The Pref ace. The firft Rateof corrupted man, is anate of felfifhnefs, anel fervitmele to his own Con, upifcence ; Where pride andfenfuiality bear rile; and have no more refinance, than now and thenfew frightening:Inlet-loadcheck, When God is calling men out of this corrupted felfilh flare, he kit:ally (or oft at left) doth call them into anate of Ftar ; awakening them to fee their Lit condition, and terrifying them by the BeliefofhisThreatnings, and the fenfe of his indignation; andmaking ufe of their Self-love, to ea tile them to fly from the wrath to come, and to cry out to the rnefengers of Chrift, What shall we do tobe Paved ? Some by thefe Fears are but trembled and refirained a little while, and quickly overcoming them, fettle again in their fel- fifh fenfual fenfelefs Rate : fome have the beginnings of holy Love conjunit with Fear (of 7vhom more anctiJ And fome do from this principle of Self-love alone, betake theinfelves to a kind of Religious comrfe, and forfake the prat-life of thole groffer fins that bred their Fears _..and all upon the prat-life of Religious ties , andalfo with _rowkindof faith do Iron on the fatisfadlion and merits of Chrift, that by this Means they may getfome hopes that they 'hall efcape the everlafting mifery which they fear. All this Religion, that is animated by Fear alone , 'without the Love of God and Holinefs , is but preparatory to a ftate of grace ; and if men reit here, it is but aflareof Hypocrifie orfelf- 6ieceiving religioufnefs For it isfrill the old Principle of fel- fifhnefs that reigns. Till Love hathhrought man up to God, he bathno higher end then Hirnfelf. The true mark by which thefe llaviIhprofefors and hypocrites may difiyrn themfelves, is this They do the Good which they *odd not clo,andtheevil whichthey do not, they woaiddo. They had rather live a finfml life, if they darft ; and they had rather be excpled from Religious duties (except that little outward part, which cufforn and their credit engage them to perform :) They are but like the cagedbirds, that though they may fing in a Stcx-fbine day, had rather be at liberty in the woods. They love net a life of per, elf holinefs, though till- are forced tofish= it to fome kind of Religioufnefs, for fear of being damned. If they had their freefr choice , they had rather live in the Love of
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