A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

but certainly it were better, with the Philosopher, to have honesty without Religion, than to have Religion without honesty. An Hypocrite may exercise himself in some outward, easy, ordinary duties of Religion; but when shall you see an Hypocrite laying the axe to the root of the Tree, or a searching and trying his own heart, or severely judging his bosom sins, or humbly mourning and lamenting over secret corruptions, or doubling his guards about his own soul, or rejoicing in the graces, services or excellencies of others, or striving or pressing after the highest pitches of grace, holiness and communion with God, or endeavouring ⟨p. 293⟩more to cast out the beam out of his own eye, than the mote out of his brother's eye, or to be more severe against his own sins, than against the sins of others? Alas! an Hypocrite is so far from practising these duties, that he thinks them either superfluous or impossible. An Hypocrites obedience is always a limited and stinted obedience; it is either limited to such commands which are most suitable to his ease, safety, honour, profit, pleasure, &c. or else it is limited to the outward part of the command, and never extends it self to the inward and spiritual part of the command; as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees; their obedience was all outward, they had no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command; as is evident in that high charge that Christ gives in against them, Mat. 5. They did not murder, they did not commit adultery, they had an eye to the outward part of the command; but Christ charges them with unjust and adulterous thoughts, unchaste glances, contemplative wickedness, speculative uncleanness, &c. they having no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command; common grace looks only to some particular duties, but saving grace looks to all. Renewing grace comes off to positives as well as negatives,¹ it teacheth us to cease to do evil, and it learns us also to do good; it teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and also to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. These words contain the sum of a Christians duty, to live soberly towards our selves, righteously towards our neighbours, and godly towards God, is true godliness indeed, and the whole duty of man.