Secondly, There is an Imaginary holiness, a Conceited §2holiness, an Opinionative holiness, Prov. 30.12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, 1and yet is not washed from their filthiness: they were very bad, and yet they had a great opinion of their own goodness; they were very filthy, and yet they stood very much upon their own purity; their hands were black, their hearts were black, their works were black, and their ways were as black as hell and yet they durst say that none could say black was their eye: they were filthy within, and filthy without, filthy in body, and filthy in soul, and filthy in spirit; filthiness had quite overspread them, and yet they thought to cover their filthiness with a visor of holiness (the worst men are commonly best conceited of themselves.) Ah friends, there hath been no generation wherein there hath not been such a generation of men who have wallowed in sin like Swine in the mire, and yet have kept up in themselves a strong opinion of their own goodness and holiness: this generation had neither their souls nor consciences washed in the blood of Christ, nor sanctified by the spirit of Christ, and yet they gloried in their conceited purity and holiness, as if they had been purified by Christ. There are many that are shining Christians, that are pure golden Christians in their own eyes, that are viler then dross, yea,2 then smoke in Gods eyes, Isa. 65.5. Stand by thy self, come not near to me; for I am holier then thou: these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day: they were very licentious, very ungracious, very rebellious, very Superstitious, very Idolatrous, ver. 2, 3, 4. and yet counted themselves very religious: they were worse then others, and yet thought themselves better then others; they were very bad, and ⟨p. 8⟩yet judged themselves very good: they were more impure, more profane, and more polluted then others, and yet they reckon themselves more pure and holier then others: they stand upon their comparative goodnesses, and yet at the the same time are charged by God of the greatest wickedness. And thus their kinsmen the Pharisees stand upon their images, forgeries, and outward dresses of holiness, when at the same time they practised the worst of wickedness, Mat. 23.5. Luke 30. & 18.11, 12. So those in Hos. 12.8. And Ephraim said, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance:
Secondly, There is an Imaginary holiness, a Conceited §2holiness, an Opinionative holiness, Prov. 30.12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, 1and yet is not washed from their filthiness: they were very bad, and yet they had a great opinion of their own goodness; they were very filthy, and yet they stood very much upon their own purity; their hands were black, their hearts were black, their works were black, and their ways were as black as hell and yet they durst say that none could say black was their eye: they were filthy within, and filthy without, filthy in body, and filthy in soul, and filthy in spirit; filthiness had quite overspred them, and yet they thought to cover their filthiness with a vizzard of holiness (the worst men are commonly best conceited of themselves.) Ah friends, there hath been no generation wherein there hath not been such a generation of men who have wallowed in sin like Swine in the mire, and yet have kept up in themselves a strong opinion of their own goodness and holiness: this generation had neither their souls nor consciences washt in the blood of Christ, nor sanctified by the spirit of Christ, and yet they gloried in their conceited purity and holiness, as if they had been purified by Christ. There are many that are shining Christians, that are pure golden Christians in their own eyes, that are viler then dross, yea,2 then smoak in Gods eyes, Isa. 65.5. Stand by thy self, come not near to me; for I am holier then thou: these are a smoak in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day: they were very licentious, very ungracious, very rebellious, very Superstitious, very Idolatrous, ver. 2, 3, 4. and yet counted themselves very religious: they were worse then others, and yet thought themselves better then others; they were very bad, and ⟨p. 8⟩yet judged themselves very good: they were more impure, more prophane, and more polluted then others, and yet they reckon themselves more pure and holier then others: they stand upon their comparative goodnesses, and yet at the the same time are charged by God of the greatest wickedness. And thus their kinsmen the Pharisees stand upon their images, forgeries, and outward dresses of holiness, when at the same time they practised the worst of wickedness, Mat. 23.5. Luke 30. & 18.11, 12. So those in
- 1Coelum gratis non acciqiam. I will not have heaven, but at a rate: said a proud impure person.
- 2Regis animum quisque intra see habet. Every man hath in him the mind of a King: is Calvins Note on that 1 Pet. 5.5.Regis animum quisque intra se habet. Every man hath in him the mind of a King: is Calvins Note on that 1 Pet. 5.5.
