2. Moreover if the Honouring and Pleasing of our Lord, and the saving of our souls be not the End and principal motive of our actions, there can be no true Honesty. It is essential to Honesty that God be our End. If you would know what a man is, first know what he Intendeth, and maketh the End and mark of his life: And so you must do if you would judge of his actions. The End is the principal ingredient that makes them Good or Bad. If a Thief Love God because he prospereth him in stealing, or because he giveth him strength and opportunity; this is a wicked Love of God. If a drunkard Love God for giving him his drink, and a Whoremonger Love God for strengthening him in his lust, will you call this Honesty? Every wicked man doth make his sensual present pleasure his principal End through all his life. If he love his neighbour, it is but carnally, as a dog loveth him that seedeth and stroketh him. If he seem to be a good Commonwealths man, it is but for vain-glory or carnal accommodati•: and he fighteth for his King or Country but as a dog doth ••• his bone. If he give to the poor, it is but that which he can spare from his Belly; and it is either in a common pity, or for vain applause, or he thinks by it to stop the mouth of Justice, that God may let him alone in his sins, or save him after all his wickedness. This is no more an Honest man, then he that makes a trade of stealing, and will pay Tithes of all that he steals; or give some part to the Church or Poor, that God may pardon him, and save him when he hath done. All the Religion, and all the charity of wicked men, is but for themselves: and that which hath no higher End then Carnal self, is truly no Religi• Charity: It is only the sanctified man that is Honest: for it […] he that is devoted to God, and doth the works of his life to […] and glorify his maker. There is more Honesty in the very […] ⟨p. 217⟩ing and drinking of the sanctified, then in the prayer and sacrifices and alms deed of the ungodly. Or else God would never have said as he hath done that [Unto the Pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and Conscience is defiled, Tit. 1. 15. And that every creature is sanctified by the word of God and by Prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5.
2. Moreover if the Honouring and Pleasing of our Lord, and the saving of our souls be not the End and principal motive of our actions, there can be no true Honesty. It is essential to Honesty that God be our End. If you would know what a man is, first know what he Intendeth, and maketh the End and marke of his life: And so you must do if you would judge of his actions. The End is the principal ingredient that makes them Good or Bad. If a Thief Love God because he prospereth him in stealing, or because he giveth him strength and opportunity; this is a wicked Love of God. If a drunkard Love God for giving him his drink, and a Whoremonger Love God for strenthening him in his lust, will you call this Honesty? Every wicked man doth make his sensual present pleasure his principal End through all his life. If he love his neighbour, it is but carnally, as a dog loveth him that seedeth and stroaketh him. If he seem to be a good Commonwealths man, it is but for vain-glory or carnal accommodati•: and he fighteth for his King or Countrey but as a dog doth ••• his bone. If he give to the poor, it is but that which he can spare from his Belly; and it is either in a common pitty, or for vain applause, or he thinks by it to stop the mouth of Justice, that God may let him alone in his sins, or save him after all his wickedness. This is no more an Honest man, then he that makes a trade of stealing, and will pay Tythes of all that he steals; or give some part to the Church or Poor, that God may pardon him, and save him when he hath done. All the Religion, and all the charity of wicked men, is but for themselves: and that which hath no higher End then Carnal self, is truly no Religi• Charity: It is only the sanctified man that is Honest: for it 〈…〉 he that is devoted to God, and doth the works of his life to 〈…〉 and glorifie his maker. There is more Honesty in the very 〈…〉 ⟨p. 217⟩ing and drinking of the sanctified, then in the prayer and sacrifices and alms deed of the ungodly. Or else God would never have said as he hath done that [Unto the Pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and Conscience is defiled, Tit. 1. 15. And that every creature is sanctified by the word of God and by Prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5.
