1 Difcourfeoftrue I.?appinefe. naturali nen though never fo wife, fo learned, or glorious inthe world, want fpirituall Rate, and thereforecannot rel- liih the fruits ofthe fpirit, areblinde and cannot fee or judge i ofthe light ofgrace, are indarkeneffe and cannot compre- hend it. Thirdly,the formall hypocrite doth fettle himfelfe with more refolutenefhe in his opinionofbeing in ftate of grace, when he fees the world account the children of God but a companie of fellowes, who, out of aproud fingularitie, di vide themfelves from the common fafhions and cuftomes of theworld, not confìdering, that if ever heemeane to fave his foule,he mutt be fingular to in holineffe and fanetification ( for I meane not in unwarrantable opinion, or feparation fromthe Church.) Except his righteoufneffe exceede the righteoufneffe of the Scribes and Pharifes, what fingular thingdoth he ? that is, except tohis civill honeftie and out- wardperformance ofreligious duties,there be added a fingu- larity offaving grace;and except betides all other ornaments ofmind,ifit were pofhibie,pofieft in full perfection, there be yet moreover infpired that bleffed and precious vigour that quickens him to eternall life, he cannot enter into the King- dome ofheaven. This noteof fingulatitie bath in all ages beene imputed to thofe, that with agood confcience have laboured to keepe themfelves blameleffe and pure in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation. Behold (faith Ifaiah, chap. 8.ver. i 8. Iandthe children whom the Lord hats givenmee, are asfignes andwonders in Ifrael , by the LordofHots , which dwelletb in ti!'toaant Sion. It had beeneno wonder, had they beenonly as fignes andwonders amongft the enemies of God and na- tions ofuncircumcifion; but that they fhouldbee fignes and wonders in Ifrael ! God had chofen him but one little vine- yard amongftall the fpacious forreils oftheearth; out ofthe glory of all the kingdomes of the world hee had chofen him but one handfull ofpeople; and yet in that vineyard, his faithfull Ones are but as the berries after the (baking of an Olive tree, two or three in the top ofthe utmost boughs, and E 2 foure 45
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