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The Point is so clear, fay some Talkers amongst us what they will, that Ishall but wrong you to illustrate it. I shall better conclude it with this Ad-vertisement, that these two Expressions of our Fear, to God by our Holiness,and to Man by our Righteousness, they must never be confounded, nor theRelations misplaced. However, by our worshipping of God, Men may wellhope of our fearing of him, and by our Uprightness with Man, God takesNotice how well we do fear him, yet we mistake it foully, it we think wemay spare one of them, aud that either Expression may well enough lervefor both.
It was but vainly done therefore of the proud holy Pharisee, to tell God,by his not being like the Publican, that he was no Extortioner, nor unjust,nor Adulterer, and by his often fasting, that he was no Glutton, and by hisfaithful Tithe-payings, that he was no Church Robber ; but in the meanwhile to stand upon his Terms with God, in trust to his own Righteousness,to stand up, as though he challenged God, and to pray with himself \ fays theText, Luke xviii. ii. as though he scorned to do any more for God, andto let him know, what he was, as though God were beholden to him ; andif such as that would serve God, so ; but otherwise, in the Pride of his Heart,to express no Reverence, nor Worship, no hear of God at all in his Pre-sence.
And every Whit as vain is the t’other pharisaical Trick, that’s now becomethe Sign of a Saint among many of us, little to regard that, which our Saviourcalls the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, and Mercy, and Fidelity,he means conscientious Honesty, such as is regulated by the glorious Lawwritten in our Hearts, and not by the outward Law of Wejhnmster-hall , orof a Bishop's Consistory, but to make no Bones of it to burst in private with !Envy and Malice, Hatred and all Uncharitablenefs, to backbite and Dander,to cross and hinder, to censure and condemn, to wallow also in Oppressionand Usury, in Falfhood and Wrong, in Lust and Uncleanness, in Pride andHypocrisy, in Contempt and Disobedience, in Schism and Faction both ec- iclesiastical, and civil, and yet notwithstanding all this, to make full Account,that our running to Church, and crying out for Sermons, our defying theDevil, and railing against Antichrist, our pretending of Conscience, and find-ing Fault with the State and Times, our singing of Psalms, and talking ofScripture, our casting up of the Eye, and making of lour Faces, must beProof enough to any Man, that we fear God extraordinarily.
Alas, no ; ’tis a Catholic Rule, that which St. James gives for our Faith,and it equally extends to all our Affections, Jatn. ii. 18. ,Shew me thy Faithby thy Works, and thy Hope by thy Works, and thy Love by thy Works,and thy Fear by thy Works. But if thou would’st have me fee them, andglorify God in them, or edify myself by them, thou must ssiew them to me,that Way or none, by thy Works, And what Works ? not of Godliness andDevotions, not by thy fair, but bare Shew of Holiness; no, we esteemhighly of that, of all holy Carriage, but, viderit Deus, we leave God tojudge of it, because the Heart of Man is so deceitful, that the Ministers ofSatan can in that, transform themselves into Angels of Light; 2 Cor. xi. 14.but by Mercy and Charity, by Piety and Equity, such other human Duties;of such Works expressly the Apostle was there treating, and by them thoumust strew to Men, and let them judge, whether thou fearest God or no.
Speciatim, in timore regis.
i
Or if that be too m„uch, for the Demonstration of our fearing of God,to exact all the Duties between Man and Man, then instead of them all, at
least