A94157:175
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration: or A treatise containing the nature, necessity, marks and means of regeneration; as also the duty of the regenerate. / By George Swinnocke, M.A. and pastor of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.
London: printed by John Best for Tho. Parkhurst, 1661
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fifthly Thy sacred performances are not a sufficient evidence for heaven. Observe Reader; I shall not condemn, nay, I do highly commend thy external obedience to the divine precepts, though thou shouldest be unregenerate: because few come so far. Athanasius wished That all were hypocrites, and that there were none but such, as at least resembled Saints. It is good to wait at the Pool; Christ may come as he did to the Cripple, and heal thy diseased soul. It may be as much worth as thine eternal weal, to lie as the blind man did, in Christs way; he may speak and begin such a spiritual sight in thee, as may end in seeing God as he is: But I am now telling thee, that 'tis ill trusting to bare duties, as signs of thy salvation; for thou mayst mind personal, relative, secret, family, public duties, and yet be unregenerate and perish. He that doth not these things, is certainly not good; but he that doth them cannot thence conclude his estate to be gracious.
Fifthly Thy sacred performances are not a sufficient evidence for heaven. Observe Reader; I shall not condemne, nay, I do highly commend thy external obedience to the divine precepts, though thou shouldest be unregenerate: because few come so far. Athanasius wished That all were hypocrites, and that there were none but such, as at least resembled Saints. It is good to wait at the Pool; Christ may come as he did to the Cripple, and heal thy diseased soul. It may be as much worth as thine eternal weal, to ly as the blind man did, in Christs way; he may speak and begin such aspiritual sight in thee, as may end in seeing God as he is: But I am now telling thee, that 'tis ill trusting to bare duties, as signes of thy salvation; for thou mayst mind personall, relative, secret, family, publike duties, and yet be unregenerate and perish. He that doth not these things, is certainly not good; but he that doth them cannot thence conclude his estate to be gracious.
Thou must do all as to the outside which a Saint can do, or thou canst not be an hypocrite (for an hypocrite is the perfect picture of a godly person) now because an hypocrite which is unregenerate, may go so far; therefore these things are not sure signs of saving grace.