622 How is klypocri f e difceverable Sextn, 27. low, but on things above, die you will not be able to avoid the guilt and danger of hypocrifie. Sign z. A not loving the Word of God, a not receiving it as the Word of I The 1.5. God, when it comes as the Word (f God in pow, r. It is the properly of the Word of Cod to be quick and powerfull , jharper than any two - Heb.4.12. edged fword , piercing to the dividing of foul and fpirit, and ira dif- 2 Cor.io.5. cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, to calf down imaginati_ ens, and every high thing that exalteth it felf agc.inff the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrifi. This is the Word of God and this it dash as the Word of God , thefe are the properties of it. Such a Word of God an hy- pocrite cannot love becaufe he loves this carnal finfull fell, he loves his lulls which this Word oppofeth. He fixtereth hirrfelf in his own Pfa1.36.2. eyes uutill his iniquities be found to be hateful!. The Word in power will thew him that all is ill, when he flattcreth himfelf that all is very .well. Haft thou found rre , O mine enemy faith Ahab ? An hypocrite thinks he h3th no greater enemy than a faithful! Minifer, I King.2r.2o. becaufe hypocrifie bath no greater enemy than the Word of Truth, King.22.8. which will dote& and make it odious. So .4ha6 hated Micaiah and his Miniflry, becaufe he prophefied evill to him , in his evil ways he fpake the Word of God , the truth to him , which Ahabs corrupt Mar.6.17,18, life, and hypocritical! heart could not bear. Herod heard john 2O Baptifb gladly in other things, but when he preached againit his having his brothers wife, when he came home to his confcience to his Aa.24.25 very darling fin, then Herod ftopt his mouth, jut him up in prifon. Felix trembles, and difmifïeth Paul when he came fo clofe ; an hy- pocrite may love to hear the fame Minifier on another fubje &. The very notion of Religion is amiable and acceptable to ingenuous per - fons, nay he may love the Word, may come to others, but to him - felf ( during the predominancy of hypocrifie) that the powerful! Mat. 5. Word neither read, nor preached can be well -come, becaufe it ap- plies it felf tv the cutting off of his right hand and plucking out his right eye. Sign 3. 3. A long and continuall unprofitablenefs under the powerful! Word of God , is a fearful! figrt of hypocrifie. What warnings and infirut`itions had 7udas ? What convietions and reprehenfions had Ahab and Herod? and yet as to thofe things which the word oppo. fed they were ail! the fame men. If men that hear much, mirde no. thing, if there be no change,no alteration , but they are ílil! where and what they were, where they arc fiill as carnal, as earthly , as _ they
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