were not their defigns in drawing nigh to God in these appoint->

ments.

And thus you fee what numbers of profeffors deceive them.. felves.

A

ND if we seriously enquire into the grounds and caufes of this felf-deceit among profeffors, we shall find these four things confpiring to delude and cheat them in the great concern of their falvation.

1. First, The natural deceitfulness of the heart, than which nothing is more treacherous, and falfe, Jer. xvii. 9. "The "heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked;"* apy Supplantativum cor, prae omnibus; the heart is the greatest fupplanter, the most crafty and fubtle cheat of all, that deceives us, as Jacob did his brother (to whose name this text alludes). It defeats us of our heavenly heritage, as Jacob supplanted him in his earthly one, while we are gone a hunting after earthly trifles. And wherein its deceitfulness principally appears, you may fee by the folemn caveat of the apoftle, James i. 22. wherein he warns us to beware, that in hearing the word we deceive not ourselves by falfe reafonings; for fo παραλογιζομενοι εαυτός imports, and may be fridly rendered, falfe reasoning themselves, namely, by making falfe fyllogifms; whereby they mifconclude about their fpiritual and eternal eftate and condition, and befool themselves.

The time will come when a man's own heart will be found to have the chief hand in his ruin; and what Apollodorus did but fancy his heart faid to him, fome mens hearts will tell them in earneft, when they come to the place of mifery and forment; w cÒI TOUTWY KITIα, I have been the caufe of all this, I have betrayed thee into all these torments: it was my laziness, my credulity, my averfenefs to the ways of ftrict godliness, mortification and felf-denial which have for ever undone thee: when thou fateft under the convincing truths of the gofpel, it was I that whispered those atheistical furmifes into thine ear, perfuading thee that all thou heardft was but the intemperate heat of an hot-brained zealot; when the judgments of God were denounced, and the misery thou now feeleft forewarned and threatened, it was I that wifpered what the tongue of another once fpake out, Tunc credam, cum illuc venero: I will believe it when I come thither.

"

Surely this is a great truth which was obferved by the wif

Ar, Mont,

Q2

eft of men," He that trufteth in his own heart, is a fool," Prov. xxviii. 26. And thousands of such fools are to be found among profeffors.

2. Secondly, Satan is a chief confpirator in this treacherous defign; we are not ignorant (faith the apoftle) of his devices; vonuara, his fophiftry and flights, 2 Cor. ii. 11. his peders, trains and methods of temptation, which are thoroughly studied, and artificially moulded and ordered; even fuch systems as tutors and profeffors of arts and Sciences have, and read over to their auditors; as one judiciously obferves, to be the import of that text, Erh. vi. 11. Nor is it to be wondered at, conGidering his vast knowledge, deep malice, and long experience. in this art of cheating, together with the great corruption and proneness of the hearts of men to close with his de vices, and believe his impoftures, that fo vaft a number of fouls are taken "captive by him at his will," 2 Tim. ii. 26.

It is the god of this world that blinds the minds of them. that believe not, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. "The god of this world," (fo called by a Mimefis) who leads a world of poor deluded wretches to deftruction, having firft blinded their minds, that is deluded, and with his hellish art practifed upon their underftanding, that roy sovxor, leading and directive faculty, which is to the foul what eyes are to the body.

I remember Bafil brings in Satan thus infulting Chrift: Į have them I have them! for all thy blood and miracles, thy wooings and befeechings, thy knockings and ftrivings, I have cozened thee of them at the very gates of heaven: for all their illuminations, and tafting of the powers of the world to come, I have fhipwrackt them in the very mouth of the ha

ven.

3. Thirdly, The common works found in unregenerate fouls deceive many, who cannot diftinguish them from the fpecial works of the Spirit in God's elect: fee that startling fcipture, Heb. vi. 4. where you find, among the common operations of the Spirit upon apoftates, that illumination, which gives perfpicuity to their minds in difcerning fpiritual truths, and that frequently with more diftinctness and depth of judgment than fome gracious fouls attain unto; befides, it is the matter out of which many rare and excellent gifts are formed in admirable variety, which are fingularly useful to others, as they are exercised in expounding the fcriptures, defending

Dr. Goodwin's Child of light.

the-truths of Chrift by folid arguments, preaching, praying, c, and make the fubject of them renowned and honoured in the church of God, whilft, mean time, they are dazzled with their own fplendor, and fatally ruined by them.

There you find alfo tafting as well as enlightening: fo that they feem to abound not only in knowledge, but in sense also; i. e. in fome kind of experience of what they know; for experience is the bringing of things to the teft of fpiritual fenfe. They do taste or experience the good that comes by the promises of the word, and difcoveries of heaven and glory, though they feel not experimentally the transforming efficacy of these things, upon their own fouls.

Now, that illumination furnishing them with excellent gifts (as before was noted), enabling them to affent to gospel-truths, which the fcripture calls faith, Acts viii. 12. and working in them conviction of fin, 1 Sam. xv. 24. reformation of life, 2 Pet. ii. 20. and touching their affections also with tranfient joy in the difcovery of thofe truths.

And this tafte, which comes fo near to the experience, which the fanctified soul enjoys, seems to put their condition beyond all controverfy, and lay a foundation for their illbuilt confidence; nothing is more apt to beget and nourish fuch a confidence than the meltings and workings of our affections about fpiritual things; for, as at grave divine hath well obferved, fuch a man feems to have all that is required of a Christian, and to have attained the very end of all knowledge, which is operation and influence upon the affectiWhen they fhall find heat in their affections, as well as light in their minds, how apt are they to fay (as these felf-deceivers in the text did) they "are rich, and have need "of nothing." Now of all the false figns of grace, by which men cozen themselves, none are fo dangerous and deftructive to fouls, as thofe that come nearest true ones: never doth Satan more effectually and fecurely manage his cheats, than when he is transformed into an angel of light.

ons.

Among this fort of felf-deceivers, how many gifted men, and, among that fort, fome employed in the office of the miniftry will be found, whofe daily employment being about fpiritual things, studying, preaching, praying, &c. do conclude themselves fanctified perfons, because they are conversant about facred employments, as if the fubject must be, because the object is, facred. Oh! that fuch would feriously ponder these

+Mr. A. Burgess.

1

two scriptures, Matth. vii. 22. "Many will fay unto me in "that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name? ❝ and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done "many wonderful things?" And 1 Cor. ix, 27.-" left that "by any means, when I have preached unto others, I myself "fhould be a caft-away."

4. Lastly, To add no more, this ftrengthens felf-deceit exceedingly in many, viz. Their obfervations of, and comparing themselves with others. Thus the Pharifees (those grofs felf-deceivers)" trufted in themselves that they were righte❝ous, and defpifed others," Luke xviii. 9. Their low rating of others, gave them that high rate and value of themselves. And thus the proverb is made good, Regnat lufcus inter cœcos; he that hath but one eye, is a king among the blind.

Thus the falfe apoftles cheated and befooled themselves, 2 Cor. x. 12. "But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themfelves among themfelves, are not wife." God hath not made one man a measure or standard to another. man, but his word is the common beam or scale to try all

men.

These men are as fharp-fighted to note other mens evil as their own excellencies; to eye the miscarriages of others with derifion, and their own performances with admiration.

They blefs themfelves when they behold the profane in their impieties, Luke xviii. 11. " God, I thank thee, that I am not as "other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this "publican;" q. d. O what a faint am I in comparison of these mifcreants! the Pharifee's religion you fee runs all upon nots; à negative holiness is enough to him; and the measure he takes of it is by comparison of himself with others more externally vile than himself. A Christian may fay with praise and humility, "I am not as fome men are; but tho' he knows nothing "by himself, yet is he not thereby justified," 1 Cor. iv. 4. He neither rakes together the enormities of the vileft, or the infirmities of the holieft, to justify and applaud himself as thefe felf-deceivers do. And thefe are the caufes and occafions of that general deception, under which fo great a part of the profeffing world bow down and perish.

3.

SECT. IV,

I

N the laft place I fhall improve this point variously, ac

as much brevity and clofeness of application as I can. And,

Use 1. Shall be for caution to profeffors: before I tell you what use you should make of it, I must tell you what use you may not make of it.

First, Do not make this use of it; to conclude from what hath been faid, that all profeffors are but a pack of hypocrites, and that there is no truth nor integrity in any man: this is both intolerable arrogance, to afcend the throne of God; and unparelleled uncharitableness, to judge the hearts of all men. Some men are as apt to conclude others to be hypocrites, by measuring their hearts by their own, as others are to conclude themselves faints, by comparing their own excellencies with other mens corruptions: but, bleffed be God! there is fome grain among the heap of chaff, fome true diamonds among the counterfeit ftones: the devil hath not the whole piece; a remnant, according to election, belongs really to the Lord.

Secondly, Do not make this ufe of it, that affurance muft needs be impoffible, because fo many profeffors are found to be felf-deceivers.

That affurance is one of the great difficulties in religion, is a great truth; but that it is therefore unattainable in this world, is very false. Popish doctrine indeed makes it impoffible; but that doctrine is practically confuted in the comfortable experience of many fouls: all are commanded to strive for it, 2 Pet. i. 10. "Give all diligence to make your calling and "election fure :" and fome have the happiness to obtain it, 2 Tim. i. 12. "For I know whom I have believed; and I am "perfuaded that he is able to keep that which I have commit"ted unto him against that day.'

Let the fimilar works upon hypocrites resemble as much as they will the faving works of the Spirit upon believers; yet God doth always, and the faints do sometimes plainly discern the difference.

Thirdly, Do not make this use of it, to conceal or hide the truths or graces of God, or refufe to profefs, or confefs them before men, because many profeffors deceive themselves and others alfo, by a vain profeffion: Because another profeffeth what he hath not, muft you therefore hide or deny what you have? It is true, the poffeffion of grace and truth in your own fouls, is that which faves you; but the profeffion and confeffion of it, is that which honours God, and edifies ; yea, fometimes is the inftrument to fave others; it is your comfort that you feel it, it is others comfort to know that you do fo. Oftentation is your fin, but a ferious and humble profeffion is your duty, Rom. x. 9.