1. Such persons as live from time to time in disobedience ⟨p. 256⟩unto God: there be pretenders to faith, that live an irreligious and carnal life, if they live not in any sensual lusts, yet are indulging themselves in other sins, regardless of sanctifying the Sabbath, neglecting prayer, allow themselves in worldliness, pride, malice, and the like: James has given us the character of the faith of such men, Jam. 2.26. Faith without works is dead; the gospel is a doctrine according to godliness, there is no more effectual means to purge away sin than faith in Jesus Christ, 2 Tit 11.12. faith is an heart purifying grace, Act. 15.9. those that believe Christ have salvation began in them here, they are saved from the dominion of sin: and therefore those men that do indulge themselves in any lust are destitute of faith, whatever their pretences be: whatever they tell of their comforts and discoveries, they have but a shadow of faith; if they had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, those corruptions would be removed: faith don't work by wantonness, and malice, and sensuality, and worldliness, but by love, Gal. 5.6. such men dream they have faith: can men believe in Christ, and be servants unto Satan, are men believers, yet rebellious persons, do men receive the grace, and reject the holiness of God, do men take Christ for their Priest, and the Devil for their King? if faith were in mens hearts, those lusts would never rest there, faith would be purging of them out: such unholy persons do not adorn the Gospel, but are blemishes to the societies to which they do belong: the Scripture gives us an account of the humility, heavenly mindedness, love, self-denial of believers, and if these men be believers they are of another kind then the Scripture tells us of; such men do turn the grace of God into wantonness, as if Christ came into the world to procure them a ⟨p. 257⟩liberty to sin without danger: as if the gospel did countenance iniquity, such men are not guilty of deceiving many others, if the sinfulness of their ways be known, men may easily tell what their faith is, and if they were not stark blind, they could not deceive themselves; but if they hope for heaven in this way, they will surely be mistaken: God threatens them with damnation, 2 Pet. 3.7. they that continue ungodly, will as certainly perish, as if there were no gospel, indeed such men are not fit to be saved;
1. Such persons as live from time to time in disobedience ⟨p. 256⟩unto God: there be pretenders to faith, that live an irreligious and carnal life, if they live not in any sensual lusts, yet are indulging themselves in other sins, regardless of fanctifying the Sabbath, neglecting prayer, allow themselves in worldliness, pride, malice, and the like: James has given us the character of the faith of such men, Jam. 2.26. Faith without works is dead; the gospel is a doctrine according to godliness, there is no more effectual means to purge away sin than faith in Jesus Christ, 2 Tit 11.12. faith is an heart purifying grace, Act. 15.9. those that believe Christ have salvation began in them here, they are saved from the dominion of sin: and therefore those men that do indulge themselves in any lust are destitute of faith, whatever their pretences be: whatever they tell of their comforts and discoveries, they have but a shadow of faith; if they had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, those corruptions would be removed: faith don't work by wantonness, and malice, and sensuality, and worldliness, but by love, Gal. 5.6. such men dream they have faith: can men believe in Christ, and be servants unto Satan, are men believers, yet rebellious persons, do men receive the grace, and reject the holiness of God, do men take Christ for their Priest, and the Devil for their King? if faith were in mens hearts, those lusts would never rest there, faith would be purging of them out: such unholy persons do not adorn the Gospel, but are blemishes to the societies to which they do belong: the Scripture gives us an account of the humility, heavenly mindedness, love, self-denyal of believers, and if these men be believers they are of another kind then the Scripture tells us of; such men do turn the grace of God into wantonness, as if Christ came into the world to procure them a ⟨p. 257⟩liherty to sin without danger: as if the gospel did countenance iniquity, such men are not guilty of deceiving many others, if the sinfulness of their wayes be known, men may easily tell what their faith is, and if they were not stark blind, they could not deceive themselves; but if they hope for heaven in this way, they will surely be mistaken: God threatens them with damnation, 2 Pet. 3.7. they that continue ungodly, will as certainly perish, as if there were no gospel, indeed such men are not fit to be saved;
