An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

But when they have a mind to take down the confidence of men, who are apt to presume too soon, that their condition is good; they do so magnify the attainments of hypocrites, who shall never go to Heaven, that it is impossible, for any sanctified man to do more than an hypocrite may do: So that, notwithstanding any evidences of Sanctification, he may be a hypocrite still, which quite spoils the evidences of Sanctification, because we cannot distinguish a sanctified man from a hypocrite: Thus for example, one may plead: I have left my sins I once lived in; I am no Drunkard, Swearer, Liar. I answer,¹ Thou mayst be washed from the mire, the pollution of the World; and yet be a Swine in Gods account (which he proves from, 2 Pet. 2.20. Where the Apostle tells them: That if they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Christ, and are again entangled therein and overcome (if they return to their old vices) then their latter end is worse than the beginning; Which is point blank contrary to what he affirms, that those, who have escaped these pollutions, ⟨p. 555⟩and are not yet entangled again in them, may, notwithstanding that, be Swine in Gods account: For so he adds; Thou mayst live a blameless, innocent, honest, smooth life, and yet be a miserable creature: But I pray, says such a man, and that often; so thou mayst, and yet never be saved, Isai. 1.11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices? To great purpose sure, when they are offered by men of blameless, innocent, honest, smooth lives; the want of which made those sacrifices abominable to God: But I fast sometimes, so did the Scribes and Pharisees: But it was to devour widows houses, which was not the fast of an honest, innocent man: But I hear the word, so did the stony ground, who for a season believed; And it had been well, and a good sign of Grace, if it had continued: I read the Scripture, so did the Pharisees, who were perfect in the Bible: But though knaves read the Scriptures, and be never the better for it; yet good men may read it to good purpose; reading of Scripture is no argument, that a man is an hypocrite, because the Pharisees were; But I am grieved and repent of my sins, so did Judas; but he hanged himself, and that indeed is ⟨p. 556⟩