44 ïjifcourfèoftraaebappineffe. The hrft may bee fufpicioufnefle, an argument ever of worthlefneffe and impotency. For infirciencie is molt ap_ prehenfive and fufpicious. I know there is agodly jealoufie, and a jealoufie offiate; but I meane that fulpicion which is oppofed as an extreme to that imperfe& vertue, the Mora- liftscall immunity from fùfpicion;by which a man dot') call the worth, a&ions and affe&ions of another in his owne mould, & thinks every man obnoxious to all the infirmities he finds in himfelfe.Hence it is,that he which indeed is truly an hypocrite, and never paffed theperfe&ion of the Pi7arifè, Both molt confidently brand the childe of God with that name : hoping thereby to give fome poore fatisfa&ion to his own thoughts,that would gladly ref! in a formality; and no- tice to the world, that howfoever theremaybe pretences,yet indeed there is nonebetter then himfelfe. The fecond caufe is difabilitie, and blindnefle in thena- turall man ofdifcerning yid acknowledging theoperations ofgrace. For let a manbe otherwife never fo eminently or univerfally qualified;yet without the experience ofthe pow- er ofgodlineffe uponhis owne foule,hee cannot fee,hee will not bee perfwaded of the aaions of grace in anotherman ; and therefore interprets them to bee nothing but hypocrite, and onely pretended,vaine-glorioufly togaine an opinionof more thenordinary piety. What the conceit of an unrege- nerate man is of the Elate of grace, is plaine out of the confe- rence ofour bleffedSaviour andNicodemus. Nicodemus was !, a great Rabbi in Ifrael, a famous Do&or in the Law and the Prophets, inwhichno doubt he had many times read thedo- &rineofregeneration : yes when he comes tohe examined ofthepower audpra&ifeofit,he holds the new birth (with- out whichno man can ever fee God) tobee as impof)ible, as for an old man to returne into his mothers wombeand lire borne againe. Even fuch is the judgement ofothers in his flate, ofthe fruites, of e&s andcourfe offan&ification. And thecfere I marvell thatany childof God will of is his foul, hang downe thehead , or remit one jot of hiszeale in good- neffe for unjufl cenfures in this kinde : iith bee knowes that natural!
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