It is inconceivable what delight and satisfaction men will take in any thing that seems to contribute so much unto a righteousness of their own. For it is suitable unto, and pleaseth all the principles of nature as corrupt, after it is brought under the power of a conviction concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment.
This made the Jews of old so pertinaciously adhere unto the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law, and to prefer them above the gospel, the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof; Rom. x. 3, 4. They looked and sought for righ- teousness by them. Those who for many generations were kept up with great difficulty unto any tolerable observance of them, when they had learned to place all their hopes of a righteousness in them, would, and did, adhere unto them, unto their temporal and eternal ruin; Rom. ix. 31— 33. And when men were persuaded that righteousness was to be at- tained by works of munificence and supposed charity, in the dedication of their substance unto the use of the church,
41$ . THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
they who otherwise were covetous, and greedy, and oppress- ing, would lavish gold out of the bag, and give up their whole patrimony, with all their ill-gotten goods, to attain it ; so powerful an influence hath the desire of self-righteousness upon the minds of men. It is the best fortification of the soul against Christ and the gospel, the last reserve whereby it maintains the interest of self against the grace of God.
Hence, I say, those that place their righteousness, or that which is the principal part of it, in the duties of religious worship, will not only be diligent in them, but ofttimes abound in a multiplication of them. Especially will they do so, if they may be performed in such a way and manner, as pleaseth their affections with a show of humility and devo- tion, requiring nothing of the exercise of faith, or sincere divine love therein. So is it with many in all kinds of re- ligion, whether the way of their worship be true or false, whether it be appointed of God, or rejected by him. And the declaration hereof is the subject of the discourse of the prophe- ; Isa. i. 11 19- Also, Micah vi. 7, 8.
4. The reputation of devotion in religious duties, may insensibly affect the unrenewed minds of men with great diligence and delight in their performance. However men are divided in their apprehension and practice about reli- gion ; however different from, and contrary unto, each other, their ways of divine worship are ; yet it is amongst all sorts of men, yea, in the secret thoughts of them who outwardly contemn these things, a matter of reputation to be devout, to be diligent, to be strict in and about those duties of reli- gion, which, according to their own light and persuasion, they judge incumbent on them. This greatly affects the minds of men, whilst pride is secretly predominant in them ; and they love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Especially will this consideration prevail on them, when they suppose that the credit and honour of the way which they profess, in competition with others, depends much on their reputation, as to their strictness, in duties of devo- tion. For then will they not only be diligent in themselves, but zealous in drawing others unto the same observances. These two principles, their own reputation, and that of their sect, constituted the life and soul of pharisaism of old.
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According as the minds of men are influenced with these apprehensions, s6 will a love unto, and a delight in, those duties, whereby their reputation is attained, thrive and grow in them.
I am far from apprehending that any men are (at least I speak not of them who are) such vile hypocrites, as to do all that they do in religion to be seen and praised of men, being influenced in all public duties thereby, which some among the Pharisees were given up unto. But I speak of them who being under the convictions and motives before mentioned, do also yet give admittance unto this corrupt end of desire of reputation, or the praise of men. For every such end being admitted and prevalent in the mind, will universally influence the affections unto a delight in those duties, whereby that end may be attained, until the person with whom it is so be habituated unto them with great satisfaction.
5. I should, in the last place, insist on superstition. As this is an undue fear of the divine nature, will, and opera- tions, built on false notions and apprehensions of them, it may befall the minds of men in all religions, true and false. It is an internal vice of the mind. As it respects the out- ward way and means of religious service, and consists in the devout performance of such duties as God indeed accepts not, but forbids ; so it belongs only to religion as it is false and corrupt. How in both respects it will engage the minds of men into the performance of religious duties, and for the most part with the most scrupulous diligence, and sometimes with prodigious attempts to exceed the measures of human nature in what they do design, is too long a work here to be declared. It may suffice to have mentioned it amono- the "^auses and reasons why men, whose aflTections are not spi- itualiy renewed, may yet greatly delight in the dillo-ent performance of the outward duties of religion. Our design n these things is the discovery of the true nature of this ;race and duty of being spiritually minded. Hereunto we lave declared that it is necessary that our affections be spi- itually and supernaturally renewed. And because there w^y be a great change wrought on the affections of men, with respect unto spiritual things, where there is nothing of this supernatural renovation ; our present inquiry is, what