Thirdly, A man is naturally carnal in religious Ordinances. Because he is apt to put trust in them, to think he merits at Gods hands, or maketh satisfaction for his •ispasses. This is not to be spiritual, but carnal; We have low, carnal apprehensions of God. when we think that by our righteousness, though it were ten thousand times more perfect than it is, that we are able to profit God therewith. Thus those false Teachers with their followers, they are said to make a fair show in the flesh, Gal 6. 12. and Phil. 3. 3. to have confidence in the flesh; To worship God in the Spirit, and to have no confidence in the flesh, are two opposite things; Now by flesh there is meant circumcision, and all other Church-privileges, which Paul did eminently enjoy, and while a Pharisee, he wholly rested in them, but when once the son of God was revealed to him, then he renounced all confidence in these things, judging himself to be only carnal in them; But now little was Paul, while a Pharisee, and so exactly diligent in the discharge of them, persuaded that all he did was rejected by God, that he abhorred all, that he was only carnal in those things? It is therefore of great consequence to be spiritual in the particular, for this is a secret sweet poison, that is apt to undo us; Therefore the Particular, the formal the devout man, who is ignorant of Regeneration, while he abhorreth all bodily flesh-sins, he may be highly guilty of soul flesh sins: So that there is little cause for a Pharisee to boast, saying, He was not a profane gross sinner like a Publican, he did not wallow in bodily sins of the flesh, for he was dangerously diseased with soul sins; The flesh there made him abominable in the eyes of God, for that which they did so highly exalt, it was [Greek or Hebrew] before God; What an heavy and sad deceit will this prove, when thou shal• find that wherein thou blessest thy self, and applaudest thy self in, will be thy condemnation, as Christ told the Pharisees, Moses in whom ye trust, he will condemn you? Oh that this Truth might be like a sword piercing into the secrets of your heart! How wilt thou be overwhelmed, when that which thou hopest will save thee, that will damn thee? There is a carnal Religion, there is a fleshly devotion, in which men putting their confidence, may thereby be condemned, as well as by gross profaneness:
Thirdly, A man is naturaly carnal in religious Ordinances. Because he is apt to put trust in them, to think he merits at Gods hands, or maketh satisfaction for his •ispasses. This is not to be spiritual, but carnal; We have low, carnal apprehensions of God. when we think that by our righteousnesse, though it were ten thousand times more perfect than it is, that we are able to profit God therewith. Thus those false Teachers with their followers, they are said to make a fair shew in the flesh, Gal 6. 12. and Phil. 3. 3. to have confidence in the flesh; To worship God in the Spirit, and to have no confidence in the flesh, are two opposite things; Now by flesh there is meant circumcision, and all other Church-priviledges, which Paul did eminently enjoy, and while a Pharisee, he wholly rested in them, but when once the sonne of God was revealed to him, then he renounced all confidence in these things, judging himself to be only carnal in them; But now little was Paul, while a Pharisee, and so exactly diligent in the discharge of them, perswaded that all he did was rejected by God, that he abhorred all, that he was only carnal in those things? It is therefore of great consquence to be spiritual in the particular, for this is a secret sweet poison, that is apt to undo us; Therefore the Particular, the formal the devout man, who is ignorant of Regeneration, while he abhorreth all bodily flesh-sinnes, he may be highly guilty of soul flesh sinnes: So that there is little cause for a Pharisee to boast, saying, He was not a prophane grosse sinner like a Publican, he did not wallow in bodily sinnes of the flesh, for he was dangerously diseased with soul sinnes; The flesh there made him abominable in the eyes of God, for that which they did so highly exalt, it was 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 before God; What an heavy and sad deceit will this prove, when thou shal• find that wherein thou blessest thy self, and applaudest thy self in, will be thy condemnation, as Christ told the Pharisees, Moses in whom ye trust, he will condemn you? Oh that this Truth might be like a sword piercing into the secrets of your heart! How wilt thou be overwhelmed, when that which thou hopest will save thee, that will damn thee? There is a carnal Religion, there is a fleshly devotion, in which men putting their confidence, may thereby be condemned, as well as by grosse prophanenesse:
