sound practice of sincerity, to be nothing but hypocrisy and humour: an affectation of singularity, preciseness, and a kind of oddness from other men. The reason is, when he looks upon himself in the flattering glass of self-conceit, he judges himself to be a very jolly fellow: thinks he within his own heart; I go for a sufficient man in the world: the best make good account of me:¹ I am well beloved of my neighbours: my sufficiency for wisdom, moderation in Religion, civility for carriage, justness in dealings with men, are both known, and well spoke of by the most: and what would you have more in a man? Hereupon, out of this practical survey of his own counterfeit worth, and because he is stark blind in spiritual matters, and the affairs of heaven, he presently concludes, whatsoever zeal, singularities ⟨p. 214⟩of grace and spiritual excellencies are supposed by some kind of men to be in others, especially, if they be of lower rank and less account for worldly wisdom than himself, to be nothing but only outward shows, pretences and hypocrisies: he is furnished in his own conceit with a competency, if not an extraordinary sufficiency of natural and moral endowments▪ and he never felt either the power of grace, neither can possibly see or acknowledge those holy operations in others: and therefore he cannot be persuaded, but he is fully as good as the precisest of them (for that's the language of profaneness against grace) and that there is no worth worth naming, or any true real goodness in those they now call Christians, over and besides that which he findeth in himself.

Hence it is also that we find it to be a constant property of a worldly-wise man to conceive or censure a zealous profession of GODs truth, and sound practice of sincerity, to be nothing but hypocrisie and humour: an affectation of singularitie, precisenesse, and a kind of odnesse from other men. The reason is, when he lookes upon himselfe in the flattering glasse of selfe-conceipt, he judges himselfe to be a very jolly fellow: thinkes he within his owne heart; I go for a sufficient man in the world: the best make good account of me:¹