and therefore no wonder if he would deceive you He is cast out of heaven himself and would not have you possess the room that he hath lost He is a wicked lying spirit and therefore is not to be believed He is a murderer from the beginning and therefore will not speak for your salvation Joh. 8. 44. If the Devil be to be believed then none are wiser then the ungodly sensual worldly men and none are in a worse condition then those that are despised by the world for Holiness and that suffer all things for a Life unseen But the enmity that is planted in your very natures against the Devil I hope will help you to confess that he must not be the Judge 2. And truly Ignorant ungodly men are unmeet Judges And it is they that bawle against Religion and speak against they know not what 1. They are Blind by nature and more blind by customary sin And must a Blind man be your Judge or witness in a case of everlasting moment 2. They are unexperienced in the ways of God How can they judge of a state that they were never in and of a way that they never went They never tryed the work of the new birth nor never tryed the holy exercise of faith or Love or any Grace and therefore you may as well take the Judgement of a simple man concerning another countrey that was never there or concerning Navigation that never was at sea or concerning Learning that never read a book or concerning Musick that never toucht an Instrument as the Judgement of an unsanctified man concerning Holinesâ— and Communion with God unless it be those that have a common convincing light that causeth them to approve of that which they neglect themselves 3. And certainly your own sâ—…y and fleshly miâ—dâ— are unfit Judges of the case For they also are Blind and unexperienced They are not suited unto spiritual things To which I may add 3. That they and all ungodly men are Partial in the case and 〈…〉 unfit to be witnesses or Judges All the Scripture speaks against the Devil and the wicked and the lusts of the flesh and therefore they are a party even the party that is to be ejected 4. Yea they are enemies and therefore their testimony or judgement is not to be regarded And what else will speak a word against a Holy life but the Devil the flesh and wicked men Not any And therefore let it be concluded that these are incompetent Judges in the case But who then shall be Judge Let God be Judge let Christ be Judge Who can who dare refuse this Judge Refuse him not for none but he is fit and competent Refuse him not for he will be Judge whether you will or no and therefore your refusal will be vain 1. He is most wise and knoweth all things and therefore cannot be deceived 2. He is Infinitely Good and therefore cannot do any wrong He is impartial and respecteth not the persons of the greatest He is most just and therefore cannot pass an unjust sentence 3. He only is the Judge that hath full authority to make a final decision of the case 4. And in a word he is so absolutely perfect that he is lyable to no just exceptions nor can men or Devils have any thing to say against his judgement Are you agreed then that God shall be your Judge Will you take that for the better part which he calls better If so the controversie is at an end The living God hath given us his judgement long ago If you ask me Where I le tell you anon when I have examined some of the witnesses of the case And though I am resolved to own no proper final Judge but God yet under him there are many witnesses that are worth the hearing Indeed I am content to refer the cause to any one that doth but know what he saith and is not unfaithful reserving to God the final judgement And 1. Go to the wisest men on earth and let them be witnesses What think you of all the Prophets and Apostles and of all the antient Fathers of the Church Were not these men wiser then you or then the sottish scorners that revile the wayâ— which they never went and speak evil of that which they understand not Iâ— Prophets and Apostles were not for Holiness 〈…〉 a fleshly worldly life then I will be of your mind But if they all as with one heart and mouth do cry down sin and cry up Holiness why should you then refuse their Testimony Are you wiser then all these 2. What think you of all the godly able Ministers of Christ that are now alive or ever were Are they not wiser then you and a few drunkards that have scarce wit enough to do the Devils service without such sottishness as shames his cause Have none of Christs Ministers that spend their days in studying and searching after knowledge more wit even in the matters of God then a carnal Gentleman or ignorant malicious wretch that never used the means for Knowledge as these have done In any other matter you will allow men that have made it the study of their lives to know more then you If you want counsel for your states you 'l go to one that hath studied the Law If you are sick you will sooner seek advice of one that hath made it the business of his life to understand diseases and remedies then to one that never studied it You 'l sooner take the judgement of every tradeseman in his trade then your own or anothers that never learned it Allow but those men to be competent witnesses that have bent their thoughts and prayers and cares this way and the controversie is resolved For what is it that all our Sermons plead for but Holiness in order to Everlasting Happiness What is it that so many thousand Books are written for but for Holiness Open the Books of the wisest men and see which side it is that they are on Go to the wisest ablest Ministers and aske them which is the better part 3. If Wisdom suffice not let the best and honestest men be witnesses Who better then Christ then his Apostles then all the holy Martyrs and Confessors of the Church and all the Doctors and faithful Ministers of Christ which side think you were they on that laid down their lives for the cause of Christ sure they that would rather burn at a stake or suffer all the scorns and torments of the world then forsake a Holy heavenly life did take it to be better then all the pleasures or profits of the world Sure all the holy Doctors and Pastors of the Church that lived so Holy lives themselves and spent their days in Praying and watching and meditating and preparing for the life to come contemning all the vanities of the world did think that this was the Better part which they followed after with so much diligence and patience as they did Hear me a few words
much therefore in Thankfulness and Praise which are works of Love All goeth on sweetly and easily and acceptably that is carryed on by Love That is the best soul and likest to God that hath most of Love to God and Godliness 〈…〉 that is the best service and likest to the work of 〈…〉 that hath most of Love Let the principal striving and pleading with your hearts be to kindle Love and your principal complaints for the want of it Direct 7. Keep up Charity to all even unto enemies and special Love to all the Godly And therefore hate back-biting and slandering and making the worst of other mens actions Take them as thieves that come to rob you of your Charity He that speaks evil of another perswadeth you so far to hate him unless it be in Charity perswading you to seek his cure Hear the reproacher and back-biter understandingly as if he said in words as he doth in sense I pray you hate such a man or abate your Love to him As the way to cause Love is to represent the object Lovely which doth much more then to command me to Love it So the way to cause Hatred is to represent the object hateful or unlovely which is more then to bid us hate our brother And he that hateth his brother is a man-slayer and none such have eternal life abiding in them Away theresore with those Volumes of Learned slanders and reproaches begotten betwixt uncharitableness and self love or pride and take them as the Devils Books that are written to draw thee to hate thy Brother Frown also upon the censorious Take heed also of divisions and parties because they are enemies to universal Love and are but Imposthumes or Biles of the Church where Zeal and Love are diseasedly drawn into a narrow compass and that is appropriated to a few that should be common to all Believers Cherish meekness and patience and reject all that carnal Zeal or Envy Contention and Animosities which are contrary to Love Read and study well the third Chapter of St. James and the Epistle of John Direct 8. Understand the preciousness and use of time Love Diligence the better because it is a Redeeming of time a doing much in a little time Hate that which would rob you of so precious a commodity Direct 9. See that there be no predominant selfishness or worldly interest unmortified at the heart Study duty and do it faithfully and trust God with Life Estate and Events and shift not for your selves by sinfull means Direct 10. Maintain your authority over your sense and fleshly appetites Captivate not Reason to the Brutish part especially under pretence of liberty Use your bodies as may strengthen them and best fit them for the work of God Let them have so much delight in things allowed as conduceth to this but take heed of making the delights of flesh and sense your end or allowing your selves in an unprofitable pleasing of your enemy or of corrupting your minds and rellishing too much sweetness in the things of the flesh and losing your rellish of Spiritual things Set not the bait too near you Keep the Gun-powder from the fire He that believeth that if ever he be damned it will be for Pleasing his flesh before God and if ever he be saved he must be first and principally saved from the inordinate Pleasures of the flesh will not be so forward as brutish Infidels are to seek out for â—elights and plead for all that pleaseth them as harmâ—â—ss Having thus in the Introduction shewed you What Godliness is and How it may be known and What you must do to be soundly and sincerely Godly I hope you are prepared for the following Discourse of the Certain Necessity and Excellency of Godliness which tends to â—etch over the delaying resisting unresolved wills of those that are yet in the BRUTISH state and are strangers to the Dispositions Employments Desires Hopes and Joyes of true Believers The Lord concurre effectually with his Blessing Amen LUKE 10. 41 42. And Jesus answered and said unto her Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but One thing is Needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her IN order to the decision of the Great Controversie practically managed through the the world Whether Godliness or worldliness and sensuality be better I have already performed the first part of my task in proving the Certainty of the Principles of Godliness and of Christianity which of it self will inferr the Conclusion which I undertake to prove that the Reasons for Godliness are so sure and clear and great that every one must be A SAINT or A BRUTE He that will not choose a life of HOLINESS hath no other to fall into but a life of SENSUALITY Either the superiour faculties proper to a Rational Nature must be predominant and then we can be no less than SAINTS Or else the inferiour brutish faculties will be predominant and then though from your natural Powers you are called MEN yet if you may be denominated from your intended END and from the USE of your faculties in order to that END you are but an ingenious kind of BRUTES exceeding Aâ—â—â— and Monkies in the cunning contrivance of your unhappy designs but incomparably worse in your successes because you were indeed entrusted with the noble faculties and gifts of MEN while you captivated them unto your Appetites and Sense and lived but to the END of BEASTS The second thing that I have to do for the conquering all opposition to this Conclusion is to prove the NECESSITY of HOLINESS which being now to speak to such as profess to believe the holy Scriptures I may easily do from this plain and pregnant Text To which I shall annex such cogent REASONS as may silence those that will not acquiesce in the authority of the holy Word So great is the difference between a dreaming Opinion in Religion called a Deâ—â— Faith and a serious hearty practical Belief that if they that say and do but say they believe the holy Scriptures and yet are ungodly had soundly Believed Considered and digested this very Text it would have made such a change both in their Hearts and Lives as would have told them by happy experience that the Gospel is not a dead letter nor saving faith a lifeless uneffectual thing and that God sent not his son into the world only to be complemented with and reverently treated with a few good words nor his Gospel and Ministers meerly to be entertained with a demure silent and respectful audience nor hath proposed his Kingdom to be meerly the matter of commendation or discourse But that as man is a creature of a Noble and Capacious Nature so he hath an high and noble End and consequently the highest imployment for his Reason and that Religion is the most NECESSARY and must be the most SERIOUS business in the world Did they believe this Text as verily as they
A SAINT OR A BRUTE The Certain Necessity and Excellency of Holiness c. So plainly proved and urgently applyed as by the blessing of God may convince and save the miserable impenitent ungodly Sensualists if they will not let the Devil hinder them from a sober and serious reading and considering To be Communicated by the Charitable that desire the Conversion and Salvation of souls while the Patience of God and the day of Grace and Hope continue By Richard Baxter The First Part Shewing the Necessity of Holiness LONDON Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton at the three daggers in Fleet-street and Nevil Simmons Bookseller at Kederminster Anno Dom. 1662. To my dearly beloved Friends the Inhabitants of Kederminster in Worcestershire and my late Auditors in the City of London Confirming Grace with Patience Love and Peace be multiplyed Dear Friends ONce more through the great mercy of God I have liberty to send you a Preacher for your private families which may speak to you truly and plainly though not elegantly when I cannot and when I lie silent in the dust I take it for no small mercy that I have been so much employed about the Great and Necessary things in despight of all the malice of Satan who would have entangled me and taken up my time in personal vindications and barren controversies As I never knew that I had one enemy in the world that ever was acquainted with me so those that know me disswading me from Apologies against the accusations of those that know me not have spared my time for better work Though there is about fifty writings in whole or part against me published by Infidels Seekers Familists Enthusiasts Quakers Papists Antinomians Levellers Covenant-breakers State-subverters Church-dividers besides impatient dissenting Brethren and Dependants that took it for the rising way I yet find no cause as to the present age and those that know me to be at any great care or pains for a defence while malicious lyes do but make men wonder that wrinkled Envy should be so mad as to come so naked on the Stage and shew her ugly deformities to the world and could not stay at least till Wit had helpt her to a Cloak I was also when I first intended Writing under another temptation being of their mind that thought that nothing should be made publike but what a man had first laid out his choicest art upon I thought to have acquainted the world with nothing but what was the work of Time and Diligence But my conscience soon told me that there was too much of Pride and Selfishness in this and that Humility and Self-denyal required me to lay by the affectation of that stile and spare that industrie which tended but to advance my name with men when it hindred the main work and crost my end And Providence drawing forth some popular unpolished Discourses and giving them success beyond my expectation did thereby rebuke my selfish thoughts and satisfie me that the Truths of God do perform their work more by their Divine Authority and proper Evidence and material Excellency than by any ornaments of fleshly wisdom and as Seneca saith though I will not despise an elegant Physicion yet will I not think my self much the happyer for his adding eloquence to his healing art Being encouraged then by Reason and Experience I venture these popular Sermons into the world and especially for the use of you my late Auditors that heard them I bless God that when more worthy Labourers are fain to weep over their obstinate unprofitable unthankful people and some are driven away by their injuries and put to shake off the dust of their feet against them I am rather forced to weep over my own unthankful heart that did not sufficiently value the mercy of a faithful flock who parted with me rather as the Ephesians with Paul Acts 20. and who have lived according to this Plain and Necessary doctrine which they have received Among whom Papists that perswade men that our doctrine tendeth to divisions can find no divisions or sects Who have constantly disowned both the Ambitious usurpations which have shaken the Kingdom and the Factions Censoriousness and cruel violence in the Church which Pride hath generated and nourished in this trying Age. Among whom I have enjoyed so very large a proportion of mercy in the liberty of so long an exercise of my Ministry with so unusual advantage and success that I must be disingenuously unthankfull if I should murmure and repine at the present restraining hand of God But I must say with David 2 Sam. 15. 25. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me the Ark and habitation There or elswhere use me in his service But if he say I have no delight in thee behold here I am let him do to me as it seemeth good unto him And now with this Treatise let me leave you these few seasonable requests 1. Be faithful to your faithful Pastors Think not that you can live in order and safety without their Ministry When you can attend their publike Ministry Refuse not their more private help Read well my two sheets for the Ministry Where the lawful Pastor is there the Church is Be not either impiously indifferent in your worshipping of God or peevishly quarrelsom with what is commanded or practised by others nor disobedient to Authority in lawful things 2. Maintain still your antient Love and Unity and Peace among yourselves and improve your company and converse to the advantage of your souls Be daily interlocutory preachers to one another Speak as the Oracles of God and Preach by a holy patient harmless charitable and heavenly life This kind of Preaching none can silence but your own corruptions 3. Improve the profitable books which are among you 1. Read them frequently and reverently and seriously to your families when you have called them together and prayed for Gods blessing 2. Carry them abroad with you and when you fall into company where you cannot better spend your time read to them some seasonable passages of such writings 3. Give or Lend them to those that need and want either Purses or Hearts to provide them and get them to promise you to read them and enquire after the success By such improvement Books may become such Seconds or Substiâ—utes to publike preaching as that they may not be the least support of Religion and means to mens edification and salvation 4. Make special and diligent provision to satisfie your selves and others against Popery which is like to be none of the least of your temptations To this end I pray you read well the single sheet against Popery which I published and give of them abroad to others where there is need Read also my other books against it My Safe Religion and Key for Catholicks and Dispute with Mr. Johnson and Dr. Challoners Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam And when their sophistry puzzleth you 1.
Happiness to the Godly and Misery to the Ungodly With fifteen Queries for the conviction of Infidels that the Gospel is the infallible Word of God p. 130 Those that have not read the second Part of my Saints Rest and Treatise against Infidelity and doubt of the Truth of the Scripture or the life to come may read this third Chapter first and so proceed to the rest of the Book Clem. Writer's Objections answered p. 157 Chap. 4. Holiness is Best for all Societies p. 159 1. It uniteth all in One head and Center p. 160 2. It hath the most uniting excellent powerful end of duty p. 161 3. It takes away the Ball of the worlds contention that breaketh Societies ibid. 4. It destroyeth selfishness which is the destroying principle p. 162 5. It hath the most righteous Laws ibid. 6. It is contrary to all disturbing evil ibid. 7. It effectually disposeth the mind to duty p. 163 8. It cleanseth the very heart and killeth secret sin 9. It cementeth Societies with unfeigned Love ibid. 10. It maketh Princes and Rulers a double blessing Manifested in five particulars p. 164 11. It maketh the most Loyal and obedient subjects For 1. it makes them know themselves p. 166. 2. And to see God in their Rulers 3. And to obey and submit for conscience sake p. 167. 4. And destroyeth self-seeking 5. And consisteth in Charity 6. Procâ—reth Divine blessings 7. And makes men meck and patient and forbearing 8. Disposeth to concord 9. Assureth of the greatest rewards of obedience 10 And confirmeth against all temptations to disobodience p. 168 Object Have not the greatest rebellions been caused by your godly men as the Waldenses Bohemians French and others nearer us Answered p. 169 170. specially to Papists p. 173 174 12. Godliness makes men true to their Covenants ibid. 13. It teacheth the true method of obeying p. 175 14. It maketh men of publike spirits 15. It maketh it their business to do good 16. It makes men love enemies and forgive wrongs 17. It interesseth Societies in the favour and protection of God p. 176 18 It is the surest way to all supplies 19. It is the Honour of Societies 20. It must be best that is so heavenly p. 177 Chap. 5. Times of Holiness are the Best Times p. 178. Those that say It never was a good world since there was so much Godliness and so much preaching are fully confuted by twenty Arguments And their cavils answered p. 181 c. Chap. 6. Holiness is the only way of safety p. 196 Chap. 7. Holiness is the only Honest way The dishonesty of the ungodly proved p. 205 Chap. 8. Holiness is the most Gainful way proved p. 219 Chap. 9. Holiness is the most Honourable way p. 232. A reproof of the reproach of Holiness in England And full proof of the Honour of a Godly life ibid. Obj. It tends to make the godly proud to tell them of their Honour Answ Many Reasons for full confutation of this Objection p. 258 The baseness of the ungodly p. 265 Chap. 10. Holiness is the most Pleasant life p. 269 Proved I. From the Nature of the thing and 1. From the Revelations of God and the Knowledge of Believers p. 270 2. From the Will and Affections the nature and operations of Grace therein p. 277 3. From the quality of External holy duties p. 282 4. From the Objects of holy Acts p. 302 303 Objections answered p. 307 308 II. From the Helps and Concomitants p. 310 From the Effects p. 312 The Aggravations of the Delights of Holiness compared with the Delights of sin p. 314 Obj. Of the sad lives of Believers Answered p. 323 Obj. Doth not God command men to fast and mourn p. 339 Use Reproof to those that can find no matter of pleasure in a holy life p. 341 The greatness of their sin and misery p. 342 Directions Shewing such graceless persons what to do that they may come to Delight in God and Godliness p. 348 Use 2 Reproof to those self troubling Christians who live as sadly as if there were little pleasure to be found in God p. 353 Considerations fit to cure this sad disease p. 354 Qu. Whether it be not Hypocritical affectation to seem conformable for fear of discouraging men from Religion Fully answered p. 359 Obj. I could rejoyce if I knew my title to the promises p. 362 Obj. I have cause of sorrow p. 363 The considerations prosecuted p. 364 Twelve Directions to sad self-troubling Christians how they may live a Joyful life and find Delight in God and Godliness p. 374. Errata PAg. 277. lin ult for Law read Love p. 35â— l. 5. for that once r. but once l. 7. r. fermentations l. ult r. sweeter p. 358. l. 30. for unanswerable r. answerable p. 367. l. 23. r. Physicion l. 38. after of r. in p. 374. l 17. for is r. are p. 375. l. 37. blot out when p. 381. l. 37. r. terrours Smaller literall errours and mispointings being not many I omit THE INTRODUCTION To all such as neglect dislike or quarrell at a life of true and serious Godliness IT hath been the matter of my frequent admiration How it can be consistent with the Natural self love and Reasonableness of man-kind and the special ingenuity of some above others for men to believe that they must die and after live in endless Joy or misery according to their preparations in this life and yet to make no greater a matter of it nor set themselves with all their might to enquire what they must be and do if they will be saved but to make as great a business and bussle to have their Wills and Pleasure for a little while in the small impertinent matters of this world as if they had neither hopes or fears of any greater things hereafter That as some melancholy persons are caetera sani as rational as other 〈…〉 all matters saving some one in which yet their deâ—… maketh them the pitty or derision of observers so many that have wit enough to avoid fire and water and to go out of the way from a wild beast or a mad man yet have not the wit to avoid damnation nor to preferre eternal life before a merry passage unto hell Yea that some that account themselves ingenuous and men of a deeper reach then the unlearned can see no further through the promises or threatnings of God then through a Prospective or a Tube and have no wit that looketh beyond a grave yea are ready to smile at the simplicity of those that care whether they live in Heaven or Hell and use but as much diligence for their salvation as they use themselves for that which Paul accounted dung Many a time I have wondered how the Devil can thus abuse a man of reason and such as think themselves no fools and how such unexpressible dotage can stand with either learning ingenuity or common understanding and what shift the Devil and these men make to keep them from
No it s you that would set up your wills too high in making us believe that you are not wilfully ungodly and impenitent but omit all the good and do all the evil that you do because you cannot help it You cannot but know that he is the sinner to be blamed and punished that Can and Will not rather then he that would but cannot do good and forbear the contrary You know that it is wilfulness and not unwilling impotency that the venome of malice and naughtiness lyeth in and therefore you are excusing your wills and laying all upon your Impotency which is but to excuse your faults I would make you know the baseness of your wills and that it is long of your badness that you are like to be undone if grace prevent it not by your through Conversion I do not say that you have any power but what you have from God but I say you have the Natural and Legal Power and more then Power even a Grant and Offer of such a mercy from God You have humane faculties and leave and offers and entreaties and you may have Christ and life as he is offered if you will When I say It is in your choice I do not say that you have the wit or the heart to make a right choice No if you had but so much wit and grace I need not use all these words to you to perswade you to chuse the better part Your Wills are free from any force that God puts upon them to determine them to sin or from any force that Satan or any enemy you have can use to determine them to sin All they can do is morally to entice you God doâ—â—â—ot make you sin If you chuse â—â—ur death and forsake your own mercy it is not God that determineth your Wills to make this choice Yea he commandeth and perswadeth and urgeth you to make a better choice And though Satan tempt you he can do no more You have so much power that you may have Christ if you will you cannot say I am truly willing to have Christ and cannot Thus much free-will undoubtedly you have But I must confess that your Wills are not free from the misguidingâ— of a blinded mind nor from the seduction of a sensual inclination nor from a base and wicked disposition of your own This kind of free-will you shew us that you have not But is your wickedness your excuse and is your wilfulness your innocency What then can be culpable Sirs I would not have you abuse God and befool your selves with names and words saying You have not power and free-will as if you might thus excuse your sin I have opened the matter in plain terms to you that children may understand it though learned men have endeavoured to obscure it God giveth you your choice though your own wickedness do hinder you from chusing aright You have a price in your hands but fools have not a heart to their own good Prov. 17. 16. I know you want both wisdom and a sanctified will and I know that your minds and wills are contrarily disposed You need not tell me that you are wilful and wicked when there must be so many words spoken and so many Books written and so much mercy and patience of God and so many afflictions from his hand and all will not serve to make you chuse the better part But if you were willing if you were truly willing the principal part of the work were done For if you are willing Christ is willing and if Christ be willing and you be willing what can hinder your salvation Having laid this ground-work from the plain Word of God methinks I may with this advantage now plead the case even with common Reason One thing is needful the Good part is that one and this is tendred to you by the Lord What is it then that you do make choice of and what do you resolve May you have Christ and Pardon and Everlasting life and will you not have them Shall it be said of you another day that you had your choice whether you would have Christ and life or sin and death and you chose destruction and refused life I beseech theâ— Reader whosoever thou art that readest these lines that thoâ—…ouldst a little turn thine ears to God and withdraw thy self from the delusions of the flesh and world and use thy reason for thy everlasting peace and consider with thy self what a dreadful thing it will be if thou be everlastingly shut out of the presence of God upon thy own choice And if thou lose thy part in Christ and Pardon and everlasting Glory upon thy own choice And if thou must lie in Hell fire and Conscience must tell thee there for ever Thou hast but the fruit of thine own choice Heaven was set open to me as well as others I had life and time and teaching and perswasions as well as others but I chose the pleasure of sin for a season though I was told and assured that hell would follow and now I have that which I made choice of and taste but the fruit of my own wilfulness Will not such gripes of conscience be a hellish torment of themselves and an intolerable vexation if thou hadst no more Had you rather have sin then Christ and Holiness Alas I see by your lives you had But had you rather have Hell then God and Glory If not then chuse not the way to Hell Why do you give God such good words and prefer your sin when you have done before him Why do you speak so well of Christ and Heaven and yet refuse them Why do you speak so ill of sin and the world and yet chuse them to the loss of your salvation Surely if you were soundly perswaded that Christ is better then the world and holiness then sin you would chuse that which you say is the best For that which men think indeed to be the best and best for them they will chuse and seek after And therefore when you have said all that you can in commendation of Grace and a holy life no wise man will believe that you are heartily perswaded of the Truth of what you say as long as you run away from Christ and follow the flesh and take that course that is contrary to your profession For that which you like best you will certainly chuse and seek with the greatest care and diligence Now you have your choice if you would have the better part now choose it 5. I Have one other Motive yet from the text to perswade you to chuse the better pâ—… If you chuse it it shall never be taken from you You hear 〈…〉 Resolution of Christ himself concerning Marie's choâ—… that which is spoken of her will be as true of you if â—…he same choice If all the enemies you have in the world should endeavour to deprive you of Christ and your salvation they cannot do it against your choice If by Power
Are you yet resolved to seek this One thing with the chiefest of your desires and care and labour or are you not Dare any one of you say that you have not heard that which should resolve a sober considerate man I think you dare not But if you dare I am sure you shall never be able to make it good and justifie your words to God or to your Consciences at last or to any wise impartial person Now take your choice whether you will now be SAINTS and for ever like ANGELS or now be like BRUTES and for ever like DEVILS For one of these must be your case as sure as you have heard these words FINIS A SAINT OR A BRUTE The Second Part. Clearly Proving by Reason as well as Scripture 1. In general that Holiness is Best and Necessary to our felicity 2. Particularly that it is Best 1. For Societies 2. For individual persons And more distinctly 1. That it is the only way of Safety 2. Of Honesty 3. The most Gainful way 4. The most Honourable 5. The most Pleasant And therefore to be chosen by all that will obey true Reason and be Happy LONDON Printed Anne Dom. 1662. A Saint or a Brute The Second Part. CHAP. 1. Holiness and its fruits are the Best part Wherein the Happiness of Saints confisteth Luke 10. 42. But One thing is Needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her THough I have before taken up this latter part of the Text by way of Motive in the Conclusion of the former Part of this Treatise I am very loth that a subject of so great importance should be so lightly passed over And therefore by Gods assistance I shall attempt a fuller handling of it The Necessity of Holiness I have spoken of already It is the Goodness of it that I am next to speak of And before I enter upon it let me intreat thee Reader whoever thou art that openest this Book to remember that I am writing and thou art reading of the greatest and highest matters in the world and therefore come not to it with common affections and read not this as thou wouldst do a History or a Rheroricall Oration to find delight for a curious mind but confessing thy self a Scholar to Christ with reverence take thy Lâ—… from him as that which thou camest into the world to Lâ—… which all thy comforts thy hopes thy safety and thy evâ—… happiness depend upon And here in the entrance I will freely tell you what more me to fall upon this subject and be so earnest with you in thâ—â— point One thing is the observation of the carelesness and wilfulness of the most that live in the neglect of Holiness and Everlasting Life for all that can be said to perswade them to a wiser course While they all profess themselves to be Christians and to take the Scripture for the Word of God and confess this Word in particular to be true that it is Heaven and Holiness that are the most Necessary and most to be desired and sought after yet will they not be moved to Live according to this Profession nor to Love that Most which they confess to be the Best nor to seek that first which they confess to be most Needful They have the case here decided by the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ himself and as plainly and fully and peremptorily decided â—â— they could wish If they were Infidels and understood but the Law of Nature even Reason might tell them that there is no doubt of it but that Eternal Life is more to be sought after then transitory things And yet they live as if the case had never been decided by Christ or by reason or as if they had never heard of any Life but this Look into most Towns and see whether there be not more at Martha's work and worse then at Mary's Look into most families and see whether they be not 〈…〉 Martha troubling themselves with many things when the 〈…〉 part is almost cast aside Even in the Families of Lords Kâ—… and Gentlemen that are doubly obliged to God and prâ—… be wiser then the ignorant Vulgar the matters of their 〈…〉 are turned out of doors or thrust into a corner and the 〈◊〉 of their bodies do take up the day How many Martha's â—â— one Mary shall we find among both Rich and Poor Yea that is not the worst but they that are so blind and wicked as to choose the worser part themselves would have all about them do so too And as Martha grudged at Mary's practice and conplaineth to Christ against her so these repine at the choice of the Godly and think them but melancholy crack-brâ—ind people that make more ado for their salvation then they need And thâ—â— are not content to keep such ungodly thoughts in their breaâ—… to their Own damnation but they must be the Devils mouth to spit reproach in the face of Holiness and consequently in the face of Christ as if they bid defiance to the Lord and would make it their employment to jeere and scorn mens souls from Heaven If one in a family do with Mary choose the better part though without any neglect of their calling in the world the rest make a wonder of them and some deride them and some hate and vilifie and threaten them and few will imitate them and who more forward to distaste and despise them then the Masters of the Families that are bound to teach and lead them in that way so that a poor soul even in a Land and Age that countenanceth Holiness more then almost any other in the world can scarcely sit at the feet of Christ and Learn his word and seek his Kingdom and Righteousness first but they are gazed at and censured and derided as if they did some very foolish needless yea or wicked thing As if it were the only folly for a man to follow Jesus Christ and obey his God and save his soul and do that work with greatest diligence for which he is a man for which he hath his Life and Time and Mercies and which if he neglect he is lost for ever The Lord have Mercy upon the poor deluded world whence comes this general dampe and dottage upon the understandings and the hearts of men of Great men of Learned men of men that are accounted wise in the world It is Good and Evil that constituteth all that wonderful difference that is between the Reasonable creatures both here and hereafter The Good of Holiness and the evil of sin do make the difference between the Godly and the wicked the Good of Everlasting Happiness and the Evil of Everlasting Misery doth make the difference between the Glorified and the Damned Goodness in General is so naturally the object of mans will that Evil as Evil cannot be desired and Good as Good cannot be hated What then is the matter that few attain the greatest good and few will scape the
never studied them with that diligence and patience as those must do that will attain a certain satisfying knowledge Quer. 5. Moreover if you are so uncertain of a Life to come I would ask you Whether in all your search and study you have behaved your selves as Learners or rather as proud self-conceited men that think themselves wise enough before they learn to try and judge their Books and Teachers If this be your case no wonder if you be Infidels If you come with such a disposition to read a Book of Astronomy or Physick you will never learn If you go to any Schoolmaster or to learn any language or science and think your selves able before you have learnt them to try and judge your Teacher and all the Books you read and so will reject all that you do not understand or agreeth not with you former conceits you will sooner prove doting fools then Schollars and sooner be the derision of Rational men then come to the knowledge â—â—â—ch you pretend to seek Come to Christs School as little children in meekness and humility and a willingness to be taught and patiently continue in the use of means till Learning can be attained before you think your selves fit to censure the Truth of God which you are learning and then tell me whether God doth not resolve you Quer. 6. Moreover I would know of you that doubt so of the life to come Whether you have been true to so much Light as you received and have lived in obedience to the Truth which God revealed to you Or rather whether you have not wilfully and knowingly lived in some secret or open sin and striven against the Light and Spirit of Christ and abused the truth which you have known and used violence with your own conscieâ—â—â—â— If so which it s ten to one is your case it is no wonder 〈◊〉 are Infidels forsaken of God whom you first forsook and given up to Pride and Self-deceit Quer. 7. If Man have no Life to live but this and no further End of his Actions then a Beast nor any further account to give then he is indeed but one of the higher sort of Beasts differing but gradually from a Dog as a Dog doth from a Swine And if this be indeed thy judgement of thy self I demand Whether or no thou be content to be used as a Beast Wilt thou not take it ill to be called or judged a Beast by another Or wouldst thou have others judge better of thee then thy self Wouldst thou have no man regard thy Propriety or Life any more then a Beast is to be regarded A Beast hath no Propriety no not of that which Nature hath given him You accuse not your selves of doing him any wrong when you deprive the sheep of his fleece nor when you make a constant drudge of your Horse or Ox. And do you think it lawful before God for any one that can but master you to do the like by you to strip you naked and to make pack-horses of you and use you as their slaves We take it to be no sin to take away the lives of Beasts if it be but for our own commodity We kill Oxen and calves and sheep and swine and fowle and fishes for our daily food And is it lawful before God for others to do so by you Should nothing restrain them but want of Power to overcome you If you say that you are Beasts as Beasts you should be used Quer. 8. Moreover I would know of you Whether you think that there is any other world which spiritual inhabitants do possess If you say No you go against all Reason and experience Against Experience because that many a hundred Witches and many Apparitions and haunted houses have put the matter out of question for all that many reports of such things have been false And against all Reason because we see that this inferiour world is everywhere replenished with inhabitants The earth hath men and beasts the aire hath birds the water hath fishes And can a man of common Reason then think that the superiour Regions which we see and which we see not which for greatness and for spendor and excellency are a thousand fold above this earth should all be uninhabited and destitute and that there are not creatures also there for excellency and Number incomparbly beyond the inhabitants of this lesser lower world Certainly nothing is made in vain nor are the works of God so monstrously disproportioned and discomposed as for the Nobler parts to be only for the baser The Heavens that are over us and all the vast and most excellent parts of the Creation have a use that is answerable to their excellency God makes not cottages to be inhabited and Pallaces and Cities to lie wast and desert to no use But if you grant there is another world proportionaby thus replenished with creatures you may easily see from thence a Probability that man shall be translated thither Why not the soul of man as well as those spirits that in assumed shapes have made their appearances unto man As all things ripen to their perfection why should it seem any more improbable that the soul shall pass hence into the world of spirits then that the chicken shall come out of the shell and the infant out of the wombe into so wide and light a world as this when before they were shut up in a narrow darkness and never heard nor knew any thing of that world which they enter into Quer. 9. Do you know why it is that God hath given man that knowledge and free-will and capacity to seek another life which beasts have not if he be intended for no other life then beasts If God be no most Wise he is not God If he be then he maketh not so excellent faculties as these in vain but fitteth all his Creatures to their uses Every workman will do so by his work Why is a knife made keen but to cut with And what are the wheels of your watch or clock made for but to shew you the hour of the day Look now into the whole frame of the soul of man and judge by its aptitude what it is made for 1. Man is capable of Knowing that there is a God and knowing his Attributes which Beasts are not because they be not made to enjoy him 2. Man is capable of knowing his Relation to this God that he is our Creator and we his Creatures he our Lord and we his Own he our Ruler and we he Subjects he our Benefactor and we his Benificiaries And we are capable of Knowing our Duty in these several Relations And certainly all this is not in Vain 3. Man is capable of Knowing that the Everlasting Love of God is that alone that can make him Happy And why would God shew him this if he were not capable of enjoying it Reason tells men that nothing here can make us Happy and that 〈…〉 do it 4. Man is capable of
you Certainly the Law makers would make other Laws then now they do and men would lead other kind of lives And what security you would have of your goods or houses or lives a week from the malice or covetousness of others I cannot imagine You would not dare to travel by the way or look out among men You could not trust your servants nor your wives or husbands because there would be nothing but temporal punishment to restrain them which cunning might escape I do not think but you would rather have servants or neighbours or husband or wife that believe a Life to come then those that do not if you had tryed others but a little while and seen how little they were to be trusted and consequently how bad your opinion is Quer. 16. And I would know Whether you pretend to any honesty and Conscience or not If not you will give us leave to judge of you and trust you accordingly If you do then upon what ground is it possible for you to be honest If you believe no life to come you must take your pleasure here on earth for your chiefest happiness and you cannot believe any proper Government of the world by the Laws Rewards and punishment sufficient to restrain men from their sin Vertue can be no Vertue if God no more regard it and sin is no sin if against no Law Indeed while you live among Believers where vice is in disgrace you may for your credit seem to be vertuous But your Profession alloweth us to judge that you avoid no evil that you dare commit if it do but suit with your fleshly interest He that believeth no Life to come and tells me so doth bid me in effect to suppose him resolved for all the wickedness imaginable so far as he dare and hath temptations and opportunity Are you of this Brutish judgement I shall expect from you then no better then a brutish life and trust you less then I would do a brute because you have more interest and temptation to do evil and more cunning to perform it Are you Brutists in opinion Then you are already habitually perfidious cruel covetous malicious murderers whoremongers thieves lyars and worse if any thing be worse For honest you cannot for shame expect that any should esteem you I will not believe a word you say further then some interest of your own is concerned in the truth of it Qu. 17. If it be not the very Light and Law of Nature that teacheth and obligeth a man to believe a life to come how comes it to pass that all the world except a few Savages and Cannibals and here and there an Apostate among us do universally profess to believe it The Jews the Turks the Heathens of most Nations besides the Christians do all make it an Article of their Belief We differ indeed about the way and yet are all agreed that Godliness and Honesty fearing God and doing Righteousness are necessary but that there is another life we are in almost all the world agreed And will you go against the light of humane Nature it self Or with what face can you expect that here and there such a wretch as you should be though wiser then all the world till you give us better evidence of your wisdom And how justly do they perish that will follow you Quer. 18. Are not those that Believe the Life to come of Holyer lives for the generality then those that do not And whether is it like that God should reveal his mind to them or unto wicked wretches and is it liker that he should forsake all the holy persons of all ages and give them up to deceit in the greatest matters who most diligently study and pray for Knowledge rather then forsake those sensual wretches that wilfully forsake him Quer. 19. Is there not in thy own Conscience at least sometimes some fears yet left of a life to come I believe there is and when thou hast done thy worst thou wilt hardly perfectly overcome them Doth not conscience say O but what if there should be a Hell for the ungodly Where am I then Hearken then to thy Conscience Quer. 20. Dost thou believe that spirits in borrowed shapes have oft appeared unto men and in voioâ—s spoaken to them to draw them to sin or to perdition If thou do believe it thou maist easily believe that there is a Hell which they are so busie to perswade us to and a Heaven of which they would deprive us If thou believe not that there have been such Apparitions I am able to give thee undenyable testimonies Read what I have said in my Treatise against Infidelity of this Read Remigius Bodin Danâ—us Malleâ—s Maleficorum c. of Witches and Read a little Book called The Devil of Mascon where is abundant testimony of his Vocal conference for about a quarter of a year together in the house of a godly Minister in a populous City before Papists Protestants and all Many I could give you that were done here at home In these twenty Questions I have but endeavoured to prepare you to Believe by shewing you the very Light of Nature But it is a lively faith in the word of God that effectually prevaileth against Infidelity and therefore next let us come to that I will not so much lose my time as to cite particular Texts of Scripture for that which is the very work and drift of the Scripture But because thou canst have no shift in the world for thy Brutish unbelief but by denying the Scripture to be the Word of God I referr thee to that which I have written in the Books forementioned to prove it And at this time shall add to what is there said but these few Questions Qu. 1. If the Scripture be not the Word of God How could it tell us of the making of the world and such like things which none but God alone could tell I know you will say I know not whether it tell us true or not or whether the world were not as Aristotle thought from eternity But tell me this then to pass by the rest now How comes it to pass that in all the world there are no Books or Monuments known of any longer standing then the time that Scripture assigneth to the Creation It is not six thousand years since the Creatiou If the world had lasted thousands and millions of years before is it possible that all its Antiquities should be lost and not one to be seen nor mentioned by man in all the world For the sabulous tales of some in China without all proof are not worth the mentioning Certainly some Book would have been saved or some Cities or lasting piles or stony monuments preserved or some sign or tradition kept alive of some of all those many thousand years If you say that Writing or Printing were not then known you come to that which confounds you more How is it possible that in so many hundred thousand years the
which the Gospel worketh as well as small 3. That good which they had was wrought only by some â—eraps or parcels of the same holy Truth that is contained in the Scriptures And therefore even so much Truth among the Heathens as proficed them to any Reformation was the word of God and owned by him Quer. 6. Do you believe that Jesus Christ did rise again from the dead or not and that he and his Disciples did work those many uncontrolled Miracles or not If you do believe it then what need you further testimony to prove the doctrine to be of God or to prove that there is a Life to come Shall the Captain of our Salvation himself Rise from the dead and conquer death and ascend up into Heaven to shew us that there is a Life to come and yet will you not believe it Or would God lend to any man his Power to confirm a false doctrine to the world If so then 1. It would be God himself that should mislead us For it is he that worketh the Miracles or granteth special Power to the instrument to do it 2. Man should be unavoidably misled For if a man rise from the Dead and raise others and give to thousands the guifts of Languages healing and the like and all this have no greater contrary evidence from God of some contradiction or controllment I am unavoidably deceived and neither my greatest innocency or diligence or any other help from men could possibly relieve me And he that can believe that the Infinitely Powerful Wise and Good is either necessitated or disposed to deceive the world and Rule them by deceit and falshood and to lend his power to confirm a doctrine that he hateth and is against himself this man indeed believeth not that there is any God 3. Even the Brutists themselves and all the Infidels with whom we talk will confess that if they should see Christ Rise or see such Miracles they would believe and therefore they do confess that they are cogent Evidence to those that know of them Obj. Did not the sorcerrers in Egypt work Miracles Ans 1. Wonders they did but not Miracles 2. They were controlled and shamed and disowned by God by Moses his contradictory conqueting Miracles Obj. But some might have dyed between the Magicians wonders and Moses controlment and so have been unavoidably lost Answ 1. The time was neer and that not likely of those that knew of them 2. At the first wonder of the Magicians Aarons Rod swallowed up their Rods Exod. 7. 12. and therefore the conquest obliged them to suspend belief of the other 3. The Miracles of Moses were not to reveal a new doctrine of salvation that could not otherwise be known but partly to convince Pharaoh that the Lord was God and partly to cause him to let go the Israelites The peoples salvation lay not on the later and the former they had abundant means to know by the works and light of Nature it self And the Magicians wonders were not to reveal a New false doctrine any further then to contend againg Moses Miracles and if they had yet being against the doctrine of the whole Creation that revealeth the Creator no man could be excusable for believing them because God hath given so full a testimony before against them so that this objection is plainly but an impertinent cavil But I doubt not but you will say that you are not sure that Christ rose again and that ever such Miracles were done I Ask therefore Quer. 7. Whether it be possible that so many and so wise and godly men as their writings prove them should give up their lives and all that they had and could have hoped for in this world to perswade the world that they saw Christ Risen if it were false and to draw them to believe a falshood that tended to the worldly ruine of them all Quer. 8. And is it possible that if they had been so bad and mad that so many thousands would have believed them when their own frequent Miracles Language c. were the witness of their fidelity to which they openly appealed and this in the very age and place where all these things might easily be confuted if untrue If I should pretend to convince the world by Languages not learned and by other Miracles and guifts which I never had would countreys or any sober persons believe me or should I not be the common scorn Would the Churches of the world have been planted by pretended Miracles that never were would they all have given up estates and lives upon an evident lye It was easie for them all to see and hear whether these things were done or not And therefore he that seeth those Churches which were the proper effects of Miracles may know the Cause A real effect had a real cause Quer. 9. Was it possible that so many hundred or thousand persons dispersed about the world on a sudden could without coming neer each other agree both upon one and the same false doctrine throughout and on the same practices to deceive the world Quer. 10. Is it possible that among so many thousands that torments or death or common ingennity would not have forced some to have repented and opened the deceits of all the rest Quer. 11. Is it possible that so many Hereticks that did fall from them and set against the true Aposles would none of them have disclosed the deceit if really the Miracles had not been done Quer. 12. Is it possible that none of the Jews their bitter Enemies nor any of the Learned Romans of that age would have discovered the fraud and by writing confuted the matters of fact being publik and if false so easily confuted Where are the Books that ever any one of them wrote to disprove any of these Miracles If you say The Christians burnt them give us the least proof of it if you can When did any Jew complain of such a thing Nay how could the dispersed persecuted Christians destroy the writings of their reigning enemies The writings of Jews and Romans then written remain to this day and had fuller humane advantages of preservation then any that are against them No Jews or Romans complained or to do this day complain of such a thing nor tell us of any such writings of theirs that ever were in the world Quer. 13. Nay the Jews confessed the Miracles themselves and had no shift left for their unbelief but by Blaspheming the Holy Ghost and saying that they were done by the Power of the devil Quer. 14. All the dispersed Churches and Christians of the world have universally concurred in delivering us down these matters of fact and the Writings that contain them and this as a thing that they grounded all their hope of Salvation on and for which they contemned this present world And the Enemies that gainsaid their doctrine did not gainsay these matters of fact Could this be feigned Quer. 15. Have I not fully manifested in my
Book against Infidelity to which I must again dismiss you that there is a full and infallible Evidence that this Scripture was written by the Apostles and Evangelists and these Miracles done as there is that any of the Statutes of this Land are the currant Statutes of those Parliaments that are said to make them And your Lands and Lives are held by the credit of these Statutes A word or two to the objections of a Masked Infidel of this Countrey Clem. Writer Saith he Men be not commanded to believe these Statutes on pain of damnation Therefore the case is not like Answ But men are commanded to obey them upon pain of death and believing is prerequisite to obeying therefore the case is like Death is the utmost penalty that man can inflict or if there be greater it all runs on the same foundation And sure that evidence that proves men culpable for breaking mans Laws must prove him culpable for breaking Gods You have no other eyes to read the Laws of God then those by which you read mans Laws And doth it follow that God must not condemn you for breaking his Laws when men do but hang you for breaking theirs Sure Gods Laws and mans may be printed in the same Character and read with the same eyes and both have the same Natural means of delivery and yet the sin and punishment differ as the Authority doth Objection But saith he Can the Miracles confirm the Scripture when it is the Scripture that reports the Miracles Answ 1. Cannot a Statute tell you what Parliament made it and what matters of fact were the occasion and also what shal be your duty upon pain of death so that the Makers and facts shall give force unto the Law and yet the Law reveal the makers and facts Do not Church Constitutions do the same The Scripture hath two parts the History and the Doctrine May not the History confirm the doctrine and that doctrine oblige us to our duty 2. But you suppose that the Miracles and facts can only be known by a Divine belief of the History But that is false The common Evidence that all Statutes Histories and Actions in the world have to make them certain to posterity as Cicero's or Virgils Writings or Caesars Reign c. the same have the Books and Miracles of Scripture to us And by these we can know them de facto to be such before we believe them by a Divine faith And as the Scripture is a History that hath the same Evidence as the best of Histories have so it may concur with abundance of other Evidence which I have recited in my my Determination against Infidelity and in my Key for Catholicks to prove the Facts and then those Facts will fully prove the Truth of all the Doctrines which they attest and consequently we shall add to our humane Faith and Knowledge a Divine faith concerning the History it self Object 3. But saith Writer If God had means that the Scripture should be a Law to all he would not have writ it in a language which they understand not Answ Any thing will serve to make an Infidel when the mind is corrupted and deplorate Were they no Laws which the Romans wrote in Latin for the Government of all the Nations of the Roman World It was enough that the Rulers of the Previnces caused them to be so far understood by the People as was necessary to a righteous Government I mean those Laws that were added to the proper Laws of that people 2. Was there any one Language then that all the world understood And was it not enough that God appointed the Ministerial Office purposely to preserve and publish this Gospel to the world from generation to generation And is not Translating whether by Voice or Writing a part of that preaching or explication Did not the Ministers of Christ preach the same doctrine to the world then in the several languages of the Nations where they came And were not the Scriptures presently translated according to the use of the Churches Upon how silly a pretence then would your silly Imperial Majesty impose it on the God of Heaven to write his word in as many Languages as are in the world if he would be believed I 'le trouble you with no more such wretched Cavils These three are the main strength of three Pamphlets written against the Holy Scriptures and me by this Apostate Their sum is Man is man therefore we are not sure that Scripture is true or that God is God I mean Men cannot understand the minds of others but by signs All signs whether words or deeds have some ambiguity or lyableness to misunderstanding therefore nothing can be known concerning God or man by signs These are not his words but the true scope and life of all the Writings of him and all the Infidel Seekers If you chide me for troubling the Christian Reader here with so much against the Infidels and Brutists I answer 1. I did it because that sort increase and threaten the Land 2. Because the strengthening of the Belief of the best Christians is the removing the Cause of all their weakness and complaints 3. And Principally because when once the certain Truth of another Life is manifested he must be a Bedlam or worse that will not be Godly or that will open his mouth any more against a Holy Life What! is it possible for a sober man to Believe that he is so near an Everlasting Joy or Misery and yet to neglect it and oppose them that make it their chiefest care and labour to prepare for it The Brutist hath drowned his Reason and the careless Professor laid it to sleep the Malicious ungodly Professor of Christianity sights against it and only the serious Holy Christian doth use it for his Everlasting good CHAP. IV. Holiness is Best for all Societies REader if thou be but a man that hast the free use of thy reason I have already removed the greatest impediment out of thy way and said enough by confuting thy Infidelity to prove that godliness is the Better part Thou hast nothing left now to say against it but what fighteth against Reason in the open light and therefore I shall find an easier task with thy understanding in all that follows though with thy corrupted Will and Concupiscence the conflict yet may be as strong Well! if yet thou art not resolved that Diligent Serious Godliness is that Good part that all should choose and better then all thy worldly pleasures I shall now discover it to thee in these particulars 1. I shall shew you that Godliness is Best for all Societies 2. That it is Best for every Person And that 1. It is the safest way 2. It is the Honestest way 3. That it is the most gainful way 4. That it is the most Honourable way and 5. That it is the Pleasant and Delightful way Yea that there is no other true Safety Honesty Profit Honour or Delight
but while their power can enforce them They are subject to errour and injustice and are not the same in one Countrey as in another or in one age as in the former and their Rewards and punishments are but temporal and therefore though under the Laws of God they are necessary for the Government of Common-wealths yet without Gods Laws they would be utterly insufficient 6. The way of Holiness is contrary to all Evil whatsoever and therefore hath nothing to disturb a Common-wealth It is true we cannot say so of the persons because they are but imperfectly sanctified Were they in all things such as their Lord and Rule and Religion do require they would have nothing that might be injurious to any But surely as a sick man or a lame is better then a dead corps and as a man of mean understanding is better then an ideot and a mean Schollar better then the illiterate so a man imperfectly sanctified is better in a Common-wealth then the ungodly You blame not the Laws of this Land because that Thieves and Murderers break them The Laws are Good if they oblige men to nothing but what is Good though bad men break them The Rules of Christian Religion are most perfect and direct or command men nothing that is evil There may be faults in us but there is none in the holy Laws which we desire and endeavour to obey Religion therefore is the way to the perfecting and securing of all Societies and the want of it subverteth them 7. Holiness doth not only tell men of a right way and shew them their duty but also effectually Disposeth their very minds to the performance of it and causeth them to walk therein The nature of it is to be the very Right Disposition of the heart and right ordering of the life The truly gracious soul is habitually an enemy to all known sin and addicted to obey in all known Duties And surely persons thus habituated are liker to live according to their Dispositions then others to live well that hate the good in their hearts which they should practise Mens Laws can command good but cannot give men good hearts to practise it as God doth by his servants If you cannot tell whether wicked men that love sin or godly men that hate it are better members of a Common-wealth you know not what Societies are for 8. Holiness destroyeth the root of iniquity and teacheth men to hate even secret sins which are in the heart or which none can see but God alone The Laws of men restrain the Subjects but from open injuries but Holiness restraineth men from doing the most secret wrong to others or once thinking speaking or contriving any evil against them It reacheth the conscience it cleanseth the heart from whence all evil doth proceed 2 Sam. 12. 12. Deut. 27. 24. Psalm 90. 8. Eccles 12. 14. A man fearing God as such dare not deceive or wrong another though he were sure that it would never be known on earth For he knoweth that the Lord is the avenger of such things 1 Thes 4. 6. 9. Holiness cementeth the members of all Societies with the strongest cement of endeared Love It bindeth them together in the bond of Charity He is not Godly that Loveth not all men even his enemies with that common Love that is due to humanity and that Loveth not all that Fear the Lord with a special Love Psalm 15. 4. Joh. 13. 34 35. 15. 12 17. 1 Joh. 3. 14 23. 4. 7 11 12 20. Luke 6. 27. 10. Holiness maketh Princes and Rulers a double blessing to their people It maketh them the more Divine and bear the more excellent Image of God How precious is the name of a David an Hezekiah a Josiah a Constantine a Theodosius though they had all their falls in comparison of the name of a Saul a Jeroboam an Ahab a Nero a Julian O how sweet is the name of a Godly King in the Subjects mouthes Even those that are enemies to Godliness as in themselves because they cannot endure to be curbed and troubled with it do yet use to admire and honour it in their Kings and Governours Authority and Holiness conjunct are two such rayes of the Heavenly Majesty and Goodness as place man in the state of highest excellency on earth and make him so much to resemble his Creator as hath given such the highest place in the esteem and honour of the world of any mortals And it is not easie for a people to value such Holy and Pious Princes and Governours too highly or to be sufficiently thankful for them unto God 1. Holiness effectually teacheth Governours to Rule for God To set him highest and make it their work to seek his Glory and to avoid all selfish contradictory interests and to own nothing that stands at enmity with his honour but to judge that they have most happily attained the ends of their Government and lives if they have promoted the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ and the work of Holiness in the world 2. Holiness will cause Rulers to preferr Gods Laws before their own and to be examples to their Subjects of obedience to God and to desire that all men should stand in far greater awe of God then of them It will make them careful to form all their Laws and Government to the pleasing of God and promoting mens obedience to his Laws and to take heed that there be nothing in them injurious to Christ or contrary to his Will It will teach them with David to enquire of God and make him their Counsellour And with Josiah to search the Book of the Law and humble themselves when they have violated it And with Joshua Not to suffer it to depart out of their mouthes but to meditate in iâ— day and night that they may observe to do according to all that is written therein And then God hath promised to make their way prosperous and to give them good success Josh 1. 8. 3. Holiness will cause the Rulers of the world to Love those that are Holy and to promote the Communion of Saints and to be Nursing Fathers to the Church even that part of the Holy Catholick Church which they are entrusted with and to protect them from the violence of men It will keep them from the sins of Jeroboam that corrupted Gods worship and put forth his hand against the Prophet that spoke against it Whereby God will be engaged to be their Protector in Peace and War When Princes and people that fall out with Holiness and take part with the flesh and set themselves against the servants the worship and the wayes of Christ do put themselves from under his protection and put themselves under the battering and piercing stroakes of his displeasure And wo to him that striveth with his Maker and that kicks against the pricks of his severity Isa 45. 9. Acts 9. 5. 26. 14. The fatal ruine of the Kingdoms of the world or at least the
Believer knows that as his life and soul so his worldly riches are nowhere sure but in the hand of God And therefore if they can procure his security and get him to receive it and return it them in Heaven with the promised advantage they have then secured it indeed All is lost that God hath not in one way or other and all is secured that he hath and for which we have his promise This is laying it up in heaven Matth. 6. 21. While we keep it we cannot secure it from thieves When we have disposed of it according to the Will of God upon the warrant of his promise it is then in his Custody and then it is safe Neither rust or moath can then corrupt it nor the strongest thieves break through and steal To be Good and do Good is to be likest unto God and therefore must needs be the sweetest life 2. Works of Justice also have their pleasure For they demonstrate the Justice of God himself from whom they do proceed That which is most Pleasant to God should be most Pleasant unto us And as he hath bid us not forget to do good and to communicate because with such sacrifice he is well pleased Heb. 13. 16. so he hath told us that he delighteth in the exercise of loving-kindness judgement and righteousness in the earth Jer. 9. 24. He hath shewed us what is good and what doth he require of us but to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God Mich. 6. 8. And therefore he commandeth Israel Hos 12. 6. Turn thou to thy God Keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Private justice between man and man and family-justice between parents and children masters and servants and Political justice between the Magistrates and the people do all maintain the order of the world and procure both publike and private peace It is selfishness and injustice tyrannie oppression disobedience and rebellion that procure the miseries of the world But Righteousness is safe and sweet 2. You have heard of the Pleasure of Holy Actions both Internal and External The truth is evident also from the Objects of these Acts and the matter from which a believer may derive his Pleasures And O what an Ocean of delight is here before us Were our powers capacities and acts but answerable to the Objects we should presently have the Joyes of heaven 1. A Believer hath the ever blessed God himself to derive his comforts from He hath his Nature and Attributes to be his comfort He hath his near Relations to afford him comfort and this is more then to have all the world It is a God of Infinite Power and Wosdom and Goodness that we believe in that we Love and Worship and Obey It is also a Father Reconciled to us that hath taken us in Covenant to him as his people through Jesus Christ And where shall we find comfort if not in God It is in vain to look for that from any creature that is not to be found in him Poor worldlings you have nothing that is worth the having but the crumms that fall from the childrens table God is our Portion and the world is yours and yet you have less even in this world then we You have the shadow and we have the substance You have the shell and we the kernell You have the straw and chaff and true believers have the corn Your comforts are shaken with every storm and tost up and down by the Justice of God or the Pride of man But God that is our Portion is unchangeable Yesterday to day and the same for ever We have a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12. 28. Persecutors cannot take our God from us nor can any thing separate us from his Love Rom. 8. 36. They may separate us from our houses from our Countries from our friends from our riches our liberties our lives from our Books our company and Ordinances but not from God who is our great Delight In poverty in persecution in sickness and at death we have still our interest in God A Christian is never in so low a state but he hath a God to whom he may go for comfort who is more to him then your sweetest pleasures Is it not a pleasure to have such a God as can cure all diseases supply all wants overcome all enemies deliver in all dangers and hath promised that he will do it so far as is for our good If he want water that hath the Sea or he want land that hath all the earth or he want light that hath the Sun yet doth he not need to want delight that hath the Lord to be his God if â—e do but keep in the pathes of grace And are you yet unresolved whether Godliness be the most Pleasant Life Take all your pleasures and make your best of them may I but have the Lord to be my God and I hope I shall never desire to change with you 2. A Holy life is therefore Pleasant because we have a full sufficient Saviour from whom we may daily fetch delight The Eâ—ernal Son of God is become the Healer of our wounds our Peace-maker with the Father the Conquerour of our enemies the Ransom for our sins the Captain of our salvation the Head of his Church and the Treasure of all our Hopes and Joyes Sin and misery are the works of Satan which Christ came into the world to destroy If Hypocrites can steal a little Peace to their Consciences from a false conceit that they have a part in Christ what comfort may it be to the true Believer that hath a sure and real interest in him That is the sad and miserable life when you are out of Christ and strangers to his Covenant and cannot say his benefits are yours but you are yet in your sins without his righteousness But when we have a special interest in him the foundation of our everlasting joy is laid and the heart of sin and misery is broken What fear or sorrow can you name that I may not fetch a sufficient remedy against from Christ What can the Prince of darkness say to our discomfort which we may not answer by Arguments from Christ By this judge of the Comfort of a Holy life If the Godly over-look the Grounds of Joy that are laid in Christ and live in a mistaken sorrow that is not for want of Reasons and warrant to rejoyce but for want of a right discerning of those Reasons But what have you that are ungodly to answer against all the terrours of the Law or to answer against all the accusations of your consciences or to comfort you against the remembrance of your approaching misery While you have no part in Christ you have no right to comfort One thought of Christ to a believing soul may afford more Delight then ever you will find in a sinful life 3. Moreover we have the Holy spirit of Christ that is purposely given us to be