Open wickedness, open idolatry ⟨p. 377⟩slays her thousands, but secret idolatry, a secret resting upon duties slays her ten thousands; multitudes bleed inward by this disease, and die for ever. Open profaneness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell, but Religious duties rested in, is as sure a way, though a cleaner way to hell; profane persons and formal Professors, shall meet at last in one hell. Ah Christians! don't make Religious duties your money, lest you and your money perish together. The Phoenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together, and then blows them with her wings and burns with them: So do many shining Professors burn themselves with their own duties and services. You know in Noah's flood, all that were not in the Ark, though they climb up the tallest Trees, and the highest Mountains and Hills, yet were drowned: So let men climb up to the highest duties, yet if they be not housed in Christ, & in his righteousness, they will be as certainly damned, as the men in the old world were certainly drowned. Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing; Do this and live. And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties, and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing; but if salvation were to be had by doing, what need of a Saviour? Well, remember this once for all, such as rest on duties, such as rest on their own righteousness, or on any thing on this side Christ, such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian, or as Jareb, they cannot heal them, they cannot cure them of their wounds:1 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb, yet could they not heal him, nor cure him of his wound. Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines; he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them, and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ; but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties, and to rest on their duties, then he has his design, then he claps his hands for joy, then he cries out, Ah, ah, so would I have it. There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ, and reject Christ, and provoke Christ, as this of resting upon self-righteousness; and therefore above all, pray against this, and watch against this, and ⟨p. 378⟩weep over this.
Open wickedness, open idolatry ⟨p. 377⟩slayes her thousands, but secret idolatry, a secret resting upon duties slayes her ten thousands; multitudes bleed inward by this disease, and die for ever. Open prophaness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell, but Religious duties rested in, is as sure a way, though a cleaner way to hell; prophane persons and formal Professors, shall meet at last in one hell. Ah Christians! don't make Religious duties your money, lest you and your money perish together. The Phenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together, and then blows them with her wings and burns with them: So do many shining Professors burn themselves with their own duties and services. You know in Noahs floud, all that were not in the Ark, though they climb up the tallest Trees, and the highest Mountains and Hills, yet were drowned: So let men climb up to the highest duties, yet if they be not housed in Christ, & in his righteousness, they will be as certainly damned, as the men in the old world were certainly drowned. Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing; Do this and live. And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties, and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing; but if salvation were to be had by doing, what need of a Saviour? Well, remember this once for all, such as rest on duties, such as rest on their own righteousness, or on any thing on this side Christ, such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian, or as Jareb, they cannot heal them, they cannot cure them of their wounds:1 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb, yet could they not heal him, nor cure him of his wound. Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines; he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them, and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ; but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties, and to rest on their duties, then he has his design, then he claps his hands for joy, then he cryes out, Ah, ah, so would I have it. There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ, and reject Christ, and provoke Christ, as this of resting upon self-righteousness; and therefore above all, pray against this, and watch against this, and ⟨p. 378⟩weep over this.
- 1Hos. 5.13.
