An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners

4. The prevalency of false ends in holy duties. Mat. 23. 5. This was the bane of the Pharisees. Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this, and drops into hell, before he discerns his mistake! He performs good duties, and so thinks all is well, and perceives not that he is acted by carnal motives all the while. It is too true, that even with the truly sanctified, many carnal ends will oft times creep in; but they are the matter of his hatred and humiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with him, and to bear the greatest sway. Rom. 14. 7. But now when the main thing that doth ordinarily carry a man out to religious duties, shall be some carnal end, as to satisfy his conscience, ⟨p. 96⟩to get the repute of being religious, to be seen of men, to show his own gifts and parts, to avoid the reproach of a profane and irreligious person, or the like, this discovers an unsound heart. Hos. 10. 1. Zech. 7. 5, 6. Oh Christians, if you would avoid self-deceit, see that you mind, not only your acts, but withal, yea above all, your ends.

4. The prevalency of false ends in holy duties. Mat. 23. 5. This was the bane of the Pharisees. Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this, and drops into hell, before he discerns his mistake! He performs good duties, and so thinks all is well, and perceives not that he is acted by carnal motives all the while. It is too true, that even with the truly sanctified, many carnal ends will oft times creep in; but they are the matter of his hatred and humiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with him, and to bear the greatest sway. Rom. 14. 7. But now when the main thing that doth ordinarily carry a man out to religious duties, shall be some carnal end, as to satisfy his conscience, ⟨p. 96⟩