The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

5. Yet some hypocrites seem to go further (though they do not) for they will seem, even to themselves, to resign goods, and life, and all things absolutely to the will of God. But the reason is, because they are secretly persuaded in their hearts, that their resignation shall no whit deprive them of them; and that God will never the more take it from them; but that they may possess as much present corporal felicity, in a life of Religion, as if they lived in the dangerous case of the ungodly: ⟨p. 267⟩or at least, that they may keep so much, as not to be undone or left to any great sufferings in the world; or at least, their lives may not be called for. For they live in a time, when few suffer for Christ; and therefore they see little cause to •e•r that they should be of that smaller number: and it is but being a little the more wise and cautelous, and they hope they may scape well enough. And if they had not this hope, they would never give up all to Christ. But like persons that will be liberal to their Physician, they will offer a great deal, when they think he will not take it; but if they thought he would take all that is offered, they would offer less. Or as if a sick person should hear that such a Physician will give him no very strong or loathsome Physic; and therefore when the Physician telleth him [I will be none of your Physician unless you will absolutely promise to take every thing which I shall give you.] He promiseth that he will do it; but it is only because he supposeth that he will give him nothing which is troublesome: And if he find his expectation crossed, he breaketh his promise, and •aith, If I had known that he would have used me thus, I would never have promised it him. So hypocrites by promise give up themselves absolutely to God, and to b• wholly at his will, without excepting life it self: But their hearts do secretly except it: For all this is because they doubt not but they may save their earthly prosperity and lives, and be Christians too: And if once Christ call them to suffer death for him, they show then what was the meaning of their hearts.

5. Yet some hypocrites seem to go further (though they do not) for they will seem, even to themselves, to resign goods, and life, and all things absolutely to the will of God. But the reason is, because they are secretly perswaded in their hearts, that their resignation shall no whit deprive them of them; and that God will never the more take it from them; but that they may possess as much present corporal felicity, in a life of Religion, as if they lived in the dangerous case of the ungodly: