A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

But for all hypocrites and half-Christians, their case is otherwise: The world and flesh is dearest to them, and highest in their practical estimation, though not in their speculative: and it hath their highest affections of Love and Delight, and the very bent and stream of heart and life, while God is served heartlessly on the by, for fear lest they be damned, when they can enjoy the world and sin no longer, and is put off with the leavings of the flesh, and hath no more of their hearts, their tongues, their time, their wealth, then it can spare: They ask their flesh how far they shall be Religious, and will go no further then will stand with their prosperity in the world: With the first and best they serve the flesh, and with the cheapest and the refuse they serve the Lord: When they go highest in their out-side carnal Religiousness, they go not beyond this hypocritical reserved state; (and usually, as Cain, they hate Abel for offering a more acceptable sacrifice): God must take up with this from them, or ⟨p. 23⟩•• without: They alway serve him with this reserve, though it […] not always explicit and discerned by them, [Provided that •• may go well with me in the world, and▪ I may have some competent proportion of honour, profit or pleasure, and Religion may not ••ose me to be undone:] If God will not take them on these […], (as most certainly he never will) he must go look him •••er servants: and so he will; and make them know at last […] their sorrow, that he needed not their service, but it was […] that needed him, and the benefits of his service.

But for all hypocrites and half-Christians, their case is otherwise: The world and flesh is dearest to them, and highest in their practical estimation, though not in their speculative: and it hath their highest affections of Love and Delight, and the very bent and stream of heart and life, while God is served heartlesly on the by, for fear lest they be damned, when they can enjoy the world and sin no longer, and is put off with the leavings of the flesh, and hath no more of their hearts, their tongues, their time, their wealth, then it can spare: They ask their flesh how far they shall be Religious, and will go no further then will stand with their prosperity in the world: With the first and best they serve the flesh, and with the cheapest and the refuse they serve the Lord: When they go highest in their out-side carnal Religiousness, they go not beyond this hypocritical reserved state; (and usually, as Cain, they hate Abel for offering a more acceptable sacrifice): God must take up with this from them, or