A choice Bed of Spices. 32 X as very prodigious to the perfon for whom it was offered,as it fell out in the cafe of Julian. Hypocrites are alwayes heart lefs in all the facrifices they offer to God, and this will one day prove ominous and prodigious to them. But, Elevemthly, An hypocrite never performes religious du- ties from fpiritual principles, nor in a fpiritual manner. An 'hypocrite is never inclined, moved and carried to God, to Chrift, to holy duties, by the power of a new and inward principle of grace working a futablenefs between his heart and the things of God. An hypocrite refls himfelf fatisfied in the meer external acs of Religion, though he never feels any thing of the power of Religion in his own foul. An hy- pocrite looks to his words in prayer, and to his voice in pray- er, and to his g,eftures in prayer, but he never looks to the frame of his heart in prayer. An hypocrites heart is never toucht with the words his tongue utters, an hypocrites foul is never divinely affeaed, delighted, or gracioufly warmed with any duty he ,performs. An hypocrites fpiritual performan- ces never flow from fpiritual principles, nor from a heart univerfally fan6tified ; though his works may be new, yet his heart remains old , his new pra6tifes alwayes fpring from i old principles ; and this will prove the hypocrites bane, as you may fee in that, lfa.r. 15. When you fpread forth your hands to heaven, 1 will hide my eyes ; and when you make many prayers, when you abound in duty, adding prayer to prayer (as the He- brew runs) I will not bear, your hands are full of blood. Thefe were unfan6tified ones ; their pra&ifes were new, but their hearts were old fill. The fame you may fee in the Scribes and Pharifees, who failed, prayed, and gave alms, but their 1 hearts were not changed, renewed, fan6ified, nor principled from above ; and this proved their eternal bane. Nicodemus was a man of great note, name, and fame among the Phari- fees, and he failed, and prayed,and gave alms,and paid tythes, &c. and yet a meer flranger to the new birth; Regeneration was a paradox to him. How can a man he born when he is old ? can he, enter the fecond time into his mothers Womb and be born? T t This I I. -Vide Tra.4. I Oi to i'6, Mat.6.chap.23 Luke t S. John 3.4. No man can under ftand fpi-; ritual my Reties: by carnal rea- fon,
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