'■^vf**?-'^ PERKINS LIBRARY Duke University Kare l5ooks .///• MOh ^Mi^iv /^ / Lf^ ^"^ i IMPRIMATUR, i 4^ Hie hher were Chrifiidttus qm fi Prtm^- ^^ '^^ vdmj}>eBes pietatem, Summam Eloquenti- ^^ "^S ^^y Rationum pondus ftihil in eo deefi quo W^, 2^' minus pofflt nos Omnes quales tarn accurate ^^ ♦^S defcrihity ruere Chriflianos efficere; Furiori SC^ ^^ £vo fane dignij/tmus efi nife quod tarn pot ens ^^ 4^ fit qui vel nofirum Speculum transformaret in ^, 4^ melius, Benedicat Deus OperitS" Juthori. ^ir ^i THO. TOMKYNS. i^ **^ R.Rmo.inChrifto Patriae Domino Dno. ?g^ <^ GiZ,££JirO Divina ProvidentiaAr- 'M> ■^^ chiepifcopoCantuarienfiJ SacrisDome- ^S- 4m fticis. ^j. 4^ «> Alie^i^ THE CAUSES OF THE 2Detap of C|)?iaian i&ietp: OR AN IMPARTIAL SURVEY Of the Ruines of C H R 1 S T I J ]};[ RELIGION, ^ Undermin'd by Unchriftian Praftice. Written hy the ^Author of rHE WHOLE DUTY OF ^MANl INIMICV\y HOMO rfiCIT HOC n,^m , LONDON, Printed by jR. AWo/; for 7\GaYthjX'ait, in S.Bartho- lomervsl^oi^lt^h muSmitkfieldj^ l66j. I< M''' Garthwait, H "AVING in my hands a PraMical Treatife concerning Ihe Caufes of the _ _ Decay ofChriftian Ptety fo vifible in this our Age ; written by the Excellent jiuthor of The WHOLE DUTY OF ^lAN: and having obtained periniflion to make it publick,, I was in fome doubt whether the prefent difturb'd State of afJairs, would not make it reafonable to delay the Edition : but confidering that times of difficulty and trouble bring thoughts of Vertue into their minds, who forgot their Duty and their God in affluence and quiet: I am apt to think a Difcourfe of this Kind feafonable enough at this time. Almio;hty God give you fome re- ^^. • r :'^ 1 J^ \r^ y • "*■ the late F\re pair for your ' late great Calamity : ,„ London. As it was the ^Authors kindnefs that you fiiould have the offer of this Trail, what- ever it prove, fo I think it will be a little the more feafonable, that it comes as a New-years Gift, tS'c. Jmuaryy 166 j. Tour utiy lot'ui'^ Friend, H. E, *^ "^ "^^ ''S^ '^^ 'i'^ '^S^ *^^ '^i'^ ''Ik^ '^^ "^^^ '^ *^ "^ THE PREFACE THOUGH thu le the firfi appedrance this Tra^ has mdde in the norldy yet 7ts Being i< of fomewhat a mere ancient date; it having re- ceived its lineaments and perfect form fome years fince : when the Author not having partiality enough to think it worthy piihlick view ; had adjudgd it, if not to perpe- tual darknef?) yet at leafi to a long indefinite fuj^enjion from feeing light. In this interval, 'tis more than pro- laUe fome paffages may have loft much of their propriety to the prefent ft ate of affairs, they having been adapted to circumftances which may fince haze received fome change", and herein I mu ft hej^eak the Readers candor, to make fuch allowances a^ the matter ft:all require ; of which yet Ifuppofe there will not occur very many, or ve^ ry important occafions, BUT would God I were to apologize for d yet fat greater ahfurdity, that our fcene were fo ft^ifted, that the whole defign of the enfuing difcourfe, might become one entire impertinence^ and that our more eminent con-^ formity to the rules of our Chriftian in ft it ul ion, might fuperfedt thefe difquifitioris above our faildnces and aberrations. But ala(s,lfind I have pitch t uponafuh- jeB not like to be out-dated ; vice daily gaining not only ftrength, but impudence : nay we are not only become witneffes againft our felves by declaring our Sin as So- THE PREFACE. dom> hut Tve have forced God alfo to attefi a^ainji us by funijhwg us in a manner no lefi con/pic uous and manifeJL lAnd furely then 'tis more than time for us to taketha Ptephets advice y Hag. 1.7. to confider our ways^fe? re- fle^i not only on thofe robufi,^y4nt-like provocations vrhich have thus bid defiance to Heaven ; but alfo to fift out thofe fecret incendiaries that have inflamed us to this mad daring ; to exatnine what that '\un,that inflamable bitumen:, the untemperd morter is with which we build our Babel, by difcovering thofe mifperfwafions andfalfe confidences y whereinmany of our other guilts are found- ed \ inorder to which this flight Tra5i offers its feeble , yet well meant aiduS J being forced out of its retirement y and like Crsefus his dumb Sony compelled toffeak by im- pulfe oftheptefent exigent : and how defficable foever the Mite contributed be in its f elf y yet if it may provoke the more wealthy to cafi in richer giftSy it may prove no unprofitable agent for the Corban. 'Tis evident this is afeafon which not only warrantSy but exaBs the moft im- portunate endeavours ofperfivading men to thofe things that belong to their Peace. .FOR although 'tis true that every fiate of fin, fets us alfo in a ftate of hofiility with God, yet ourprefent ■ condition fesms to have advanced us beyond the common degrees even of that. 'Tis we know, high infolence againfi a Prince to deffife and violate his laws y but 'when to that are fuperadded contumelies y and defignd affronts to his perfony this is /uch an accumulated out- rage y as will vanquijh the mofl refolvd Patience. And this ala(? appears to be our cafe : we have long indulged to our felves the breach of all Divine lawsy gratified every appetite y every pajfion and luji with the forfeiture of THE PREFACE. of our allegiancey dnd a^ ifth'u irottld not ferve to render as trreconcilahle enough to Godr we are now groivn tofuh- joyn malice to licentioufne(i\ projeB not fo much to pleafe our [elves y as to dil^leafe him ; profefs a contempt not only of his commands ^ hut himfelf; and fee k nolef?to dethrone Himy than abrogate thofe, Ihm have rre made it a kind ofperfonal quarrely and ly thofe impious hlajphemies we daily dart againji Heaveny do as it were dare the Divine Majefly to vindicate its f elf Whether his great longanimity may have given our Hedlors a fan- cy y that they had vapour d God ( as they are us'd to do men ) into a tamenef^y I JI?all not examine : hut his late proceedings with us fufficiently teflifie that he means no longer to decline our challenge. He now appears to avow the enmity as openly as we have done ; and has already given us competent effaysy how fearful a thini^ it is to fall into the hands of the living God, Heh. lo. 31. "lis true indeed that he h^u formerly own d his contro- verfie with our Landy and ky a long feries cf great and heavy calamities at te fled himfelfihe God to whom ven- geance belongeth, Pfal. 94. 1. Tet as great Monarchs ufe to quell leffer infurreBions by their Lieutenant Sy and fubordinate OfficerSy hut when the rebellion grows high and dejperatey then to encounter it in their ownperfons ; fo is it here obfervahls that God then Chafiifedy and tri- ed to reduce us by inferiour infrumentSy found us out Licftors among ourfelveSy and made one mans fin thepu- nijhment of another s : but now as if he had the fame jea- loupe for his honour Tr/;/V/? Joab had at the fiege o/Rabba for Davids, 2 Sam. tl.zS.as if he fear d to be rivaled in the glory of our ruine, he takes us into his own handy marks us outy as he did Pharaoh^fo he the Trophies cfhis J 2 cwH THE PREFACE. own peculiar vengeance , appearing fi^f^^l^y againfi iis in all the dreadful folemnities of an enraged enemy. FORjirfty has he not as "hS.oks freaks, Deut.32.4i. rphet hk glittering Sword f Nay ^h as he not moreover {in the Scripture ffyle ) made it drunk rrith hlood ? by fweep- tng away multitudes cf u^ in a raging PESTILENCE, which^tarcht from one part of the Nation to another in a kind of Triumphant progress, as if it had received- the fame mandate God gave Abrahanij, Gen. 13. 17. Arife walk through the land, in the length thereof and in the breadth thereof, for unto thee will I give it. Whether it may not thus fatally complete its courfe, notvp'tthflanding the halt it feems to make, and paj? from our Dan to our Beerlheba, if a quefiion that can with no probability be refolv^d. in the negative ; for as it if not to he doubted but there were in Judea as great pnners as thofe on whom the Tower of Siloam felly Luke 13. that thofe who have hitherto efcaped have an equal foare in the provoking caufe of the "Judgement : So alfo that jfr^^^ unfenfiblenefs many ofusjhew of what others groan under, is a very ominous abode ; it being not only a dan- ger ens fymptome, but a probable means of drawing that calamity to our [elves. When God fees we will fuffer no- thing by way ofconfent and fympathy with others y 'tis hut equal we have our part in a more direB and imme- diate injliBiony and feel what we would not coinpajjio- nate. Thucydides mentions it as the ejfe5l of the great Plague at Athens that it had extinguifht humanity ; brought in a kind of ferity and barbaroufnefS among them, rendring them openly villanotis to men, and blafphemotis againfl God ;• di^^v ®cCof,« cti/Op&'V©!/ vo(ao< ovS^h^ d'TTH^i'iy there was no refraint of law or religion y one part being deffe- rate THE PREFACE. rate upon proJ^eB of their dangery the other pre fumptu^ Otis upon the contemplation of their Efcape ; and fur e if we look impartially y ours will appear to have had foyns- rphat of the fame operation, Ihofe compajficns which the novelty itfeems at firfi gave p.s to fufferers in this ktndy feems now quite extintl ; fo unconcern d are we grown to every thing that touches m not in our individu^ als,as if we owned no relation to the fpecies of mankind, though hackt alfo with that clofer tyey which the fbiritu-- d confanguinity has fuper added, A pregnant indicati- on of this mayy I doubt noty he colleBed ( asfrorn many other circumftancesy fo particularly) from the great ha(l has m many places been madcy to lay afide thofe publick Humiliations g^ inter cejfions which were recommended to lis as well by the command of Authority y as the com- mondiftre^; hut have been cajl of without the fubfira- ehon of either of thofe motives. Wjether we are duly mindful of the afflidtions of Jofeph, that cannot afford one day in a moneth for a folemn reflexion on them, I mufl leave to every ^ mans confcience to difcufi. But furs we are no le(? wanting to ourfelves than them in this ne^- lea ; the office being no lej? defigned for Antidote than curcy to prevent the Judgement where it is not, than to remove it where it is: and if we will neither deprecate on our own behalf Sy nor intercede on others ; we are fure as improvident, as uncharitable y and may iuffly expett the fatal event of both, IK the interim, although theprefent re (pit from de- firuBion, and our own deceitful hearts flatter us and fay Peace y Peace ; we have all reafon to conclude that God ts not attonedy the quarrel and hoftility ^oes on, and his hand is ftretcht out ftill, Ef.j. 25-. Andfo indeed we ^^ 3 find THE PREFACE. find it in other difmal events. Sldughter we know is not the only effect of W^r ; which as it deflroys the lives of manyy blafls thefupports and Joys of more, Ithis confe- qitence cfhofiility wefind^ well e r pre Ji hy the Prophet Joel 2. 3 . The land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a defolate wildernefs, and herein alfo hath the Lord ofllofisy the great God of battle fiew- ed himfelf mighty again jl us, he has invaded us not only with Sword) but FIRE : and infoftupendous manner de- folate d the glory of our Land, that no humane fury , could have procured, or even have wijht the like v aflat ion and rulncs. That City which was great among theJSTa- tions> and Princcfs among the Provinces, Lam.i.i. lies buried in her own A/hes, and is both Funeral-pile and lime to her f elf y and what neither foreign nor dome- jiick enemies could in afucceffion of many ages ejfe5ly one hi afl of the breath of his dijpleafurey Pfal. 1 8. has per- formed in a moment. So verifying even in a literal fenfe the Jpoflles affinnationy Heb. 12. 2^. that our God is a confuming fire. Plutarch tells us when Fa- hlus fackt Tarentumj, he took not away their Images, but f aid y tiTjKH'Tray.iv nrii ^i^i Tct^AVTiiot^ K?.yjK^fA''^i-, let US leave the Tarentines their Gods that are offended v/ith them. 'Tis our Calamity to be fignally under the indignation of our incenfed God, which in that great Captains judgement y wasfomewhat more dreadful than the worft infliBions of War : for what indufiry foever has been ufed to entitle either the negligence or deflgns of men unto our overthrow y yet fure never any judgement had more legible marks of Gods immediate hand : fuch as fl:ew he meant to revenge the abufe of his former gentle methods : that thofe who would not he reformed by the Jlighter THE PREFACE. flight er correBions wherein he dallied vrith them^ might find a judgment worthy of God, Wifd. 12. z6. And fttrefuch was this, rchich both for itsgreatne^ and irre- fiftihknefi does well own its Author, and /hews his wrath wasaccendedtoaTery exceffiz^e heat, that thus poured out its felf not only like y hut in Fire y Lam. 2. 4. Ijhall not here ajfume the Polititians party and weigh the detriment we hazefuftained hy it in our civil inter eft, of which perhaps nothing hut time and experience can giveMsafullc{iiw,ate\ it rather fuits my defign to oh- ferve what reUtes to our f^iritual concerns y w hi left Gods dwelling places were involved in the fame ruine with ours J his own peculiar portion not exemptedy hut as the Prophet cGT/iplainsy Ef.(54. 11. Our holy and beauti- ful houfes where our fathers praifed him are burnt with fire : this though perhaps leaft confideredy is fure not the leaft fad circumftance, had only the fcenes of our luxury, or our fraud been deftroyedy it might havefent iis with more fervency to the places of our devotion, and we might have frequented Gods houfes the better y for being deftituted of our own ; but when thefe alfo are made parts of the common heapy 'tis afadteftimonial that our very religion was provoking ; That that pageant-like pi- ety which we depofited in our CHURCHESy only to make a fhewwithon holy -day Sy ferved only to defile thofe holy placesy and rendred them fo polluted as required no flight er purgation than that of FIRE, 'lis we know not longy fince thofe manfionsf acred to the Prince of Peace, were even in the vulgar obvious fenfey made magazines for War-, hut yet more fo in reference to that Pulpit- wild-fire, whichfet the Nation in combuftion; whether thatftrange Fire which fome of our Nadabs and Abihu's 4 4 introduced THE PREFACE. introduced there, may not ( even at this diftance ) have done its part to the drawing down this FIR£ from He a- "veuyl leave to their ferious refleBion.Bttt neither theHy- pocritc nor the Seditious muji ingrof^ the guilt of this mine : Tha Atheift i^yes with both ; for alafiwhatjhould God do with Temples among thofe, who pay him nowor- /hip? or. why jhouid he let thofe facred monuments re- main among them, to whom all memorials of him ferve hut as occajions, and incentives to blaj^heme htm ? They have long/aid with thofe injoh. Depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways ; and now 'tis hut equitable ( I had almoftfaid Civil ) to take them at their wor."^, and no longer re fide among thofe who fo avowedly difclaim him, AKD this, 'tis much to be feared, may he the portent ^fthis difmal vacation : we know men ufe not to deface thofe houfcs, where they intend to inhabit : andfure this abhorring his Sandluary, and cafting off his Altar, J-^am, 1, is a dreadful fign, that he means no longer to continue his refidence among us ; indeed we find in Scrip- ture that his promife of cohabiting is always limited to thofe who own themfelves his people ; and therefore when fo many of us have openly renounced that relation, we xan with no juftice expetl the hie filing appendant to it, BUT perhaps this will feem to fuch no formidable thing ; Godsfo withdrawing of himfelf is but agreeable to their wifl^es, a kind of quitting the field to them, and fo rather matter of complacency than regret : but 'tis to he confideredthat there is another prefence of God that will iyjfallibly fucceed this ; when he removes that of his grace, 'tis to make way for that of his anger", like the VhxVi&incs we fl^all know the God of \{i2it\ is among us b THE PREFACE. hy his Plagues f I Sam. 5. or to make a yet more dread- ful compart f on y we fhall like the damned in helly difcern his pre fence only in the punitive effe&s ofity and read his ^earne(sin ourfufferings. ^ArJd fure this will he but an ill exchange y eventotheprofaneftofusy thofe that have mofi dej^tfed or loathed the foft breathings of his Word and Spirit ; will find it yet harder to endure the whirle- winds of his wrath, which willfnatch from us thofefecu- lar advantages for whofe purfuit we have negletled the better part^ Luke 10. 42. and leave us as little of worldly enjoyments, as we de fired to have ofj^irituaL OF this our late Calamities have given us a fad Pre- ludiuiTij, and God knows how foon we may fee the laji fcene of the fatal Tragedy y it being too probable that this is Gods lafl Experiment upon us y like the Caufiicks and Scarify ings to a Lethargick patient ; // this bring us not tofenfe wg are like to fleep on to defiru5lion : Jnd alas what uncomfortable fyrntomes appear even in this point alfo. Who is there that ( unlefs awakened by hisperfonal concernments^ feems at all toftartleat the noife of pub^ licJeruine? When God in dijp lea fure threatned the Ifra- elites that he would remit their conduH to his Angel,^;;^ not go himfelfwith them, ' The text faysy they mourn- ed and no man put on his ornaments on him, Exod, 33* 4* ^^ ^^ ^^^ LXX, v.a.Ti'7iiv^\) derived immediately from^ him, who had nothing more of man than he purpofe- ly allumed to draw us the nearer to him as God. He it was that difleminated this docilrine;, and that in order to the purifyijig to himfelfa peculiar people zea- lous of good works ; and certainly his choice abundant- ly juftifies its propriety to that end, and his defcent from Heaven on that errand puts fo venerable afo- lemnity upon it, that though his defcent were very aftonifhing, yet it will be much more fo, that it fliould fail of the defigned eftedt. AND indeed did our Faith give us no clue to lead us to the author, yet its compofition w^ould fpeak it to be of no humane extracftion, its precepts are fo excellent and refined, fo agreeable to the more fpiritualpartofour temper, andfo apt, astofore- ftall, fo to cleanfe and fublimate the more grofs and corrupt, as fhews fiefh and blood never revealed it. Nay farther, fo efFedlually providing for all thofe advantages to mankind, which the wifeft of mens laws have in vain attempted, that methinks they all ftand before it like the Magicians before (^Mofesy and by their impotence tacitly confefs it to be the finger of God. Twere too large a Theme to confront them in the feveral inftances, let it fuffice to obferve one which has a common influence on all; and that is the immaculate cleamef? of heart, which Chrifts,and only Chrifts law requires. This is .the only proper bafis on which to fupenlrudl, firft innocencyy and then (J^ap^ 1 . 7he GharaBer ofChriHian Religion, &c. 5 then vertuey and without this the moft rigid ex- acftors of outward purity^ do but tranfcribe the folly of him, who Pumps very laborioufly in a Ship, yet negledls to flop the Leak : or the worfe tyranny of 'Pharaoh in requiring Brick without Straw : fo far is it from a feverity in our law-giver, thus to limit and reftrain our thoughts, that it isanacfl of the great- eft indulgence : by no means the laying on a new burden, but the furnifliing us with an Engine to bear with eafe that weignt which otherwife the ftouteft Atlas muft fink under. And were but this one precept fincerely conformed toj it would not only facilitate but afcertain the obedience to all the reft. If the firfi j^arks of ill were quencht within, what poffibility is there they fliould ever break out into a flame ? How /hall he kill that dares not be angry? Be Adulterous in acft, that did not firft tranfgrefs in his defire ? How fliall he be perjured that fears an oath ? Or defraud that permits not himfelf to covet ? In the like manner all pofitive aSls of vertue? are but the natural efle(5ts of the interior habit. Where the love of God is feated in the Heart, 'twill operate in all the faculties, keep them in a bufie endeavour of doing acceptable fervice : when fear is planted there, it will break forth in out- ward reverence and duty ; and fo proportionably 'twill be in every other inftance, Tis therefore an advice well becoming the wifdom of Solomon, Prov. 4. to keep the heart with all diligence : but then it is withal the work of him who is greater th:in Solomon, to teach us how to do this : for unlefihe keep that Ci- ty the watchman waketh but in vain* If he inftrucft not '4 T^he Charaaer ofChriHian Religion, &c. €(japa. not to fecure thofe ifliies of life, they will betray and ruine, appear indeed the favour of death unto death. Now of this divine art of Ta^icks and de- fence, Chriftianity is the only School, and there- fore moft fitly qualified for the producing all thofe fupernatural excellencies to which the timely pre- poflefllon of the heart, is the rudiment and prin- ciple. AND as the preceptive part enjoyns the moft exadf , and elevated vertue, fo is it moft advantage- oufiy enforc't by the Promiffory, which both in re- fpecflofthe kind and value of the rewards; andalfo the manner of propofing them, is moft exquifitely adapted to the fame end. FOR firft, if we confider the nature of the things promifed, we fliall find they are not grofs and carnaly fuch as may court and gratifie the bcftial part of us ; but fuch as are proportioned to the fu- pream and leading principle, asfeaft a Soul, and fuit with the capacities of an intelligence. All the beatitudes the Gofpel tenders to its votaries, either relate to the purity or peace of the mind in this life ; or elfe to its completer felicity hereafter. And though 'tis true, the body is not wholly unconfider- ed, though the addition of all temporal neceflaries be promifed, yet even thofe are for the Souls fake, either to fecure it from the fin of folicitude and di- ftruft, or to preferve it a ufeful inftrument for the others fervice. And as for the future glory in which the body is to partake, 'tis to be obferved, that flefli and blood can not inherit it ; that load of earth which now engages to corruption muft be putoff^ muft (jjh^P^l. 'the ChdYa5ler ofChriflian Religion, &c. § mull be calcin'd and fpiritunliz'd ; and tV i made glorious, be clothed upon with Glory, -r^o that in all the Gofpel difpenfation, there is noprdzi- fan for the flejhy its lufts and fenfualities. And then fure there cannot be a more unanfwerable ar- gument againft our providing for it, than to fee it left out of Gods care. Indeed had we propofals of a (^Idhtimetan Paradife, were we to expect our blifs only in the fatiating our appetites, it might be reafonable here to whet them before hand, to ftretch them to the utmoft widenefs, or in the Prophets phrafe, to enlarge our defaes as Heily and by frequent anteparts excite our gufi: for that profufe perpetual meal. Or were we only to have our portion in this life, to enjoy an uninterrupted affluence of outward comforts, 'twere but good husbandry to improve them to the height, and the Wife mans advice would then ceafe to be Ei- rony, Ecclef. il. 9. Re Joyce O young many and let thy heart chear thee in the days ofthyycuthy and walk in the ways of thy hearty and the fight of thine Eyes, Had we only the profpedt of a Canaany filch an eternal inheritance as a conquering Sword could give, as the falvation of a Jofl:ua, and the affluence of milk and hony could produce. 'Twould be no wonder, if we never voluntarily en- dured the thirft and famine of the w^ldernefs, but be always as they defiring meat for our lull, pro- jeifling the gratifying thofe defires in whofe re- pletion we placed our happlnefs. But when our Religion makes us no fuch tender, when all its hopes are of another make, invite to thole Diviner B iovs 6 tljeChardBe'rofChriftianKeligionyScc, C()apa. joys of *hich fenfuality has no capacity or taftc. What pretence can we have to cheriih that here, which we muft wholly be divefted of hereafter, thofe immaterial felicities wx ex{>ec5t, do natu- rally fuggeft to us, the neceffity of preparing our appetites;, and hungers for them, without which Heaven can be no Heaven to us : for fince the pleafure of any thing refults from the agreement between it and the defire, what fatisfadlion can Spiritual enjoyments give unto a Carnal mind ? Alafs;. what delight would it be to the Swine to be wrapt in fine Linncn, and laid in Odours : his fenfes are not gratified by any fuch delicacies, nor would he feel any thing befides the torment of being with-held from the mire. And as little complacency would a brutifh Soul find in thofe purer and refind pleafures, which can only up- braid, not fatisfie him. So that could we by an impoffible fuppofition phancy fuch a one aflumed to thofe fruitionsj, his pleafure fure would be as little as his preparation for it was. Thofe iy'^x which have continually beheld vanity, would be dazled, not delighted with the Eeatifick vifion ; neither could that Tongue y which has accuftom- ed its felf only to Oaths and Blafphemies, find Harmony or Mufick in a Hallelujah, 'Tis the pe- culiar priviledge of the pure in heart, that they Jhall fee God ; and if any others could fo invade this their enclofare, as to take Heaven by vio- lence, itfurely wouldbeaveryjoylefs poUeffion to thefe men, and only place them in a condition to which they have the greateft averfation and Antipathy. Cn^J^P*!* TheChara^ierofChrifiianReligionyScc. y Antipathy. So that holinefs hercj, is not only necejflfary to the acquiring, but the enjoyment of Blifs hereafter : and therefore unlefs men will contrive to annihilate their joys, and affecfl the monftrous riddle of being tormented in Heaven, they cannot but from this Spirituality of the pro- mifes, infer a neceflity of purifying themfelves> and being capable at leaft of innocent Celeftial joys : and fince that only can be done by vertuous practice here on Earth, the Obligation thereto muft needs be very prefling and indifpen- fable. And as the nature o£ the promifes direcfls to this, fo does the great tranfcendent value en- courage and animate. Hope is the grand exciter of induftry, and as the objccft of Hope is more or lefs de fir alley fo is the endeavour more intenfe or reinifi; and upon this ground wc muft conclude the Chriftian has all reafon to be the m^oft indefa- tigable, feeing his expecftations are thenobleft and moft encouraging. That they are fo, we cannot but acknowledge, if we admit of the de- fcription which the Spirit gives*: that Spirit which as he feals us to it, fo is him.felf the earn- eft of that Inheritance. He in the Sacred Scrip- tures has drawn us a Map of the Countrey which we are to enter : and fure we rtiay fay of it as Ca- leb and Jojhud did of Canaan, JSFumh. 14. 7. the land is an exceeding good land. For firft, if we confider the Negative advantages it has, we fhall find there is an abfence of all the Ills, deftrudlive or afJrightful unto humane Nature. Ihere fhall be no more deathy nor fjrrow^ nor crylngy nor pain^ h z Re'Vel. 8 TheCharaBerofC/mfiidnReligiof7,8cc, djap*I« Revel. 11. n^. Here alafs we are infefted by all thefe. Sorrow and Pdifh prey and infult on all the comforts of our lives ; leave us not a Gourd, which is ^ot like that of Jonahy fmitten with thefe Worms : and then comes deathy the grand devourcr, and fpares not life it felf Nay, thofe little refpites which we have from thefe, are fo embittered by unpleafant expedlations and Pre- fages, that we are fad before we aicaffli&ed: in pain without a difeafe, and in death in the midft oilife : and then a State exempted, not only from the Calamities but the Fears of thefe, may well deferve to be lookt upon with appetite. BUT Heaven is defigned for our reward, as well as refcue, and therefore is adumhrated by ^\t\\o{cpofitive excellencies \\\{iQ\i can endear or recommend. It is a Crowny and that not of thorns y fuch as our Saviours was, and fuch as the more afifedled Diadems of the world oft prove un- to the wearer, hut one cf Glory : nor is that Crowny nor that Glory like omfMunary fplendors, which fuddenly vanifli, and leave the pofleflbrs to the greater obfcurity and contempt: but 'tisperma- nenty fuch as fades not awayy i Pet. $. 4. or in St. Pauls phrafe, an eternal weight of Glory. But to give you its more comprehenfive Characfter, 'tis a being with the Lordy i Theff. 4. 17. Nay? 'tis a poflefTmg even God himfelf He Jhall he their Cody 1?^77. 21. 3.and what can he want whopof- fefles him who is all things ? How can he fail of of the moft ravifliing delight, that ftands before him in whofe prefence is the fulnej? of Joyy and at whofe COaP*I. TheCharaHcrofChriftianReligioftyScc, 9 whofe right hand arcpleafuresy and thofe not fhort or transient, hut for evermore r* So indefeifible is our eftate in thofe Joysy that if we do not like mad prodigals fell it in reverfion, we fliall when we are once invefted, be beyond the poflibility of ill husbandry, not have it in our power to undo our felves. Now furely thefe are great and pre- cious promifesy fuch as may well fuftain the weight of that inference the Jpcfile builds upon them; and engage us to clear^fe our felves from all filthitJeJ^hoth of flejh and jfirity and to perfedl holinefiinthefear of God, 2 Con 7. i. for theyad- drefs to that Pr//;a>/e which is confeftly Predo- minant in our Ndture ; (o that if the love o£Chrifi cannot, yet the love of out felves may conftrain us. How muft it then affront and baffle the en- ticements of fin, when we compare its empty yaniMn^pleafures with thofe folid and durable joys ? What a forcftalling will it be of Satans markets, that God bids fo much fairer for us: offers us that to which his 7cti'',a.rr^if]ctaotUcr,,^ll this will I give ( could he make fuch a whole- fale ) can bear no proportion, and how then fliall we ever barter it away for thofe little petty commo- dities he retails to us ; or make any other reply to his profers, than a get thee behind me Satan f For alas ! can we remember that we are candi- dates for a Kingdom, and yet retain the abjecft fpirits offlaves r* Do we ex:pe(ft to reign hereaf- ter, and yet depofe our felves before hcind here ? Suffer every the vileft luft to rule over us ? Is fo glorious a prize annext to the yi^iory, and will B 3 it lO The CharaBer ofChriftian Religiony&cc Cfiap.I- it not animate the fainteft heart, and feebleft hands to the combate ? What Lions can we fear in the way which this hope is not Sd7npfon enough to encounter ? How light are our heavieft, how momentary our moft lafting Afflicftions, if ba- lanced with that eternal weight of Glorj ^ Are we fpoil'd of our goods, here is a referve oftreafure which no T/;/>/, neither the Ilye, nor the avowed, the pilferer, nor the fequeftrator can invade. Are we reduced to our Saviours deftitutiop^ not to have where to lay our heady yet we haz^e a building vfGody an houfe not made with hands eternal in the Heavens. Are we reproacht for the name of Chrifty that Ignominy ferves but to advance our future G/(?r)/, every fuch L/i'^/ here, becomes P^- negyrick there. Nay, are we perfecuted to death, that fends us but to take poffeffion of the Crown of Life. Upon fuch fure grounds does our Chri- ftianity fet us. While we make good its condition it puis out the fting of all that is moft deadly. And in a more comprehenfive kni^ty poflelles us of thepriviledgepromifed the Difciplesy that no- thing fhould hy any means hurt them, Mar.i6. The moft adverfe chances being but like the ploughing and breakmg the ground, in order to a more plen* tiful harvelt. And yet we are not fo wholly turned oflTto that reverfion, as to have no fup- plies for the prefent ; for befides the comfort of lb great and certain an expecflation in another lifey we have promifes alfo for this. Even of all ^ thofe internal and fpiritual fatisfadlions which ^ttend the praSlice offiety. The feaft of a good Confcience ^t^ap^l- T^^ CharaBer ofChrifliun Relfgmi,'8cc, il I Confcience is the true Cfmjiuns daily diet> and fure whatever the rich men of the world think, he only can be faid to fare delicioufly : nay, he has yet more fupernatural food, ^danna rain'd down immediately from Heaven : the Holy Spirit fent on purpofe to refrefti and fupport him : thofe " Joys which differ rather in degree than kind, from thofe which are to be his final portion. And that the Soul may not be too much incommoded in her houfe of clay, there is provifion made for thatalfo, fuch neceflaries fecured to the body, as may keep it in Tenantable repair : we have Chrips exprefs promife for it, that to thofe that feek the Kingdom of Gody and his right eoufuef^y dll thefe things jhdll be added: if not that fuperfluity . which may opprefs and load, ( render the body ra- ther the Tomb than Manlion of the Soul ) yet fuch as may fuftain and fupport us : and fure 'tis eafie to decide which is the happier lot. In fliort, we are fure of enough to defray the charge of that voyage, which lands us at Eternal Blifi: and certainly he muft be of a very fluggifh or queru- lous humour, that fhall demur upon fetting out, or demand higher encouragements. A N D as the nature and value of the Promifes' gender them moH proper engagements and incen- tivcsi to a\l vertue 'y foifwe confider the manner of propofing, we fhall find them in that refpedt alfo highly contributive to the fame end. For firft, they are clear and exprefs, not wrapt up in dark^/;/^^m^r/r^/infinuations, wherein men muft exercife their ftgacity afwell as their faith : but B 4 fcvealed 12 the CharaBer ofChrifltan Reli^ion,&ic,(}l\)^)fi^i, revealed with that plainnefs, that 'tis impoflible for any who knows but the letter of the Gojpel to be ignorant of the Eternal rewards it propofes. And herein the difference belongs to Chrijtianity above all other Religions y fome whereof have left men fo much in the darkj, that many Secis among them have denied the immxOrtality of the Soul, and fure they were but faint encouragements they could propofe unto that vertue which was to pe- riHi with them. What fliould animate them to the rugged fevere tallies of reftraining appetites, fubduing paflionSj, eradicating habits who dif- cerned no rewards for blamelefs Souls, 'Tistrue indeed vertue is in her felf perfecflly amiable, though fhe brought no dowry, but experience fhews us flic has not many Platonick lovers: and when fo few are ambitious to wed Her, v hen flie brings an Eternal inheritance with hpr, v/e may eafily guefs how little flie will be trmght without it. When men once conclude that their Spirits ftiall vanifli into the foft Air ; the inference is ve- ry obvious. Come orty let us ufe the creatures ds in youth ; as we find it elegantly purfued, Wifd. 2. But of thofe who acknowledged a future being, their preceptions w^ere very mifty and obfcure. The Heathens had fuch confus'd notions of their Elyfium, that the Epithet of (hades belonged more properly to the darknefs than the refrefliment, and was a reward fit for the votaries of thofe ambigu- ous Oracles they confulted. And proportionably to the obfcurity of their hopes were the Exercifes of their vertue ; their JPiety was even overwhelmed nnd CID^P* I.T/;^ CharaBer ofChriflian Reltgiony&zQ. 1 5 and confounded by the multitude of their Deities ; nay, which is yet ftranger;, their Gods themfelves feem to have been loft in their own croud : elfc fure the Athenians would never have infcrib'd an Altar to the unknown God : and indeed their offi- ces were generally fuch, as if they had been devo- ted to no otherj, they having as little difcerning of their WorJJ:ip as of their God. 'Twas wrapt up ia clouds and darknefs ; had myfterious recelies to which the common vvorfhipper had no admit- tance ; fuch as were to acquire a veneration only by not being underilood : and though this muft needs deprive their fervices of that fpirit and quicknefsj, which conftitutes the uertue of devo- tion, yet alas their Religion had more than that negative contrariety to Vertue, Many of their vporjhips being nothing but a folemnity of the fouleft vices : and their Divinity taught them to violate Mor^/zV^. A deceit Sat an could not pro- bably fo long have triumpht in, had they had the Gofpel notion of Heaven, for fure tliey could not have fuppos'd their Ge?^y of fuch mutable inclina- tions, as to affciipmity in their cohabitants, and pollution in their Votaries : or fuch incongruous difpenfers of rewards, as to apportion an impec- cable ftate hereafter to the moft flagitious crimi- nals on Earth. A S to the Jews 'tis true, they derived their light from a clearer Fountain, were under the Oeconomy of immediate Revelation, and therefore might be fuppos'd to have had a freer profpedl in^ to that Heaven, from whence their jL^tt defcend- ed. 14 Ihe Characier ofChriliian Reli^iony &c.^|iap^l. cd, yet even they were in this, as in many other particulars^, under Mofes his veil, had rather dark adiimbratiom^y and thofe too overwhelmed with the multitude of exprefs temporal promifes. The earthly Canaan lay fo fair and open to their profpecfk, as eafily intercepted their view of the Heavenly ; and their faith muft remove, at leaft overlook, th2,t mountain before it could come to any fight of the Horizon and extended Sky, Nay, when 'tis remembred that the Sadduces a great and learned part of their Dodtors denied all fu- ture being, we muft think the intimations of it were very obfcure ; it being fcarce imaginable, that any confidering men fliould think the S'o/^/i- cxpir'd with the Body upon any other ground, but that they knew not what after State to affign it. So that though they wanted not figures a,nd Jha- dowf, or as the Apoftle calls them, patterns of Heavenly things, Heh.^,2^. yet they feem'd not to have been well underftood, and the generality of men were not only in their Perfons, but their Underftandings denied entrance into the holy of holies ; penetrated not that myftical reprefenta- tion^ which was within the Veil : and anfwerable to this dimnefs of their perceptions, was the Viholc Jyfteme and body of their Religion, which rather entertain'd its felf in thofe external hodily performances, which affecSled the fenfe, than in thofe Divine and Spiritual raptures, which puri- fied and elevated the Soul Tis the Jpofiles affir- mation, Heh. p. that the facrifices there offered could not make him that did the fervice perfeSi, as pertaining (Jj^^P^i. Ihe ChdraBer of Christ an Religion^ &c. 15' pertaining to the confciencey and he gives the rea- fon in fubjoyning, that they ftood only in meats and drinksy and carnal ordinances, Alas what propriety had all their legal purifications towards the ckanfing of the mind ? That might be in the Mire while the body was in the Laver : and while the furface of the man was fprinkled with blood, the heart might be more beaftial than thofe crea- tures who lent the ablution. And indeed if we confider rheir morality, w^e /hall find that outfide formal ceremony had proceeded to infedl and poyfon that alfo. The outward reftraint, the bare forbearance of an a(5lual commiffion;, being by them thought a fiill compliance with all the Negative precepts : fo that we fee Chrift is fain to aflert the Internal part of the Obligation, and extend the duty to the thoughts and inclinations. Befides, thofe adls oivertue they performed were commonly fuch as had an Afpecft, rather on their temporal well-being, thandiftant and unfeen re- wards their Juftice, and Charity confin'd to their own Nation, direiled to the flouriihing of their own Common-wealth : whereas Aliens were devo- ted to their rapine and defpight ; fo that if they were vertues, they were rather Political than Mo- raly and indeed while they placed fo much of their hopes, on Earth, lookt on fecular plenty and tranquillity as their reward, 'twas but confonant they ftiould fquare their endeavours bythatmea- fure, and confider things not fimply in their na- tive properties of good or ill, but according to their tendency towards that they efteem'd their felicity. BUT l6 The CharaHer ofClrriftian ReligiorJyScc, it beirg given with this exprefs condition, that upon neglecSl it fliall be withdrawn : fo that our own floth may m.ake ns poor, but nothing elfe can keep us from being abundantly rich : what can be imagin d more ani- mating to diligence and endeavour. ''And this being the condition wherein our Chrijiianity has placed ns, added to the former confidcrations, will be- yond exception or /^^^^yf//^6^, evince its perfecft aptitude and fitnefslot the End to which it was aim'd, theFlantingattd nourijJnng all true Vertue among meriy the introducing the tree of life into the world again, and fo forming us a Faradife even amidft the briers and thorns of our Exifd ftate. ' CHAP. 11. the CharaBer of ChrijUan-mens PraBicey (hewing their multiplied failance both from the rule of that holy prof ejjiony and its genuine ejj^B. AN D now who can fufpecft that a caufe fo rightly difpos'd, fliould mifs of its effeB ? That this fo auf^icious Planet fliouId be Gounter-ihfluenc't by any malevolent Star^ Or; that what has fo many tenures in us, fliould be finally difleis'd ? For, admit we have not the Piety G to 22 the CharaSler ofChrifiian PraBiceyScc. CtlOpa. to be prevail'd upon by the reverence of the Ju^ thor ; yet the excellency of its compofition does fo much recommend it to our reafon, that we muft put ofiPthe beft part of our Nature to evacuate the force of our Religion: nay^, fuppoling us to have done that too, to have ftruck our felves out of the lift o( Rationals, yet if v^e keep but the rank oiAnimah, if we have not extin- guiftit paflion and fenfe> it defcends even to them ; addrefles to our hopes and fears with moft importunate folicitations, and convincing mo- tives : So that unlefs w^e have the abfurd ill luck to have much of the Stoick, and nothing of the JPhilofopher, 'twill be impofTible to refitt its im- preflions, and fure he that comtemplates thpf, will be apt with fome confidence to conclude Chrifiendom to be the Go/hen of the world, not on- ly in refpedl of its light, but of its immunity from all thofe Locufis and CaterpiUerh thofe fwarms of mean and fordid Vices which both cover and de- vour the reft of the Earth. BUT this muft be the inference of a meer contemplative^ a Reclufe that converfes only with his own meditations : for let him be fo muchy^cw- lar^ as on^ to look abroad> the moft tranfient glance will ferve to unravel all this hopeful j(^^c«- lation,dc{hc\v him thatChrifiendom may be as much Heathen as America : whereas 'tis ufually faid, that ill Manners produce good Laws, we have re- verft the ^Aphorifm, and our good Law has intro- duced the moft corrupt manners. Our holy faith which like a foundation ihould fupport good works. Ct>ap*^« ^^^ CharaBer ofChriftian FraBke,6cc, 22 works, has like a gulf /tt^/Zott^^ them up. And fo univerfal a depravation is there among us,, that we have fcarce any thing left to diftinguifh us from the moft barbarous people, bat a better name and worfe vices. AND here, what terms of wonder or of grief can be fignificant enough to exprefs or to bewail;> fo ftrange and fo perverfe degeneration, that the light of the world fhould thus darken it : the fait of the Earth be the means of putrifylng and cor- rupting it : that thofe who were by God drawn out from the Heathen world fliould fo outvie the Gentiles crimes, as if they had forfaken them, only becaufe they were too innocent. T'hif indeed is one of Satans fubtillefl: ftratagems, to fill Chrift's Camp thus with his Souldiers, by whofe inteftine treacheries, he has been more trium^ phant than by all his open aflaults and avowed hoftilities. What a late States-man faid ( Pro- phetically y if we may judge by the event ) o£ Eng- land, that it rrof a vivacious animal that could ne^ ver dye except it killed it felfy is no lefs true of the Churchy which has always been invulnerable againft all dartSy but what have been taken out or its own quiver. Of this the Primitive times Were pregnant teflimonies, where all the moft witty cruelties, the moft bloody perfecutions, never made any breach in her : but ftie ftood fir- mer for all thofe batteries, and like an Arch'd Building, became more ftrong and compacft, by that weight which was defign'd to crufli her : but the Vice of Profejfors undermines her very founda- C 2 tion, 24 ^^^ Character ofChriftian Fr.iffice^Scc,(!l[){\\},l, tion^ and does as much exceed the deJirifBive- f/^/j of the molt hoftile affaultSj, asinteftine trea- chery is more ruinous and fatal, than foreign vio- lence. A S long as the lizes of Chriftians were the tranfcripts of their dodlrine they rendered it vene- rable to all^ and gave a prefumption there was fomething more than humane in it, that could work fuch fignal effe5isy that could fo transform men as to make the adulterer chafte, the drunkard temperate, the covetous liberal, the contentious peaceable, nisy this was the way to adorn the doBrine of God our Saviour in all things, 2lS the Apo- ftle fpeaks, T/V. 2. 10. And then the rule of contra- ries airedls us to conclude very diftant ejfeBs from our nowfo diO:o.nt praBices, that our very religion {hould partake of the /V/^^y of our lives, and be thought rather a my fiery of iniquity than godlinefs. THUS is C6r//? wounded in the houfe of his friends^ and has more reproach caft on him by thofe that profefs his name, than by the loudeft blafphemies of thofe that oppofe it. For when thofe who have not opportunity to examine our faithy fee the enormoufnefs of our works, what fhould hinder them from meafuringthe Mafter, Si ^^...x.^. ^^ ^.j. .w..^^ ^ j^. « . For let any foher Heathen look upon Chrifiendom, as it is at this day weltring in the bloud,not o£ Mar- tyrdom hut War, and will it bepoflible for him to by the difciples ? it being fcarce imagM^c that any one SeB of men iliould fo univerMfc run Ct?at)*2.T/?(? Chara5ieY ofChriftian Pra5iice,Scc, 1^ to think it owns a Gofpel o? Peace ; or that thofe who fo perpetually do thofe outrages they are unwilling to fuflfer^ profefs obedience to the the Royal Law of love thy neighbour as thy felf, •Jam. 2. 8. Can he fee the violence and oppreifi- ons, the frauds and underminingSj, the bufie fcramhlings for little parcels of Earth ; and yet believe we count our felves Grangers and pilgrims in it^ and have laid up our treafure in Heaven ? Can he ohferve the ftrange and almoft univerfal diffcortion of fpeech, whereby it has loft its na- tive property of being interpreter of the mind, and under intelligible words fo far exhibits the J5^^^/ confuiion, that no man underftands ano- thers meaning ? And can he imagine we have any fuch Precept, as lye not one to another, or any fuch penalty upon the infringer, as escclufonfrom the new Jerujalem ? Shall he hear our God men- tioned more frequently and earneftly in our im- precatiom than out prayers, and every part of our crucified Saviour, recruciSed in our horrid oaths ; and /hall he not think that his fecond executio* ners bear him as little reverence as his firft : or that he has given no fuch command SLsfwear not at all i When he difcerns/J/f prefervation bow'd to as the Supreme Law, can he ever dream of ano- ther fo inconfiftent obligation as that of taking up the crofs^ Or that fuffering for right eoufnefs faka is one of our greateft /^//V/V/Vx when he fees us run fo affrighted from it, that no crime, perjury, rebellion, murder, is block enough in our way to ftop Qur flight ? In fine, when he confiders how Q 3 much z6The CharaBer ofChrifiianFra^ice,8cc. C|>ap»2- much of our bufir.efs it is, firft to excite, and then to cloy the fiefh, to fpurr it on to riots even beyond its own propenfions, that the whole year is but one mad carnival, and we are 'voluptuous not fo much upon defire or appetite, as by way ofex- plait and bravery : when 1 fay he confiders this, can he poffibly guefs our infiitution direcfts us to beat down the body, to mortifietbe flejh with the affeBions 'and lups, interdi(fl:s us all rioting and drunkennefsy chambering and wantonnefsy and all provifion for the flefh to fulfil the lujis thereof Cer- tainly all rules of difcourfe will dire(5l him to the quite contrary conclufion. And when he fees a Set of men that have enhans'd the common hu- mane pravity, he will be apt to infer their Prin- ciples have taught them the improvement : And upon that fuppofal he wanted not temptation to his Option that faid. Let my foul he mth the Philo- fophers, AND while we thus mifreprefent our holy pro- feffion to others, it will be no wonder if we finally Ao it to our fehesy that we forget its native fhape, and look on her only in the ugly drefs our felves have put on, and that efifedl feems already too vifible among us : our lives have fo long confuted it that we triumph over it as a baffled thing ; and like Amnon loath it becaufe we have raviflit and defifd it Many of us take notice of the bet- ter Morals of Turks and Infidels not in reproach of our felves but our Religion, and becaufe we have fo many Lepers, think Ahanah and iharphary better than all the waters of Ifraely this Cf)ap*^» T^^ CharaBer ofChriftian Fradiicey&cc, 27 this is openly in the mouths of many^but is fo pro- digioufly irrational as well as unjufi^ that one can fcarce think it poflible to be in their hearts, un- lefs they be purfued by the fate of habitual lyars, that at laft come to perfwade them- felves. CERTAINLY there is no other parallel inftance wherein men conclude fo perverfely : he that fhews a man that precipice upon whofe brink he ftands^ that intreats^ yea importunes him to retire from the danger ; nay bribes him with the greatefl: rewards to chufe fafety, has done all that can be expedted from a friend, or charitable man : and if after all,the wretched per- fon fo advisMj, fliall caft himfelf headlong upon ruine ; afluredly no Inqueft would return his mur- der in any other form than that of Felo de fe. And why then fliould our Chriftianity be accus'd of thofe ills which it would infallibly averf> if our obftinacy would permit it : indeed the charge is fo wilde, that it feems rather defign'd as an artifice of diverfion, a fprout of that firft fig-tree which was to hide the nakednefs of lapfed jidam. Men think it policy to transfer their guilts, and are willing, the violence of their lufts fliould pafs for the impotence of their religion. Like irregular patients blaming their Phyfician for thofe ill accidents which they know owing only to their own unrulinefs. A pregnant tefti- monyofthe reproachful nature of fin, that men are content to betake themfelves to the moft forlorn fliifts to avoid the owning it; but the C ^ * ion- xS the Characler ofChriftian PrJi9/V^,&c.Ct)ap*2. confcioufnefs is fo prefling and intolerable, that with many it drives on to yet higher outrages : 'tis not encugh for men to decry their Chrtftia- nity as a feeble infignificant thing, but they load it even with con trad idlory imputations^ and that which fometimes they call the foolifhnefs of preach- ingy to bring it in fcorn and contempt, , fliall at another be ftiled an Art and trick to bring it into fufpicion and hatred, be arraigned for impofture ^nd deceit, a projecfl of impofing upon credulous fouls, and gaining real advantages to the mana: gers while they feed the {\\\y Frofelyte with ima- ginary ones, How groundlefs a calumny this is, as it appears from the fandlity, and eminent fim- plicity of Chriftian Religion, which above all things excludes fraud and falfhood ; fo alfo from the de/ignments and aims of its iirft promul- gators, who as they can not be fuppos'd dextrous enough to Jay fuch a fcene of taking Pageantry ; fo all theit vifiible acquefts were fcourgings and imprifonments^ perfecutions and death. If this were the cafe it would indeed go near to reconcile the before mention'd contradicftory imputations, whilft the impofing upon credulous fouls at this dear rate, would be in very deed the foolijhnefs rf Preaching f the greateft madnefs in the world. Men of common reafon would be afliam'd to ufe fuch frivolous cavils : but who can without hor- ror hear them from profeft Chriftians? that while Infidels are modeft in their reproaches, look upon our Dodlrine only as erroneous, Difciples /hould be bitter and charge it as infiduous and trea- iciMV*^^^'/^^ CharaBer ofChrifttan Fra^iice,&cc^ 29 treacherous. Thus does the Church experiment the truth of her blefled Lords Fredi^ionsy and finds her foes are thofe of her own houfe : and though flie be Chrifts Dove, yet is fubjeifted to the fate of the Viper, and has her bowels torn out by thofe that fpring from them. THESE are the growing confequences of refolute impiety y he who will not be kept with- in the bounds of duty, feldom contents him- felf with that bare violation : he not only breaks the bor.ds in funder, but cajis them away too ; is impatient they fhould keep a reputation to up- braid him;, when he has rob'd them of the power of reftraining him : and this fure is the bottom of all that deep reafoning, by which men have learnt to argue themfelves and others out of their Creed : And though this be indeed the great ^Arcanum the Philofophers Stone they aim at ; yet they have met with another good experiment by the way : and have, by I know not what ChimifiryyCxtraiicd a re- putation put of thefe moft unapt materials. He pafles for a confidering man that difputes princi- ples, and is thought moft to own his reafon that leaft owns his faith : and then 'twill be no won- der if this fuccefs animate, and give them not on- ly confidence, but vanity to avow what is thus cre- ditable. Indeed Satan is too fubtle a manager to lofe this advantage, and the event fadly fliews, he has not negledled to improve it, as appears not only by the number of fuch pretenders unto reafon, but even by their advancing to higher degrees. The 30 Ihe ChardBer ofChrifiian PraBice, &c.^^ap*2. The Toluptuary who likes his portion in this world, anii fears that in another, is at firft on- ly prompted by his intereft to quarrel the lafi ^/4rticleso(t\\c Creeds andfo in his own defence denies the life everlajiing: but when he finds his necefTity made a vertue, and himfelf ftruck into the repute cf a wit ; upon that account he doubts not, his fame will encreafe with his ir- religion, and fo proceeds ftill to unravel far- ther, till at laft he leaves not fo much as / be- lieve in Gody that many have advanc'd fo far is too evident : and by fome fo own'd that they will not thank his charity, that fhall hope better of them. 'T W A S once the triumph of infant Chriftia- nity, that it filenc'd all the Heathen Oracles, and within a while demolini'd even the Synagogue too : but alafs its mature age gives us that ef- fecfl in a moft inverted fenfe, it now has ferv'4 to fupprefs even the common notions of a Deity, turn'd out the one as well as the many Gods, and inftead of Polytheifis and Idolaters has made J- theifisy and that which Chrift tells us was de- fignd toperfeB and fill up the Law, has by the ftrange pravity of its profeflbrs at once oblite- rated both haw and Law-giver out of mens minds,thereby exemplifying the old Axiom, Cor^ ruptio optimi e(i pefjlma ; and the Saint as well as the jfngely if he defert his innocence, com- mences Feind and Devil, Thefe are fuch fad, fuch direful tranfmutations as excite not fo much wonder, as grief and lamentation ; and what ^|)^P^2. Tihe Chara5ler ofChrifiian PraBice, &C.3 1 what rivers, what Oceans of Tears are competent to bewail fuch unutterable evils. THE removal of the Candleftick is fo for- midable a judgement that the threatning of it, is us'd by Chrift as the moft awaking menace to the Seven Churches Revel, 2.3. but the remo- ving it by our ov^n hands is yet an enhanfment ofthathigheft calamity; when men are come to fuch an infenfate objuration, that they court their Plaguesy become their own Li&ors and make that their choice which is their extremeft punijhmenty they are certainly too fecure of that ruine they call for; And may we not fear it may prove^^w^K^/, and involve us all: that while fo many cry out to be deliver'd from their Chri- ftianity as their load and preflure, and fo few ex- prefs their diflent to that demand : God may in judgment grant it, hearken to thofe that cry loudeft, refcue his Gofpel from our profane and impious violations and give it to others that may bring forth the fruits of it. N O R is this to be fear'd only from the ex- plictte importunities of the blafphemous, for it is interpretatively the vote of many others ; who- ever give themfelves up to the dominion of any luft, do implicitly renounce their obedience to Chrift, and fay we will not have this man to rule over us. And when he is thus depos'd from his regal and direcflive power, we have reafon to be- lieve he will defpife a meer titular foveraignty, not fufFer the Scepter of his Word to remain as an Empty Ce'/^mcf^j' among thofe, who pay it no real 3 2 The Chara5ier cfChriftian Pratiice,8cc,(^Ydi\^. 2. real obedience : nor be again cloath'd with Pur- ple, crovvn'd, and falutei King to advance the triumph of his fcorn and crucifixion. Nor will the fawning Profeflions of the de- mure hypocrite az'erty but accelerate this Fate*: He that makes the Golden Scepter in Chrifts hand, a rod of iron in his own, that thinks his Saintjhip licenfes him to all the fevere cenfures, and the yet feverer (becaufe m.ore eftecflive) opprejjions of others, he is certainly to be lookt on not only as a Rebel, but an Ufurpcr too, and is of all others the higheft provoker. He that tramples under foot the Son of God, does not fomuch violate him, asht that pretendx to eredt him a Throne upon bloud and rapine, on per* jury and facriledge : nor does he that accounts the Bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing, fo much profane it, as he that ufes it as a Varnijh to paint over his fouleft lufts. The Apoftle has long fince told us, there is no concord between Chrifi and Belial, and can we think he will be patient thu? to be made fubfervient to his ene- my : or fuffer his jirk to be fet for the fupport, which fhould be the confufion of Dagon, Do we find him fo feverely upbraid- the hypocrifie of the Jews y that flole, murdered, committed adul- tery, and [wore falfly, and yet came and flood he- fore him in his houfe, Jer. 7. 9. and ftiall we hope he will connive at it in Chriftians ? Was it into- lerable profanation in them to account his houfe a den of robbers, and fliall we be permitted to make it fo : they are fent to Shiloh to rqad their ^i)8p,2. The CharaBer ofChriflian Praffice.&c. 35 own deftiny, and furely we are as likely to find ours there too ; to be deprived of thofe advanta- ges which we have fo unworthily abus'd : nor can we expedl, that though God caufe the natural Sun to rife ftill as well on the evil as the good , yet that the Sm ofrighteouffie^fholl continue to fliine on thofe who will only bask themfelves in his RayS;, grow & would certainly be ruin'd by their reformation^ The more reafonable Collecflion would be^ that he who confiders himfelf but as oney Ihould not fufFerhimfelfto grow into /^y?; to fall from that tinit to a Cypher y oy permitting floth or cowardize to enfeeble and Emafculate him, but on the con- trary fliould recoUecfl his fpirits, ailuate all his ftrength, and therefore be fure to do his utmoft, becaufe that titmojl is but a little. A N D to this certainly there want not encou- ragements, we fee in common affairs the wonders that induftry and refolution are able to effedl, and a fingle courage being exerted has often without Romance y overcome giant ly difficulties. *Tis a great prejudice is caft upon vertueby the pufilla- nimity of thofe that like^ but dare not ahet her. When moft men commit all impieties daringly, and openly, and thofe few that do mourn for it, do it but in fecret/ ^:he example of the one is con- tagious, but the other has no means to diffufe its felf. Would men ftoutly own dutyy and not like Peter y follow Chrifi afar off'y they might yet hope to make a party and gain ground in the world. And how noble an attempt were this, thus to en- counter Satan in his higlieft triumph, and recover a lofi field : and methinks thofe who have any jr^r-m^^ of Piety glowing within, may eafilythus improve it into ^ flame y i-rrix'^^w^^irau h r? ^i5-« t\jj^ *p2- tIo?, adde to their faith vertuey as that Cgnifies courage : and then readily would fucceed, that train of Qhiriftian excellencies reckoned up by St. 3^ the Char aaer ofChrislian FraBice, 8cc.(ll\)apa. St. Peter, zEp.i.S' knowledge , temperance, pa- tience, godlinef, and fuperftrudl on thefe, as it there follows, brotherly kindnefi, and the moft comprehenfive charity. We fliould be not only devout towards God, but zealous towards Men, endeavouring by all prudent means to recover them out ol thofe fnares of the Devil/ whereby they are taken captive. And fincq among all thofe fnares there is none more entangling, than the creditablenefs and repute of cuftomary vices, to fct themfelves efpecially againfl: that over- grown covering and ornament ; thofe Locks wherein its great, its Sampfon-like firength lies : and ftrive to render it as contemn d as it is bafe : and to this purpofe nothing is fo apt, as the.ex- alting its competitor, fetching vertue out of the Dungeon, that darknefs and obfcurity wherein it has long lain forgotten, and by making it illuftri- oufly vifible in their own pradlice, put it into the poflibility of attracting others. Indeed there on- ly it appears in its true fplendor, they are but dead colours the Sublimeft fpeculation can put on it, he that would draw it to the life, muft imprint it upon his own. And thus every pious perfon may, nay ought to be a Noah, a preacher of righteoufnefs : and if it be his fortune to have as imperfwafible an Auditory, if he cannot avert the deluge, it will yet be the providing himfelf ait ^/(rk, the delivering, yea advancing his own foul, if he cannot benefit other mens. NAY, this being a JVoah may qualifie him to be a Mo/is too, give him fuch an intereft: with Heaven,' Cfjap*^- 'f'^^ CharaMer ofChnfiian JPraBke, &c. } 7 Heaven, that he may be fit to ftand in the gap, to be an intercejfor and Mediator for a provoking people. Aad God knows nevci any generation more needed that ojfice : nor any part oFthis more than our finful Nation, which having long been in the furnace y is indeed now come out, but fo unpurified, that we have all reafon to expecfta return, and that not upon the former fruftrated defign ofrejinif'^ ; but upon that more infallible and fatal one of confuming us. This is fo dread- ful, but withal fo jufl: an expevftation, that if there be any Jacobs among us ; any, jrho can wrefile and prevail with Gody there never was fo prefllng need of their interceflion. O let all that are thus fitted for it, vigoroufly undertake this pious work, let no ^Icfes's hands ever wax hea- vy, but be always held up in a devout importuni- ty, let them tranfcribe that holy Oratory, which he fo often efJedtually ufed, plead to God his own caufe, with a what wilt thou do to thy ^reat Name, and when there is nothing in us that can pretend to any things but vengeance, ranfact Gods hofoniy rifle \\W hoirels for arguments o{ eompafftony repeat to him his ow^n title f, that he is long'fujfering and of great mercy y forgiving ini^ quityy tranfgrefjlon and fin, JSfumh. 14. 18. And by thefe folicite, yea, conjure him to pity. And how great an ardency is required to this intercef fiori? What y?r(9/;^ cries mufl they be that ftiall drown £ojoud a clamor of impieties. And how does it reproach the llightnefs of our fleepy heart- lefs addrsfles ? Can we hope to bind Gods hands' D with 38 7he Charddier ofChriftian Pr/t£iice,&:c. Cftap*2, with VViths and Straws ? To arrefl: his vengeance with fuch faint and feeble aflaults ^ And whea nature and danger fuggeft to Heathen Ninevehy not only to cry, but cry mightily to God, ihall the fuperaddition of our Religion damp ours into awfjijper, a foft uti audible found. A ftormwill teach the profane Mariner to pray in earneft? and alas, we have not wanted that difcipline. 'Tis not long fince we might have faid with thofe. Acts 27. Nofmall tempefi has lovg lain on us, nei- ther Sun nor Stars in rnary days, nay in many^^^ri" appear ingy nothing but black and difmal portents of afinalTrr^c^ to a poor weather-beaten Church , and then fure 'twas time to be importunate, to learn fo much of inftrucflion from the waves that toflcdus, as to make our prayers keep pace with them, in fvvift uninterrupted fucceflion, in loud and not to be refifted violence. That we did fo then 1 dare not affirm, but fure I am the neceflity of it is not yet out-dated; for though the Sky however black with clouds carry no thunder in it, though the impetuous wiiTJ-s that blow from eve- ry quarter, fhould not br^k out in tempeft, and bring fhipwrack to us ; yet we too fully exempli- fie the truth of the Prophets Axiome, Ihat the wicked are like the troubled Sea, that cannot refl : we have within us a principle of ruine, which can operate though nothing from without excite it. A tempeft is not always neceflary to fink a Ship, one treaclicrous leak may do it in the greateft ^ calm, and what fecurity can there then be to our tornVeflel, whofe rents our continued divifions do ^6SP*5 • M.ifchiefs arifing from Inconfideration, i^ 9 do ftill keep open. Indeed our prefervation muft be as our refioration was, the work of Omnipo- tence; thither therefore let us addrefs with St. P^^^rj patheticfc Prayer, Save Lord or we pe- rijh. O that all who are concerned in the grant of that Petition^ would qualifie themfelves to prefentit. Lift up fuch pure hands, that God who hears not finners, 'Jo. g, may yet hear them, afJbrd a gracious car, and give an anfwer of Peace, CHAR III. 'jffurvey of the Mi/chiefs arifitJg from Inconfide- ration. TH E laft Secftion having defeated all the promifing hopes of the former, by /hew- ing us how fadly we have fruftrated all the defigns and engagements of our profefHon, enervated all thofe apt and powerful methods, and how perfecftly contrary our practices are to our rulesy mere curiofity would m.ore prompt us to enquire what are the hidden caufes of thofe fo Arrange effeBsy what unhappy propriety there is in the foil y that after fo much culture and husban- dry it fliould produce nothing but wild Grapes : and by what arts and wi les Satan has not only eva- ded, but even retorted thofe blows which were aim'd at him. But as in difeafes the pains and D 2 languifli' 40 Mifcbiefs driftfi^fro7n Inconfideration, Cl)cip*3» languifhings are obvious to the grofleft fenfcj, but t\ic firings and originals of them moil: frequently lye deep; and are fo complicated and interwoven, that they require much art to fcarch and to di- ftinguifh them : nay^, do often mock the moft fubtile inquifitor, and fend Hm back with meer conjedtures and uncertain guefles : fo in this Epidemick Spiritual dirtemper, the malady is no- torious and vifiblc:, but the caufes of it not fo ea- fily determined, yet that not fo much from the darknefs as the number of them ; fo many do pre- tend, and that with very good colour, to this un- happy, this monftrous birth, thataS'o/67>7^;;him- felf muft have made the propofal of dividing it, as not being able to have aflign'd it entire to any one Mother. INDEED fo many are the concurrents to- wards it, that it would far exceed the limits of this little Tradl:, but to point at them: I fliall not therefore undertake any fuch exaB enumera- tion, but fhall only take notice of thofe which either for the generality or degree of their effica- cy appear the moft eminent, AND firft the great and ftupid Inconfiderati- on which moft men have concerning their Religi- on, may w ell pafs for a main caufe of its fruftra- tion. Chrifiianity may make Jr chime des his chal- lenge, give it but where it may fet its foot, allow but a fober advertence to its propofals, and it will m.ove the whole ircrW : it comes with moft invincible and controuling arguments, but ftill they are arguments, and thofe muft firft obtain attentioi^T CftatI ^. Mifchief^ art fin^ from Iticonfideration. 41 attentiotiy before they can force afjent ; they will moft infallibly weigh down thcfcales, though the whole world were the ccunteT'halanceyhwt then that muft prefuppofe their being put into thofe Scales : being entertain'd with fo much of delibe- ration, as may try and examine their weight. In a word;, they addrefs to us as men^, that is crea- tures endued by God;, with rational Souls and difcurlive faculties, but if we will fupprefs thefe, andfetup only the brute to give audience, w^e muft not expedl Balaams proaigy iliall be every day repeated, that the ^^^/^ fhould be wiferthan the ridery and confequently cannot wonder if the Succefs vary with the Auditors. AND 'tis to be fear'd, this is the ftate of moft of us, that all the convincing Log^icky that demonftration of the Spirit y as St. Paul calls it : and all the perfwafive Rhetorick of the Gofpel, find us fo ftupid and unconcern'd, that they can make no impreffion : all the avenues are fo bloekt up, that they can find no way of approach- ing us. We are like the Indian Serpents Phylo-^ firatus mentions, proof againft all charms, but fuch as with thdr glittering fplendor aflault our Eyes : nothing moves us but what courts our Senfes, and what is not grop enough to be feen, w^e think too nice to be conlider'd. The form and name of Chriftianity men find ready to their hands, and it cofts them no labour to put it on : but fhould they be interrogated of the import and fignificancyofit, I fear many wo^ald be atalofs what to anfwer. Men call themfelves Chrifctans P 3 ^5 42 Mifchiefs art fwg from Inconfideration, d)BP»3- as they do French or Englifh, only becaufe they were born within fuch a territory, take up their Religion as a part oit\\tii fate, the temper of their Climate, the entail of their ^Anceflors, or any thing moft remote from their choice, the profel- fion of it defcends to them by way of inheritancej, and like young carelefs Heirs, they never are at the charge to furvey it, to inform themfelves ei- ther of the Ifliies, or Revenues of it ; what bur- dens it lays or what advantages it promifes. Eve- ry man fees they are vaft multitudes that have en- tered the Bdpiifmal vow, and I fear no fmall num- bers of them, that weigh it as little when they fhould perforin it, as they did when they made it. Have no other notion of B^/7///m, but as acujiom of the place, or a tir/ie of feitivity : confider no farther fignificancy in thefe fpiritual bands, than they do in the Swadling-cloaths of their infancy, and can give no better account why they took on thcmChrifis livery, than why they wear fuch^^r- ments as the common fajhion of their Country pre- fcribes them. THIS is in many the effe(5l of grofs igno- rance, that really know nothing that borders upon Religion : and where that is the principle, we can- not think it ftrange to fee their praBices propor-- tionable ; this returns them into the ftate oFHea- thenifm, and while they walk in that darknefs, it is no wonder if they often fall: the only matter of admiration is, that there fhould be any fuch darknefs among us ; that the glorious light, as St. Fdul terms it, of the Gafpel of Chrifiy fhould not not long ere this have difpell'd it out of our Horr z^on^ ani certainly that it has not, muft be ow- ing to fome very great guilt, fo that concerning fuch perfons the Difciples gueftion, Jo. 9. is very pertinent. Who did fith this man or his Parents ? Where men are fo ignorant it muft neceflarily infer their Parents negligence in infufing;, or their own ftubborn pervefenefs in refifting inftrudlion, but 'tis more probable to conclude the former, fince if Children w^ere early inftituted,knowledge would infenlibly infinuate its felf, before their years had arm'd them with obftinacy enough to make head againft it : but when by the Parents remifnefs the proper Seeds-time is loft ; the foil grows ftiffe and untradtable ; the lahotir of learn- ing averts their Childhood, and the jhame of it their Manhood, and fo they grow old in their ig- norance, are ready to leave this world before they come to know any thing of that which is to fuc- ceed it. This is a common, but certainly a moft deplorable cafe, and as it loudly accufes thofe Pa- rents, who thus wretchedly hazard their Chil- drens greateft concernments, fo certainly it re- fledls not very laudably upon thofe, who by flighting that excellent Order of Confirmation m this Church, have befides all other advantages of it, robb'd them of that happy referve, which the care of their Spiritual Parent, had provided to repair the negligence of their Natural ; but guilt has a miferable kind of infinity, and leflens not by being communicated ; and therefore though thefe unknowing perfons may with juftice enough D 4 acctife 44 Mi/chiefs arififi^ from hiconjider/itiprr. Cl&^P»3« accufe others, yet can they never the more ahfolve themfelves. indeed they cannot tax others omif- fions towards them, without a tacite reproach of their own : for if it were a fault in the Parent , to let their infancy w^ant thofe neceflary infufions, 'tis furely fo in themfelves, to let their riper years continue in that destitution. And fure 'tis not probable there could be a more irrational motive to the formsr, than that w^hich prevails with the later ; to wit, the fear of fliame, which certain^ ly much more properly belongs to him that lies ftupidly under his want, than he that induftri- oully fets to cure it : fo that while they go thus prepofteroully to ^T'^r^ reproach, they invite it; nay, and do belides betray one of their moft im- portant fecrets, difcover themfelves more folicir tous about appearances than realities; to be thought knowing than to he fo. A ftrange kind o^jfeculative llypocriRty which yet leads to all the praBical profanenefs incident to thofe, vrha live without God in the nor Id. BUT would God the unchatechiz'd were the on- ly perfons we had to complain of in this matter: There is another fort as ignorant, who have not that plea; who by a wretchlefs Inconjideration, have made a fhift to unlearn what they had once been taught. That this is naturally very poffible no man can quejftiQn, that obferves how defuetude will rob a man of any Science, or other habit. But in this cafe there is yet a farther concurrent towards it, Chrifts parable tells us of Fowles that devoured the Seed, which himfelf interprets to be the _ _____—— — J I ■ ■■ ^l)ap>3. Mifchiefs arifingfrom Inconjideration. 45* the wicked oney which catcheth away the word fow'n in mens hearts : When that fpiritual feed lies loofe and fcatter'd upon the furfacej, and is not by deep and ferious meditation^ harrowed as it were into the ground;, it offers it felf a ready prey to the devourer, and God knows the event is too ready to atteft the truth of the obfervati- on : For do we nor fee many whofe childlioods have wanted nothing of Chriftian nurture, that have had all advantages to the making them wife untofahatiorj, yet fulfer their manhood to wear out and obliterate all thofe rudiments of their youth ; and that not only out of their practice y but even out of their memory too : this (would we be patient to have the experiment m^ade ) would j,l doubt not;, be found too true in divcrs,and they would appear lefs able to approve themfelves not only to the Coufejfor, but even to the Cate-^ c/?//? in their /idult agey than they were in their Minority : as having fcarce ever thought of the principles of their reUgion;,fince they conn'd them to avoid corredlion ; and then 'tis no wonder if they pafs into the fame forgetfulnefs with other the occurrences ofthtitjlippery age. B U T if with fome the memory have been fo invincibly faithful, as not to have refign d its depofitum : if it do happen obftinately to retain thofe early impreilions which were made on it. Yet alafs that alone will be of little avail: 'tis true that is theftore-houfe, and 'tis good to have that well replenilht ; but if its plenty be only withia its felf uncoixmiunica ted j- ifrfie^y^- tiary /^.6 Mifchiefs arifingfroinlrJConfideYatioti. ^^p^j. nary though never fo full, be fcaFd up, it gives no fecurity againft a famine : a mans remem- brance of liis Creed may tell him there is a God, and that he is Almighty ; but it his reafon be fo much a fleep, as not to inferr from thence the neceffity of reverencing and obeying him vs^ho is all powerful to revenge our contempts : he ifiay repeat the ^Article every day and yet ne- ver the lefs ^Atheijiically, In like manner he may go on to the Birth, Death, and Refurredlion of Chrift, but if he weigh not the obligations to gratitude and duty which devolve on him from thence he may remember his Birthy and yet never be regenerate : his Death , and yet not dye to fin : and his RefurreBion,. and yet lie rotting in his own corruption, and not rife with him to luwnefs of life. So he may proceed to his coming to Judge the quick and the dead, but if he refledt not on his own particular concernment in it, if he con- fider not that for every the fecretefi thing, EccL 1 1. God will bring him, as well as others to judgment : he may talk of Dooms- day as men do of fuch Af fizes as they have no trial at, but it will never fet him a trembling, or give him the providence to anticipate his fentence ; fo judge himfelf here, that he may not be judged of the Lord. And fo proportionably in all tne parts of our Ghriftian Faith : he that does not extracfl from them their proper and juft inferences, ftiall never feel their efficacy. He has indeed in that excellent Sy- fieme, a moft infallible C^^^(?//c(?/i, againft all his fpiritual Maladies, but* 'tis a Medicine, not a Charm ; ^&^P*3 • ^^^fi^i^fi arifing from Inconjideration. 47 Charm ; to be taken, not laid by him ; and if he fail in applicationy he will as certainly mifs of the cure : and this gives us one too clear a rea- fon, why fo manyy in the moft fatal fenfe, are weak and fick among us, and fain a/leep; are firft: lethargicky and then ftark dead in trefpaffes and jim. Men do not by fober confideration fuck out the vertue which would heal them : they look on the Creed as Chrifis badge, and fo long as they bear that they think none mult queftion their Chri(lianity : whereas 'tis indeed more pro- perly his Military Symholum, or recognition of the caufe, and General they fight for; an en- gaging them to all the obedience, fidelity and conftancy of refolutefouldiers: and tothispur- pofe it is that we ft and up at the recital of the Creed, as owing our Baptffmal promife to fight manfully under our Saviours Bannerixg%in{k Sin, the Worldy and the Devil ; and if we do not thus, 'tis not material what profeflions We make, we are the fame defertors whether we ftay in our own Camp, or run over to the enemies ; throw an ay our Arms, or not ufe them; renowice our Chri- ftian faith, or not improve, it. Sloth is as miA chievous in war as treachery or cowardize, and he that keeps his [word in the Jheath, is as un- formidable an enemy, as he that brings none into th^field. AND how many fuch infignificant comba- tants are there in the Chriftian Camp : that on- ly lend their Names to fill up the (tMufter-ro/l : \ but never dream of going upon fervice. 'Tis certain A' •48 Mif chiefs arlfingfrom Inconfi deration. Cfc^P ?• certain there are as many fuch, as there are care- lefs unconfidering Profellbrs : and thefe 'tis to be fcar'd make fo great a number^, that were the Church put to eftimate her forces, and examine what efft:(fl:ively her ftrenph is, Ihe would find the deceit offalfe muflers as great among the Spi- ritual as the CivH Souldiery. It is indeed a moft amazing thing to fee, that that which is the one great and important intereft: of all men, Jhould of all other things meet with the leaft regard. If we make a propofal of worldly pro- fit, though incumbred with many difficulties and liable to many uncertainties, we fliall not only have an attentive hearing, but acflive care and di- ligent purfuit of the delign, it will be driven to tlie laft glimpfe of hope and if the firft attempt mifcarry, the nex.t occafion is laid hold of; but here where the prize is rfo rich, the conditions fo eafie, the acquefi fo certain, yet (as if thefe were deterring, averting qualities) we cannot be got to take the matter into our deliberation. Alas, what ftupid folly has pofleft men ? and by what meafures do they make their eftimate s ? how are their precious Souls become fo vile in their eyes, that they are the only part of them, which they think below their regard i In an Epidemick dif- eafe every man looks out for jintidote or Me- dicine for his own peculiar, and does not ac- quiefce in that filly confidence that he fliall do as well as other men: yetin this greater danger, that is their avowed comfort, and keeps them as cheerful as if they ha4 the mofl: folid grounds of -,' " fecurity, ^t'ftP*3* ^^fi^^^ft drijingfrcm hconfideratioti, 49 fecurity. AlaS:, can numbers ow^/^c^ damnation, or do men hope that by going in troops to hell they ihall mafter the native inhabitants^, fuhduc thofe legions of tormentors, and become con- querors in ftead of fujferers ? This is fure too wild an imagination for any to entertain, yet what more loberone can any pretend, in favour of fo fiupendous an improvidence ? BUT 'twill be much more feafonable to re- form than ^Apologize or Rhetcricate ; and there- fore 'twill import thofe men, who like the inha- bitants of LaiJJpy dwell carelefs, quiet, and fe- cure, to look about them : to enter into fericus confultation how they may avert that ruine which w^aits upon fuch a fupine temper, not to fuflfer themfelves to perifh in the midft of fuch poflibilities, nay folicitations to be faved : but at laft ajffbrd an audience to that Embnflle which is fent them from Heaven. Ponder well thofe eajie terms of reconciliation which aie propos'd: the inefiimahle advantages confequent to the em- bracing that amity ; and the as inefiimahle detri- ment or refufing it : in a word, not to pleafe them- felves with the empty title, but to penetrate the full purport and fignificancy of their Chriftianityj, and when they have done this foberly and atten^ tively : having removed this firft and mioft gene- ral obfl:ru(5lion to piety, they will find them-, felvcs aflaulted by fuch force of reafon that they muft either be very ill Logicians, or very good Chrifiians, CHAR so Mifchief s arifing €l^ap*4. CHAR IV. A Survey of the Mifchiefs arifing from Partial Con- fideration, NE X T to the ftupid and meerly vegeta- ble ftate of total incogitancy: we may rank that partial and peece-meal con- lideration, by which Chriftianity is mutilated and deform'd, depriv'd of all its force to attradl and fubdue mens hearts: for as in artificial Move-^ ments, there is fuch a dependance of one part upon another, that the fubftradting of any one deftroys the whole frame : fo in this jfiritual Machin defign'd to raife our dull mortality to heaven ; the divine wifdom of its maker has combin'd its feveral parts, that he who fevers mines, he that applies it not in its united ftrength will find no aid from its unjoynted fcattered particles. S.Paul tells us i Cor, 12. that in the natural body the making it all Eye, or Hand, the reducing the many members to one is deftrud^ive to its iJeing ( if they were all one member where were the body v. 20.) and we in reafon muft expecft the fame event will fol- low here. If we advance one part of our Chri- ftian Faith to the annihilation of the reft, 'tis impoffible that fhould fupply the place of the whole ; but the more that member is fwoln above its native fize, the more tinwildy, not the moicflrong it grows : and lofes that acftlve vi^or, which Ci&SP 4* f'^'^ Partial Con fider at ion. 5*1 which it receiv'd by a fecial communication with the other parts. T I S Gods charge againfl: the Priep, Mal^ 2. that they have been partial in the Law, C2>tyJ CD^S lifters up of faces in it ; preferr'd feme more agreeable parts,and difcountenanc'd others ; were not only judges of the LaWj, but tmjufi judges too. And I fear the enditement may now run more generally againffc the People alfo ; that they have been partial in the Gofpel: culled and chofen out thofe fofter and more gentle dictates which fhould lefs grate and difturb them : like well the Oil that makes them have a cheerful countenance, but are not fo forward to deal with the Wine which fhould fearch and cleanfe their fores. We make all our addrefles to the promifeh hug and carefs themj, and in the interim let the commands fland by neglec5led. A divinity indeed fitly apportion'd to the devotion of thefe times, which loves to make an offering to God of that which cojfs them nothing, and yields a preference to that way o£ worjhip which af- fures Salvation hefi cheap, and at the eajiefi terms ; but would men confider, they w^ould findj, that the commands are the fupreuic and mofl eminent part of the Evangelical Covenant, the promifes come but as hand-maids and attendants : an ho- nourable retinue to invite the more refpedlful entertainment:, and it fhould be remembred that of this /or^ are the threatnings too; and there- fore they have furely an equal right to our regard cfpecially when many of them have the acceflion of SZ Mifchiefs arifitig €{)a}jf^4. of Gods Oatlh to bind and ftrengthen their per- formance. And what a fcandalous and abfurd partiality is this, that when the precepts come with this folemnity the more to command our reverence, we fingle out this one part of the Train and pay our homage unto it ; lay hold on the Promifes, not thofe that fpeak damnation to impenitence, but the other half of them which give ajfurances of favour. And like the Benja- mites to the daughters of Shiloh, run away with them, pofTefs our felves of thefe by rape, in ijpight of all the incapacities we lye under; though God has fworn^ that no difobedient provoker,fliall enter into his reft. THAT this is really the cafe of many is more than probable, for by what other artifice is it poflible for them to reconcile their large hopes, with their no purifying, their confident expecflaticns of heaven, with their greedy rapa- cious purfuits of Earth : their fecure dependance ontheBloudof their S'^i^/W/' with their remorf- lefs eflfufions of that of their Brethren ? did they confider the infeparable connexion betw^een the Precepts and the Promifes, 'twere hard for them to be fo mckedy but impoflible to be fo fanguine. Did the unclean perfon believe that none h\xt the pwre in heart jhall fee God, if he could be fo much Swiney as ftill to chufe the mire : yet fure he could not expecfl to be Rapt from thence into heaven. Did the Drunkard confider the fentence of the Apoftle excluding all fuch from the Kingdom of God. I Cor. 6, lo. if he can be content fo fadly to €I&^P*4' ^^^^^ Partial Confi deration. 5*3 to oberbuy his fin; as to pay that Kingdom for his /hot: yet certainly even he cannot be fot enough to expedl the pofleflion of what he has fo foldj, or hope that from one of his drunken trancesy he fliall awake to glory : did the Covetous extortioner obferve that he is involv'd in the fame fentence, remember that fuch Violents /;//// take not heazerj, hvit\\Q\\y by force 'y if the terrors of the Lord could not have force enough to melt his bowels;,to un- clutch his griping hand, or difleize him of his prey: yet fure it muft difcouragc him from grafping of heaven too, from hoping to defraud God as he has done meny and ftriking himfelf into an eftate in the land of the living : and in like manner all other hoping finners if they would ruine, yet muft ceafe from flattering them.felves> muft chufe damnation bare-faced, and not fancy that their pofting on in the broad way (hall ever bring them to life. And fure this difcovery of their eftate, were a very good ftep to the curing it : for though "'tis poflible fome few may be of fo fiurdy an impiety as to chufe their fin with all its confequents, yet fure all finners are not of that ftrong complexion, ajnd therefore Satan is put to his wiles and artifices, is fain to hoodwink , thofe that are apt to fiart : and difguifes the dan- ger when he fees the true appearance of it will terrific and avert. This was his old policy with our jirfi parents ; he dazles tlieir eyes with the glorious but ahufive propofal of becoming like Godsy that they might not difcern how near they were approaching to become like Devils : and E this 5^4 Mifchiefs arifing Ct)ap>4. this under the pretence of confidence and friend- ship, difcovering as it were a fecret to them, that God envied them that promotion;, which his grea- ter kindnefs was folicitous to procure for them. And as if the ruine of mankind;, in Ma/fa had been too flight a Trophey for that one Stratagem, he re- peats it again to the individuals, permades men that the path of obedience which God has chalkt outisftrait, and narrow, rugged and incumbred; that there is a fliorter cut,an eafier pallage to life : that they may be led into Canaan a nearer way, ftep into it immediately from the flefli pots of Egypt y and fcape the tedious weary March in the Wildernefs : never fo much as call at Mount Sinaiy or be affrighted with the Thunders of the Law. In a word, they need not vcork out their Sal- vatioHy but be they never fo flothful they may in- herit the promifesy Heb. 6. 12. this is his one grand Con clujio ft, though he has feveral mediums to infer it by : wherewith as with fo many tools A^^ and Engines he furnifhes men for the filing or breaking of that facred link between duty and reward ; and of thefe he has great variety fitted to the hands, and skill of thofe that manage them. I fhall not undertake to ranfack his work- houfe, or give an inventory of his utenjils, but Ihall rather m general befeech all thofe, who have made this unhappy feparation to remember from whofe Forge they took their Inftruments : and then confider whether his ofBcioufnefs in fupplying them, can argue any thing but that 'tis his work they are about. Can any think that he Ctl^P*4* f^^^ Partial Confideration, 5:5* he whofe eternal paftime it will be to torment men, can really be folicitous of their eafe that he would chufe out for them the pleafanteft paths, were it not that he knows they lead to the cham- hers of death ? when Chrijl whofe fole bufinefs it was to fave mens fouls> has prefcrib'd us a courfe which fliall afliiredly condu^ us unto happinefsy what can it be but phrenfie to refort to Jhaddon, the deftroyer for an eafier method, or expecft more gentlenefs and compaffion from the roaring Lion than from the Lamb of God, NAY indeed this is rfot only to attribute to him more tendernefs, but fidelity too : to believe him in oppofition to all the exprefs affirmations of God ; and when he who is truth its felf has told us, that ex^cept we repent we jhall all perijhy Luk. i>. 5*. and that without holinefs no ^nanflyall fee the LordyUch, 12. 14. to disbelieve this only upon his bare credit, who w^as a lyar from the beginning : This indeed is a prodigious compofiti- on of blafphemy and folly : a ftrange contumely to Gody but fatal treachery to our f elves : For alas Satan entertains us all this while but with a trick of Leger de main, and as Jugkrs make us believe we have cut the firing, which yet pre- fently after they fliew us whole : fo he perfwades tis he has thus fever d the Condition from the Frc- mifes, when to our grief it will finally appear their union was inviolahle, 'Tis not all our vain confidence that can reverfe the immutable di- vine Law, we may, tis true, delude our felves, keep up our fpirits high > in a fecure jollity eat E 2 and f6 Mifchiefs arifwg Ctop.4» 4nd drink y and rife tip to phiy, and fo not only loy- tcf> but revel out our day^ till the night overtake us wherein no man can work, but v^e fliall never be able to pi'opagate the deceit, v^here only it could avail us, to perfwade God to pay the hire to thofe that have been no labourers, or give the prize to any who have not run to obtain it. Let every nian therefore in a juft tendernefs to his own Soul, ftricflly examine his hopes, try not how high they towre, but how deep they are founded ; whether on the [and or on the rock ; the flattering delufions of Satan, and the dreams of his own Phancy, or on the Promifes of God; for though all pretend to build on the latter, y-et God knows, a multitude of foolifli jirchiteBs there are, which miftake their ground, take that for aflurance that is not : ana this truly is a thing deferves to be foberly confider'd, they that moft greedily catch at the Promifes, do often embrace a cloud inftead of the Deity which they fo eagerly grafpj, and thereby think to enjoy. But /^/V/;/t^/ obedience, and not infolent hopes, commend us unto God. The Gofpel indeed de- fcribes to us great and ineftimable felicities, but he that can think this gives himTitle to them, may as well pretend to the whole World, becaufe he has the Map of it in his houfe : for though it mentions them to all, yet it promifes them ta none but the obedient. And thofe Ifraelites which fled from the fight of Goliah, I Sam.± 17.25. might as reafonably challenge the re- ward proposed to the vi(5lor, as men can pretend to CCtiaP 4* from Partial Confi deration. ^j to enter into life without keeping the Command- ments : this then is the one Criterioriy by which amanmayjudgeofhishopes; if they be but pro- portionable to his obedienccj, they are then regu- lar, and fuch as will not make him afliam'd, but prove incentives and engagements to every good work. Let him obey as much as he can, and then he need not deny himfelf the comfort of ho- ping as much as he can too. But if his hopes ex- ceed this meafurcj, and fquare themfelves only by hxswijhes'y if he look for Heaven;, not becaufe he is qualified for it, but becaufe he wants or covets it ; this is rather to dream than hope, and fuch ivhimfies will as foon inveft the begger in wealthy the defam'd in honour y the fick in healthy or any man in any thing he has but a mind tO; as com- pafs Heaven for the bold fiduciary, I T is indeed like thofc Lunacies wherein mens fancies adopt them Heirs to thofe Kingdoms, they know nothing more o£ than the names : and fure the Analogy holds as well in the cure as the difeafe ; let thefe Patients awhile be kept dark, taken from the dazling contemplations of their imaginary priviledges, to the fad reflection on their fins : and as God expoftulates with Ifraeh Ezek. 33. z6, Tefiand upon the fwordy ye work aho- minationy and ye defile every man his neighbours wifey andfhallyepojfef the land? So let them re^ cite to themfelves the Catalogues of their impie- ties, and then ask their own hearts, whether thefe hz the qualifications of thofe that Ihall reft in Gois holy hill ? Whether thefe marks of the E 3 Beafi^ 5-8 Mi/chiefs arifing €|)ap*4- .Beaji can ever rank them among the followers of the Lamb i And let thefe Confiderations be preft home> reiterated fo often, till by repeated ftrokes they have made good the other part of the method;, made their Souls bleed, and by that Spi- ritual Fhlebotomy, tempered their fwelling veins, allayed the over-fanguinefs of their conftitution : and then there remains but one thing more to complete thecourfe, and that is bringing them into the Work-houfe, fetting them really to nork oit their fahation ivith fear and tremhling, which they had fo near played away by confidence and prefumption : And when they have done thus:,they nav^. verified their hopes, and then may fafely reaffiime them : They are returned again with ad- vantage to their firft point, and are that in fober- neJS o,rid real ay ) which they then were only in ^- £licn^,nd imagination, AND now would God men would once be content to be thus difabus'd, that they would not be fo ia love with deceit, as in the Prophets phrafe, Jer, 8. $. to hold itfaft : that they would not chufe Chym£ra's ^ndphantafiick Images before real and fuhftantial Felicities : and prefer that hope which will be fure to fl?ip-wrack them, before that which will be an jinchor of the Soul, fare and fiedfafly Heh. 6, I p. and if this fo reafonable a propofal may be embrac't ; if theWorld fhould,as the Spaniard faid, but rife wife one morning, what a deal of dead merchandize would Satan have up- on his hands : Many of thofe they call the com- fortable Dodlrines wouU want yent, which are now C^ap* 4- /Vo?^ Partial Conjideration, 5'p now the ftaple commodity of his Kingdom- What thofe are, 'tis no part of my defign to exa- mine^ it will be every mans particular concern to do it for himfelf; which he may do by this one teft ; whether they more animate men to hop^ \vc\\, than to Ihe well ? Whether they bring Alexanders fword to cut afunder the Gordidn knot, to fever between the promife and the condition ? Or the fword of the Spirit to fubdue all to the obedience of Chrift ? If the former, we may ex- pedt the fruits of fuch will be all that licentiouf^ nefs which St. P^///dcfcribes, as the works of the fiefhy G^/. f. 19. it being not to be imao^in'd;, that th^ -precepts of the Gofpel, which they divide from the ^r(?m/y^x only, that they might fall ofE fhall then be ^7?/w;7f/^r//)' taken up in meer goodnature and heroick Generofity ; that thofe wno are fo in- duftrious to avoid the neceflity of Chriflian pra- Bice, \N\\\iXi3kQitt\\d'\.ifree-Tvill-ojfering. If there fhould happen to be fome few of fo ingenuous a gratitude; yet 'tis certain, that is not ofir com- ^mon mould ; few men will be better than they think their intereft bids them be, and therefore f fuch principles are dangerous Seminaries of Li^ hertinifm : and 'tis mens very important concern- ment not to admit them. Let not then their cheerful af^e5l recommend them to our embraces ; men may be kiird with too much Cordid; that which feems to refrefli the Spirits miy enflame the Bloody and though cold poifons have <;;otten the fame of being the moft malignant, yet there are hot tlyxt q,te as infallibly mortiferom. Let it be E 4 pwr 6o Mi/chiefs drifmg Ci^W^i"* our care in oppofition to both> to keep our felves in that moderate, equal temper, which belongs to heakhy Souls : and fince that is the vitalleft heat which is gotten by exercife, fet to our bufi- nefs, employ our felves diligently in all thofe du- ties the Gofpel exacfts, and then we fliall not want fuch an hope as may warm our hearts, keep us in a cheerful expedlation, till we come to the glorious fruition of that Eternal Salvation which God has promifed to all therviy and only them that ohey him. And till we do thus, till we confider as well what we are to do,^s what we are to receive: there will be no hope of reftoring Chriftianity to its native vigour ; we fliall make it evaporate all its ftrength in unfignificant hopes, convert it into Air, to bear up our Bubbles, inftead of thtitfirm ground, whereon we fliould build virtue here, and glory hereafter. CHAR V. J furvey of the Mifchiefs arifing from Carnal Con^' fiderdtion. AFTER the difadvantages of partial Confideration^ may fairly be fubjoyn d the ills of that advertency, which is im- pregnated by /^^yj^^//V^ and floth, and makes pre- tence unto right reafon, but tends indeed as much as any thing to the fruftrating the defign, and en- feebling Cftap^i*' from Carnal Confideration, 6i feebling the force of our Religion: fuch clofer^- ferves of deceit and malice have men to their own Souls, that wheri they quit e?;^^ ftrong hold of Sa- tans, 'tis only to retreat to another. When they are not fo brisk and Aerial, as lightly to skip over thofc precepts, that lye in their way : they are fo grofs and umvary as to fall at them ; if they may not pafs for Straws and Chaflfe, fuch as every blaft of vain confidence may blow away, they fhall then be improved into Heaps and Mountains, be- come ftones of {tumbling and rocks of offence; and when they are call'd upon to Confider them, they do it in fo perverfe a manner," as if they meant to revenge themfelves on that unwelcome importunity : their confider ation is worfe than neg- le^h They look into them infiduoufly, not as Difciplesy but as Spies ^ not to weigh the oblige- ingnefs, but to quarrel the unrealbnablenefs or difficulty of the injuncflions, not to diredl their pradliccy butexcufe theh prevaricatiofis. FROM this unfincere kind of infpecflion it is, that the Precepts h:ivc got fo formidable ap- pearance with many, that they have fallen under fuch heavy prejudices,- as torefolve them intole- rable yokes, infuperable tasks : that this Canaan is a land that eats up its inhabitants, wherein there is fo little oi enjoyment that it fcarce affords a being. Men count a life under fuch reftraints, fo joylefs and uneafie, that it differs from death only, by being more pa//ive. They think Zeal like a Heclick Feaver, in a flow but certainly fatal Fire exhaufts and confumes the Spirits. Morti- fication 6l Mif chiefs arifing Ci^apfi*. fication and felf-denial macerate and decay the Ifody ; and liberality diflipates and waftes the e^ate: and with thefe Apparitions which them- lelves have conjur'd up ; men run frighted from duty,, refolve the burden is unfupportable, or at ieaft grievous to be born, and therefore, as our Saviour fays of the P/^^r//^f.r, will not touch it, no not fo much as vrith one of their fingers^ Mat, 25, 4. never make any attempt to try what indeed they are ; but take their meafures from their own, or perhaps other mens prejudicate opini- ons, and thence take out an Authentick Record and Patent for floth, fancy the journey too long for them, and therefore fit ftill; firfl: call Chrifts commandments griez'ous, and then im- prove that flander into a manumiffion; abfolve themfelves from obeying them. And unlefs they may have the Gate to life cut wider, made capa- cious enough to receive them with all their lufts about them, will never effay to enter it. BUT if the Prince ofdarknefi have enacfted it aLajPy that difficulty fhall pafs for excufe, yet if r^^/uneafinefs may be admitted to be as deter^ ring as imaginary ones, his own decree will retort the moft ruinoufly on himfelf, and men may plead it as their difcharge, from all thofe bafe drudgeries, thofe tyrannous impofitions where- with he loads them. The Drunkard may experi- mentally tell him, the/?^/«of anaking head, of an overcharged ftomack, the ruine^ of a wafted Eftate, and claim a difpenfation from purfuing that uneafie and coftly Ca. The Wanton may bring CO^P*^- from Carnal Conjideration. 6z bring his macerated body like the L^t/V^j Con- cubine J^ud, and urge it as an evidence how cruel a Mafter he ferves ; and from thence emancipate and free himfelf: and indeed every fin carries in it fo much of vifible toil, or fecret fmart, as would by force of this rule fupplant and under- mine its felf; andfure Satan would never have arm'd men with fo dangerous a weapon^ had he not difcern'd them foin love with Jlazery, asfe- cures him it fliould never be us'd againft him ; for ifitfliould, nothing could give him a more mor- tal wound, more irrecoverably fhake his King- dom. Nor would only that infernal Region feci the force of that deffnitlive principle ; it would make as Arrange confufions in fecular Regiments, FOR if fuch^/e^xas thefe maybe admitted, they will eafily cancel all Humaney as well as Z)/- i^/WLaws, and CYCiy malefaSor will transfer his guilt on the feverity of the Legijlator : the Ty6/V/ may fay it is too great a difficulty for him to re- lift the temptation of an apt opportunity ; a rich prize that his fingers are too flippery even for himfelf, and he cannot reftrain them, and then quarrel the flrricTtnefs of the Law, which has rais'd fo high a fence about mens properties, that he who climbs it muft endanger his neck. The JR^J^/ may complain that the bands ofJllegiance are too ftrait, the yoke fits too clofe, galls and frets his tender flefh, exclaim loudly at the 1}- ranny of thofe thatlaiditon, and in that out-cry drown the noife of his own Treafon. And fo eve- fy other tranfgreflbr may accule the rule, as ac- ceflary 64 Mif chiefs artfing Cfcap f. ceflary to his fwervingSj, till at laft the haws be made the only Criminals, I leave every man to judge both of the equity and confequencies of fuch difcourfings in Civil matters, and fliall only defire he will apply them to Spiritual alfo, where certainly they are neither more juft^ nor lefs ruinous ; and whileft fuch ab- furd pretenGes as thefe pafs currant, no wonder if Chriftianity languifh and grow impotent, want ftrength to imprefs its felf on the lives of its pro- feffjrs. The moft infallible receipt can work no cure on him, who upon the fufpicion of its bitter- nefs, refufes to tafte it. The moft excellent Laws muft look their regulating power y where the execution of them is obftrudled ; and we may as reafonably look for the efficacy of Chriftianity among thofe who never heard the nayne, as among thofe, who owning the name^ do yet difclaim its precepts 'y and fo all thofe interpretatively do, who by accufing them of too great rigour, avert both themfelves and others from their Obedi- ence. THAT the Charge is fcandaloufly unjuft will appear to any, who fliall allow themfelves the juft means of information ; but alas the way of Proc^/? men take in this affair is fo inequitable, as certainly prefages the partiality of the fentence, what Perfon ever was there fo innocent, fo excel- lent, who if arraign'd at the Tribunal of his mor- tal enemy could be acquitted, Chrifi himfelf fliall be pronounc'd a BlaJ^hemer, when a Gaiphas is to examine him : and no wonder if his precepts find propor- (SbSD*^' fvom Carnal Gonfideratiorj, 6^ proportionable dealing, if they be decried as im- pojfible, tyrannicah perhaps ridiculous too, where thefcanningofthem is referred to thofe, whofe intereft it is to defame them. Aien enthrone thcAilufisy ktthcu\\x^mt\\tiudgementfeaty and none can expe(ft they fhall pafs fuch a ftntencey as fliall include tlieir own condemrhUion : if they own the Commandment to be Ijdly, jufl and^^oo//, they muft tacitely accufe themfelves to be impure, mjufi and wickedy and as fuch to be confign'd to wrath and judgment. ' HERE then we have the true account how Chrifts commands, which are in themfelves Co far from grievouSj, have gotten fo unkind a refutation among us ; this is fo diredl a courfe for it, that ,wemayceafeour7ro;7^^rj, though not ovlt grief to fee it, for we behold them ftand to the award of thofe with whom they have a profeft enmity : the Goal gives fentence on the Bench ; the Bar ar- raigns the Judgment Seat. Certainly when that Law which is Spiritual is fubmitted to the arbitri- itient of grofs carnality, the Law of liberty is tax- ed and rated by thofe worft hondmen who are fold under fin ; 'tis impofTible to find any fairer treats ment. That which comes on purpofe to dethrone fin, difpoflefs it of the Empire it has ufurpt, will certainly be entertain'd with the fame exclamati- Of/ the Devils us'd to Chrift, Why art thou come to torment iis? But as if this ^^;/^r/// Antipathy were, not enough to afcertain the rejedlion of Chrifts command; as if the iV^^/Vi;^/ feud, as I may call it, between Heaven and Hell w'ere not thought irrecon- 6^ Mifchiefs arifing CtJ^P* f* irreconcilable enough, men offer yet harder meafure, call in the aid of /?^r/c?f;^/ quarrels, and when the precepts come to be confider'd, refer each of them fingle to that particular Vice to which it has the direcfteft contrariety. THUS when Chrilis command of meehefS and forgivenefSy cf loving enemies, and turning the cheek, hearing the Crofs, ov f elf-denial calls for au- dience ; they confult ( as Rehohoam did with his young hot-fpurs ) with their anger and malice, their rankor and revenge, and they foon give their VerdiH ; that to be meek is to be fervihy a temper fit only for the abjecfl. That to forgive enemies is a principle of cowardize that would Emafculate the world ; to love them a piece of Spaniel-like favpnpng ; but to turn the Cheek ; not only to hazard, but invite new injuries by owning them as benefits, paying blefling for cur- fes, kmdnefs and good-turns for hatred, is fuch Z ridiculous patience, as muft expofe to the info- lence of many, and the fcorn and derifion of all men. And then the refoluticnls ready they, will be no fuch fools for Chrifts fake. So when the precept of humility and lowlinefs comes to be confider'd, their Pride is deputed to hear its plea, and then though it bring the authority of Chrifts example as well as his command, it will be judg'd invalid : Chriji indeed took upon him the form of a Servant, and to that humility was a proportion- able Adjunct ; but what is that to them whofe af- piring humour abhors fubjedlion, 'tis not calcu- lated for their Meridian, they are of another man- ner Cil^P^i*' from Carnal Confideration. 6j ner of Spirit, and would not have it embafed by the admiflion of fo m^ an a quantity: and though Chrift have putpovertiy of Spirit among his Beati- tudes> they refolve he fliall not enfnare them with that artifice^ they will not take his meafures of felicity; or refign that pleafure they have in valuing themfelvesj, for any thing he propofes in exchange. In like manner the precepts of tem- perance, fobricty and chaftity, are not permit- ted to the judgment of fober reafon, nay, nor of rneer natural ^^/r^ ; but to appetites vitiated and inflam'd, by radicated habits ; and then the Glut-- ton thinks to eat moderately, is to be flrj^rv'd ; and will as foon put a knife y Prov. 23 . /o his throaty in the vulgar fenfe of cutting it, as in Solomons notion of reftraining his excefs. Thus the Drun^ kard with his falfe thirfts looks on fobriety as a kind of Hell, where he fhall want a drop to cool his tongue, and thinks the abandoning his de- baucht jollities is an implicite adieu to all the comforts of life. The Unclean perfon when his blood is high fcoflfs at Chaftity as a religious kind of impotence, and only fo far confiders the pre- c£pt oi pulling out the Eye, as to infer that it were as eafie literally to part with it, as to reftrain its luftful range : not look at all, as not look to luft. And ptroportionably it fares with. Charity and bounty, which though our Saviour recommend, iVl/mmo« arraigns of robbery, and ftigmatizesas a Thief th^ct picks the Purfe, and riffles Coffers. But amidftall thefe the taking up the Crof?^ fuffer- ing for righteoufnej? fake, and the doSlrineoffelf-de- nial, 68 Mifchiefs arifirtg €l;ap^5'. nialy fall under the heavieft prejudice. Thefe are oppos'd not by fome one fingle vice, but the confederate arms of all ; even thofe whofe inte- lefts are flatly oppofite do here unite : Herod and Pilate, Saduces and Pharifees accord againft Chrift, and all are freely fuffer'd, nay invited to exhibit their complaints againft thefe Mandates. Covetoufnef^ cries out that this is the moft ruinous prodigality, cafts away an eftate in a lamp, and lays all open to forfeiture and confifcation : and Prodigality takes it as ill to be foreftall'd, and have nothing left for it to diffipate. ProphaneJS avowsacontempt ofit asa folly, and moft open madnefsto part with real pleafure for an empty name, or profit for that Bankrupt thing calfd Confcience : and Hypocrifie has a more fecret ha-^ tred ofit, as its detedlor ; that which will bring it to a Teft which it cannot pafs. Malice puts in a Caveat y that this is to gratifie enemies, and lofe the latisfadlions of revenge: sind Self-Love puts in another, that it is to deftroy ones felf In fhort, every limb of the body of fin difcharges a blow at this innocent and Divine Sancfkion ; as if they meant it ftiould exemplifie its own do- dlrine by afluming that paflive temper it recom- mends. BUT alas, who can expe it m,ay not be amifs to bring the Caufe unto that Bar : whofe Empire and ^Authority none muft difclalm that own the Style, and leaft of all thofe Scepticks in Religion with whom we have to do : who will al- low of no convidlion but from it. AND Gody who as the Apoftle faies^, leaves not himfelf without witnefs, has fo tempered and difpos'd his Pr^cc^^^fias to qualifie them to pafs even this Teft alfoj, they being not the contradi- Bions but improvements of natural Reafon : and fo moft apt to recommend themfelves to all that is Man, not Brute about us. Indeed they have the very fame aim and dcfign with that. It has ever been the grand bufinefs o£ foher reafon firft to difcover, and then to attain that one fupr erne F 5 good^ 74 Mi/chiefs arifin g €^^ ^S' ^goody which would give reft and felicity to the foul: in this inquifition have the Fhilofophers and greatelt Matters of Reafon^, laid out their iiioft ferious ftudies and deepeft contemplations; and in their indefatigable purfuits feem joyntly to figh out David's queil:ion> Who will /hew us any good ? aod now the Gojpel comes a folu- tion of this fo important a Query, brings thefe glad tidings: of joy to all people, and that not on- ly in its credenda, by informing us what that Goad is: but in its ^^^?^^^ too, by tracipg us out the IVay to it : beating us a path which will cer- tainly lead us to that fummum honum which our very Mature implicitly gafps after; and furc - Reafon can never jar with this, which comes thus as a happy Auxiliary to fuccour its impotence: a5 an infallible Guide to condu(fl its fteps : and' as a glorious Light to give it a clear view, of what it before blindly groped after. 'Tis a certain indication oiMadnefi, to tear and mifchief thofe things that would be ufeful to us, to curfe and revile a friend, or fly in the face of thofe whofe charity brings them to our aid ; and therefore 'tis moft evident that Reafon muft firft ceafe to be reafon,and commence Phrenzy, before 'tis poflible it can fet its felf in defiance of thofe Laws of Chrift, which are thus accommodated to its grea- teft Interefts. AND as the accord is thus obfervable in the ultimate, fo is it in the intermediate defign alfo. Reafon had by its twilight difcern'd thrA that So- yeraign Blifs it aim'd at, would neve^e hit by an 0Lf)&V*S- from Carnal Con fider at ian. 75* an unfteady hand ; by him who was perpetually toiled and agitated by his turbulent inordinate appetites. Therefore young men, yet in the heat and ferment of their bloud were folemn- ly profcrib'd and baniftit from the Schools and Lecflures oiPhilofophy ; therefore luftrations and Cat har ticks of the mind were fought for, and all endeavour us'd to calm and regulate the fury? if not extirpate (which fome contended for) the ve- ry heing of the PafTions : that fo a preparation might be made fir fl for the knowledge and then the attainment of felicity : Now the Gofpel Pre- cepts have vifibly the fame end and purpofe : eve- ry one of them exprefly fingling out fome irre- gular affedlion to combate and fubdue : fo that right Reafon and They are evidently of a Se£l and Party, infomuch that feveral of the ancienteft Fathers of the Church attributed the excellent documents of Heathen Fhilofophers to the D/- "vine hiyoc, the reafon and efientftil Word of God which after was incarnate upon earth; and brought auxiliary ftrengths oi Grace, to aid the weaknelles o£ Nature, The blefled Jefus whofe bare word Checkt the Sea in its higheft fury, ajid by that Miracle attefted his Divinity ; as much exerts himfelf in filencing the louder Tempeftsj. and calming the inteftine ftorms within our breafts. And certainly -R^^/i// will not quarrel to have been thus relieved, it being the property only of prpud Folly to chufe rather to lofe a vi- iflory than ovpe it to the aid of an AUie. FROM this general view, it were eafie to Y 4 defccnd ']6 Mifchiefs arifing Ci&ap.j'. dcfcend to obferve the exacfl concurrence of par^ ticulars. God loves a r eafonaHe fervice, andhas fo tempered his commands, that every Adt of obedience we perform may be fo qualified : and gain unto its votaries the Elogium promis'd in the Law o£MofeSy Deut. 4. 9. Surely this people is d wife and mderftanding People, And firft that the commandof M^^^'/^^/i-isamoft rdtional Pre- cept can never be doubted by any who remember but the common definition of Anger, that it is Furor brevity and fure 'tis very reafonable not to be mad, and he that has obferv'd the unmanly tranfportations of that wilde paffion, how that the firft violence it offers is to the man within him> will certainly think it the intereft, not only of his Religion, but common prudence, and right Reafon to fupprcfs it. And the like is to be laid of the more folemn P/'r^^//^ of deep malice and deliberate Revenge,' where the fury wants the allay of being tianfient and fliort liv'd, is emr bodied into Complexion and temper, and grows inveterate into Nature. Jnger indeed is a Jire^ and he that touches it though but lightly, wilt find it fcorch him : but the Malicious lays himfeif as it were to roafi at it; prolongs and fpins put his own torment as if he meant to anticipate his; Purtifhment in his very crime, and comuicnce hi$ Hell here, in unquenchable fire. Truly no fm does" more reprefent that ftate of horror to which it: tends ; it gives a man not only a certain Titky but an ample Earnefl, pays him part in hand of thofe difmal wa<^es. This was fo well under- flood Cftap^i"- /^^^^ CdYtidl Confideration, 77 ftood even by the Heathens that we fee the Foets knew not how more Emphatically to defcribe the future torment of an envious and malicious per- fon,, than by the rcprefentation of his fin. Fro- methem Vultur begins her quarry in this life;every malignant Ihoughty every fpightful Wijh preys upon his Heart that harbours it : every revenge- ful projedl puts him in the pangs of labour till it be brought forth ; and when it is, it common- ly rebounds fo mifchievoudy upon the Parent, that the birth feems like that of Jgrippina when ihe bare Nero that murdered her. And furely not only reajony but common fenfe, will fay this is a ftate to be detefted, and confequently muft give its fufJrage to thofe Laws ofMeekncfs and Cha- rity which are the only expedients to prevent it. F^dce is defervedly reckoned among the highefi hlefjings of communities, and fure it has a pro- portionable value, in every fingle member of thofe greater bodies, it being that which is indifpenfa- ply requifiteto the enjoying of any other good.. A W^^ we know interrupts at once all the profits ^.ndfleafures of a Nation: and this hoftile Tern- per in a mans mind does the very fame, and like Choler in the ftpmacb, takes oft ^\l ^uji of the moft delightful things, and fo becomes a Hell in the posna damniy as well a^ that oiSenfe : and then how abfurd an impatience 15 it,'; for men to think, every the flighteft injury from another infup- portable, and yet heap fuch heavy preflures up- on themfelves, like froward Children roar out for the leaft touch from another hand, yet knock 78 Mi/chiefs arifing ^tjap^i*. knock and batter themfelves without complaint : as if their only contention wercj, that they may be the folc ^Authors of their own Calamity. And that which adds yet more, if it be poifible, to add to fo vaft a folly, is, that B^venge never re- pairs any Injury : if I have been reproacht or de- Fam'd, 'tis not the wounding of my enemies bo- dy that will heal my fame, imay by that means help to fprcad the Libel by inviting many to en- quire the caufe of our quarrel : but that is no Me- dium to prove him a flanderer, the world* being too well acquainted with the nature of revenge to imagine it an argument of his innocency that adlsit: fo far it is from being fuch, that it gives amoft violent prefumption of guilt, according to that notable Ohfervation of the Hifioriatty Con- "vitia Jpreta exolefcunty fi itdfcare /t^nita videntfir. In like manner fuppofe me hurt in my body. Re- tali at ion brings no haJm to my fores: my pains abate not by his having the like or greater ; nor would my Wounds fefler the le^ though his ihould Gangrene, So if I am endammag'd ii;i my goods, I may contrive to repay him that ill turn, And yet not recover my own lofs ; and generally the fpightful fpoils that are made, are of that na- ture. 'Tis true, the Law may in fome cafe^ re- pair the injur'd perfon : but then that is owing to the Juftice of the Law^ not to the malice of the Plaint iffe: for he that fues upon the naked intui- tion of recovering his Righty without any afpecfl of Revenge on the invader,has as fully the benefit o£ the Law (and indeed none can innocently have ^fydiP^S- from Carnal Confideration, ^p it otherwife) and then to what ferves the vindi- cative humorj, what increment or advantage can the fuperaddition of his revenge bring him in ? 'Tis fure in all thefe inftances it often does the quite contrary: plunges him in farther troubles and dangers, and when all this is confider'd, we may certainly pronounce Chrifls precept of Meek- nefs, partakes as well of the Serpetitus the Dove, is Q.S well prudent as innocent : nor is this Conclu- [ton at all Ihaken, by that Obje^iion which men make from the danger of inviting more injuries and affronts by this tamenefs : for firft fuppofe there were truth in it ; that hazard could not bal- lance the many certain mifchiefs which have been evinc'd infeparably to follow the contrary tem- per : and it were certainly lefs penal to endure multitudes of light and tranfient Jbufes, than thofe far more uneafie waies of Redrefs, which mens revenges- fuggefl: to them : and then 'twill be perfectly reafonable, 0/ thefe two evils to chafe the lefi. As for the greater and more important violations, there are legal waies which may prove redrefs in fome cafes^, or prevention in otners: He that is flandered or impoverifhedj, may take a courfe to clear his Innocence y or recover his Goods : he that is hurt or maim'd, though he is uncapable of reparations, yet the Law provides for his fu- ture fecurity, by awarding fijch Penalties, as may difcourage the Offender from repeating the vio- lence: and to thefe aids, a man may relort with thefe Ptovifosy firft, that he abftra but that implies fo many fad- der miferies, than the want of fuch a redrefs amounts to, that every man may patiently enough caft this into the heap of greater evils ; and not confider that one preflure, when fo much weightier calamity exadls his grief: But fure the Sujf enjion of Law in this i^zvtiQ}x\2ii does no more qualifie a private perfon to be his own Revenger , than it invefts him in any other part o£ Authority, and he may with as good right place himfelf on the Bench, and become a Judge in ether mens caufes, as thus become both Judge and Executi- oner inhis ovpn, B U T in the lajl place, the ground of this ob- jection feems weak and fandy ; for thatmeeknefs is not the way to expofe a man, generally fpeak- ing, to more fufiFering : 'tis poffible indeed through the barbarity of fome few infulting co- wardsy who love to vapour good cheap, that they may trample on thofe who give leaft refiftance ; but this is not the common bent of humane Na- ture, ( which ought to be the meafure in tkis cafe) we find men ufually exafperated by Oppofi- tion, whoarecalm'd and appeas'd by Gentlenefs, \Anger is not of the nature of that monftrous f w thQ CtlJdP*^' /ye?w Carnal Confideration, 8 1 the Hifiorian tells us of, which nothing hut blows could extinguijh. It is the Ohfervation of the wi- feft of Men, that ^/^/i^ ^/^/rr^r turneth away wrath, and mens Fafjions are like Bullets which batter the walls which ftand inflexible, but fall harm- lefly into Wool or Feathers ; and I doubt not common experience will attelt it, that none do generally fall under fewer of thefe ftorms than they, wh^ are thus prepared to bear them. Let a meek and an angry perfon call up their Ac- counts together, and compare the number of af- fronts and contumelies they have met with, and I believe the Odds will be ViS great, as between Sauls thoufands and Davids ten thoufands. 'Tis cer- tain that the return made to the firft injury pro- vokes a new one ; men being fo partial to them- felves, that he who receives a harm by way of i?^- taliation, never refledts on his own firft guilt, but looks on it as a naked Injury, and fo purfues his Revenge, which has again the fame effecft on the other, and fo this ir/'/S-^r^ runs round, till it havefetallina^//m^; made the faddeft vaftati- ons, not only in mens (HJ^/Wi*, but their outward Concernments too^ in the many fatal outrages, which thefe eager contentions occafion, all which would be avoided by a meek difregard of the firft provocation : So that although fome injuries may fall upon the Paflive man, yet infallibly there would be no broils and quarrels, which are alone the great accumulators and multipliers of inju- ries; which alone demonftrates how unjuftly Meeknef^is charg'd with fo much as an accidental produ<5li- 8z Mifchiefs arifing €^t)^* f . - — — — — •-___^_____^^_^_^__^__ produdlion of them ; and vindicates th^t precept o£Chrifi which has fain under fo niuch, not only Cavil but Scorn ; it appearing that to abftain from revenge, and refer the hazards of that to Gods providence ( which is the importance of his com- mand to turn the Cheek ) is the greateft even moral Security againft Violence y and fo approves our Law- giver ( in this fo decried particular ) to be as well the wonderful Counfellour^ as the Prince of Peace. I N the next place, if we weigh the precept of humility and lowlinefs in the balance of fober dif- courfe, we fhall certainly find it hold ajujl weight. Indeed Pride is nothing but Deceit y a meer cheat anddelufion, and fo every man can'difcern it in another, we there are able to trace the windings of this Serpenty and fay thif man thinks himfelf more wife, ^^^more learned, a third more holy than he is : yet alafs in our own breads we difcern not the ^Ahu fey fufferhim to perfwade 114- what he but promised to our firfi ParentSy that we are as Godsy fomething fo fuper-excellent, that all muft reverence and adore : And herein we take bim at his word, never fufpedl thefe glorious ^At- tributions may be no more than . Complement or Flattery; or what is no lefs obvious, Derijion and Scorn. To a confidering man 'twould be a flirew'd prefumption againft whatever Pride fuggefts, that 'tis attended always hy f el f-lovcy which is, as it were> the common fetter to all thofe cheats which circumvent and fool us : But there want not alfc> more convincing proofs of its deceit and unfince- rity. When e*re we overween and believe well of our A COnp^i*. from Carnal Con jider at ion, 83 our felves, it is in contemplation of fome imagi- nary or elfe real good ; fomewhat a Man has not, or fomewhat that he has : If we do it upon the for- mer account, that is undeniably agTofsDelujion; a kind of deceptio vifm, a filling the Eye with phantaftick ^Aerial Images, which have no folid Being: And God knows, fachFhafmeSy fuch Ap- paritions are moft of thofe excellencies which men applaud in themfelves ; things conjur'd up by the ^tagick of a fcrong imagination, and are only feen within that Circle in which the Enchanter ftands : And though Satan be the grand Mafier of thUhlack jfrty yet his Pupils are now grown fo dextrous, that he feldom needs to he calFd in ; our own partialities and fondneflcs to our fclves, are abundantly fufficient for the purpofe. But if in the fecund place we fuopofe the things to be re- ally exiftent in us, yet Pride tuns us upon an other error no lefs dangerous than the former^ for it be- trays us to miftake the true Owner of them, em- boldens us to fet our own mark upon thofe rich Wares, in whofe acqueft we have not been fo much as Factors ; God is the one great Author and proprietor of all that is or can be valuable in us ; to his Providence or his Grace we owe all the accompUfhment of our outward or inward man, and though he allows us the ufe and benefit of them, yet the Glory is a fpecial Royalty, w^hich ( as the Gold or Silver Mines of a Nation ) is re- fervedtohis Crown, an incommunicable piece of his Regality. And how wofully does our Pride befool us, when it brings us in fuch falfe Invento- ries 84 Mifchiefs arifmg €l)dip,S' r/Vx of our goods^ make^ us dream our felvesrich by anothers wealth ; like Children that call every thing theirs "which looks Jplendidly, or the mad Jt he- man celebrated by Horace for his happy phrenfie, that refolvd all the Ships and Wares his own that came into the Cities harbour : But how more fadly does it betray us, when It thus puts us upon the invafion oihis propriety, who is not as the impo- tent Monarchs of the earth, unable to affert his own Rights, but can certainly Vindicate> himfelf to our Confiifion, againft whom no rebellion can be any longer profperous than he w^illingly per- mits it, and who has folemnly avowed he will not give his glory to another : And when our Pride makes us thus both ridiculous and miferable, when it feduces us not only into the folly o^ Chil- dren and extravagancies oihunaticks, but at once into the guilt of bold, and punilhment of improf- perous Rebels: Certainly Reafon can never be- Qomcits Advocate, or put in any demur to that Sentence which excludes fo treacherous aguefi out of mens hearts; which is the fole aim ofthofe laws of humility which Chriji has given us. NOR will the Precepts or Temperance and Purity find any worfe doom at this Bar, the con- trary Vices being fuch indignities and contumelies unto humane nature, as can never find any coun- tenance from this Supreme part of it : 'Tis ths prerogative of our Reafon, that it difcriminates us ff only and elevates us above beafts : Nor can it ever be brought to refign this fo glorious a privi- Icdgc, afTent to the admiflion ofthofe brutifli ap- petites ^^SPo* from Carnal Cotifideration. Sf petites which would over-run the Souly level its fuperior with its inferior faculties ; confound the diftindlion of Rational and Scnfitive, and in a word, render the Beaftfo ravenous as to eat up the Man, Yet thus it is in thofe fordid Sins of Intemperance and UncleanneJSy unlefs perhaps they are fo much worfe th^n Beafiial that 1 wrong the generality of the Brutes in the comparifon, it be- ing only fome few of them, the very Eeajh of the Beafts that are guilty of any fuch Exceffes, fot generally their Jppetites do not tranfgrefs the re- gular ends of Nature y they know no fuch difeafe as Surfettin^y but eat to fatisfie Hunger y and couple at fuch feafons as beft tend to preferve their kind ; and then 'tis to be conlider'd how bafe, how degenerous a defcent it is for us to ftoop, not only below our orcn nature, but theirs ; what afolitude thefe vices reduce us to, that not fo much as the nobler fort of Beafts will bear us company, we rtiuft wander upon the mountains to court a Goaty we muft rake the mire to find a Smney before we can furnifli our felvds with any ^Affociates : And fure all this fo open an Hoftility againft Reafon, that it can by no means be her intereft to abet it. Ask her whether Ihe would be preji to death with loads cf meat, whether ihe would be drojK'hd in floods cf drinky whether flie would he fuffocated with the noifome vapours cfpu- trefaBion ^ndiTOttcnncky and the an fiver flie gives to thefe tells you her fenfe of Gluttonyy Drunken- nef? and Uncleannefi : Alas fhe fuffers from them the moll barbarous outrages, is invaded not only G in 86" Mifchiefs arifmg Cf^ap^f. inhtv ^Authority, but her very Being, and there- fore even upon the fo celebrated principle of felf- prefervationj, muft mufter all her forces to vindi- cate the injury and defend her felf And then certainly Chrifts Commands o( Sobriety and Purity muft needs be entertain'd with all Alacrity and Gladnefi, as an acceflion of/r^/^^/^^ to her party, an aid to affift her in that juft and neceflary War. A N D as Reafon thus pronounces againft the fins of the Flefh, fo in the next place does it cer- tainly againft thofe of the World, (iMammon himfelf willnotbeableto bribe this Judge, but when Chrijls Precept of Charity and liberality comes before this tribunal, it will infallibly be not only acquitted but magnified and applauded, becali'dfromthe JB^rtothe Bench, Commiflion- ed like the Jews, Hefi. g. To hear rule over them that hated them, to diffipate at once the wealth and the covetoufnefs of the Worldling ; have the Keys put into its hand> that it may have free ac^ cefs.to his Coffers; this certainly muft be the event of this trial, for 'tis confefledly the part of . Reafon to di^ofe every thing to thofe ufes which are moft proper and advantageous, fuch as may bring in moft real benefit to the owner. Now ^ what other employment o£ wealth is there ( after competent accomnwdations are provided ) which can contribute to a mans Felicity ? If it be laid out like the Rich mans m the Gofpel in delicious Fare, or Purple and fine Linnen ; certainly it makes no leaft approach towards it. Firft, for exceflive Fare, if a man be /;e?^ ^r^^^i;^ too in the eating. (SI)Slp^S- from Carnal Confider.^t ion. 87 eating, what does he I may add with his wcsy fenfe too; the difplacencies that he receives by the confcquencies of his excefs, far outweighing all that is grateful in it. This is well dcfcrib'd by the \Vf many Ecclm, 3 1. 19. AS ioTth^ gay lity of ^Apparel that can never in ■fober judging be thought tuny advantage y 'tis that which only Touth and Folly puts a value upon, and as we out-grow the one^ fo we do the other : All that is convenient in Cloaths is as well, nay, bet- ter provided for without it : A vich fuit « is only heavier, not warmer than a plain ; and it is a kind of prodigy to fee how heavily vanity y which Hs in its feif fo light, fits upon fome men; who Are content even to make themfelves Forters, fo their 'tailors may lay on the burthen : And thus in many other inftances the finenefs of Cloaths de- -firoys the eafe, fo that it often helps men to painy but can never rid them of any ; the body may be ' languifliing and infirm linder the mofl: fplendid cover : Herods royal apparel fecures him not from h€in^ eaten with Worms y and Lazarus his Ulcers would have been never the lefs painful, though they had been wrapt in Dives his fine Linrie,-!. O R if the Wealth be laid out on any Other part o£that the world calls greafnefi, as an Honourable G z retinue. 88 Mifchiefs arifing Ct)ap*5* retiniiey Troops of attendants, and the like ; the return will be no lefs eynpty : Multitudes of un- profitable 5'^rx'^f^^i' being a geat burthen, but no device oi advantage y alas does my Meat reliih ' ever the better^ becaufe my Table is furrounded with Waiters ; or when I go out, does my train of followers make the Air the more refrejhing to me, does not rather the Dufi they raife make it lefi, an- noy and ftifle me ? As for matter of bufenefi, the number of Servants tends rather to hinder than advance it ; daily experience attefting, that in crouds of domefticks every one of them thinks his idlenefs will be hid : The care of doing and the guilt of e?mi^^/^^ is transferred from one to ano- ther, and none has any farther thought, than how he may quit himfelf either of the burthen or the blame ; fo that upon the final account all that accrues to a Mafier by thcgreatnefi of his family is the encreafe of his care in the regiment of it : A great deal of vigilance and circumfpedlion being required, to keep it in any tolerable order, and if it be not fo kept, his Houfe becomes a nildernej?, andhimfelfa^r^jtotheBeaftshe feeds: The li- centioufnefs of the Servant redounding more ways than one to the damage of the Mafter. I F we fliould now proceed more minutely to every other fingle expence which vanity ar\d pride fuggefts, we ftiould certainly find the like fuc- cefs of our inqueft ; nothing o( real felicity, but on the contrary the vanity fo interwoven and in- corporate with vexation of Spirit, that 'tis impot fible to fever them : So that tha^ to employ ones riches CCteP 5'- from Car n dl Coil ftder at ion. 89 riches is rather to fujfer than enjoy them ; but if we fuppofe a man on the other fide fuch a Reverer of his wealthy that he dares not employ it at all> un- lefs it be at the ^^A/^, for the bringing in of more, that keeps it as men do beafts referv'd for breed, manumit them from all work but that of propa- gation, Suehaperfonis furelyof all others, the tartheft from receiving any advantage by it : he converts it from a Servant into a Tyrant ? and fad experience fhcA's us the calamity of fuch a tranf- mutation. It has been always held the feverejl treatment of Slaves and MalefaBors damnare ad Metalld, force them to dig in Mines ; now this is the Covetous mans loty from which he is never toexpecfl a releafe^ as being his on^n rem.orfelefs and more than Egyptian task-mafler : and the pa- rallel holds too, in the gainlefnefs as well as la- borioufnefs of the work ; Thofe wretched crea- tures buried in Earth and darknefs were never the richer for all the Ore they digg'd, no more is the infatiate Mifer, he has no power to di/pofe of any ^ of his acquefts ; and though he calls them his, yet *alafs he pojfeffes them no otherwife than a Prifo^ tier does his Goal, a Mad-man his Chains y they are only Inftruments of his Thraldom, and the getting more ferves only to add more weight to his Shackles; and certainly Wealth can be no way worfe difpos'd, than thus to buy fo bafe a Ser^ vitttde, AND now fince neither the luxtmous fpend- ing, nor the covetous keeping can advantage us one ftep towards any thing that can be caird G 3 happy ; (^o Mi/chiefs arifin g €t)ap.5- happy ; but do on the contrary engage us upon toil ^Lndim-fery: IVealih feemstobe a very oppreffive hurt hen, fach as we can neither cafi off, nor faiely hear; and truly fo it is till Charity comes into our Aid ; which as the proper Element of Wealth, ren- ders that light which gravitates elfewhere^ and as the Elixir unto (^Metals transforms them into Qold, ftamps purity ^and price upon them : by fre&- ly giving, endows the Donor with what ever he beicows ; enriches him, and what is morCj^enriches -fpealth its felf. Without this Art of ufing, and difpofing our eftatesj, we are thofe Indians who change their Geld for G////? : that filly FiJJ;er--man, who having found a ^la(? of ^Ambergreecey cm- pioyd it to the licfuoring of his hoots ; are foolifli to the height of ilf/(i^ in the Fablcj, who being promised to have what ever he would wifp, made his demand that every thing he toucht might prefently be Gold, and run the hazard that he did of being fiarvd by our unhappy affluence : men fay indeed that Gold hy preparation becomes a foveraign Cordial, but certainly it never does re- joyce the heart fo much as when Charity is the Chymifi, the poor mans hand is the beft Limheck to extracft this ^lagi(iery ^ndtinBure, the flames of love will really perform thofe Miracles, they of the Furnace boaiT: of^ and would they employ themfelves in this laboratory^ they would find the omnipotent efficacy they dream o£, fooner in this way oi dijjipating, than in all their Arts, or rather Fancies of generating Gold. 'Tis certainly a fnoft generous and enlivening pleafure which re- fults Cl^jap*?- from Carnal Confider at iofi, pi fults from a feafcnahle liberality : When I fee a man ftrugling with wanty his very fpirit as well as body ftooping under thg prefliire ; if I then relieve hinij, the humane nature within me w^hich is common to us both, does by a kind of Sympa-- the tick motion exult and raife up its fell> but if I have any piety that muft do it much more ; for as the fo^rmer Ihew'd me my own image in my poor brother y fo ///; fhews me Gods -^ and how tran- fcendent a fatisfadlion muft it be, to have thus refcued him who bears fo divine an imprefs^ to have paid fome part of gratitude to my Creator for my own being, by making my felf in my low fphere the giver or preferver of that life, which he firft breath'd into another. Ihis, and this only is the way to raife a felicity out of wealth ; and furely fince the attaming of happinefs, is the one grand purfuit of our Reafon, that m.uft even before it has fubjecfted its felf to the Faith of Chrifi, give aflent to the Prudence of his Com'- mand in this as well as t\\c former inftances. BUT there remains a Precept of our Savi- ours allied to this ; which feems by no means to comport and hold a correfpondence with the dicflates of right Reafon : the taking up the crofi, and fuf fering for righteoufnefs fake ; which contradicts the fundamental law of felf prefervation ; and the great end of being, felicity and happinefs. But this fiiggefticn, how fpecious foever it appear, is utterly fallacious ; for 'tis no good confequence, that becaufe Reafon aims at our being happy, therefore it fo^tids us all voluntary fujferings yimcc G 4 that 9^J Mi/chiefs arifwg C^oM- that the cafe may be fo ^ct, that fuch a fujfering may be the fair efi medium left us to our happinejs, 'Tis a known rule that of two eztls, the leaft is to he chofen\ and the eledlion of the jeflcr ill, though it be no ahfolute, yet is a comparative good ; and its attainment as far as the neceflity of our affairs permit, is our felicity : and reafon can provide no farther. Now this is the eftate of the prefent inflanee i two evils are proposed, a J!^aturalo.vA^ Moral '^ the Natural, though in its felf to be averted, yet much inferiour to the Mo- ral, and then Reafon foon refolves the Dilemma, that the Natural is to he chofen : all that can be queftion a in this afifair, is whether Reafon define the moral evil to be the greater y but this can bear no long difpute with any who confider but the Nature of Reafon, which being feated in the upper foul of a man, is no way concerned in thofe Ills, which make their impreffion on the fenfiiive part, but Moral ills ftrike higher, invade the mind, cloud the reafon ; nay, often depofe it from its regiment, as is too frequently exemplified in the force of vicious habits,and therefore by how much our reafon is fuperior to our fenfe, fo much are thofe to be accounted the greateft evtls, v^hich affault that nobler part of us. This certainly will now be the determination o£Kcafon, if flie may be permitted the freedom of her vote : for thus was it formerly where fhe bare the moft fway, and uncontrouled rule: The wifeft and beft conudering of humane, as well as divine ^Au- fhors having eftabliftit it as an undoubted Jpho- rifmj Crtep*5'* from Carnal Conjideration. 95 rifmyt^it honefiis to he prefer/ d before both gain- fill and pie af ant : fo that nothing renders a man fo deplorable, as that which violates his integrity ; nay they have generally gone higher, exhorted men to become voluntiers in vertues warfare, not to fujj^end their fufferings till they were forct out by the competition of a crime ; but ojfer themfehes free oblations. Thus to fuffer for ones Countrey OT ones Friend, was thought fo Tror%, fo heroick iithino,tha,t noble ^nd ingenuous f^ir its were amu- lotis oi it : and it was fo ftated a cafe that Epi- ^letus forbids a man, on fuch an occafion to con- fult with the Oracle, whether he ftiould do it or no, it being necejfary to be done, what ever ill fuc- cefs or ruine be predidled, oTio^dvctjofffnfxah/lcuyij ^n^sxTtf f/4pK< our Minds are all light what darknefs foever in- volve our exterior part, and is like Go/hen ex- empt and fecure, when that falls under all the Plagues o{^^ypt, AND what reafon thus embraces for its felfi 'tis not imaginable that it Ihould rejedl, becaufe 'tis richly clad;, that the Race fliould feem the more tedious, becaufe there is a Crown within view; or that the glorious Rewards ourGhriftia- nity propefes to our conftancy, ihould be efteem- ed as Menaces and Threats^ Temptations to defert or turn Apoftates. No certainly, Reafon cannot difpute, and make an /i^/^r^/^c^ fo utterly Iliogicaly but will rather ufe it as an enforcement of its fo;^- mer Conclupan, eftablilh it the more firm and ini- movable by having the Bafis thus enlarged, ha- ving Reward added to Vertue, and HappineJ? en- taifdon Duty, If in the competition betweeh two Evils, Reafon pronounce the leffer ehgihte : Much more will fhe refolve, when the conteft is 'twiKt^ood and evil, the greateft Evil and th^ greateftGood; ^ndi c\mk th^it Excellence which though Superlative in its felf, is more endear d and heightned by Comparifon, If I violate my Reafon, if I renounce T^r/^^^, though bare and na- ked, then furely I do it yet more when fhe is thus accompli(ht and adorn'd ; when beautified on ptir- pofe to allure the eye tu^vdit^kc the Heart, When over and above the pofitive donation of Happineft, Ihe adds a refcue and releafe from ^tMiferyy. and equally CftHp-i*' fvom CdYfidl Confideration. p9 equally obliges by the diftant profpecfls of a Hdl and Heaven, So that not only the Go (pel promt- fesy but even menaces and threats become a Wea- pon in the hand o£R^//yi//;,when flie ftands upon her guard, and fights for Vertue. \£fm prefent its felf as my Frote5ior from a temporal Calamity, Rea- fon will tell me hence, that the prefer is infidu- ous> it expofes me to that which is infinitely wcrfe than what it pretends to fave me from ; and that not only in the former refpecfl of Guilty but in that of Funifiment alfo. What a cheat is it to keep me out of the Dungeon^ and fend me to the bottomlefiPity to fave me from a temporary Fircy and thereby mark me out as Fuel for eternal Flames ; to take me out of their hands who can kill the Body y to put me into his who can deftroy both Soul and Body in Hell. Reafon tells me I am to abhor the Turpitude and foulnejs of a Crime ; and it tells me tooj, I am to dread the ^lifery and Smart of it alfo. It would not have me wallow in the mire, though it \verc fafey much lefs when it is fullof J/^yand fipersy which will infallibly fting me to death. It cries out with Jofephy How fhall I do this great wickednef^y and fin againft God? And it cries out with Y^fay too, UT^o can dwell with everlafiing Fire ? In a word, by the domeftick native light of the CandJe of the Lord fet up within our hreafly it fliews the uglinefs of Sin ; and ihews it too by the affiightful difmal hlaze of thofe un- quenchable flames it kindles : Thus by the diffe- rent Arguments of terror and endearment, of love and fear, of intereft and duty, Reafon^{{hTtsthi^ fcortfd. lOO Mifchiefs arifin^ djiap^i'* fcorn d, decried, negledled Precept : Take her as meer Faynim abflradling from the expectation of reward or punifliment ; or take her as a Pr^y^- lyteto Chrift, contemplating his promifes and threats, if there be Honefy or if there be Religion, in either inftance the Soul muft ftill conclude, that jijflidiion if to be chofen rather than Iniquity. AND if it be reafonable thus to refifi even un- to blood ftriving againft fin, if Reafon blow the Trumpet y found the jilarm to this folemn War, then furely it prefcribes fomething of ^tMartial difcipline to prepare and difpofe us for thofe Com- bats. No expert General will bring a company of raw untrained men into the Fieldy but will by little bloodlefs skirmifhes inftrucft them in the manner oithc Fight, teach them the ready mana- gery of their Weapons ; and of this fort are all thok voluntary Self-denials, and lighter aufteri- ties which Chriftianity commends to us, which become neceflary not fimply for themfelves, but as inftruments towards a higher end. The Mi- litary fame the Romans had in the world was at* chieved by the exadt difcipline of their Camps, enuring their Souldiers to labour and hardfhip. And, as Tacitiis tells us, when a long Peace had flaokned the reins of difcipline, that a5iive Hu- mo«r, which was wont to be fpent on the Enemy, recoifd, and flew in the face of their Comman- ders, begat nothing bat fliall on a fudden deny all inthegrofi; he who has projecfted m^;?)', but never wav'd one Opportunity of ihewing his Wit, how fliall he find in his heart to become a Fool for Chrift, He that has gratified his Palate with all that pretends to be gultful to it, how fliall he de- fcend to the bread of Jjfliclion ; or he that never tried to mifs a Meal, how will he entertaia the unwelcome contrariety of not knowing whereto get one. He who has never abated any thing of the utmoft Pomp he could reach, how will he hrook the want o£neceJfaries ; or from his Houfe feifd with Cedar, and painted with Vermiliony be content with his S'^i^/Wry Lot, not to have where to lay his head. In fhort, how fhall he who never could pare ofFany of the Excrefcencies, themecr Vanities and Gaieties of an eftate, part with it all ; or lay down that //fd?/ir Chrifis fake, from which he never fubftracfled one fmalleffc Pleafure, Suf- fering is a thing to which the fenfitive part of us has an Innate Jverfion, and Averfions are not to H be I02 Mifchiefs arifwg Ctiap.i'- be fubdued at once, but by gentle and eafie^ they may not have the dif advantage of Uncouth- nefs and perfecfh Strangenefs to inhanfe their Dif- ficulty ; and this muft certainly be acknowledged reafonahUy orelfe we muft condemn almoft all the received Rules of humane tranfaBionSy which generally have this for their ground-work, that men muft pafs through thcfirji Principles and low^ eft Rudiment soi^ny Art, before they can arrive at its height. Men ferve Apprentijhips to Trades, and think not themfelves the firft day Maftersoi their craft; we advance in -Le/^r///«r^ by leifurable and {low fteps, and skip not from the A B Cto the ^JMetaphyJicks : And certainly the skill of Chrifti- /tnfuffering is not the eafieft of all Trades ox Sci- ences ; but will require fome time of Initiation, many repeated Trials and Eflays to bring us into an (Sif)diP*S- /y iir tion, to conclude the Impoffihility of the futur© ; for if the firjl were but troublefome and not im- poflible, the fecond will have yet lefs of the trouble^ and fo be yet farther remov'd from im- pofUbility, and the third than the fecondy and fo on till the difficulty vanifli and difappear. And if men would but afiiime fuch a moderate courage, as but to keep the field, and not to run away upon the firil gun-iliot, they would foon find how im- potent AjfaiLtfits they had to deal with, who can never fubdue any man by y?r^//^f^, who isnotfirfl: Emafculated by his o^Nn fears. Let us therefore to fliun the reproach of fo diflionourable a Defeat awake and roufe our fe Ives, put us in a pofture of defence : And Satan, who is as cowardly as any thing in the world but we, will as St. James af- furesus, fly from us. Let us upbraid our felves with our unfeafonable hardinefs and refolution in our impieties, till we have chang'd the fcene, grow impatient of thofe fervile drudgeries, and ambitious of thefe honourable adventures. And to animate us the more, let us fix our ^jy^j upon the glorious^r/;i^of the viBory; and that not only the final and eternal in future Glory ; but that /w^erme^//^^^ which offers its felfas the earnefio£ That, the calm and pleafure of a conquering pie- ty. The Roman ftory tells us that the TTavia- nifts had fo poffeft their minds with the ^oils of Vienna, that they grew infenfible of all dangers in the way to it, and even forc't their General Anto- nio to put them upon thofe hazards, w^hich his wifer conducfl would have declined. And why fhould 112 AUf chiefs ariftng CfcaP-S'^ fliould not our more worthy Hofes excite as great an earneftnefs .'* why fliould not we have as great an Appetite to the pillaging of Satavs Campy plundring that infernal Magazein of all its En- gins both of Mine, and battery, its ftores of arms and Ammunition, leaving him naked and de- fencclefs;, unable to make any impreflion upon us ^ and this he certainly does, who by a fteddy practice ofvertue^ comes to difcern the cgntem- ptihlenefs of thofe baits wherewith he allures us. He thatfeeks only the praifeoiGod, looks upon the appldufe o£men as a hlafi of Air, which pofll- bly may demoli/h and deftroy ^glorious huildingy but cannot give foundation or materials to it ; and therefore will not feek for, or folicit its unhap- py courtfliips. He who defires to h^ great only in the Kingdom of Heaveny laughs at the bufie Ajpirings to fecular great nefsy and wonders at the force of that enchantment, which engages men with fo extreme toil, to climb a tottering pin- fiacle, where the ftandingis uneafie, and the fall deadly. He that covets to be rich towards God, and has inur'd his eyes to that divine Splendor which refults from the heauty of holinefs, is not dazled with the ^^//V^^K/;;^y^/W o£Gold: confiders it as a vein of the fame earth he treads on, and defpifes that abfurd partiality whereof the Pro- phet accufesL/c?/^^^yx, to employ one part to the meaneft ufes, and fall down to the other. In a word, he that looks on the eternal things that are not feen, will through thofe Opticks exacftly dif- Qern the vanity, and inconfiderablenefs of all that i$ vifihle (EbSO^S' from Carrjal Confederation. 113 -- 'vifible o.nd temporary; andfo will be equally un- moved with the terrors or allurements of the world, and neither frighted nor flattered out of his duty. And he that is thus fortified difcou- rages and wearies out his Tempter, deprives him not only of weapons but of heart too, and drives even i'^/^^/^himfelfto'defperation; and when the Enemy is thus beat out of the field, there remains nothing but to enjoy the vUiory, When that reluctance and refifiance of the corrupt Appetite is fo weakned and fubdued that a man adts with freedom, he a(5ls with plea fur e too. A heart thusfet at liberty, alacrioufly runs the ways of Gods commandments: it faring with it as with a Pa- tient that is prefcrib'd exercife for health ; who at firft perhaps finds laffitude and trouble in it : but when the ohfiru5lions are remov'd, and nature diC burthened of thofe noxious humors that encum- bred her, that which was at firft his task, be- comes his recreation. For we are not to think, that it is any innate harfhnefs in piety that renders the firft ^j9^//;^j"of itunpleafant, that is owing on- ly to the indifpofednefi o£oux own llc9,rts. We are in the Prophets phrafe bullocks unaccuftomed to the yoke ; and if we be galled and fretted by it, 'tis becaufe of our impatient ftrivings, and irre- gular motions under it, the yoke is really no hea- vier than it is afterwards when it is more tamely born: and yet the Eafe is very different and un- equal. And this teaches us a ftiort way to that felicity we now fpeak of, to wit. That we com- pofe our felves to fuch a fubmifs and malleable temper 1 14 Mifchiefs arifing Ci^ap* f . temper, that Chrift may come only to govern us txsjheepy not to be put to tame us as Tigers. let us withdraw all fupplies from our hfts, and not by any fecret referv'd affe(flion give them clancular aids to maintain their llehellion, and then they will not be abb^ long to make any vi- gorous oppofition, nor confequently much to di- fturbthe tranquillity of thofc who have thus re- fign'd themfelves to the government of the Prince of Peace : and if this cannot be done in fuch an inftant, but that there will be fome previous difplacencies, and uneafie ftruglings^yet even thofc like the Scorpion, carry Antidote againft their one ///^^i", when 'tis conlider'd that they arebutthe/?^^^x of the f;e?7r-^/V//^> they will become very fupportable by the expedlation of that Joy to which they tend. An enflaved people think themfelves fairly advanced to happinefs, if they can get but to make head againft their op- preflbrsj, though they muft expecfl: many fore conflicts and fliarp engagements before they become ViBors : and certainly 'tis matter of incftim^able joy to him, who has be'en under that fad fpiritual flavery to be fet thus upon even terms, with his fword in his hand againft thofe, who once had him in fuch vaffalage that he durft not lift up a thought againft them ; but efpecially when 'tis remembred with what invincible aids he is backt, fuch as will afcertain him of viBory, if he do not treacheroufly defeat himfelf And furciy he muft be of a ftrange phlegmatick temper, whom all thefe confiderations will not enliven, convey in- to and has but afpark o^ fire in his temper, will furely have fome warmth towards this foin-' viting an experiment : and when he has once made itj, I doubt not, it will then joyn with the fuffirages both of reafon and confcience in ap- probation of Chrifts Lawsy and will with Solomon pronounce of this fpiritual wifdom, her ways are ways of pleafantnefsy and all her paths are peace j Prov. 3. 17. AND now it muft be a ftrange Violence of impiety, that muft break this threefold cor dy that ftiall difannul the joint fentence of all that are competent Judges in this matter. This is not the ftrength oiSamfon that brake withs and cords, but of the Legion that puUd in pieces fet- ters and chains ; and though too many men make it their own work ; yet certainly 'tis only the Devils Intereft : he afpires to the rule and government of us ; and to that end nothing can be more contributive than thefe prejudices we take up againft Chrifts condudl. A Soul like a Nation, can neither bear two Legijlators, nor be without one: And Satan having but that fin- gle competitor, our quarrelling with Chrifts Laws, is virtually an embracing of his. When wcfend Chriji that rebellious meflage, Nolumus hunc Il6 Mi/chiefs arifing Cj^ap^i*. hufjc regnare, we fay to the other as the Trees to the Bramble, Jud. 9. 14. come thou and reign over us. And to this defiance of the one> and invita- tion of his oppofite, he very nearly approaches, that thus defames Chritts commands as irratio- nal or fevere. The traducing of a government being, we know, the immediate praludtum to the calling it off'; libelling the forlorn-hope to rebel- lion. But would God men would foberly weigh whither fuch a mutinous humor tends ; and when our outward Condition has given us fo many preg- nant and coftly Proofs of its ruinous ejfe^isytako caution that it make not the like wrack within us : that we do not madly exchange Chrifts gentle fervice, and glorious Rewards ; for Satans cruel bon- dage, ind crueller Wages : the golden chains of the one which do more adorn than tie us ; for the Iron, the jidamanttne links of the other, which bind us till they deliver us over to thofe Chains of darkneji, where our captivity fliall be irreverfible. If this foreafon able, fo neceflary a care may be admitted; 'twill certainly confute the profane fophijiry of our Age, filence our impious Cavils, and inftead of providing us of the colour of an auftere Mafier tv/ excufe our floth : will engage us to that diligence that ihall fuperfede the ufe of fuch y^/f>i-, and then we may hope to fee Chri- fiianityhave a RefurreSion day again, aflume a Body fomewhatof folidity and fubftance; which now wanders about like a ghofl 01 fpeBre, a (hade orvanifliing apparition which leaves no footfteps behind it : and to the re-union,, O let us all emu- loufly will rather ferve to concenter the fpirits, and make them more acftive in the reft: as we fee the pruning of Trees^ makes them more pro- lifick. And this effedl is very obvious among men: he who has no general diflike to vice; if he. repudiate o//^/tis commonly that he may cleave clofer to another ; and what he defalks from fome dry, injipid fin^ is but to make up Ci Benjamin s Mefs for fome other more guftful. If the Wan- ton hcfoher, 'tis odds he thinks excefs a Rival to his lufiy ifthe Proud man be //^^r/^/, 'tis becaufe co'vetoufnejs is inglorious ; fuch unevennefles are caus'd not by an unkindnefs to any Sin (unlefs pof- fibly that averfion which natural conftitutioa raifes in fome ) but by a partiality to one or more favourite Vices, for whofe better accammo- dationy and fecurer reign, not only Vertue, but other Vices alfo muft give place. AND this 'tis much to be fear'd will upon a true account, be found to be the fum of many mens pietyy fomething they think they muft pay to the importunity of their Religion, which upbraids them fo loudly that they are willing to flop its mouthy but yet would do it with as much frugality, and good managery as may be, and fo confider what 'tis they can beft fpare : what re- fufe Sin which brings them in little of fatisfacfbi- on, and is perhaps in competition with fome other more agreeable : and this they can be content to devote to the /laughter, fet it to receive all the impreffions of the fword of the /pirit ; and fo ufe it as a buckler to their darling lufis, to ward oft thofe I 2 blows I ZO Mifchiefs driftng Cl)ap*^« blows which muft elfe fall heavy on them ; but alas this is not to oheyy but to delude : to ranfom ^greater Sin with a lefsy and to tranfcribe in this matter the Counfel of Caiphas : to let one die for the People, that the whole nation Perifh not. To make one forlorn guilt a Patriot to the reft, whileft in the tempeft which threatned a general {hipwracky the precious wares are preferv'd, by throwing the le(^ valuable over board. AND truly that is commonly the event, men are fo jolly and triumphant when they have worft- ed a trivial inconfiderahle fin, as if they had de- feated the whole army ; this poor defpicable fpoiU is fet up as their Trophe, and muft they think wit- nefs for them both to God and man> that they are good fouldiers of Jefus Chrifi : they can like Saul with full confidence meet the Prophet, and tell him they have fulfilled the Commandment of the LordyZ^2Lm, 1 5". 13. though ^gag and thebeft c^^^/^, the reigning and fatteft/;7j be fpar'd: and while they are thus fecure> their fins will certain- ly be fo alfo, have no difturbance or difquiet from them;, but lie at Eafe and reft, feed like Canihals upon their own kind, be nourifht by the car- kafles of thofe unlucky vices, on whom the ex- terminating lot hapned to fall: and by that means grow to a prodigious bulk and corpulen- cy. And upon thefe terms Satan himfelf will allow us to mortifie feme fins, nay will hinifelf caji the firfi fione at them : and like a rooking gamefter purpofely lofc thefe petiy flakes, that he may afterwards fweep the hoard,! FOR d^dP»^* ffom Partial Obedience . 121 , F O R if men fliould give themfelves up uni- verfally to all forts of 111, if they ihould fet them- felves in a total oppofition to all the documents of their profefion, he would lofe one of his mofl: ufeful engins'y there could be no fuch thing as a falfe delulive hope : they might poflibly by ob- ftinacy harden, or by divcrfion gag Confcience, but they could not bribe and corrupt it, make it fit down well pleas'd and fatisfied with its felf. For when the threats againft difobedience fliall occurr to the mind of one who has in allinftances difobey'd, 'tis impofllble he fliould find any falve, any way of Evading the Thrcats,they make fo directly at him. : but he who can alledge for himfelf that he obeys in fomc things, confronts that to all Objections, and refolves he is not in the lifi of the difohedient : One or two fuch comfortable inftances are as mighty; as God promised the Ifraelites fliould be, Deut. 32.30. one able to chafe a thoufand, and two to put ten thou- fand to flight ; all fears and mifgiving thoughts are diffipated and fled before them : and as once the French King in his return to the numerous fwelling titles of the Spaniard, thought the bare repetition of France, France, France, was a fiill ballance to them all ; fo when whole files of great and fcandalous Crimes prefent themfelves, one^ fingle vertue is thought ii fufBcient counterpoize. He whofe Confcience upbraids him with all Profanenefs towards God, and in Sobriety to- wards himfelf: yet if he can but anfwer that he is jpfi to his neighbour, he thinks he has quit f cores, ♦ I 3 and J22 Mifchiefs aripng €t)aPt^» ^nd fears no farther reckonings : he who is im- merft in all the filthinefs both oi flejh and Jpirit, has abandoned his Mind to pride and envte, ms Bo- dy to lufi and intemperance ; and fo facrificed both thofetd Devils: yet if he caft hntfomeg^^rainso? this efbte upon the Altar; devote any finall part ofthattoGodj, for the ufes of P/V/)/ oi Cha- rity J he concludes that Incenfe will fend up a Cloud thick enough, to obfcure the other from the JE;'^ of Divine Jufl:ice> and yield fo fweeta iavoui: as will perfume him in fpight of all that Noifomnefs : fo extending old Tohits words be- yond his meaning, that alm^y though alone y delir- fvereth from deathy and cleanfethfrom all fin. He who is deep in facriledge and rehelliony that can daringly fwallow repeated deUberate /?^r/ij ; yet if ne can get but the demure tendernefs, to fear afudden oath^ he is Chymifi enough to ex- tracft a confidence out of that feary and prefumes that /t?rw/!j/ Civility toGodsname> fhall expiate all the real Violations and Contempts of him ; and while- men make fuch ufe of their partial peecemeal obedience, it can never be the Devili interefi: to difturb them in it, to awake them out of their pleafant dream, or to exadl of them to k, NAY' indeed his afifairs are fo ftated, that to fome he can and does, and without danger allow a yet far greater indulgencey he can permit therti fo bid ni^ch fairer than this for Heaven, an4 ■ yet d),Sp*^- from Fttrtial Obedience, 123 yet knows the purchafc is far from being made; he can fee them cafhier not ibme one ftngle fin, but whole troops together;, and yet not fear the iinking of his Caufe : He can truft them fo far;, that as the youu^ man in the Gofpel, they may be pronounc'd. Not far from the Kingdom of God: yet as long as there is but one unmortified Luft;, that can lend them away fad from ChriM, his tenure is firm enough. Herod may hear John Baptifl gladly, n:\,yio many things upon it> yet let him but keep Herodiasy andfhe will foon be able to fecure both her f elf ^n^ 5"^^^^^ againft the danger of that Competition. This is indeed his main advantage that he can hold faft by the fmallefi threed; and whereas to our blifs a con- fpiration and union of all Vertues is required ; our ruine can fpring from any one folitary Crime: many rounds make that Ladder wherewith we muft fcale heaven : whereas oneftep ferves to precipi^ tate us into the Ahyffe ; fo fadly vei^ifying the Poe- tical Axiome, Facilis defcenfus jiverni. In fum, while there is hut any one fwgle fin indulg'd to: that is the Devils tedder ; and though it fhould be imagined fo loofe^as to give men fcope to range Over all other forts of Vertues, to tafte the fweet and feed liberally on them; yet flil! the heajl is in the power of him who has fixt the line, not only to be finally led away to flaughter, but alfo to have the length Jhortned, and be either put out of the reach, or quite removed from the view of thofe pleafantpafiures, 1 4 FOR 124 Mi/chiefs arifmg S5ilP^' FOR though the fecurity raised by fuch an un- uniform piety is in many fo cxa<5lly apportioned to Satans interesly that he has no caufe to wilh the change of his tenure ; yet where the circum- ftances are fuch, as will make it ufeful> he can cafily tvvift his threci into a Cdhle. When he thinks one Mom,rch Lufl: too mild a legiment, he can fct up an ^Athenian Tyranny, or which is yet wcrfe, let in the whole populacy of Sin upon the Soul, which like the Egyptian Loculis fhall over- run and devour it, not leave any green thing on the groundy and that this is in his power we have too machreafon to conclude. He is we know a cunning fophi^er, and if he has abus'd us fo far as to impofe one fin upon us, he may thence very regularly deduce many more, as one falfe Pre- mife admitted, may be improved into thoufands of falfc Conclufions. Indeed fuppofing a man refolute to adhere to one fin, he may with very good Logick perfwade him to multitudes of others. There are but two Objeffions ufually made to any Temptation ; either the offence, or the danger \ andthefe are ufually objedlable to one fin as well as to another ; fo that this dilemma readily offers its felf : either it is reafonable to buy a pleafure at that price, or it is not: If it be, then contrive that the crime be pleafant, and that brings its dij^enfation with it : If it be not> then why doefb thou live in this one fin in de- fpight of both guilt and punifliment ; the later part of the Dilemma 'tis no part of Satans bufi- nefs to prefs, but the former he has too much ad- vantage of purfuingfucceflefuUy; if he can but drefs (Etiap 6- fi'om Partial Obedience. iz^ drefs up a temptation to look invitingly, the bu- finefs is done. So ridiculous a thing is an uneven Piety, that it even laughs it felf out of counte- ' nancc;, and wants only temptation to become uni- ferm Vice. How abfurdly looks it, to fee a man run away with Jofeph from the embraces of his f^Miftrefip and yet with full as great a fpeed ac- company Gehazi in the parfuit of a hrih ; and how obvious is it to conclude that the former aflault was improfperous only becaufe not man- aged with the r/^^^ weapon; that he might have been bird that would not be woed ? What a mockery is it for a man to be zealoics for God, and rehel/ious againft hi< King ? as in the reverfe, for a man to be true to his King, and a rehel to hif God : and w^ho can but think, that had either of the averted Crimes been cookt to their Palats, they might have chang'd ^leffes. Indeed 'tis not imaginable by what rules of difcourfe, he that embraces one fin fliould rejedl another : if it be done only uponphancy and humour ^as the repulfi vice will have realon to complain of great partia- lity, when as bad as its felf is received and che- rifli'd ; fo it points out a way to attacque him more profperoufly : let it fhape its felf to the phancy, and fure Satan, who can transform him-; felf to an jingel of light, can foon w^ork that eafie change : let the younger Brother get on the cloaths of the favourite Efau, transform its felf into the fhape and intereft: of the darling fin, and it need not doubt of a free admiffion, . But all this while to pretend confcience for fuch an ahfi:i- nence, is of all other pleas the inuil abfurd, for ^«^^ why 1Z6 Mifchiefs aripng CE|^apf(^. whyfliouldhc fcruple at one, that abandons him- felf to another. As S. James argues concerning the guilt, fo may we for the aB of Sin : He that faid do not commit adultery y faid alfo do not kill ; and 'tis abufive mockery, the Souldiers Aije Rex^ to bow to his authority in the e?;7^,and refill: it in the other. Thus unhappy is the cafe of him who entertains one fin, his enclofure is broken down, and he's a common for all : he is left deftitute of a reply to any temptation, and like a hafhful per- fon will be in danger o!i yielding, becaufe he is afham'd to deny : and this I doubt not, many have found experimentally true, fomefins have been committed not fo much upon the force of incli- nation, as to be confentaneous to themfelves, to filence the upbraidings of their underftandings foradlingfo unevenly, it being impoflible to give a reafonable account, why thts and not that, or that ; for when by one hold wilful Jin a man enter'd into a ftate ofhoflility with God, 'tis not a tender- ttefs in all others will make up the hredch: and then they think the rule of known enemies takes place, where all civilities are difclaim'd, and the quarrel manag'd to the moft advantage. The refolv'd ^Adulterer could perhaps without much difficulty be juft, but when he confiders that that one Helena of his, will certainly make a war, he thinks 'tis an impertinent nicenefs to lofe a good prize, or difmifs his covetoufnefs while he refolves to ret^n his lujf.. The incorrigible drunkard could perchance eafily enough be r^///e, but when he remembers that drmkennefs ex- /Vt;^j which being put in at the window fet the doors open to all the reil". BUT perhaps this danger may be thought in fome degree warded by the natural temper and conftitution of men, which neceflarily renders them unapt to contradiHory vices, and £b will fe- cure them at leaftirom fo many as are difagreea- ble to their Temper : but if this fliould be granted, yet it confefledJy leaves them open to all others, and that were certainly bad enough: he that is as wicked, as his compkx'ion can not only encline, but permit him to be, will not want much of the utmoft number of fins : but whatever we can fup- pofe that to ftrike ofF from the tale ; yet in the fecond place, 'tis very much to be fcar'd, that will defalk nothing of the weight; he that fins to the height of his appeiite, perhaps power, fliall he be ever the more innocent becaufe there were fome naufeatedfins which he had not Self denial enough to commit. Godabfolves us in propor- tion to the reBitude of our Wills, not the ;?ot- nefs of our Complexions : he that wills to pur- fue whatever he can find guflful, how impious foe- yer ; fliall it be vertue inliinri that fome Sins are 128 Mif chiefs arifing Cbap 6 unfavoury and difagreeing to his Palate ; if it ihould, theij may fo many cxtrinfick things be by Analogy brought in> cither to fwell or abate the accounts of our fin, that we fliall be much to feek in the eftimate of it. B U T in the third place, even thefe very aver- fions are no infallible prefervative^ for if they happen to be more moderate and remifs, than the love of fome other fin ; that predominant incli- nation will fubdue thofe diflikes, when ever its intereft is to be ferv'd, by thofe otherwife not guftful commijjions. There is nothing more or- dinary than to fee one appetite purfued to the violation of another. A man perhaps hates drunkennefsj not only as a he^ialy but uneafie vice ; yet if his /oz'^ to Gain exceed his diflike to that; when that is requifite to make up the price of a good bargain^ that averfion muft ftoop, and give i way. A man defpifes /ji'^^r/V^, ti^ ^n inftpid im- pertinent Sin, yet if he fet any great value upon heing in the mode, and complying with the gentile Dialed, that will foon debafe him to what hefo much contemned: and truly there is fcarce any other account to be given of that great and foolilh fin. But in no other inftance is this fo notori- oufly vifible as in that of duelling, I need not fingle out any one mans particular inclination, the nature of mankind doth certainly avert both killing and being kill'd: yet when that Phan- tafmy that Chimera honour, has once poflfeft the mind, no reludlance of humanity is able to make head againftit: but it commands as uncon- troul'dly ! ^ap^d. from Partial Ohedience. lig troui'dlyj, as the Centurion in the Gofpel, fayes to this mango and he goes, to another come and ha comes : nay as Tyrannically as the great Cham oitartaryy who as an Eflay of his Soveraignty commands whole t roofs to ride down precipices ; nay thefe Averfions are not only thus violently fubdued by fome foraign lufl, but arc many times deftroy'd even by force of that very ^vicious prin- ciple which gave them hirth : for we miftake if we think they are alwaies vertuous, or fo much as innocently founded ; Vice is often at civil wars with its felf ; and the vehement inclination to one, ingenders a dij^lacency to another ; but yet fuch a riddle is this myfiery ofhiquity, that upon the very fame hafis is built both the abhorrence and commiffion of the fame Sin. For example, a Proud man as much hates to fawn and flatter others, as he loves to be flattered himfelf; yet let his pride but once work the other way:» and fet him upon an ambitions projeB, then all the mean condefcentions imaginable are with eafe digeft- ed, he can crouch and proftrate, and as the rfal- mifi fpeaks, fall down and humble himfelf, that by that defcent he may rebound to the height he aims at: but ft ill pride is the common caufe of thefe fo diftant eflfecfls. In like manner the Rio- tous Prodigal detefts covetoufnej?, looks upon it as fo fordid and bafe, that he brands even pru- dent frugality as approaching too near it; yet let him but once find the firings to grow dry which fliould feed his luxury, when he feels his Riot begins to exhauft and prey upon its felf, theu 13 O Mifchiefs arifing C!)ap¥^- then even that dejpifed Covetoufnefi fli^iU be calFd in to its aid, to dig mettal for the Furnace to melt, and fo by a ftrange Antiperiftafisy prodigality fhall beget rapine. Tlius unhappily prolifick is every Sin, that it carries in its bowels the feed :ind principle even of thofe that feem the moft He^ terogeneous ; and then how fhall a man that has admitted but any one fuch teeming lult be fecur'd that it lliall not thus propagate, till his Soul be- come a meer defarty fiU'd with all forts o£wild and noxious creatures, THERE is but one hope imaginable to inter- pofe, and that is that Gods grace ftiall prevent this exorbitant growth of impiety in him, and I ac- knowledge that is fufBcient to do it, where iC may have its kindly operation ; but where it has fo, it will uniformly fupprefs all fin, and therefore where any one continues in Force 'and Vigour, 'tis manifeft that operation of Grace is obftrudled, and fuch a man I fliould defire foberly to confider what aflurance he has, that he who has fo evacu- ated Gods grace in one imftance, fhall not do fo in another ? \?in flight of that grace he can be luft- fiil, why (hall he not be as able to refift it in fa- T(>«r of Drunkennefs, Sacriledge, Rebellion/ or any other crime to which he fliall at any time have appetite. Can he imagine that God fends forth an irrefiftible ftrength againft fome fins, whileft in others he permits meai a power of repelling his Grace? That were to tranfcribe the Syrians db- furd Phanfie, that he isr a God of the hills and not of the valleys: Nocertaanly, he who has his own unhappy Cljap*^- /Vom Partial Obedience. Ijl unhappy experience to atteft the poflibility of fruftrating the Divine fuccours in one particular^ has too fure grounds to infer the like in others. Nay alas, it does not only infer it by way o£argu^ ment and deduBion, but it is very apt to produce it by way oicaufe and efficiency ; We gain a readi- nefs to any thing by cuftom and afluefacftion, and he who has habitually oppos'd Grace in the de- fence of a Lufty has delivered himfelf from that modefty vrhich makes the firft deFance uneafie, and fo runs on with eafe and boldnefs to future re- fiftance. It faring with men in this violation of Gods ^r ace as it does in that of his Patrimony y the firft Sacriledge is lookt on with fome horrour, and men are fain to devife arguments and colours to delude their reludling Confciences ; but when they have once made the breach^ their fcrupulo- fity foon retires ; one draught of that impious gain, has fuch a ftupifying effeBy that they can without check fwallow on, till the Sin flame (o fiercely, that nothing but meer want of Matter can extinguifh it But admit it were poflible for a man to be fecur'd of his own compliance with fome parts of refrraining grace whileft he im- pugnes it in others, yet who fhall afcertain him^ of that grace? It being Gods, implies 'tis not in our power, he may furely do what he will with ' his own, and though his promife has made a fure ^///^^//ofittoallthofe, who humbly feekand dili- gently ufe it : yet it no where engages that it fhall be the portion ot any other ; much lefs that it fliall importunately and endlefly renew its aflaults on thof^ I3'2 Mifchiefs arifin^ j- combining with 5"^^^// agai lift G^^ and their own Souh : he knows well that while he holds any part, God will have none, and fo the whole falls to him, and then he may very fafely be modeft, and demand but moderately, and by that feeming difference and yielding, gain more than by all his moft eager contendings. I fuppofe every man will difown the having this ridiculous defign of compounding the ftrifc between Heaven and He//; but certainly it is the natural interpretation of fuch partial obediences, when two Litigants con- tend for fomething which I have in my keepin^^, ifl divide it between them, is it not obvious to conclude I defire to compofe the difpute and la- tisfie both parties, and is not this the very cafe here ? 'Tis true indeed, it carries a very abfurd found, but then how more abfurd is it for men to acft at fuch a rate, that when 'tis reprefented to them in the trueft colours, themfelves are aflia- med to own what they have done ? And this calls loudly upon them to put themfelves out of the lafli of their own difcipUne : to recover fuch an innocence that they may not be forc't with David to fentence themfelves, when that their crimes appear in the light difguife of a Parab/e. AND this indeed is the only proper ufe of all thefe confiderations, the danger and folly are as unufeful as unpleafant fpeculations, unlefs it be in order to the reforming that wherein both are founded. Let men confider themfelves, as enga- ged in thofe wild projedls which even themfelves look on with fcorn ; as enfnar'din that unhappy vK z contradl 1:^6 Mifchiefs drifwg Cljap-^^- contracfl: which has rendred them part of the De- vils pofleflion, and contrive how they may obli- terate that reproach;, and difentangle their Mort- gaged Souls. AND for this there is but one way imagi- nable> and that is by quitting their hands of that which they took as the valuable confideration in that mad bargain ; reftoring Sat arts coyn to him^ not only ^r/W/7^/ but ufeaKo: calling away the main fin and all the little appendages, which like offefets have fhot out from that root ; retaining nothing that has his mark and imprefs upon it, that fo ne may not pretend to any thing of theirs by right of barter or exchange. This, and this only is the way to diffeife him of his Eftate, to cancel thofe fatal Indentures which bound them to him, and till this be done, as long as they keep any part of his wages of iniquity y his title remains in full force, they are Hill his fervantSf his vaf fals, EVEN that redemption of Chrift has no effi- cacy towards the enfranchizing of fuch, for though it proclaim a univerfal Juhile, yet it for- ces liberty upon none, he that will nail his Ear to the door-poft and defie a manumiflion, may continue his flavilh ftate ftill, and indeed though Chrifts death was defign d to refcue us from the power of Satan ; yetthefirft eflay of that refcue was to redeem us from our vain converfation: And where that is not done, which is fo eflcntially fundamental to all the reft, 'tis not poflible any other pait of that Redemption fliould be atr chiev'd> Ct)^P*^' from Partial Obedience . iij chiev'dj, unlefs we will confound the order o? Na- ture as well as Grace, and make the confequent precede the antecedent. L E T no man therefore upon any vain hopes delay the one only expedient to his fecurity^ but pay back the ear nefi-penny he has received from 5"^- tany fling away his fin, how pleafant or profitable foever, with the greateft Abhorrence, as know- ing 'tis the price of blood, and that not only his Saviours y but his ojvn too ; and this immediately, left the forfeiture be irreverlible. We know the danger of lapfing time in cafe of Mortgage, but here our danger is greater, becaufe the time is fo uncertain, for though God had nothing elfe to do in the whole tranfacftion ('twas wholly our own work ) yet 'tis he that adigns the time of for- feiture : he alone knows how far w^e may go in fin, before we pafs the poffibility of a retreat ; hov7 long he will be provok'd before he fufiferhis whole difpleafure to arife ; and how many repel- lings of his Grace, and quenchings of his Spirit they are to which his defertions are apportioned. Pharaohs- htart was hardened by God after the Eighth refiftance, and we have no fecurity but ours may he fooner : yet if that fhould be taken as the ftanding meafure, how dreadful an abode would it make to many of us ? Who is there that has efpoufed any one beloved fin, that has not much oftner repeated the atls of it, every one of which is a refiftance and a contumacy againft God ? Who is there that has not done it againft fo many C"xprefs warnings and loud calls of God in his own K 3 Confci^ Mi/chiefs arifing €|)ap*^« Confctencey which renders it yet a fuller paraliel, and 'tis to be fear'd^too many agree with it even in the Lift and higheft circumftance, that of the Plagues too, by an obftinate perfifting after fo many Judgements fent to moUifie and reclaim them ; and then where the premifes are the fame, 'tis too likely the conclufion may be fo alfo. I S H A L L not wifli any Perfon fo ftridlly to apply this cafcj, as to conclude, that he is al- ready in this ftate, but I fhould wifli all men would apply it fo far^as to infer how poffihle, nay how prohahle it is, that the very next refiftance iliall put them in it. 'Tis not Pharaohs being a Heathen and they Chriftians that will give them anyfccurity; it being no part of the Gofpel-Co- venantj, that men fhall be ever the longer allowed to trample upon Grace. All the difference it makes is rather on the other fide ; the contempts areenhans'd to a higher guilt, and confequently, the fewer aifls may now ferve to fill up themea- fure. And if their experience teflrifie to them, that in their particular God has us'd a greater long fuffering, than he has given any grounds to expecft, ifthe guilt of their Confciences teflrifie that they have committed many more acfts; and yet fome remaining tenderneflcs and regrets wit- nefs alfo,that they are not yet given up to an ut- ter hardnefs and obduration, O let them not pre- fume themfelves fafe, becaufe they are not utter- ly defperate ; but lay their hearts open to be ftampt and imprefl: by grace, before they grow utterly inflexible ; timely confider what is the defign Cliap*^- from Partial Obedience. ijp defign of this longanimity , and without any more ftrugiings and refiftance fufJer it to attain its aim and lead them to repentance. FOR though their Souls be not yet wholly petrified^ yet how know they in what an inftant that unhappy (^etamorphofis may be wrought, or if it fhould not be fo ludden, yet 'tis certain every acfl of fin makes gradual approaches to- wards it: fo that if God fhould not inHicl it by way of punifhmenty yet the meer force of Habit would produce it by way of natural efficacy : And to be convinced of this, I fhould require no more, but that men would refledl:, and fee what effetSls it has already wrought, how far it has advanced towards that fatal point. Let them fend their thoughts back through every flage and period of their fin, and obferve whether as that has grown, fo their tendernefs and reludtance of Confcience has not abated and decreased : Let them but recol- Iccftwhat regrets and difquiets they had, when they ventured upon the firft unlawful commifllon, and compare it with their prefent, and I doubt not they will difcern a great inequality ; they will find that every acft of fin hath allayed fome- what of the fharpnefs of thofe pangs, and pro- portionably to the frequency of the repetition they approach toward infenfible: and then let him whofe older Habit has multiplied thofe ABsy fadly confider how few fieps he has to the end of his unhappy journey, though no extrinfick con- current fhould haften his pace. But when Gods defertion fhall, as for ought he knows, it may the K 4 next 140 Mi/chiefs arifing Cl^aPv^". next minute fupervene : that as a full and violent Wind drives him in an inftant^, not to the Harbour, but on the Rock where he will be irrecoverably fplit. NOR let any man fortifie himfelf againft thefe terrors^ by hoping that his one finj^le ( per- haps fmall ) fin (hall not have this deftrucftive force ; for if it be vptlful it carries in it that which is properly the malignity of all fin, to wit, a re- fiftance and oppofition againft God, and this is fo mortal a Venome, that the leaft Dofe of it is deadly y as a man may as certainly be poifon'd by a dram ofjrfenicky as with the largefi draught, THE more natural inference lies the other way, ifitbebutafingleor pettyfin, 'tis fo much the eafier to part with ; he that is bound with a firong Cable, or with a multitude of lefler Cords, may pretend fome necejfity of his Captivity from the ftrength of his bonds ; but he that is tied with ofie flender firing, fuch as one refolute ftruggle would be fure to break : he is prifoner on- ly to his own floth or humour, and who will pity his thraldom, where 'tis fo apparently his choice ? Do not therefore fay my fin is inconfiderable and therefore I need not relinquijh it, but my fin is in- confiderable therefore I need not keep it. So flight a pleafure I m^y part with and find no mifs : this pedling profit I may refign and 'twill be no breach in my Eftate. And ifChrifi require a re- nunciation of ^/^(?/^y//7x which are as the Hand and Eye, ftiall I fcruple to depofite thoje which are but AS the Hair or Nails, ■ NAY Ctep.^* from Fartial Obedience. 141 NAY he may yet argue higher^ and from the fmalnefs of the fin deduce the enhanfement of the Guilt : great acquifitions carry fome temptation in their face, but defpicable prizes do rather avert than tempt. 'Twas the fign of a common harlot to be hired with a Ktd, Gen. 58. and fure he muft be of a ftrange proftitute Soul, that can adulterate for fuch low trivial wages . To diflio- nour Godj, though the whole world were to be ac- quired by it, were great impiety y but to do it for handfuh of Barley and pieces of Bread, EzeL 13. 19. himfelf brands as a yet higher pitch. And fure it argues a very light efteem of God, when one poor contemptible luftfliall be able to over- poize him in our hearts. N O R is the folly lefs thaa the profaneneff, when there is but one Jonah to be caft over-board, 'tis the greater madnefs to hazard a wrack ; and let fuch a man pretend what he pleafes in extenu- ation of his fin, make that appear never fo minute and defpicable, yet 'tis apparent all the love which other men fcatter and diftribute upon feve- ral, he has united and concentred in this one luft. The moft doting affeBion when it is fummed up can amount to no more than this, that it makes a man expofe himfelf to the greateft pain, the greateft lofs for the thing beloved. And this is moft vifible here. Hell is as certainly acquired, and Heaven as certainly forfeited by one fin as ma- ny \ and then though there may be odds in other refpedls, yet what is there in this, between this Hiore modefi and the moft licmtious Sinner, but that 142 Mifchiefs arifing C|)ap*6'. that xS\^ former puts the fame value upon one^, that the other does upon many finSj, and fells his Soul fo much the cheaper. AND now would God fuch men would review their hargain, foberly confider what there is in this Idolized fin of theirs, which fliould exac5t fuch coft- ly facrifices. Let him whofe long intimacy and experience has given him accefs to its moft fecret recelles, that has rifled its bowels, and knows the utmoft whether of pleafure or profit that lies there conceal' d. Let him I fay, that is thus qua- lified for it, make an exacft inventory of its wealth, and then let him compare it with what he is to pay for it ; weigh its flat and momentary Plea- ftires^ with thofe moft tranfcending and perpetual Joys which are at Gods right hand ; its bafe and pe- riihing commodities, with thofe unfailing trea- fures in the Heaven ; and then judge of his pur- chafe in refpecft of that part of his prize : And if that be not convincement enough, let him weigh the other alfo ; thofe fad pains which are too intolerable to be fufJer'd, and yet fo eternal y that they can never ceafe to be fuflfer'd, and think whether that be not too dear a rate for that plea- fure, whofe guft is fo little, and whofe duration is lefs : or mi^itprofit he will have in the revenue of his fin, thut Gold and Silver which will finally eathisflejhas it were fire, Ja.$.'^. and prove the unhappy /^^/ of his flames. FROM all thefe premiffes, certainly Reafon and Religion do equally infer the fame conclufion, to wit, that men fliould not tolerate themfelves one Cij^P*^' ftom Partial Obedience. I^j one minute in any known fin of how fmall a fize foever it be; nor fo impertirxntly betray their Souls to ruine for that which they call light and trivial; and is fo indeed in refpecft of the acqnefi, but overw^helmingly ponderous in regard of the effeBs and pernicious confequents. And O that , mens pracftices might evince them to have made this juft dedudlion, that thofe who have in many things preferv'd an innocence y would not be fo ill husbands as to forfeit all the advantage of that Care for want of extending it a little farther^ norfufferthe whiter parts of their SoultobediC- coloured or tintfled by the refledlion of one crim- fonfin; but rather let their tears wafh that into a whitenefsjjthat they may be uniform and of a piece. For though Jacob clad his darling Jofeph in a par- ty-colour'd garment ; yet God owns none either for favourite S"*?/;:, or fo much as Servant that he finds fo arrayed. The followers of the Lamb are all clad in white, and in that attire we muO:. be fure to put our felves if we mean to go in with him to the marriage. And fince the Gofpel is the invitation to that feaft, let none imagine he has complied with it till he have thus fitted himfelf: till then he affronts and baffles his Chriftianity^ fends it away empty without its errand ; nay, which is worfe proflitutes and profanes it, makes it fervc only for a G(?i/r^, that he may fit under the fha- dowofit, and commit his fins the more undifl:ur- bed; but let j him remember that he is all this while breeding that worm, which will fmite this Gourd, and leave him un/heltred to that fcorch- ing 144 Mifchiefs arifing Cfcap ing7rr//^/?ofGod, which will make the improve- ment o^Jo7jahs pajfTionate Wifh, that God would take away his lifc his moft rational Defire; ren- der not Death only, but Annihilation alfo, as eligihle as it will be impoffihle. I CHAP. VIL '^A fuYvey of the Mifchiefs arifing from ^Ufiakes concerning Repentance, 34 N O T H E R dangerous Underminer of LjL Chriftian Pracftice is the many afiFedted Jl^ \^ miftakes in the bufinefs of Repentance. Men look upon that as the grand recipe of the Go- fpel, an infallible C^ij/'d^/ico/^ againft all their fpi- ritual maladies ; and fo far they judge right, for fo indeed it is. But when they proceed to com- pound this fovereign ^ledicine for their own ufe, they do it moft deceitfully ; leave out the princi- pal and moft operative ingredients : and by being fuch ill ^Apothecaries defame the Gofpel as the DiJ^enfatory, and Chriji as the Fhyfician, and like- wife ruine themfelves as the Patients. But of thofe who make this imperfecft and Defecflive compofitiony all do it not alike ; fome leave out one part, fome another, and fome fo many that they retain nothing of its fubftance and reality. Eat out all the heart and vertue of it, and leave only an empty /hell, the gilding as it were of the Pill, the ^|)8P*7- from Mifidkes concerning Repentance. 145' the Form and meer outfide of Repent- ance. I N this later rank I place thofe who fuficr repentance to pafs no farther than their Frontiers, and Outworks ; afllgn it its quarters in the fu- perficies of the n:ian, the Face^ or tongue^ or Ge- fture ; but if it attempt to penetrate any deeper, if it fend but one ferious thought to alarm the heart, then like the Edomttes againft Ifrael, Num. 20. all the forces are muftered to impede its paflage ; fuch formal Penitents as thefe all ages have produc't. Chrift tells of thofe who dif- figured theirfdceh^^^t.6, 16. put on as it were a vizard only toacSl this part: and Efay 58. 5'. long before defer ibes them, by the bowing down rJie head like a bull-rufh^ and certainly the race of them is not worn out in our dales ; a de- mure or rather a lugubrious looky a fad or whining tone, makes up, 'tis to be fear'd, the fum^ of many mens Humiliations. Nay as the world has of late gone, that alone were but a modeft pretence: fuch theatrical /brmj ftickle hard foi? the prize, not of that one part but of all religion : adiftorted countenance is made the Mark of an up- right hearty and none is thought to fpeak tne Language of Canaan, that drefles it not in an uncooth found: and then what wonder is it that they are impatient others fhould war- fhip Gody as David invites, in the beauty, while themfelves chufe to do it in the Deformity of holinefs, BUT 14^ Mifchiefs arifing €f)ap»7. ^ BUT others make fomewhat a fairer advance towards repentance, by taking in fome of thofe > things which are indeed its neceffary concomitants ; of this kind is in the firft place confefiion of Sin : and this after fome fort is ftuck at by few ; no man who hath not herded himfelf with the worft fort of Fanaticksy imagines himfelf finlefs, or pretends to be thought fo by others, but will ve- ry readily acknowledge to all the world that he is a finner : and as to meny fo efpecially and more folemnly to God. Every man that but oifers at praying at all^, thinks confeflion a neceffary Branch of his devotion: all publick /(^rmj- have ever carried that in the front y as fuppofing it the moft principal;, univerfaU and daily requifite to the lapfing ftate of humane corruption : And perhaps 'tis the general innate perfwafion of this, that hath fecur'd that part of our Liturgy y from thofe impertinent cavils, which have particu- larly aim'd at moft other members of it And I fuppofe this is as frequent in the Clofet Ks in the Church : the only fear is, that there it is as loofe and general too : that thofe private and particular guilts which are neither fit nor pofli- ble to be diftincflly inferted in puhlicky do many times lofe their place even in private ConfefH- ons alfo. The Ihortnefs and the eafe of general forms being very likely to recommend them to thofe whofe numxrous fins threaten too great a length, and whofe confus'd fnarfd confciences render it diiRcult, thus to pull out thread by thread : but where Sins are thus moulded up in a COHP 7* from Mifiakes concerning Kef entance, 147 lumpy they will like great majfes of Pills or con- fedlions keep the more undecay'dj, retain more of their firength and "vigor. So th^it fetch Confefllons are very indulgent to Satans inter efty who fears not the impreffions that can be made upon him^while his body remains entire : the great execution then beginning when 'tis broken and fcatter'd, and each fin is fingled out for a particular pur- fuit: and where that is not attempted, the war can never be fuccefsful, nor thought in ear- neft. BUT fuppofe this be done; and by exacft enumeration, each fin is parted from its fellows, as when a conqueror purfues the flying troops of routed Enemies : yet if this be all, if quarter he allowed, and any mercy given, no real pri::^e is gain'd by this atchievement. He who recounts his fins with milder purpofe towards them than utter excifion, he makes no approach towards the eflential part of Repentance. He may bring out large Catalogues of his fins, and call them confe/sions ; but he may better exprefs his own fenfe, if he term them rather inventories of his goods, for fuch 'tis apparent he reckons them, whilefl: he refolves to keep them. Indeed there is not a more abfurd piece of Pageantry^ than thefe formal Confefllons, and fuch as Ihews how little, God is confider'd in his great Attri- bute the fearcher of hearts. 'Tis certain no man would hope to attone an offended fuperior, by a fubmif s acknowledgment of his fault, did he know that his purpofe of reiterating it were aifcern'd : 148 Mif chiefs arifin^ difcern'd : and what a tacite hlaj^hemy is it then, to treat God at fuch a rate as prefumes him as deceivahle as a poor ^lortal ; and fure this were a ftrange Ingredient in repentance. We look on it as a high pitch of impiety boaftingly to avow our finsj, and it deferves to be conlider'd whether this kind of confelTing them have not fome affinity with it. Should 1 tell a man I have injtir'd and provok'd you thus and thusj, and fo I refolve to do again at the next opportunity : I refer it to common conftrudlionj, whether this were not to juftifiey not retra5i the unkindnefs. Now what I fuppofe thus faid to man^, is in the fecret pur- pofe of our heart, no lefs articulately fpoken to God, \\\\o needs not our words to difcern our meaning. Therefore whoever intends to repeat his fins, nay does not ferioufly intend to for fake them, does in truth maintain and defend his vi- cious practice, how loudly foever his Tongue accufes it. And fuch clamors are but like the feigned Quarrels of combined cheats ^ in order to delude fome third perfon. But alafs, the fcene is here unluckily laid, for God will not bemock'd, nor will the Me^cy promised to him that confef- feth ahd forfaketh^ ever reach him that confef- feth and retaineth, Confeffion is no farther ac- ceptable than as it either flows from, or tends to beget an abhorrence of Sin, and abftrailed from thofe qualifications it becomes loathfome arid diftafteful to God. Alafs, can we think our Hiflorical vein fo pleafant, that he fhall be de- lighted with the narrative of thofe crimes, whofe perpe- ^ftW*7* f^^^ Mtfiakes concerning Repent ance^ T49 perpetration he detefted. Can it be hcenfe in his noftrils, to have our Dimghils difplayed ? or can his pure eyes be gratified with luch polluted profpedt^ ? True indeed, he gladly deicends to all this as a Fhyficim ; nau feats not our foulefi ulcersy when we bring them for cure : but when like beggars we make them openly our form of addrefsj, and dread nothing mort^^than their heal- ingj certainly their View will only excite his indignation y not his pify, Andthisj, 'tis to be fear'd abodes fadly to many of us, 'tis our vulgar Ob- jedtion to the Romanifi, that they make their confeflions contributive rather to their confidence than to their reformation: what their fliare is in that guilt, I Ihall not here examine, but I may too truly pronounce they have not enclos'd it, that black circle of Sin and confefsy Confefs and finy encompafles as well Protefidnts as Fa- pifis ; if poflibly not quite fo many, the caufe 'tis doubtful is (what we need not boaft) not that More of us confefs aright y but that Fewer confefs at all. But of thofe that do, if we may but crofs, examine, and interrogate their actions againft their words, thefe will foon confefs (and that not auricularhy but in a loud and audible voice) the invalidity of their folemneft Confeffi- ons. When we fee a man that yefierday kept ^ Humiliation, to day trampling on the necks, in-^ vadingthe pofleffions of his Brethren, we need no other proof how vainly and unprofitably , if not ho\V hypocritically and provokingiy, he con- fefled his Pride, or Covetoufnefs ; and the like L W9 I^O Mifchiefs arifing Cbap.7. we may infer when we fee any man perfevcre in any grofs wilful fin. And of fuch, God knows there are fuch multitudes, as will give us in- ftances more than enough, how wide a difference there is, between a meer Coi7fitent &c a true Peniient. BUT in the next place, a pajfonate re- gret at Sin, a grief ancl fadnefs at its Me- mory, more fpecioufly pretends to enter us into Gods roll of Mourners : Sorrow has ( in vulgar acceptation) fo engroffc the whole notion of repentance, that men are apt to fecure them- felves, that the Wind of a penitential Sigh is fo mighty, as will blow away the guilt of the moft mountainous Sin : that if they have but nept a lit- tle upon their crimes, they have quite extin- guijht the wrath they kindled : but alas thefe are vain dreams, God who delights not to grieve the children of men, does not projedt for our forrow, but our innocence ; and would never have in- vited us to the one, but as an expedient to the other. 'Tis natural even to meer Animals to fhun that by which they have fmarted, and therefore forrow for fin is a very proper means to avert . our appetite from it : but if we have learnt the un- happy skill of feparating the ejfe^ from the Cdufe, if our Grief abate net our Love ; if we can caft kind looks at our fins, even through thofe Tears wherewith our Eyes are gJas'd, this will furc be as far from accomplifliing our deiign, as Gods ; leave us equally unpardcn'd, as unreformM. NAY alafs, fuch Sorrow;: as thefe will ra- ther ferve to enhanfe than Expiate our guilts ; they ^1j^P^J*from Mifiakes concernhg Repentance, i f i they are loud witneffes againfl: us that we know the malignity of thofe fins we commit ; that we have pois'd them, and find them as a talent of lead upon our Souls, and yet prefer them before Chrifts light burthen : that we have outvied that perverfe Elevllion wherewith Elihu charges Job, and chofen affliBion rather than innocence, job ^6,21. and though we have felt the gnawing of the Worm, yet flrill refolve to cherifh it, till it gain its woful Concomitant o^ unquenchable fire, and fure this refolvednefs, this high fortitude in Sin, can with no reafon be imagined a prepara- tive to its remiflion, 'twill rather ferve to lift us among Satans Martyrs, than Gods Peni-^ tents. AND indeed if we examine the original of this kind of Sorrow, what is there that can with any face pretend to an acceptation? alas, 'tis apparent there is no difiike to the fin ; for the na- tural effedl of that, would be the abandoning it. If I have fain into the mire, common reafon di- recfts me, not to fit down and cry that 1 am fo de- filed ; but to cleanfe and wafli my felf, and be- ware of fuch another mifadventure. Now Gods enmity is purely with the fin: and if we think to contradl a league with him ; we muft efpoufe his quarrel, hate what he hates : But in this cafe 'tis quite otherwife, we difiike only the confequence, not the crime; are diflfi-tisfiedtofee that what is fo pleafant,will notbefafe: deteft thofe tempo- ral or eternal miferies, which God has annext to it : which is upon the matter to grieve,not becaufe t. 2 we ■ ; 1 5*2 Mifchiefs arififjg Cijap»7' we arc guilty y but God is jufi; and to avert only that part of the evily of which he owns to be the author, that of Ftinifiment : whileft that of Sw, as our own creature we dandle and carefs. And canwethi«k it fufEcient to atone an incenfcd Majefty;^ that we love our own eafej» while yet we love our fin fo much better? is it a Tertue to have fome ineffedlive regrets to damnation, and fuch a Vertue too, as fliall ferve to ballance all our vices ? this were indeed a compendious courfe to block up Hell gates, and leave none a poflibilityofever getting thither, but thofewho fcaled the wall and defperately refolved to pof- fefs themfelves of that place o£ Torment. But alafs, they are other fruits of Repentance that muft deliver us from the wrath to come : for though I deny not, that the dpprehenfion of Dan- ger, is extreamly both reafonable and ufeful, yet "tis only by way o? preparative: 'tis like the Trumpet that gives the Alarmy and fets us to the hattaily but it muft not pretend to be like thofe of Gideon that atchiev'd the whole vicftory. To fee our danger, may occafion, but does not caufe, or neceflarily infer an efcape, I may madly leap into that pit which I fee gaping to fwallow me, and then my fore-fight ferves only to render me .my own murderer. In fhort, if that formidable iifpe(5l of our Sins, make us run from them, it has done us the happieft office ; pluckt us as S. Jude fays, out of the fire : but if our love be fo doting, aii to counter-charm our fear ; if we be fo bewitcht with the deceit fulnefs of fin, that we will (^^^^^ J. from Mifidkes concerning Repentance. 15*3 will have its Embraces, though we know them deadly ; ifwe weep that we have finn'd, and yet go on to fin; our wilful Giiih will defile our Tears^ but our tears will never cleanfe our guilt. We only aflift in the judicature againft our felves ; and to Gods condemnation add our own : and what we call our Penitence, becomes a fad Atteftation of our Incorrigiblenefs. AND as this meer Sorrow will never avail, fo neither will a partial and imperfeB reformation, and that whether it be dcfedlive in refpecft of the kindy or o£ the Duration: to the former we have fpoken elfewhere, and fhall not need to repeat : but of the later there will need no lefs cauti- on ; men being apt to obtrude fiUacies on themfelves in this as much as in the other. Eve- ry tranfient gleam of Piety is concluded to be th^t flame in which the Holy Ghoft defcended, and though it want the main circumftance of refting on them,yet ferves to perfonate the Com- forter. He that whileft the forenefs of his late pangs of confcience remains, finds himfelf a little indiipos'd for a new car^r in fin, prefently con- cludes repentance hath had its perfecfl work^'ih him, made that change and tranfmutation, Vv^hich certainly denominates him a new creature, and pronounces his vicious appetites extinB and mor- tified: when alas they are but ftrew'd over with a little penitentialJfJjes, and will as foon as they meet with comhujlible matter, any apt temptationy flame out as fierce as ever, and God knows the event does too often adlually atteft this after aii L 3 the 15*4 Mi/chiefs arifing^ Ct^OP^?' the ablutions, and purification of their repen- tance;, their next work is to diveft themfelves of their white robe, and thofe whom yefterday you faw in the laver, to day you fhall find wallowing in the mire : and as with far the more guilty fo fometimes with much the greater confidence, for having been fo waOit : yet fo ttrongly are fome mens phancies poflclt with their imaginary puri- ty, that they are the laft that take notice how the fcene is chang'd: they comfort themfelves,that fin and they have had fome little skirmijhesy though but preparatory to a clofer league ; that they had fixt good purpofes, though there remain nothing vinble but their violation ; r^d fo will call themfelves Chriits Sheep, though their no- torious impurities witnefs them to belong on- ly to that herd into which the Legion en- tred. THIS is a deceit which biie would think fliould immediately detedl its felf, but 'tis Arrange to fee, how our wip^es can prefcribe to out faith ; and what a more than omnipotent power our felf- love has in reconciling contradicSlions : yet I can fcarce think this innate ftrength of corruption had been fufficient for the purpofe, had it not had the ;iuxiliary aid of fome commodious dodlrines. My prefent defign is fo far from controverfial, that I am loth to point out any to which I muft exprefs unkindnefs: yet upon this occafion, I fhall refer it to confideration, whether that me- thod which has been us'd to quiet fome Confci- gnqesj, be not very apt to ftupifie 'more, 'VYhen I fee Ctep*7- /^^^ Miftakes concerning Repentance, 155" fee one who from his prefent reigning fins, regu- larly infers the illnefs of his itate ; that is yet by his Cafuift., diverted from that profpedt, and bid look back to fee, whether no part of his life af- forded any Evidence of true Grace, and if he can but remember any fuch time ; is warranted to make that his Epoc'ha, from whence to date his infallible ajfurance; is told that that iinmoYtal feedy though it may be covered,yet cannot be choaked ; but will moft certainly fpring up unto Eternal life : When I fiy I fee this eafie remedy prefcrib*d to his fears/twill be obvious for me to compound my felf an Antidote from the fame Ingredients', Tofixmy Eyeupon fome 7>7^r^ of Regeneration which at fome time or other, I either have, or phancied to have had upon me, and with the fted* faft beholding of that, as of the brazen Serpent be fortified againfl: all the venome of my fiery lufis, Cafl: in this one fi:ick, and with it fweeten all the waters of Maraby fecure me againfl: all the bit- ter effedls of my prefent guilts. How fatal an influence fuch difcourfingsas thefe are apt to have on practice, is too obvious both in the caufe, and effedl : I need not examine the authority of that grand Principle on which they are founded ; fince if that were admitted, yet it will not jufl:ifie the before mentioned Superfl:ru6lure : for fuppofe it received as an infallible truth, that grace if true cannev:;rbe loft:: yet 'tis, by the confeflion of all, fo eafie to be deceiv d in judging what is fo, and our partialities to our felvesarefo likely to betray us to that deceit; that thefe Coral/aries L 4 men 1^6 Mif chiefs drifing Ctl^P*?- men deduce thence for their perfonal aflurance, can never partake of the fuppos'd infallibility of thofe premifes they derive from, and confequent- ly are much too flight a hafts for men to truft v*^ith fo great a TT^/^/^^ as is that of their ^r^/^;/^ comfort and f uture fiat e, ^ SEVERAL other pernicious errors there arc in the matter o£ Repentance which men fall in- tOj, fhall I fay, or rather afpire to ; make it their ambition to be under their covert and patronage, and with extreme Violence to their reafon as well as religion) climb up to thofe caftles in the air, and there fortifie themfelves impregnably againffc all the facred Artillery of Divine threats. Their falfe confidences ferve them as feather-beds, not on- ly to fleep fecurcly in, but to dead all bullets that ^re {hot againit them. But of all thofe deceitfiil refages^thtrc is none more treacherous,& yet more confidently and univerfally reforted to, than that oi ^Repentance in r ever fion, to commence nobody knows when, fome moneths or years hence, when this bufinefs is difpatcht, that lufb fatiated ; or indeed to bear the fame date ( if not a later ) with their lafl: Will and Teftament. This is that un- happy retreat to which thoufands fly as the route4 Syrians to Apheky i Kings 20. 30. till they are en- tomb'd in that wall, vv^hofe fhelter they folicited : How defperate the hazard of fuch procraftination is, hath been fo convincingly demonftrated by better Pens ; that trumpet hath been blowed fo loud by all our fpiritual watchmen, that there re- ?iiains nothing feafonable, but to wonder whence men C]&ap.7- /^^^^ Miftdkes concerning Repent ance. 1^7 men have got that Lethe which fecures them their fleep in fpight of that .///^rm : and certainly 'tis matter of the greateft aftonifliment to obferve the ftupidj, yet common boldnefs of men j, who fo fearlefly expofe themfelves to this moft formi- dable of perils ; who yet in things of far lefs dan- ger and lighter confequence are fo nicely timo- rous, that no fecurity is thought enough, every the remoteft danger to their outward concerns, excites their prefent vigilance to avert it : but here that order is moft abfurdly inverted, and the prefent eminent danger is affign'd and put ofF to thch future care. Let the Phyfician tell them he obferves fome Symptomes of a latent Malady, fome aptitudes or firft Caufes of a Difeafe ; what haft is there made to meet that Enemy in the fron- tiers, before it advance too far? All Arts of pre- vention are us'd, and fuch uneafie remedies fubmitr ted to, as perhaps out-bid the p^in of the Difeafe. In like manner let a Lawyer tell them he has fpied fbme defecft in an entaily which may perhaps in the next age give fome interruption to their de- fign of having their houfes endure for ever, Ffal. 47. how folicitous are they to repair that error, and leave nothing to the mercy of a Law-quirk ? And in both cafes thank the vigilant care of their informer that gave them notice of their danger : but let the Divine tell them he fees their Souls langui{hing under the moft mortal difeafes ; that they have actually forfeited their inheritance in the land of the living, they can hear it uncon- Cjsrnedly ; fay, or at leaft think thofe cares are to be 158 Mif chiefs arijing ^t^ap^J. be remitted to f^/fV his more convenient feafon, that when their Bodies are as infirm as their Soulsy then care may be taken for both together. That 'tis enough for their f^iritual Life to commence when the natural is expiring, and then to provide for everlaftif7g Habitations, when they are putting ofFtheir Earthly Tabernacle : as for the thanks they give their ^!J\^lonitory 'tis generally the fame that St. Faul received from the Galatians, to count him their enemy for telling them the truths Gal. 4. \6, but alafs he has no reafon to refent the injury, fince 'tis but the famethpy offer to their neareft and moft intimate ffie^Kl, that Angel guar-^ dian which God and Nature has placed within their own breafts, I mean their Conference : let that at any time whifper the fame admonition, and immediately they cry out as Jhah to Eliah, Haft thou found me O my Enemy. All arts are us'd to convey themfelves out of its Reach? Bufmefs, or Company, or Drink, or any thing is folicited to come in to their refcue, that in that throng they may deceive its purfiiit, or at leaft in that louder noife drown its voice ; and is not this to look on it as their Enemy, while they fliun it as a ^lalefa&or does the Officer. Yet I appeal to thebreaftsof thofe, who lean upon the broken xeedo£3.l^te Repentance^ whether this be not the cafe with them : let them tell me whether they dare truft themfelves alone with their Confcience, give it opportunity of fpeaking freely to them, of laying before them the mad adventure they make oftheir precious &^/j; which they do not only expofq ^j)3P*7* /^^^ Miflakes concerning Repentance. I5'p expofe to as many hazards of a fwift damnation, as there are accidents which may furprize their hdiey with afudden death ; but do bcfides by this refiftance repel and quench that Spirit, without which they can never hope to eflfecfl that fo necet fary, fo difficult a work ; nay, I may, I fear, ask fome of them whether they have not fo often fhun- nedthefe parleys, that their Confciences like an ahus'd Friendy has at laft given them over, ceaft to purfue them with more of thofe unwelcome im- portunities ; and by its filence left them fecur'd from all noife which may difturb that treacherous fleep into which they have lulled themfelves. To thofe who are thus given up to thcjpirit offlumher, I cannot hope to fpeak loud enough to roufe them ; but to thofe that are but of the former rank, that havo not yet fo profper'd in their un- kind defign againft themfelves, as quite to have alienated their bofom friend, that are yet w^ithin the reach of thofe ^m/V^ ^verherdy the ftripes and reproofs of their own Confcience ; to fuch I would addrefs with this mofl: affecflionate petiti- on, that they would not feek to remove them- felves from that wholfome difcipllne ; that they would not fly that Chyrurgion whofe Lancet threa- tens none but the impofihumated parts ; but ra- ther chufe to belhewed the formidablenefs of their Danger, than by a blind embracing it, to pcrifli in it. And if they have but any general confus'd inclinations to this fo reafonable a requeft, I ftiall then put on more folemnity, alTiure to come as an Envoy ftpm thofe dreaded Confciences of theirs. l6o Mif chiefs arifing Cfcap.y- theirsj, to mediate an enterviewj, to propofe the fixing fome time of parley, andbefpeak thciifa- tience to hear it out : And let them but grant thisj, let them but dare to do fo much in order to their own fafety, and I can fcarce think it poflible they fliould after retain that daring, which only tends to their ruine. In a word, let men ferioufly and attentively liften to that voice within them, and they will certainly need no other medium^ to con- vince them either of the error or danger of thus procraftinating their Repentance, which them- felves acknowledge mujfb not upon their utmoft peril be finally omitted, and yet nothing but an immediate difpatch can fecure it fliall not. 'TWILL be needlefs to defcend to a particular view of more of thefe deceits, they will eafily be detecSled by this one general Rule, that whatfoe- ver falls fliort of a prefent, univerfal, permanent Change, falls as much fliort of Repentance. All the pretences that are made upon any other fcore are but the Garments of the elder brother put up- on the back of the younger, which though they might delude a blind Ifaac, will never be able to Receive an all-feeing God. All that remains is to oflSrto the Readers confideration, how nearly he is concern d to guard himfelf againft alldelu- fions in this fo important an afjair. It was an an- cient Stratagem of War to poifon the waters in an Enemies Camp, thart fo they may drink their own deaths : but Satan has here far out-vied that Policy. Were but our Nourirtiment infecfted, wehadftillarecourfe left us to Medicine, bvit here ^j^gp^y. from Mifidkes concerning Repentance, i6l here he has envonom'd our very Phyfickj, and what cure remains for thofe whofe very remedies are their difeafe : when that Bath which was de- lign'd to cleanfe uS;, is its felf polkitedj, we may well cry out as Dyonifius of the corrupted River of A}^o KA^cl^(nov, what Flood fhall cleanfe thefe Wa- ters ? Where can we be fecure, when our Repen- tance ( which the Apoftle, i Tim, 2. i6, fuppofes the Means of difentangling us ) is its felf become our Snare. This as it loudly proclaims our dan- ger ^ fofurely in all re.nfon it ihould awake our care, teach us not to fuflfer our felves to be abus'd with delufive appearances and fliadows o£ Repen- tance , left we finally find that Ixion-like we have embraced a Cloud. What an amazing defeat will it be to him^ who prefumes his Tears have blotted out the hand-writing againft him ; to find the full Bill brought in at the great Affize;, and thofe he calfd his penitential forrows here, to prove but the Prologue to that Tragedy which ends in weeping andgnafhing of teeth. And there- fore let every one timely provide againft that fa- tal furprize^, ufethis excellent receipt, not as a Cofmetick only to beaut ifie the face, give him fome fair appearance to himfelf, but as Medicine to reftore health ; reduce him to fuch an Athle- //c^ vigorous Habit, as may evidence its felf in all vital Actions, which will prove the beft evi- dences in our laft trial, where the inquifition will not be fo much upon our Mouths or Eyes, as up- on our Hands : not how many confejjions we have made. l6l Mifchiefs arifing from Mifiaies ClD^P* 8. made, or how many tears flied, but what d^s of Vertue we have fubftituted in the room of our Vi- ces : whether we have broke off our Sins by righ- teoufnej^y and our Iniquities by /hewing mercy to the Poory and without this 'tis infallibly certain, our Chriftianity will be as ineflfedlrual to our £///?, as it is to our Piety : if w^e will not permit it here to bring us to the obedience of Servants, it fliall ne- ver inftate us hereafter in the inheritance of Sons. CHAP. VIII. Jfurvey of the <$3Iifchiefs arifing from Mifiakes con- cerning Almighty God, and the methods of hif Providence. TO thefe Miftakes of our felves and inte- refts, w^e have added others alfo concern- ing God, which are no lefs deftrudlive to Chriftian Pradlice, for as the right knowledge of God Uhy our Saviour y Jo, 1 7. 3. put as the Epi- tome and fumme of all that leads to hlij^y foour mifprifions and mifapprehenfions of him, are no lefs remarkable for the contrary efledls ; nor can we fuppofe it otherwife, when we remember that this is the grand work and hafis of all Religion, and therefore li this foundation be deceitfully laid, thefufferftruBure nyaft necellarily fink and peri/h : and in this fenfe 'tis poflible for us at once to build on the Rock and the Sand too^ we may fix our Cf)Hp 8. concerning Almighty God &c. 16^ our faith intentionally on God, and yet by abfurd notions and unwarranted conceits oFhim, defeat in the particulars what we eftabliflit in the grofs : reprefent him fo utterly diftant from what he is, that under that difguife he will not much appear, either an Encouragcr or Rewarder of our Fiety, and then we may guefs how 'tis like to fliourifli, fince the Apoftle gives it as a Fundamental ^/xi- rme, Heb. 12. 6^. That he who comes to God mufi litve that he is a rewarder of them which diligently , iek him. OF thefe Miftakes concerning God, there are divers ; many more than the defign'd brevity of this difcourfe will admit me to examine. I fliall only mention three, thofe are, Firft, concerning his Decrees, Secondly, his Attrihutesy Thirdly, his Providence. BY his Decrees, I mean not thofe ftanding rules which he has in his Word fet forth as the meafures by which he will diftribute rewards and punifhments ; but thofe kcict purpcfes of his Will, which he neither commands us to fearch after, nor will permit us to know. That there are many Miftakes concerning thefe, the numberlefs Difputes that have been rais'd about them will fufficiently atteft, it being impoffible for two Contradidlory Opinions to be both true, though in things of this abftrufe nature 'tis verypoflible both may bcfalfe. 'Tis not my purpofe to wade into thofe bottomlefs controverfies, which like aGulphhavefwallowedup fomuch time andin- duftry of learned men : I fhali only in general commend :d4 Mif chiefs arifirtg from Mi flakes Cftap^S. commend it to the Readers confideration, whe- ther it be. probable or indeed poflible for thofe Opinions to be true which infer faljhood in God : And then let the fecond enquiry be, whether that be not too evidently the refult of thofe difcourfes, which fet an Oppofition between his rezealed and his fecret Will, his Commands and his Decrees, making the one a blind for the better executJon of the other, as if all the Tranfportation and Zeal heexprefles/i?rus, all the pafllonate enamoring invitations he makes to us, were only to fport himfelf with our credulity: like the divertife- ment of thofe Men, who court them for Wives, whom they would abhor to marry : nay, as if all the proteftations and moR' folemn oaths of God, were defign'd but, to advance the delufion, and raife expectations meerly to defeat them. This is fuch a fevere fort o£ Irony, as we would all think not only unkind but unjuft in a man ; and 'tis not pofTible that God, who appeals to us concerning the equality of his ways, fliould fall ftiortof the ftridf eft meafures among us, or exemplifie to us an unfincerity he forbids us to follow. HOW very inaufpicious influence fuch do- Brines are apt to have on pratlice is too vifible^ for fince 'tis as well the inftincft as duty of our na- ture to afpire to an aflimulation with God, even that moft laudable and generous ambition fliall by this means become our fnare ; for when God fhall be thus mifreprefented to us, drawn out by the black Lines, not only of fever ity, but deceit^ rendredaFalfifierofhis Wordy nay Oath) 'twill give ^ft^P^S. concerning Ahnighty God, &c. 1 6^ give not only temptation but warrant to the like Fracflices : we ftiall eafily fwaliow up all the par- ticular commands of God> in that fundamental one of being like him; as we are taught hnnfelf has done both his commands and promifes in his hidden Decrees. This is lo natural a piece of JLo- ^gick, that 'tis very unfafe men fliould be trufted with thofe premifes whence 'tis derived. And though we are not over apt to tranfcribe that Co- py God does really fetus, yet this fpurious one will not mifs to be taken out : that pravity of our nature which hinders in the one, exciting and fpurring us on in the other. This is a way to re- concile our Vices with our reputation, and fin cum Prhilegio ; and there is little doubt of mens aptnefs to ufe that advantage, we fee it in lower inftances. The Vices of a Prince draw fliouls of followers, when his z'ertue leaves him the more eminent, becaufe fingle, and renders him rather revered than imitated : And certainly 'twas none of the Devils llighteft Hratagems on the GentiU world, to give thcmfuch Gods as might exempli- fie to them all thofe odious crimes , wherein he de- fir'dto immerfe them. Whether this may not be a^r^A7c/?ofthe famelUufion, I wifh the Propug- ners of this docftrine would ferioudy confider. AND as feveral ills are hereby countenanc'd and authorized, fo is all vertue in general difcou- raged and difheartned ; this benumbs us in our Chriftian courfe, fubftradts that fpirit and vi- gour, which fhould carry us through the weary ftagesofduty: indeed it cuts the very fincws of M ' induftrv. l66 Mifchiefs arifwgfrom Miftakes Ct)ap*8. Induftry, baffles and makes ridiculous vXlpurpo- /ex of Labour; for what iOiould invite a man to ftrive for that, from which he knows he is either irreverfibly precluded, orelfe fo infallibly afcer- tain^d, that his negligence cannot defeat him. Thefe are fuch extremes as aifford no middle, wherein the vertue of induftry may exift, hope being equally out-dated by the defperatenefs or unnecefiarinefs of an undertaking: and how ne- ceflary hope is to excite endeavour we may learn of St. Pauly I Cor, 1 5*. $. where he prefles his Co- rinthians to the conftancy of Chriftian Pradlice upon this ground, that their labour fhall not he in "vain in the Lord, But according to fome mens docftrine, 'tis fcarce poflible for a man to know J-' whether his labour be in vain or no ; fince the ef- fedl: of it depends not upon the revealed promife but fecret purpofe of God, and who knows whe- ther there may not lie fome dormant Decrees againfthim, which when he thinks he has run his race /hall yet defeat him of his Crown, Whether a reward thus ftated will much animate mens dili- gence, I may leave every man to judge by the like circumftances in their fecular concerns ; and if they find they would there damp their courage, difpirit and difhearten them from attempting, there will be fure more reafon to conclude it in thefe f^iritual Affairs, wherein our induftry is commonly much lefs indefatigable. B U T 1 fhall not farther infift on the ill confe- quences of particular miftakes ; there is one fan- damental error, which if it could be cured, would fuperfede €^6^Pf8 . concerning Almighty Gody &c. 16 j fuperfede all the reft> I mean our bold Folly in medling with Gods Decrees y which we call hidden, and yet lidiculoufly confute that Epithet by pre- tending to know them. This is fo much an info- lence as forfeits the comparifon^ which might be- long to it as an error; we Ccc fecular States jea- loaAy ickrvc their private Councilsy and iliallwe think God fo fcrutable, orourfelves fo penetra- ting, that none of his fecrcts can efcapc us :' or if we think him, as indeed he is, unfathomahle, why do we thus madly attempt what we confefs impoffihle ; efpecially lince we lliall not only iofe the thing we fo vainly purfue, but others which we might elfe enjoy. 'Tis as if a man fhould be fo tranfported with a bufie earneftnefs of knowing his Princes SecretSy as quite to forget his Laws, and incurr capital punifhment. God has given us rules of life, which upon the fevereft: penalties he requires us to ffcudy and pracftice ; and we divert from thefe, and make it our buiinefs to trace his Counfels, We are gazing at the Stars to read our deftiny, and look not to our feet ; and by that negligence experiment the worft fate they could have portended : for I think we may fay our wild Phancies about Gods Decrees, have in event re- probated more than thofe Decrees upon which they are fo willing to charge their ruine, and have bid fair to the damning of many, whom thofe left falvable. And indeed 'tis to be expell- ed from Divine juftice, that fuch bold Inquifitors fhould find nothing but their own Deftrudlion. That JVrk which devoutly reverenced brought hlef- M 2 fi^^g^f 1 6S Mifchiefs art fwg from Mtflakes Cljap*8. pngs, when curioully pried into diflus'd Pefti- lence and Death, i Sam. 6. 19. Nay the very Po- ets will tell us, that if we will ha.\c Frometheus his Fire, wc muft take Fandoras Box alfo : and fure Induftry cannot be worfe laid out than thus to fetch home Plaguesy and while fo much of it runs wafte to fuch unhappy purpofes, 'tis no wonder if we want for better ; forget our calling hy Qonttm^l^^tm^OMX predejlination J and let the Opinion of our fate be at once the Encourage- ment and Excufe o£oux Jlothy than which nothing can more evacuate the purpofe and defign of our Chriftianity, which Divines have truly defin d to be not a contemplative but aBive Science. T O the fame unhappy Effedl concur our Mi- ik'xktsoi Gods ^Attributes, if I may callthemMi- ftakes, which feem to be rather wilful Nefcience, they being fo delineated to us both in his Word and his Providences, that 'tis not want of light, but winking againft it that muft leave us igno- rant. What "the j^eculative errors are in this matter concerns not my prefent defign to exa- mine: but there feem to be fome Mifperfwafions concerning the Divine Jttrihutesj which do re- markably tend in their confequence and efJe(3:, to the corrupting mens manners ; nay, look as if they were defign d, and affedtedly chofen for that purpofe; I mean efpecially thofe concerning his Jufice^mdLMercyy which being the Attributes in which wc have the moft immediate Concern, the Errors in them are the more noxious and deftru- cfiivc. Of this fort is that narrow fcanty notion too ^^dp*8. concerning Almighty God, Sec. i6g too many have of Gods Jufiice^ which we meafure not by him but our felves, and therefore propor- tion it not according to his infinity, but our own concerns. That is an Attribute from which we promife to our feives no advantage, and therefore we are willing to contract and flirink it up, make it ferveonly as a Cypher to advance mercy , but are unwilling to underftand it in its proper Ex- tent ; think it'a word of form put in to compleat the greatnefs of Gods Stile, rather than any in- trinfickpart of his nature, which he muft deny him- ielf to put off • THUS do wc facrilegioudy fteal from God a part of his being, and while other Sacrileges invade only his patrimony, this commifs a riot upon his very nature, yet as if we meant the Pro- verb fhould indemnifie us, and Exchange extin- guifh the Robbery y we add to another attribute what we have defauldl from this, and amplifie and extend his Mercy, as much as we confine and li- mit his Jujiice ; that is the one infinite Ocean, wherein not only we, but himfelf muft be fwal- iowed up. We will think of him under no other notion, nor allow him to be any other thing, but what fliall be in fubferviency to this : we will have him Powerful to relieve our Diftrefles, but not to revenge our: Crimes; Wife to defeat the ma- chinations of our Enemies, but not to circumvent our own indirccfl or impious Policies ; All-fee- ing to behold our Wants and Griefs, but not to difcern our clofer Guilts ; True to perform his Promifes, but not his Threats. In Ihott^ wc M 3 model I70 Mijchiefi arifmg from Mifiakes (SJI)ap*S. model all that is in God to our own wifties ; and inftead of believing him what he is, phancy him what we would have him. Like Michay Jud. 1 7.5'. making us a God for our own peculiar ufe, and forming the Deity we mean to worfhip. A ftrange bold Inverfion, for Creatures thus to fafliion their Creator, put their own ftamp and imprefs upon him, and fhape him to their Phancies. And in- ' deed 'tis nothing but Phancy that has to do in this Attempts and accordingly it mull vanifli as the eperations of that illufive Faculty ufe to do. We may reprefent God to our felves as we pleafe, but that has no more real mfluence on him, than a deforming Optick-glafs has on the OhjeH it dif- guifes, he is ftill the fame amidrt all our wilde conceits of him, and will alwaies make good the titky by which he deliver'd himfelf to Mofesy Ex. 3. 14. lam that lam. All that is in him is equally immenfe and infinite, his mercy need not invade his ju(lice to gain its felf a larger field of adlion, wHicKis already (as the Ffalmifi fpeaks) over all hit works y neither his pftice encroach upon his mercyy that having alfb a Province wide enough ; all impenitent finners being within its Verge, and God knows how much foever we ftreighten it in our opinionsy we do it indeed too much extend it in its real force y by rendring our felves the proper objecfts of it. In fliort, God who is the author of order and peace, cannot be fuppos'd to be in confupon within himfelf; the di- vine Attributes are not in ftrifey but perfecft har- mony-y 'tis we only that have rais'd this more than Ctiap*8 . concerning^ Almighty God, &c. 171 than Gygantick war, not only ag^infi Heaven, but in it. The feveral Luminaries purfue the regular motions of the Spheres ; but we confound at once the Lavps oftheir Creation, and their ^//wf^or too, ftrive to eclipfe and darken the father of light. But if the removing of an earthly I-^and-mark be a crime punifliable both by God and man, what Thunder-bolts belong to thofe who thus attempt tofet new Boundaries in heaven, to limit and meafure out even the divine Nature by the pro- portions of their own Fhancies, and indeed fuch temerity as this, is too like to confute its felf, and feel that Juftice it will not believe : yet as great and daring a crime as it is, I fear there are few that can totally acquit themfelves of it : for though all avow it, yet he that /hall narrowly fHarch his own heart, will fcarcc find it clear from all degrees of it : We are all apt to cherifh a flattering hope, that God is not fo fevere as he is reprefented, or that if in refpedl of his Juftice he be a confuming fire, yet that* Mercy will be fure to fnatch us out of the burning ; like the An- gels to Lot, aflift our Efcapes, and provide us a Zoar,that our fouls may live : and this Hope though founded only in our wi/hes, is very apt to Aide in- to our/^/f/?, and make us believe what we would have : by which means this becomes a kind o£ Epi- demic k Herefie, the moft frequent and common mifperfwafion that occurs concerning the divine Attributes. I T would be a work more long than ufeful to recite the feveral errors that have fprung from M 4 this 1*72 Mi [chiefs drifmg from Mi flakes CibftP*^. this one. That oiOrigen, that the Devils Jhould finally be faved, is a noted and pregnant Inftance, which could be deriv'd from nothing but this unequal apprehenfion of Gods Juftice and Mer- cy : And befides all other ancient^ we have many- branches of a later growth, that fpring from the fame root, a fet of pkufible fallities>which would quench the unquenchable iire, and kill the never dyingWorm\ I mean thofe allaying foftning de- fcriptions fome of this age have made of Hell, fome changing the kind, others abating the in- tenfnefsy or at leafl: the duration of^ thofe Tor- ments, each fubftracfting fo much from this to- phety that they have left Jtheifm an eafie task to take away the reft : and may give fufpicion they mean to vifit that place, which they are fo in- duftrious to make eafie. BUT whatever they do themfehesy 'tis fure this is the way to fend others thither, to take ofF their fears of it, to make them think it not fo dreadful a place as they once fuppos'd, and con- fequently lefs careful to decline the ways that lead to it. 'Tis indeed too obvious that fuch per- fwafions do mightily impugn Chriftian pradlice, and embolden men in fin: and God knows we need no fuch encouragement ; the more general fallacious hopes of Mercy being too fufficient for that purpofe without thefe fupernumerary deceits : but between the one and the other, Li- hertinifm is like to outgrow all reftraints, and the Opinion of Gcds gondnefs inftead of leading men torepentanceymll flacken thofe reigns where- with C&ap*8. concerning Almighty Go d^Scc. 17^ with our bruitifli Nature fhould be bridled and rcftrain'd, and we thus left unto the fway of luft and paffion, muft run headlong upon ruine, as the Horfe rufheth into the Battel, For alafs, we are not fo generous as to do well for Vertues fake, nay nor fo provident as to do it for Re- ward, 'tis our fear that is the moft prevalent in- centive, and accordingly we find religion gene- rally makes her firfl: impreflions there. They are the terrors of the Lord that do moft ufually, and moft effedlually p er f wade men y 2 Gor. >. ii. our Hearts muft be pricked, and at thofe Orifices pie- ty enters. Now when all thefe terrors fhall be fu- perfeded by the opinion of an overwhelming mer- cy, when//^//lhall either be annihilated, orfup- pos'd fo to annihilate us, that we fliall lofe our paflivenefs with our being, and be as uncapable of fufFering, as even Heaven its felf can make us, what will be left to engage us to vertue, or deter us from vice : Alas, do we not often fee a daring Luft bid battel to all the artillery of Heaven,meet God m his loudeft Thunder, and venture on -dam- nation in its dreadfuUeft form ? and can we think it will be more modeft, when it fliall be told that they are only edgelefs weapons it hath to encoun- ter? that GodsThunder amidft all its noife carries no holt ? and that the Flames of the bottomlefs pit, are but a painted fire, that at a diftance may fright but not hurt us, oratJeaftfo hurt us, that we fliall not feel it ? When thofe rubs which fear interpos'd are thus removed, there is no- thing to ftay the courfe of headlong riot, but pre- 174 Mif chiefs arifingfromMiftakes (It)ap*8. prccipicioufly it will on, where ever flrong defire ihall dxivcy or flattering lufi allure: he that loved his fin:, even when it threatned him nnne, ferv'd it affiduoufly, when it promifed no other wages than deaths Rom. 6. 23 . how will he hug this vi- per when he thinks 'tis ftinglefs, and give up his ear to be bored by that M^/^r, which affords him prefent pleafures without future ftripes : we fee even in Civil matters the prefumption of Impunity is the great nurfe of Diforders, and if it were not for the coercive power of Laws we fhould foon fee how little the direSiive would fignifie ; and doubtlefs 'tis the fame in fpiritual or rather worfe, by how much we are more bent upon the breaking of Gods Laws than mens, and confe- quently will be the more apprehenfive of any En- couragement. OF the truth hereof our experience gives too fad proo£ none rufliing fo boldly upon Godsjufiice, as thofe who have moft fortified themfelves againft the dread ofitj,as if they meant their/? r^S/V^inould experiment the truth ofthtir /peculation,and make the utmoft trial whether God can be provoked or no. Indeed men ufe mercy as amaz'd Pafl£ngers fomctimes do a plank in a fhipwrack, lay fo much weight upon it, as finks both it and themfelves; fo peri/hing by. too great a confidence of their refcue, ancf finding a G«//?/? where they expecfled an Jrk : not that I fuppofe Mercy unable to fup- port the weight of all the Perfonsy nay, and of all the fins- in the world, which have not the one pon- derous adherent of Impenitence fuperadded ; but that Cl^BP*8. concerning Almighty Gody &c. 175' that is a burthen which even the divine Clemency finks under, refufes to plead fuch a caufe, and refers it to Juflice as its proper Court : And there- fore to fin on, in hope of mercy, is to undermine our felves, and commit a folly as abfurd as rui- nous,! wifh I could fay 'tw^ere not alfo as frequent: but God knows 'tis every where too apparent; men openly avow it, fo that 'tis become the vul- gar Anfwer to every convicfling Reproof> that God is merciful : And furely they that obferve the growth of vice, fince our new descriptions of Hell came abread, will have caufe to think the one has had no fmall influence on the other, and that while fome have made it borrow the uncafinefs of our humane ftate to make up its torments ; they have taken care it fhould be juft, and lend us back fins of a greater magnitude : This mifcrable traf- fique have thefe Fadlors fetled, between the pre- fcnt world and the infernal region, that Hell ihould have Earths /y^^/wi", and Earth Hells wick- ednefs ; the later alas we are too fully pofleft of, which is like to fend too many fouls to difcover the deceitof the other. In fine, our groundlefs confidences of mercy, and thofe other Chimeras we forge out of that, are certainly the mofl: fre- quent and dangerous underminers of Chrifl:ian pradtice : thefe like the Sun give heat and vigor to thofe inordinate lufl:s, whichajufl:/^^r6?/T'^;;- ^(*^«c^ would as a winters froft nip, and deftroy: And till wx lay by thefe eafie flight thoughts of God, and confider him in thofe more awful attri- butes which exac5t our reverence, his mercy will only 176" Mifchiefs ariftng from Mi flakes 'C^fiP*8. only ferve to ripen us for his judgment, that fmooth and gentle property in Godj, which to all who abufe it not is indeed the oil cfgladnefs, will thus perverted acquire the more fatal quality of Oil, ferve only to intend our flames^ and remove us as far from the rewards of Piety, as our bold fhancies have done iiom the practice. A third fort of raiftakes there are by which Piety is obftrudled,and thofe are fuch as concern Gods providence y about which the world has long fince had many difputes ; fome entirely denying it, as'prefuming God fo wholly taken up with the contemplation and enjoyment of his own felici- ty, that he w as utterly inconfiderate of that of his creatures, and an unconcern'd ffeBator of hu- mane affairs ; others limiting and reftraining it to thofe things only which themfelves vvere pleas'd to think worthy of the divine infpe(3:ion and condu6l : But thefe queftions have been more bandied among Philofophers than Chrifliansy and therefore are beyond our prefent enquiry. Yet give me leave by the way to exprefs my fears,that thefe errors have yet fome fecret rooting in too many hearts ; that there are many who rather formally y^/, then cordially helievey that God go- verns the World, and difpofes as well of humane. as divine things ; a fufpicion that is rendred too probable by thofe indiredl arts men ufe, to pof- fefs themfelves of fecular advantages ; for did they ferioufly think that all thofe things are in Gods hands, from whence they are neither ftrong nor cunning enough, either to wreft or pilfer themj ^]^ap,8. concerning Almighty God, &c. 1 77 them, 'tis fcarce imaginable they fliould attempt fuch painful impoflibilities, dif'quiet themfelves in vain as the Ffalmifi fpeaks;, and which is worfe, forfeit all title to them as Gods giftSj, by thus af- fuming to make them their own. But this is a difquifition I muft leave every man to make in his own heart ; only let me fay, that he that has tiiere any doubt of Gods univerfal or particular providence, has alfo in it the root of all unchrijii- an Sins, of Diftrufl:>Solicitude> and Fraud : there be ujg nothing that can eflEcftually fuperfede our ov. ! / caikings and contrivances for our felves, but the affu ranee that God cares for us. Men being liiii apt to fcramble, where there is none from whom they expcdt an orderly and fufBcient di- ftribution, and therefore this error where ever it is found,may well be reckon'd among the impe- ders of Chriftian duty. BUT befides thofe who thus doubt of Provi- dence, there are others liable to great miftakes, I mean thofe who to their jufi belief o£ Gods Pro- vidence, fuperadd a groundlefs confidence of their own skill in fathoming it, that are not content to know it in its produB and event, but pretend to difcern it in its moft fecret defignments and purpofes; and do not fo much refers Gods difpenfations, as interpret them : I do not here mean to condemn all particular applications of providential Events, which are fometimes fo ex- traordinary and remarkable, that they are their own expoptors, and point out the conflruBion wc are to make : and an humble advertence unto • fuch* 178 Mifchiefs arifing from Mifiakes C&^P* 8. fuch, is not only innocent but neceflary: but when men ftiall attempt to read every line in Gods hand, to make their own inference from eve- ry efflux of Providence ; thefe pretenders to di- 'vine Pahniftryy feem to difJer only thus much from thofe who make a trade of the natu- Ydly that they Cheat themfehes as well as 0- thers. YET there want not fome who have gone yet farther;, and think not only to underfiand Pro- vidence, but affifl it : not only trace it in all its intricate windings, and concealed intendments, but help it in the execution, and give birth to its conceptions : Of this fort efpecially are thofe, who having pofleft their brains with fome conjecftural expofitions of obfcure prophecies, will admini- fterto providence, and call out thofe events they expecfl : and as if they were confcious that God would not make good their dreams, endeavour to do it themfelves. This Age has afforded too ma- ny inftances of this, when the fulfilling of Pro- phecies has by fome been made the folemn fum- mons to rebellion and blond : and in order to the hating and deftroying the whore, Rev, 17. 1. Men have been animated to hate and deftroy all who were not infedlcd with their own Phrenfie. This we know has been call'd the helping of the Lord againfi the mighty y and fomething more than vo- tive Curfes awarded to thofe who refus'd to affift. Thus have they firft wildly miftaken, and then no lefs wildly out-run Gods defigns : as if like Baal, Jud.6. he were unable to plead for himfel£ to vin- C^ap.S. concerning Almighty Gody &c. 179 vindicate his own caufe, or efledl his purpofcs without their help: and having refolved what he fhall doj, obtrude themfelves upon him as his in- ftruments ; how repugnant fuch anticipations of Providence are to the interejfs of Chriftianity is too apparent from the many deteflable ejfeHs they have produced. BUT fctting afide thefe, let us return to thofe we fpake or before ; who prefuming to ex- pound providential Events^ make them the Cri- terion by which to judge both of perfons and of caufesy concluding the one loved or hatedj, the other approved or difallowed by God^ according to their projferous or adverfe Succefs. The firft of thefe was by our Saviour exploded, as an un- due way of procefs in the Jews, in the cafe of the Galileans^ and before him Solomon had given it as a Maxim, that no man could know love or hatred hy all that is before him : Eccl. 9. 2. And if under the Jewijh Oeconomyy where temporal Bleffings made up fo great a part of their Promifes, it was fo ; much more is it under the GoJ^ely whofe frame and compofure is quite diftant ; which infteadof propofing fecular profperities to its profelyteSyaC- fures them the contrary ; fets up the Crofs as the Standard under which they are to fight, and af- fords no temporal Hopes but with an allaying /^ro- vifo of Perfecutions and Afflidlions ; nayythe A- poftle to the Hebrews goes farther, makes them not only incident but neceffary to Chriftians, the badge and cognizance of Sonfhip, whileft the no c^/5r^m/;^ is the fatalleft Sign, a token of baflardy and l8o Mif chiefs arifin^ from Mi flakes C()ap*8. and abdication, Heh. 12. 7, 8. And doubtlefs the experience of every Chriftian aflerts the do- ctrine ; we are all apt with the Prodigal to forfake ©ur fathers houfe, and as long as we can have the riot and not the wants, fliall never think of re- turning ; we muft be famifht into confideration, ^nAoMtbmks alone will fend us home to the fat- ted Calf And can there be a greater indulgence in God, than thus to make our Iniquity our^Punifh- ment, that it may not be our Ruine ; to embit- ter thofe fenfualities whofe lufcioufnefs ferves to intoxicate us, and to clip thofe wings which he fees carry us from him. Stories tell us that the Irojan Wives after the deflruBton of their Coun- trey, being wearied with their refliefs vagrant life, neceflitated their Husbands to a fettlement by burning their Ships. And the fame kind ftra- tagem God has upon us : he fees that our worldly acceflions do rather enlarge than fill our appe- tites, and carry us on to farther puifuits, and by drawing us ftill more from him the Center of reft, expofes us to endlefs wandrings, and then what can be kinder than to refcue us from fuch a condition, thatCurfe of Cain, to be a fugitive, and a vagabond in the earthy to deprive us of our treacherous profperities, and fire thofe Ships wherein we are preparing like Jonah, to fly from theprefenceof the Lord: fo by a happy neceffity forcing us to fix our felves on him. And this is the worft God defigns us in every adverfity : and did we mean but as well to our felves, we fhould not mifs of receiving the happieft EfJedts, even that (^^ap*8. concerning Almighty Gody &c. 1 8 1 that peaceahle fruit of right eoufnefi the Apoftk, fpe i .:s of, Heb, 12. This holy men fo well un- derftood, that we find them dread nothing fo. much as an uninterrupted profpeiity ; they like the Mufcovite Women^, grew jealous of Gods love when he forbare to ftrike, upon which fcoreitis, that in the Ancient Fathers, there are fo many folemn petitions for ftripes ; fuch importunate folicitations for thofe medicinal correHions, where- in they judg'd both Gods kindnefi and their own fafety toconfiit. AND then how perverfe, how prepofterous are our mea'fures, when we conclude quite the other way, eJlimate Gods love only from outward fucceffesy and think he is never angry but when he fmites : a Perfwafion, which as it is very falfe in it^ grounds y fovery pernicious in its ejfedlsy and creates hopes and fears, as fallacious as its lelf. For firft, if we apply it to our felves, it produces mifchiefs proportionable to the divers Hates un- der which we are. If a man he full and projperotisy it makes him proud and fecurey for when he has not only the poffeffion of thofe things the World values, but takes them as an atteftation of Gods peculiar kindnefs and approbation, what fliould make him either confider or reform his guilts ? If he have fandlity enough to poflefs him of Gods favour, and all thefe profitable effedls of it, he will not eafily be perfwaded he needs more : and any man that fhall tell him he does, fhall be heard with the fame indignation wherewith Cr^fus en- tertained Solon, when he found him queftion that N happinefs. 1 82 Mif chiefs arifingfrom Mifiakes C!}ap*8. happinefs, which he expecfted he fliould have ad- mird. Profperity is in its felf an emboldening thing, but when backt by this Opinion of it, grows into all infolence, till at laft it even re- coil in the face of the Donor, and dare God by all thofe enormous riots, to which it enables Men. -ON the other fide, this Opinion prefents a lefs merry y but not lefs dangerous Temptation to thofe in adverfity ; for when they fliall look on them- felves only as the Jnvil for Gods ftrokes> they will be too apt to complete the parallel by anfwer- ing it in hardnejs and inflexibility ; have the ! aVI/twttck t/2'p, as the Father calls it, w^hich reverbe- rates the blow on him that gave it. Perfevering wickednefs is fo naturally the iflue of Defperati- on, that we find the J Trae fure it can make no pretence to cer- tainty, God having no where obliged his Provi- dence to make good our phanfies and conjeBures. Nay, if we look into Scripture examples, we {hall find this irrefragably confuted; the fame Caufe ha^/ing at feveral times differing fuccefs. Thus the Ifraelites were difcomfited at their firft aflault upon Aiy and yet fuccesful after ; 'twas fomething extrinfick to the caufe that made the variation, that ftill continuing the fame. The like we find in the cafe of the Benjamitesy w^ho though in as ill an engagement as can well be ima- gined, had yet two vidlories over the other Tribes> Judg. 20. But there is one inftance that may ferve for all, and that is the taking of the Ark by the Philiftineh he that fliall contemplate that, will fure never think fit to meafure caufes by fuc- cefs, unlefs he will give the difference alfo to Da- gon, who then trium.pht in the fpoils of the God oflfraeL In fliort, 'tis evident vidlories are not foentail'd upon the jufteft caufes, but that they maybe, and often are cut oflP, either by the guilts of the undertakers, or by fome other fecret difpo- fal of the Divine wifdom ; but the former is fo frequently the obvious caufe of it, that we are not often put to refort to the later. 'Tis no flrange thing to fee all Ifr^el troubled by an Jchdn, or ha v^the >/-^ taken captive from ofFthe flioul- ders of a Hophniand Fhineasy nor will it ever be Ct^ap* 8 . concerning Almighty Gody &cc, 187 poffible for the belt caufe to fecure its felffrom the blafting influence of its Abettors crimes. THIS is fo clear and evident a Truth, that 'tis matter of fome wonder, how the contrary perfwafion fliould ever infinuateits felf; and in- deed it is not probable it ever had, if Intereft, that grand Sophifier, had not introduced it. Men engage in dcfigns not on intuition of their lavrful- nefi, but profit, and when they are fuch as nothing can warrant a prior e, their only referve is to make them good a pojleriore ; to bring a licence after the fadl, and juftifie their beginning by their end ; which how ridiculous foever it may feem to fober reafon, yet fuch is the natural fliame, or fecular inconvenience of owning an unju^ AB, that men will wrap themfelves, though in the thinneft and molt diaphanous veilsy make ufe of the abfurdeft pretences, and fainteft colours to fliadow their Guilty and whileft confcioufnefs bids them fay fomewhat for themfelves, and the cafe aflbrds no folid plea, they are driven to thefe deplorable fleights and fubterfuges. Indeed this is an argu- ment that ftands fingle, and is feldom us'd but in thofe caufes that admit of no better ; which we may reafonably conclude to be the reafon, why it was fo much infifted on by our late difturbers, who in fuch abundance of light, as they own'd, could not be fuppos'd ignorant enough to believe themfelves : 'twas certainly the deftitution of better arguments that caft them upon this, forc't them to ranfack the Alcoran, and rifle a piece of turkifi? Divinity to make good their Saint jhip. N 4 They l88 Mi/chiefs arlfing from Mi flakes Cl&ap*8. -They now difcern the unskilfulnefs of that plea, which a little time has converted to an accufation. The great change it has pleas'd God to make among us, retorting their conquering Syllogifmesy and making them need a new fuccefs to juftifie their vaunts of the old. God grant we may not here relieve them again, and by our perfonal fins, help them to that which the juftice of their Caufe never^did, nor is like to acquire them. BUT though this plea of fuccefs be frequent- ly urg'd in ^(?//9', yet it prevails with many who Jcnownot that it is fo ; indeed the vulgar are fo much fubje(5led to then fen fesy that generally the conclufions draw^n thence are eafily embrac'd, when thofe from Reafon and Confcience have a double difficulty, firft to be underftood, and next to be admitted, and the moft elahorate dif- courfe fiiall not convince them of the right of that cauf'ey which in the laft appeal to Gods Tribunal by War, has been openly condemned ; whileft the j(^d?/7j- of vicSlory as much fatisfie the Underftand- ingo£ the juftice of the Prize, as the Defirewith the wealth or glory of it. And this is it which ren- ders fuch kind of arguings very pernicious, they being fo fitted to the common temper, that they feldom mifs to be efFedlual ; and engage the hea- dy multitude in the Profecution of the worft^^- fignsy that are recommended to them by the one Catholick vertue of Succefs. This is indeed as the Frophet fpc^ksy Ez-, 13.2Z. toftrengthenthe Hands of evil doers, that they turn not from their wicked- nejs; to dazzle their Eyes fo with the fplendor of profperoizsf O^ap.S. concerning Almighty Gody &cc, 189 profperous iniquity, that they can never come to take an exacft view, and difcern it in its true form : And doubtlefs this was none of the lefs-pre- vailing arts of feducement among us, and drew in many to abet thofe feditious pradlices, w'hich all Laws of God and Man prohibited, and where- by Chrifiian Religion has at once been violated and defam'd ; has not only her precepts broken, but ^^r/J/afperft with the foul confequences of that difobedience, and fo buys one injury with ano- ther ; the contempt of her ^Authority with the lofs of her Reputation. W E have now feen the ill confequences ifluing from thefe miftakes of Gods Frovidencey but we muft take notice that there remains yet as great or greater danger on the other fide ; and that a total negleB is worfe than an erroneous confiruBion of it. For though God have fecluded us from that more exadl minute difcerning of hispurpo- fes, yet he means not his dijpenfations fliould be lookt on as wholly infignificant, and therefore has given us the genera] fcope and meaning of them, according to which w^e are to limit and reftrain our wandring gue/fesy and alfo judge o£ particular events. Now as Gods original and primary defign in the creation of Man, was to render him afub- jeB capable of eternal happinefi; fo alfo have all his fuhfequent JBs toward him aim'd at the fame end : and becaufe there is nothing removes man fo far from that grand purpofe of his being as Sin ; therefore God has made the fuppreffing of that, the uniyerfal intendment of his difpofals concern- ing IpO Mif chiefs arijing from Mi flakes ^t)ap*8. ingus: fothat the moft dijSerent difpenfations do feverally purfue that one end ; projjperity and adverpty in their fucceflive changes are fent to re- claim us from the error of our waj/s, with this only difference, that the one leads, the other drives* This is aflerted by St. Fatil^ who tells us, that the goodnejs and long-fujfering cfGod is to lead ms to Repentance, Rom. 2. 5'. And alfo that when we are judg'd, vpe are chafiened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World, 1 Cor. 11.32. And indeed the whole Scripture runs in the fame {train ; and both from profperous and adverfe fucceffes urges the obligation to obedience. This is the notice God expe&s we fhould take of all his dealings towards us. And the want thereof we find often fliarply upbraided by God to the Jews', how often does he recount his redeeming them from ^gypty his enftating them in Canaan, and all his wonderful works for them, with an ac- cufing refle(5lion upon their ingratitude; and that we may know his Judgements are no lefs to be accounted for than his (^lercies, we find him, ^Amos 4. making a Catalogue of them, and clofing every period with this Fathetick reproof of their obftinacy, Tet have ye not returned to me faith the Lord, In fhort, God requires that we fliould ob- ferve every turn of his hand, in order to the re- forming our own lives, and by the feveral m^^/- «wx of Gratitude or fear, infer that necejfary Con^ clupon of a fincere univerfal Obedience ; and the negledl of this is the crime the Pfalmift mentions, Pfalm 28, 5. with fo fevere a menace, they regard not ^^j^P^8. concerning Almighty God, &c. i^I not the works of the Lord, nor the operation ofhU hands. A N D as this is requir'd from fingle perfons, fo alfo from focieties and communities, which as they are in their publick capacities the moft eminent fubjecfts of Judgements or Mercies, fo are they the moll eminently accountable for both. And though the Negk(5l and Abufe of Gods me* thods be a very provoking ^«//^ when 'tis only per f anal y yet is it much more fo, when it becomes national : And therefore as it is every mans con- cern for his own peculiar to examine how he has anfwered Gods methods towards him, fo is it an enquiry very pertinent in relation to the Puhlick alfo ; efpecially where the difpenfations have been remarkable and extraordinary ; in which refpecft the Inquijjtion cannot appear more neceflary for any than thps Nation ; upon which confideration I hope the Reader will think it no unpardonable digreflion, if we awhile turn afiderafter it. 1 T is the affirmation of our Blejfed Saviour, that where much is given, there /hall he much requir'd ; a thing fo confonant with natural Equity, that we all give our fuffrage to it, by making it the mea- fure of our expectations in fecular tnings, where- in every man looks for returns proportionable to his expence or Induftry. The Husbandman ex- pedls a CVfl|^ anfwerable to his Seed and Labour i and in the nobler cultures of the Mind, we juftly exacfl of our Pupils to let their manners atteft the difcipline they have been under: According to which eftimate w^ muft refojve, that Gods expe- dlations ipz Mifchiefs arifing from Mi flakes ClWP^S* cftations from iis o£thu Nation cannot but be very high, there being no people under the Sun, whom he has more fignaliz'd as his own immediate care^on whom the Divine Oeconomy has more conftantly and even folicitoufly attended in all the variety of feafonable and powerful applications. I SHALL not afliime the work of a Chro- fiicky by giving a feries of all thofe mercies, we received in the loins of our Anceftors ; and of which we have provided one unhappy memorial, I mean our naufeating and defpifing them ; it ha- ving been the bufinefs of our days, to difentail thofe two moft ineftimable Bleffings, of a pure Religion and outward Peaccy which our immedi- ate Progenitors left us ; and to derive to our po- fterity the contrary mifchiefs of impiety and con- fufion. BUT not to ravel fo far back, I fliall confine my reflecSlions to fo late a date, that I fliall not need to befpeak the faith afJbrded to Hiftorians ; fcarce any that can be my Reader, but is qualified to be my witnefi too ; and muft acknowledge that there has on Gods part been no Method wanting, that might purifie us to.himfelf /^ Peculiar people z^ealous of Good works. To that end of refining and cleanfing us it was, that he kept us fo long in th^ furnace, permitted us to thofe many Fiery trials of our late calamitous days. Twere impertinent here to give a Defcription oi thofe fujferings, which every mans Memory canfo readily reprefent to him ; or to paint that Flame whofe fcorchings we have felt; 'tis enough to fay, that God appeat'd in (I|JW*8. concerning Almighty God, &c. ipj in them, earneftly induftrious to have reduced us ; like a skilful Captain befieg'd us clofely, ftraitned us fo in all our interefts, that it was fcarce pof- fible for us to fly any where but to himfelf. In- deed he that would make up an exadl Catalogue of our Calamities muft calculate in how many in- ftances humane nature may be paflive ; there be- ing fcarce any of our fufiering capacities, to which they were not liberally apportioned, our Efiates, our Perfons^ our Friends, and which is more than all our Cw/c/V/zc^x, all groaning under the weight of that Ib^^, which our own Sins pre- pared, and other mens fins put on. Which way foeverwe lookt, we faw nothing but that which mightconfumeourjE)'^j-and grieve our Heart: If on the Church, we faw that torn by Schifm, fpoifd by Sacriledge ; the abomination of defola- tion {landing in the Holy place, and the houfe of Prayer made in the moft literal fenfe a den of Thieves. If on the State, we faw the hreath of ourNoftrils, the ^Anointed of the Lord taken in their Pits, Imprifond, and Arraign d, and barba- roufly (iMurderdy by thofe who flew him like the Heir in the Gofpel, that they might feize on his Inheritance. We faw this and all other Mif- chiefs eftabliflit hy a Law, and made as irrever- fible as powerful malice could render them. And now in fuch a diftrefs, who would not think that fuch a neceflity fliouldhave become ourvertue? And fo perfedl a deflritution compelfd our refortf to the Divine aid. And as little opprefl: States us'd to make themfclves homagers to the Rdmans, 15^4 Mifchiefs arifing from Mifiakes Cftap* 8- to engage their protedlion ; fo we fliould have made an entire furrendry of our felves to God, that we might have gain'd a title to his refcues and deliverances. THIS genuine and kindly eflfedl I doubt not but it had in fome, I would fain think in many ; but we are not now confidering particulars^ but the community ; and therefore how fincere foever fuch perfonal reformations were^ they muft not come under the account of publick and general, unlefs for their Number and Eminency they had been fufEcient to have overwhelmed the contrary perverfnefs : ^ Many there might be whofe hearts ( as 'tis faid of Jofiahsy 2 Chron, 3 4.27. ) did melt, and yet the far greater number of the obdurate, ftilljuftly denominate us a ftiff neck'd people ; an Epithet wherewith God often reproaches the J^ewsy and fure we have no lefs evidenced our title to it ; for alas, as if we had meant to -revenge the inexorablenefs of our oppreflbrs towards us, in our obftinacy to God ; as if when we could keep nothing elfe, we had yet referv'd this fuUen com- fort, of having our hearts impregnable, we made a fhift to hold out againft all thefe batteries ; there was little appearance, and lefs reality of Re- pentance; and if fome of our /«/?j were at all lefs raging, 'twas only becaufe they were ftarved into a little tamenefs, the fupplies cut ofF which fliould maintain our Riot : but when any recruits could be had, they were devoted that way, and even in the worft of times we mift not to be as lux- urious as we were able : and as though we refolv'd that Cft^P 8. concerning Almighty Gody &CQ, ip^ that 'vice like the i'^^^fhould gain in one part what it loft in another ; we took order that what was thus inevitably defalkt from tYiokex-penjiTJeSms, fhould be made up in the cheaper : we could curfe, and fwxar, & blafpheme in fpight o? Sequeflration, and this wretched Immunity we made abundant ufe of, till we even became Proverbial for it; and gave our enemies pretence, to faften it on us as our diftincftive Character. Yet to ftiew our felves generous finners, there was one vice we bought at a dear rate, I mean our as imprudent, as unchriftian animofities, and picques among our felves ; a fin that helpt to revenge all the reft : and was as well upon a humane, as divine account a grand inftrument of our ruine. To thefe we may add our impatient murmurs at our fuffer- ings, which did in fome v/ork fo prepofteroufly, as to reconcile them to the inflidlers, made them unworthily defert that caufe, they found charge- able to maintain, and contrary to the advice of Solomon^ Chufe the ways of thofe opprefTors whofe profperity they envied, Frov, 3 . But of thefe real Jfpofiates the number I hope was not great, I wilh I could fay fo alfo of thofe fecm'wg defertoTSy whofe knees bowed to Baaly though their hearts did not : who belied their own loyal- tyy and in a flicw of compliance proftituted con- fcience in feveral Engagements as inconfiftent with each other, as they all were with duty ; and fuch as they pretended no excufe for their takingy but their refolutions of breaking, I was indeed a fad fpedlacle to fee what Ihouls every menacing Edi(5l 1^6 Mifchiefs arifingfromMiflakes d;ap*8. Edidt brought in; while men ran in as much hafte to take the opportunity of Perjury, as the primitive Chriftians were wont to do of ^J^artjrdom : Indeed herein we feem'd to invade our enemies peculiar, would not fuffer them to enjoy thofe marks of diftindlion, they had framed to themfelves ; fo that as far as Oaths could figni- fie we wxre all one Party. And yet while we thus difclaim'd Gods reliefs by thefe indirect attempts of our own, we took it very ill that he left us -to the fuccefs of them : That he profper'd not thofe methods heliadinterdi(fledj,andmadeus Trium- phant, not only over our Enemies but himfelf too : and upon this fcore many mutinous hlaf- phemies were utter'd and perhaps feme more thought, though I confefs, generally we were not fo modeft, as to ftick at faying the worft we could think, and indeed they that heard the fre- quent doubts men own d of Gods juftice, pro- vidence, nay his very being, would not think they fuppreft any thing as too ill to be fpoken : we laid boundlefs expecflations upon the juftice of our caufe, and as if we had extremely oblig'd God by not being Traytors, or Schifmaticks, thought hewrong'd us extremely that he made us notFiBors. Samuel tclh Saul that Rebellion was like Witchcraft , but we feem'd to think Loy- alty was fo ; that like a fpell it was to keep us invulnerable, not only againft our enemies but our Selves : and fo countercharm all our crimes, that they fhould only be adlive to pleafe, not hurt us. But if in the laft place we reflcdl on our felves Ct)HP*8. concerning Almighty God, 6cq, ipy felves even in relation to that caufe in which we fo much confided, 'tis to be fear'd all men will not be able to evince they fuffcr'd for God and the Kingy though they did it in then quarrel : 'tis the Intent muir denominate whofc Martyrs they were, it being too frequent for private paffions and intereftsj, to march undeu the banner of con- fcience ; and we call that fometimes taking up the Crofs, which is oaly the taking up an anirno- fity or humor. Indeed 'tis not poilible for any to be Gods Martyr^wiio is not firfc his Servatit : none of us will fufFer the greateft things for a perfon for whom we will not do the leail ; and 'tis ab- furd Hypocrifie for a man to pretend he has left ////for God, who we fee cannot be woed to leave the moft defpicable //// for him. He that will not part with the noife of a loudOathy the plea- fure of an intemperate Cup, the applaufe of a profane JejiioT God, wiUfurely much Icfs cx- pofe his liberty y his eftate, his life for him: and therefore what hazards foever any man ran in any ofthofe,he can with no juftice ict it upon Gods account, unlefs he can produce fuch other acfts of obedience, as may witnefs this to be true and genuine. And upon this trial, I fear God's party will appear to have been but fmall among us,and perhaps the King's not much greater, it being not very probable that thofe fliould have any great fenfe of duty to him, that had none td God : or that thofe fliould religioufly revere one Com- mandment, who defpifed the other nine. But we neqd not the help of inference and probability iri O thi^ ipS Mifchiefs drifrngfYomMiftdkes Ctiap^S. this matter^ the mutinous and infolent behaviour of many who profeft loyalty, did too clearly evince it : And as it is faid of Jodb, that he turn'd after ^Adonijdhy though he turn'd not after Ahfdlomy I King. 228. and fome of ours had lit- tle private rebellions of their own even while they oppos'd the more publick. I love not to pafs cenfures on mens thoughts^ yet I doubt fome would be too confcious to confute me, if I fliould fay there vvanted not thofe, who owed their zedl to their Spleen, and did not fo much love thofe they fought for, as hated thofe they fought dgdinfi. And it may perhaps deferve enquiry, whether that demure pretence of holinefs their Adverfaries had put on, did not more avert fome of our Li- bertines from them, than all th^ir redl crimes : They perhaps fo far miftook them, as to fufpedl: they might be in earneft, when they profeft to advance the power of Godlinefsy and at that took tin Jldrmy and fuch Men (if fuch there were) contended not for the Liberty -of their Countrey, but their Lujis ; and could with no juftice, ex- pedl either a reputation, or fuccefs from that caufe which they at once helpt to defame and de- feat. I am loth to go farther, and fufpecfl that even fome of the devouter fort were infpir'd more by the Spinto£ oppofition th^nFietj^ yet I con- fefs 'tis hard to refill: that furmife, when 'tis confider'd that our Lm/r/j/ never had its due ve- neration, but when the DireBory was fet up a- gainft it. Indeed he that fliall remember how our private Oratories were then throng'd and crouded ; (Ii^^P*8. concerning Almighty God, &c. jgg crouded ; and ftiall now compare it with our empty Churches, will be tempted to think our devotiott was of that fort, which is excited by interdiB, and deadned by invitations ; a pervcrfe kind of Zeal kindled only by Antiperiftafis or collision ; none of that pure flame which defcends from hea- ven. And then as our Saviour in another cafe faieSj, if the light that is in thee he darknefs, how great is that darknefs. Mat. 6, If this fairer and more fpecious part of us were thus reprovable, how obnoxious were the other ? and if our Ear- neftnefs in a righteous caufe, by its Sinifter mo- tives or adherencies be unable tojuftifieits fell> how fliall it bear that heavier task we laid on it, and plead for our other Guilts. THIS is the true though not full account of our behaviour under Gods Difcipliney thus did we frucftifie upon his pruning us ; brought forth indeed, nothing but degenerom fruit. The ho- ly Writ leaves it as a brand of mcft inveterate Impiety upon Ahazy that in the time of his di- ftrefs he fnndyet more a^ainfi the Lord, 2 Chron. 28. 22. and fure we have too juft title to the fame Charadler of infamy; thoft fuflpering^ which were fent to chaftife our fins, ferv'd but to encreafe them, and like the Ifraelites in the Brick-kilns, they multiplied the more for their oppreffion; we debaucht even our Executic-^ nersy and made every new calamity fupply us with fome new vice. And now when Gods rod was thus defpis'd, we were in all reafon to ex- pedt he fhould draw his fword, revenge our re- O 2 fiftaiie^ zoo Mifchiefs arifwg from Mifiakes Cl)ap 8 . fiftance of his methods^ by fomewhat we could not refill:, make our Plagues as obftinate as our [elves ^ and involve ns in hopelefs inevitable ruine. "this certain fearful looking for of Judgment , Heb. 10.27. was all we had left our felves, of all the rich patrimony we were once poffeft of; and our prefent mifery feem'd impoffible to expire any way but by dying into greater. BUT as great artificers are us'd to magnifie their Art, by choofing the moft unlikely materi- als ; fo did it pleafe God in this total indifpofed- nefs of ours, when we were fo unapt fubjecfts to illuftrate his mercy, and as if he defign'd this na- tional deliverance ftiould (in its proportion) be the Tranfcript of our more univerfal redemption, he vifited us not only in this ftate of mifery, but enmity ; when v^e had fet our felves in defiance of his judgments, he laid as it were an Ambufh of mercy for us, and furpriz d us with fafety : by fuch undifcernible ways return d the captivity of our Sion, that rpe trere indeed delivered like them that dreamy'P{aliz6.i, g^wcus a viBory without a war : without the intervention o? garments rolled inhloudyEfo..^. S' invefted us in our Triumphant robes, and in a word, made us infenfibly to glide into our long forgotten profperity. AND now who can imagine, but this mira- culous Mutation without us, muft alfo work a Change within us. Indeed they muft have a very ill opmion of humane nature, that can think it poffibleitfliouldhaveperverfenefs enough to re- fill fuch endearments ; fuch kindly Heat muft needs C^dP*8. concerning Almighty Gody &c. 20 1 needs be fuppos'd to melt us ; and if before our Pride difdain'd to be compelVdy yet even that ftubborneft part of us can not obje(5t asainft the being courted into amendment. So that when God has thus yielded to our terms, left us not fo much as a Punctilio in our way to Piety, 'tis but a reafonable expectation we fliould etnhraca it with as great an Earneftnefs, as it was former- ly rejeBed by us. AND would God we could fay we did fo ; but alas, we ftill aflfedl; prodigies, take a kind of wantonjoy in defeating Gods defigns, and as if we afpired to vye Miracles with him, have made our returns as unparallcl'd as his mercie^s; fo that the fum of our account is this. No Nation was ever more fignaliz'd by Gods goodnefs^ or its own perverfenefsy it being hard to determine in which of thofe refpecfls it is molt eminent. That this is in the general perfedlly true, there are too many particulars ready to teftifie, indeed a whole cloudofWitnefles do concurrtothe pro- ving the charge, 1 Ihall not undertakjc to examine ally yet/om^ of the principal it will not be amifs to take notice of BEFORE we enquire into the tt/^ we have made of Gods Mercies, let us a little confider what our fenfe of them is ; and fure of all the in- terrogatories we can put to our felves, this ap- pears the eafiefty the moft gentle favourable Teft, that even our own partialities could ele(5l for us ; it being fo natural to men in mifery to value a re- fcue, and celebrate their deliverers, that the O 3 con- ^ Mtf chiefs arifingfromMifiakes C^ajp". contrary would be the only wonder : we fee even the Jews, who were none of the moft mal- leable peoplcj^ yet deliverances made imprefli- onsoii th m, fet them to their devout proceffions and foleran hymns in praife of God : nay fuch a piece /of native Religion is this? thrt the Hea- thens exemplifie it to us. The Philifiins when they had taken Samfon, "magnified their Dagon, as having delivered their enemy and the deflroyer of their conn trey into their hands, Judg. l6. 24. So upon the vicftory over Saul, i Sam. 31. 9. they fent round about to puhlifh it in the houfe of their Idols. And in all ftories v/e findj, the Hea- then Altars were never fo loaden with Sacrifices, as upon fuch occafions : and the Gofpel tells us that thofe on whom Chrift bellowed miraculous cureS;, were fo tranfported withthem;, that their gratitude fupplantred their obedience, and made them notvvithilanding his prohibition proclaim the wonders he had done for them : But I fear if we refledl upon our felves, we fhall not be able to match any of thefe inftances. 'Tis true our late change was entertained with a Joy /7r and thereof we rejoycedj, but we did not fo much confider that the Lord had done them^JP/ 114. andfo were rather afle(5led with the rarity and profit ablenefs, than the mer- cy and kindnefs of the Difpenfation : and though the care of our . Governours have provided for the religious part alfo, aflign'd days of Purim for the perpetual commemoration of oijr deliverance, yet ^f)^P^8. concerning^ Almighty God, 8cc. 203 yet our flight obfervance of them does too fully evince our Joy was meerly fecular ; and furely he that obferv'd the numerous and loud acclama- tions in the ftreets, and the few faint Hallelujahs in the Temple^ muft needs fay they were very dif- propoitionate? and that how much foever the moltof nsrejoyc't, it was not in the Lord: and then we are not to wonder that it was fo tran- fient ; fince it was meerly earthly it muft need« partake of the fadingnefs of its original : where- as had we deriv'd it higher^,, it would have been lafting and durable ; it could not fo fuddenly have expir'dj, h:;id we fetcht it from him, in whofe prefence is fulnefs of joy y and at nhofe right hand are pleafiires for evermore. But alas, our tranfports were fuch as exhaufted themfelves in their own noife, we expreft our Joy in Bonfires, and it va- pour'd away in the fmoke ; there wanted that mixture of Piety which fhould have fix'd that volatile pajjion, and we who at firft were much more glad than thankful, within a very flioft time ceafed to be either. AND then as violent Heats when once ex- pired, are fucceeded by the extremefi Cold, fo has it fared with us ; we fell from our Extafies not to the mean, but the contrary extreme ; our vaft complacencies rft their parting, carried with them, even ordinary contentation, and left us not only joylefs, but impatient. It was indeed matter of Equal fliame and wonder, to fee a fcene fo fuddenly changed, wherein as in many other inftances, we feem'd to have tranfcrib'd the co- O 4 py 204 Mifchiefs drifwg from Mi flakes C&Hp»8. py of the ip.utinous Jfraelitesy who we find in the very fame Chapter, Ex. ly. triumphing and re- pining ; and no fooner were the Timbrels out cf their hands y but Complaints were in their mouths, verf. 24. I'Phai^ flntll we drink ? and in the begin- ning of the next, with the fame querulous im- portunity they require meat. But not to wrong them in the comparifon, their Murmurs had fome extenuating circumftances which ours have not ; they lookt indeed with fome appetite upon ^.^y^ty and made fome propofals of Return, but it was while they fujffered the hardfhips of the Tvildernefs ; they preferred a repleted flaveryy be- fore a hungry freedom ; but even they were not fo frantic]^ in their mutinies^ as to make any fuch offer in Can a an y or have any Emulation to the Garlick and Onionsy amidft the affluence of Milk and Honey : No 'tis we Alone that have the un- happy skill of reconciling the fins of Canaan y and the Wilder nefs ; murmur as much under our Vines and Fig-trees y?^s at Rephidimy or ^SKarahytind mr^ke all the outcries of want and flavery, whileft we wallow in the utmoft luxury o£ plenty o^ndfree- dom, I need not hear fpecifie the particulars of our Murmurings, this difcourfe being not like- ly to find many whofe innocence will need that information, this malignant humcr having fpread fo, that 'tis now become almolt a fcandalous (becaufe a fingular) thing to be contented. And certainly a confidering Foreiner,that fliould come among us, could not but be aftoniflit to fee a Na- tion fo full of all tliofe things which ufe to create tem- ^toP'8. concerning Almighty God, 6cc, 205* temporal fatisfadlions, and yet to find no body in it fatisfied ; to fee fo many parties among us, and none profperous. This is fuch a riddle as would tempt a man to fufpedl his fenfesy and think we had all this while but dreamt of a refto- ration : been under the delufion the Frophet de- fcribes of the hungry and thirfty man, that at his vrakingy finds he is empty and his foul hath appetite, Efayzp. 8. 'Tisafad, but vifible truth, that all that God has done' for us, hath been fo far from filling our defires, that it has only ferv'd to en- large them : for I appeal to any of our loudeft mutineers, whether if fome years fince the pre- fent ftate of affairs had been reprefented to them, dreft in the worfl: circumftances they now com- plain of, they would not then have thought it extremely amiable, worth Rachels prize of feven years more hardfliip ; rw.y whether they would not willingly have made fome abatements, relin- quifiit part of what they now enjoy, to have had the reft fecur'd ? And when God has granted us all we then askt, fliall we murjTher becaufe we coxxldinovp perhaps ask fomething more ; and like ingrate Debtors, pick a quarrel to evade pay- ment? Was it not enough that he engag'd his Omnipotence for us, but muft his Omnifcience al- fobepreft upon the fame fervice? and provide all he could forefee we would wifli? Alas, do we think we have the fame hank upon God that fome Gallants have on their trufting Merchants, that upon Peril of lofing all former fcores, he mvift ftill go on to fupply us ? ihall we tjiink no- thing 2o5 Mifchiefs arijing from Mi flakes (El^ap^S. thing fit for oblivion but qui obligations, and in this pervcrfefenfetranfcribe S.P^^Z, Phil. 3. 13. forgetting thofe things which are behind, reach for- ward to the things that are before : this indeed too fully fpeaks us the off-fpring of our firft Parents, we can find no gait in all the fruits of Paradife, if any one be denied us ; and ft ill look not on what we ha^e, but what we want ; and as it is ob- ferv'd of the j2 reedier fort of creatures that they relifh not one bit for the vehement expedlation of another: So is it vdth us, we devour^ but do not enjoy our Bleffings ; and to require him to fa- tisfie us, is to aflign him the Poets Hell, fct him with Belus daughters to the task of filling a /^i;^ with water, or rolling Syfiphm's ftone; our growing appetites ftill keeping us empty and reftlefs amidft all endeavours to make us other- wife ; fo that whereas God ufes to commit his favours to Men, as feed to the Earth, in expedla- tion of an harvefly fome fruits of gratitude and obedience ; they feem with us rather to be flung into a Gulph, whofe property is only to fw allow ne- ver to fruHifie, I KNOW mensM/Wx are fo pofleftwith their difcontents, our daily mutinous blafts have puft up and fwelled our grievances to fuch a vaft- nefs, that he muft expeA to be very impatient- ly heard, that /hall attempt to reprefent them in a lefler fize ; yet fure 'twere not impofRble even upon a diredl view, to demonftrate them ve- ry light and moderate : but upon a comparative, perfedlly trivial and imonfiderahle ; and 'tis a little ^|)^P^8. concerning Almighty God, &c. 207 little ftrange^ that we who bare our late fuffering efiate with fo much Impatience, fliould not have impre.7ions enough left in our memory;, to con- front to all Gurprefent regrets. Do we not quiet- ly now poflefs the fruits of our own, or our Pro- genitors indtiftryy without danger of any S-^que- Itratiou;, but what our own Luxuries iniiidl ? Are not our Ferfons at freedom ; delivered from that kind word> and unkind thing, SECU- RING? So that when we rife in the Morning, we need not fear our next lodging fhall be in the G by happening to fall on Hyperholus, a defpicablc and abjecft perfon : and there feems not much dif- ference in the cafes, fave only that we are more tenacious of 5'/V^i", thunthGy o't Funijhmentsy add 1 fear we {hall fo long retain this, till we find it its own LiBor, not only in the prefent unedftnefi^ but in that more fruitful harveft of MifGhiefs> where- P ©f 214 Mifchie fs grifingfrom Mifiakes Cl)ap.8. of it has now fown the feeds. We fee here what our thankfulnefs is, for thofe eminent mi- raculous mercies we have receiv'dj, and the ac- count of that is an unhappy Jpecimen, what we are like to find, when we furvey the ufes we have made of them, which God knows have been fo unnatural and perverfe, as does too fully parallel the former inftance. FOR firft, if we refledl upon our J^iritual hleffmgs, what has the enjoyment of thofe advan- tages produced, but the contem.pt of them ; we have an eafie free accefs to God in his Sancfluary, our Churches are no longer Garrifons to keep out the worfhlp, to which they were devoted, but like hofpitahle doors y are open to the regular piety of any that will enter. And now we have this li- berty, now the flaming fjvord is removed, we have loft all appetite to the Tr^^ of life, can willingly let thofe Eruerlafiing g^tes ( as the Pfalmifi ftylcs them ) FfaL 2i,fiand as everlaftingly open ere we . enter them : And though the Fabricks are by Gods providence refcued from their duft and ruines, yet many of us endeavour to reduce them to a yet worfe defolation, ftrive to depopulate thofe facred Manfions, and execute againft them that prophetick threat concerning Nineveh, Na- hum,i. Leave them empty, void and vfdfle. And indeed fo they are, if not in an abfolute, yet in a Comparative fenfe; for could we at any time of Divine Service make an eftimate of alltht perfons that are abfent;, 'twould fcarce be difcern'd that any are there ; were all corners ranfackt, what a multitude CEI^aP^S. concetnitig Jlmighty Gody &c. 2 1 > multitude of -R^cw/^/?^j- fliould we find upon a far differing account from that of Confcience ? Some we fhould fee ftretching themfelves upon their bedsj, keeping a Sabbath indeed;, but to twciijUth, not their God ; others perhaps we may find rous'd from their Couches, upon the fumraons not of Religion but fanity ; fome new garment is to be fitted, fome exotick drefs ediyed, and they who grudge one hour to the Preachers glafs, c^w fpend many at their own ; where they arc (o lMi.en up with their Idolatries to themfelves," that they think of no other worfmp ; nay, as the world goes, 'twere well this were the worft diverfion> that fome did not keep from Church, that they might in the interim, dctile thofe lefler Temples of God they carry about them, and cut them- felves ofFfrom the Communion oiChrifts bodyy to make themfelves memhers of ^n Harlot', or that others were not 5. /cc/'/* J' his Votaries when they fhould be Gods, fpend that time in their firantick revels, and fing a Dithyramhick iniread of 2V De- urn. As for the Ma7mnonift) if he keep any holy day, 'tis like the Ifr a elites to his Gods of Goidy Eocod.^z.:^!, He is looking with veneration on his Idoliz'd treafure, numbring thofe bags he dares not ufe, or perhaps with a more acftive Zeal purfuing the means of encreafing them. Thus alas, may we go from one to another, and as it was in Ezekiels vifion, fee flill greater abomina- tions, Ezek. 8. And certainly that All-feeing Eye, which difcerns what multitudes do thus bulie themfelves, at the times ev^n of his foleixin'- P z di Zl6 Mifchiefs arifwgfrom Miftakes Ct)ap*8. eft worfhipj, cannot but adjudge us moft profane defpifers of his mercy in reftoring it : Yet would to God 'twere only the abfent upon whom that fentence would fall ; but alas, the behaviour of many in the Church does too loudly teftifie how little of devotion brings them thither, and at how mean a rate they value all that is done there : Thofe Eyes which there fliould wait on God, as thofe of a Servant on the hands of his ^SMafier, Pp/. 123.2. are rolling about to fetch in all the vanities and temptations which can occurr to them, and look every way, but towards Heaven. Our Tow^w^x which fliould be toucht with a Coal from the Altar, devoted wholly to Hymns and Prayers, are bufied in private Colloquies with thofe about us : Bufinefs, News, nay, all the impertinent chat of our moft vacant hours, is then taken up to entertain us ; fo that he who would know the talk of the Town or neighbourhood, need go neither to Exchange nor Market, the Church will as certainly fupply him : And this ill employment of our longuesy engages the like of our JE^yy, which when they fliould be hearkening what the Lord God will fay concerning us, are liftening to thofe vain difcourfes we hold with one another, from all which outward indecencies we may too furely coUedt the inward irreverence of our heart. And is it poflible that this fliould now be the Temper o£thofey who not long fince feem'd to bewail their exclufion from thofe facred Affem- blies : Did we long for them as Davtd for the wa- ters of Bethleherriy when they appeared unattain- able. Ctet3*8. cone erningr Almighty Gody &CC. 217 able, and when they are brought to uS;, refufe to tafte them, poure them out not as he did in devo- tion, but in contempt ? 'Tis true indeed, in tem- poral Delights foffeffton ufually proves a naufeat- ing thing, and takes off our appetite ; but it ufes nottobefo inj^/V/V/W, whofe peculiar property it is not to fatiate, but excite by fruition : But alas, though the Things we converfe with are spiritual, our Hearts are carnal, and that is the caufc why inftead of crying out with the Pfalmifi, When {hall I come to appear in the pre fence of God, Ffai 42. We, like thofe in fo often recrucified, in our unworthy ap- proaches, or impious negledl of the holy Eucha- rifly fhall7r/V/;^j?again{t us as its m^/r^^y^rj, when we /hall be found not j^rinkled as with the blood o^^facrificey but imbrued as with that o? flaugh- ten when all thefe means of our falvation, fliall thus miferably convert, and from the favour of lifey hccorno thtit unto deathy 2 Cbr. 2. id", then we fhall to our amazement find, how diflFering our eftimates of them were from Gods ; and in his vengeance read the value he put upon them. What then have we now to do, but to anticipate our dooms-day y and judge our f elves that we may not hejudgd of the Lord : To make an impartial ac- count of all thefe our profanations, and accufe our felves before his mercy featy that fo we may prevent the arraignment at his bar of Judgement, And as Offenders are ufually enjoyn'd to acknow- ledge their guilts in the very places where they committed them ; foletus make the Church th^ Scene o£ our penitence y as we have o£ our faults: By our ftrong crying and tears, deprecate our former indevotion, and by an exemplary Reve- rence, redrefs the fcandal of our Profanenefs. This, and only this is the way to fecure us againft the C6bP^8. concerning Almighty God, &c. 221 the final Vengeance of thefe fins ; nay,and againft the intermedial alfo : for we are not to expedl that fo unkind abufe of mercy fliall be wholly re- fpited to another world, it being fo exafperating a crime^ as muft in all probability awake Gods furyy and pull down prefent Judgments, I wifh the Event do not too foon atteft the reafonable- nefs of this fuppofal. I F from our jpiritual Bleflings, we now de- fcendto o\xt temporal, wefhallnot appear much better managers of thofe; they being general- ly employed to purpofes the molt diftant from thofe, for which they were given. And firft for our peace, that great comprehenfive enjoyment, upon which all others are dependent, and which is to our civil Capacities, the fame that health is to our natural ; the thing by which we relifli and tafte the reft of our comforts, we may from the Song of Zachary, Luk. i. learn for what in- tent Godbcftowsit: Deliverance from enemies i^ to no other end, but that we may ferve God in holinefs and righteoufnefs all the daies of our life: But alas, he that obferves liow we employ our quiet, muft furely fay it ferves little to the ad- vancement either of Holinefs or Righteoufnefs : Forthefirft of thefewe have already feen, how little of holinefs we fliew even in that place where nothing elfe fhould be admitted ; and we are not fo prepofteroufly religious, to fliew more in others. That Piety which is fo cold and benumn'd under the warm breath o£ the puhlick Ordinances ; we may well prefume ftark frozen, ia oi|r 22Z Mifchiefs arijing from Mi flakes C^ap^S. our more retired offices : and if it thus faint and fink in Gonfort^ 'tis fure more liable to the Wife mans V<£ foliy and utterly dies when we are alone. 'Tis true indeed^, thefe Clofet tranfaciions are im- mediately vifible to none but the fe archer of hearts y yetintrue Devotion there is fuch a 5)'m- metry and proportion^that the Inferences we make by analogy may be very irrefragable ; nay;, 'tis to be fear'd many lye open to a yet clearer con- lidlioriy and may be proved to have few or none of thofe private intercourfes with heaven ; for though a negative be not fimply evincible, yet as in civil cafes we prove a man not to have been at this tim.e in fuch a place, by his having adlually been in another; fo were the whole Week, Moneth, perhaps Year : of fome men exa(5lly traced, we Ihould find them fo engrofled with other diver [tons y that there will fcarce be found any Minute for devotion to interpofe : Mens w^orldly orflefhty Concerns fo divide their timey that God from whom 'tis all deriv'd can be af- forded no tribute out of it. Yet alas, 'twere well if this privative fort of impiety were all we. had to anfwer for : but 'tis too apparent we do hot only negleB God, but reproach and violate him : what elfe are thofe bold and infolent hlafphemies wherewith we daily aflault him, making him the mark at which all our wild Paffions are fliot^ Do we want any thing either for our ufe or de- lighty prefently God is accufed, his providence or his goodnefs queftioned ; and he declaim'd againft either as impotent or illiberal. Does any body CEJ^ap^S. concerning Almighty God, &c. 225 body vex or difquiet us, God rruft have his fhare of our difpleafure, his facied name muft be profaned, and we count our fierceft Revilings of men, faint and infignificant, if not infpired w^ith the moft dreadful and horrid Oaths \ Nay, he ftands obnoxious to all the difplacencics we re- ceive even from inanimate creatures, if a Die or a Card run amifs, our refentments are prefent- ly vented upon him ; he is profaned and vilified, as if he were the Cheat that rookt us of our mo- nejy becaufe he does not fecure us from thofe lofles, to which we wantonly expofe our felves ; nor is it only our eager and warmer paffions that thus invade him : Our pleafanter moods do the very fame, and we blafpheme by way of divertife- ment ; every impertinent ftory or infipid Jefi, muft have the haut-^gouft of an Oath to recom- mend it, as every incredible Narration has to at- tefl it : to fay nothing of /thofe more folemn and deliberate perjuries^ wherein we impioufly fu- born Gods venerable and dreadful name, to be the Engin of our fraud and Itialice: and as if we thought he would forfwear as well as w^e, bring him to countenance thofe Crimes he has vowed to punifh. Thus do we with a prodigious impie- ty contaminate even divinity its felf, make it the fink for all our puddles to mn into ; and pro- ftitute that name which as the Ffalmtfi fpeaks, is great) wdnderful and holy, to all the uhholy pur- pofesy ourPaflfions,ourIntereft, or our Phancies can fuggeft to us. THIS 224 Mifchiefs arifing from Mi flakes CljBp.S. THIS profanenefs is fo proper a foundation for jitheifm^ that we are not to wonder to fee fo many advance from the one to the other;, they pay fo little of the reverence due to Godj, that at laft they turn their impiety into argument y and in- fer him not to be God, whom they treat fo unlike one. And truly this feems to be the grand piece of Logicky which has difputed many, not only out of Chrifiian, but all native Religion. How unhappily fuccefsful it has proved among us is too apparent in thofe impious difcourfes which are every where heard, wherein men are arriv'd to fuch a licencioufnefs, that Davids Atheifl was a modeft Puny, who only faid in his Heart there is no Gody and perhaps upon that account Ihall by fome be adjudged to deferve the Epithet the PfalmiH gives nim, and be indeed thought a fool that would not own what would now a-daies fo certainly denominate him a Wit, or in the folemn ftile a (iMdfler ofReafon. And indeed they will atteft the propriety of the ftile, they rather go^ verning Reafon, than hcm^governd by it ; other- wife 'twould be hard to difcern, how from diffe- rent premifes the fame conclupon fliould be in- duced : and thofe who in the late adverfe times denied God in revenge of their fuflerings, fliould now pay their gratitude alfo in the fame manner, and renounce him as (or more)loudly fince his fig- nal atteftation of that righteous cdufe;his not own- ing whereof was then their principal plea. The truth is, 'tis a little ftrange how Atheifm could admit fuch enhanfing acceflions as we find it has ; for (J]^8p,8. concerning Almighty God, Sec. 22 f for it being the completion and higheft ftep of 111, and that to which all others do but fubordi- nately tend, one would think it fliould from its firft appearance in the world, have been fo ma- ture and full grown a fin, as could be capable of no improvement ; but fo fubtilly wicked are thefe later dales, that we can never be brought to a mn ultra, butftill findfomething to add to the compleateft fin : therefore though of thofe that are really Atheifts, one cannot be faid to be more fo than another, yet fome may be more daringly, and mifchievoufly fo; and fure in that refpecfl our modern, furmount all former : They were generally on the defenfive part, took up the tenet as a buckler againft the unwelcome invafions and Checks of confcience, and defign'd nothing but the more peaceable enjoyment ot their lufts ; but now men do not only ufe, but love it ; make them- felves its avowed Champions, feek to win it Frofe- lytes ; and in fhort, appear fo zealous for it, as if they made it their religion to have none. And God- knows, too many fuch reverfed kinds of Evangelifis we now have, who with as great de- fign unteach Divinity, as the firfl: Propugners taught it, and their number and boldnefs have fo encreas'd fince the return of our peace, that fure the next Age will have little caufe to think Re- ligion had any fhare in the Refioration. Thus have we done our parts to fuperfede that obligation of ferving God in holinefs, by leaving no God to ferve ; and after the moft fignal atteftation of his Deityinour refcue, we do like thofe ingrate perfons^ 226" Mifchiefs arifing from Mifiakes (Il^ap* 8. ferfom, who feek to fubvert thofe by whom them- felves were eftabliflit, and deny him becaufe he has ovrnd us. THIS is the holinefs wherewith we have ferv'd him, fince our being delivered from the hands of our Enemies, and our righteoufnefs has been very proportionable, for if we look into the dealings of all ranks of men ; we fhall find the fame vein of deceit run through all tranfadtions. A few years fince Sequeflrration and plunderings, thofe Tvholefiile robberies had fo over-topt the reft, that like an Epidemick difeafe they had over- whelmed, if not the kind, yet at leaft the notice of all other Injuftices: but fince thofe Levia- thanscLze withdrawn, the lejfer Devourers fupply their place ; Fraud fucceeds to Violence ; and in all places, all occafions of commerce, we ftill meet with Scqueftrators. The adulterated wares, and falfe meafures in Shops ; the dilatory pro- ceedings, and evafive tricks in Law ; the various and unworthy Cheats oi Creditors, and the mean and diflionefl: advantages which are watchtinall forts of Contracts, are too irrefragable proofs hereof. Nay, not only , our Bufinefs, but our very recreations expofe us to thefe deceits, as fome of our bankrupted Gamefters can too fadly witnefs, what troops of Harpy es attend thofe fports is every mans obfervation : 'Tis Arrange fo many fliould yet be to learn the prudence to avoid fo known a danger, wherein a man is at once made acftive and pafllve in the fame Rob- bery, and docs himfe If defraud his /^m//v of that,^ whereof d):ip 8. concerning Almighty God, &c> 227 whereof he is defrauded by another. But atnongft thefe many injuftices;, there is none wherein Men feem generally to find fuch a guft and fenfuality, as thofe wherein God is conceril'd ■ twenty Lay- booties humor them not fo much as one from the Clergy ; and if the Quakers fliould be muftered according to that one Tenet of not paying Tythesj, we fhould indeed find their numbers formidable. How fubtle even the rudeft per- fons are in defaulking thofe dues> v/e fee by every dales experiment, the over-reaching their Mini- fter being the grand Triumph of a Rufticks wit ; fo that not only their covetoufnefs but their va- nity is concerned in it: 1 know 'tis the ufual apo- logy £01: this kind of Sacriledge, that either the maintenance of the Clergy is too much, or their merit too little ; for the firft;, I think it may be demonftratedj, That there is no liberal Science,ind but few ($3lechanick trades^ from which a man may not hope as plcntiiul a fuhJJjiencey as this aflfbrds to the generality of its prcfejfors : However I fliall leave thofe that make this objedtion to dif- pute it with that authority, which has allotted them this proportion ; defiring them to confider, that whatever the fupport of the Clergy is, it cofts them nothing; no man having Purchaft more, than what remains of the Eftate, after his Tyth is paid. As to the fecond, I confefs 'tis extremely to be wiflit^that the negligence and vice of Some did not give too much pretence to the Al- legation ; and to fuch I cannot but apply the words of our Saviour, Mat. 18. 7. woe be to the man 2Z8 Mifchiefs arijingfrom Miftakes Cjiap^S. man hy whom the offence cometh ; yet certainly 'tis very incompetent, to juftifie the detention of their legal rights : for till the Law which has aflign'd theln^delegate the Forfeiture to mCj, the greateft enormities of my Paftor, cannot entitle me to any thing that is hi^ : And indeed what blame foever is really due to fome^ we muft expedl it fliould ex- tend to alif if the Accufers were to have the be- nefit of the Mulcft ; and (as in the late confufions) all Minifters fliould be made fcandalous, in order to the making them poor. 'T W E R E eaiie to draw up a far larger Ca- talogue of thofe injufiices we daily commit ; for as a man has divers other concerns befides his goods^ fo he may be injur'd in all thofe : and tru* ly the iniquity of thefe dales, feems fully com- menfurate to all the fuflfering capacities of man- kind : we weigh our own and others Concerns, in very differing halancesy and offer thofe Injuries without any regret, which we can with no pati- ence fuffer : How nicely Jealous is every one of us of his own Repute, and yet how malicioufly Prodigal of other mens ? fo that Defamation is become oneofGurmainro|/?/c^yofdifcourfe, fur- niflies entertainment to all companies ; the pre- fent owe their Divertifement to the ahfenty and many would be drein'd quite dry, were it not for this referve, which like an unexhauftible fpring, ftill fupplies frefli matter of talk. In like man- ner how carefully do we avert any hurt or mutila- tion of our own hodiesy and yet how barbaroufly inconfiderate are we oi others, to whom we do th^ > greateft diap^S* concerning Almighty God, 6cc. zz^ greateft outrages rather than ufe any violence to our Paflion, or reftrain an angry Humor : on- ly I confefs there is one Infl:ance> wherein though we are tmjufty we are not {o partial -y but expoie our felves alfo, and that is in the cafe of Due Us, a barbarous cuftom wherein 'tis hard to define, whether the Wickednefs or Folly be greater ; yet it maintains its way in fpight of all the methods God has us'd to make us better or wifer : Of this there are too many, and too noted inftances fince our reftoration, asifwewerefoenamour'd of deflru5liony that when we are prevented of it from our Enemies , we feek it from one another, or thought publick Peace fo intolerable, that when 'tis call upon us (as fure ours, if ever any may be faid to be) we are fain to take in private quarrels, as our refcue from that dull quiet, and court the utmoft mi/chiefs, to avoid the oppreflion of the greateft happinefs. Thus perverlly do we coun- termine Gods purpofes of kindnefs, and when he has fecur'd us, folicitoufly feek to be delivered from our fafety ; projecH: new dangers, and dare his power with a yet harder Task, the delivering Uffrom our felves : And whiltt we thus avert our quiet, 'tis no wonder that we produce no better eflfedls of it ; nor frucftifie under that, which we will not permit our felves to enjoy. A N D as upon this general view, we appear very ill managers of our Peace, fo fliall we much more, if we refledt on thofe many particular bleflings which are wrapt up in that, of which we make fo perverfe ufe, that we therein no lefs Q. violate 1 3 O Mif chiefs arifingfrom Miftakes C^ap^S. violate Sobriety , than we have already appear'd to do piety and right eoufiiefs\io filling up the meafure of our iniquity by tranfgrefling all the fudamen- tal rules of Chriftianity, living neither foberly, righteoujly, nor Godly in this prefent world. Tit. 2. iz. And of thofe ^ii/^/^f^^^j which are the ap- pendages to Peace, there are two moft eminent ; Plenty and Liberty y- both of which are the more remarkable in our prefent quiet, by how much the deprivation of each was the greater. For the firft, we know the late times of rapine, had torn from many among us their whole fubfiftcnce, fo entirely defpoil'd them that they were reduced to Jo^y condition, andconnedled the two extreme points of Birth and Death, by a middle ftate of the like nakednefs and deftitution : and to fuch, our late refloration was a kind of Civil refurreSii- on ; rais'd them like Eli/has dry bones, from the moft hopelefs ftate, and by a fucceffive poflef- on of their own Inheritances, made them heirs to themfelves. And though all were not fo wholly divefted, yet like thofe Canaanites whom the Jews did not extirpate, they were put under Tri- bute : and while perfons who knew fo well how to exadl were Lords Paramount, a bare being was all could be expedled, they feem'd rather Stewards than Owners of their fortunes, and had rather the trouble than advantage of their Mana- gery : And who would not think that this fo long want of plenty, fhould have taught us fobriety in the ufing it ; that defuetude fhould have worn out the skill o£ luxury, and we Ihould not have known (E^SiVS' concerning Almighty Gody &c. 23 1 known how to be riotous: but alas, our memo- ries have been too fiithful to us in this particu- larj, no one of our vanities is falFn into oblivion, but on the contrary the art of Voluptuoufaefs fo improved, as if all the time that was loft from the PraBicky had been fpent in the Theory y and we had for fo many years been contriving new kinds and degrees of excefs. Indeed it is too fure we retained the affeBion when we had loft the power of rioting; and 'tis not our profperity fe- ducesus,but we it. For as the Sun though it lends itsrayesto the begetting of the vilell In- fectsy yet makes no fuch producflion but upon apt matter, jlime and putrefaBion: fo reither would the moft opulent fortune make us fenfual, did it not find us difpos'd and prepared for it. How forcible thofe propenfwns are, appears by the multitude of ohjeBs on which they work ; For they had need be ftrong Inclinations that take in all Opportunities, nay poflibilities of a^uating themfelves, and fuch 'tis evident ours are, there being nothing capable of miniftring to luxury, which we ufe not to that purpofe. OurMeat is no longer apportioned to our Hunger, but our Tafts : fo that the Stomach is made meer- ]y paflive in the matter of Eating ; ferves only to receive thofe loads we charge it with, whileft its ElecTtions and Choices are foreftalfd by the pa- late or phmcy ; nay, 'tis not permitted fo much as a negative voice, not allowed to refufe what is either for kind or quantity deftrudlive to it: We do with ftudied mixtures force our relucting Q 2 appe- 23 i Mifchiefs arifttigfrom Mtfiakes Cijap^S. appetites^ and with all the Spells of Epicurifmy conjure them up that we may have the pieafure ot* laying them again. Thus unworthily tr cache- rotis are we to Nature, which while we pretend to relieve, we opprefs, by giving her not only beyond her need, but fuffeiance : And to fliew we are no lefs dextrous in mixing (ins than meats ; our ve- ry Pride (though in its felf an intelledlual vice) mingles with our Gluttony) every thing is infi- pid that is not coftly ; and it is thought an ignoble Peafant-like thing to eat a plain meal : Nor is he now to be lookt on as a Gentleman, whofe fingle Ordinary cofts not as much as would be (and himfelf would perhaps fome years fince have thought) a fair exhibition for fome whole families. And that we may not be charg'd with partial interaperance, we go not lefs in that of drink, wherein we are fo nice and critical, that 'tis become a fpecial skill and faculty to judge of liquors: But how great foever our curiofity be, 'tis fure our excefs is greater, and does not only over-match but fupplant it ; there being no drink fo unpleafant which the love of a debauch will not reconcile us to. So great a malice do we bear to our reafon, that to opprefs it, we are con- tent to expofe our darling, and do violence to our very fenfe. How unhappily predominant this bruti/h Vice is, need not here be told, fince it too evidently attefts its fclf, to every mans obferva- tion, it no longer feeking the flielter of night and darknefs, but impatient of fuch delay, ap- pears in the broadeft light ; and he is now a florp' Ctl^l3*8. concerning Almighty God, Sec. 23 5 flow-paced drunkard, that has not finifht his courfe, perhaps begun another, before the Sun has ended his : nay, fo is the Scene changed, that fohriety is become the reproachful thing, fuch as even thofe who value it dare not own, and are either driven to preferve it by lliifts and artificesror elfe chufe to abandon it rather than hazard the fcandal. And certainly this is the great advantage this fin has for the propagating its felf, for 'tis impoflible Beffiiality fhould be fo univerfally agreeable to mankind, that all fhould purfue it out of appetite and liking : 'tis this Fear that engages many in it; and though it have too many voluntiers, yet fure 'tis this prefs that helps to make up its num- hers, which as it fpeaks the great bafenefs of thofe who are thus afham'd both of Piety and Hu- manity, and had rather ceafe to be meny than ap- pear to be Chrijlians ; fo is it a fad indication of National impiety, a fatal Symptome that we have neer filfd up the meafure of our iniquities, and are ripened for the woes denounced againft thofe who call evil good, and good evil: Efa. ^.zo* which fure was never more palpably done than in this inftance, wherein temperance is branded for ill nature, and dulnefs of humor ; whileftthe moft fwinijh Excefs muft pafs for fociahlensfs, friendjhip, and hojpitality ; names which have been fo long proftituted that they have loft their native ufe, and men have forgot thofe very di- ftant things to which they originally belonged, yet fure fuch once there were : God made usy2>c/- 4hh creatures, and we might ftill continue fo 234 Mtfchiefs arifing fromMifiakes C|iap*8. upon the ftrength of that firft principlcj, and need not owe our wtercoarfe to our debaucheries ; no, nor our friendfhips neither, which have been fo far from being preferv'd that way, that there is nothing more obvioufly, and frequently violates them ; nay, indeed the whole fpecies of real Friendfliips feems to be extincl, fince this Jtili- tioiis fort took place. Men think it enough (as indeed 'tis too much) to damn themfelves with their friends^ and all other communications are tranfmuted into that of Sin,fer we daily fee thofe, who cleave the moft infeparably in this kind to each other, will yet neither do nor fuflfer any thing elfe : And fn^re if this he friend/hip y 'tis fuch areverftkindofit asmuft have as prepofterous a Definition ; for none that have yet been given by Divims or Fhilcfophers will fit it. The like may be faid of hajpitality^ which fure is in its proper nature ofa very diftant make from this; defign'd to relieve Strangers, not burthen them ; to cure their wants indeed, but not by the worfe ex- change of a Surfet : So that the ancient and the modern Hofpitality, difJer as much as that o^Mel- chizedeck from that of Circe ; the one refrefhes, the other transforms : And how great a fliew foe- ver of liberality this later may have, yet he is not to be thought to have drunk ^r^^/V, that has paid his reafonfoxhis/hot, AND to both thefe parts of Intemperance, our Uncleannefs bears full proportion, the one makes provipon for the flefh, and the other fulfils the lufts thereof. To how brutifh an impudence this d)^P*8. concerning Almighty God, &c. 235' this fin is grown is too vifible : we need not trace men into their privacies and recefles, themfelvcs willingly proclaim their guilts ; nay, dread no- thing fb much as the opinion of being innocent : yea lo out-dated a vertue is Modefty now become, that even that Sex to which it was once account- ed the greatefl: ornament, have put it offy look on it as a piece of Ruftkityy and countrey breeding : whether this pulling down the fence be an Indi- cation they are willing to lie commony 1 lliall not determine : but fure that very free, and confi- dent behaviour now in ufe, is too apt to invite aflaults, and takes off all that Extenuation of crime, which was wont to be allowed that Sex upon the fuppofition of their being feducedr* Thus do we publilh our fin as Sodomy and if w^e confi- der how much boldnefs it has gain'd fince the return of our proj^eritj ; twill be probable that oursalfo has been fomented by fulnefs ^of bread y and abundance of hllenefy, Ez, i. 6, That our Plenty is very fubfervient to it, appears by the 'vafi expence wherewith many men m.anage this vice : And that our Idlenefs is fo too, is no lefs evident by the large portions of time that are fpent in thofe purfuits, it being as the great defign, fo the efpecial bufinefs of too many mens lives. As for the remedy which God has af- fign'd, it ferves now only to exafperate the difeafe. Marriage with too many only advances fimple-fornication to adultery, and fuperadds perjury to uncleannefs ; thofe facred bands are like Samfons withs, broken upon every aflault of .Q4 ^^^ 2^6 Mi/chiefs arifingfrom Miftakes Ci&ap*8. the Philiflinsy and the very thought of being con- fined makes men more apt to range ; For alas, 'tis not their needs hut their Phancies they are to pro- vide for, and that is fo endlefs, that the greateft liberty of Polygamy would never fatisfie it : the fame quarrel would lie then to multiplied wives, which does now to fingle ; I mean, that they were their own : And how numerous foever their flock were, 'twould aot fecure their poor neighbours only Larnh, efpecially when 'tis confider'd, that in this they gratifie two fins at once, their uaniiy as well as their ///J? ; their complacence in twder- mining the Husband, being generally as great, as that in enjoying the Wife. And if Pride ab- firradledly and in its own nature be, as Solomon fays, an abomination to the Lordy certainly when 'tis thus complicated, it mufl: be infinitely more fo, and afcertain a concurrence of thofe Judg- mentSy w^hich are fingly threatned to each of thofe Sins ; wTiat thofe are, I wifli guilty perfons would ferioufly ponder, and then they would furely think their momentary pleafures much over- bought. But alas, fuch a fafcinating fin this is, as allows men no liberty of confideration , they go on as the wife-man fays, Prov. 7. 22. with the fame {bi^idiity th^it an Ox goeth to the flaughter: or, a fool to the correBion of the flocks ; and while every body elfe obfervesthe Effe^s of their Vice in their waflred bodies, and ruin'd eflates; them- felves are the lafl: that difcern it, purfue the courfe till the very lafl: remains of flrrength and wealth arc exhauftcd, and nothing left them but difeafe Cftap. 8. concerning Almighty God, &c. 23 7 difeafe and beggery. Of the truth of this, there have been too many fad examples, though it feems not yet enough, to give caution to others. And to thefe lufts of the flejh, we fpare not to add thofe of the Eye alfo, for fo furely we may properly call all thofe Luxuries which adapt themfelves peculiarly to that Faculty, fuch are the gaity of Apparel, richne(? of Furniture, and alltiic^lendor of Equipage, which has no pro- priety to any other fenfe, but that of feeing, and is loft if it be not lookt on : And though thefe feem to diflfer much from that Covetoufnefi which St. John is fuppofed to comprehend in that Phrafe, the one being the f^/i/^c/V^, the other the profufion of Money; yet they are but feveral branches of the fame Sin, and are diverfified only by a various application to the 0^j>^ : for in ftri(5l fpeaking, he that covets Gold and Silver to lay on his hack, is as properly covetous, as he that dcfigns it only to fill his coffers. But befides the propriety thefe exceffes have to that title, they have no lefs claim to that enfuing, the Pride of Life ; it being evi- dent that they are both Effe(5ls and Fomenters of Pride: and fure this fets but an ill CharacSler up- on them, that when the Jpofile has divided all the lufisofthewoild into three forts, thefe bid fo fair to two of them, I would not here be underftood to condemn that Decency and moderate Expence, which agree to the feveral ranks and qualities of Perfons, there being not only a Uvrfulnef?, but fome kindofc/i;//;7^c6'j^()'for fuch Diftincftions : nor is the levelling principle fitter to be admitted in 238 Mif chiefs arifing from Mifiakes ^tiap^S. in Habit, than in Title or Eftate : That which I accufe is quite another thing, it being that inor- dinate profufion which does not only exceed the ability and fortune of the Perfon, but the pro- f)ortion of his rank and condition ; and fo con- bunds that diftincftion it fliould preferve, and le- vels us the wrong way : it being more tolerable that all fhould be Pe/fantSy than all Lords. And this is the irregularity that many feem toafFec5t, there being not only an emulation of pomp and bravery among equals, but thofe of the moft di- ftant qualities, there feeming now no other m^^- fure than the utmoft extent of their money or cre- dit'^ the later whereof is often fo ftretcht, that it not only cracks its felf, but by an unhappy conta- gion, breaks thofe it deals with, and like a Gra^ nado tears Towns in pieces : The many ruin'd Fa- milies of Tradefmen do too fadly atteft this ; would God our Gallants would confider how un- equal it is, that many fliould want neceffary cloath- ing, only to maintain the yi//^^y^^/j^^ of theirs; an Injuftice which not only upon areligiousy hutpo- litick account deferves the fevereft Reproof, and fince Divine Laws will not reftrain it, 'twere well if Humane were provided : though I confefs, 'twere not eafie to find out penalties to deter thofe whom the wants fo ufually attending thefc excefles will not difcourage. This fort oi vanity was once thought peculiar to women, and though I cannot fay that the fexes have exchang'd faults, ( becaufe each ftill keeps its own, together with thofe of the other ) yet 'tis evident they have com- municated Ci^ap*8. concerning Almighty Gody&cc, 230 municated them, and as the women of this Age have tranfcrib'd m/^/c(///W Vices, fo the men\\2,\c feminine J this particularly, whcj-ein they fcem fully to anfwer the Copy, they being as Critical- ly knowing in all the myfteries of vanity, and as diligent in reducing their Jfeculations topra5licey as any the moft extravagant female. Indeed both the one and the other purfue this folly with fo great an expence of Care, Time, and Money, as ifto be fine and happy were the fame thing, and their bodies had been defign'd for their Cloaths, rather than their cloaths for their Bodies. AND now when all thefe luxuries are to be ferv'd, it had need be an exorbitant plenty that fhall fupply them ; and that will unfold the riddle fo frequent among us, of fo many being poorer fince they recovered their eftates, than when they wanted them : Our revenue how large foever, is fo clogg'd and encumbered with our vices, that they moulder away, and only ferve to carry other mens with them, by giving credit to run in debt. There are indeed no fuch unmerciful exaSlors as our own Lufts, the one gleans after the other, till they induce fuch a fcarcity as the Prophet Joel defcribes i. 4. That which the Palmer-worm hath lefty hath the Locuft eaten, and that which the Lo^ cuft hath left, hath the Canker-worm eaten, and that which the Canker-worm hath left, hath the Caterpil- lar eaten : So that in efJecft we have only chan- ged our opprefTors, and are as much or more ex- naufted by our fins, as we were before by other mens; with this woful circumftance that now we 240 Mifchiefs arifingfrom Miflakes Cl}ap 8. we have the guilts as well as the fujferings : Thus do we rob our felvesj, and create want in the midft of all that ahundAHce God has given us, ufing our plenty as the Benjamites did the Levites Concu- bine, Judg, 19. force and proftitute it till we de- ftroyit; and the fimilitude holds in this alfo, that what we thus violate is not our own ; for let usphancy whatwe will> certainly our fuperflui- ties are more the poors Right than oursy aflign'd to them by God the grand Proprietor. So that our Excefles have belidcs their proper ^w/7^, that oiinjuftice fuperadded ; and when the cry of the poor fliall be joyn d to thofe of our riots, they will certainly be too clamorous to let vengeance any longer fleep. THIS is the account we can give o? out plen- ty 9 and that of our //i^r^^ is not much better ; 'tis not long fince that arbitrary tyranny expir'd, which gave us no other meafures of our duties or punifliments, than the tt/V/ or avarice of the Im- pofers : And then how did we gafp to be under the conducfl and Prote(5lion of known determinate Laws ? Yet now we have them, who confiders them, or is regulated by them ? Between the licen^ cioufnefi o£ln£cnots, and the remifnefio£ Superi- ors, they are rendred things only of / nay^, troops; con pounds fuch rjflivePoy- fony as like a Peftilence, kills oiultitudes at once. It is too trivial a Mifchief to annoy the ou^vcard partsy it is his Maftery to £]3read an imfeen ve- nome in the Borreh, thence to diffufe its felf through' t, mix with the vital fpirit, and convert that kindly heat which {hould animate;, into thofe wild irregular flames which ravine and confume. And this is done, by that Peftilential fpirit of i^ vijiony that heat of dif^utationy which has for fo many ages poffeft and wafted the Catholick Church ; and by an unhappy kind of Magick tranf- form'd the zeal of Chriftian pra5licey into an itch of unchriftian Dilute ; made the queftions about our Creed more numerous than the letters of it ; and by multitudes and contrariety oiParaphrdfes fo confounded and obfcur'd the iexty that what was anciently the badge and teffera of Chriftian Communion;, ferves us for no other purpofe but as an occafion of breaking it. S O long as the Church retain'd the fimplicity of Chriftian docflrine;, lookt on hci faith as the Foundation of her obedience, and endeavoured to propagate to her Children fuch an underftandmg of the one, as was irioft apt to promote the other ; She happily made good the title Chrifi gives her. Can, 6, of his love, his dovey his tmdefil'd one : but when the Serpent had once got into this Para- dife, infus'd his fuhtiltiesy and nice intricacies R 2 into 24 8 Mifchiefs ariftng Cljap 9- into mens Brains ; and leafl: that ftiould not be ruinous enough^ his venome alfo into their Hearts : Then began all thofe unhappy Met amor- fhofes, incomparifonofwhich, thofe of the Po- ets are as trivial sls they are Fabulous : then that faith which was once infeparably joyn'd with the patience of the Saints, forfook that tame compa- ny, and linkt its felf with the moft contrary qua- lities of wrath and hitternej^j and thofe whofe Profeffion it was to refijl unto blood, ftriving againft fin, purfued to blood thofe that refiftea them in any of their fpeculations : Then that paflive Valour which had rendred them fo vene- rable to their Heathen Enemies, converted fome, tired out others, and amaz'd all ; fadly degene- rated into that acflive malice, which from perfecu- tedChriftiansy cntituled them to that monftrous ftyle o£ Chriftian perfecutors. And that ardent love, which had offered up fo many Holocauifts to God, was fupplanted by that jJ^r^ hatred, that made no lefs acceptable oblations to Satan. THIS miferableand deftru(5live c^^;7^^was fo much the intereft of the Enemy of Souls, that we cannot wonder he fliould fo ftudioufly pro- mote it ; and indeed never did he at once fo ap- prove his malice and fuhtiltyy I would I could not fay fuccefs alfo, as in this defgn ; in comparifon whereof, all his other Projetfts fpeak him but a Puny, this is his one Goliah Stratagem which has ferv'd him not only to defie, but even defeat the Armies of the living God. • N O R is his Sagacity more obfervable in the choice. dJtiP^P- f^^^ Difpiites in general, 249 choice, and main drift of the Defign, than in the rpays of Eflecfting it ; had he brought into the Primitive Church thofe large fcrolls of difpu- table points, wherewith he has filFd the Modern ; that more charitable Age muft needs haveftart- led and difeern'd, that that feeming Jealoufie for Truth;, was indeed nothing but a real dejign againfl: Peace, and would furely never have parted with that facred depofitum^ that precious legacy fo lately bequeath'd by Chrift, for thofe vain janglings, thofe School fubtilties which now en- tertain the world. But as he that would divert a man from the gud^d of fome important Trea- fure, alarms him in fome other of his greateft in^ terefis ; fo he at firft raifes up Here fie s of the grea- teft magnitude, whofe blafphemous confequen- cies fo ihook the whole Fabrick of Religion, that what was Uzz^ahs Rafhnefs feemcd then every mans advifed Duty, to put bis hand to the uphold- ing of the tottering Ark, How could thofe who had been baptiz'd into the faith of the Elefled Tri- nity, fufler the ^Arians to rob them of the Second Perfon, the Macedonians of the Third, the Va- lentinians and Manichees fo to defpife the Firft, as to fet up againft him a Rival principle of be- ing: How could thofe who had fo folemnly re- nounced the World, the Flefli and the Devil, fee them all bowed to by the temporizing, unclean, idolatrous Gnofiicks ? thefe were fuch invafions as feemed to commifilonate all that could weild the fwordofthe Spirit to take it up, and engage in this Warfafd. But all this while 'twas a fad D/- R 5 (emma 250 Mifchiefs arifing Cl^ap^p. lemma to which the Church was driven ; if flie gave countenance to thckfeducers, Ihe betrayed hcT faith ; if flie entred the contefi flie violated her unity ; the one would undermine her foundation, the other would make a breach in her walls, AND the Devil was too old an Artift to lofe the advantage, he knew well that even a juft and neceffary defence, does by giving men acquain- tance v/ith War take oiFfomewhat from the ab- horrence of it, and infenfibly difpofe them to far- ther Hojtilitiesy and therefore he faiFd not to pro- vide i^arks for that matter, which was now grown fo combuftible ; nor did he always fend them from the bottomlefi pit, but fometimes borrowed fire from the Jltar to confume the Votaries, and by the mutual collifion of well meant zeal fet even Orthodox Chriftian in flame. A memo- rable inftance of this was the dispute ahout Eajier^ wherein while the veneration they had of the glo- rious Refurre yet bold enquiries into the divine attributes which now a-daies ferve only to fupplant that pi- ous veneration we owe to them. I N like manner the comprehenfivc enuncia- tion of Chrift, Mar. 16. 16. He that helieveth fhall Cftap 9' /yow Dijputes in general. Zjp fhall be Jdvedy and he that helieveth not /hall he damndy was received by the firft Chriftians, as the condition on which the two fo diftant ftates of Salvation or damnation depended, and ac- cordingly excited their diligence, to attain the oncy and avoid the other. And this certainly was a much more concerning employment, than to have entertained themfelves with the modern difpute, whether fome antecedent decree of God had not irreverfibly determin'd them, to the one or other; a difquifition that has ferv'd only to keep us Idly huftey fet our heads a working, but folds up out hands V\kc Solomons fluggard in our bofoms. So alfo when S. Paul affirms it the de- fign of Chrifiy giving him fe If for i^, to pur ^ fie to him/elf a peculiar people y zealo^cs of good irorks ; the Primitive Chriftians had no other defign than to comport with that his purpofe ; to be what he died to make them, and to attefl: their Zeal to good works, by being actually rich in them. They took Chrifi's word, that he that gave the meanefl dole for his fake, fhould not lofe his reward ; thought themfelves fure enough upon his pro- mife, and never difputed the proportion either of Worth or Congruity between the work and wages ; and had the ^lodern done the like, our vporks had not fo unhappily evaporated into words, we had talkt lefs and done more. 'TWERE eafie to draw the Parallel through all the points which bufiedthe devotion of the firft Ages, and the curiofity of the later : By all which it would be evident, how much Chri- ftian z6o Mifchiefs arifirtg Cl^aPip. ftian dodlrine has lofi in its Efficacy, fince it gaind in its Bulk : how we have embafed our Coin by multiplying it ; and have divided our fum intofo many, and fo fmall Fractions, as our Arithmetick can fcarce number y never unite. We fliould think him very ridiculous, that fliould hope to advance his cropy by grinding the corn he fowes : yet methinks, this has bin the Me- thod of our Spiritual husbandmen, who have fcarce fuffered one grain of our faith to fcape En- tire. 'Tis faid that the Anty when flie lays in her winter ftock, bites the ends of the Corny as being Naturalift enough to know that will cer- tainly prevent its fprouting : And fure that lit- tle contemptible creature whom Solomon ap- points to preach induftry to the jluggardy may in this point read Fhilofofhy too, to our greateft Do5iors ; convince them that that feed which they mangle with fo many Diftincftion sand Divifionsy will never fpring up into Chiiftian praBice : It will rather be like the Dragons teeth, Cadmus is faid to have fown, whofe immediate produ(5lioit w^as a hoflile hand combating one another. A/k- hle which God knows we have found too fadly moralizd in our School contentions, only with this unhappy difference, that ours are more im- mortal, our Serpentine breed fight but never die, oppofe but deftroy not one another. AND then 'twill not appear ftrarige to fee the firft feeds of difcord, fo prodigioufly en^ creas'd, that they now overfpread the face of the Earth : for whereas in all other things thera is ^f)SP*9' ffom Dsjpules in gainer at, x6i is a fucceflion, one generation goes and another comes, and fo though the /pedes continue:, the In- dhiduals perifli ; thefe feem to have the aceuift Priviiedge of propagating and not expiring, and to have reconcii'd the procreativenefs ot ccrpo- realy with the duration o^ incorporeal Subftances : This is fuch an advantage toward their multiplier- //Wj,thal3we may grievCj, but cannot wonder to find them Svparm ; not like Bees to bring profit, but like Locufls to devour every green thing in the land; nor is it now in the power of all the Magicians cf q^gypt to caft them out ; for were it poflible ever to become 5'.^- tans intereft to fupprefs them, be would certain- ly find himfelf in the cafe of one of his young Conjurers, to have rais'd more fpirits than he could lay, Aiens now irritated PaJJionsy and formed interells, the great fomenters of difputes, v/ould prove too ^^turdy Derils, even for Beel- :^ehiib himfelf to Exorcife. BUT 'tis too fure his Kingdom will never fo divide againfi: its fclf; itfuits not only with his Naturey but with his ^nds to perpetuate our Strifes, and therefore as if our dodlrinal debates- were not enough to fecure his purpofe, he has an auxiliary troop of ritual differences to at- tach us. The Leprojie which infeffcs the foliider parts of our Religion, has paft from the body to the vety Garments; the moft exterior adheren- ciesy Habits, Geftures, Days, every thing that has but the remoteft fubferviency to Piety, are become the ohj'zcls of fierce Contcflrs, and have fo S encreas'd 26l Mifchiefs arifwg C^ap.p. cncreas'd the number and heat of our quarrels, that 'tis unneceilary:, perhaps impoflible to add more if he can but keep up thefe, as God knows he is too like to do, his Kingdom will be compe- tently guarded, they being his greateft facurity againft th^tpowerof Godlinefs, that vital force of Chriftianity, he fo much dreads : that they are fo, is obvious enough to him that takes but the grof- feft confus'd view of them. But that we may better difcern the degrees of his ddvantage and our own mifchiefy 'twlW not be amifs to con- fider them more attentively, make fome diftincft obfervations, not of ally for that were endlefs, but of /im^ oftheir moft eminent EjfeBs, which we fhallfind fo pernicious and deitrudlive, as fuffi- ciently fpeak their relation, and fubferviency to the great Ahadclon. A N D in the firft place if we confide r them on- ly privatively as they fupplant and juftle out our greater concerns, we fliall find them fadly mifchievous, indeed to fuch a degree that were they not chargeable with any pofithe Hi, they were by this their meer negathe Force, compe- tent Inftruments of our ruine. Did they actu- ally convey no venome, yet while they fub- ftradl our nourifliment, their efFedls will be fure to be deadly ; Grace as well as Nature being liable to be ftarv'd as well as poyfoned. Chrifiia- nity is not a dull unacflive, but ftirring bufie State, a.id therefore we ftill find it in the Gojfel reprefented under the Metaphors which imply the grestell Induftry and A\5livity ; tis a trade^ a Tvatchy Cri^tipip* f^^^^ Difputes in general. 263 watchy a race^ a combat y and it affigns us tasks enough to juftiiic the propriety of the Tropes: Aijd therefore as on th.e one hand the fleepy Profef- for will atlaft find he has but dreaait of thofe glorious Rewards he expecfts ; fo on the other, he that frames himfelf another Scheme^ that la- bours but not in Gods vineyard, that bufies himfelf in things extrinfick to that one great Sphere of motion the Evangelical Precepts, will finally difcern that he has but rolled 5)'//; /6^f his HonCy efpous'd a toyle under which he may indeed be 7reary andhc2ivY ladeny but will never find reji to his Soul. AND then whit can be more perfectly adapted to his aim, who defires to propagate his own eternal reftlefnefs unto us, than thus to commute our tasks, exchange thcCcpleafatit and gainful ones y which God affigns us, for thofe tin- eafe and fruitlefsy we impofe on our feives. 'Tis true we find too many of thofe unprofitable works of darknefs to bufie and employ us : but I think no one, nay I am apt to fay not all others together, have proved fo effectual to his purpofe, as this of raifing and maintaining parties in Reli- gion. 'Tis too ufijal a policy of States to fecure themfelves from the fear of a potent Neighbour, by fomenting a civil c//ycor^ in his Kingdom : Sa- tan has in this inftance found it a lucky Strata- gem, it having proved the moft pow^erful re- vulfive of his danger. I will not examine, whether he borrowed it from, or lent it to our ^Machavilions, but fure he may from his S 2 own 2^4 Mifchiefs arifing Ctjap 9 > own experience recommend it with the atteftati- on of a Frohattim eft, INDEED this art of diverfion gives him a full fecurity againft all he fears in ourChriftiani- ty, for 'tis not the title he envies to us, or dreads himfelf; we know he long fince had courage to contemn the name even of Chrift when invoked bythofewhofepra(5licesjoyn'dw'ith him in defy- ing it ; while we are but Jewifh Exorcifts^ make no other ufe of Chrift, but to get us a reputation and a trade, he can deal well enough with us. Seven fons of Sceva^ie not halffo terrible to him as one St. F^uly 'tis him only he fears, that to the form has joyn'd the power of Godlinefs : That Ex- orcifme he knows he cannot refift, and therefore has very dexteroufly found a way to divert it, by engaging us in thofe contentions which allow us not to think of the pradlical part of our profeffi- pn. By the corf us d noife of Battel, quite drown- ing that voice behind asy which fays, 17;^ uthe way walk in it. Nay, by this fubtilty he does not only divert, but foreftall alfo ; like the Phili- fiinesy allows no Spear or Sword that may be us'd againft himy but takes up all thofe Inftruments by which w^efliould work the work of God, We know to all affairs of Importance there are three neceflary Ci^z/a/rr^/^^j- without which they can ne- ver be difpatcht ; limey Induftry, and Faculties ; and the m.ore weighty and difficult the Bufinefs is, the greater t)egree of each ofthefe isrequi- fite. Now certainly the intereft of our Souls is not the fiightefl concern we have : the avoiding eternal SteP*9' f^^'^ Difpiites in general, 265* eternal mifery, the aaquiring endlefs blifs is not fo trivial, or fo eafie a matter;, as to be the Work of a momenta the purchafe of fome few yawning wiJJ'jeh or volatile phancies : He who is to difpenfe the Rewards., has propos'd us other Conditions, nflign'd us Work v/hich takes up no lefs time than that of our tt/^;?/^ lives; no lefs intention than of our whole powers : And then if we fuf?er any thing clfe to interpofe, and defliulk what is thus en- tirely rcquifite, if we cut new Channels for that which fhouid run in this one fit II current, 'tis eafie to divine what the Event will be : For man being finite both in his nature and operations, the time and attention he beftows on one thing, muftne- ceffarily be fubftradted from another. And therefore if ourDifputes about Religion enter- tain and bufie us, they muft unavoidably inter- rupt our attendance on pracflick Duties; andfo whileft we quarrel with one another, give our great 9- frcmDijftites in general. 269 wards the incorruptible Crowns, till we are grown too feeble and decrepit for the other purfuit. Men macerate their Bodies^, andwafte their Spi- rits in Folemick ftudiesy prefcribe themfelves no time of difcharge from that Wary till they are able no longer to weild their weapons, and then whenmeerlJnpotence makes them feaceahle, be- gin to cry out of contention, fnatch up Devotion when Controverfie begins to be too heavy for them, and at their Death pray for that peace of the Church, which they have made it the bufinefs of their life to difturb. This as it fufficiently at- tciks what mens thoughts are in their cool blood, what apprehenfions they have of the way when they draw near their journeys End ; (o does it abundantly evince the unfpeakable prejudice. Pie- ty receives from our Difputes ; Thofe have the active and vi^oifous Jbettors, while That is turn'd oflfto languifhing bed-rid Votaries, So that the divijion between tliefe two, is like that of the Cat- tel between Jacob and Laban, all the ftronger to the one, and feebler to the other : Would God the Scene were not in one refpedl changed, and that the Syrian had not here got the better fhare. But in the mean time what greater advantage can Satan wifli for, our ftrength and induftry is di- verted upon thefe foreign expeditions, and Sion is left to be guarded by the lame and the blind, fuch only as are not able to follow the Camp, and then 'tis not Arrange to fee what fuccesful allaults he has made, that that true fraUick vertue which once made fuch vicftorious falleys on the heathen World, 270 Mif chiefs arijing €^ljap*9- World, is now baffled in its own Quarters, bea- ten from its Works, and driven to feck ihelter in obfcure corners, immures its felf in fome few private breafts, and fo like an dxifd Prince, makes only fnift to live when it fhould reign. But alas, fhall we for ever fuflfer our felves to oe thusbefoofd, Ihall this his ftale ftratagem aiber fo many hundred years ufe, nay, and deteclioti too, lofe nothing of its Efficacy? Muli weal- ways waftc our ftrength in forging fliackles for our felves ? This is fuch an infatuation as Hofea fpeaks of. Chap. 9. 7. Ihe Prephet if a fooly the Spiritual inan u mad : Would Gdd we would once put our felves under tjie difcipline of ferious re- colledlion, it might perhaps cure the Phrenfie : Let him who has with unwearied diligence watcht all advantage againft his Antagonift ; rack'd and tortured every period of his difcourfe, to make it confefs an abfurdity : Let him, I fay, conlider, how much better that indufiry had been employed in difcoveringthe//^////c/Vi- of our com- mon Adverfary, that old Sophifter, who puts the moft ahufive Elertchs on us, whileffc we are moil bufie in putting them upon one another. Good God, how might true vital Ghriftianity at this day have flourifht, if we would have beftowed our pains the right way ? At how much a cheaper rate might we have cherijht, than we defiroy her. All parties pretend to be very careful oiFthis Viney are very bufie in fetting traps for the little Foxes ^ all whom they are pleas'd to call Hereticks ; and in the mean time take no care of the wild Boar, let that _- — < — I — -i ^l^dP*5)- f^^'^^ Dilutes ingeneraL 27X that not only fpoil her branches^ but ftockupher roots, fiiffer the moft favage beaftial vices tode- ftroy both Power and Form of Godlinefs toge- ther. Thiis unhappily do we divert our intenti- ons, from our moft important concerns. And as Jn7;/mf^^j"isfaidto have been fo vehemently intent upon a Geometrical figure, that he heard not of the taking of the City, till an Enemy gave him his information and death together : So do we fo bufie our felves in drawing our feveral Schemes of Religion (every of which will pretend to no lefs than Demonftration ) that in the mean, that which alone is true Religion, is expos'd to the fury of the Enemy, fack'd, ruinated, and like the ploughed up JeTviJJp SanBuary, not one ftone left upon ano- ther. Certainly moft of the quefiions which at this day difturb Chriftcndom, have in refpecl of their matter no Propriety tow\ard the propagating good Life, but, in reference to their way ofmanage- ry, all aptnefs to hinder it ; how much were it then for our Eafe as well as profit, to turn us into the plain road, where none of thefe Thorny diffi- culties will encumber us. Alas, why fhould the Romanifi fo fweat to maintain his Purgatory flame, as if he already felt its heat, and would in this world antedate thofe pains, when the fame Indu- ftry beftowed here to purifie himfelffrom all filthi- ne^offlejhandfpirit, would fubftradl the matter of that Fire, and leave little for that furnace to re- fine; which were doubtlefs a much fecurer way, even according to his own principles, than to truft to the uncertain devotion of others, to fetch him out 272 Mifchiefs ^riftvg d/tip p. out when once deeply ingulph't : 'Tis furely much better to ftarve that Fire, by ones own innocence y than to leave it to be extinguifiit by the Tears and Piety oi furvhing friends. Why fhould the Sc- cinidn fo eagerly contend for the pofiibility of keeping the Law, when one example would con- vince more than a thoufand drgiimenls. Let hirr* bend his ftudy to make himfelf an. inftance of his own docftrine ; and then though he do finally fail in proving his /:^'/?(9//7^y/.r, yet, if he do his utmoft, he will not fail of a better iritimphy than that which the Schools can give ; and fo will even from his error extradl advantage, his wciy ftray- ing will by a happy Antiperiftafisy lead him into the way. Why docs the Predefiinarian fo adven- teroiifly climb into Heaven, to ranfack the cele- ftial Jrchivesy read Gods hidden Decreesy when with lefs labour he may fecure an ^Amhentick tran- fcript within himfelf; let himx according to Saint Peters advice, add to his faith vertuey and to ^er- tue knowledge y and to knowledge temper anccy &c. and that chain of vertues will ftand him in much more ftead, than if he could as infallibly ( as fome have confidently ) demonftrate every link of Pre- defiination : 'Tis the affiduous practice of Duty will make his calling and ekdtion fure ; and un- lefs he can confute that divine ^Axiomcy that vpithout holinefs none fhall fe^ the Lord', he cannot but confefs he may more profitably bufie his thoughts in labouring to become holy, than in difputing whether he can chufe to be fo or not. Orlaftly^ why do\vc Chrifiians of feveral perfwa- fionsjf €|)8p*5^- /^^^ Disputes in general 275 fionh fo fiercely argue againft the falvahility of each other, as if i% were "not only our Opinion, butourlntqreft and our Willi, that all jhould he damnd, hut thofe cf our particular ScB ; when God knows not only every fociety, but every fingle pcrfon has enough to do, to nork out bis ownfal- nation, which if we will take the J/^o/f/^x word, is to be done with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. A temper very widely diftant from that of cenfuring and judging. And fure we fliould not think that mahfaHcr more meriting,- or more likely to be acquitted, who fliould leap from, the Bartot\\^ Benchy and there condemn the whole Goal but himfelE 'Twas a fobcr and Chriftian reply of a late learned Gentleman, who being askt by one whether a Papifi might be faved,anfwered, you may he faved without knowing that. And would we con- fine our cares and enquiries, to thofe things which concern that one great Interelt, we might take lefs pains y and yet do more work, belefs bufie-ho- diesy but more fruitful Chrifiians, and then fure 'tis time we ask our felves the Wife mans queftion, 'Ecclef. §.16. What profit hath he that lahcurethfor the wind ; and at laft give over this unthriving di- ligence, and not fo emulate the moft flupid of Beafts, as to make our felves burthens, only that we may couch under them. AND were this only Ijfachars lot, 'twere the lefs to be regretted, but alfo Zahulon herein in- vades his portion ; 'tis they that handle the pen of the Writer, that have engroft this error, and will not fufFvi it to be a Plebeian one. None do i9 274 Mtf chiefs arifi^g Cl^ap^p. fo much this way mif-employ the two vulgar ta- lents oF Time and Induftryj, as thofe who have a third fuperadded to them, that of Extraordinary Faculties and endowments which they do as pro- digally lavifh as either of the former. The Be- ginners or Abettors of contentions have generally been Perfons of the moft acute refind nits and ex- cellent learningy which has enabled them for thofe quirks and fubtiities, of which grofler under- {landings would have remained more happily ig- norant : A ftrange produdlion that the grcatefl beauties of Nature and Art, fhould ingender the foulefi deformity in Religion. Thus alas have 5"^- tans altars tlie pre-emption of Gods, the fatteft Oblation brought to feed the fire of contention, whileft that of ^e^'o^/c^/; expires for want ofNou- rifnment. It v/as indeed no wonder, that the blind zeal of P/g^^^; J had made him fo wantonly nice, that none but the choiceft vidlimes would ferve his turn ; none but an Andromeda and an Iphigenidy Royal and Virgin facrifices propitiate his infernal Deities : but that among Chrifiians he fhould ftill have the fame EkBiony have the richeft treafures of thofe, who fay they war againft him, laid at his feet, have his choiceft weapons out of his Enemies magazeen, is a riddle that can fcarce be folved, but by concluding Ido- latry has only chang'd its form, and that he fits as fecurely enfhrin'd in 7nens pajjions and animofitiqs, as ever he did in an Idol Temple ; fo that he feems rather to have loft the po7npy than the porrer of Regiment. But admit, that he were not herein fo Ctep 9' /y^wx DiJ^utes in general, zyjT fo immediately Gods rival, tkat thefe (fecuhtiva debates had none of thole adherencies, which do fo direcftly gratifie him, yet (till he is fecur'dof gaining fomewhat at rebound ; for alas, when mens faculties are thus employed, what Wea- pons are there left for the defence of true pra^iick ^ertuey and God knows, file needs them but too much : Mens lufls are grown fiibtile Difputants, fo that themoft improved reafon may find work enough to manage the Conteft ; And furely would men of parts timely have bent their endeavours this way, vice could not have got fo ftrong a par- tv. Men are afliamed to be jPro/^/)'^^! to a weak Arguer, as thinking they muft- part with their r^- futatiouy as well as their///: and certainly no- thing is a m.ore general dtfcouragement from Pie- ty, t\\2^ the opinion of its "vot dries net being Per- fon? of Parts, and exalted Llnderftandings ; a Trejudice as old as the time of our Saviour y as may appear from Jo. 7. Would God our greateft Kdhlies would fadly confider how much they have contributed to this fcandal, while by laying out their parts on Polemick niceties, they have nei^- lecfled the more weighty part of their bufinefs, & given too much Atteftation to that fcandalous Maxim, thtLt Ignorance is the mother of Devotion: Certainly this is quite to miftake their Commijji- on, which is not that of a Herauld, to proclaim War amongfl: men, but that of an Embajfadory to reconcile them firft to holinefs, and by it to God : And doubtlefs one foul gain'd to Piety, would more promote their account, than many thoufands Z'-j6 Mif c hiefs arifing €{;ap»9. thoufands fecur'd to a SeCl or Party. We find how fad the doom was of that Servant who wrapt up his Talent J, but we have no caufe to think it would have been at all eaiier^ if he had melted the Talent into bullets^ to maintain the skirmilh with his fellows : Whether that be not the cafe offome who have received not the one Talent but th^fiveyl leave it to be difcufled between God and their ovvn Confciences ; but in the interim, 'tis fad to fee how unhappily m.en engage their en- deavours^ which feems to reprefent the reverfe of Efays Prophcficy we having beat our plouglv- ftiares into fvvords, and our pruning hooks into fpearS:, all the Inftruments of fertility and growth in Gracey into Engins of War and dif* cord; and then itmufi: needs be a moft deplora- ble condition to which Chrifliianity is reduced ; which feem-s in this to be under the fame cala- mity, which her diftreft profeflbrs fuflfer from the Turkifi tyxannyy whilefther hopefuUeft and moft pregnant Children, are like Janizaries and Timariots trained up to fight againft her. And let none w^onder that I call it fighting againfl: her, when yet perhaps none of them do formally renounce her ; for that Circumftance only de- term^ines the War to be intefiine, not foreign ; and if our own fad Experiences had not too much qualified us to judge, I might appeal to the univerfal vote of mankind, which of thofe were the moft deftru(£live. Indeed were there no other Adl of hoftility difcernable, but that which we have hitherto infifted on, the inter- cepting ^^^P^IO. from Dij^utes in general, 277 ceptijagher fupplies, the cutting oft' from her that time, indultry and gifts, whereby fhe Would be nouriflit and fupported, that were ir- reparably injurious to her, and confequently moft grateful to that grand Enemy who as hath been fhew'd, makes advantage of our Wranglings of Diflentions with one anot her y toreakhis n>ore inveterate Malice on u$ all. CHAP. X. J Survey of the ^Mifchiefs arifing from difputes, as they fupplant Charity. BU T alas, the mifchief of thefe debates, can never be defcrib'd by bare negatives, there are multitudes of pofitive ills, that infeparably adhere to tli^m, and thofe of fo de- ftrudlive a force, that if Chriftianity were he- leagred and famijht by the former, fhe is florm'd and hatter d by thefe, and fo is afcertain'd to fink under all the methods of ruine. In the front of thefe we may well rank thofe difplacen- cies and animofities which are the produ(ft of our fpeculative differences, and which do indeed fo naturally refult from them, that 'tis not to be hoped fo long as the one continues that the other will ever ceafe. For though in practice we often fee a bewitching Sin dethrone the Reafon, and make men a^ as if they had no fuch fuperior T principle 278 Mifchiefs dYtfingfromDifputeSy Ctiap^lO. principle to guide them, yet in matters of Specu-. lation their ajfeBions are generally ftrongly in- fluenced by their underjiandings. Wc do not only approve, but love thofe notions wherewith we are prepofleft, which kindnefs as it propa- gates its felf to the abettors oi tho fame Tenets, 10 alfo it infinuates diHikes to the oppofers. And as that oppofition advances, fo the difguft does too, till at laft the Scene fhifts, and the Ferfons are at a greater war than the Opinions, But we need not thus derive a proof from the caufesy when the thing does too demonftrably atteft its felf by the effeBs; for what iflues are there of themor- talleft hatred, which do not plentifully flow from this fountain. Humane nature we know has but three waies of adluating its Paffions ; by thought y by wordy and by deeds ; and we may furely con- clude the feud very bitter that employes all thefe Engins, as 'tis too vifible this does ; for though t\iQ former of thefe be in their own na- ture infcrutable, to all but omnifcience, yet the two later are, according to Chrifls own Rule o£ the *Iree by the fruitSy infallible Criterions of them; and thofe make fuch liberal difcoveries, that I think I may appeal to any who have- efpous'da/7^r/>', whether they have not with the firft difcriminating rudiments of their own Sedt, imbib'd a fecret confus'd prejudice to all others. Nay, I fear there are but few of fo mortified paf-. fions, as to have ftopt there, and not advanced to a diredl averfion, and alienation qf mind. In- deed were it not for this, 'twere fcarce pofHblc for Ct>ap*io. astheyftippldtit Chanty, 279 for fo many of the vulgar, to be fuch Bigots in their feveral fa the vrorjhip of our God. Certainly among all the accurfed iffues of OMTcontentiony there is none more malignant and criminal^ than this o£Schifm and Sepdrationy and would men judge difpaffionately, more irrational neither : For doubtlefs were our cafe Hated to any fober Heathen, he would never be able to guefs:, why they who equally acknowledge the advantage and neceffity of prayer y confefs the fame God, have the fame common wants in this world, and hopes in the next, may not ask in the fame formy and in the fame place, Alas, is it not enough to be at diftance where we differ, but muft we be fo alfo where we agree ? Is unity fo dreadful to us, that we liiuft adt contradidtion'^ to efcape it. Surely this is a fir anger fafcination of the fpirit of Divifion" than that in the Gofpel Demoniacky which enabled him to break all bonds in funder, and like it, abhors the approaches of €!tiap*lO- ^ theyfupplant Chanty, 287 ^Saviour, crying out> What have we to do with theey thou Jefus the Son ofGody art thou come to tor- ment us ? Who knows what a powerful Exor- cifm the united interceflions of the Chriftian world might have been ; hadwe joyntly depreca- ted our quarrels, God might have found a way to have compos'd them;, though we could not; and our tears might have cemented thofe breaches which our diffents made, but our feparation wi- dens. I know the venerable names of the Sancftions o£Holy Churchy the hundred thirty feventh Ca- non of the Code of the univerfal Church, which fays in exprefs terms, "On ^j^e^cupiTiaoh » crx/^uetjiKoU ffiwd>'x^.0 Mifchiefs arifingfromDiij^uteSy Cf)ap*II. thtufiumnecejfdnum^ and think the propagating oithokio important a ferbice to Godiy as willju- ftifie the ufe of the moft interdiBed inftruments, legitimate the moft enormous Commijjtons, that they can phancy contributive to that pious End : And fnoreovci commute for the negledl: oiPra- Bick duties in the general tradl of their lives, I fliall not here urge the hazard of mens erring in the choice of opinion Sj, nay, the certainty that of many oppofite^ one only can be the right; and then to all fuch as mifs;, that their very ground- work fails them. I fliall only confine myfelfto the malignant influence this Perfwafion has on pra- Bicdy and in that refpedl I cannot but affirm it a moft pernicious delufion, which as it tends ex- tremely to the enhanfing the bitternefs of our contefts, foitmayjuftlybe reckoned among the worft cflfecfts of them, and is a moft irrefragable proofhow much they obf^xudl the vital efficacy of Religion in our hearts. Nor is it any new thing for men thus to deceive themfelves, for we find fuch Confidences as thefe frequently upbraided to the Jewsy both by the Prophets and Chrifi him- felf, they thought their Zeal to the Temple and ritual obfervances, fo invincibly meritorious, as no Crime could defeat, and that their legal purifi- cations would render them acceptable in Gods Eyes, in fpight of all their might have an aptnefs to excite that prefumption : But alas, the cafe is otherwife withmoftofus; they are not the Revelations oi Gods will> not the Tefiament of our dying Re- deemer, but fome Codicils and Annexes of our own we fo earneftly abet. 'Tis not the text (for then 'twere impolfible for any that received the fame Canon of Scripture to differ ) but our glojfes to which we pay fuch Reverence ; and when on that account we fever our felves from thofe to whom the Commands of God, the Blood of our Saviour have moft clofely united and cemented us : We can yet make a fhift to think that there is fo much of Sacred in this, as ftiall not only render it highly rewardable, but alfo hallow all other pro- fanations of our lives ; and in our Jehu march up- on fuch an expedition, can turn all regrets of confcience ( like Jorams meflengers ) behind us. That this is fo, none can doubt who obferve with what boldnefs men rufli upon the moft unchriftian fmsy in purfuit of what they Phancy a Chriftian caufe.Wcrc it not for this amulet, how were it pof- fible for any to think they may venture upon Per- jury, Sacriledge, Murder, Regicide, any thing without impeachment to their 5'^/A7f/Z?//? ; nay, to think that the only danger lies on the other fide, in 292 Mifchiefs arifingfrom DiJ^utes, ^j^ap* II' in being remifly wicked, that to flack any thing of the utmoft f j>eed, is to do the work of the Lord neg- ligently. Yet that this has been a prevailing Perfwafion, we have had too many, and too fad inftances ; and God grant we may not find them fo repeated, that out fenfe may fuperfede the ^/^ of our memories concernrng them ; nor has this been peculiar to one only Secft, but thofe who are otherwife at the widcft diftance unite in this Principle. They arc not only Phanaticks that can {ay grace over the fouleft crimes y and confe- crate them to the ufe o£ agood caufe\ if we exa- mine the Dypticks either of Conclave or Confifto- ry, we fliall find fome Saints upon that account, who could never have been fo upon any other. And when we eonfider how often Heaven has been mortgaged to gain Auxiliaries from Helly how men have been encouraged to the moft damning fins, by promifes of being certainly faved ; we muft either think that a Holy caufe is omnipotent enough to reverfe Gods decrees, to fave whom he woulcl damn, or elfe that this pretence is one of the moft ruinous deceits, the moft fatal Trea- chery to fouls that ever Satan contriv'd, who though he do in all inftances play the ^JVtounte- hank, yet fure never more than when on confi- dence of this Antidote he perfwades us thus to fwallow down his deadliefi Poyfon, I MUST not here attempt to enumerate all the unchriftian praBices, that have on this fcore been made, not only lawful h\xt ineritorioivs) yet there is one of fo frequent ufe, that I muft needs advert Cltiap^l I. ^ ^^^y engage upon III Arts, Sec. 2p > advert unto it^ and that is, thofe calumnies and faljhoods, which are now become a piece o^Eccle- fiafiick as well as fiate policy ^ and a great part of that oflfcnfive armour wherewith our controver- tifts affault one another. Indeed if we confider how manyp^;^^^" are daily going for thefe Engines, WT fhall have reafon to think:, all Parties have an high efteem of their ufefutnef?. Of thefe Calum- nies there are too many forts and degrees to be here particularized : And indeed thofe, who per- mit themfelves to ufe any;, can be fuppos'd to have no other boundaries than the advantage of their caufe: And accordingly as that feems toexacft, they lay their Scene ; fometimes they traduce the perfons of their oppofers, and by raifing prejudi- ces againft them^, hope fome of it will reflecit up- on their docftrine : did men generally know how to diftingui/h. between reports and certainties, this firatagem would be as unskilful as it is uningenuous : But confidering the vulgar temper, ics not unapt- ly fuited to it. This it feems was anciently un- derftood, it being the old Greek advice, ctsuVm to 'ih}tot; J^ihiyfA'^of^ H dvKv /xV« t5i? J^iaCox'^^. ±0 ca- lumniate jloutl), for that how perfeBly foever the wound of reproach he heal'd, there will remain a fear ; and though we wipe away with never fo much care the dirt thrown at us, there will he left fom^ fuUiage behind: And accordingly this was the; Expedient the Pagans us'd againft the Primitive Chrifiians, to put them thiis in the skins of beafts, andfhapesofmonfters, and then worry them fa 294 Mi f chiefs arifing from Difputes, Cftap* 1 1 • death. And this is the method ftill, though heightncd and improved:, and our Religion has fuftered infinitely more fince we us'd it againft each other y than when they manag'd it againft the whole community. But befides this defamation of PerfonS;, another branch of this black Art is the depraving of Writings, both in the fenfe and very letter, and diredl words ; for the former of thefe, whofoever obferves the ftrange perverfions^and af- fecfled miftakes of mens meanings vifible in many ofour J?o/^m/c^dJfcourfeSj, will fure refolvethat a mans intentions y as well as his vpords and aBions may be* calumniated : Nor does the letter fcape better, every period which threatens danger to the caufe muft be mutilated and difmembred> and as Samp f on was by the Fhiliftines, lofe its Hair and Eyes, and then be made fport for the whole party. And I fear there are too few, who do not in this cafe take the J^^//^ reparation, an Eye for anEyey &c. retaliate to the adverfary the foul play they receive. But fome advance yet higher^ and think it not enough to make an Argument or Teftimony ufelefs to the 'Enemy y unlefs they draw it over to themfehesy make it hetray the fide it was to maintainy and as a Conqueror ufes to re- ftore Arms to fuch of the adverfe party, as will turn to his, fo after they have by fatisfacftions fe- cured themfelves of its aid, it fliall then be made as potent as is poflible, and with fuch kind of if e- negado troops as thefe, fome caufes have been much fupported. Yet were this ^violation offer 'd only to the writings of living men, who might vindi- cate ♦II. as they engage upon III i4rts, 8cc, igj! cateitj, 'twere not fo tranfccncjently ignoble^ but it moft frequently falls upon thofe> who have made their beds in the duft ; who have chang'd their own Fcrmy and cannot fecure their Writings from the fame//^/^e : Nay, 'tis yet more frequent- ly thofe, w^hom w^e have all reafon to fuppofe, and moft of us profefs to believe, glorified Saints ; and this fuperadds a daring prefumption to all other circumftances of the guilt, and heightens an injuftice into Sacriledge. It has always been held the moft deteftable fort o? forgery to counter- feit f^//^»7^/;f.r, though the !ri?/?^^(?r were of never fo low a quality, or his bequefls of never fo mean a value: And lliall it now pafsfora piece of cow- mendahle dexterity y an art of manage to faLfifie thofe writings by w^hich the Fathers of the Church defign'dto entail truth and piety y not fir if e and fdBion upon her. We know Necromancy has juftly been reputed one of the moft horrid forms o? Sorcery y becaufe it enforced dead men to fpeak what the living were inquifitive to hear. I leave it to be confider'd w^hat this wants of that, be- fides the dreadful ceremonies of the Incantation ; certainly 'tts a guilt which nothing but our too familiar acquaintance with it could make unfor^ midable. And indeed this whole method of fer- ving a caufe by fuch Jinifer means is fo utterly re- pugnant to the Principles even of ingenuous na- ture, that we can fcarce caft a greater fcandal up- on an Opinion, than to (hew it needs fuch Aids. . 'Tis by Hifiorians branded as an execrable fadl in him; who to fecure himfelf from a neighl?our U % Prittc^^ Zg6 Mif chiefs drifwgfrom Dijfutes, Cljap , 1 1* Prince y call'd in the Hurk into Chriftendom : But fure thofe who to fortifie their fide have brought in this Artifice o? calumniating anifalfifying, have done an Adl no lefs impious; the conftitution of Chriflianity agreeing full as well with the Alcoran as with thefe Fi^fraudes ; as fome of them who perhaps mean the fraud more than the Piety are pleas'd to call them. Nay indeed, they accord not much better with Philofopby than Divinity y every man knows the nature of contraries is to combateand expel, not to cherifh and fupport one another. How abfurd is it then for thofe, who fay they defign to advance truthy to make falfhood their Inflrument. I wifh they would ex- periment to accommodate their fecular concerns at the fame rate, let them cool them in the Fire, warm them in the Froft, and feed themfelves by perpetual Fafting, and when they find caufeto commend the efficacy of that Method, they may with fairer pretence in this higher inftance recon- cile the feuds of Reafon and of Nature, and make a lye the Evidence of Truth, In the interim, it may well pafs for Sophifiry as well as fin ; and doubtlefs whatever advantages are hop*d for to private Sedls and Parties by this art, Chriflian Religion in general is hugely prejudiced by it; For when men fhnll compare the veracity of Hea- thens with our falfhoods ; learn from Hiftoriansy that among the Perpansy aixt^ovio -^.d^^i^At vivoy.t-cLi^ to lye was deem'd a fault of the greatefi turpitude, and they therefore laid an ill Charadler upon per- rons in debt, QTidvcL^Kmov Qp^hovTA)L^ to 4^Vo^At>eiy, hecaufQ C^Jdp* 1 1 • ^ ^f^^y ^^g^g^ ^^p^^ ^1^ ^^th &c. 297 hecaiife he that ufo mufl needs tell lyes : And when they ftiall fee in the Laws of Cingu a barbarous Tartar, Lying made a capital crime, and yet among Chriftian Cafuifis made a holy artifice, they will be tempted to think our end as fidlitious as our way ; and that our Religion has little counte- nance from tri^th, which is thus fain to make lyes its Refuge. Thus unhappily do thefe Arrows tevert;, not only on thofe who fhoot them, but in the face oiChrifiianity its felf, which is defam'd, and traduced by thotcjlanders, wx aim at our pri- vate adverfaries, BUT befides this direB, there are other more oblique Wayes of making z'ice fubfervient to Reli- gion, or to fpeak more properly ,» of making Reli* ^^/o;^ fubfervient to wc^ ; for fome Zealots offe- veral parties, w^ho more regard the numeroufnej? than purity of their Profeffors, difcerning how much the fen fual part of mankind ftartle at the ftricflnefs of Gofpel precepts, are induftrious to take ofFthat difcouragement, not by convincing them of the real divine fwcetnefs and pleafantneis of them, but by debafing and accommodating them more to the carnal appetite : Yet here men proceed not all alike, fome ufeChrifts yoke, as jH^//^w/^^didthat of J^r^wry, break it quite ofT; others only eflay to flacken and alleviate it, that it may not pinch the lufts o£ libertine Frofelytes: Of the firft fort are fuch, as having made the ad- herence to their Party, the infallible mark oiSan- Bification, and that Sandlification o£EleBion, do from thence proclaim to all who are fo qualified •U 3 a 298 Mi/chiefs ^rifwg from Difputes, C|iap*l I • a general Jubilc and manumiflion from the bond even o£CkrijTz as well as Mofes's Law : or if fome of them allow it to remain an impotent direcflor, yet while they affinn that God fees no fin in hii EleB, or if he do, beholds them as a Father does the harmlefs falls of his Child, rather with fmiles than ^nger, they make the ^violations of it fofafe, that they are too fare to be many, and between abrogating and thus enervating a laWj, the diffe- rence is meerly verbal. O F the fecond fort are fome, who by indul- gent and partial glofles, feek to mollifie the feve- rity of Chrifts commands. That contrive for their Clients not the w^^/zj- of Obeying, but the arts of Efcaping them. Like the unjiTjl Steward teach their lords Debtors to write fifty infieadof 4 Hundred ; and decide Cafes of confcience more according to the interefts and pa Jfions ol mcn^ than the will of Chrift. There are a generation of men of whofe Dexterity in this faculty the world has taken fo much notice that I need not name them, a fort of eafie Cafuifis who feem to have crecfted a Court of Equity to relieve men againfl: the ri^or of divine Law ; and there is little doubt but they fliall find enough ready to make fuch appeals : Men love to be Chriftians as Cheap as they can^, and therefore will clofe with that par- ty, which offers the eaiSefl: terms: And then while thefe fpiritual Fioneers do thus enlarge the narrow way, make it a road as well for the Beaft as the Man, the hrutifh fenfual, as wxll as rational divine Part of us, no wonder though Shoals of Converts Converts throng in to thero. But 'tis to be con- fider'd that all this while this is winning Profe- lytcs to themfelves not to God : the gaining them to a Se5i not a religion ; at leaft not to that pure religion, and undeiiled which the grand Author of our Faith has both exemplified:, and proposed to us ; for how much that faflFers by this way of pro- pugning private opinions, is more than enough apparent. Yet fo ambitious are our prime lea- ders of fuch Trophies that in order to them fome are faid to afcend yet a ftep higher, and befides this general encouragement they give to mens lujfts by taking ojf Reftraints, do in fome cafes adlually promote and excite them. For when they fee a licentious perfon whofe acquefi they judge beneficial to their caufey they have artifices of fomenting his riots, do not only take off the bridle y but ufe the fptir alfo, hoping that at the rebound it may conduce to their End. If any think it impoflible it fliould do fo, let them confider that among our various Opinions fome there are which fell heaven much cheaper than others darej, that fallow fuch eajie attonements as the moft habituated finner need not defpair of : and then the moft infallible means to afcertain fuch to that fide, is to make them too bad .for any other. For when a man is refolute to keep his Jim while he lively and yet unwillmg to relin- quifli all hopes when he diesy 'tis more than pro- bable he will embrace that profeffion which bids faireftto the reconciling thofe fo diftant int^- refts; and therefore the greater malefaSior he is, U 4 thq 3 OO Mi [chiefs drifMgfrom Dij^utes, Cftap* 1 1. the more fure he will be to fly to the horns of this Altar ; the nearer finking, the apter to catch at thefe reeds ; fo that the Project is not impolitickj though God knows fo impiom that 'tis much fit- ter for the School of ^Mdchiavil than of Chrifl ; and feems to verifie that imputation as to a part of Ghriftians, which Julian once as falily as ma- licioufly afnxt upon the whole: that their Church was an Afylum and fancluary for the mojl flagitious offenders, and proteBed thofe guilts to rrhich no other religion allowed any Expiation. 'Tis indeed fo horrid that I cannot think there are many conferences fo cauteriz'd by this fiery zeal as to admit it;, yet that fome have done it, there is too much certainty, and therefore 'tis no im- proper inltancein our prefent argument, for if mens eagernefs to fupport their feveral fides, can tranfport them to fuch attempts as thefe, 'tis abundant Evidence how much Chriftianity lofes by thefe contefts of under fadlions, which while they pretend toguard^do indeed invade her under her own Colours. BUT befides the faults men commit with this immediate avowed af^eB upon their religion, there are others which llily fliroud themfelves under the skirt of its mantle : I mean thofe Sins of common life, which though they pretend not; to advance the caufe, yet when a(51:ed by a Zealot are thought to be overwhelm'd by his heroick Fiety, Indeed men who make themfelves fo much work about others ////V/?, arefeldom at leifure to regulate their own praBke, and fo have no way of Cftap. 11.^ they engage upon 111 Ar tSy^c. 301 of ftating their accounts with God, but by ba- lancing the excefs of the one againft the defeats of the other : How fuch reckonings will pafs the grand Audit, 'tis I think not hard to divine, but in the interim, it keeps them very cheerful and fecure, teaches them a Receipt to retain all their Sins, and yet lofe none of their confidence ; fo that when they have immerit themfelves in all filthincfs both of flefli and Spirit, they cantruft their zeal to refine them from all that Drofs. Nor does it only thus reconcile them to their own vices, but to other mens alfo,whofemoft brutilh fenfualities they can look on with perfe(51: pati- ence, nay even Atheifm its felf can have fair Quarter : They are not much difcompofed to fee men have no Yeligion, *tis only the having one dif- ferent from their own that awakes their indigna- tion ; then like Saul when feiz d on by the evil j^irity they cafl: about their Javelins, think no ri- gor too great on fuch a provocation, yet even here they have intervals, and the very fame per- fons who are thus at odds upon a religious, can unite upon a vicious account. Thofe who mutu- ally denounce damnation to each other, can with full accord combine in thofe praBices which will afcertain it to them both,as if they fo much fear'd to have their prediBions defeated, that they would be each others convoy to the land of dark- nefs, Thofe that will by no means meet at the Churchy know not when to part at the taTern, and though they will not joyntly partake of the Cup of the Lord) are yet very fociable at the Cup of 3 OZ Mifchiefs arifirjgfrom Dij^titeSy ^jjap* 1 1. of Devils; I mean thofe exceflive debauches, which are a moil acceptable drink-offering to thofe infernal fpirits. Have we not feen many whofe diftant opinions have faftned upon one another the brand of ^Antichriftianifmy who have yet like Gog and Magog joyn'd againfl: the holy city: and thofe who could never agree on the way of fetting up Chrifts throne^ have yet been very unanimous in pulling down the Kif^gs. Thus alasdowejuftle one another out of the narrow path that leads to lifcj, but can hand in hand run our Carier in the broad way of deftrudlion. And doubtlefs this great unevennefs:, thefe fpiri- tual feuds, and carnal endearments between the fame perfons ; this impetuous zeal, and as impe- tuous lufts in the fame breafts could never be, did not men depend fo confidently on the oncy as to think it will commute, and fatisfie for the other. But alas, how groundlefs a Prefumption this is, the whole tenor of the Gofpel does abundantly witnefs. In all that grand Charter where is there the leaft Claufe importing fuch an immunity. I am fure there are multitudes that aflert the contrary. Indeed the whole frame of the Evan- gelical covenant is totally againfl: it : That requi- ring an entire uniform Sandlity, and allowing no other priviledge to the fins of the mofl: knowing Profeflors, but a preheminence in punifhmenty the being beaten with many /^W^^j. And when 'tis con- fider d that the end of all religion is but the draw- ing us to a conformity with God, the imprefling on us fome Chara(5ler of his eternal goodnefs and holinefs. Cl&ap^i I- ^ ^^9' ^^&^g^ ^P^^ III Arts y&ic, 303 holinefs, 'twill be as abfurd as impious to be- lieve that our zeal to any Religion can abfolve us from that purity which is the end and defign of all. And while this is the way men take to ap- prove their piety, 'tis no marvail to find fo ma- ny Chriftians, and fo litth Chriftianity in the world : for that is not to be eftimated by the num- her of its profeflbrs, but by their obedience to its Rules, and he that gives up his name to it and not his heart, will receive as little advantage by it, as he brings honour to it, and how little that is in rcfpedl of its internal Efficacy, is I prefume competently evidenced. BUT that we may more throughly difcern how univerfally deftrucftive our wranglingy are to it, in all its concernsy let us a little examine whether they do not endammage it even in re- fpecft of outward profeffion alfo. This may feem a ftrange Quaere to thofe who think their dej^utes about Religion are to denominate them the great confejfors of the Age : yet certainly there is but too much ground not only for the enquiry, but to refolve it in the affirmative. And if it prove fo, 'twill infer but fadly to thofe who ha-^ ving laid the whole ftrefs of their Hopes upon their zeal to advance their Faith, will be found to have puird down more than they have huilt up, , Now Chriftianity may in rcfpedl of profeflion decay two waies, either in its hopes, or in its pof- feffion, the one in relation to ^Aliens, the other to Difciples, The firft by hindring the accefs of new Converts, the fecond by ftaggering or aliena- ting 304 Mif chiefs arifingfromDij^uteSy C{}ap*ll« ting the oldy and both thefe waies fhe vifibly ap- pears to fuffer by our divifions. And firft if we confult but our experience:, if we truft but our own obfervations, we cannot but confefs that the Gofpel has long been at a great ftand. That that Sun which at its firft arifing was like Da- "vWsy Pf, 15). furrounded the world in a vigorous efBcacious motion, is fince become like Jo(huasy Jofh, 10. 12. arretted in its courfe : Nay like He- zekiah's:, gone backward. If* 38.8. Mahumetifm (i£ not Pagdmfm) having long taken up its feat in divers of the moft flourilliing Apoftolick planta- tions. A fad change,that from the daily and nu- merous acceffion of the firft times, it fliould now become a kind of Prodigy, a piece o^news, fcarce heard in an Age, that one fingle Profelyte is gain'd to the Churchy yet that thus it is, is too obvious to be denied. And truly it is not much lefs ap- parent that our diflentions have ih a great degree contributed to it. For firft, as to the extirpation of the Eaftern Churches, he that fliall examine the records of thofe times, will have caufe to fay their Janglings and Divifions were not only in a moral 01 divine y but even in a proper natural fenfcy the Inftruments of it. The furk only coming in at thofe breaches which themfelves had made, nor .had their Cl^f/^/^/zV^ probably been removed, had they not firft abus'd its light y to the fetting them- felves in Comhuftion, That the fame caufe has not yet had the fame effeSl among us, is owing not to its maptnefs to produce it, but to the admira- ble patience and mercy of God, who yet withholds that that fatal Judgment, which we do our parts to pull upon our felves ; our mutual violences a- gainft one another herein unhappily combining and making one united force againft us all. But though the divine goodnefsh^LYC hitherto fo coun- termined our treachery to our felves;, as not to fuffer us to enjoy that ftate of darknefs we have fo courted, yet certainly our contentions are ex- tremely acceflary to the continuing it upon others, our many //^rr and wandring lights^ howe- ver they fail of having that Property of the Pillar cffiye, Ex. 14. of illuminating and condudling the Ifraelites^ yet too much anfwer its other, in becoming cloud and darknefs to the ^^gyptians ; there being fcarce any thing more apt to intercept the beams of the Sun of righteoufnefs from the Heathen world, every of thofe little enclofures our Fa^flions have made in the Church, becoming a great partition wall to keep others out of it. This may be made evident in feveral refpecfts. As firft, in relation to thofe many moral oUiquities in which our eager difputes do (as hath already been fhewed) betray us, which cannot but give fo much fcandal to any confidering man, that we can fcarce hope any can turn to us as to a better Re- ligion^ but will rather think it the way to relin- quifli all ; to obliterate thofe native impreffions of Piety and Honefty they brought with them into the world, fo that if we expedl any Frofelytesit muft be only fuch as would live vrorfe than meer nature allows them. BUT 3 o6 Mi f chiefs arifingfrom DiJputeSy (E.f)B\^^ 1 1 . BUT this though as important a confidera- tion as can well be, 1 fliall not here infift on, ha- ving in the fecond Section given fome inftances how apt our ^lorality is to defame our Divinity^ and confirm men in Oppofition to it. But though- this be a great) yet 'tis not the only means by which our Diffentions hinder the progrefs of the Gofpel, for they do not only make infidels lefs inclinable to receive it, but as to propagate it. Thofe do fo bufie and engrofs us, that there is neither leifure nor heart left for this. Our dBivefi fpirits are fo engaged at home in aflerting their private quarrels^ that all {nch foreign de- jigns are forgot. For as in CivUy fo in Ecclefia- fiicat concerns, every one is more induftrious to advance his peculiar interefl: than that of the com- munity, accordingly we find innumerable pro- mulgers of every new Opinion. No SeB wants its Jpoftles to propagate and diffufe it ; but where are there any that have the like care for the main Root of Chriftian Religion, which they have for thefe little Hwigs and Ojfefets which they have planted in their own Gardens; how many ages muft we look back to find a man that has made it his bufinefs to convert Infidels to the Faith. 'Tis true indeed there are fome- very magnificent re- lations of modern attempts this tvay, of great in- duftry fome have us'd to bring the moft favagc nations to the obedience of Chrift : but if we exa- mine 'twill be obvious, the main defign was to fubjecftthem to themfelves. 'Twas not fo much their JJeathenifm as their territories they invaded, and IT. as they engage upon III Jrts, &c. 3 07 and fuch Apofiles as thefe are ill qualified to make S. Paul's profeflion, 2 Cor. iz. 16. Ifeek not yours hut you. And the fuccefs of fuch Eflays have been anfwerable to the motive ; they have won riches but not Souls, The Gofpel in one hand and tifivord mtho other has made mixny jlavesy but I fear few Chrlftians. Indeed, what encourage- ment had thofe poor creatures to receive a Re- ligion from their Oppreflors f why ftiould they think that thofe who tortured and kilf d their bo- dies, were really concern d to fave their Souh ? or that thofe who would not permit them to en- joy what was their own, meant to help them to any thing better ? And while the felicities of ano- ther world were recommended to them only by fuch, as had deprived them of all in this, we cannot wonder at their little appetite to embrace them ; or to find the oppreft ///^/^/^x proteft againft that heaven where the Spaniards are to be their coha- bitants. In fhort, this is fure fuch a method of Evangelizing, as too widely differs from that which firft planted the Church, to be likely to advance its growth: fo that notwithftanding all pretences of this kind, we may refume our af- fertion, and conclude that our inteftine difcords (perhaps not thofe alone) have diverted theZeaf of this more Chriilian undertaking, and left a great part of the world under that invincible Ig- norance S. Paul mentions, Rom. 10. 14. Hotp Jhall they call on him, in whom they have not believed, and how Jhall they belteve in him, of whom they have not heard 'j and how jhall they hear without a preacher : 3o8 Mifchiefs arifingfrom Dijfutes, Cljap* I !• preacher : and God knows whether we have not herein provided better for their Excufe than our own. THERE is yet another way by which our divifions impede their converjion, and that is by giving them prejudice to that Dodlrine about which our felves cannot agree. 'Tis an univerfal Maxim that truth is alwaies confonant to its felf; and therefore where they fee fo little unity they have too much temptation to doubt of Truth. He thatwandringfliould meet a Company that offer to conducft him to his journeys end:, might reafonably incline to deliver himfelf up to their guidance ; but if he find them unagreed upon the way^one Difputing for thisj, and another for that, and every one protefting againft all but his own ; he would fure retradt his confidence y2,ni think they ofler'd him only more variety of miftakes, re- folve it as fafe to truft himXelf to his own Errors as" other mens. And this alas feems to be too exacl a parallel of the prefent cafe; weChrifti- ans do fo mutually damn one another, that a poor Turk or Heathen will think, he rather mul- tiplies than ends his Danger by affbciating him- felf with us ; for there being fo many parties, which foeverhejoyns himfelf to, there will bc^ abundant odds againft him ; fo that if he could be fecur'd the truth were among us, yet the great ; difficulty of finding it out, would be a verydif- heartning confideration. Befides men love in tranfaBiofjs of great Importance to have as many, and as credible Vouchers as may be, and upon that that fcore 'twill furc be but a cold inducement, to any to turn Chrifiian to forefee, that when he has done fo, he fliall be difownd by far the greater part of that number, and that at his entrance in- to the C6«yc^, he Ihall be met with almoft as ma- ny J^^/^/'^m^w, as when he was an Infidel, Nay, I fcarce know whether I may call it an entrance into the Churchy or rather into a Conventicle y or particular Congregation, our Schifms and Se- parations having hardly left a poffibility of external communion with the univerfal Church, fince the Communicating with one part of it, does infallibly Excommunicate from another. Thus have we placed our flaming Sword (though God knows no Cherubim) at the gate of ourParadife, and when God calls all men to the waters of life, our Contentions have made them like thofe ofMarah, fo bitter and unpleafant, asr deters and averts men from them : Which as it is in the higheft degree injurious to them, fo is it contumelious to him, whofe invitations are by this means fruftrated ; 'tis in fome degree the evacuating one of the main purpofes of Chrifts coming into the World, which was to call men out of darknefi into hpf marvellous light, and as He was thus fent by his Father, fo alfo were the j4poftles folemnly commiffionated by him to preach to the Gentile world, who with indefati- gable induftry and refolute fuflferings purfued thd charge ; and fure this is competent evidence, that the defign was of the greateft and moft weighty importance, and fuch as can never be out-dated, X till 3 1 Mif chiefs arijing from Difputes, Ci^ap* 1 1 . till there ceafc to be objedls of it, unbelievers to convert: And by that let us meafure the guilt of obftrudling it, which if we would impartially do, I aflure my felf the moft pafjionate Bigot of any Party muft confefs, that it infinitely out-weighs all the Piety his dodlrine can pretend to, that liis f peculiar Church gains not fo much as the Catholick ofes: And that now confiidently foever he have Canoniz'd his quarrels, they are indeed but the worfi: fort of Heathens, andferveto keep out the better. Yet befides the mifchief they do in rela- tion to thofe that are without, they are extreme- ly pernicious to thofe that are within, and that not only to fome one Sect, but like an univerfal poyfon, that is equally deadly to the moft contra- ry compledlions, they operate on the moftdi- ftant ranks of Profeffors, the tender and the obdu- rate, the fcrupulous and the profane. And firft for the tender tremulous Chriftian, 'tis eafie to dif- cern how much he muft be diftracfled andamaz'd by them, for while he hears each Se(5l thunder out I>/^mf;4^/o^ againft each other, he cannot but be ftartled at the danger of adhering to the wrong, and though that may a while excite his diligence to difcover the right, yet when he comes to that inquifition, he will meet with fo many Pole- mick Intricacies to entangle him, that after many turns, firft to one fide, and then to another, he will be apt to think the only clue to extricate him out of tms labyrinth of many Religions, is to aban- don all. Nor is this meer Speculation and Conje- Bure, God knows we have had fuccefllvely through — I — ^ — ■ — ■ ■ - '■ through the whole round of Error too munypra- Hick experiments of it. Several perfons there have beenj» whofe Zeal to find out truth by an un- happy rule of Fdlfe^ direcfted them to allow of every Error : While likefick metJywho defire to die goodrcheap, they put themfelves into the hands of any Empiric k ; follow each bold pretender^ that has the impudence to talk of Truths till Su- perltition ends in Profanation, Gcdlinefs proves Atheifmy and by having been of m^;;^ SeBsy at laft have no Reli^^ion, And furely this is a moft un- happy Eflecfl of our difcords, thus to be ftuin- bling-hlocks in our brothers way, and when we re- member the w^oes pronounc'd againft thofe that fhall Scandalize any of the little ones, 'twill be ffcrange how men can think to approve their C^r/- flianity, by the ruine of their Brothers, orfecure themfelves of fli^^x^^w by keeping Others thence • For though Chrift tells his Difciples there fhould be fome that fliould think it afervice to God to kill their BodieSy yet to phancy the defiroying cfSouh fo tooy is a Deception of which we have neither record nor prediSiion in Holy Writ, and is a fu- perfaetationof thefpirits ofdelufion, peculiar to thofe who have placed their own fancflity in thefe religious wranglings, which ferve to deftroy it in other men. And as they thus ferve on the one fide to fliipwrackthe/^///^ of thefe weak unliable Souls ; fo do they on the other advance the impie- ty of the daring finner ; for as they are Tempta- tion to the one, fo are they Pretence and Excufc to the^^^^r to bid defiance to all Religion. He X 2 whofe 312 Mifchiefs arifw^from Dijfutesy Cfjap.H" whofe dillblute ajfeBions have fo long been court- ing his tmdsrfidnding to turn Atheiil, will fure not lofe the advantage of fo plaulible an Argu- ment as our divifions afJord him ; and fince his Itifls engage him in an irreconcilable War againft the praBick pdrt of Piety, he will moft gladly em- brace this occafion of quarrel againft the theory alfo : So making himfelf entire, and extinguifti- ing thofe uneafie regrets and mifgLvings arifing from the repugnancy of his life to his belief. It w^ere not hard to give a compendium of thefe mens luPgicky and draw out thofe Schemes of Difcourfe, by which from our differences in Religion they infer the dtfcarding of all. But I fear thefe are already too well known, and where they are not, I ihould be loth to be any mans Inftrucflor. This is I am fure too palpable, that how fallacious foe- ver thefe Reafonings are, they have been very operativ^y as appears by the number of thofe avowed Atheijls among . us, who placing them- felves in the feat of the fcorner, give themfelves muchpleafingDivertifement by deriding om c:i' ger/c^_/^^j-. about that which they think nothing. If any man thinks that the Church is no lofer by the defedlion of fuch Libertines, I muft be allowed to diflent from him : For firft, there are examples of the moft vicious Perfons, that have been redu- ced, and while they retain their Chriftian he lief, ^ that lays fach undeniable obligations to good life, that whenever they refume their reafon, they muft take up vertue alfo with it ; fo that there is an equal poffibility of their bc'mggood, that there " is Cl^aP* II. ^ they engage upon III Arts, &c. 215 is of their being rational : But when all hope and fear of a future eftate is difclaim'd^ when thofe cords are broken which fliould pull them up from the Dungeon, then, and not before is their ftate vifibly defperate. But befides this poffibility of recovering theniy the danger oUofmg others is to be confidered. Bold Jtheifm is like a raging Pefii- lencey which taints the very Airy fo that thofe im- pious difcourfings which are the effe^s of fome mens Vices, may be the caufe of others; and we too often fee that thofe who afcended themfelves hy degrees y do in an inflant advance their Profelytes to the height of Irreligion, as appears by the Arrange proficiency of ibme, whofe Years allow them not to have arrived to it otherwife than^^r Saltum, And fure this fpreading Contagion has been fo deftrudlive to the Church, that it were tobewiflit, the meer titular Chriftians had ra- ther remain d fuch, than thus to. have averted others from being fo much. AND now if all thefe fcandals be worth our regret, if the emboldening and exafperating the hady the corrupting the ^ innocent y and the decay ofChriftian/7ro/^^o//confequent to both be /or- midahle Evils y we know where to charge the guilt. Our contentions muft be arraigned as accejfariesy if not principals in the cafe : And then fure it will befit our angry Zealots to confider, whether this be the way of advancing Gods truthy or what ac- count they wiUgive to the Lord of the Vineyardy who while they pretend to drefs and prune the hran- fhesy do thus debilitate and deftroy the roots, X 3 Nay, 3 14 Mifchiefs arifmgfrom Difputes, Cfjap^H- Nay, indeed in this they are treacherous even to their own pretenfions, for all thofe feverai Reli- gions which they (p tenderly cherifh, have no pro- per roof of their own, but like Excrefcencies, fpring out of the main ftock of Ghriftianity, live by its juice and moifture, and confequently, can never hope to furvive it. And then certainly there can be nothing more ridiculous, than to exprefs their kindnefs to the one, by ways that are fo ruinous to the other. 'Tis as if a Pajfenger in a Ship fliould to fortifie his private Cahin, tear up the planks and expofe the whole Veflel to fink- ing : Yet thus prepofteroufly do many of our chief Pilots apply their care. In the mean time, it cannot but be a very delightful proj^eB to the grand Enemy of Souls, to fee us thus bufily pro- mote his /W^r^/?, \iiy fnares ioT ourfelves, and by our o'^n folly do that which all his fuhtilties could never compafs. Nor can we think but he will be as officious to us as is pofllble, while we are thus employed, will help us to contrive our turrets, whilft he fees we pluck out i^o/i^x from the foun- dation to build them with ; nor fhall we ever want new models of Churches, fo long as they thus help to deftroy the old ; and how aptly they are fitted for that Purpofe, needs (I fuppofe) no farther Demonftration, CHAP. Cl^ap*!^' ^^ reference to Civil Peace, 3 1 j^ CHAP. XII. 'jt furvey of the ^^ifchiefs aripngfrom Dilutes ^ in reference to Civil Peace, A ND now fure we cannot but conclude our Contentions highly injurious to Chrifii- anityy that thus allault it both in the Pra- eitck and theory : And indeed how fierce foever our quarrels are with one another, the heavieft blows are fure to fall on that, which as in its con- ftitution is of the moft Pacifick temper inoagi- nable, fo it has the common fate of reconcilers to fuffer from all parties. But Godlinejs having the promife as rvell of this life as of that which k to comcy it often happens that there is fuch a confent be- tween ourjpiritual and fecular Concerns, that the Mifchiefs that opprefs the one do refledl on the ether: And indeed Religion when entire and uni- ted, is one of the beft: bonds o£ Civil as well as Ecclejiaflical Peace,( as even thofe atteft, who de- fying all other ends of it, do yet admit it a ufeful ftate Engine ; ) from whence 'tis confequent, that the difir actions and divifions in that muft have proportionably a contrary influence, and infedt communities with Difcord, Tumult and Difor- ders. And this is an effe5l with which I think not unfit to bring up the rear of the foregoing Mif- chiefs, it being not fo purely cJecular as not to X 4 fuit 316" Mif chief s ^rifirig from Dilutes y Ci^ap^IZ. fuit our prefent fubjedl ; for outward order and unity can never be fo innocently difturb'd, but that Chriftianity mufl: be wounded in it alfo : And befides, it may perhaps obtain more confideration than the former, as being of a nature wherein the generality of men will think themfelves the moft concerned ; for though there be many that can look on the ruine both of Chriftian pradlice and profeflion, with Gallio's indifference, J^s 18. 17. and care for none of thofe things, yet when the fiege draws clofer, when they find themfelves begirt in their worldly interefts, and that the fame Deluge that overwhelms Churches^ may bear dov/n Palaces alfo, perhaps they may think the matter not fo contemptible. And firft, as to the truth of the obfervation the World has too long groaned under the Experiment to need farther proof. That hitternefi which firft tainted the waters of the Sanctuary ^ hath from thence difJus'd its felf into our common fireams^ and like the Egyptian Flaguey left none uncorrupted : For whether we look upon Families, Neighbour- hoods, Kingdoms, any the leafty or any thcgrea- teji Societies, we find the miferable Trophies of our holy Warsy in Facftions and Confufions; I wifli I could not fay Rapine and Blood alfo. For the fir fi of thefe, the domeftick Jarrs caus'd by dif- ferent Opinions, the Infiances are numerous, or rather innumerable, which our own age and nation afiR)rds us. How many Servants have on this fcore been at defiance with their Mafters? Chil- dren with their Parents ? nay. Wives with their Husbands ? Ct)BP«^ 12. if^ reference to Civil Peace, 317 Husbands ? Such an unhappy force is there in miflakenZealy that it diflblves the clofejl horjds, violates all obligations natural or civil, while un- der pretence of fervice to God, like the Fharifees Corban, it evacuates all duty to man ; and this has made fuch ruptures and divifions in Families^ that that delightful profpedl the Pfdlmifi fo much commends, that of Brethrens dwelling together in unity y Pfal. 133. is fcarce any w^here to be met w^ith; but inftead of that, fuch rancor and bitter- nefs, treachery and malice, as if men either mi- ftookChrifts prediBion, Luke 12. 52. for a pre- cept y or at leaft were willing to advance his Pro- phetickOfRcc upon the ruine of his Kingly, and to verifie his pr^tfage by breaking his command. And as the Oeconomical order and peace is thus difturb'd, fo if he that mifles quiet at home fliould feek for it ahroady he will foon find himfelf difap- pointed, and difcern that as the focieties grow greater, (oAothcdiforders2\.foy and that private Strifes do as much combine to make parties and faBionsy as Families do to make Cities and Corpo^ rations. By this means that mutual communica- tion by which the Members of civil bodies fliould not only benefit one anotherj, but fecure the whole is interrupted, and men live not as neigh- horns but jpiesy always upon defigns of Entrap- ping and Enfnaring, for while they look on one another as enemies to God, they think that re- fcinds all obligations of friendship among them- felvesy and when Religion bears the Standardy the War will be concluded neceflary and honour- able. 3 18 Mifchiefs arifingfrom Dijfutes, dtiap^iz. able. But though it be fo in imagination only, 'tis fure there are fomsj, who make it really profitable ; for as in moft Camps, the greater Number are at- trailed rather by hope of booty than concern for the caufe ; fo here^, many men lifi themfelves un- der one Party, that they may have pretence to frey upon the reft. And to that End feveral very commodious Axioms have been taken up. As that no faith u to he kept with Hereticks ; that Do- minion is founded in Grace y &c. by fuch meafures as thefe the goods of the (?>^^^^^/^//T become law- ful prizes to any, that pleafe to call themfelves Ifraelites ; and indeed Jews they may be call'd in that notion we vulgarly ufe it of unjuji and cruel extortioner: But fure not fuch //r^e//>^x asChrift defines Nathaniely Jo. i. 47. without guile : For having thus confecrated their frauds, and found an expedient of ferving God and Mammon toge- ther, there is no piece oi deceit either too big, or too little for them ; no tranfaSlion fo important, which can oblige thidt fidelity ; none fo trivial as to difcourage their rapine : Opportunity is the only meafure and rule of their attempts, by this means no Obligation of Contrail, no Laws of Commerce can efcape unviolated, every thing is lawfiil that may weaken the wicked, and that ;s^^/ which m^ikes men Saint r in the Church or Conventicle, can make them thieves in the Shop or Market. Thus is Piety made an Engine of ra- pine, and by thefe religious riots, all boundaries wherewith Laws or Equity have fenc'd mens di- ftindl properties, are thrown down : And furc this CEbSP^l 2^* ^^ reference to Civil Peace. ' 3 ip this is a moft carnal confequent of our fpiritual debates, and bids fair towards the reducing us to that ftate of con:jmon Hoftility, which fome have phancied to be the Original condition of mankind : For it renders commerce fo dangerous, that men may within a while think it fafer to truft their own ftrengthsy than to the ftielter of thok Lawy and Civil company ^ which they fee fo avowedly evacuated. And upon this account, though the Injury be immediately done to private perfons, it becomes a /7«^//V^mifchief: Yet alas, thefe are but the more moderate effe£ls of our Diffentions ; they aflfbrd more expedite and compendious ways of publick ruine ; the defrauding or undermining of a few Neighbours, are petty prizes for thofe that think they have the fole right to the Crea- ture> and are thofe Meek w^ho are to inherit the Earthy and every fuch acqueft only ferves to flefli them for a farther chafe. The j^oils of a broken Kingdom will afford fomething worth the fcr ambling for : And nothing more fit to break it than a pretence of Religion, which like the fione that fmote JVebuchadnezzars Image, has ihi- vered the moft goodly Monarchies. And accor- dingly, we fee no £/;^/W is more conftantly us'd by men of Seditious fpirits, to difturb and fub- vert Governments : Indeed there can be nothing fo advantageoufly fitted for the purpofe. For lliould fuch perfons unmask their dejign^ and ftiew it in its native tiglinej?, fliould they avow the Iha- king of a Kingdom meerly to eftablifh themfelves in a condition of wealth and grandeur, the new rpoulding 320 Mifchiefs ^riftngfromDiJputes, Cl)ap»I2. moulding of a Government only that they might ftiape their own fhares in it, 'twere impoflible theyfliould find any abettors; for though the multitude are always in preparation for change, yet 'tis not on Intuition of benefit to fomc private ferfonsy but of fomewhat wherein themfehes may partake : Nor is even the madnefs of the people mad enough, to expofe all their (pt??/; inter efi, and moft important concerns only to promote thofe of others. It has therefore always been both the rule and pradlice for fuch dcfigners to fuborn the puh^ lick interest to countenance and cover their pri- 'vate ; to cry up Diana to fecure their own gain, and to make the feduced Populacy like the Jackcal to the Lion, hunt that prey which themfelves mean to devour. And of all thofe artifices by which fuch Incendiaries have fet Kingdoms in a flame y none has been more univerfally fuccesful than the pretext of Religion, which is thought fo creditable a caufe to cngfigQmy as can convert the infamous titles of Rebel and Traitor into thofe of Patriot and Saint, and confequently, take off all difcouragementarifingfrom the difreputatioaof fuch an enterprize: And no lefs potent is it in folvingthefcruplesofits unlawfulnefs; for by a dexterous anticipation, it makes Confcience a party, that it may exclude it from being judge, and by that one fallacy of fuppofing Religion to be ajujigroundofquarrely make way for all the wild confequences deducible from that falfe principle : And indeed where that is throughly faftned, the mifchiefs are not only great but incurable, 8c yet the morq - — Cljap*!^- i^ reference to Civil Peace. 321 more fo by how much the perfon is more zealous. For alas, what will it avail to tell fuch a man/tis a fin to fight againfi his King : when he will tell you 'tis a greater not to fight for his God : That he contracts a heinous guilt in violating the peace of the Church, when he with as great confidence believes, he merits in propagating its truth. That he is accountable for the hloud of his Brethren ; when he thinks he has like the L^^/>ex,Ex. 32. confecrated himfelf in it, and offer'd it an ac- ceptable facrifice to God. Thus unhappily are thefe mxn fortified in their fin, by prefuming it their Vertucy and while the furious zeal of fucn is made fubfervient to the tt/VI^^^^ cr^//^ of others, 'tis a moft apt infirument of publick Mifchief, there being no attempt fo defperate, which fuch may not be put upon, who are methinks us'd as Hani- bal is faid to have done thofe Oxen, whofe herns he firfl: fired, and then fent them to difturb the Roman camp : Thefe men as thofe heajis are found* very ufeful for the molefting of others ; but commonly all they acquire to themfclves, is the [mart of their own flames. Few of thofe who thus in the fimplicity of their heart follow an Ah- folom or a Sheba, that do not either mifcarry to- gether with the defign, or elfe live to difcern how much their credulity was abufed ; and that both religion ( however pretended ) and thofe that fought for it, were only made properties to pro- mote the lufts of thofe who defpifed both. But 'tis unneceflarytoinfift farther on the efeBs o£ fuch religious Fury, of which we of this JSf at ion have* 322 Mifchiefs arifingfromDij^uteSy ^fjap* 12- have had fo many and fo cofily evidences, as far tranfcend the moft tragical defcriftiom. God grant we may never have other than our pafi ex- feriences to meafure them by : But certainly there is little reafon to be fecure, fo long as the root of them, our J^eculative differences daily encreafe ; for unlefs we could fuppofe an Age of fuch in- nocenccthat there fhould be none who would take any undue Advantages, 'tis fure there will be enough given: And indeed when we refiedl upoa ourpaft Diftracitions, and confider how trivial the matter of moft of thofe Debates was, whofe manner has been fo cruelly folemn ; how our flighteft prohlemes have been writ in hloud, that many Thoufands have been made naked to keep the Surplice off a few mens backs, and w^e have pulled down our Churches in difpleafure at the windows, when I fay thefe and a Thoufand the like are confidered, we muft conclude that there can never want Occafion to them that (in the Jpo- files Phrafe) defire Occafion. The light eft diftempers in the Chuch being contagious, and moft apt (when fomented by ambitious defigners) to beget an tmiverfal Plague in the Common- wealth; And now who can without horror confider thefe miferably perverted ^jf^Sj of Chriftian Religion, that that which< was defign'd the moft inviolable: hand of unity, ihould like thofe curies of entangled^ fnakes with which Erinnys is faid to have infuria- ted Athemas and Ino, become the fatal incendiary of the rnortaUeft hatred. That that O economy which was mxant to regulate, fhould be the Inflrument of confounding and embroyling the World ; and a Ct)Ep*l^' ^^ reference to Civil Peace. 325 a Gojpel of Peace fliould thus be made the Incen* five to wary and create fiercer quarrels than thofe it was to have composed. To turn th^ Grace of God intowantonnefs, is juftly branded as a great Crime, but fure to turn it into malice is yet agreater. And though every fin offers violence to our religion, yet this is of all others the moft harharowy thus to make it Aflaffinate its felf, be- come a kind of Felo de fe, and contribute to its own ruine. And that this is the cafe, is I pre- fume fufEciently evident in all the foregoing in- fiancesy which as they are moft obvioufly the ef- feB of our eager Difputes, fo are they no lefs vifibly deftru5iive to Chriftianity in all its inte- refts, leaves it neither root nor branch, neither inward Vigor, nor outward Lufter ; fo at once ren- dring it both unfertile and unamiable. 'Twas a piece of hoftile Severity againft Moah, to fill the land with fiones, thereby to render it barren, 2 King. 3.25'. The flingers went about, and fniote it: but what that fuffered from profeft Enemies, the Church daily fuftains from thofe that call them- felves her hcA friends. Our Eenjamites are fo in love with their skill of flingling to a hairs breadth, their nice Criticifms, DiftinCtions, and Subtil- ties, have caft abroad fo many fiones of contention, that the Church is become perfedl quarry, utter- ly ^m/ and unfruitful, as to all thofe good works for the production whereof, flie was fo peculiar- ly fenced and cultivated by God ; nay, 'twere well if barrennefs were the worft, and that flic had not on the other fide acquired an unhappy degenero'M 3 24 Mif chiefs arifingfrom Dij^uteSy ^()ap* 12. degeneroui fertility : But what a numerous and ac- curfed Iflue fpring from this unpeaceable tem- per, the foregoing conliderations do t©o fadly demonftrate ; and I doubt not every attentive Ob- ferver will be able to add more ( though not truer) Inftances ; and befides to difcern that this fpurious brood like that of Hagar is grown fo wantonly infolent as to defpife the right heir of the Promife. The true Gofpel Graces of Meek- nefs;, Peaceablenefs and univerfal Charity are ac- counted Earthy phlegmatick qualities ^ we difclaim that Holy Ghofl which defcends in the appearance of the Dovcy nay or in fire either, unlefs it be like that oiElijahy to confume all that difguft us. Nor do we meafure our Religion fo much, by the oppofition it makes to our lufisy as to thofe whom we firft make, andTthen call our enemies. Thus miferably have we changed the Scene, and hy calling e%jil good) and good evil, have accumula- ted injuries upon our opprefled Chriftianity, not only rob'd it of its rulcy but of its reputation alfo. And do we daily thus fee Ijhmael mocking Ifaacy andfiiall we not think it time to caft out tho Bond-woman and her Son ? fhall we for ever che- ri/h this generation of Vipers to tear out the howels of our common Mother? I pray God the Queftion have not as much o£ prd^f age as expo flu- lation. For if we confider the prefent ftate of things, how our contentions plead not only right but prefcriptiony there feems not much hope of difpoffefling them, and yet lefs, when 'tis re- membred, how they have entwifted themfelves,' noc ^|^ap*l3* ^^ reference to Civil Peace. 32 J not only with the pajpojtsy but interefis of men ; two fuch potent Abettors as will buoy up the moft forlorn caufe. The truth is, there are many/«^- terraneous' firings which feed this Ocean, and though religion and piety be on all hands de- murely pretended;, yet as we have feen the ejfe^s of our debates very difconfonant to fuch a Pro- feflion; fo if we examine the originals and caufesy we fhall find them for the moft part as widely difidnt. It may not be amifs to take a fhort view of fome of them ; for though I cannot hope the difcovery of the Caufes will contribute to the general cure, yet perhaps it may prove Jn- tidote to fome particular perfons, who will be the lefs apt to admire the verdure of the leaves (the flourifliing appearances of zeal and piety) when they find both fruit and root of fo poifonous a quality. CHAP. XIII. J Survey of the Caufes of Dijj^utes ; and firfi^ Pride. AND in this inqueft we find Pride al- ready arraigned to our hands, by the wifeftofMen, Prov. 13.10. only hy pride Cometh contention. It is indeed a moft prolifick vice, and there are few ///i* to which it is not ei- ther a parent or mrfe : but there is fcarce any Y which 3 25 Of the Cdufes ofDifputes ; C^ap*i 5 . which does more betray its immediate defcent from it than this o£ftrife and debate, which has fo many of the lineaments and features of the de- formed Mother^, as fufficiently atteft its extra- Bim. And as this is true of all ftrifes in gene- ral, fo particularly of thofe whereof we now treat : for Pride being its felf an internal fin, it has fuch a neighbourhood with all the notions and fpeculations of the mind, that it eafily makes impreffions on them : Nor are we to wonder that the Sacrednefs of divine things is not Amulet enough againft its Charms, when we remember thtitthcfirfiaB of Pride that ever was commit- ted, was levelled even at God himfelf ; and as it tookupitsfirft feat in a fpiritual fubftance, fo has it ever fince, never adled moi^ naturally, and therefore more 'viaoroufly than about fpiritual matters. Of this the Church in all ages has had many coftly Experiments, for if we trace the Catalogues of Herefies from Simon ^SMagus his dales down to our own, we Ihall find Pride aprin- cipal J5lor in every Scene, though perhaps in ua- rious drejfes. For though Pride be alwaies in the general an aflfedlation of fome tranfcendency^ yet it differs as to the particular objedl, accor- ding tothefeveral cftimates men make of excel- lencies. So that the propugners of new Opini- ons, though they have this common aim, that they feek their own exaltation, yet do not alwaies do it in the fame inflances. For example, fome have coveted the repute o£ profound inquifitors, and this Vanity has prompted them to dive fo deep into tlie ^ap*13- -^^^fi' Pride, 327 the bowels of every the plainejt doBrwe, till at lafl: they have twilled and entangled them into the moft perplexing difficulties. Thefe Naviga- tors think they have never fail'd fuccefsfuUy till they have found out a terra incognita^ though God knows they bring nothing from thence for the benefit of the habitable world; nor make it their bufinefs to refolve Doubts^, Wat ft art them. Anc" therfort of men there are of lb faftidious and pe- tulant wits, that they difdain an opinion of which themfelves are not the jiuthors ; they love not t;o have their underftandings prefcrib'd tOj, by the preconceptions of others, how divinely foever in- fpir'd, and will rather have a Religion of their oven making, than of his whom they pretend to worfliip. And this, 'tis to be doubted is the bot- tom of the great veneration fome have paid to Reafon, which they have fet up in the Throne, not only in defiance of blind implicit ajfent, but even of divine revelation. But in the mean time 'tis to be obferv'd, that 'tis not reafon in general, the common excellency of our nature that is thus advanc'd, but every mans own private and indivi- dual ; which upon a juft fcanning will often be found the. moft diftant thing from what it is caird : Paffion and Phancy, by that omnipotent advantage of being a mans own, often pafling for deep difcourfe and ratiocination : and what a fruit- ful harveft of Tares fuwhich upon this occafion they cannot profti- tute;when DiotrepheSy^Joh.^Secks preheminencc, the Didlates even of an Apoftle fhall be rejecfl- cd, and even the divinity of Chrifi, God hlefftd for every be trampled on, virhen Arius wants a foot- ftool to climb up to his aflfe(5led greatnefs. In a word, if we Examine the occurrencies of all ages, we fhall find that either the eagernefs of ac- quiringy or the Revenge of mijjing dignities y have been the great /Vy?/^/^^cri- of Ecclefiaftick Feuds ; and fure our ^Modern ftories, are not likely to fall fhort of the Ancient, in examples of this kind. And as Pride makes fome thus paffio- nately defirous of rule, fo it makes others as im- patient of being ruled, and even thofe who can- not hope to arrive to give Laws, will not endure to /^^ «;7^^r thofe already eftablifhed. That this is indeed the Chriftian liberty for which many in our dales have fo unchriftianly contended, is too apparent, the fundamental quarrel has been againfl: fubjeBion : Yet to countenance and abett that, whole Armies of frivolous cavils have been rais'd, and the Church attacqued in every its remoteft concern, and though there be nothing farther from that unity of mind, to which the fimile was firft afExt, yet in a perverfe fenfe it imitates the Ointment o£ Aaron in defcending from the head to the skirts of the cloathing: not only the fupreme and more eminent partSp but the moft flight ex- trinjick and inferior relatives to Religion being •afperft and depraved; and the mpft innocent Ox- cumftaixces (Jt)ap4l3- ^^'^fi' Pride, 33 1 cumftances of Civil or Natural adtions madem- minaly when applied to Divine things. A Arrange infective power ^ which thefe men have con- vey'd into Gods fervice, that it muft thus pol- lute every thing that approaches it. That the place where his Honour dwells, muft become a Fefthoufe, ^nd^ddffnk contagion to all in it. (I wifh by the way their Sacriledge had not been too valiant in defpiling the Danger ofthofe infeSied utenfihy which may perhaps ladly verifie the reproach, and prove treacherous prizes^ and when mens zeal operates thus unkindly, when the pretence of internal fanUity devours all out* ward decency y and God is to be honoured and exalt- ed by thofe ways, whereby men would think them- felves affionted, and vilified ; we have too great reafon to think fuch a zeal as little according to godlineJSas know I edge y and that it is not fo much the tendernefs of their Gonfciences, no nor gene- rally the weaknefs of their Brains, but the Iron ji- ;/^n? in their Necks, which makes them at once fo fcrupulous, and fo clamorous ; for though the former might be fuppos'd owing to Error, the la- ter can fureiy proceed from nothing but Pride. Several other inftances might be given to fhew how that pernicious temper has contributed to the rife andfirft being of our divifions; and ha- ving thus given them birth, it does not like the Oflrich abandon its Brood, but has as great an in- fluence in the cherijhing and maintaining^ as it had in creating them. Of this there need no other proof than the meer nature of Pride, which as it y 4 averts 3 3 3t Of the Caufes of Dilutes ; Ct)ap*i5. averts nothing more than felf condemnation ; fo upon pain of that appearance^, 'tis irreverfibly engag'd in the purfuit of its firft undertakings, any dejijiing being interpretatively a co;7/(?/^(?// ei- ther of an Error or a Defeat^, both which are in- fupportable to an affuming temper : So that be- fides the original incentives forementioned, it has this o£difdain fuperadded to adluate its motions. And accordingly we find they are at this rebound the more violent, not only the fuccefs, but the credit of the firft enterprize depending upon a vi- gorous profecution : So that Catilines Maxim of Villany feems to have been adopted into fome mens divinity, and they think paft Crimes are only to be fecur'd by more and greater. Nor is it only hope to atchieve their defigny or hide their fhame which thus animates them, dejj^air will do it to a yet higher degree. Our Concupifcible and Irafcible appetites dwell not fo remiOte, But they are ready refervesto one another, and what was defre m the purfuit, becomes anger and revenge in the dif- appointment ; and fure we need not be told the wildeffedls of thofe paffions. How many men have in afurious dej^air over-ac5led even their own projeBsy and have made it a malicious confolati- on in their ruine, to get it attended with that of the publick ? As Herod, who to fecure a lamenta- tion at his death, commanded a (iMaJfacre fliould accompany it, or ( to give a more Ecclefiaftical inftance ) like Aerius, who fought the abolifhing of that order in the Church, whereof himfelf could not partake. I wifh no mans Confcience in our C|)ap I3» Firft, Pride. 33? our days were qualified to fuggcft a frelher ex- ample. But whileft 'tis fo many ways the interefi of Pride to abet our contentions, we cannot think it fo fluggifli or uninduftrious an agent y as not to find out expedients for its purpofe. I fliall not attempt to give a particular of its inftruments, when I have faid that Schifm is one of them, I need not add more, fince that alone ferves both to complete :ind perpetuate the Mifchief of all our fpeculative diffentions. How clofe a Band of concord the communicating in holy duties is, we may learn by Jeroboaniy who feems fo well to have un- dcrftood its unitive efficacy, that he durftnot truft the newly divided tribes in a joynt refort to the Temple ; and therefore leaft the rupture he had made in the State Ihould clofe again, he thinks it necefTary to make another in the Church, and fecure his defecflion from his Frinccy by that from his God. But we need not borrow a teftimo- ny from that his impious Policy y we have a more Authentick atteftation from the holy Pfalmijly who when he would defcribe thcgreatefl entirene(?y Ex- emplifies it by the walking to the houfeofGodas friendsy PfaL fj. 14. And the Jpojlle goes yet higher, and from our common participation of the Eucharift, infers not only our uniony but our in- corporation. We being many are one bready and one hodyy for we are all partakers, of that one bready I Cor. 10. 17. And then fure me may on the con- trary conclude, th2ito\xr fepar at ion muft have the quite diftant efifedls ; alicn^itcoux a ffeB ions y and by that means ftiil more eftrange our Judgements, For 334 Pf ^^^ Caufes ofDij^utes ; €t)ap*i3. For befides that 'tis natural to men to think they can never run far enough from that they begin to loath, they are in their own defence to amplifie the differences y that they may acquit themfelves from the fcandal of a caufelefs feparation:» and this God knows is the ufual Method among us, when we have broken communion^ our onlyftudy is not how to repair y hut juflifie it. The adverfa- ries f i^;^^^x are rigouroufly fcanned, new Charges exhibited, and the Schifm defended upon thof© later difcoveries, which were no motives to the making it. And then fure no man can doubt but this is a proper wayy both to multiply and Eternize difputes ; and 'tis abundantly manifeft, that vani- ty and elation of mind is the caufe that Men thus prefer a miflaken reputation, before their own in- nocence or the Churches peace. Indeed if we throughly confider it, we fhall find Fride is one of the fatalleft inftruments of Excifion, the two- edgdfword by which adverfe parties do mutually cut themfelves from one another. The very elements and confiitutive parts of a Schifmatick, being the Efieem of himfelfy and the Contempt of others, lam not as this Publican wasy we know, the voice of the proud Pharifeey whofe very name figmfics feparation, and our modern Separatifis do but Echo the fame note, when they pronounce all thofe Heretical or Carnal from whom they have withdrawn. Or perhaps they derive from a yet more ancient prefident, thofe of whom the Pro-' phet JE/^;' fpeaks, Efay6$.S' which fay. Standby th^lfy come not near mcy for I am holier than thou ; an iSi)dip^^i' ^^^fi^ ^^^^^' 335; an Infolent kind of language which the Cathari in the frimitive times did not more exacftly tran- fcribe^ than many Se6ls of differing denominati- ons have done in ours. But 'tis to be remembrcd, that while the Pharifee lookt fo faftidioufly on the poor Puhlk-aH) he renounc'd communion in prayers much more acceptable than his own ; and thofe refined Zealots who fear'd contagion from the approach of their more innocent Brethren^ could boldly venture on the pollutions of the moft deteft- able Idolatries : And God knows the note has too ready an application in both inftances. In the mean time 'tis a fad contemplation j, that fo much of that jx^^/ which makes fuch a gliftering in the World, /hall when brought to the Touchj, be found adulterate, that the tranfcendent purity men boaft o£ fliould prove but a more fublima- ted vpickednej?, and thdit pretence to fpirituality be verified only in jfiritual pride. Alas, is not the whole circuit of Secular things wide enough to contain this [welling humour ? Are there not Pomps and Vanities of the world enough to entertiin this one Luft, but muft this Moahite be brought into the SanBuary ? Can we not be elevated enough unlefs we trample upon all that is holy, and nmke Religion¥:i£iox £or OUT Jmhition? We findforae very confidently point out ^/ntichrifi upon the ftrength of this one prxdidled circumftance, that be was to fit in the temple of God, But what need we travel beyond the Alps to find out that, which (very where prefents its felf ? Our Pride docs too unhappily anfwer the defcripf ion ; and though there 33^ Of the Catifes ofDijputes ; Cbap.I3- there is no inftance wherein it can ceafe to be An- tichriflian, yet furely it is more eminently fo, when it thus ufurps Gods feat, and rules in Sacred things. Would God the pains and animofity which has been fpent in difcovering and reviling other Antichrifts^ had been diverted to the pul- ling down of thisy th® labour would have been more effectual even to the immediate end of the Defigners:, for were this Pride Eradicated, the Foundation of all Spiritual ufurpations were un- dermind. But alas, thofe who exclaim the moft loudly againft all / but reproach him. And then 'tis no wonder if that which aftbrds fo little glory to God, hath no more good-will for Men, and that which thus wars with Heaven, leave little peace on Earth. Indeed if we will be building our Babels, and thus aSiiult Omnipotence, 'tis but juft we fliould have our language confounded, and that that knowledge for which we boldly attempt to ri- fle Gods cabinet, fhould like the Coal from the Altar, ferve only to embroil and confume the facrilegions invaders. Yet befides what is owing to divine vengeance in the cafe, the thing has in its felf a proper, natural efficiency toward it ; for when fo many men are engag'd in a blind fearch, 'tis not imaginable they fliould all ftum- ^/^ upon the fame Notions, and fuppofing them to fall upon variety, 'tis impoflible but mens fond overweening of their own conceits and petulanC difdains of others, will improve that variety into Oppofition, and that oppofition into fet and So- lemn Feuds. And God knows, the Church is too effedlively acquainted with this fatal grada- tion, and can experimentally atteft the unhappy propriety of this fort of Curiofity towards the en- gendring of di fiord and confufion. BUT befides this higher rank of things which God hath fet fo much above us, there are others ^tiap>14- Secondly y Curiofity. 341 others o^^viinferior fort, as much hdow uSj, which are concealed from us, not for their fuhlimity, but their ufelefnefs ; for as God on the one hand , remembers that we are but fl^fh, unable to bear the nearer approaches of divinity y and fo talks with us as once with Mofes through a cloud : So on the other he forgets not that he Ireathed into us the breath of life, a vital adlive fpiritj, whofe motions he expedls fliould own the dignity of its ori^inaly and as it was its felf an emanation of the Eflential Goodnefs„ ihould aim at only real and folid goody and not evaporate and exhauft its powers in mean and impertinent purfuits. And upon this fcore alfo, he has found it neceilary to hide many things from uSj, not that they would dazzle y but mifemploy our Eye ; not fjvaU lownp our Underftanding, but divert our At- tention:, from what is more important : Of this fort are thofe many thin aerial J^eculations, the certain knowledge whereof would bring us no real advantage, make us at all the wifer to Sal- vation ; yet luch a value does our inquifttive Na- ture fet upon every thing for its being hidy that as if our Life were bound up with thefe Secrets, and all our Felicity dwelt in the Shade of thefe recefles, we purfue this fearch with indefatiga- ble induflryy ranfack all corners with as great diligence as the Woman for her loft piece of Sil- ver, Luk. \^, 8. And as if this were indeed the treafure hid in the field, fell ^// that we have, lay out out w\{o\c [elves upon the purchafe. Indeed he that ihall confider what folemn Difquifitions Z there 34^ Of the Caufes ofDifputes ; Ct)ap.i4. there are upon the flighteft, and inconfiderableft Subjedls^ with what Advertence and concern Queftions of this kind are bandied in the world, muft wonder how men can at once be fo feriotis and fo trifling ; or that thofe who can fay fo much, Ihould not once ask themfelves to what purpofe they fay my thing. Yet what multi- tudes of men are there engag'd in fuch chafes as this ? when alas, the quarry is not worth half the toil, could it be gotten : but what Solomon fayes o£ the jluggardy Prov. 12.27. ^^^^ he rofieth not that which he took in hunting, is true of the contra- ry temper, thefe over-hufie ffirits whofe labour is their only reward, they hunt a fl-^adow, and chafe the mnd ; and when they ftrein to their utmoft fpeed, there is ftill the wonted Diftance be- tween them and their aims ; all their eager pur- fuits bring them no acqueft ; but affer they have traverft fo much ground, traced all the mazes that learned Curiofity could contrive to perplex men, and ftudied to the wearinefs of the fle/h,i£not to the quenching of the Spirit too, they are ftill in the fame ignorance from whence they fetout, and 'twere well if they were alfo in the fame douhtfulnefs : But the unhappinefs of it is, they acquire a confidence without any true ground of it ; and get fuch a Knowledge as may puff up, but not edijie. This was eminently exemplified in the Gnofiicks o£old, whofe vain Chimeras, and foolifh queftions, as the ^/7d?/?/^ calls them, T/A3.0. paft with them for fuch afuperlative wifdom, 3s gave them Infolence to difcriminate themfelves from ^3(jdP*I4* Secondly, Security. ^az from Others by that fvvelling Title, and monopo- lize the reputation of Science, which yet if we will believe the great Dodlor of the Gentiles, and he too brought up at the feet o£Gam^liel, the greateft Rabbi of the Jewy, was fcience falfly fo called. And God knowS;, they want not fucceflbrs in this as well as in other particulars, men are fo poffeft with their own Phancies that they take them for Ordcles, and think they fee vifions, and are arrived to fome Extraordinary revelations of Truth, when indeed they do but dream dreams, and amufe them- felves with the Phantaftick Ideas of a bufie ima- gination. Yet would they only pleafe them- felves in the delufion, the Phrenfie were more innocent ; but like the prouder fort of Lunaticks, they will needs be Kings and Faders, impofc their wild conjeBures for Laws upon others, and de- nounce ]Var againft all that receive them not: And this is that which makes the great combufti- on, and confufion among us ; for while one man Opines one way, another another, and each will obtrude his opinion on every-body elfe ; 'tis im- poflible hutthccontefts fhould be fharp and end- lefs ; for each man labours under a double Im- patience, the one of having his own notions re- jected, the other of having the quite contrary impos'd on him ; and though 'tis tiue the red- procalnefs of the Injury ought to allay the d.if* pleafure at it, yet men fo much more confider what they fujfer than what they do, that every one crys out aloud of that hardmeafure, which him- Z 2 felf 344 OftheCdufesofDiJputes; Ct)apa4. felf ofiers without regret. And between 7rinds fo contrary and fo fierce, 'tis no wonder iijicrms arife; andinfuch'T^m^^/x has Religion fo long been tolled, that it now needs the interpofition of a divine Miraculous poner, to keep it from fink- ing ; for alas, thefe Skirmijhes expire not with the firft Propugners of the Opinions ; they per- h;*ps began as fingle Duellers y but then they foon get their troops about them, have their parti fans and abettors, who not only enhance, but entail the feud to pofl:erity. And indeed this propa- gation of Strife, both in thefe triflingy and the former more profound fpeculations, is. the moffc fatal circumflrance of the whole Cafe : Were it not for this, though we might have many Errors, w^e could have no Se5ls, And if the Church might be fdmetimes wounded with the darts of fingle Adverfaries, yet flie could not be furroun- ded and befieg'd with cotrihinations and confede- racies. Some fl:raggling Souldicrs might prove renegadosy but they would not revolt in troops and legions. We fhould not have fuch nume- rous Parties, who with thegreateft violation of Chrifl:ian unity, denominate themfelves, not from the grand author and finijher of our Faith ; but from thcjirfi hrocher of their Idolizd opinions. In the mean time, 'tis a fad contemplation, that a little vain curiofny fhould weigh fo much, or •the Churches peace fo little with us : that we fhould facrifice the one, to the fatufaBion fliall I fay, or rather to the whetting and inflaming of the ether. But 'tis a yet fadder, that this fhould chiefly C0