cheth them to
deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, soberly, and
godly, Tit. ii. 11, 12. But if we may conjecture your teaching by your
walking, it seems the notion of grace and the gospel that is formed in
your minds, hath taught you another doctrine,--to avow ungodliness and
follow worldly lusts. Is there so much as a shadow of this spiritual
walking in many? I confess, it is natural for every man to seek his own
righteousness, and it is the arm of God that must bow men to submit to
Christ's imputed righteousness. Yet, the most part of men seem to be so
far from seeking any righteousness, that they are rather seeking the
fulfilling of their own carnal lusts, working wickedness with greediness,
not caring how little they have to put confidence into. And yet, certain
it is, that how much soever a man attains to of a form of religion or
civil honesty, he is ready to put his trust in it, and to lean the weight
of his soul upon it. But seeing this is natural to you all, to seek heaven
by doing and working, I wonder that ye do no more. How do you satisfy your
consciences in the expectation of heaven, who take so little pains in
religion, and are so loose and profane in your conversation? I wonder,
seeing ye have it naturally engraven in your hearts to establish your own
righteousness, that ye labour not to have more of it to fill your eye
withal.

But again, on the other hand, there are some men, who have a form of
religion, and labour to be of a blameless conversation among men, that
possibly persuade themselves they are seeking holiness, and walking
spiritually. But, alas! you may find it but a painted and seeming
religion, that is an abomination in the sight of God; because it is to
them, all the ground of their acceptation before God. If ever this
question was moved in some of you, "What shall I do to be saved?" you have
condescended on such a walk, such a profession for the answer of it. It is
natural to all, even those who have least appearance of godliness, to seek
heaven by doing God's will. Those that have no more to speak of than their
baptism, or receiving the Lord's Supper, or attending well the solemn
assemblies, will ground their hope of salvation on these things. How much
more will the civil and honest men, commonly so called, who pray and read,
and profess godliness,--how much more, I say, will they establish that
which they attain to, as the ground of their confidence before God! Now,