We are to lay this down, for a Thing Assured; That Unregenerate men do essay, and may attain, to do many Works of a very Laudable Character. Indeed all the Externals of Religion may be done by a man, that his no right Principles of Religion within him, and no Saving Acquaintance with the Lord our▪ Righteousness. It is an amazing thing, to think, how far a man may go in Religion, and yet not be found among the Righteous at the last. Ha•k, how it Thunders, in Matth. 7.22, 23. Many will say, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name done many wonderful […]? And then will I profess unto them, ([…] our Lord,) I never knew you, Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity. Even so, many will be able to say, Lord, Lord, we have done many Religious Works for thy Name; and yet our Lord not own them for any o• His A man whose Heart still is under the power of Sin, may yet visibly Reform and Forsake every Sin: He may yet be Equal in his Dealings with his Neighbours, and Sober in his government of himself, and Liberal in his Alms to pious Uses. He may Pray constantly, with every kind of Prayer; and Fast as well as Pray. He may spend the Lords-day devoutly; and seriously approach to the Table of the Lord He may be very Useful to the Pub•••, and Join himself unto the purest of Churches; and frequent the Meetings of the Faithful, and be at much pains for the Conversion of others, and Suffer many Things, yea, ⟨p. 30⟩Death it self in the Cause of Christianity. What shall I say? There may be many savoury Frames in an Unregenerate man, and mighty pangs of Mourning and Fearing, and Joying, and Hoping, about the Affairs of the Eternal World; yea, and he may continue in these Frames all his days, and be in some sort a Religious man to his Dying Day. All this may a man do, and be but a Pharisee after all. There is no Regenerate man, that makes to himself a Righteousness, by any Doings of his own. Regeneration cures this Folly, and makes a man afraid and ashamed of such Foolish Attempts. But the Unregenerate seek to make up a Righteousness for themselves, by their own silly Doings: And they Loose the Righteousness of God, by attempting this Impossible Thing. Wherefore, O Beware of this Unbelief!
We are to lay this down, for a Thing Assured; That Ʋnregnerate men do essay, and may attain, to do many Works of a very Laudable Character. Indeed all the Externals of Religion may be done by a man, that his no right Principles of Religion within him, and no Saving Acquaintance with the Lord our▪ Righteousness. It is an amazing thing, to think, how far a man may go in Religion, and yet not be found among the Righteous at the last. Ha•k, how it Thunders, in Matth. 7.22, 23. Many will say, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name done many wonderful 〈…〉? And then will I profess unto them, (〈…〉 our Lord,) I never knew you, Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity. Even so, many will be able to say, Lord, Lord, we have done many Religious Works for thy Name; and yet our Lord not own them for any o• His A man whose Heart still is under the power of Sin, may yet visibly Reform and Forsake every Sin: He may yet be Equal in his Dealings with his Neighbours, and Sober in his government of himself, and Liberal in his Alms to pious Uses. He may Pray constantly, with every kind of Prayer; and Fast as well as Pray. He may spend the Lords-day devoutly; and seriously approach to the Tabl• of the Lord He may be very Ʋseful to the Pub•••, and Joyn himself unto the purest of Churches; and frequent the Meetings of the Faithful, and be at much pains for the Conversion of others, and Suffer many Things, yea, ⟨p. 30⟩Death it self in the Cause of Christianity. What shall I say? There may be many savoury Frames in an Unregenerate man, and mighty pangs of Mourning and Fearing, and Joying, and Hoping, about the Affairs of the Eternal World; yea, and he may continue in these Frames all his days, and be in some sort a Religious man to his Dying Day. All this may a man do, and be but a Pharisee after all. There is no Regenerate man, that makes to himself a Righteousness, by any Doings of his own. Regeneration cures this Folly, and makes a man afraid and asham'd of such Foolish Attempts. But the Ʋnregenerate seek to make up a Righteousness for themselves, by their own silly Doings: And they Loose the Righteousness of God, by attempting this Impossible Thing. Wherefore, O Beware of this Ʋnbelief!
