497 / 504
Ofche
Parable
ofthe
$ony
Ground
Math. 1340,11.
CAP.
XVII.
med
Hypocrites,
bath
been
declared. Thofe
who
pretend to be Codward,what
443-
they know themfelves
not
to
be,
making
a
pretence
of
Religion
,
to
colour
and countenance
them
in
vice
and
vicious pra&ifès,or fenfuall.courfes,where.
in
they
allow and bleffe themfelves, we
intend not
:
But fuch
as
info,
;ie
finer,.
city,
under
the enjoyment and improvement
of
gifts
and
priviledges,
do,
or
may walke
confcientioufly,
as Paid
before
his
converfion, and yet are not
uni-
ted
to Chrift.
2.
Ofthefe
we
fay,
that
they
may
fo
efcape, &c.
but
that
faund
Believers,
may
wallow in
all
manner offinfulnefle,
and
defile
themfelves with
all
mail.
nerof
pollutions
,
we
fay
not
:
nor
will any inffance
given
amount
to
the
height and
intendment
of
thofe
expreflions,
they
being
all
alleviated
by fun
-
dry confiderations, neceflàrily
to
be taken
in with
that
of
their
finning.
3.
If
we
may
compare the
wort
"
of
a
Saint
,
with the
bcff
of
a
formáll
Profeffor,
and make
an
eftimate
of
the
Elates
and conditions
of
them
both,
we
may
call
the ballanceon the wrong
fide.
4.
We do
fay
that
Simon Peter
was
a
believer
when
he denyed
Chrift, &
Simon
Magus
an
Hypocrite,,and
in
the
bond
of
iniquity,
when
it
was
f
tid
he
believed.
We
do
fay,
that
a
man may be alive
notwithfianding
many
Wounds
and much
filth
upon
him,and
a
man
may
be
dead,without
either
the
one or the
other,
in
that
eminently
vifible
manner
He adder.
2.
The
Perfons here
fpoken
of,
are
faid
to
have,
'40,,,,
truly
and
really
.leaped
4
4te
from
thofe, who
live
in
errour.
Doubtleffe
an
Hypocrite
cannot
be
faid,
truly
or
really,but
in
fhero,
or appearance
at
mofl,to have
made
filch
r.n efcape
(7 mane
from
men who
live in
errour
j
confidering
that
for
matter ofreality
and
trieth,
re-
maining in
Hypocrify, he
lives in
one
of
the
great-efi
and
foulef
errours
that
n.
The
whole force
of
this fecond exception,
!yes
upon the ambiguity
of
the
terme
Hypocrite,
though
filch
as
pretend
Religion, and the
worfhip
of
Cod,
to
be
a
colour and
pretext,
for the free
and
uncontrouled
pra&ïfing
of
vile
abominations,
may
not.
be laid
fo
to
efcape it,
yet
fuck
as
rhefe we
have be-
fore
def
ribed, with
theirconvi
&ions,
light,
guiftes, dutyes, good
con,':cience
&c.
may
truly
and
really
efcape
from them,and their
wayes
whò
polture
tieih
felves with the
errour.,
of
Idolatry,
falle-
worfhip, füner(fítion, and the
p
I'
a-
tions ofpra&ifes againft
the
light
of
nature, and their
owne
conviCtións:
it
is
added that
3.
An
Hypocrite, whofe
foot
is already
in
the
fnare
of
Death,
cannot
upon
any tolerable
account,
either ofreafonorcommon
fence,
be
faid
to
be
allured
(i.e.
by
allurements
to be
deceived)or
overcome
by
the,pollutions
of
the world,
no
more
than
a
Rh
that
is already
in
the
nett,or
fafî
upon
the hookc,can
be
faid
to
be
allured,by
a
batte held
to
her.
Anf'
But he
that
hath been
fo
farre prevailed upon by the preachingof
the
Word,
as
to
relinquifh, and renounce the pra
&ifes
of
uncleaneneffe
wherein he
fometimewallowed, and rolled himlelfe,
may
be prevailed upon
and overcome by temptations,
to
backflide
into the fame abominablepratti-
fes,
wherein he was
formerly engaged, deferring that.way
and courfe
of
at-
tendingto the
Word,
and yeilding obedience thereunto,which
he
had enter-
tained,
that
in its
Own
nature tended to
a
better
end.
4. Sayes
he,
Hypocrites
are
no
where
faid,neither
can they
with
any
congruity
to
Scripture Phrafe,
be
faid
to
have
efcaped
the pollutions of the world through
the
acknowledgement
(forfo
the word
y1/41i-/Ç
fhould
be
tranflated)
sf7efu:C[rift
the acknowledgement
ofthe truth, andfoofChriji,
and
of
God, confiantly
in
the
Scriptures,
importing afound_and
faving
worke
of
convert
on as we lately obfer-
sed in
this chap.
sell.
20.
L
I
1
Auf.
-1'