1 He cannot prove it from any such acts as may proceed from other principles: A moral and religious conversation may proceed from other principles: Such a conversation is an argument to other men to be charitable, but it is no demonstration. The young man in the gospel walked exactly; Mat. 19.20 All these things have I done from my youth. Paul was conscientious; Phil. 3.6. Touching the righteousness that is in the Law I was blameless: Such a walk may proceed from fear of hell and hope of heaven. Zeal for God does not prove it; There may be zeal where there is no love: The Jews were great enemies to Christ, yet very zealous; Rom 10.2. I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God. Paul had great zeal before he had any grace. Natural conscience may produce zeal. Great affections does not prove it: The Jews cried, Hosanna to the Son of David. Striving against a self-righteous spirit does not prove it: Men may strive against it, yet not mortify it. Associating with godly men does not prove it: Achitophe. was David's companion, Psal. 55.14. Sorrows for the afflictions of the Church, and desires for the conversion of Souls does not prove it: These things may be found in carnal men, and so can be no evidences of grace. Those things that are common to saints and hypocrites, does ⟨p. 76⟩not prove that a man is a saint and no hypocrite. Men must do more than carnal men to prove that they have grace: Mat. 5.10 Except your righteousness do exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. That which is common to hypocrites is no sign of saintship. It is a vain thing to make that a plea, that Publicans may plead as well as they, Mat. 5.46, 47. That which may rise from a corrupt principle, will not prove a gracious principle; that which a beast may do, will not prove a thing to be a man.
1 He cannot prove it from any such acts as may proceed from other principles: A moral and religious conversation may proceed from other principles: Such a conversation is an argument to other men to be charitable, but it is no demonstration. The young man in the gospel walked exactly; Mat. 19.20 All these things have I done from my youth. Paul was consciencious; Phil. 3.6. Touching the righteousness that is in the Law I was blameless: Such a walk may proceed from fear of hell and hope of heaven. Zeal for God does not prove it; There may be zeal where there is no love: The Jews were great enemies to Christ, yet very zealous; Rom 10.2. I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God. Paul had great zeal before he had any grace. Natural conscience may produce zeal. Great affections does not prove it: The Jews cryed, Hosanna to the Son of David. Striving against a self-righteous spirit does not prove it: Men may strive against it, yet not mortify it. Associating with godly men does not prove it: Achitophe. was David's companion, Psal. 55.14. Sorrows for the afflictions of the Church, and desires for the conversion of Souls does not prove it: These things may be found in carnal men, and so can be no evidences of grace. Those things that are common to saints and hypocrites, does ⟨p. 76⟩not prove that a man is a saint and no hypocrite. Men must do more than carnal men to prove that they have grace: Mat. 5.10 Except your righteousness do exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. That which is common to hypocrites is no sign of saintship. It is a vain thing to make that a plea, that Publicans may plead as well as they, Mat. 5.46, 47. That which may rise from a corrupt principle, will not prove a gracious principle; that which a beast may do, will not prove a thing to be a man.
