Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification,…

I took this Text to show that one of these is as dangerous as the other, and how men are apt to deceive themselves in their search and examination. 'Tis as dangerous not to prove our ways, as to put off and defer our turning to God. This is a dangerous disease, that when men come to examine and try their spiritual estates, they have false weights and unequal balances to prove themselves by: they are very willing to save themselves the labour, though they be deceived. A man is loth to be cozened by another, but here is his folly, that he is willing enough to deceive and betray himself. Such fools the Devil makes many men, because they take not right glasses to look on themselves in, and so they deceive themselves. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself; but let every man prove, &c.

I took this Text to shew that one of these is as dangerous as the other, and how men are apt to deceive themselves in their search and examination. 'Tis as dangerous not to prove our wayes, as to put off and defer our turning to God. This is a dangerous disease, that when men come to examine and try their spiritual estates, they have false weights and unequal ballances to prove themselves by: they are very willing to save themselves the labour, though they be deceived. A man is loth to be cozened by another, but here is his folly, that he is willing enough to deceive and betray himself. Such fools the Devil makes many men, because they take not right glasses to look on themselves in, and so they deceive themselves. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself; but let every man prove, &c.

In the words here are, 1. The Disease. 2. A Remedy.

1. The Disease is in the 3d. v. If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, &c. this is a common and dangerous disease; and a disease which is both common and dangerous is the more to be feared, the more careful must the Physician be. This is the most common disease, for there is not a man but finds a snatch of it in his own heart. And it is the more dangerous; for who is in more danger then he that is blind and will be blind? that is willing to be cheated by Satan and himself. This is the patient. Now what his disease is, and the dangerousness of it, the Apostle tells us: He thinks himself to be something, and is nothing. This is the patient to be cured, and that is his disease, then which none more common: for there is not the worst of men but will say, I thank God I am something, and I am not half so bad as the Preacher would make me, I have some good thing in me.