PART H. to dylingu.i Apt 'lions. 71 Sort of Confidence as this, fo affecting to declare it felf with a moft glaring Show, in the Sight of Men, which is to be feen in many, has not the Countenance of a true chriflian Affurance : It favours more of the Spirit of the Pharifees, who never doubted but that they were Saints, and the moil eminent of Saints, and were bold to go to God, and come up near to him, and lift up their Eyes, and thank him for the great Diflinction he had made between them and other Men ; and when Chrifl intimated that they were blind and gracelefs, defpifed the Suggeflion ; John 9. 4ó. And fame of the Pharifees which were with him, heard thefe Words, and Paid unto him, lire we blind alfa ? If they had more of the Spirit of the Publican, with their Confidence, who in a Senfe of his- exceedingUnworthinefs, flood afar off, and durft not fo much as lift up his Eyes to Heaven, but fmote on his Breaff, and cried out of himfelf as a Sinner, their Confidence would have more of the Afpe& of the Confidence of one that humbly trufls and hopes in Chrifl, and has no Confidence in himfelf. If we do but confider what the Hearts ofnatural Men are, what Principles they are under the Dominion of, what Blindnefs and De- ceit, what Self - Flattery, Self- Exaltation and Self- Confidence reigns there, we need not at all wonder that their' high Opinion of them- felves," ai d Confidence of their happy Circumflances, be high and flrong as Mountains, and as violent as a Ternpeft, when "once Con- fcience is blinded, and Convi&ions-kill'd; with falle, high Affections, and thofe foremention'd Principles let loofe, fed up and prompted by falle Joys and Comforts, excited by fome pleafing Imaginations im- prefs'd by Satan, transforming himfelf into an Angel of Light. Whenonce a Hypocrite is thus'èflablifh'd in a falle Hope, he han't thofeThings to caufe him to call his Hope in Queflion, that oftentimes are the Occafion of the Doubting of true Saints ; as Firft, He han't that cautious Spirit, that great Senfe of the vafl Importance of a fure Foundation, and that Dread of being deceived. The Comforts of the true Saints increafe Awakening and Caution, and a lively Senfe how great a Thing it is to appear before an infinitely holy, jufl and omni- fcient Judge. But falle Comforts put an End to thefe Things, and dreadfully flupify the Mind. Secondly, The Hypocrite has not the Knowledge of his own Blindnefs, and the Deceitfulnefs of his own Heart, and that mean Opinion of his own Understanding, that the true Saint has. Thofe that are deluded with falle Difcoveries and Affeétions, are evermore highly conceited of their Light and Under- flanding. Thirdly, The Devil don't affault the Hope of the Hypo- " it felf, in thofe firft Fruits of it ? How near to this comes " what the Apoftle fuppofes may be found in Apoftates 9 " Flavel's Hufhandry fpiritualiz'd, Chap. 12, F erne
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