For my part I think, that if Christians took Gods work before them, and spared the flesh less, and trusted themselves and all to Christ alone, and did not balk all the troublesome costly part of Religion, and that which most crosseth the interest of the flesh; it would be more ordinary with them to be filled with the joys of the Holy Ghost, and walk in that Peace of Conscience which is a Continual Feast; and to have such full and frequent views both of the sincerity of their Evidencing Graces, and of Gods Reconciled ⟨p. 330⟩Face, as would banish their doubts and fears, and be a greater help to their certainty of salvation, then much other labour doth prove. If you flinch not the fiery furnace, you shall have the company of the Son of God in it. If you flinch not the Prison and Stocks, you may be able to sing as Paul and Silas did. If you refuse not to be stoned with Stephen, you may perhaps see Heaven opened as he did. If you think these Comforts so dear bought, that you will rather venture without them; let me tell you, you may take your course, but the end will convince you to the very heart, of the folly of your choice. Never then complain for want of Comfort; remember you might have had it, and would not. And let me give you this with you: You will shortly find, though worldly Pleasures, Riches and Honours were some slight salves to your molested Conscience here, yet there will no cure nor ease for it be found hereafter: Your merry hours will then all be gone, and your worldly Delights forsake you in Distress: but these solid Comforts which you judged too dear, would have ended in the Everlasting Joys of Glory. When men do flinch God and his Truth in straits, and juggle with their Consciences, and will take out all the honourable, easy, cheap part of the work of Christ, and make a ⟨p. 331⟩Religion of that by it self, leaving out all the disgraceful, difficult, chargeable, self-denying part; and hereupon call themselves Christians, and make a great show in the world with this kind of Religiousness, and take themselves injured if men question their honesty and uprightness in the faith: these men are notorious self-deceivers, mere Hypocrites; and in plain truth, this is the very true description by which damnable Hypocrites are known from sound Christians. The Lord open mens eyes to see it in time while it may be cured.
For my part I think, that if Christians took Gods work before them, and spared the flesh less, and trusted themselves and all to Christ alone, and did not balk all the troublesom costly part of Religion, and that which most crosseth the interest of the flesh; it would be more ordinary with them to be filled with the joys of the Holy Ghost, and walk in that Peace of Conscience which is a Continual Feast; and to have such full and frequent views both of the sincerity of their Evidencing Graces, and of Gods Reconciled ⟨p. 330⟩Face, as would banish their doubts and fears, and be a greater help to their certainty of salvation, then much other labour doth prove. If you flinch not the fiery furnace, you shall have the company of the Son of God in it. If you flinch not the Prison and Stocks, you may be able to sing as Paul and Silas did. If you refuse not to be stoned with Stephen, you may perhaps see Heaven opened as he did. If you think these Comforts so dear bought, that you will rather venture without them; let me tell you, you may take your course, but the end will convince you to the very heart, of the folly of your choyce. Never then complain for want of Comfort; remember you might have had it, and would not. And let me give you this with you: You will shortly find, though worldly Pleasures, Riches and Honours were some slight salves to your molested Conscience here, yet there will no cure nor ease for it be found hereafter: Your merry hours will then all be gone, and your worldly Delights forsake you in Distress: but these solid Comforts which you judged too dear, would have ended in the Everlasting Joys of Glory. When men do flinch God and his Truth in straits, and juggle with their Consciences, and will take out all the honourable, easy, cheap part of the work of Christ, and make a ⟨p. 331⟩Religion of that by it self, leaving out all the disgraceful, difficult, chargeable, self-denying part; and hereupon call themselves Christians, and make a great shew in the world with this kind of Religiousness, and take themselves injured if men question their honesty and uprightness in the faith: these men are notorious self-deceivers, meer Hypocrites; and in plain truth, this is the very true description by which damnable Hypocrites are known from sound Christians. The Lord open mens eyes to see it in time while it may be cured.
