Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1

S AINT Paul in these words doth divers things at once.

First, He shows a reason why many should pray for him, and give thanks on his behalf; you have cause, saith he, for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c. therefore if many of you give thanks to God for me, it is your duty, my conscience bears me witness that I have carried myself well towards you, you have cause to pray for us, and to praise God for our deliverance, for you have received much good by us. God conveys much good by public persons to those that are under rhem, therefore there ought to be many prayers, and many thanks for them.

And again, they ought to pray, and give thanks for him, because they should not lose their labor, they should not lose their prayers, their incense, because it should be for a man that was gracious with God, that had the testimony of his conscience that he walked in simplicity, and godly sincerity, as he saith, Heb. 13. Pray for us, for we are assured that we have a good conscience: so they are a reason of the former.

Another thing that he aims at is, the preventing of some imputations: he was accused in their thoughts at least, and by the words of some false teachers, that were his worst enemies, as you have no enemy (next to the devil) to a Minister, like a Minister. If a man would see the spirit of the devil, let him look to some of them. Saint Paul had many enemies, many false brethren, that laid false imputations upon him to disparage him in the thoughts of others, in the thoughts of his hearers. They accounted him an inconstant man, that he came not to them when he promised, and that he suffered affliction, and it was like enough for some desert: they accounted him a despicable man, he suffered afflictions in the World, he wanted discretion to keep himself out of the cross. Nay, saith he, whatsoever you impute to me, and lay upon me, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience &c.

Again, he aims at this, to lay the blame upon those false brethren, who deserved it: they think I am a deceiver: they think I am wilely: no, I do not walk so, I do not walk in fleshly wisdom as they do that seek themselves, and not you. So I say, Saint Paul aims at divers things in bringing in these words.

We see here first of all, that

You have cause (saith Saint Paul) to do it for me: for our rejoicing is this, that we have walked in simplicity and sincerity, &c. and more abundantly to you-ward. Saint Paul was a brother as he was a Christian; he was a Father in regard he had called them to the faith: and he was an Apostle. In all regards they ought to praise God for him: because he was a Father, because he was the father of them, (you have not many Fathers, saith he) and because he was an Apostle, a man eminent, by whose means God conveyed a world of good to the Church.

To make way to the main thing, Observe this in general, that

Especially Ministers the Fathers of Christians: holy men in the Church are driven to their Apology, and defense: because those that shine in their own consciences, wicked men labor to darken them in their reputation, that their own wickedness may be the less seen, and observed. It hath always been the policy of Satan, and of wicked men, (that so all might seem alike) to lay aspersion s upon those that were better men then themselves. Saint Paul is forced to make his Apology, to retire to the testimony of his conscience, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c.

Therefore make this use of it, not to think it strange if we be driven to our Apology.

But some may say, is not the life the best Apology? as St. Peter saith, that you may stop the mouths of gain-sayers.

Yes, of all Apologies life is the best, to oppose to all imputations: but notwithstanding it is not enough.

A man is cruel, if he make not his Apology and defense sometimes: because his imputations tend to the hurt of others, being public persons, especially Ministers, who have so much authority in the hearts of people, as they can gain by their good life and desert: and if any imputation lie upon them, they are to clear it in words, their life will not serve the turn, but they must otherwise make their Apology (if it be needful) for themselves, as Saint Paul doth here. It is not only lawful, but expedient sometimes to speak by way of commendation of ourselves.

In what cases?

Not only in case of thankfulness to God, to praise God for his graces in us.

And likewise in case of example to others, a man may speak of God's work in him, he may tell what God hath done for his soul, and in his soul, that God may have glory, and others may have benefit.

But likewise in the third place (and it was Saint Paul's case here) a man may speak of himself, by way of Apology and defense, that the truth suffer not. It is a kind of betraying the cause, for a man to be silent when he is so accused. Though (as I said) a good life be the best Apology, and except there be a good life the verbal apology is to little purpose, yet the apology of life ofttimes in public persons is too little: In these cases we must speak of ourselves, and of the good things of God in us.

But, another query may be here, May a man glory in that which is in him, of the grace of God that is in him? Our glorying should be in Christ, in the obedience, and righteousness of Christ, and in God reconciled through Christ: can a Christian glory in anything that is in him, which is imperfect?

I answer briefly, Saint Paul doth not here glory in the Court of Justification, but in the Court of a Christian conversation: therein a man may glory in the work of grace in him, in those inward works, and the works that flow from them. When a man is to deal with men he may set forth his life, nay, when a man is to deal with God he may set forth his sincerity, not, I say, in the Court of Justification, but in the Court of Sanctification, and a holy life. There good works are the ornament of the spouse, they are her Jewels: but come to the Court of Justification, all are dung, as the Apostle saith, Philip. 3. All are dung and dross, not worthy to be named, they are not able, they are not strong enough; all that comes from us, and all that is in us it is not able to bear us out in glorying in the Court of Justification, All are stained as menstruous clothes.

But mark, Saint Paul speaks of glorying before men, of a sanctified life. He glories not in his conversation and sincerity as a title; but he glories in it as an evidence that his title is good. That whereby he hath his title is only by the righteousness of Christ, that he hath heaven, and is free from hell, that is the title: but what evidence have you that Christ and his righteousness is yours? there must be somewhat wrought in you, and that is sincere walking. So he alledgeth it as an evidence of his state in grace, that that was good. So we see in what case he gloried in his sincerity.

To come to the words.

For the words themselves, they contain the blessed temper of Saint Paul's spirit in the midst of disgraces, in the midst of imputations, the temper of his spirit it was joyful, glorying.

The ground of it is, The testimony of our conscience.

The matter whereof conscience doth witness and testify, it is conver •… sation, that is the thing testified of.

And the manner positively, In simplicity, and godly sincerity. In simplicity: you would think this to be a simple commendation, to commend himself for simplicity: but it is a godly simplicity whereby we are like to God, to be simple without mixture of sin and hypocrisy, without mixture of error and falsehood: that simplicity that is despised by carnal wretches that stain and defile their consciences, and call them what you will, so you account them not simple they; despise the term of an honest simple man.

Simplicitie is not here taken for a defect of knowledge, (as the word is commonly used) but for an excellency whereby we resemble God that is free from all mixture of sin and Ignorance. In simplicity, and godly sincerity.

And then negatively, Not in fleshly wisdom.

And then, because this setting out of himself might seem to be ostentation, to set down his glorying in his conscience, and in his simplicity, here is a qualification of it likewise, indeed I glory in my simplicity, and sincerity, that is, in my conversation: but it is by the grace of God. By the grace of God my conversation hath been in godly sincerity, and not in fleshly wisdom: For St. Paul was wondrous jealous of his heart, for fear of pride, not I (saith he) 1. Cor. 15. I labored more then they all: O, not I, but the Grace of God that was in me: he was afraid of the least insinuation of spiritual pride, and so he saith here, Our rejoicing is the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity, by the grace of God.

And then the extent of this conversation, (thus in simplicity, and sincerity) in regard of the object, it hath been thus, In the world, towards all men that I have conversed with, they can say as much, wheresoever I have lived. And more abundantly to you-ward, my care and Conscience hath been to carry myself as I should, more abundantly to you-ward, with whom I have lived longest. This is an excellent evidence of a good man, that he is best liked where he is best known. Now St. Paul had lived long amongst them, and he was their father in Christ, and therefore saith he my conversation is known, especially to you-ward.

Many men are best trusted where they are least known, their public conversation is good and plausible, but their secret courses are vile and naught, as those know that are acquainted with their retired courses: but you (saith the Apostle) with whom I have lived longest, with whom I have been most, you can bear witness of my conversation, that I have lived so and so in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

We see here the temper and disposition that St. Paul was in, he was in a glorying, in a rejoicing estate. We see then that,

A Christian (take him at the worst) his estate is a rejoicing estate.

Our rejoicing is this. The word in the original is more then joy: for it is ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) a glorying, our glorying is this, which is a joy manifesting itself in the outward man, when the heart and the spirit seem as it were to go outward, and (as it were) to meet the thing joyed in. A Christian hath his joy, his glorying, and a glorying that is proper to himself: it is a spiritual joy, as it follows after, Our rejoicing is the testimony of our conscience.

So goodis God, that in the worst estate he gives his Children matter of rejoicing in this world: he gives them a taste of heaven, before they come there. He gives them a grape of Canaan, as Israel, they tasted of Canaan what a good land it was before they came thither: so God's Children, they have their rejoicing. St. Paul swears and protests it, 1. Cor 15. By our rejoicing in Christ Jesus I die daily: as verily as we joy in all our afflictions; so this is true that I say, that I die daily.

Therefore we should labor to be of such a temper, as that we may glory, and rejoice. A Christian hath his rejoicing, but it is a spiritual rejoicing, like his estate. Every creature hath his joy, as St. Chrysostom speaks: we do all for joy, all that we do is that we may joy at length, it is the center of the soul. As rest is to motion, so the desire of all is to joy, to rest in joy. So that heaven itself is termed by the name of joy, happiness itself, Enter into thy masters joy. Every creature hath his joy proper to him, every man hath his joy: a carnal man hath a carnal joy, a spiritual man hath a holy joy.

First, he joys in his election which was before all worlds, that his name is written in heaven, as it is, Luke 11. Rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven, and not that the devils are subject unto you.

And then, he joys in his justification, that he is freed from his sins, Rom. 8. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through Christ, and we rejoice in afflictions: being justified first, there is the way how this joy comes in. A Christian being justified by faith, and freed from the guilt of his sin, it worketh joy.

And then, there is a joy of sanctification, of a good conscience, of a holy life led, as we see here, our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c.

And then, there is a joy of glory to come, We rejoice under the hope of glory, saith the Apostle, Rom. 5 so a Christians joy is suitable to himself.

There is no other man that can glory, and be wise, because all men but a Christian, they glory in their shame, or they glory in vanishing things. A Christian is not ashamed of his joy, of his glorying, because he glories not in his shame. Therefore the Apostle here justifies his joy, our rejoicing is this, I care not if all the World know my joy, it is the testimony of my conscience. As if he should say, Let others rejoice in base pleasures which they will not stand to a vow, let others rejoice in riches, in honors, in the favor of men, let them rejoice in what they please, my joy is another kind of joy, I rejoice in the testimony of my conscience. A Christian as he hath a joy, so he hath a joy that he will stand to, and make it good. There is no other man but he will blush, and have shame in his forehead, that joys in anything that is baser then himself, that joys in outward things, he cannot stand to it, and say, This is my joy: but a Christian hath the warrant of his conscience for that which he joys in, and therefore he is not ashamed of it. Another man dares not reveal his joy.

All the subtlety of the world, is to have the pleasures that sin will afford, and yet withal they study to cover it, that it may not appear. Where is the joy of the ambitious?

His study, his thought, and his joy is to have respect Haman- like, and yet he studies to conceal this, he dares not have it known, he dares not avow it, This is my rejoicing, for then all the world would laugh at him for a vain person.

Again, the joy of the base-minded man, is in his pleasure, but he dares not avow this, he dares not say, my rejoicing is this; for then every man would scorn him as a beast. The rich man, he joys in his riches, but he dares not be known of this; for he would then be accounted a base earthly-minded man. Every man would scorn him. He studies to have all the pleasure, and all the comfort that these things will afford, and yet to cover them.

Because he thinks, that there is a higher matter that he should joy in, if he were not an atheist.

A Christian is not ashamed of his joy, and rejoicing, I rejoice in this, saith he. For it is well bred, it is bred from the Spirit of God witnessing that his name is written in the Book of Life, witnessing that his sins are forgiven, witnessing that he lives as a Christian should do, witnessing that he hath the evidences of his justification, that he hath a holy life, the pledge likewise of future glory: his joy is well bred.

Likewise it is permanent. Other men's joy, and rejoicing is but as a flash of thorns, as the Wise man calls it, (as it were) a flame in thorns, as the crackling of thorns, which is sooner gone. And it is an unseemly glorying and rejoicing, for a man to glory in that which is worse then himself, and in that which is out of himself: as all other things are out of a man's self, and worse, and meaner then a man's self: therefore a man cannot rejoice in them, and be wise. It is a disparagement to the wisdom of a man, to glory in things that are meaner then himself, and that are out of himself. A holy Christian hath that in himself, and that which is more excellent then himself to glory in. This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience.

All other rejoicing it is vain glory, and vain rejoicing: therefore in Jerem. 9. saith he, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the strong man glory in his strength, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but if a man will glory, let him glory that he knows the Lord to be his, and that he knows himself to be the Lord's. When he knows the Lord to be his, and himself to be God's by faith, and a good conscience, then there is matter of glorying.

Of all kind of men, God doth hate proud boasters most of all; for glory, is the froth of pride, and God hates pride, he opposeth pride, and sets himself in battle array against it, and who can thrive that hath God for his enemy? boasting and pride in any earthly thing it is against all the commandments almost. It is Idolatry, it makes that we boast, and glory in, an Idol; whereas we should glory in God that gives it.

And it is spiritual adultery, when we cleave in our affections to some outward thing more then to God. It is false witness: pride is a false glass, it makes the things, and the men themselves that enjoy them to seem greater then they are. The devil amplifies earthly things to a carnal man in a false glass, that they seem big to him: whereas if he could see them in their true colors, they are false things, they are snares, and hindrances in the way to heaven, and many such names they have. The Scripture gives an ill report of them, They are vanity and vexation of spirit: because we should be discouraged from setting our affections on these things, and from glorying in them.

Therefore let us take heed of false glorying; if we will glory, we see here what we are to glory in, This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, &c. And this we may justify, and stand by that it is good. It is the Testimony of conscience.

The testimony of conscience, it is a matter and ground of joy to a true Christian; here we are to consider these things.

First, to consider a little the nature of conscience.

And then, that conscience bears witness, that there is a testimony of conscience.

And that this conscience bearing witness is a ground of comfort.

For the first,

Every man feels, and knows what conscience means. There be many rigid disputes of it among the School men that had leisure enough, & of all men knew as little, and felt what it was, as any sort of men, living under the darkness of Popery, and superstition, and being in thralldom to the Pope, and to the corruptions of the times they lived in. They have much jangling about the description of it, whether it be the soul itself, or a faculty, or an act?

In a word, Conscience is all these in some sort, in diverse respects: therefore I will not wrangle with any particular opinion.

For what is conscience, but the soul itself reflecting upon itself? It is the property of the reasonable soul and the excellency of it, that it can return upon itself. The beast cannot; for it runs right forward: it knows it is carried to the object: but it cannot return, and recoil upon itself: but the soul of the reasonable creature, of all even from men to God himself, who understands in the highest degree, though he do not discourse as man doth, yet he knows himself, he knows and understands his own excellency. And wheresoever there is understanding, there is a reflect act whereby the soul returns upon itself, and knows what it doth: it knows what it wills, it knows what it affects, it knows what it speaks, it knows all in it, and all out of it. It is the property of the soul. Therefore the original word in the Old Testament that signifies the heart, it is taken for conscience. Conscience and heart are all one, I am persuaded in my soul, that is, in my conscience: and the Spirit witnesseth to our spirit, that is, to our conscience. Conscience is called the spirit, the Heart, the soul: because it is nothing but the soul, reflecting and returning upon itself.

Therefore it is called conscience, that is, one knowing joined with another: because conscience knows itself, and it knows what it knows, it knows what the heart is, it not only knows itself, but it is a knowledge of the heart with God. It is called conscience, because it knows with God; for what conscience knows, God knows that is above conscience. It is a knowledge with God, and a knowledge of a man's self.

And so it may be the soul itself endued with that excellent faculty of reflecting and returning upon itself, therefore it judgeth of its own acts, because it can return upon itself.

Conscience likewise in some sort may be called a faculty; the common stream runs that way, that it is a power. It is not one power, but conscience is in all the powers of the soul; for it is in the understanding, and there it rules; conscience is it by which it is ruled and guided. Conscience is nothing but an application of it to some particular, to something it knows, to some rules it knows before. Conscience is in the will, in the affections, the joy of conscience, and the peace of conscience, and so it runs through the whole soul. It is not one faculty, or two, but it is placed in all the faculties.

And some will needs have it an act, a particular act, and not a power. When it doth exercise, conscience it is an act: when it accuseth, or excuseth, or when it witnesseth, it is an act, at that time it is a faculty in act. So that we need not to wrangle whether it be this, or that? let us comprehend as much in our notions as we can: that it is the soul, the heart, the spirit of a man returning upon itself, and it hath something to do in all the powers; and it is an act itself, when it is stirred up to accuse, or to excuse: to punish a man with fears and terrors, or to comfort him with joy, and the like.

Now Conscience it is a most excellent thing, it is above reason, and sense: for conscience is under God, and hath an eye to God always. An Atheist can have no conscience therefore, because he takes a way the ground of conscience which is an eye to God, Conscience looks to God, it is placed as God's Deputy, and vicegerent in man. Now it is above reason in this respect: Reason saith, you ought to do this, it is a comely thing, it is a thing acceptable with men amongst whom you live and converse, it becomes your condition as you are a man to carry yourself thus, it agrees with the rules, and principles of nature in you. Thus saith reason, and they are good motives from reason. But conscience goeth higher; There is a God to whom I must answer, there is a judgment, therefore I do this, and therefore I do not this. It is a more divine, a more excellent power in man then anything else, then sense or reason, or whatsoever. As it is planted by God for special use, so it looks to God in all.

Therefore the name for conscience in the Greek and Latin, signifies a knowledge with another, because it is a knowledge with God; God and my own heart knows this, God and my conscience, as we use to say.

There are three things joined with conscience.

It is a knowledge with a rule, with a general rule, that is always the foundation of conscience in a man, For there is a general rule, Whosoever commits murder, whosoever commits adultery, whosoever is a blasphemer, a swearer, a covetous, corrupt person, he shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Apostle saith. Here is the general rule, now conscience applies it, but I am such a one, therefore I shall not enter into heaven: so here the conscience it practiseth with a rule. It is a knowledge of those particulars with a general rule. And then it is a knowledge of me, of my own heart, I know what I have done, I know what I do, and in what manner, whether in hypocrisy, or sincerity: I know what I think. And then it is a knowledge with God: for God knows what conscience knows, he knows what is thought or done, Conscience is above me, and God is above conscience. Conscience is above me and above all men in the world; for it is immediately subjugated to God; conscience knows more then the world, and God knows a thousand times more then Conscience or the world. It is a knowledge with a general rule; for where there is no general rule, there is no conscience. To make this a little clearer, all have a rule: those that have not the Word which is the best rule of all, yet they have the Word written in their hearts; they have a natural Judicature in their souls; their conscience excusing, or accusing one another, they have a general rule, you must do no wrong, you must do that which is right.

In the soul there is a treasury of rules by nature; (the Word doth add more rules, the Law and the Gospel) and that part of the soul that preserves rules is called intellectual, because it preserves rules; all men by nature have these graven in the soul. And therefore the Heathen were exact in the rules of justice, in the principles which they had by nature, grafted and planted in them.

Now because the copy of the Image of God, the Law of God written in nature, was much blurred since the fall, God gave a new copy of his law which was more exact; therefore the Jews which had the Word of God, should have had more conscience then the Heathen, because they had a better general rule. And now we having the Gospel too which is a more Evangelical rule, we should be more exact in our lives then they.

But every man in the world hath a rule. If men sin without the Law, they shall be judged without the law, by the principles of nature: if they sin under the Gospel, they shall be judged by the Word and Gospel. So that conscience, it is a knowledge with a rule, and with the particular actions that I have done, and a knowledge with God.

In a word, to clear this further concerning the nature of conscience, know that God hath set up in man a Court, and there is in man all that are in a Court. There is a Register to take notice of what we have done: besides the general rule (for that is the ground and foundation of all) there is conscience which is a Register to set down whatsoever we have done, exactly; the conscience keeps diaries, it sets down everything, it is not forgotten (though we think it is) when conscience is once awaked. As in Jer. 17. The sins of Judah are written with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, upon their souls: all their wit and craft will not rase it out. It may be forgotten a while, by the rage of lusts, or one thing or other; but there is a Register that writes it down, conscience is the Register.

And then there are Witnesses, The testimony of conscience: conscience doth witness, this I have done, this I have not done.

There is an Accuser with the witness, the conscience it accuseth, or excuseth.

And then there is the Judge, conscience is the Judge there: it doth judge, this is well done, this is ill done.

Then there is an Executioner, and conscience is that too, upon accusation, and judgment there is punishment. The first punishment is within a man always before he come to hell. The punishment of conscience it is a prejudice of future judgment: there is a flash of hell presently after an ill act, The Heathen could observe, that God hath framed the heart and the brain so, as there is a sympathic between them, that whatsoever is in the understanding that is well and comfortable, the understanding in the brain sends it to the heart, and raiseth some comfort. If the understanding apprehend dolorous things, ill matters, then the heart smites, as David's heart smote him: the heart smites with grief for the present, and with fear for the time to come.

In good things, it brings joy presently: and hope for the time to come, that follows a good excusing conscience.

God hath set, and planted in man this Court of conscience, and it is God's Hall (as it were) wherein he keeps his first judgment wherein he keeps his Assizes. And conscience doth all the parts, it registreth, it witnesseth, it accuseth, it judgeth, it executes, it doth all.

Now you see in general, what the nature of conscience is, and why it is planted in us by God.

One main end among the rest, (besides his love to us to keep us from sin, and then by smiting us to drive us to conversion and repentance, to turn from our sins to God, another main end) is to be a prejudice, to make way to God's eternal judgment: for therein things are judged before: when God lays open the Book of conscience, when it is written there by this Register, we shall have much to do to excuse ourselves, or to plead that we need many witnesses, for our conscience will accuse us, we shall be self-accusers, self-condemners, as the Apostle saith. Conscience will take God's part, and God will take part with conscience. And God hath planted it for this main end, that he might be justified in the damnation of wicked men at the day of judgment.

Now I come to the second particular, that conscience gives evidence, or witness. This is the evidence, or testimony of our conscience. The witness of conscience it comes in this order. Upon some general rules, that the conscience hath laid up in the soul, out of nature, and out of the Book of God, the Conscience doth apply those Generalls to particulars.

First, in directing, this is such a truth in general, you ought to carry yourself thus and thus, to do this, saith conscience: so it directeth, and is a monitor before it be a witness. Well, if the monitions of conscience be regarded and heard, from thence comes conscience to witness, that the general rule that directs in particulars, hath been obeyed, and so after it hath done its duty in directing, it comes to judge, and to witness, this I have done, or this I have not done; so the witness of conscience comes in that manner.

Now if you would know, what manner of witness conscience is, It is a witness that there is no exception against: it is a witness that will say all the truth, and will say nothing but the truth: It is a witness that will not be bribed, it will not be corrupted long. For a time we may silence it, but it will not be so long, nor in all things. Some sins may be slubbered over, but there are some sins that by the general light in nature are so known to be naught that conscience will accuse: therefore it is a faithful Judge and Witness, especially in great sins, it is an uncorrupt witness. It is a true Register, it is always writing, and setting down; though we know not what it writes for the present, (being carried away with vanities and lusts:) yet we shall know afterward when the book of conscience shall be laid open.

It is a witness that we cannot impeach, no man can say, I had nobody to tell me. Alas, a man's own conscience will tell him well enough at the day of judgment, and say to him when he is in hell, as Reuben said to his Brethren when they were in Egypt in prison, Did not I tell you, hurt not the boy? meddle not with him: so conscience will say, Did not I witness? did not I give you warning? Yes, I did, but you regarded it not. It is a faithful witness, there is no exception against it.

And then it is, an inward witness, it is a domestcik witness, a Chaplain in ordinary, a domestical divine, it is always telling us, and always ready to put good things into us. It is an eye-witness, and an ear-witness; for it is as deep in man as any sin can be. If it be but in thought, conscience tells me what I think; and conscience tells me what I desire, as well as what I speak, and what I do. It is an inward, and an eye-witness of everything. As God sees all, and knows all, who is all eye, so conscience is all eye, it sees everything, it hears everything: it is privy to our thoughts.

As we cannot escape God's eye, so we cannot escape the eye of conscience, Whether shall I flee from thy presence? saith David, If I go to heaven, thou art there: if I go down into hell, thou art there So a man may say of conscience, Whither shall I flee from conscience? If a man could flee from himself it were somewhat: conscience is such a thing as that a man cannot flee from it, nor he cannot bid it, Be gone: it is as inward as his soul. Nay, the soul will leave the body, but conscience will not leave the soul. What it writes, it writes for eternity except it be wiped out by repentance. As Saint Chrysostom saith, Whatsoever is written there may be wiped out by daily repentance.

You see then, it is a witness, and how and what manner of witness conscience is.

Therefore we should not sin, in hope of concealment: what if thou conceal it from all others, canst thou conceal thy own conscience? As one saith well, What good is it for thee that none knows what is done, when thou knowest it thyself? what profit is it for him that hath a conscience that will accuse him, that he hath no man to accuse him but himself? he is a thousand witnesses to himself. Conscience is not a private witness, it is a thousand witnesses: therefore never sin in hope to have it concealed. It were better that all men should know it, then that thyself shouldest know it: all will be one day written in thy forehead, conscience will be a blab: if it cannot speak the truth now, though it be bribed in this life, it will have power & efficacy in the life to come. Never sin therefore in hope of concealment, conscience is a witness, we have the witness in us: and as Isaiah saith, Our sins witness against us. It is in vain to look for secrecy, conscience will discover all.

Again, considering that conscience doth witness and will witness, let us labor that it may witness well, let us labor to furnish it with a good testimony. Let us carry ourselves so in all our demeanour to God and men, that conscience may give a good testimony, a good witness, it will witness either for us, or against us.

Therefore first of all, labor to have good rules to guide it. And then, labor to obey those rules: knowledge and obedience are necessary, that conscience may give a good witness. Now a good witness of conscience is twofold. A true and honest witness, and then a peaceable witness follows on it: that it may witness truth, and then that it may witness peace for us.

That conscience may witness truly, and excuse us, conscience must be rightly instructed: for naturally conscience can tell us many things. The Heathen men, Philosophers (we may read it to our shame) they made conscience of things, which Christians that are instructed by a further rule then conscience, (that have the Book of God to rectify the inward Book of conscience) yet they make no conscience of. How many cases did they make scruple of? to discover faults to the buyer in their selling, and to deal truly, and honestly, (for the second table especially;) it should make Christians ashamed.

But besides that rule, we have the rule of the Scriptures: because men are ready to trample upon, and to rase out the writing of conscience, but the Book of God they cannot: therefore that is added to help conscience. And God adds his Spirit to his Word to convince conscience, and to make the witness of the Word more effectual; for although the Word say thus and thus, yet till the Spirit convince the soul, and set it down that it is thus; till it convince it with a heavenly light, conscience will not be fully convict. That conscience therefore may be able to witness well, Let us regard the notions of nature, preserve them: if we do not, God will give us up to gross sins. Let us labor to have right principles, and grounds, to cherish principles of nature common with the Heathens: and to lay up principles out of the Word of God, to preserve the admonitions, and directions, and rules of the Word.

And especially the sweet motions of God's blessed Spirit. For conscience always supposeth a rule, the rule of nature, the rule of the Word, and the suggestions of the blessed Spirit with the Word.

Therefore (to note by the way) an Ignorant man can never have a good conscience, especially a man that affects Ignorance; because he hath no rule: he labors to have none. It is not merely ignorance, but likewise obstinacy with ignorance.

He will not know what he should, lest conscience force him to do what he knows. What a sottish thing is this? It will be the heaviest sin that can be laid ro our charge at the day of judgment, not that we were Ignorant, but that we refused to know, we refused to have our conscience rectified, and instructed.

And those that avoid knowledge, because they will not do what they know: they shall know one day that their willful Ignorance will be laid to their charge as a heavy sin.

Labor to have right principles and grounds. What is the reason that commonly men have such bad consciences? They have false principles, they conclude, may I not do what I list? may I not make of my own what I will? and every man for himself, and God for us all: diabolical principles. And so commonly if a man examine men that live in wickedness, they have false principles, God sees not, God regards not: and it is time enough to repent. The cause that men live wickedly is false principles: therefore they have so vile consciences as they have, their hearts deceive them, and they deceive their hearts. They have false principles put into them by others, they are deceived, and they deceive their hearts, they force false principles upon themselves. Many study for false grounds to live by for their advantage.

There are many that are Atheistical, that live even under the Gospel, and what rule have they? the example of them by whom they hope to rife: they study their manners, they square their lives by them, that is all the rule they have.

And again, the multitude: they do as the most do, and custom, and other false rules. These rules will not comfort us, to say, I did it by such an example, I did as others among whom I live did: or I did it because it was the custom of the times: these things being alleged will comfort nothing. For who gave you these rules? doth God say anywhere in his Word, you shall be judged by the example of others? you shall be judged by the custom of the times you live in?

No, you shall be judged by my Word: The Word that Moses spake, and the Word that I speak shall judge you at the last day. They that have not the Word, shall be judged by the Word written in their hearts: Those that have sinned without the Law, shall be judged by that, without the Law of Moses.

God hath acquainted us with other rules. We must take heed of this therefore, thatwe get good rules: take heed that they be not false rules: for the want of these directions, men come to have ill consciences. Where there is no good rule, there is a blind conscience. where there is no application of the rule, there is a profane conscience. And where there is a false rule, there is an erroneous, a scrupulous, a wicked conscience.

A Papist, because he hath a false rule, he cannot have a good conscience. The abomination of Popery is, that they sin against conscience, and conscience indeed is even with them, for it overthrows the most of their principles: They sin against conscience many ways, (I mean not against their own conscience, but) they sin against the conscience of others. For what do they? That they may rule in the consciences of men (for that is the end of their great Prelate the Tyrant of souls) they have false rules, that the Pope cannot err: their rule is the authority, and judgment of him that cannot err: and he (for the most part) is an unlearned man in Divinity that never read over the Scriptures in all his life; and he must judge all controversies. Where this is granted, that the Pope cannot err, he fits in the conscience to do what he list. And he makes divine Laws, and cursed is he, saith the Council of Trent, that doth not equalize those traditions with the Word of God.

From this false rule comes all, even rebellion itself: If he give dispensation from the oath of Allegiance, because he cannot err; therefore they ought to obey him, and rebel against their Governors. All rebellion is from that rebellious rebellion that comes from false principles. These men talk of conscience, and they come not to Church for conscience sake; what conscience can they have, when they have false rules? To equivocate and lie, sins against nature. And other rules that give liberty against the Word: that children may disobey their Parents, and get into a Cloister, &c.

The most of Popery (though there were no Word of God) it is against nature, against conscience, which God hath planted in man as his deputy, his tenant.

And as they sin against conscience. so (as I said) conscience is even with them. For let a man trust to his conscience, and he can never be a sound Papist: except he leave that, and go upon base false grounds, because other great men do it, and because his predecessors have done it, &c. I appeal to their own consciences, if any man at the day of death think to be saved by his merits, doth not Bellarmine (after long dispute of salvation by merits) disclaim it? doth he not put away merits, for the uncertainty of his own righteousness? So their own consciences do wring away the testimony of trusting to merits.

Again, that Original sin is no great sin, it is but the cause of sin, and it is less then any venial sin: Oh, but when conscience is awaked to know what a corrupt estate it is, it will draw from them that which it drew from Saint Paul, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Conscience when it is awaked will tell them that it is another manner of sin, and that it is the fountain of all sin.

And so for Justification by works, conscience itself (if there were no Book of God) would say it is a false point. And then they plead for Ignorance; they have blind consciences: their Clergy being a subtle generation, that have abused the world a long time: because they would sit in the conscience where God should sit: they sit in the Temple of God, and would be respected above that which is due to them; they would be accounted as petty gods in the world; therefore they keep the people from the knowledge of the true rule, and make what they speak equal with God's word. Now if the people did discern this they would not be Papists long; for no man would willingly be cozened. Let us labor therefore for a true rule.

And when we have gotten rules, apply them: for what are rules without application? Rules are instrumental things; and instruments without use are nothing. If a Carpenter have a rule, and hang it up by him, and work by conceit, what is it good for? So to get a company of rules by the word of God, (to refine natural knowledge as much as we can) and then to make no use of it in our lives, it is to no purpose; therefore when we have rules, let us apply them.

In this those that have the true rule, and apply it not, are better then they that refuse to have the rule, because (as hath been said) an Ignorant man that hath not the rule, he cannot be good. But a man that hath the rule, and yet squares not his life by it, yet he can bring the rule to his life; there is a near converse between the heart and the brain, such a man, he hath the rule in his memory, he hath it in his understanding: and therefore there is a thousand times more hope of him that cares to know, that cares to hear the word of God, and cares for the means, then of sottish persons that care not to hear, because they would not do that they know, and because they would not have their sleepy, dull, and drowsy conscience awaked: there is no hope of such a one. It should be our care to have right rules, and in the application of them to make much of conscience, that it may apply aright in directing, and then in comfort. If we obey it in directing, it will witness, and excuse; and upon witness and excuse, there will come a sweet Paradise to the soul, of joy and peace unspeakable, and glorious.

The last thing I observe from these words is this, that

The reason of the joining these two, the witness of a good conscience, and joy; it is that which I said before in the description of conscience: for conscience first admonisheth, and then witnesseth, and then it excuseth, or accuseth, and then it judgeth, and executeth. Now the inward execution of conscience is joy, if it be good: for God hath so planted it in the heart and soul, that where conscience doth accuse, or excuse, there is always execution; there is always joy, or fear; the affections of joy or fear always follow. If a man's conscience excuse him, that he hath done well, then conscience comes to be enlarged, to be a Paradise to the soul, to be a Jubile, a refreshing, to speak peace and comfort to a man. For rewards are not kept altogether for the life to come; hell is begun in an ill conscience, and heaven is begun in a good conscience; an ill conscience is a hell upon earth, a good conscience is a heaven upon earth; therefore the testimony of a good conscience breeds glorying, and rejoicing.

Again, conscience when it witnesseth, it comforts, because when it witnesseth, it witnesseth with God, and where God is, there is his Spirit, and where the holy Spirit is, there is joy: for even as heat follows the fire, so joy and glorying accompany the Spirit of God, The Spirit of glory. Now when conscience witnesseth aright, it witnesseth with God; and God is always clothed with joy, he brings joy and glory into the heart. Conscience witnesseth with God that I am his.

And it witnesseth with myself that I have led my life thus, Our rejoicing is the witness of [our] conscience. It is not the witness of another man's conscience, but my own: other men may witness, and say I am thus and thus, but all is to no purpose, if my own conscience tell me I am another man then they take me to be: But when a man's own conscience witnesseth for him, there follows rejoicing. A man cannot rejoice with the testimony of another man's conscience, because another man saith, I am a good man, &c. unless there be the testimony of my own conscience.

Now it is a sweet benefit, an excusing conscience, when it witnesseth well: Let us see it in all the passages of life, that a good conscience in excusing breeds glorying and joy.

It doth breed joy

• in Life,
• in Death,
• at the day of judgment.

In life, in all the passages of life; in all estates, both good, and ill.

In good, the testimony of conscience breeds joy, for it enjoys the pleasures of this life, and the comforts of it with the favor of God; conscience tells the man that he hath gotten the things well that he enjoys, that he hath gotten the place, and advancement that he hath well: that he enjoys the comforts of this life with a good conscience, and all things are pure to the pure. If he have gotten them ill, conscience upbraids him always, and therefore he cannot joy in the good estate he hath. If a man had all the contentments in the world, if he had not the testimony of a good conscience, what were all? What contentment had Adam in Paradise, after once by sin he had fallen from the peace of conscience? none at all. A little that the righteous hath, is better then great riches of the ungodly; because they have not peace of conscience.

And so for ill estate, when conscience witnesseth well, it breeds rejoicing. In false imputations, and slanders, and disgraces, as here, it was insinuated into the Corinthians by false teachers, and those that followed them, that St. Paul was so and so: saith St. Paul, You may say what you will of me, My rejoicing is this, the testimony of my conscience, that I am not the man which they make me to be in your hearts by their false reports. The witness of conscience is a good and sufficient ground of rejoicing in this case. Therefore holy men have retired to their conscience in all times, as Saint Paul you see doth here.

So Job, his conscience bare him out in all the false imputations of his comfortless friends that were miserable comforters, they labored to take away his sincerity from him, the chief cause of his joy, Yeu shall not take away my sincerity, saith he: you would make me an hypocrite, and thus and thus, but my conscience tells me I am otherwise, therefore you shall not take away my innocence from me. And in Job 31. 35. Behold, it is my desire, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversaries would write a Book against me, I would take it upon my shoulder, I would take it as a crown unto me. Here was the force of a good conscience in Jobs troubles, that if his adversaries should write a book against him, yet he would bind it as a crown about him: And so David, in all imputations this was his joy, when they laid things to his charge that he had never done: he takes this for his joy, the comfort of his conscience. So St. Paul, he retires to his conscience, and being raised up with the worthiness of a good conscience, he despiseth all imputations whatsoever; he sets Conscience up as a flag of defiance, to all false slanders and imputations that were laid against him, as we see in the story of the Acts, and in this place and others: saith he in one place, I pass not for man's sentence, I pass not for man's day; man hath his day, man will have his Judgment-seat, and will get upon the Bench, and judge me that I am such and such, I care not for man's day, there is another Judgment-seat that I look unto, and to the testimony of my Conscience, My rejoicing is the witness of my Conscience.

Holy men have cause to retire to their own Consciences, when they would rejoice against false imputations: so holy Saint Austin, what saith he to a Donatist that wronged him in his reputation? Think of Austin what you please, as long as my Conscience accuseth me not with God, I will give you leave to think what you will.

If so be that a man's Conscience clears him, he cares not a whit for reports: because a good man looks more to Conscience then to fame; therefore if Conscience tell him truth, though fame lie he cares not much: for he squares not his life by report, but by Conscience. Indeed he looks to a good name, but that is in the last place.

For a good man looks first to God, who is above conscience; and then he looks to Conscience which is under God: and then in the third place he looks to report amongst men. And if God and his Conscience excuse him, though men accuse him, and lay imputations upon him, this or that, he passeth little for man's judgment: so the witness of conscience, it comforts in all imputations whatsoever.

Again, it comforts in sickness, Hezekiah was sick, what doth he retire unto? Remember, Lord, how I have walked uprightly before thee; he goes to his Conscience.

In sickness when a man can eat nothing a good Conscience is a continual feast. In sorrow it is a Musician. A good Conscience doth not only Counsel, and advise, but it is a Musician to delight. It is a Physician to heal. It is the best Cordial, the best Physic: all other are Physicians of no value, Comforts of no value. If a man's Conscience be wounded, if it be not quieted by faith in the blood of Christ: if he have not the Spirit to witness the forgiveness of his sins, and to sanctify and enable him to lead a good life, all is to no purpose, if there be an evil Conscience: the unsound body while it is sick, it is in a kind of hell already.

Again, take a man in any cross whatsoever, a good conscience doth bear out the Cross, it bears a man up always: because a good Conscience, being a witness with God, it raiseth a man obove all earthly things whatsoever: there is no Earthly discouragement that can dismay a good Conscience, because there is a kind of Divinity in Conscience put in by God, and it witnesseth together with God; so that in all crosses it comforts.

So likewise in losses, in want, in want of friends, in want of comforts, in want of liberty: what doth the witness of a good Conscience in all these? In want of friends, it is a friend indeed: it is an inward friend, a near friend to us. Put the case that a man have never a friend in the world, yet he hath God and his own conscience: where there is a good conscience, there is God and his holy Spirit always. In want of liberty, in want of outward comforts, he hath the comfort of a good conscience.

A man on his death-bed, he sees he wants all outward comforts, but he hath a good conscience. And so in want of liberty, when a man is restrained, his heart is at liberty.

A wicked man that hath a bad conscience, is imprisoned in his own Heart, though he have never such liberty, though he be a Monarch, a bad Conscience imprisons him at home, he is in fetters, his thoughts make him afraid of Thunder, afraid of everything, afraid of himself: and though there be nobody else to awe him, yet his conscience awes him. Where there is a conscience under the guilt of sin unrepented, there is the greatest liberty in the world, there is restraint; for Conscience is the worst prison. Where there is a good conscience, there is an inward enlargement. A good man in the greatest restraint hath liberty. Paul and Silas, Act. 16. in the dungeon, in the hell of the dungeon, in the worst place of the dungeon, in the stocks, and at the worst time of the day (of the natural day I mean) at midnight, and in the worst usage, when they were misused, and whipped with all, they had all the discouragements that could be; and yet they sang at midnight these blessed men Paul, and Silas, because their hearts were enlarged, there was a Paradise in the very Dungeon.

As where the King is, there is his Court, so it is where God is. God in the prison, in the noisesome dungeon by his Spirit so enlarged their hearts that they sang at midnight. Whereas if conscience be ill, if it were in Paradise, Conscience would fear, as we see in Adam. Saint Paul in prison was better then Adam in Paradise, when he had offended God. Adam had outward comforts enough; but when he had sinned, his conscience made him afraid, of him from whom he should have all comfort, it made him afraid of God and hide himself among the leaves; alas, a poor shift. We see then, conscience doth witness, and the witness of it when it is good, doth cause the soul to glory and rejoice, not only in positive ills, in slanders, and crosses, but in losses, in want of friends, in want of comforts, in want of liberty.

And so for the time to come, in evils threatened a good conscience is bold, It fears no ill tidings, Psalm 112. My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed saith David; wicked men are like the trees of the forest, Isaiah 7. Wicked Ahaz, his heart did tremble, and shake, as the leaves with the wind. The noise of fear is always in their ears; an ill Conscience when it is mingled with ill news, when there are two fears together, it must needs be a great fear.

And a good conscience when it hath laid up grounds of joy in life in the worst estate, and condition of life, then it makes use of joy in death: for when all comforts are taken from a man, when his friends cannot comfort him, and all earthly things leave him, then that conscience that hath gone along with him, that hath been a Monitor, and a witness all his life-time, now it comes to speak good things to him, now it comforts him, now conscience is somebody; at the hour of death, when nothing else will be regarded, when nothing will comfort, then conscience doth, The righteous hath hope in his death, as the Wise man saith. Death is called the King of fears; because it makes all afraid. It is the terrible of terribles, saith he Philosopher; but here is a King above the King of fears; a good conscience is above the King of fears, death. A good conscience is fo far from being discouraged by this King of fears, that it is joyful even in death: because it knows that then it is near to the place where conscience shall be fully enlarged, where there shall be no annoyance, nor no grievance whatsoever.

Death is the end of misery; and the beginning of happiness, therefore a good conscience is joyful in death.

And after death, at the day of judgment, there the witness of conscience is a wondrous cause of joy: for there a man that hath a good conscience, he looks upon the Judge his Brother: he looks on him with whom he hath made his peace in his life-time before, and now he receives that which he had the beginnings of before, then he lifts up his head with joy and comfort. So you see how the witness of conscience causeth glory, and joy in all estates whatsoever, in life, in death, after death: it speaks for a man there, it never leaves him till it have brought him to heaven itself, where all things else leave a man.

Therefore how much should we prize, and value the testimony and witness of a good conscience? And what madness is it for a man to humor men, and displease conscience his best friend? Of all persons and all things in the world, we should reverence our own conscience most of all. Wretched men despise the inward witness of this inward friend, this inward divine, this inward Physician, this inward Comforter, this inward Counselor. It is no better then madness that men should regard that everything else be good, and clean, and yet notwithstanding in the midst of all to have foul consciences.

But to answer an objection, and to unloose some knots. It may be said, that when the Hearts of people are good, yet there a good conscience concludes not always for comfort. Where there is faith in Christ, and an honest life, conscience should conclude comfort; here is the Rule, this I have obeyed, therefore I should have comfort.

Now this we see crossed ofttimes, that Christians that live exact lives are often troubled in conscience: how can trouble of conscience stand with joy upon the witness of conscience?

I answer, the witness of Conscience, when it is a good conscience, it doth not always breed joy.

It is because our estate is imperfect here, and Conscience doth not always witness out of the goodness of it, sometimee conscience is misled, and so sometimes good Christians take the error of conscience for the witness of Conscience.

These things should be distinguished. Conscience sometime in the best errs, as well as gives a true witness.

If we take the error of conscience for the witness of conscience, there will come trouble of conscience, and that deservedly, through our own folly.

Now conscience doth err in good men, sometimes when they regard Rules which they should not, or when they mistake the matter and do not argue aright. As for instance, when they gather thus, I have not grace in such a measure, and therefore I have none, I am not the Child of God.

What a rule is this? This is the error of conscience: and therefore it must needs breed perplexity of conscience. A good conscience when it is right cannot witness thus, because the Word doth not say thus. Is a nullity, and an imperfection all one? No, there is much difference in the whole kind. A nullity is nothing; an imperfection, though it be but a little degree, yet it is something. This is the error of conscience, and from thence comes trouble of conscience which makes men reason ill many ways. As for instance, I have not so much grace as such a one hath, and therefore I have no grace. Now that is a false reasoning: for everyone hath his due measure. If thou be not so great a rich man as the richest in the Town, yet thou mayest be rich in thy kind.

Again, when conscience looks to the humor: you are to live by faith, and not by the humor of Melancholy. When the Instrument of reason that should judge is distempered by melancholy, it reasons from thence falsely. Because melancholy persuades me that I am so, therefore conscience being led by the humor of the body, saith I am so. Who bid thee live by humor? thou must live by rule. Melancholy may tell thee sometime when it is in strength, that thou art made of glass, as it hath done some: it will deceive thee in bodily things, wherein sense can confute melancholy, much more will it if we yield to it in matters of the soul, it will persuade us that we are not the Children of God, that we have not Grace and goodness when we have.

Again, hence it is that conscience doth not conclude comfort in God's Children, because it looks to the ill, and not to the good that is in them: for there are those two things in God's Children, there is good, and ill, now in the time of temptation they look to the ill, and think they have no good, because they will not see anything but ill. They fix their eyes on the remainders of their rebellious lusts (which are not fully subdued in them,) and they look wholly on them. Whereas they should have two eyes, one to look on that which is good, that God may have glory, and they comfort.

Now they fixing their eyes altogether on that which is naught, and because they do not, or will not see that which is good, therefore they have no comfort, because they suffer conscience to be ill led, that it doth not its duty.

And conscience in good men, it looks sometimes to that that it should not in others, in regard of others. It looks to the flourishing of wicked men, and therefore it concludes, Certainly I have washed my hands in vain, since such men thrive and prosper in the world, Psalm 37. and Psalm 73. Who bade thee look to this, and to be uncomfortable from thence, that thy estate is not good, because it is not such an estate? So foolish, and as a beast was I before thee, saith David, because I regarded such things. No marvel if men be uncomfortable that are led away by scandals. Look to faith, go to the Word, to the Sanctuary; I went to the Sanctuary, saith he, and there I saw the end of these men. So conscience must be suffered to have its work, to be led by a true rule.

Again, conscience sometimes concludes not comfort, when there is ground of comfort, from the remainders of corruptions, and infirmities; whereas we should be driven by our infirmities to Christ. And conscisence sometimes in good men doth not exercise its work in good men, it is drawn away with vain delights, even in the best men.

And conscience of its own unworthiness and of the greatness of the things it looks for being joined together, it makes a man that he joys not when he hath cause. As for instance, when the soul sees that God in Christ hath pardoned all my sins, and hath vouchsafed his Spirit to me, and will give me heaven in the world to come, to such a wretch as I am: here being a conflict between the conscience and sense of its own unworthiness, and the greatness of 〈◊〉 good promised, the heart begins to stagger, and to doubt for want of sound faith.

Indeed, if we look on our own unworthiness, and the greatness of the good things promised we may wonder: but alas, God is infinite in goodness, he transcends our unworthiness: and in the Gospel the glory of God's mercy it triumphs over our unworthiness, and over our sins: whatsoever our sin and unworthiness is, his goodness in the Gospel triumphs over all.

In Innocency God should have advanced an innocent man; but the Gospel is more glorious; for he comes to sinners, to condemned persons by nature, and yet God triumphs over their sins, and unworthiness; he regards not what we deserve, but what may stand with the glory of his mercy; therefore we should banish those thoughts, and enjoy our own privilege, the promises of heaven and happiness and all comforts whatsoever; so much for the answer of that objection.

Now if we would joy in the witness of a good conscience, we must especially in the time of temptation live by faith, and not by feeling, not by what we feel for the present; but as we see Christ in his greatest horror, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? he goes to my God still. We must live by faith and not by sense.

And then if we would rejoice in extremities, remember that God works by contraries. God will bring us to heaven, but it must be by hell. God will bring us to comfort, but it must be by sense of our own unworthiness. He will forgive our sins, but it must be by sight and sense of our sins: he will bring us to life, but it must be by death; he will bring us to glory, but it must be by shame, God works by contraries; therefore in contraries believe contraries. When we are in a state that hath no comfort, yet we may joy in it if we believe in Christ, he works by contraries.

As in the Creation he made all out of nothing, order out of confusion: So in the work of the new creation, in the new creature, he doth so likewise, therefore be not dismayed.

Remember this rule likewise, that in the covenant of Grace God requires truth, and not measure, (thou art not under the law, but under the covenant of Grace.) A little fire is true fire as well as the whole element of fire. A drop of water is water as well as the whole Ocean; so if it be true faith, true grief for sins, true hatred of them, true desire of the favor of God, and to grow better: truth is respected in the covenant of Grace, and not any set measure.

What saith the Covenant of Grace? He that believes, and repents shall be saved, not he that hath a strong faith, or he that hath perfect repentance. So Saint Paul saith (as we shall see after) This is our rejoicing, that in simplicity, and sincerity we have had our conversation among you; he doth not say, that our conversation hath been perfect. So if we would have joy in the testimony of conscience, we must not abridge ourselves of joy, because we have not a perfect measure of Grace: but rejoice that God hath wrought any measure of Grace in such unclean and polluted hearts as ours are: for he least measure of Grace is a pledge of perfection in the world to come.

Hence we may gather clearly, that

A man may know his own estate in Grace.

I gather it from the place thus, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, &c.

Where there is joy, and the ground of joy, there is a knowledge of the estate; but a Christian hath glorying, and a ground of glorying in himself, and he knows it, he hath that in him that witnesseth that estate, he hath the witness of conscience, therefore he may know and be assured of it. If this testimony were not a true testimony it were something: but all men naturally have a conscience: and a Christian hath a sanctified conscience, and where that is there is a true testimony, and true joy from that testimony; therefore he may be assured of his salvation, and have true joy and comfort, a Heaven upon Earth before he come to Heaven itself.

If conscience testify of itself, and from witnessing give cause of joy, much more the Spirit of God coming into the conscience, The Spirit bears witness with our spirits. If our spirit, and conscience bear witness to us of our conversation in simplicity, and sincerity, and from thence of our estate in grace, much more by the witness of two: By the witness of two, or three everything shall be confirmed; but our spirits, and conscience, and the Spirit of God (which every Child of God hath) witnesseth that we are the Children of God, Rom. 8. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God. Therefore a Christian may know his estate in Grace.

The spirit of a man knows himself, and the Spirit of God knows him likewise, and it knows what is in the heart of God: and when these two meet, the Spirit of God that knows the secrets of God, and that knows our secrets, and our spirit that knows our heart likewise, what should hinder but that we may know our own estate? It is the nature of conscience (as I told you) to reflect upon itself and upon the person in whom it is, to know what is known by it, and to judge, and condemn, and execute itself, by inward fear, and terror, in ill, and in good, by comfort and joy in a man's self. It is the property that the soul hath above all creatures to return and recoil upon itself. If this be natural to man much more to the spirit of a man: For if a man know what is in himself naturally, his own wit, and understanding, which is always with him, bred up with him, much more he knows by his spirit the things that are adventitious, that come from without him, that is the work of Grace.

If a man by a reflect knowledge, know what naturally is in him, in what part he hath it, and how he exerciseth it; if he know and remember what he hath done, and the manner of it, whether well or ill, then he may know the work of the Spirit that comes from without him, that works a change in him.

We say of light, that it discovers itself and all other things: so the soul it is lightsome, and therefore knows itself and knows other things.

The Spirit of God is much more lightsome: where it is it discovers itself, and lighteneth the soul, it discovereth the party in whom it is. As the Apostle saith, 1, Cor. 2. 12. We have the Spirit, whereby we know the things that we receive of God. It not only worketh in us, but it teacheth us what it hath wrought. Therefore a Christian knows that he is in the state of grace, he knows his virtues, and his disposition; except it be in the time of temptation, and upon those grounds named before.

Therefore we should labor to know our estate, to examine ourselves whether we be in the faith or no, except we be reprobates, and cast awayes, as the Apostle speaks. A Christian should aim at this, to understand his own estate in grace upon good grounds.

But it may be objected: how can we know our estate in Grace, our virtues are so imperfect, our abilities are so weak and feeble?

I answer, the ground of judging aright of our estate, it is not worthiness or perfection, but sincerity. We must not look for perfection: For that makes the Papists to teach that there may be doubting, because they look to false grounds: but we must look to the ground in the covenant of grace, to grace itself, and not to the measure. Where there is truth and sincerity, there is the condition of the covenant of grace, and there is a ground for a man to build his estate in grace on.

The perfect righteousness of Christ is that, that gives us title to heaven: but to know that we have right in that title, is the simplicity, and sincerity in our walking, in our conversation, as the Apostle saith here, This is our reoycing, &c. Therefore Christians, when they are set upon by temptations of their own misdoubting hearts, and by Satan they must not go to the great measure of grace that is in others, that they have not so much as others, and therefore they have none; nor to the great measure of grace that they want themselves, but to the truth of their grace, the truth of their desires and endeavors, the truth of their affections. Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren.

This should stir us up to have a good conscience, that we may rejoice. Why should we labor that we may rejoice? Why? what is our life without joy? and what is joy without a good conscience?

What is our life without joy? without joy we can do nothing, we are like an instrument out of tune; an instrument out of tune it yiels but harsh music. Without joy we are as a member out of joint: we can do nothing well without joy, and a good conscience, which is the ground of joy. A man without joy is a palsy-member that moves itself unfitly, and uncomely, he goes not about things as he should,. A good conscience breeds joy and comfort, it enables a man to do all things comely in the sight of God, and comfortably to himself, it makes him go cheerfully through his business. A good Conscience is a continual feast: without joy we cannot suffer afflictions; we cannot die well without it. Simeon died comfortably, because he died in peace, when he had embraced Christ in his heart, and in his arms. Without joy and the ground of joy we can neither do nor suffer anything. Therefore in Psalm. 51. David when he had lost the peace and comfort of a good conscience, he prays for the free Spirit of God. Alas, till God had enlarged his heart with the sense of a good conscience in the pardon of his sins, and given him the power of his Spirit to lead a better life for the time to come, his spirit was not free before: he could not praise God with a large spirit; he wanted freedom of spirit, his conscience was bound, his lips were sealed up, Open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. His heart was bound, and therefore he prays to have it enlarged. Restore to me thy joy and salvation, intimating that we cannot have a free spirit without joy, and we cannot have joy without a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ, in the pardon of our sins.

If it be so, that we cannot do anything, nor suffer anything as we should, that we cannot praise God, that we cannot live nor die without joy, and the ground of it the testimony of a good conscience: let us labor then that conscience may witness well unto us.

Especially considering that an ill conscience, it is the worst thing in the world; there is no friend so good as a good conscience, there is no foe so ill as a bad conscience; it makes us either Kings or slaves. A man that hath a good conscience that witnesseth well for him, it raiseth his heart in a Princely manner above all things in the world: a man that hath a bad conscience, though he be a Monarch it makes him a slave: a bad conscience imbitters all things in the world to him, though they be never so comfortable in themselves. What is so comfortable as the presence of God? What is so comfortable as the light? yet a bad conscience that will not be ruled, it hates the light, and hates the presence of God, as we see Adam, when he had sinned he fled from God.

A bad conscience cannot joy in the midst of joy, it is like a goutie foot, or a goutie toe covered with a velvet shoe: alas, what doth it ease it? what doth glorious apparel ease the diseased body? nothing at all, the ill is within, there the arrow sticks.

And so in the comforts of the Word, if the conscience be bad, we that are the messengers of comfort we may apply comfort to you: but if there be one within that saith thus, it is true: but I regarded not the Word before, I regarded not the checks of conscience, conscience will speak more terror then we can speak peace. And after long and willful rebellion conscience will admit of no comfort for the most part. Regard it therefore in time: labor in time that it may witness well. An ill conscience when it should be most comforted then it is most terrible; at the hour of death we should have most comfort, (if we had any wisdom) when earthly comforts shall be taken from us, and at the day of judgment: then an ill conscience, look where it will it hath matter of terror. If it look up, there is the Judge armed with vengeance; if it look beneath, there is hell ready to swallow it; if it look on the one side, there is the devil accusing, and helping conscience; if it look round about, there is heaven, and earth, and all on a fire, and within there is a hell: where shall the sinner, and ungodly appear? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear, at that time?

O let us labor to have a good conscience, and to exercise the reflect power of conscience in this world, that is, let us examine ourselves, admonish ourselves, judge ourselves, condemn ourselves, do all in ourselves. Let us keep court at home first, let us keep the assizes there, and then we shall have comfort at the great assizes.

Therefore God out of his love hath put conscience into the soul, that we might keep a court at home. Let conscience therefore do its worst now, let it accuse, let it judge: and when it hath judged, let it smite us, and do execution upon us, that having judged ourselves we may not be condemned with the world.

If we suffer not conscience to have its full work now, it will have it one day: a sleepy conscience will not always sleep; if we do not suffer conscience to awake here, it will awaken in hell where there is no remedy.

Therefore give conscience leave to speak what it will; perhaps it will tell thee a tale in thine ear, which thou wouldest be loath to hear: it will pursue thee with terrors like a blood-hound, and will not suffer thee to rest: therefore as a bankrupt thou art loath to look in thy books, because there is nothing but matter of terror. This is but a folly, for at the last conscience will do its duty; it will awaken either here, or in hell. Therefore we are to hope the best of them that have their consciences opened here, there is hope that they will make their peace with God: that they will agree with their adversary while they are in the way. If thou suffer conscience to be sleepy and drowsy till it be awaked in hell, woe unto thee: for then thy estate is determined of, it will be a barren repentance. Now thy repentance may be fruitful, it may force theeto make thy peace with God: dost thou think it will always be thus with thee? Thou besottest thy conscience with sensuality, and sayest, Go thy way, and come another time, as he said to St. Paul: I will tell thee, this peace will prove a tempest in the end.

Conscience of all things in the world deserves the greatest reverence; more then any Monarch in the world: for it is above all men, it is next unto God: and yet what do many men? regard the honor 〈◊〉 their friends more then conscience, that inward friend that shall accompany them to heaven, that will go with them to death, and to judgment, and make them lift up their heads with joy when other friends cannot help them, but must needs leave them in death. Now for a man to follow the humors of men, to follow the multitude, and to stain conscience, what a foolish wretch is he? though such men think themselves never so wise, it is the greatest folly in the world to stain conscience to please any man, because conscience is above all men.

Again, those that follow their own humors, their own dispositions, and are carried away with their own lusts, it is a folly and madness: for the time will come, that that which their covetous base lust hath carried them to, that shall be taken away, as honors, riches, pleasures, which is the fuel of that lust, which makes them now neglect conscience, all shall be taken away in sickness, or in the time of despair when conscience shall be awaked. Now what folly is it to please thy own lust which thou shouldest mortify, and subdue, and to displease conscience thy best friend? and then when thy lust is fully satisfied, all that hath been fuel to it, that hath fed it, shall be taken away at the hour of death, or some special judgment, and conscience shall be awaked, and shall torment thee, for giving liberty to thy base lusts, and to thyself. And those eyes of thy soul that thy offense delighted to shut up, there shall some punishment come either in this life, or in that to come that shall open those eyes. As Adams eyes were opened after his sin; why? were they not open before? he had such a strong desire to the apple, he did not regard them; but his punishment afterward opened those eyes, which his inordinate desire shut. So it shall be with every sinner: therefore regard no man in the world more then thy conscience. Regard nothing, no pleasure, no profit, more then conscience, reverence it more then anything in the world. Happy is that man that carries with him a good conscience that can witness that he hath said, nor done nothing that may vex, or grieve conscience: if it be otherwise, whatsoever a man gains, he loseth in conscience, and there is no comparison between those two. One crack, one flaw in conscience will prove more disadvantageous, then the rest will be profitable. Thou must cast up the rest again, they are sweet bits downward, but they shall be gravel in the belly.

We think, when we have gained anything, when we have done anything, we shall hear no more of it, as David said to Joab, when he set him to make away Uriah, Let not this trouble thee: So let not this ill gain, let not this ill speech, or this ill carriage trouble thee, thou shalt hear no more of this. We take order to stop and silence conscience, thinking never to hear more of it: oh, but remember, conscience will have its work, and the longer we defer the witness and work of conscience, the more it will terrify and accuse us afterward.

Therefore of all men (be they never so great) they are most miserable that follow their wills and their lusts most, that never have any outward check, or inward check of conscience, but drown it with sensual pleasures. As Charles the 9 ^th. who at night (when conscience hath the fittest time to work, a man being retired, then he) would have his singing boys, after he had betreyed them in that horrible Massacre, after which he never had peace and quiet. And as Saul sent for David's Harp when the evil spirit was upon him. So wicked men they look for foreign helps, but it will not be: for the greatest men with their foreign helps are most miserable.

The reason is, because the more they sink in rebellion, and sin against conscience, the more they sink in terrors: it shall be the greatest torment to those that have had their wills most in the world, the more their conscience is silenced and violenced in this world, the more vocal it shall be at the hour of death, and the day of judgment. Therefore judge who are the most miserable men in the world, (although they have never so much regard in the world besides) those that have consciences, but will not suffer them to work; but with sensuality within them, and by pleasing flattering speech of those without them, they keep it down, and take order that neither conscience within, nor none other without shall disturb them; if they do, they shall be served as Ahab dealt with Micaia. These men that are thus at peace in sinful courses, of all men they are most miserable: they enjoy their pleasure here for a little time, but their conscience shall torment them forever, and shall say to them as Reuben said to his Brethren. I told you this before, but you would not hearken to me, and now you shall be tormented.

Conscience is an evil beast, it makes a man rise against himself: therefore of all men, those that be disordered in their courses, that neglect conscience, and neglect the means of salvation, that should awaken conscience, they are the most miserable: for the longer they go on, the more they sink in sin, and the more they sink in sin, the more they sink in terror of conscience, if not now, yet they shall hereafter.

If we desire therefore to have joy and comfort at all times, let us labor to have a good conscience that may witness well: And therefore let us every day keep an audit within doors; every day cast up our accounts, every day draw the blood of Christ over our accounts, every day beg forgiveness of sins, and the Spirit of Christ to lead us, that so we may keep account every day, that we may make our reckonings even every day, that we may have the less to do in the time of sickness, in the time of temptation, and in the time of death, when we have discharged our Consciences before by keeping session at home in our own hearts.

This should be the daily practice of a Christian, and then he may lay himself down in peace.

He that sleeps with a conscience defiled, is as he that sleeps among wild beasts, among adders, and toads, that if his eyes were open to see them, he would be out of his wits. He that sleeps without a good conscience he is an unadvised man, God may make his bed his grave, he may smite him suddenly; therefore let us every day labor to have a good conscience, that so we may have matter of perpetual joy.

A good conscience (especially) is an Evangelical conscience: for a legal good conscience none have, that is, such a conscience as acquits a man that he hath obeyed the law in all things exactly. A legal complete good conscience none have, except in some particular fact: there is a good Conscience in fact. As the Heathen could excuse themselves, they were thus, and thus: and God ministereth much joy in that. But an Evangelical good Conscience is that we must trust to, that is, such a Conscience, that though it knows itself guilty of sin, yet it knows that Christ hath shed his blood for sinners: and such a Conscience as by means of faith is sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and is cleared from the accusations of sin.

There is an Evangelical Conscience, when by faith wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearing of the Gospel, we lay hold upon the obedience and righteousness of Christ. And such is the obedience and righteousness of Christ, that it pacifieth the conscience which nothing else in the world will do; the conscience without a full obedience it will always stagger.

And that is the reason that Conscience confounds and confutes the Popish way of salvation by works, &c. Because the conscience always staggers, and fears, I have not done works enough, I have not done them well enough: those that I have done they have been corrupt, and mixed, and therefore I dare not bring them to the Judgment-seat of God, to plead them meritorious. Therefore they do well to hold uncertainty of salvation; because holding merit they must needs be uncertaiu of their salvation. A true Christian is certain of his salvation, because his conscience lays hold on the blood of Christ; because the obedience whereby he claims heaven is a superabundant obedience, it is the satisfaction of Christ; as the Apostle saith in that excellent place, Heb. 9. 24. The blood of Christ which offered himself by the eternal Spirit, that is, by the God-head, shall cleanse your consciences from dead works to serve the living God. The blood of Christ that offered himself, his human nature by his divine, to God as a sacrifice, it shall purge your consciences from dead works. The blood of Christ, that is, the Sacrifice, the obedience of Christ, in offering himself, fully pacified God, and answered the punishment which we should have endured: for he was our surety. The blood of Christ speaks better then the blood of Abel. It speaks better then our sins. Our sins cry vengeance, but the blood of Christ cries mercy.

The blood of Christ out-cries our sins: the guilty conscience for sin cries, Guiltie, guilty, hell, Damnation, wrath and anguish: but the blood of Christ cries, (I say mercy) because it was shed by our surety in our behalf, his obedience is a full satisfaction to God.

Now the way to have a good conscience is upon the accusations of an evil conscience by the law to come to Christ our surety, and to get our consciences sprinked by faith in his blood, to get a persuasion that he shed his blood for us, and upon that to labor to be purged by the Spirit. There are two purgers, the blood of Christ from the guilt of sin, and the Spirit of Christ from the stain of sin: and upon that comes a complete good conscience; being justified by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore Christ came not by blood alone, or by water alone, but by water and blood; by blood, in justification; by water, in sanctification, and holiness of life.

Why do we allege this now for the Sacrament?

We speak of a good conscience, which is a continual feast. How comes a good conscience to be such a continual feast?

An Evangelical conscience is a feast indeed, because it feeds on a higher feast, it feeds on Christ: he is the Passover Lamb, as the Apostle applies it, 1. Cor. 5. he is the Passover slain for us: and there is represented in the Sacrament, his body broken, and his blood poured out for our sins; he came to feast us, and we shall feast with him.

Hereupon if we bring repentance for our sins past, and faith whereby we are incorporate into Christ, then our consciences speak peace: and as it is in 1 Pet. 5. the conscience makes a good demand, It is not baptism, but the demand of a good conscience. When the conscience hath fed on Christ, it demands boldly (as it is, Rom. 8.) of Satan, and all enemies, Who shall lay anything to our charge? it is God that justifieth, it is Christ that died, or rather that is risen again. It boldly demands of God who hath given his Son: the bold demand of conscience prevails with God, and this comes by faith in Christ. Now this is strengthened by the Sacrament: here are the visible representations and seals, that we are incorporate more and more into Christ: and so feeding upon Christ once, our conscience is pacified and purged from all dead works, and we come to have a continual feast.

Christ is first the Prince of righteousness, the righteous King, and then Prince of peace: first he gives righteousness, and then he speaks peace to the conscience. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

So that all our feast and joy and comfort that we have in our consciences, it must be from righteousness. A double righteousness; the righteousness of Christ which hath satisfied, and appeased the wrath of God fully: and then we must have the righteousness of a good conscience sanctified by the Spirit of Christ; we must put them together always; we can never have communion with Christ, and have forgiveness of sins, but we must have a Spirit of sanctification. There is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Where there is mercy in the forgiveness of sin, there is a disposition to fear it ever after. Therefore if for the present you would have a good conscience, desire God to strengthen your faith in the blood of Christ poured out for you: desire God to strengthen your faith in the crucified body of Christ broken for you: that so feeding on Christ who is your surety, who himself is yours, and all is yours, you may ever have the feast of a good conscience, that will comfort you in false imputations, that will comfort you in life, and in death,, and at the day of judgment. This is our rejoicing in all things, the testimony of our conscience: first purged by the blood of Christ, and then purged, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, that we have had our Conversation in simplicity and sincerity, &c.

This is the matter of this testimony of Conscience, that is simplicity, and sincerity. Saint Paul glories in his simplieity, and sincerity. And (mark that by the way) it is no vain glorying, but lawful upon such cautions as I named before: but to add a little. A man in some cases may glory in the Graces of God that are in him; but with these cautions.

First, if so be that he look on them as the gifts of God.

Secondly, if he look on them as stained with his own defects, and so in that respect be humbled.

Thirdly if he look upon them, as fruits of his justification, and as fruits of his assurance of his salvation, and not as causes.

And then if it be before men that he glories: not when he is to deal with God. When men lay this, and that imputation upon a man he may rejoice (as Saint Paul doth here) in the testimony of his conscience, in simplicity and sincerity.

The matter of the testimony of Conscience, wherein he glories is simplicity, and godly sincerity, or as the words may well be read, in the simplicity, and sincerity of God; such as proceeds from God, and such as aims at, and looks to God, and resembles God. For both simplicity, and sincerity come from God, they are wrought by God: and therein we resemble God, and both of them have an eye to God, a respect to God: so it is in the original, in the simplicity and sincerity of God.

There is not much difference between simplicity and sincerity, the one expresseth the other: if you will have the difference, simplicity especially respects men, our conversation amongst men. Simplicity hath an eye to God in all things in Religion opposite to hypocrisy in Religion. Simplicity that is opposed to doubleness; where doubleness is there is always hypocrisy, opposed to sincerity, and where simplicity is there is always sincerity, truth to God. But it is not good to be very exact and punctual in the distinction of these things, they may one express the other very well.

Saint Paul's rejoicing was that his conscience witnessed to him his simplicity in his whole conversation in the world, his whole course of life, which the Scripture calls in other places a walking. Saint Paul means this first of himself, and then he propoundes himself an example to us.

How was St. Paul's conversation in simplicity.

Not only if we consider Saint Paul as a Christian, but consider him as an Apostle, his conversarion was in simplicity. It was without guile, without seeking himself, without seeking his own: for rather then he would be grievous to the Corinthians, the man of God, he wrought himself; because he would not give any the least scandal to them being a rich people, he had rather live by his own labor then to open his mouth, he did not seek himself. In a word, he did not serve himself of the Gospel: he served Christ, he did not serve himself of Christ.

There are many that serve themselves of the Gospel, that serve themselves of religion: they care no more for religion then will serve their own turn. Saint Paul's conversation was in simplicity, he had no such aim, he did not preach of envy, orof malice, or for gain, as he taxeth some of the Philippian teachers, Some preach Christ, not of simplicity, and sincerity, but of envy, &c.

Then again, as an Apostle, and a teacher, his conversation was in simplicity: because he mingled nothing with the Word of God in teaching, his doctrine is pure. What should the chaff do with the wheat? Jer. 20. What should the dross do with the Gold? he did not mingle his own conceits and devices with the Word: for he taught the pure Word of God, the simple Word of God, simple without any mixture of any by-aims. So the blessed Apostle was simple both in his Doctrine and in his intentions. Propounding himself herein exemplary to all us, that as we look to hold up our heads with comfort, and to glory in all estate es whatsoever; so our consciences must bear us witness that we carry ourselves in the simplicity, and sincerity of God.

Now simplicity is, when there is a conformity of pretention, and intention, when there is nothing double, when there is not a contradiction in the spirit of a man, and in his words and carriage outwardly. That is simplicty, when there is an exact conformity, and correspondence in a man's judgment and speech, in his affections and actions. When a man judgeth simply as the truth of the thing is; and when he affects as he judgeth, when he loves and hates as he judgeth, and he speaks as he affects and judgeth, and he doth as he speaks, then a man is a simple man.

Simple that is properly, that hath no mixture of the contrary: as we say, light is a simple thing, it cannot endure darkness: fire is a simple body: it cannot endure the contrary with it: so the pure Majesty of God cannot endure the least stain whatsoever. So it is with the holy disposition of a Christian, when he is once a new creature there is a simplicity in him: though there be a mixture, yet he studies simplicity, he studies to have nothing opposite to the Spirit of God: he studies not to have any contradiction in him, he labors that his heart may not go one way, and his carriage another, that his pretensions be not one, and his intentions another. He bears the Image of Christ: you know Christ is compared to a Lamb, a simple creature, fruitful to men, innocent in himself. So the holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a Dove, a simple creature, that hath no way to avoid danger but by flight, a harmless creature.

The Devil takes on him the shape of a Serpent, a subtle wild Creature. The Holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a Dove. You see then what simplicity is: it is a frame of soul without mixture of the contrary.

We must not take simplicity for a defect, when a man is simple because he knows not how to be witty; simplicity is sometimes taken in that sense, for a defect of nature, when a man is easily deluded: but here it is taken for a grace. A man that knows how to double with the world, how to run counterfeit, how to be false in all kinds, but he will not: he knows the world, but he will not use the fashions of the World; so simplicity here is a strength of grace.

Likewise, simplicity, and plainness, it must not be taken for rudeness, and unnecessary opening of ourselves: for that is simplicity in an evil sense, profane rudeness.

You shall have some that will lay about them, they care not what they speak, they care not whom they smite; but as Solomon's fool, they throw fire-brands; they speak what they list, of whom they list, against whom they list. Here simplicity and plainness is no grace, this is no virtue: this is but an easing of their rotten, corrupt, and vile heart,

We know there are two kind of Sepulchers, open, and shut sepulchers: they are both naught; but yet notwithstanding, your hidden sepulcher is less offensive; that which is open stinks that none can come nigh, that is very offensive. An hypocrite that is a hidden sepulcher, a painted sepulcher without, and nothing but bones within, he hath a naughty, rotten heart: yet notwithstanding he is not so offensive as the open sepulcher, which offends all that come near it. So these men that say they cannot dissemble; and they have a plain heart, though they will swear, and dissemble, and detract, and throw fire-brands against any man, Is this a plain heart? it is an open sepulcher, that sends a stench to all that are near.

Again, let us take heed, that we do not for simplicity take credulity: The simple man (saith Solomon) will believe everything. This is simple credulity. A man must not believe everything, for there is much danger comes by credulity. Jeremiah, and Gedaliah, and others, they were much harmed by credulity. It is a good fence not to be too hasty to believe; for incredulity, and hardness to believe is a good preservative; and he is a wise man that will not believe everything. So you see there are some things that come near this simplicity, as defect, rudeness, and credulity, which yet are not that simplicity that Saint Paul saith he walked in.

And this simplicity may well be called the simplicity of God; because God is simple, He is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. There is no mixture of fraud, or contrariety, he is pure, simple, and sincere. And as he is in his nature, so he is in his carriage to men every way. There is a simplicity that he doth in his Word testify. And indeed he hath shown that he loves us; would we have a better evidence of it then his own Son? there is no doubling in God's dealing to men. And therefore as it comes from God; so this simplicity it resembleth God.

For alas, if God had had by-respects, what could the creature yield him? doth he stand in need of us, or doth he need anything we have? All counterfeiting, and insincerity, and doubling, is for hope of gain, or for fear of danger. Now what can God have of the creature? what cause hath he in us of his dealing toward us? In his giving, in his forgiving, in all his dealing he is simple.

So everyone that is the Child of God he hath the virtue of simplicity. Simplicity is such a Grace as extends to all the parts of our conversation. As the Apostle saith here, My conversation in the world hath been in simplicity.

By nature man is contrary to this simplicity, since the fall. God made him right and straight, and simple, but as the Wise man saith, he sought out many inventions. So that a man without Grace is double in his carriage. And that from Self-Love, from Self-Ends, and aims.

And hereupon he must be double: for there must be something that is good in him, for else evil is destructive of itself: if there were not something good, men could never continue, nor the place could never continue. And if all were good, and all were plain, and honest, that would destroy the ill which men labor to nourish. Men have carnal projects to raise themselves, to get riches, and this must be by ill means: there is an Idol in their hearts which they serve, which they sacrifice to, their self-love, either in honor, or in riches, or in pleasure, they set up something. Therefore a man without grace, he studies to be strongly ill: and because he cannot be ill except he be good, for then all the World would see it: hereupon comes doubling. Good there must be to carry the ill he intends the more close: ill there must be, or else he cannot have his aim. And hence comes dissimulation and simulation, the vices of these times, (both opposite to simplicity) and such vices as proceed from want of worth and want of strength.

For when men have no worth to trust to, and yet would have the profit of sin, and the pleasure of sin, and would have reputation, then they carry all dissemblingly. Where there is strength of worth, and of parts, and reputation, there is less dissembling always. It is a vice usually of those that have little or no virtue in them. A man of strength carries things open and fair.

This dissimulation it comes from the want of this grace of simplicity, both,

Before	the project.
In
After

Before, as you see in Herod, he intends mischief, when he pretends he would be a worshipper of Christ: and so Absalom he pretends he had a vow to make, when he intends murder: a dissimulation, pretending good when there is an intention of ill before.

So there is a dissimulation in the project for the present, which comes from this doubling, when men carry things fairly outwardly to those with whom they live, and yet notwithstanding have false and treacherous hearts. As Judas had all the while he conversed with Christ, he covered his ill with good pretexts, a care for the poor, &c.

So after, when the ill is done what a world of doubling is there to cover ill, to extenuate it, and excuses, and translations? This is the simplicity that reigns among men where there is no strength of grace: where there is want of simplicity there is this dissembling.

And with dissimulation there is simulation, that is, when we make ourselves sometimes worse then we are: when we are better then we seem to be: sometimes that wins on us too: then we carry not our selvee simply.

For if we were good, we would be good everywhere. But a man that useth simulation, if he be in evil company he fashioneth himself to the company, he speaks that which his Conscience checks him for, he carries himself vainly, and lightly, he holds correspondence with the company. So that by dissimulation, and simulation, there is a fault committed against simplicity, which yields the Testimony of a good conscience.

It is a base fault this simulation, which we think to be a lesser fault then the other, which is dissimulation: for whom do we serve? are we not the sons of God? are we not the sons of our heavenly Father? the sons of the great King? and for us to carry ourselves not to be such as we are in the midst of the wicked world, it is a great want of discretion. Saint Paul would discover who he was, even before the bar: David would speak of God's righteous testimonies even before Princes, and not be ashamed.

And this is that which Christ saith, He that is ashamed of me before men, of him will I be ashamed before my heavenly Father. Let us take heed of dissimulation, and simulation, which are opposite to this simplicity.

Again, this simplicity is opposite to curiosity, and fineness. And thus the Apostle both in his calling, and conversation, St. Paul conversed in simplicity, as a Christian, and as an Apostle.

As an Apostle he was not over-curious in words: he reproveth those foolish vain glorious spirits, that were so among the Corinthians. He delivered the Word plainly, and plainness is best in handling the Word of God: for who will enamell a precious stone? we use to enamell that that hath not a native excellency in itself, but that which hath an excellency from something without. True Religion hath this with it always, that it is simple; because it hath state enough of its own.

The whore of Babylon hath need of a gilded cup, and pictures, (and what not?) to set her out; but the true Religion is in Simplicity.

Christ himself when he was born, he was laid in a Cratch, he was simple in his carriage, and his speeches. It was a common speech in ancient time, when the Chalices were gold, the Priests were wood. In Religion fineness, and curiosity carry suspicion of falsehood with them.

Those that overmuch affect fineness of speech, they are either deceived, or will deceive. That which is not native, and comes not from within it will deceive. Some falsehoods carry a better color then some truths: because men set their wits on work to set some color upon falsehood always.

And here take notice of the duty of Ministers, that they should utter divine truth in the native simplicity of it. Saint Paul as a Minister delivered the plain Word plainly.

And as a Christian in our common course of life: as we should take heed of doubling, so of too much curiosity: for too much curiosity in diet or apparel, it implies too much care of these things, which hinders our care of better things, as our Savour Christ saith to Martha, Martha, thou art troubled about many things. The soul is finite, and cannot be set about many things at once; therefore when there is overmuch curiosity in smaller things, it implies little or no care in the main. What is morethen for decency of place? it argues carelessness in the main. Therefore the Apostle laboring to take off that, he bids women that they should not be decked with Gold, and broidered hair, &c. But to look to the hidden man of the heart. And therefore Christ took off Martha from outward things, because he knew it could not be without the neglect of better things. Seriousness in heavenly things it carries a carelessness in other things. And a Christian cannot choose but discover a mind that is not earthly and vain; when he is a true believer, he regards other things as poor petty things that are not worthy estimation.

A Christian when he hath fixed his end, to be like to God, to be simple as God is, he still draws toward his end, and therefore he moderates his carriage in all things. What is unnecessary, he leaves out: his end is to be like God, and like Christ, with whom he shall live hereafter. Now the best things are the most simple, as the Heavens, the Sun and the stars, &c. There is diversity, but no contrariety: there is diversity in the magnitude of the stars, but they are of the same nature; so in a Christian there are many Graces, but they are not contrary one to another. So that a Christian hath his main care for better things, he cares not for the world nor the things thereof: and therefore he accounts them in comparison of better things as nothing; and that is the reason that he is careless and negligent of those things that he did formerly regard, as having better things to take up his thoughts.

We see then that simplicity, as it is opposed to doubling, so it is opposed to fineness, and curiosity.

And usually where there is a fineness, and curiosity, there is hypocrisy; for it is not for naught when men affect anything. Affectation usually is a strain above nature, when a man will do that which he is not disposed to by nature, but for some forced end, it is hypocrisy. So the Corinthian teachers argued the falseness of their hearts by the fineness of their teaching, they had another aim then to please God and convert souls. Usually affectation to the world is joined with hypocrisy towards God.

Again, this simplicity is contrary to that corruption in Popery, namely equivocation; what simplicity is that, when they speak one thing, and mean another? when there is a mental reservation, and such a reservation, that if that were set down that is reserved, it were absurd?

Or else there may be a reservation: a man may reserve his meaning. A man may not speak all the truth at all times, except he be called to it, in judgment, &c. Otherwise truth (as all good actions) it is never good but when it is seasonable: and then it is seasonable when there is convenient furniture of circumstances, when a man is called to it. For there may be a reservation; a man is not bound to speak all things at all times, but to wait for a fit time. One word in a fit time is worth a thousand out of time; but mental reservation, to speak one thing, and to reserve another, it is absurd and inconsequent, and so is dissimulation; there is a lie in fact, a man's life is a lie that is a dissembler, dissimulation is naught.

A man may sometimes make some show to do something that he intends not. Christ made as though he would have gone further when he did not mean it: but dissimulation is that which is intrinsically naught.

But some man will say, Except I dissemble, I shall run into danger.

Well, it is not necessary for thee to live, but it is necessary for thee to live like an honest man, and keep a good conscience, that is necessary. For come what will upon true dealing, we ought to deal truly, and not dissemble. Those that pretend a necessity, they must do it, they cannot live else, they cannot avoid danger else, unless they dissemble: saith Tertullian very well, There is no necessity of sin to them, upon whom there lies no other necessity but not to sin. Christians they are men that have no necessity lies upon them but not to sin. It is not necessary they should be rich, it is not necessary they should be poor, it is not necessary they should have their freedom, and liberty, there is no necessity lies upon them, but that they be good, that they do not sin. Can he pretend I must sin upon necessity, who hath no necessity imposed upon him by God, but to avoid all sin?

As for lying (which is against this simplicity that should be in speech,) all kinds of lies, officious lies, or pernicious lies: officious lies, to do a good turn to help ourselves or others with a lie, it is a giosse sin; It is condemned by St. Austin in a whole Book which he wrote against lying: therefore I pass it, I shall have occasion to speak somewhat of it afterward. It is intrinsically ill every lie, because it is contrary to the hint of speech. God hath made our reason, and understanding to frame speech; and speech to be the Messenger, and Interpreter of reason, and of the conceit: now when speech shall be a false Messenger, it is contrary to the gift of speech: speech should be the stream of understanding and reason: now when the fountain is one, and the spring is another, there is a contradiction, it is against nature, so it is intrinsically ill. It is not only against the will of God, but it is against the Image of God which is in truth. It is ill, not by inconvenience, or by inconsequence, but a pernicious lie is inwardly ill; jesting lies, pernicious lies, officious lies, all lies let them be what they will, they come from the father of lies the Devil, and are hated of God, who is truth itself.

Besides that it is a sin opposite to society, and therefore by God's just judgment it is punished by society; all men hate a liar, a false dissembler, as an enemy to society, as a man that offends against that bond whereby God hath knit men together,

Now to move us the better to this simplicity, this direct course of life, that there may be a conformity, and harmony between the outward and inward man, in the thoughts, speeches, and actions, that they may be one.

Consider first of all, that this simplicity, it is a comely thing: comeliness, and seemliness it is a thing that is delightful to the eyes of God, and to a man's own conscience: and it stands in oneness, and proportion: for you know where there is a comely proportion, there all things suite in one. As in a comely body, the head, and all the rest of the members are suitable, there is not a young green head upon an old body, or a fair face on a deformed body, for then there is two, the body is one, and the complexion another. Beauty, and comeliness is in one, when there is a correspondency, a proportion, and harmony in the parts.

In Revel. 13. you have a cruel beast there with the horns of a Lamb; there is two, there is a goodly pretention and show, but there is a beast that is hid within. Dissimulation is double; & where there is singleness, and doubleness, there is deformity always. It is an ugly thing in the eyes of God, it is a misshapen thing; it is a Monster, Jacob's voice, and Esau's hands: words as smooth as oil, and war in the heart. It is a monstrous thing. Even as there be Monsters in nature, so there be in disposition. Where there is such a gross mixture, the Devil and an Angel of light, outwardly an Angel of light, and inwardly a Devil, to hide a Devil in the shape of an Angel of light, there is a horrible deformity.

It is a comely thing therefore when all things hold conformity, and correspondence in our lives, when they are even amongst men, when we labor to have sanctified judgments of things, and speak what is our judgment, and have outward expressions answerable to the inward impressions wrought by the Spirit of God every way; then a man is like himself, he is one, there is not a heart and a heart. Adam at the first was every way like himself, but after falling from God to the creature, the changeable, corruptible creature, to have his corruptible end, he fell to this doubleness.

And as S. James saith, A double-minded man is inconstant in all his ways: That is another reason to move us to simplicity of disposition: for where doubling is, a man is inconstant in all his ways. What doth S. James mean by this, where he saith, A double-minded man is unsettled? Because a double-minded man he looks with one eye to Religion, and to those things that are good, and with another part of his heart to the world: and hereupon he can never be settled any way. Why? Because having unsettled intentions, having false aims, double aims, he will be crossed continually. Please God he would, he would be Religious; that is one intention: but now comes the world, and Religion to dash one against another, and then he must be inconstant, because he hath not simplicity, he hath not a single eye, as Christ saith, If the eye be single, then the body is light. He hath not a right intention, a right judgment of things; he judgeth too high of the world, and not high enough of grace and goodness. And hereupon it comes, that when the world comes to cross his good intentions, having his mind on earthly things, because it is cross to Religion, his mind is unsettled.

Again, by terrors of conscience, a double-minded man (that will please God, and yet be a worldling) is inconstant in all his ways. If his eye were single, then all his body would be light, that is, if a man had a single judgment to know what is right, to know what in life, and in death to stick to; all would be single, the judgment and intentions go together: when a man's judgment is convinced of the goodness of spiritual things, upon judgment follows intention. When a man desires and resolves to serve God, and to please him in all things, then all the body, and his affections are lightsome; his affections, and his outward man goes with a single eye. A man that hath a false, weak judgment, and thereupon a false weak, double intention, his body is dark, he hath a darksome conversation. A double-minded man is inconstant in all his ways, Therefore we should labor for this simplicity in all our conversation.

Again, we should the rather labor for this simplicity, because it is part of the Image of God, therein we resemble God in whom is no mixture at all of contraries: but all is alike.

And as it resembles God, so it bears us out in the presence of God, and our own conscience; as he saith here, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, &c. Now God is greater then conscience. A man that carries himself in simplicity, and in an uniform, even manner to God, and to men, that man hath comfort in his conscience, and comfort before God.

And of all other sins, the time will come that none will lie heavier on us then doubling both with men, and with God, when it will appear that we have not been the men that we carried ourselves to be.

The reason is, the more will there is in a sin, and the more advisednesse, the greater is the sin: and the greater the sin is, the greater the terror of conscience; and the greater that is, the more fear and trembling before God that knows conscience better then we do.

Now where there is doubling, (where a man is not one in his outward and inward man, in his conversation to men, when there is a covering of hatred, and of ill affections with contrary pretences) there is advisement, there is much will, and little passion to bear a man out, to excuse him; but he doth it (as we say) in cool blood, and that makes dissimulation so gross, hecause it is in cold blood. The more will and advisement is in any sin, the greater it is, (so the aggravation of sin is to be considered) and where temptations are strong, and the less a man is himself, so there is a diminution, and a less aggravation; as when a man is carried with passion, with infirmity or the like. But usually when men double they plot.

David he plotted before, and after his sin, he doubled before, and after his sin: that was laid to his charge more then all that ever he did in his life; He was a man after God's own heart, except in the matter of Uriah. Why? Because in that he plotted. We see before what many shifts, and windings, and turnings he had to accomplish it. He sends Uriah to Joab, and gives him a letter to place him in the fore front, and useth many projects.

And after it was committed, how did he cover it? and when it was hid from men, he would have hid it from God a great while, till God pulled him from his hiding place, and made him confess roundly, Psalm 32. till he dealt directly with God, My bones were consumed, and my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. He did it from men, and would have hid it from God. Therefore because there was much plotting in that sin, that is set down as the only blemish in all his life. He was a man after God's own heart, except in the matter of Uriah. Many other faults are recorded in the Book of God of David: but because there might be some excuse, they were from infirmity, or out of passion, or oversight, &c. they are not so charged on him. But this was with plotting, it was in cold blood, there was much will and advice in it; therefore this is doted for a great sin.

And if it be in our dealing amongst men, we should consider who it is we deceive, who it is we go beyond in doubling, who it is that we circumvent, and who it is that doth it. Are we not all Christians? we are or should be all new creatures. And who do we do it to? to our fellowmembers, and to our brethren. Therefore in 1. Thess. 4. when the Apostle dissuades the Thessalonians from this, from double dealing, and double carriage to men, saith he, You are members one of another. Let us consider who we are and whom we deal with.

Now there be some persons, and some courses, that are likelier and more prone to this doubling then others, for want of this grace of simplicity.

Wherethere is strength of parts, there is ofttimes a turning of them against God, and against our brethren: where Grace hath not subdued strong Imaginations, strong thoughts, and brought all under it, there is a turning of those parts against God, and against our brethren. And as it is in particular persons; So some callings are more prone to double-dealing, to this carriage that is not fair, and commendable before God, nor comfortable to the conscience. As we see nowadays it reigns everywhere, in every street.

We see amongst men of Trade, Merchants and the like, there is not that direct dealing, they know one thing, and pretend another.

So likewise in the Laws there are many imputations, (I would they were false) that men set false colors upon ill causes; to gild a rotten post (as we say,) to call white black, and black white. There is a woe in Isaiah pronounced against such as justify hard causes, such as call evil good, and good evil: it is a greater sin then it is usually taken for.

So, go to any rank of men; they have learned the Art of dissimulation in their course: they have learned to sell wind, to sell words, to sell nothing, to sell pretexts: to overthrow a man by way of commendations, and flattery; such tricks there are, which are contrary to this simplicity. To cover hatred with fair words, to kill with kindness (as we say,) to overthrow a man with commendations: To commend a man before another, who is jealous of the virtues he commends him for. To commend a man for valor before a coward; to commend a man, and thereby to take occasion to send him out of the way. To commend a man, and then to come in with an exception, to mar all. To cover revenge and hatred with fair carriage, thereby to get opportunity to revenge; such tricks there are abroad, which ofttimes discover themselves at length. For God is just, he will discover all these hidden windings and turnings: for plotting makes it more odious; of all men doublers are most hateful.

How shall we come to attain this Grace, to converse in the world in simplicity?

First of all, take it for a rule, (though many think it no great matter to be a dissembler) our nature is full of dissimulation since the fall: the heart of man is unsearchable, there is deep deceit in man. Take a Child, and see what dissimulation he learns; it is one of the first things he learns, to dissemble, to double, to be false. We see the weakest creatures, what shifts, what windings and turnings they have to save themselves?

It is a virtue to be down-right: for therein a man must cross himself. It is no thanks for a man to shuffle, and to shift in the world: nature teacheth this, to dissemble, to turn and wind, &c. A man need not to plough to have weeds: the ground itself is a mother to them, though it be a stepmother to good seed. So we need not teach men to dissemble, every man hath it by nature: but it must be strength of grace that makes a man down-right: Take that for a ground.

There are a company of sottish men, that take it for a great commendation to dissemble: and rather then they will be known not to dissemble in business, they will puzzle clear business: when a thing is fair, and clear, they will have projects beyond the Moon, and so carry themselves in it as if they desired to be accounted couzeners, and dissemblers. Alas, poor souls; nature teacheth men to be naught in this kind well enough. Know therefore whosoever thou art that studiest this Art of dissembling, and doubling; thy own nature is prone enough to this, and the devil is apt to lead thee into it. This being laid for a ground, how may we carry ourselves in the world in holy simplicity, that may yield comfort to our conciences in life, and in death?

First consider, that the time will come, that we shall deal with that that will not dissemble with us. Let the cunningest dissembler hold out as long as he can, he shall meet with sickness, or with terror of conscience, he shall meet with death itself, and with the judgment of God, and hell torment; although now he carry himself smoothly, and dance in a net (as we say) and double with the world, though he make a fair show: yet ere long thou shalt meet with that that will deal simply with thee, that will deal plain enough with thee. Thou shalt be uncased, and laid open to the world ere long; let us consider this.

We see a Snake, or Serpent, it doubles, and winds, and turns when it is alive, till it be killed, and then it is stretched forth at length. As one said, seeing a Snake dead, and stretched out: so (saith he) it behooved you to have lived. So the Devil that great Serpent, that ancient old Serpent, he gets into the Snake, into the wilely wit, and makes it wind and turn, and shift and shuffle in the world: but then some great cross comes, or death comes, and then a man is stretched out at length to the view of the world, and then he confesseth all, (and perhaps that confession is sincere when it is wrung out by terror of conscience) then he confesseth that he hath deceived the world, and deceived himself, and labored to deceive God also.

If we would have comfort in the hour of death, labor we to deal plainly, and directly; and of all other sins (as I said before) remember, this is that which will lie the heaviest on us, as coming nearest the sin against the holy Ghost. For what is the sin against the holy Ghost? when men rush against their knowledge in malice to the truth known. Where there is most knowledge, and most will, there is the greatest sin. Now in lying and dissembling, and double-dealing, a man comes near to the sin against the holy Ghost: for he knows that he doth ill, he plots the ill that he knows; and when there is plotting, there is time to deliberate; a man is not carried away by passion.

Consider, the time will come when you will be uncased, when you will be laid open and naked: and then at that time, of all sins, this will lie heavy on thee, thy dissembling in the world. Therefore everyone in his calling, take heed of the sins of his calling, among the rest of this one, of double-dealing.

And therefore that we may avoid it the better, labor for faith, to live by faith: What is the reason that men live by shifts, and by doubling in the world? They have not faith to depend upon God, in good, and plain down-right courses. Men are ready to say, If I should not dissemble, and double, and carry things after that manner, hwo should I live? why, where is thy faith? The righteous man lives by his faith, and not by his shifts, not by his wits. God will provide for us: are we not in Covenant with God? Do we not profess to be God's Children? Do children use to shift? No, a child goes about to do his fathers will and pleasure, and he knows that he will maintain him. It is against the nature of the Child of God (as far as he knows himself to be a Child of God) to use any indirect course, any windings, and turnings in his calling: let us depend upon God as a Child depends on his father; and of all others God will provide most for them that in simple honesty, in plain down-right dealing depend on him in doing good.

For God accounts it a prerogative, to defend and maintain them that cast themselves on him; he will be their wisdom that can deny their own wisdom, and their own shifts by nature, and in conscience labor to deal directly; he will be wise for them and provide for them. It is his prerogative to do so, and not to suffer his Children to be deserted. A little faith therefore would help all this, and would make us walk in simplicity. If we could make God our alsufficiencie once, then we should walk uprightly before God and men.

For what makes men to double?

This certainly makes men to double: they think they shall be undone, if they be direct: for if they deal directly, they shall lose their liberty, or their lives, or their opportunity of gaining, &c. Well, come what will, deal thou directly, and know this for a rule, thou shalt have more good in God's favor (if thou be a Christian) then thou canst lose in the World, if upon grounds of conscience thou deal directly in what estate so ever thou art.

If thou be a Judge, if thou be a Witness, deal directly, speak the truth. If thou be a divine, speak directly in God's cause, deal out the Word of God as in God's presence, come what will, whatsoever thou losest in thy wealth, or liberty, &c. thou shalt gain in God. Is not all good in him? what is all the good we have, is it not from him? And the nearer you come to him, the more your happiness is increased: the more you are striped of earthly things, the more you have in God. Hath not he men's hearts in his hands? when you think you shall endanger yourselves thus and thusby plain direct dealing without doubling, if you be called to the profession of the truth, &c. Hath not he the hearts of men in his hands to make them favor you when he pleaseth? In Pro. 10. He that walketh uprightly, walketh boldly. He that walketh uprightly, not doubling in his courses, he walketh safely, God will procure his safety. God that hath the hearts of men in his hand as the rivers of water, he can turn them to favor such a man.

A man's nature is inclined to favor down-right dealing men, and to hate the contrary. You see the three young men, when they were threatened with fire, come what will, O King, we will not worship the Image of Gold which thou hast set up. They would be burned first. What lost they by it?

Howsoever, if we should lose, as it is not to be granted that we canlose anything by direct dealing; For the earth is the Lord's & the fullness thereof, and the hearts of men are his. But suppose they do; yet they gain in better things, in comfort of conscience, and expectation and hope of better things. Faith is the ground of courage, and the ground of all other Graces that carry a man's courage in a course of simplicity in this World.

Therefore if we would walk simply, and have our conversation in the world in this grace, let us labor especially for faith to depend upon God's promises, to approve ourselves to him, to make him our last and chief end, and our communion with him, and to direct all our courses to that end. This is indeed to set him up a Throne in our hearts, and to make him a god, when rather then we will displease him, or his Vicegerent, his Vicar in us which is conscience, that he hath placed in us as a monitor, and as a witness, we will venture the loss of the creature, of anything in the world, rather then we will displease that Vicar which he hath set in our hearts. This I say is to make him a god; and he will take the care and protection of such a man. S. Paul here in all the imputations, in all crosses in the world, he retires home to himself to his own house, to conscience, and that did bear him out, that in simplicity he had had his conversation in the world. The next particular is,

The Apostle adds to simplicity, this Godly sincerity; and he may well join these two together: for plainness and truth go together: a plain heart is usually a true heart. Doublenesse, and hypocrisy which are contrary they always go together: he that is not plain to men, will not be sincere to God. Simplicity respects our whole course with men: sincerity hath an eye to God; though perhaps, in matters and actions towards men. Sincerity is always with a respect to God; and so it is opposed to hypocrisy, a vice in Religion opposite to God.

Now this Sincerity that the Apostle speaks of, it is

I make a plain description, because I intend practice: there may be some nicer descriptions.

But I say, It is a blessed frame of the soul, wrought by the sincere Spirit of God, whereby the soul is set straight, and right, to purpose, and to endeavor all that is pleasing in God's sight; and that with an intention to please God, with an eye to God, or else it is not sincerity. It is such a disposition and frame of soul, that doth all good, that hates all ill, with a purpose to please God in all, with an eye to God.

And therefore it is called sincerity of God, or godly sincerity, and it is called so fitly: because God is not only the author of it, but God is the aim of it, and the pattern of it: for he is the first thing that is sincere, that is simple, and unmixed. God is the pattern of it, it makes us like to God, and he is the aim of it. A man that is sincere aims at God in all his courses; wherein he aims not at God he is not sincere. It comes from God, and it looks to God. For naturally we are all hypocrites, we look to shows, therefore sincerity is from God.

And it is the sincerity of God especially, because where this sincerity is, it makes us aim at God in all things; it makes us have respect to him in all things, as the creature should have respect to the Creator, the servant to the Master, the son to the Father, the Subject to the Prince. The relations we stand in to God should make us aim at him in all things.

The Observation from hence is this,

As the Apostle saith here, This is the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity we have had our conversation, &c.

Now to go on with this sincerity, and lay it open a little. Sincerity it is not so much a distinct thing, as that which goes with every good thing. Truth, and sincerity, it is not so much a distinct virtue, and grace, as a truth joined to all graces. As, sincere hope, sincere faith, sincere love, sincere repentance, sincere confession. It is a grace annexed to every grace: it is the life, and soul of every grace; and all is nothing without it.

Therefore it behooves us to consider of it, (I say) not so much a distinct thing from other graces; as that which makes other graces to be graces, without which they are nothing at all: so much sincerity, so much reality. So much as we have not in sincerity, we have nothing to God, it is but an empty show, and will be so accounted.

In Philosophy you know, that which is true only hath a being and consistence: all truth hath a being, all falsehood is nothing, it is a counterfeit thing; it is nothing to that it is pretended to be. An Image is something, but S. Paul calls it nothing: because it is not that which it should be, and which the Idolater would have it to be; he would have it to be a God, but it is nothing less. All is nothing without sincerity: Therefore let us consider of it. And that we may the better consider of it, let us look upon it in every action.

All actions are either

• Good.
• Ill.
• Indifferent.

How is Sincerity discovered in good actions?

Sincerity is tried in good actions many ways.

First of all, a man that is sincere in the doing that which is good: he will have a mind prepared to know all that is good; to know the good he stands disposed to: to know good, and to learn by all good means: therefore he hath a heart prepared with diligence to be informed in the use of means. So far as a man is careless, and negligent in coming to the means of knowledge, and to be put in mind of good duties, so far a man is an hypocrite, and insincere.

Again, in regard of good duties, a true sincere Christian hath an universal respect to all that is good. He desires to know all, and when anything is manifested to him he intends to practice all. We are here in the presence of God (saith Cornelius) to practice all things that shall be taught us by God, Act. 10. I will have respect to all thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 6. one and another.

The ground of it is this, Sincerity looks at God: now God he commands one thing as well as another: and therefore if a man do anything that is good, in conscience to God, he must do one as well as another. As S. James saith excellently to this purpose, He that offends in one is guilty of all. Because abstaining from one sin, and doing one good for conscience, he will do all for conscience, if he be sincere.

Therefore it is true in Divinity, a man that repents of one sin, he repents of all; if he repent of any sin as it is a sin: because all sins are of one nature. We must not single out what pleaseth us, and leave what doth not please us: this is to make ourselves God's. The servant must not choose his work, but take that work that his Master commands him: therefore sincerity is tried in universal obedience.

Partial obedience is insincere obedience; when a man saith, This sin I must keep still, Herein God be merciful to me. This stands with my profit, I must not leave this: this sin I am affected to, as we see in Saul. This is insincerity, it is as good as nothing to Godward. It may keep a man from shame in the world, &c. but to God it is nothing. A man must have respect to all God's Commandments, it is not done to God else.

More particularly, he that is sincere, he will have regard of the main duties, and he will have regard likewise of the lesser duties, and especially of the lesser, such as are not liable to the censure of men, or to the censure and punishment of the Law: for there a man's sincerity is most tried. In great duties, there are great rewards, great encouragements; but for lesser duties, there are lesser encouragements; but if a man do them, he must do them for conscience sake.

Therefore this is sincerity, to practice good duties though they be lesser duties, and though they be less esteemed in the world, and less countenanced; to practice them though they be discountenanced, by the Devil, and by great ones, yet to practice them, because they be good. And to love good things that the World cares not for, because they be good.

The practice of private prayer morning and evening, it is a thing we are not expressly bound to, but as conscience binds us; therefore if a man be sincere he will make conscience of that, as well as any other duty, because God bids us pray always. So, to fear an oath for conscience sake, not to swear common or lighter oaths (for I count him not worthy the name of a Christian, that is an ordinary swearer; but) lighter oaths a Christian makes conscience of; because he looks to God. Now God looks to little sins as well as to great: and there is no sin little indeed that toucheth the Majesty of God.

The practice of all duties (therefore) is a notable evidence of sincerity: Herod did many things, but he had a Herodias, that spoiled all. And so if thou obey in many things, and not in all, thou hast a Herodias, a main sin; alas, all is to no purpose, thou art an hypocrite.

Again, for good things, one that is sincere in respect to God, he is uniform in his obedience, that is, he doth all that is good, 2nd he doth it in one place as well as another, and at one time as well as another, he doth it not by starts.

Therefore there is constancy required in sincerity: where sincerity is, there is constancy to do it in all times, in all places. Or else it is but a humor; it is not sincerity when a man doth it but in good moods (as we say.) Therefore a man that is sincere, he makes conscience of private duties as well as of public; of personal duties between God and his own soul, as well as of the duties that the world takes notice of: in one place as well as another. He is holy not only in the Church, but in his closet; not only in his calling as he is a Christian, but when he is about his particular business. He considers he is in the presence of God in every place, at all times.

Saint Paul everywhere labored to have a good conversation: when he was at the Bar, he remembered where he was, and he labored to convert others: in the prison he converted Onesimus: when he had his liberty he spread the Gospel everywhere.

So in all places he was uniform like himself, which shown that he had a good conscience. And therefore he doth not say, I do now and then a good action, but my course of life, My conversation is in sincerity. So there must be sincerity in our walking, our whole conversation. Thus we see in good actions how to try our sincerity.

A sincere man in the very performance of good duties, he is humble: because he doth all things in the eye of God, he doth it in sincerity with humility; he doth all good with reverence, because he doth it to God.

Humility, and reverence it is a qualification of sincerity: because whatsoever we do, we do it in the eye of God: therefore we are reverent in our very secret devotions in our closets. We carry ourselves reverently; because when no eye seeth us, the eye of heaven seeth us, in one place as well as another. A sincere Christian, is a reverent, and humble Christian, and this reverence accompanies all his good actions.

And when he hath done all, a sincere Christian that doth them to God, he is humble, and then he is thankful; for he knows that he hath not done it by his own strength, but by God, and therefore God hath the glory. He is humble, because they are mixed with some infirmities of his. A sincere Christian is always humble, having an eye to God: though to the eye of the world he hath done excellent well: yet he knows that God seeth as he seeth, he seeth some defects, God seeth more, and that humbleth him. As we see David, 1. Chron. 29. 14. saith he, Who am I? or who is this people, that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort? All things come of thee, of thiue own I have given thee. So he humbled himself in thankfulness to God. For ill actions, a true sincere Christian beforehand he intends none, he regards none in his heart, Psal. 66. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayers. His disposition is to regard none, he is in league with none: if he were, his heart were false, his conscience would tell him he were an hypocrite. He is subject to infirmities, but he doth not respect them, he doth not regard them; he intends not in his heart to live in them.

Again, if he fall into any sin, he is sincerely grieved for them, (his heart is tender) and he sincerely confesseth them, without guile, Psal. 32. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile, who when he sees he hath sinned, he doth not guilefully cloak, and extenuate his sin. As we see Saul he had many evasions, and excuses for himself. A true Christian will lay open his sin with all the aggravations that his conscience tells him of. As David saith, what a fool? and what a beast was I? what an unthankful creature was I to sin against so many benefits, and favors? he will be ashamed, and confounded in himself.

And of all sins, a sincere Christian is most careful to avoid his personal sins: you may know sincerity by that. He that takes not heed to that which he is most inclined unto, he shall be tripped in it.

An hypocrite and false-hearted man, he doth good, but it is with a purpose to be favored in some sin wherein he strengtheneth himself; he will do something, that God may be favorable to him in other things.

But a true sincere Christian, though he be inclined by temper of body, or by his calling, or by the former custom of his unregenerate life, to some sin more then another, and he hath not shaken some sin wholly off, he hath not purged himself wholly of the dregs of it, but he finds still a propenseness in his nature to it: yet as far as he is sincere, he gets strength, especially against that. A false-hearted man favors himself, especially in those sins: and will swell if he be found out in them; he will not bear a reproof. But a Christian that is sincere, that intends amendment, that intends to be better; he would reform his heart if it be amiss, and is willing to be discovered in his most particular, and personal sins that he is prone to.

We may try ourselves by this, not only by hating sin in general and at large, but how we stand affected, especially to those particular sins we are most prone to: sincerity as it hates all wicked ways, so it hates those sins that are most sweet, that we are most prone to, as well as any other, nay, more then any other: because those especially endanger the soul. A Child of God will abstain from all evil; he will be careful, not only that others abstain from sin, but he will abstain from sin himself most of all. Noysome things we hate them always, but we hate them most when they are nearest us. As a Toade, we hate it a far off, much more when it is near: so a sincere Christian hates sin most in his own breast.

Now because sincerity hath an eye to God, I must hate all sin as well as any, or else I am not sincere.

A man that hath the point of his soul to Godward, he will hate all manner of ill, little ills as well as great: because all sin agrees in this, all sin is against God, it is contrary to the mind of God, and all sin is pernicious to the soul, all sin is against the pure Word of God, and considering it is so, therefore I must hate all sin, if I hate any: because God hates all, and all sin is contrary to the Image of God: and not only contrary to the Image of God, but contrary to the revealed will of God, contrary to my souls comfort, contrary to communion with God, and contrary to the peace of my conscience; those regards come in every sin, every sin hinders that.

Again, where the soul and conscience is sincere, there will be a special care for the time to come of the sins we have been overtaken with all. So we see how this sincerity may be tried, in abstaining from evil, as well as in the good we do.

For actions that are of a more common nature, that in themselves are neither good nor ill, but as the doer is, and as the doer stands affected; a true Christian may be tried by them thus. For the actions of his calling, (though they be good in their kind, yet they be not religious) thus he stands affected if he be sincere, he doth them as God's work. Common actions are as the doer is affected. A sincere man considers what he doth as God's work: he is eommanded to serve God in his calling as well as in the Church, and therefore he will not do it negligently: For cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently.

He will not do it falsely, he will not profane his calling. I will not prostitute my calling to serve my lust, or to serve my gain, doth not God see it? is not he the author of my calling? is it not his work, saith conscience? Yes, and therefore he doth common actions with an eye to God, and so he makes them good, and religious actions. For the Grace of God is a blessed Alcumist, where it toucheth it makes good, and religious; though the actions be not so in their own nature, it raiseth the actions, it elevates them higher then themselves.

It makes the actions of our calling, that are ordinary actions to be holy, when they are done with an eye of sincerity to God. As Saint Paul saith, the very servant serves God in serving his master.

And so for actions that we account most indifferent, as recreations, and liberty to refresh ourselves; a sincere man considers of them as a liberty bought to him by the blood of Christ, and considers himself in the presence of God. And therefore whatsoever he doth, whether he eat or drink, &c. he still useth his refreshings as in the presence of God, and doth all as in the sight of God. His conversation, that is, his whole course, whatsoever he doth is sincere with an eye to God. He knows his corruption is such that it most watcheth him in his liberties; for the more lawful a thing is, the more we are in danger to be entangled in it.

In excess, in open ills, there is not so much danger, as in things that seem indifferent, lawful recreations, &c. Recreations, and such things are lawful: but to spend whole nights unthriftily, basely, scandalously this way, it is not only against Religion, but against civility, in a civil man's judgment, it is a scandal to the place and person. Therefore he that hath any truth of grace in him, he will look to himself, and look to God in the most free actions of all. You see then how we may judge of our sincerity whatsoever we do. A sincere Christian stands thus affected in some measure, in some degree, in the good he doth, in the ill he abstains from, whatsoever it be, he thinks he hath to deal with God.

Now to stir us up to this blessed state, to labor for this frame of soul, to be sincere, to have our conversation in sincerity; what needs be added more then this, that without it all is nothing; all our glorious performances are mere abominations without sincerity. God will say, you did it not to me, you did it for vain-glory, you did it for custom or out of education, for vain, and by-respects, and not to me, and do you look for a reward of me? you did it not for conscience: for conscience always looks to God: and what we do not in conscience, and obedience to God, in our general, or particular calling, it stands not on our reckoning with God, it is as good as if it were not done, in regard of God, and of the life to come, You have your reward, saith Christ. It is no matter what your respects be here; if you carry yourselves carefully in your place, to have the credit of men, to gain the favor of men, you have your reward. Will you look for a reward from God, when what you did, you did it to the world?

What a pitiful thing is this, that a man should do many things, many years together, and yet do nothing that may further his day of account? because it was not done out of conscience of his duty, his conversation was not in sincerity to God. Now if we have not truth we have nothing in Religion. Saint Paul saith, as I said before, Of an Idol, It is nothing, why, it is a piece of wood, or a piece of Gold, the materials of it is something. But it is nothing to that which it should be. If a man be not true in Religion, he is nothing in that: he is a true hypocrite, but a false Christian. He is nothing in Christianity, he is something in hypocrisy, but that something is nothing.

All the shows in the World, and all the flourishes they are nothing. What is the reason that excellent Clerks, men of excellent parts die comfortless many times? Why, God is not beholding to them for all that they did: they sought their own praise. As the Prophet Isaiah saith, When you fasted, did you fast to me? When you did good works, did you do them to me, may God say? there was no truth in it: so much simplicity, so much comfort: sincerity is all that we can come to in this world, perfection we cannot attain to, Christ is perfection for us. Truth is all that we can reach to, and without that all is nothing: therefore we ought to regard it especially.

Again, on the other side, this is a great encouragement to be sincere, to be true-hearted in all our courses and actions; because it gives acceptance to whatsoever we do; and it is that by which God values us. God values us not by perfection, not by glorious shows, but by what we have in truth. So much truth, so much worth. A little pearl is worth a great deal of rubbish.

A little sincerity because it is God's own creature, (it is the sincerity of God) it is wrought by him, it is his stuff. There is an almighty power to work truth in us: for by nature we are all false. God gives to some men to carry themselves more civilly then others, but it is nothing worth except God change a man by grace: because God accepts us according to sincerity. God values us by truth, so much truth, so much esteem of the God of truth.

And where this sincerity is, God bears with many infirmities. As in marriage, the husband that is discreet, that knows what belongs to marriage, if the heart of the wife be true, though she have many women like infirmities, he passeth by them, as long as the conjugal knot is kept unviolate. So a Christian if his heart be true that he looks to God in all things, though he have many infirmities, God passeth by them. As we see in Asa, how many faults had he committed? he trusted in the Physicians; he used the Prophet hardly, and many other faults, and yet it is said that his heart was upright all his days; because he had truth in him. It was in passion, that he did this or that otherwise. So Hezekiah, although he had many infirmities: yet he could say that he had walked uprightly before God, and God did well esteem him for it. And when he speaks of those that were to come to the Passover, Be merciful to those that prepare their hearts, those that have true hearts, though they have many weaknesses.

Now if the heart be false; though a woman have many virtues, yet if she want the main, if she have a false heart to her husband, what is all the rest? So the soul that is married to God, that hath sweet communion with God, if the heart and soul be naught what are all the shows in the world? they are nothing. Let us take it to heart therefore, and labor to approve our hearts and souls to God, (in all that we do) more then our lives, and outward conversations to the world. Let them think what they will, so God approve of our hearts, and intentions, and purposes, we are not to pass what the world judgeth, as Saint Paul saith of himself.

Again, this should encourage us to labor for sincerity, and truth, because wheresoever that is, there is a growing to perfection, To him that hath shall be given. If we order our conversation aright (as the Psalmist saith) and labor to please God in all things, the more we do, the more we shall have grace to do; and the more we have, the more we shall have, to him that hath shall be given, that is, he that truly hath, and doth not seem to have, but hath not indeed: that seemeth to have goodness, and hath none indeed, that which he hath shall be taken from him.

A true Christian is always on the mending hand, it is a blessed prerogative: he is always mending, and bettering by God's blessing. For where God gives in truth, if it be but a little, if it be but a grain of mustard-seed, if it be true, he will cherish it, till it come to be a tree: he will add grace to grace, one degree of grace to another. Where there is truth it is always honored with growth. It is not only a sign of truth, but where truth is, there will be an endeavor of growth: it is a prerogative; where God bestows truth, he will always add the grace of growth, though not at all times alike: yet if Christians sometimes do not grow, their not growing, and their failings shame them, and makes them grow more afterward, and recover their former backwardness. A true Christian is always on the mending hand. An hypocrite grows worse and worse always, till he be uncased altogether, and turned into hell. These and such like considerations may stir us up to labor to have a conversation in simplicity, and godly sincerity.

Now how shall we come to carry ourselves in sincerity, that we may have comfort in all estates?

That we may carry ourselves in sincerity: First, we must get a change of heart; our nature must be changed: for by nature a man aims at himself in all things, and not at God. A man makes himself his last end; he makes something in the world, either profits, or pleasures, &c. the term that he looks unto: therefore there must be a change of heart: a man must be a good man, or else he cannot be a sincere man. Such as we are, such our actions will be: therefore we cannot be sincere till we have our hearts changed.

No man can aim at God's glory, but he that hath felt God's love in himself, therefore (as a particular branch of that,) labor to get assurance of the love of God in Jesus Christ: for how can we endeavor to please him unless we love him? and how can we love him unless we be persuaded that he loves us in Christ? Therefore let us stablish our hearts more and more in the Evidences of his love to us, and then knowing that he loves us, we shall love him, and labor to please him in all things. These are grounds that must be laid before we can be sincere: to get assurance of God's love to us in the pardon of our sins. Our conscience must be purged from dead works to serve the living God; as the Apostle saith, that is, we cannot serve God to our comfort till our consciences are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, which assures us of the pardon of our sins. Therefore saith Zacharias, We are redeemed, that we might serve him in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of our life. So that unless a man be redeemed, he cannot serve him in righteousness, and holiness (before him) all the days of his life; that is, he cannot serve God in sincerity.

For who will labor to please his enemy? Therefore the Papists maintain hypocrisy, when they say we ought not to be persuaded of the love of God; for then we ought to be hypocrites: for how shall we seek him with the loss of favor, and of credit, and of life itself, if we know not that his favor will stand us instead, if we lose these things for him?

Again, that we may be sincere, let us labor to mortify all our earthly affections to the world: for how can we be sincere when we seek for honors, and pleasures, and riches, and not for better things? Therefore we must know that there is more good to be had in truth, in a down-right Christian profession, then in all worldly good whatsoever. And if we be hypocrites in our profession, there is more ill in that then in anything in the world. This will make us sincere, when we can be persuaded that we shall get better things by being sincere in Religion then the world can give us, or take away from us. For why are men insincere, and false-hearted? Because they think not Religion to be the true good: they think it is better to have riches then to have a good mind: these things therefore must be mortified, and a man must know that the life of a Christian is incomparably the best life, though it be with loss of liberty, yea, with the loss of life itself.

Simon Magus grew to false affections in Religion, because he thought to have profit by it. So the Pharisees, they had naughty hearts, and therefore they had no good by Religion. No man can profit by Religion, so long as his heart is naught, so long as there is some Idol in his heart. A good Christian had rather have a large heart to serve God, and rather grow in the Image of God, to be like him, then to grow in anything in the world, and that makes him sincere out of a good judgment: because Christian excellency is the best excellency incomparably. For he knows well what all else will be ere long; what will all do good? riches, honors, friends, what good will they do in the hour of death? There is nothing but grace, and the expression of it in the whole conversation that will comfort us, therefore he undervalues all things in the world to sincerity and a good conscience.

Again, that we may have our conversation in sincerity, let us labor in everything we do to approve ourselves to the eye of God. We see the Scripture everywhere shows, that this hath made God's Children conscientious in all their courses: even when they might have sinned not only securely, but with advantage. What kept Joseph from committing folly with his Mistress? Shall I do this and sin against God? Gen. 39. And so Job in chap 31. he shows what awed, and kept him from ill doing, in verse. 3. Doth not he see my ways, and account all my steps? this was it that kept him in awe. So the Church of God, Psal. 44. being in great distress, they kept themselves from Idolatry, and from the contagion of the times wherein they lived: upon what ground? you shall see in verse. 21. If we had done thus and thus, shall not God search it out? for he knows the very secrets of the heart. So a Christian being persuaded of the eye of God upon him, it makes him sincere. The eye of God being Ten thousand times brighter then the Sun, he being light itself: he made the heart, and he knows all the turnings of the heart. The consideration of this will make us sincere in our closets, in our very thoughts: for they all lie naked and open to his view.

What is the reason that men practice secret villainy, secret wickedness, and give themselves to speculative filthiness? because they are atheists, they forget that they are in the eye of God, who sees the plots and projects of their hearts, and the nets that they have laid for their brethren. Therefore David brings them in saying, Tush, God sees us not. And that is the reason they are unconscionable in their desires, in their hearts, in their secret thoughts. It is from a hidden Atheism: For if we did consider, that the eye of God sees us in all our intents, and actions, and sees us in what manner we do all, and to what end; that he sees every action with the circumstances, the aims, and ends, if the heart did well ponder this, it would prevent a great deal of evil.

Conscience is the witness of our conversation, a witness that will keep us from offending. If there were a witness by, and that witness were a great person, a Judge, &c. it would keep us in our good behavior. Now when a man shall consider, I have a witness within me, my conscience; and a witness without, which is God, who is my Judge, who can strike me dead in the committing of a sin if he please: this would make men, if they were not atheists, to fear to sin.

Let us labor therefore to approve our hearts to God, as well as our conversations to men: set ourselves in the presence of God who is a discerner of our thoughts as well as of our actions; and that which we should be ashamed to do before men, let us be afraid to think before God: that is another means to come to sincerity.

Another Direction, to help us to walk sincerely is: especially to look to the heart, look to the beginning, to the spring of all our desires, thoughts, affections and actions, that is, the heart: the qualification of that is the qualification of the man. If the heart be naught, the man is naught; if that be sincere, the man is sincere. Therefore look to the heart, see what springs out thence: if there spring out naughty thoughts and desires, suppress them in the beginning. Let us examine every thought: if we find that we do but think an evil thought, execute it presently, crush it: for all that is naught comes from a thought, and desire at the first: therefore let us look to our thoughts, and desires; see if we have not false desires, and intents, and thoughts answerable.

God is a Spirit, and he looks to our very spirits: and what we are in our spirits, in our hearts, and affections, that we are to him. Therefore (as a branch of this) what ill we shun, let us do it from the heart, by hating it first. A man may avoid an evil action from fear, or out of other respects; but that is not sincerity. Therefore look to thy heart, see that thou hate evil, and let it come from sincere looking to God. Ye that love the Lord, hate the thing that is evil, saith David: not only avoid it, but hate it; and not only hate it, but hate it out of love to God. And that which is good, not only to do it, but to labor to delight and joy in it. For the outward action is not the thing that is regarded, but when there is a resolution, a desire and delight in it, then God accounts it as done. And so it is in evil, if we delight in evil it is as if it were done already. Therefore in doing good, look to the heart, joy in the good you do, and then do it: and in evil look to the heart, judge it to be evil, and then abstain from it.

This is the reason of all the errors in our lives; because we have bad hearts, we look not to God in sincerity. Judas had a naughty heart, he loved not the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore he had a naughty conclusion. What the heart doth not is not done in Religion. Thus we see how we may come to have our conversation in sincerity, that we may rejoice in the testimony of our conscience.

Therefore now (to make an Use of Exhortation) we should labor for sincerity, and esteem highly of it, because God so esteems of it. Truth is all that we can allege to God: we cannot allege perfection. St. Paul himself saith not, I have walked exactly, or perfectly: no, but he saith, This is our rejoicing, that we have walked in sincerity. So, if a man's conscience can excuse him of hypocrisy and doubling, though it cannot free him from imperfections, God in the Covenant of Grace looks not so much at perfection, as at truth.

Here I might answer an Objection of some Christians: Oh, but I cannot pray without distraction, I cannot delight so in good things, &c.

Though a Christians heart cannot free him from this, yet his heart desires to approve itself to God in all things: and his heart is ready to say to the Lord as David said, Lord try me, if there be any way of wickedness in me. And therefore he will attend upon all means to get this sincerity. He will be diligent in the Word of God, for therein the mind of God is manifestly seen. The Word of God it is a begetting Word, it makes us immortal, it makes us new creatures: it is truth, and the instrument of truth. Truth will make truth. The true sincere Word of God, not mingled with devices, it will make what it is. The Word of God, being his Word who is Almighty, it hath an Almighty transforming power from him: It is accompanied, and clothed with his Almighty Spirit. Truth will cause truth; such as it is in itself it will work in our hearts.

In that mungrel, false Religion Popery, they have traditions, and false devices of men, and so they make false Christians, such as they are, they make: strain them to the quintessence, and they cannot make a true Christian. Truth makes true Christians; therefore attend upon God's Ordinance with all reverence, and it will make thee a sound heart: it is a transforming Word. Those that desire to hear the Word of God, and to have their consciences to be informed by the hearing of it, they are sincere Christians: and those that labor to shut up the Word of God, that it may not work upon the conscience, they are false-hearted.

A heart that is sincere, it prizeth the Word of God that makes us sincere: the Word of God hath this effect, especially being unfolded in the Ministry of it, that a man may say as Jacob did, Doubtless God is in this place. It is all that is ours; nothing runs upon our reckoning but sincerity. For what I have not done truly, Conscience saith I have not done to God, and therefore I can expect no comfort for it: but what I have done to God, I look to have with comfort: for I know that God regards not perfection, but sincerity; he requires not so much a great faith, as a true faith; not so much perfect love, as true love, and that I have in truth, as S. Peter said, Lord thou knowest that I love thee.

This will make us look God, who is the Judge, in the face. It gives us not title to heaven, for that is only by Christ: but it is a qualification required of us in the Gospel; nothing is ours but what we do in truth.

And again, consider, That it will comfort us against Satan at the hour of death: when Satan shall tempt us to despair for our sins (as that he will do) we may comfort ourselves with this, that we have been sincere. We may send him to Christ (for that must be the way) who hath fulfilled God's will, and satisfied his Fathers wrath: Satan will say, This is true, it is the Gospel, and therefore it cannot be denied; but it is for them that have walked according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh; for those that have obeyed God in all things. Now when our Conscience shall join with Satan, and say, we did nothing to God, we have not obeyed him; how can we answer him? we must needs yield to the tempter. But when we can say with Peter, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; thou knowest I have labored to approve my heart to thee; and that I have prosecuted this desire with endeavors: this will comfort a man in the time of temptation: therefore let us labor to have our conversation in sincerity.

It will afford us much comfort in this life, as it did S. Paul: S. Paul here was in some grievous sickness, even to death, and he was disgraced as a person that regarded not his promise of coming to them. Now what doth he do in all this sickness and disgrace? what doth he answer to them? he comforts himself in this, My rejoicing is, that my conscience doth testify my sincerity. He runs to God, and to his sincerity as his strong hold; he approves himself to God. Some thing we shall have in this life first or last, afflictions, or disgraces, and troubles will come. What is then the strong hold of a Christian? Then he runs to his sincerity. What would Hezekiah have done when he received the sentence of death, that he had walked before God in uprightness, and sincerity? Sincerity then is worth more then the world. And he that will not labor for that which is worth more then all the world, it is a sign he is ignorant of the worth of it. A man at the hour of death he would lose all the world if he had it, for sincerity.

Therefore let us not part with our sincerity. Let us not offend against sincerity and truth by falsehood in our carriage, and in our tongues, or conversations any manner of way, since it will yield us so much comfort in temptations, and afflictions, and at the Tribunal, and Judgment-seat of Christ.

Let us not have false aims and ends, and do things in a false manner. It is not action only that God requires, but the manner. If we regard not the manner, God will not regard the matter. The matter of the Pharisees performances was very good for stuff; but their hearts being naught, God regarded it not. Let us look to the manner of doing all that we do, that we do them to God, that we do them in sincerity in a holy manner. The Scripture requires this, receive the Sacrament, but thus, Examine yourselves; Take heed how you hear. Let your conversation be in the world, but thus, in simplicity, and godly sincerity. S. Paul doth not say, that he rejoiced in miracles, or in the great works that he had done, in converting of Nations, &c. which yet were matters of joy: but when he comes to joy indeed, here is his joy, that his Conversation had been in simplicity and godly sincerity.

And Christians must take heed that they reason not against sincerity another way, that is, to conclude they have no goodness, because they see a great deal of corruption, and imperfections; for imperfections may stand with truth. Asa (as I said) had many infirmities in his life, yet notwithstanding it is said, that he walked in sincerity. So Hezekiah, it is said he walked before God uprightly, yet he had many infirmities and imperfections. Nay a man may well retort this upon such poor souls, (that are witnesses with Satan against themselves, in the sight of their sins) that their sins being known by them, especially with hatred of them, it is a sign of sincerity.

Again, others are ready to say, I am not sincere, because God follows me with afflictions, and distresses. Reason not so, for he therefore follows thee with afflictions, because he would have nothing but sincerity in thee, he would make thee wholly sincere, and purge thee as metal is purged in the fire from the dross. Therefore take heed thus of sinning against sincerity. Do nothing in hypocrisy: and when we are once sincere, let us not sin against it by yielding to the Devil. This comforted Job, when his friends alleged his corruptions: Well, (saith he) you shall not take away my sincerity from me. He looked to the eye of God, that saw him, to whom he approved his heart; and that consideration made him sincere, and thence he comforted himself: So let us comfort ourselves in our sincerity against Satan's allegations; as a condition of the Covenant of grace which respects not perfection, but truth.

To add one thing more: As there is an order of other graces; so there is an order in this sincerity which we should labor for. There is this order to be kept.

We must dig deep: we must lay a sincere foundation. What is that? A deep search into our own hearts and ways by sound humilition. We say of digestions, if the first be naught, all are naught: if the first concoction in the body be naught, there can never be good assimulation, there can never be good blood: so if there be not a good, a sincere foundation, there can never be a sincere fabric. Therefore many mistake, and build Castles in the Air, comb Downes (as we say) they build a frame of profession that comes to nothing in the end; because it is not sincere in this order, they were never truly humbled, they had a guileful heart, in the cnofession of their sins: they never knew what sin was thoroughly, and feelingly. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile, Psal. 32. The Psalmist especially means and intends there, in regard of down-right dealing with God in the confession of sins. For he himself when he did not deal roundly, and uprightly with God in the confession of his sins, with detestation, and with resolution never to commit the same again, he was in a pitiful plight both of soul and body: his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer.

But when without guile he laid open his soul to God, then he came from sincere humiliation, and sincere confession, to sincere faith. Therefore (for the order) let us first labor to be sincere in the sight of that which is ill in us, in the confession of our sins, and then we shall be sincere, the better to depend upon God's mercy in Christ by faith.

And from thence we shall come to sincere Love, when we believe that God is reconciled in Christ, we shall love him. Our love is but a reflection of his love to us: when once we know that he loves us, we shall love him again.

The Spring of all duty is sincere love, coming from sincere faith: as sincere faith is forced out of the sincere sight of our sins, of the ill, and miserable estate we are in. A man will not go out of himself, so long as he sees any hope in himself: and therefore sound knowledge of the evil condition we are in, it forceth the grace of faith, which forceth a man to go out of himself. And then when he is persuaded of God's love in Christ, he loves him again.

Love is that which animates, and quickens, and enlivens all duties, What are all duties, but love? Christ reduceth all to love. It is a sweet affection that stirs up and quickeneth to all duties; it carries us along to all duties: all are love. What need I stand on sincere patience, sincere temperance, sincere sobriety, &c? If a man have sincere love to God, it will carry him to all duties, remember this order.

Especially every day, enter into your own souls, and search impartially, what sin there is there unconfessed, and unrepented of, and make your peace with God by confession. And then go to sincere dependence on God by faith in the Promises. And then stir up your hearts to love him; and from the love of him to love one another in sincerity, not in hypocrific. Thus we have the manner of the blessed Apostle's Carriage in the world, whereupon his rejoicing was founded, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity,

I will speak a little of those words, before I come to the negative part, Not in fieshly wisdom.

By Conversation, Anastrophe, he means the several turnings of his life, in what relation soever he stood to God, to men, as a Minister, as a Christian, as a friend, as a neighbor, at home or abroad, in all estates, in all places, and at all times, his Conversation was in simplicity, and sincerity.

In the world] That is, wheresoever he had lived. And mark how he joins them together; his conversation in the world amongst men, it was with sincerity to God. It was that that did rule his conversation in the world. And so it should be with us wheresoever we are, or whatsoever we do in the world, our carriage here must be directed by a higher aspect. The Ship while it is tossed in the Sea, it is ruled by the Pole-star; that must guide it: so in our conversation in the world, the stuff of our conversation may be the business we have in the world, but the rule, the regiment of all must be from heaven, with an eye to God. I touch that from the knitting of these together.

Now where he saith, That his Conversation was in simplicity and sinceriy, you may see here then that all the frame, all the passages of his life were good. This makes good that which I touched before (which hath its proper place here,) That

He that is sincere, is sincere in all places, and at all times, in all the turnings, and windings, and passages of his life, or else he is not sincere at all. His conversation must be sincere, wheresoever he lives, or whatsoever he doth, in prosperity, or adversity, at home, or abroad.

The veriest hypocrite in the world hath he not pangs sometimes? Take an oppressor, he thinks that he should not die so, he thinks, I must be called to an account if I do thus. Doth not Ahab lie upon his sick bed sometimes? Is not Herod sometimes troubled in conscience? hath not a wicked man sometimes twitches of conscience which the world sees not, secret checks of conscience? Oh, yes, there is not the vilest man living, but he hath his good fits, he hath pangs of goodness: but what is this to a conversation? Our conversation must be in sincerity in all the turnings and passages of it.

God judgeth us by the tenor of our life, and not by single particular acts: a good man may be ill in a particular act; and an evil man may be good in a particular act: but I say, God doth not judge us by a distinct severed passage, but by the tenor of our life. Uniformity, equability, and evenness of life it is an undoubted evidence of a good man.

Because he is a new creature, and being a new creature, he hath a new nature; and nature works uniformly. Art works differently, and enforcedly. Teach a creature some what that is against nature, it will do something, but a Lion will have a Lions trick; and a Wolf will have a Wolves trick: teach them never so much, a Lion will be a Lion in all places, a Wolf will be a Wolf, and an Eagle will be an Eagle. Every creature will observe its own nature, and be like itself.

A Christian as far as he is good, as far as he is a Christian, is uniform: his conversation is good, he is like himself, in all places, in all times, upon all occasions, in prosperity, in adversity. The very Word shows, that the universality of a man's course must be in sincerity, wheresoever he is. God is everywhere, and sincerity hath an eye to God, it makes a man good everywhere: or else it doth nothing to God. Doth not God see everywhere, abroad, and at home, in our closets? If we plot villainy, there ses he it as well as abroad: therefore if I do it anywhere, I regard not the eye of God.

Again, where he saith, Our Conversation, it implies constancy, as well as uniformity, he was so in all places, and in all times: but that I noted before, therefore I pass it. Our Conversation.

That is, amongst other men wheresoever I was, and have lived: whence we see, That

Men need not be mued up in a cloister, as the foolish Monks in former times, they thought that Religion was a thing confined to solitariness. Whereas ofttimes it requires greater strength of grace to be alone, then to be in company: we know the proverb, Woe to him that is alone. A good Christian converses in the world, and that in simplicity, and sincerity. We need not (I say) cloister ourselves up to be good men, to be sincere Christians. We may converse in the world in sincerity if we have Saint Paul's spirit.

But that which I will press more, is this, that

Saint Paul conversed in the world in sincerity. The world is an hypocrite, as he said of old: the whole world acts a part, it is an hypocrite, and a cruel opposer of sincerity, and truth. Saint Paul lived abroad in the world amongst men that had aims of their own, and abused themselves in the world, and yet he walked in simplicity, and sincerity, he was a good man for all that. A man that is not of the world, but begotten to be a member of a higher world: he may carry himself in the world without the corruptions of the world, he may carry himself so in the world that he may not be carried away of the world: we see S. Paul did so.

Noah was a good man in evil times, a good man in his Generation. Enoch, in evil times walked with God. In Act. 13. David in his Generation served the purpose of God: and his Generation was none of the best: for you know there was Achitophel, and Doeg, which were bad companions, yet in his Generation he served the purpose of God. So every man in his time may live and converse in the world, and yet not be carried away with the corruptions of the times.

What is the reason?

The reason is, That a true Christian hath a spirit in him above the world. As Saint John saith, The Spirit that is in you is stronger then he that is in the world. The Child of God hath a Spirit in him, a new nature, that sets him in a rank above the world. Christians are an order of men that are above the world, they are men of another world: and therefore having a principel of grace that raiseth them above the base condition of the world, they can live in the world, without the blemishes and corruptions of the world, they are men of a higher disposition.

Even as sickness in the body hurts not the reasonable life; so anything that a Christian meets with in the world it hurts not his Christian life which is his best life; because it is a life of a higher respect, of a higher nature: Saint Paul's conversation was in heaven, it was above the snares here below. He was crucified to the world, he was a dead man to all that was evil in the world, and to that which was good and indifferent in the world For pleasures, for honors, for meat and drink, and such necessaries: the counsel that he gave to others, he practiced it himself, for worldly callings, and refreshings, and the like, 1 Cor. 7. The time is short, let us use the world as though we used it not. He used indifferent things in the world (which are good or evil as they be used) as if he had not used them. He lived in the world, as a traveler or passenger, he knew he was not at home; he knew he had another home to go to: Here we have no continuing City, and therefore he used the world as though he used it not. As a Traveler useth things in his way as far as they may further him; but let his very staff trouble him, he throws it away. So, a Christian useth indifferent things in the world (which are good or evil according as himself is,) he useth them well; because all things are pure, to the pure: he useth them so as that he doth not delight in them because he hath better things to solace himself in: he doth not drown himself in these as worldlings do.

And for the ills of the world, a Christian in a good measure is crucified to the world, and the world to him. And he hath his conversation in heaven, Philip. 3. 20. But our conversation is in heaven. Many serve their bellies, whose end is damnation: but our conversation is in heaven: Now his conversation being heavenly, that is the reason that he can converse in the world in sincerity, though the world be of another strain.

So you see then, that a Christian is of a higher nature, of a higher condition then the world: and he is crucified to the world; and he knows himself to be a passenger, and a traveler in the world, and therefore he useth the world as though he used it not. And withal he hath his employment above the world. The birds that have the air, as long as they are there, they are not catched with snares below: and Christians that have their conversation above, they are not ensnared with the things of the world as other men are. We see Saint Paul conversed in the world in sincerity.

I observe it the rather, because it is the common exception of weak, and false spirits. We must do as the world doth, or else we cannot live. He that knows not how to dissemble, knows not how to live. And the times are naught: so that which is naught and grounded in themselves, they lay all the blame of it upon the times.

Indeed the times are naught, like themselves. As he said, There is a circle of human things; the times are but even as they were: things come again upon the stage, the same things are acted: the persons indeed are changed, but the same things are acted in the world to the end of the world. The times were naught before, they are naught, and they will be so. Villany is acted upon the stage of the world continually. The former actors are gone, but others are instructed with the same devices, with the same plots: The Corruption of nature shows itself in all. Only now we have the advantage for the acting of wickedness in the end of the world: because besides the old wickedness in former times, we have the new wickednesses of these times; all the streams running into one make the Channel greater.

Men say, alas, alas, the times are ill; were they not so in Noah's time? were they not so in David's time? were they not so in S. Paul's time? Men pretend conformity to the world upon a kind of necessity, they must do as others do.

If they were true Christians it would not be so: for Noah was good in evil times. Nehemiah was good in the Court of the King of Babel. Joseph was good even in Egypt in Pharaoh's Court, this can be no plea. For a Christian hath a spirit to raise him above the corruption of the times he lives in: he hath such a spirit likewise as is above prosperity, or adversity, which will teach him to manage both, and to govern himself in all occasions and occurrence of the world. I can do all things (saith S. Paul) through Christ that strengtheneth me.

As we say, the Planets have one course whereby they are carried with the first mover every twenty four hours from East to West; as the Sun is, whereby he makes the day: but the Sun hath a course of his own back again; and so by creeping back again he makes the year in his own course. So the Moon hath one course of her own: but yet she is carried every day another course by the first mover.

So, a good Christian that lives in the world, he is carried with the world in common things, he companies and traffiques, and trades, and deals with the world: but hath he not a motion of his own contrary to all this at the same time? yes, though he converse in the world, yet notwithstanding he is thinking of heaven, he is framing his course another way then the world doth. He goes a contrary course, he swims against the stream of the world.

There are some kind of Rivers (they say) that pass through the Sea, and yet notwithstanding, they retain their freshness. It seems as an emblem to show the condition of a Christian: he passeth thorough the salt waters; and yet keeps his freshness, he preserves himself. Therefore (I say) it is no plea to say that times are naught, and company is naught, &c. A man is not to fashion himself to the times. An hypocrite (Chameleon like) can turn himself into all colors but white.

And as the water which we say hath no figure of its own, but it is figured by the vessels that it is in: if the vessel be round, the water is round; if the vessel be four-corner'd, the water is so, it being a thin airy moist body: it hath no compass of its own, but is confined by the body it is kept in.

So some men they have no Religion, they have no consistence, no standing, no strength or goodness of their own, but such as their company is, such they are, and they think this will serve for all. I must do as others do, it is the fashion of the world: If they be among Swearers, they will swear: if they be among those that ate unclean, they will pollute themselves, they frame themselves to all companies: they will be all, but that which they should be. This will not serve the turn.

A Christian may pray for the assistance of God to keep him in the world; and he may know that God will. What ground hath he? Our Savior Christ, Joh. 17. saith he, Father, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou keep them in the world. He prays for his Apostles, and Disciples, that God would keep them in the world from the contagion of sin, and from the destruction of the world. S. Paul you see lived and conversed in the world, wheresoever he was, in sincerity, and simplicity: he was not carried away with the stream, and errors of the times wherein he lived.

Nay, to add more, it doth unite the power of grace together, and make a man the better, the worse the company, or the place is where he lives. We know in nature, the environing of contraries, increaseth the contrary: and holy men have been better oft times in the midst of temptation, and have gathered their forces, and strength of grace together, more then when they have been more secure. The envy and malice of the world is quick-sighted, and the more they live amongst those that are observers of them, the more cautelous they are of their carriage. You know it is the Apostles reason, Redeem the time, because the days are evil: be you the better, because the days are evil; witness for God in an evil Generation, in evil times: he doth not say, Do you sin, because the days are evil. God's people do always witness for him.

Let me add this likewise (to give farther light) that we must not take occasion hence, to conform and fashion ourselves to any company, to cast ourselves into evil company when we need not. We must not tempt God: for then it is just with God to suffer us to be soyled with the company. And by our carelessness in this kind, we offend the godly, that easily hereupon take us to be worse then we are: and as we grieve the Spirit of God in them, so in ourselves; and we build up and strengthen wicked persons. And therefore this living in the world in simplicity, and sincerity, it must be when our calling is such, that we live in the world, that we need not any local separation to sever ourselves: but when in the world we are cast on men without grace, by our callings, and occasions, we may presume that God will keep us by his Spirit.

Let us not be weary of hearing of this point: For ere long we must all appear before God, and then what an honor will it be for us, that we have witnessed for God in this world? that we have stood for God and good causes in the midst of the world, and shined as lights in the midst of a crooked Generation? That we have managed the cause of God, and stood for Religion, and held our own in the midst of Papists, and Atheists, and profane persons, and witnessed for the best things in spite of all, when we have been called to it. We are not to thrust ourselves into unnecessary troubles, no, not for the best things, unless we be called to it: but when we are called, and can witness for the best things, what an honor will it be for us?

And on the contrary, saith Christ, He that denies me, and is ashamed of me before men, of him will I be ashamed before my heavenly Father. What a fearful thing is this? Let us look to God in simplicity, and sincerity, and God will keep us that the world shall not hurt us.

What will become of us? (will some say) this trouble we shall come into, and that persecution will befall us.

It is not so, Christ was opposed when he was here upon earth; but till his hour was come they could not do anything. Every man hath his hour, every man hath his time allotted to serve God in here: God hath measured out his life; and till his hour be come, that God will take him out of the world, God will bind up the endeavors of men, their plots shall be to no purpose, God will keep them, and watch over them that are down-right. Because thou hast kept my Word, I will keep thee, saith God. Let us keep the Word of God in evil times, and God will keep us: let us stand for God, and he will stand for us.

It is no plea to say, I shall run into this danger, and that danger: God will be thy buckler and thy shield, if thou stand for him. And that which brings danger is too much correspondence with the world: when men forsake their sincerity in the world, when men will be on both sides they carry things unhappily, and unsuccessefully. A down-right atheist will carry things with better success then a halting Christian. For his policy, and subtlety will carry him to actions inconvenient; but then comes his conscience after, when he is in the midst of them, and damps him that he cannot go forward nor backward. Therefore the only way is to resolve to live in the world in simplicity, and sincerity. If we do so, we may carry holy businesses strongly. God will assist us therein, he will increase our light, and make our way plain, and clear to us.

But if a man be not sincere, but double, and carnal, and pretend love of Religion, and yet take courses, and do actions that are not suitable to Religion, it will not succeed well, God will curse it: he will strike him with amazement, he will strike his brain with errors in judgment, &c. There is no pretence therefore to make us live falsely, and doubly in the world: but we ought to live as S. Paul did (let the world be as bad as it will, or as it can be) in simplicity and sincerity: God will show himself strong for those that walk uprightly; he will be wisdom to such: but if we walk doubly, and falsely, and make Religion our pretence, God will show himself our enemy.

Where be your neuters then? where be your Politicians in Religion that will keep their Religion to themselves? S. Paul conversed in the world, wheresoever he was, in sincerity, he made show what he was; he walked not according to carnal wisdom: (as he saith afterwards) where be your Nullifidians then that are of all beliefs, and yet are of no belief? that fashion themselves to all Religions. And if they be of the true Religion, yet it is their wisdom to conceal it. S. Paul did not so: But I shall have occasion to touch that in the negative part afterward, not in fleshly wisdom, &c.

Again, where he saith, My conversation hath been thus, in the world. He means, in this life my conversation here hath been sincere. I will give you a touch on that; though it be not the main aim here: yet notwithstanding it may well be touched, That

We must not turn it off to live as we list subtly, politically, and carnally, and then think to die well. No, we must live soberly, righteously, and justly in this present world, Tit. 2. Do you think to begin to live well when you are gone hence? No, that is a time of reward, and not a time of work. This world is God's Work-house, here you must work. This is God's field, here you must labor. This is God's Sea, here we must sails, here we must take pains, we must sweat at it, here we must plow, and sow, if ever we will reap.

Doest thou think to carry thyself subtly, to have thy own ends in everything here, and then when death comes a Lord have mercy upon me shall serve for all? No, thou must converse as a Christian while thou livest here in this world in simplicity, and sincerity: God must have honor here by thee; thou must have a care of thy salvation here. Doest thou think to have that in another world which thou doest not care for here? Doest thou think to have glory in another world, which thou didst not think of here? Doest thou think to reap in another world that which thou didst not sow here? Let us in this world stand for the glory of God, openly, and boldly, and for the example of others, for the exercise of our own graces. A true Christian hath his conversation in sincerity in this world. The more too blame the world then to deprave their dealing. Why? Because they are lights in the world, and they serve the world to good purpose, if the world would take benefit by them: they shine in the world to lead them the way to heaven. But the world is willing to let them go to heaven alone if they will.

But if the carriage of God's Children be like S. Paul's, (as it is true: for they are all of one disposition) they converse in simplicity, and sincerity wheresoever they are: wicked, slanderous, malicious, depraving persons are to blame, that lay to their charge, hypocrisy, and this and that; when it is nothing so. They deserve well of the wicked unthankful world, and God upholds the World for their sakes. When the righteous are exalted, the City rejoiceth, saith Solomon. Because wheresoever they live, they live not only in simplicity, and sincerity, but they live fruitfully: the City, the whole community, all the people are the better. They make the times, and the places the better wherein they live.

Because a good man is a public good. The Spirit of God when it makes a good man, it puts him out of himself, and gives him a public affection: it teacheth him to deny himself, it teacheth him to love others; it teacheth him to employ and improve all that is in him (that is good) for the service of God, and of men; to serve God in serving men in the place he lives in. Therefore malicious, and devilish is the world to deprave such kind of men as live in the world in simplicity, and sincerity, that serve God and the world by all the means they can. Our Conversation hath been in simplicity, and sincerity in the world.

Why? was it in hypocrisy to others, and in sincerity to them only? No, that is not the meaning: but thus, that wheresoever he had lived in the world, in what estate soever he was, he carried himself in simplicity, and sincerity: but to you I have made it more evident, then to any other. Why? because he had lived longer with them; and they were such as he was a Father unto in Christ: therefore, saith he, I have evidenced my simplicity, and sincerity more abundantly to you then to any other. Whence we may observe, That

It is a note of a truly good, and sincere man to be best where he is best known, (as I touched when I opened the words.) It is otherwise with many, their carriage abroad is very plausible: but follow them home, what are they in their families? they are Lions in their houses. What are they in their retired courses, and carriage? they do not answer the expectation that is raised of them abroad, they never pray to God, &c. those that know them best will trust them least. It is not so with a Christian, my conversation in the world hath been good wheresoever it hath been; but among you with whom I have conversed more familiarly, who have seen my daily carriage, and course of life; among you my conversation was best of all. It is a note of a man that is sincere, that the more he is seen into, the more he shines. The godly are substantially good, and therefore where they are best known, they are best approved.

For Christians they are not painted creatures, that a little discovery will search them to the bottom, and then shame them: they are not gilded, but gold; and therefore the more you enter into them, the more metal you shall find still. They have a hidden treasury, the more you search them, the more stuff you shall have still: their tongues are as fined silver, and their heart is a rich treasury within them. A Christian he labors for a broken heart still; he labors to get new grace, and new knowledge of the Word of God still; and the more you converse with him, the more you see him; the more you shall approve and love him, if you be good as he is: therefore saith the Apostle, I have carried myself well to all, but especially to you with whom I have lived longer.

Therefore as we would have an evidence of our sincerity (which is the best evidence that we can have in this world) that we may be able to say that we are sincere and true Christians, (which is better then if a man could say he were a Monarch, that he were the greatest man in the World,) let us labor to carry ourselves in our courses to those that know us best, and in our most retired courses like to Christians. And not to put on the fashion of Religion as men put on their garments; their best garments when they go abroad, and so to make good things serviceable to our purpose: but to be so indeed at home amongst our friends, among those that know us, when we are not awed; (as there is a great deal of liberty amongst friends,) wheresoever we are, let us remember we are always in the eye of God; and labor to approve ourselves most to them that know our courses most.

God knows more then men, therefore let us chiefly labor to approve ourselves to him. And next to God, let us approve ourselves to conscience, fear conscience more then all the Monarchs in the World; because that knows most, and will be most against us.

And then again, for others that know our conversations, good men that converse with us, let us approve ourselves to them most that have the best and the sharpest judgments.

A true Christian, as he loves goodness, so he loves it most that it should be in his own heart. He lives more to God, and to conscience, then to same, and report: he had rather be, then seem to be. And as he hates all ill, so he hates even secret ill; the nearer corruption is, the more he hates it. As a man hates Toads and venomous creatures; and the nearer they are, the more he hates them. The most retired carriage of a Christian is most holy, and best of all.

Again, where he saith, My Conversation hath been in simplicity, &c. to you-ward. Here is a good note for Preachers, that if they look to convert any by their Doctrine, they must win them by their conversation likewise in simplicity and sincerity. Saint Paul being to gain the Philippians to Christ; he doth it not by words only, by arguments of Logic, and by persuasions only to convince the understanding of the truth of that which he taught: but he demonstrates to them how they should live, Walk as you have me for an ensample. I show you, that that which I teach is possible, by my practice. I show to high and low, how I carry myself; My conversation hath been in simplicity, and sincerity. Those that I would convert by my Doctrine, I labor by my Conversation to gain them. So I say, Ministers have here a special direction, how to carry themselves.

And others likewise that have a gaining disposition (as indeed we should not stand upon terms of this and that, but everyone labor to gain others) would you work upon others, and gain them from Popery, &c? Then not only show them arguments to convince their judgments, (which must be done, that is certain) but likewise let them see that the things that you speak are possible things, things that you are persuaded of. And if you be not good, and press them to goodness, you cannot persuade them of the truth of that you speak: they will think it is not possible; for then you would act it yourselves. But when they see one go before them, and demonstrate it to their eyes, how they should carry themselves; this is the way to teach them to be sound Christians indeed. But I hasten to the negative part.

Here is a secret wipe, a secret taxing of the false Apostles, and Teachers. My Conversation hath been in simplicity, and sincerity, whatsoever you think of me, Not in fleshly wisdom, as theirs is.

Not in fleshly wisdom.] To distinguish it a little.

There is a natural wisdom planted in the soul of man, even as there is a natural light in the eye, to see both things that are hurtful, and that are good for the outward man. So in the soul of man, (which is his eye) there is an inbred light of natural wisdom, a common light to discern of things, and of creatures: a natural kind of wisdom, which may be polished, and advanced to a higher degree by experience, and Art: As the eye of the body, it sees better, when it is helped with an outward, with a foreign light. This is natural wisdom.

There is likewise a Politick or Civil wisdom, gotten by observation, and increased by observation; and withal, it is a gift of God (though it be a common gift;) As Achitophel's, it was not merely carnal wisdom that was in him, but he had a gift of policy. So some men, though they be not truly Religious, yet God gives them a gift of politick wisdom, to be able to discern the difference of things, to lay States and Common-Wealths together, to be able to judge, and resolve, and to execute wisely, and politically, and prudently. It is an especial gift of God. This the Apostle doth not aim at; neither natural, nor civil wisdom, though it be a gift of God (I say) which is increased by observation, and by other means.

Besides this, there is a spiritual, a heavenly wisdom, whereby the soul having a right end and aim set and prefixed to it, it directs all its courses to that end: whereby the soul is able to deliberate, to consult, and to resolve on heavenly things, and what hinders heavenly comfort; and to resolve upon good duties, and to resolve against that which is ill, to resolve upon all advantages of doing good to the Church, and of all hindrances of ourselves, and the Church, and of the places we live in. It is a heavenly kind of prudence to guide our own ways, yea, and to guide others too.

But besides all these, there is another wisdom which is here the wisdom of the flesh: which because the flesh hath correspondency with Satan, it is also a devilish wisdom, for the most part. For the Devil plows with our Heifer: the most mischief that he doth in the world, it is by the correspondency that he hath with our flesh, our enemy within. The flesh and Satan do join together, and work all strongly with the mischievous policy of the world: and therefore it is called likewise worldly wisdom.

And hereupon Christians that are mere professors and not Christians soundly, some are called flesh, because they are ruled of the flesh: and they are called the world: because they frame themselves to the wisdom, and to the courses of the world; and if you would annatomize them, there is nothing but the world in them, worldly pride, and worldly ends. And they are called Devils too, as Judas was called a devil; they plot with Satan by carnal wisdom, they yield to Satan; they savor not the things of God.

Men have their name and denomination in the Scripture, by that which they are ruled by: when they are ruled by the flesh, they are called flesh: when they are ruled by the world, and the evil examples thereof, they are called the world. And when they are ruled by Satan, so far as they are ruled by him, they are called Satan. One of you is a Devil, saith Christ.

What is meant here by fleshly wisdom? If it be fleshly, why is it wisdom? wisdom is but one; there is but one wisdom. Wisdom we know in itself, it is a knowledge of principles and grounds; and deductions, and conclusions from principles. A wise man knows both the grounds and principles, and he knows what may be raised from thence: and likewise a man that is truly wise, he not only knows them, but he knows how to act them, how to work, and act his principles, and conclusions to an end. He hath principles, and conclusions, and workings out of his brain; and when he hath done all in the brain, when he hath framed the aim of his principles, and the manner how to act them, then he goes about to work; and a wise man can work answerable to his end, and rules.

Now there is a carnal wisdom that initiated this: for Carnal Wisdom hath aims, and ends, and principles, and it hath conclusions from those principles, and it acts to an end. A true Christian he hath his ends; his aim is supernatural; to please God in all things, to be happy in another world, to enjoy God, to have nearer acquaintance with him while he lives here: many such subordinate ends, (besides the main end) he hath. And some principles likewise he hath out of the Word of God concerning this end: and then he hath directions out of the Word of God suitable to those principles. And then he sets on working, and all that he works is in order to his end, and in virtue of the end he propounds. As a man that travels, every step that he goes in his journey, every step is in virtue, and strength of his first intention, and the end that he propounds, (though he think not of his end in every step) and he consults and asks about the way; and all to that end.

So it is with a Carnal man too, he that walks after carnal wisdom, Carnal wisdom hath its end, and that is a man's self: for a carnal man, himself is the Idol, and the Idolater: his end is himself, either in his honors, or in his pleasures, or riches, &c. himself is the Centre into which all the lines of his life fall. And he hath rules, seek thyself in all things; love thyself above all: And what then? If thou love others, love them for thyself, as far as they may serve thy turn: care for no man further then thou canst make use of him for thyself, respect him so far, and no further.

But it may be there are many that stand in the way. Then again he hath principles: undermine them, ruin them, make way to thine own ends by the ruin of as many as thou canst. And if another man's light over-shine thine, that thou art nobody to him, Carnal wisdom bids thee deprave him, slander him, back-bite him: the more he seems to be vile, the less thy nakedness shall appear: Here is Carnal wisdom.

There is no envy in goodness, in strength and ability; they would have all to be so: but baseness is joined with much envy; when it sees another overshadow it, it labors to eclipse him with slanders, and base reports: This is a principle of Carnal wisdom. And hence comes all that working and undermining, secret conveyances, and laying nets for others, as the Prophet speaks.

All carnal wisdom hath carnal ends, and carnal rules, and carnal courses answerable. It consults upon the attaining of its end, it deliberates and consults, and shrewdly too: for it is whetted by Satan. And then it goes with the stream of the world, and therefore it is carried very strongly towards its end. And then it resolves strongly: because fleshly wisdom usually is with the times. And then it executes: God suffers it ofttimes to come to execution, and to enjoy its plots, and projects. And therefore in regard that it hath the same passages (though in a contrary kind) with other wisdom: it is called wisdom, though indeed it be not wisdom; and thereupon it hath a diminishing term here, it is fleshly wisdom.

Now this wisdom is called fleshly, because it is led with reasons from the flesh, and it tends to the maintenance of the flesh; it comes from it, and it tends to it.

I take not flesh here, for one part of a man, his body: but for the unregenerate part, which is carried to changeable things, to the creature, and sets up some creature (to be an Idol) instead of the Creator Blessed for evermore.

And that from this reason, because the creature, the things below are near to us, and pleasant to us: and because we are brought up in these delights of the creature that are sensible; and therefore the flesh, the baser part is ready to draw away the soul to the delights of it; because the delights of it are pleasant, and we are trained up in them from the beginning of our life to the end of it. Now these things below, the profits, and pleasures, and honors, they work first upon the senses, upon the outward man: and from the senses they ascend to the fancy, and imagination, and that being carnal by nature esteems more highly of them then there is cause. And esteems of the contrary to these as the greatest ills: Oh, poverty is worse then hell to a carnal man; and he had rather be dead, then be disgraced; he had rather damn his soul, then to be denied of his pleasure: Imagination makes them such great things, and the Devil helps Imagination, he hath much affinity with that part, with the Imagination: and Imagination (when men have strong conceits of these things) that labors to draw the will and affections to itself, to sway that part: so that the will, the commanding part of the soul, for the most part it yields to these Imaginations of base things: it conceives of them highly, and the contrary to be vile, and base. And hereupon the will comes to approve of these things, and to choose these things: yea, and the understanding part itself, that blessed spark of wisdom that is left in us, capable of better things, and fit for the Image of God: yet that, by our corruption, being stripped of the grace it had in the creation, and now being under original corruption, being under the Law of sin; it is led by a carnal will and Imagination, and by sense, and is ruled by them. So that that which should rule all, is ruled by base, earthly things.

The soul of man while we live here is between things better then itself, and worse then itself, meaner then itself. Now by corruption it cleaves to things meaner then itself, it is witty to devise them, it is willing to choose them, it delights in them, it bathes itself in them: so that whereas it should rule the body, the body and the lower parts rule the soul. When it yields to that which is better then itself, to the sanctifying Spirit of God, and to the Word of God, and is clothed with the Image of God, when it yields to better things, then they raise it to a degree of excellency even above itself when it was at the best: for a man that is in Christ, that hath the Image of Christ upon him (in some sort) is better then Adam was in innocence; his estate is more sure: and the dignity he is advanced to by Christ is greater then he should have had if he had stood still in Adam. This is the condition of the soul: an excellent creature, it is capable of the Image and likeness of Christ, and of God, capable of all grace.

Again, if it submit itself to base creatures, it becomes even as them; and therefore men are called the world, they are called flesh, they are called after that which leads them: the very soul itself (as it were) is flesh. For as the very body of a holy man in some sort is spirit; and everything in him is spirit: as it shall be at the day of Judgment (as S. Paul saith, it shall be raised a spiritual body: because it shall be subject to the motions of the Spirit of God in all things: and it shall not be supported by bodily means. Now the very soul is bodily and carnal: such a degeneration is wrought in man since the fall: he makes his soul that was given to guide him in this world, and which is made apprehensive of better things; of the things of another world: this soul he makes it the bawd to serve his base lusts and pleasures.

Now wisdom is a middle word, it may be either spiritual, or carnal, as the man is in whom it is. If a man have moral honesty in him, and good things in him that way, it makes him a good Politician, a wise man, useful in his place: Though he be not a sound Christian, yet he may be a wise man in his place: and God useth such kind of men in the world, and they have their reward here, they are advanced, &c.

But if it light in a devilish nature, in a crooked oblique nature, then it is malicious devilish wisdom.

And, note this by the way. All men that have flesh in them, have not fleshly wisdom: for some are carried with the flesh, with the rage of fleshly lusts, as the swine in the Gospel were carried headlong into the Sea, they are carried by their lusts to hell, as your common swaggerers, and roarers: that so they may escape the danger of the Laws, they care not for God nor man; irregular wild persons. These have flesh, they are ruled by the flesh, but they have not so much as fleshly wisdom: for they take courses to overthrow themselves in the world, to overthrow their names, and their bodies and all. They have not so much as policy in them, their lusts so reign in them. Such wretches we have ofttimes amongst us that think themselves somebody, but they have not so much as Carnal wisdom in them to carry themselves better then a Devil.

Now, in other men the flesh hath a wisdom that carries them not after this fashion; but it whets their wits, and they are as bad in another kind. As, take the same man, when he is young he is carried by his brutish lusts, without any wisdom at all, even as the hurry of his lusts carry him, and transport him: when he grows old he is carried subtly with the wisdom of the world. He is always under lusts, always under the flesh: when he is young he is carried with base lusts; and when he is old he is under the flesh, and fleshly wisdom still; he is carried with slavish covetousness to the world, as formerly he was subject to base lusts in his youth: all this is naught.

Where these differ in the subject, in the person usually the base lust serves the witty: those that are carried with base lusts, they are subject, and inthralled, and over-ruled by those that are carried with the wisdom of the flesh. As your subtle men, your Usurers, and subtle oppressors, great witty men, they make other men serviceable to their turn, other men are slaves to them.

But to come nearer that that I mean to stand on.

You may see by the Coherence (which I will not dwell on) what to judge of fleshly wisdom.

Fleshly wisdom is, where there is no simplicity nor sincerity: because he opposeth them here. Where fleshly wisdom is, there is neither simplicity nor sincerity. For take a subtle wise man, he is all outside, and there is no simplicity in him. He that is not wise to God, but to the world, he wraps himself in ceremonies in matters of Religion, and studies the outside of things to approve himself to the world, and to attain his own ends; but there is no simplicity or sincerity: he that is wise to the world hath no respect to God.

Sincerity hath an eye to God; and a sincere man as far as he is sincere hath an eye to God, and he doth this and that because God seeth him, and because God is leased with it: but he that works according to fleshly wisdom, he hath aims contrary and distinct to that: therefore the Apostle saith, We walk in the sincerity of God, (as it is in the original) and not according to fleshly wisdom.

So you may know from the opposition, that fleshly wisdom is where there is no sincerity. Where there is no love to God or to men, There is no simplicity, all is for show; and where there is all for show, there is double carriage, not in simplicity aiming at God's glory; there is fleshly wisdom. That for the Connection.

But the point of Doctrine proper to the place is this, That

A man that looks for any joy, that looks to be in the blessed estate that Saint Paul here was in, he must not be ruled by fleshly wisdom. Our Conversation (saith he) in the World hath not been in fleshly wisdom. Saint Paul no question but he had flesh in him, and likewise he had fleshly wisdom: because flesh is in all parts, and it mingles itself with all graces. In the understanding there is light and darkness, in the will there is rebellion and pliableness to God: So Saint Paul had the stirrings of fleshly wisdom in him. When he was in danger, no doubt but the flesh would stir in him, you may avoid it by shifts if you will. And when he was before great ones, you may flatter and betray the truth if you will.

No doubt but Saint Paul, as he expresseth him himself, Rom. 7. as he had a conflict in himself in other regards: so there was a conflict between wisdom, and wisdom: the wisdom of the flesh did stir against the wisdom of the Spirit. I but it is one thing to have fleshly wisdom in us, and it is another thing to make it our rule. It is one thing to have flesh in us, and another thing to be in the flesh, as the Scripture-phrase is. This conflict wondrously afflicted Saint Paul, no doubt but it was one sharp conflict.

No question but carnal wisdom set S Paul to shift for himself many times, but by the power of the Spirit he checked it and kept it under; it was not his rule.

Now the reasons of this Doctrine (That the godly guide not themselves by fleshly wisdom, which hath worldly aims, and carnal means to bring those aims to pass,) they are:

First, Because God's Children will not cherish that in them, and make that their rule which is contrary to God, which is enmity to God: but this carnal wisdom which proules for the world, and looks for ease, and profit, and pleasure, it is enmity to God, Rom. 8 6, 7, 8. the Apostle proves it at large. They being subject to God, Children of God; being under him in all kind of subjection, as servants, as Children, as spouses, they will not cherish that which is rebellion to God, which is not subject to God, neither can be: as we may say, a Papist that is Jesuited, he is neither a good Subject, nor can be: so the wisdom of the flesh neither is it subject to God, nor can be subject; in the nature of it, it is rebellion. It is God's enemy, it withstands all the Articles that he hath given us to believe: fleshly wisdom hath some opposition against all truth; it opposeth every command that God gives us to obey: there is something in flesh and blood to withstand every command: it is the greatest enemy that God hath.

And as it is an enemy to God, so it is to us; it is contrary to our good; It is death, the wisdom of the flesh, Rom. 8. Saith the Apostle, Rom. 7. The flesh deceived me, and slew me. There is no wise man will cherish that which is death, and which is God's enemy, and his own too. The wisdom of the flesh as it is opposite to God's Spirit, a rebel, and an enemy to him: so it is death to a Christian, and therefore be will not frame his course of life by it.

It brings us to eternal death, it betrays us to Satan. Sampson could have had no harm, had not Delilah betrayed him: so the Devil could not hurt us, unless it were for fleshly widome: the Devil is not such an enemy to a man as his own fleshly wisdom.

Again, a Christian knows that as it is contrary to God, and contrary to his good; so it is base and unworthy as well as dangerous. It is base and unworthy for a Christian, that is an heir of heaven, that is raised to be a Child of God, to abase his wits, to proule for the world; how base and unworthy is it for him to seek the things below that is born again to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, that is reserved for him in Heaven?

How unworthy is it for him that hath his understanding, and all his inward parts and powers dedicated and consecrated to God, to make his understanding a bawd for the base purposes of the flesh? The high indignity of the thing makes the Child of God ashamed to be ruled by the flesh, to prostitute the strength of his soul to the flesh: to make his soul that should carry the Image of God, to carry the Image of the Devil: to make his wit and understanding a bawd to accomplish earthly things which God hath sanctified to attain grace and comfort in this world, and to live as a Christian should do, that he may die with comfort, and enjoy heaven.

Again, God's Children will not be ruled by that which they should mortify and subdue; but this wisdom of the flesh is the object of mortification: they are redeemed from it.

A Christian as he is redeemed from hell, and damnation, so he is redeemed from himself; he is redeemed and set at liberty from the slavery of his soul to Satan, to the world, and worldly projects: he is redeemed from the base conversation he was in before. What hath he to do to be ruled by him from whom he is redeemed? These things might be amplified at large: but you see the truth evident, what ground a Christian hath not to be ruled by fleshly wisdom.

But to make it a little clearer. A Christian hath no reason to be ruled by earthly wisdom: for the yielding to it doth all the mischief in the world; it is the cause of all the misery in the world, unto Christians especially. God catcheth the wise in their own 〈◊〉 (though they be politick and wise) especially if a Christian give way to carnal politick wisdom, God will universally shame him. I never knew a Christian thrive in politick courses. When he hath secret conveyances for the world, God crosseth him every way in his reputation, in his projects and purposes.

But consider, (to amplify that which I gave in a branch before) what reason hath a Christian to be ruled by fleshly wisdom, when it hinders him from all that is good, if he yield unto it, and keeps him in imperfect good?

I speak especially now to those that are not in the state of grace. What reason hath any one of you to be ruled by fleshly wisdom, when it keeps you in the state of unregeneracy? It keeps you perhaps in some good, but it is imperfect good. You think you are good enough, and that all is sure, and God will be merciful, &c. when as a Reprobate may go beyond you.

It hinders from good actions with pretences: for fleshly wisdom will tell us there will be danger: you shall be reproached if you do this and that; you shall be accounted thus and thus, and run into obloquy.

It hinders from doing good, There is a Lion in the way; it forecasts this and that danger, it keeps us in imperfect good that will never save us: it objects dangers: the sluggard that will not set on his spirit to labor; he thinks himself wondrous wise in forecasting dangers; Oh, I shall want myself, &c.

It dulls and distracts us in good: he that hath a carnal projecting head, it eats up his soul, that when he comes to pray, or to hear, or to meddle with spiritual matters, the marrow and strength of his soul is eaten up with carnal projects, and he doth things by halves.

Nay, Carnal Wisdom as far as it is in us unmortified, it sets itself against good by depraving good, that we may seem to be mischievous, and ill, and wicked with reason. Men are loath to go to hell without reason: there was none that ever went to hell yet without wisdom; a great deal of wisdom. And how doth their wisdom bring them to hell? as in other respects, (which I named before) so in this, it whets the poysonfulnesse of their nature to invent, and to raise scandals, or to be willing to take scandals when they are offered.

A carnal wise man when he knows that such a degree of Religion is contrary to his carnal projects, he fasteneth all the disgrace on it that he can, that he may be the less observed. Religious he would be, but with a limitation, with a reservation and restraint; as far as may stand with his carnal projects, and purposes: and so much Religion as goes beyond that, and discovers him to be false, and halting, so much he opposeth. The wisdom of the flesh is bitter and sharp against all the opposers of it, and stirs the cursed nature of man to the opposing of that which is contrary to it.

Take a carnal man, either in Magistracy, or Ministry; if he be not humbled with pains in his calling, and with the Word that he teacheth: what doth he most hate in the world? what doth he oppose? is there anything but saving grace? is there anything but that which God loves most, and which is best for his soul that is the object of his spite, and of his poison and malice?