456 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS not miscarry, is this : Take heed lest you mistake a mere change of your opinions, and outward profession and behaviour, for a true saving change. Wicked opinions must be changed, and so must evil professions and outward practices : but if no more be changed, yoyi are wicked still. I have great cause to fear that this is the most common damning deceit that befalleth professors of godliness, and that it is the case of most hypocrites in the church.--A man may be brought to hold any truth in scripture as an opinion, and so far be sound and orthodox; and yet never be indeed a sound believer, nor have his heart possessed with the life and power of those sacred truths. It is one thing to have a man's opinion changed, and ano- ther thing to have his heart renewed by the change of his practical estimation, resolutions, and disposi- tions. It is one thing to turn from loose profane opi- nions, to strict opinions ; and think the godly are indeed in the right, and that their case. and way is safest and best ; and it is another thing to be made one of them in newness and spirituality of heart and life. A lively faith differs much from opinion; and that which is in unholy men, which we call faith, and is a kind of faith indeed, is but a mere opinion- ative faith. I call it an opinionative faith, because it differs from saving faith, much like as opinion doth from knowledge. Merely speculative it is not; for some intention of practice there is : But the practical intention of such persons differs from the predominant intention of the sanctified, even as their opinionative faith differs from the saving faith. O what abundance of poor neighbours would go to heaven, that are now in the way to hell, if an opi- !'t nion that godliness is the wisest course would serve the turn ! If instead of conversion, God would take up with an opinion that they ought to turn ; and if instead of a holy heavenly life, God would accept of an opi- nion, that such are the happiest men that live such a life ; and if instead of temperance, and meekness, and self- denial, and forgiving wrongs, God would accept of an
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