much it doth tend to the increase of Mens substance and stopping up those chinks and crannies at which other Mens Estates do run out On the other hand we shall find many sins both moral and natural causes of decays in mens Estates it is true all sin doth make men obnoxious to the curse but there are many sins which derive a curse upon Men which in a special manner like the rust devours their Riches particularly oppression and injustice the Prophet Jer. 17.11 elegantly shews how the designs of Men for setting up themselves thereby prove abortive as the Partridge sitteth upon eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth Riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his dayes and in the end shall be a fool Some Birds Men take care of to secure them against injuries and violence as those that are tame others there are whose uselesseness makes them neglected of all and so is their security others there are able to resist the violence of the Birds of prey the Partridge is none of these and so is most likely of all others to miscarry and prove a prey to violence so the unjust Oppressor may indeed gather Riches but he shall soon leave them himself is like the Grasse but his Glory is like the Flower of the Grass which oft falls off while the stalk stands and he shall out-live his Glory some Mens Glory flies away from the conception others from the womb others from the birth Hos 9.11 some mens designs fail while they are projecting and contriving them others while they are travelling with them or labouring to effect them they fade in their wayes others when they have just attained them and arrived at their end as the Rich Man but when he should solace himself in the enjoyment of them they shall be taken away like the Corn and the wine in the Harvest or vintage and in his end he shall be a fool that is according to the language of the Scripture wherein words of existence are put sometimes only for appearance and manifestation he shall appear to be a fool though formerly he seemed to be of the wise of the World that knew how to get most for himself in the scuffle of the World wherein almost every one scrambles to get as much as he can to himself to make his own heap biggest but increasing that which is not his own Hab. 2.6 but of right belongs to others he proves like the Dog in the fable that not content with what he had but catching at more lost all So Adultery through the curse of God is a devouring Fire that consumes and wasts a Mans substance So the Covetous unmerciful Man unfolds that riddle Prov. 11.24 he scatters by gathering whiles he retains his Riches when God requires them for the relief of the poor or by his extortion and oppression squeezeth out the sweat yea it may be the blood of the poor what is so either gotten or kept proves a canker to his Estate to devour it Yea there are many sins which are the natural causes of poverty and if God should leave men only to the genuine natural effects of their sin they would soon fade in their wayes as the Apostle saith Jam. 1.11 By means of a whorish Woman a Man is brought to a morsel of Bread her words are so ensnaring he is lost that is once entangled with them and it is a sad sign such a one is abandoned of God So the unmerciful Man and the Oppressor exposeth himself to the curses of the poor yea to their rage and violence if ever they have the opportunity of a popular tumult So how doth Pride like rust eat up Mens Silver and God Drowsiness cloaths a Man with rags so Gluttony and Drunkennesse feed upon Mens Estates till they have devoured them Envy and malice beget contentions and quarrels which cast Men into chargeable Law-suits If Men would in their Books of Accounts allow some pages for their Lusts and set down what they spend on them more than what Nature Reason Religion require and write so much laid out at such a time for Pride so much at another time for Pleasure and Voluptuousnesse so much for envy in a Law-suit to vex such a one so much for entertainments Buildings Gardens Festivals Pomp of Funerals I speak not against a decorum and moderation in such things answerable to a Mans rank and Estate but only against the superfluity and excesse in these things which Mens own Consciences will tell them ambition and vain glory put them upon let them set down so much lucrum cessans from idlenesse and negligence in their particular callings and they shall find such a retinue of Lusts which Religion would make them shake off and abandon as chargeable as a train of Servants though the old complaint should be true Quot servi tot Fures Notwithstanding all that I have said many have such a prejudice against Religion that they think if a Man begin seriously to addict himself thereto it soon spoils his thriving in the World As first it is observed by many that it takes up much of Mens time and many as soon as they begin to be so strict in matters of Religion neglect their particular callings To this I answer God is but little beholding to men that complain that his service takes up too much of their time there are none in the World amongst the devout orders that consecrate their time more entirely to God than thousands do to the Devil and to their own lusts yea how few are there that do not allow more time to Pride in adorning themselves to pleasure in vain sports and recreations to idle discourse to fruitlesse visits to superfluous sleep ease than God requires to be spent solely in his service he allows us time enough for our private affairs and particular callings God is not served only in prayer and reading and hearing his word but in the works of our ordinary callings Col. 3.13 What is there said of servants is true of others also in their several stations while they duely attend their lawful vocations It is true some Christians may not have prudence to share their time equally betwixt their general and particular callings but such are ordinarily observed to be young Converts as they are called that is such as have had but late acquaintance with the power and practice of Godlinesse and something is to be indulged to these who at first conversion many times find so much delight and sweetnesse in exercises of Religion that they know not how to leave them off We know under the Law he that had marryed a Wife was dispensed with the first year to stay at home and solace himself with her and not forced to go out to War Some again are ready to complain of the charge of Charity which Religion doth oblige a Man to To such I answer nature it self doth bind a Man to the same charity that Christianity
binds him to only Christianity directing us to right principles and ends in such actions makes them turn to our good account So that Christian Charity is the best Vsury God gives us bond for repayment Prov. 19.17 and he is a good pay-master If a Man would lay up somewhat against an evil day he cannot put it into better hands Eccles 11.2 If the worst come and the hand of violence should seize on his Estate yet he may say with him in Seneca I have that still which I have given away yea a Man of meer humanity and generosity cannot but have such a sympathy with others in their sufferings that in relieving them he relieves himself as Alexander when Darius sent a complement to him by his Ambassadors for his civility to his Wife Mother Daughters whom he had taken Captives returned him answer that it was in vain to complement with an Enemy and the favour he had shewed to them was not so much out of affection to him as to satisfie his own nature which could not insult over the misery of others For the charge of the service of God let shame for ever cloath them and confusion cover them as a Garment that complain of it Let an Heathen an Alexander condemn them who when Leonidas reproved him for spending so much incense in sacrifice to his Gods and told him he might do that when he had taken the Countries from whence it came having taken them sent him incense in abundance and sent him word that for the future he should not be sparing in his offerings to his Gods for he had found by experience that what was offered to them they paid with Vsury And further our expence now under the Gospel about the service of God is nothing to what it was formerly under the Law What I said before in respect of time I may say here in respect of Estate what Men spend upon Religious uses and works of charity is not comparable to what Men spend upon their Lusts And whoever call themselves Christians should disdain that any should be more free in the service of the Devil than they are in the service of Christ Neither is it Christian charity but blind zeal and superstition that makes men give away their Estates as is ordinary amongst the Papists to maintain others in ease and idlenesse under a pretence of devoting themselves to religious exercises and the imitation of I know not what pretended Saints Others are not ashamed to complain of that justice and equity that Religion doth oblige a man to observe in his commerce with others as hindering their thriving in the World but I have said enough already of the curse that follows injustice and oppression to shew how vain this objection is besides the punishment inflicted by Man for these sins which are the more odious to Men because they are against our neighbor immediately as many other sins are not so as men are more sensible of them and as much as they can avoid having any thing to do with such as are false and unjust in their dealings with others Some object further the sufferings which Religion exposeth a Man oftentimes to But to this I may answer as to the former Men ordinarily suffer more for sin The Devil hath had more Martyrs than Christ in most Ages of the World that is more have suffered for doing the Devils works and fulfilling his Lusts than for the service of Christ How many are there that suffer imprisonment banishment losse of goods yea of life for injustice oppression murther adultery sedition and other sins And I have oft thought it might be a great comfort to one imprisoned for the cause of Religion for Christs sake to think he might have suffered the same for his sin if he had been left to his Lusts as others or for his misery for Debt and Poverty whereas now he suffers the ordinary lot of Mankind in such a cause on such an occasion as it shall prove his greatest advantage God rewarding so bountifully whatever a Man undergoes for his sake both with present spiritual comforts and future everlasting Glory Lastly experience may be objected against all that I have said it being observed that the followers of Christ have the least share ordinarily in the things of the World But I answer to this it is not because Religion is any way prejudicial to Mens worldly Estates but because God in his free and wise Providence doth for the most part choose the poor of the World to be the Heirs of his Kingdom both that he may confound the wisdom of Men and stain the Pride of their glory choosing contrary to Mans ordinary judgment and choice and also because out of his bounty he is pleased to give many a portion in this Life to whom he intends none hereafter Further however God doth not many times give his Children superfluities he ordinarily provides for their necessities and many may make Davids observation that they have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread Yea I may add as Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous Man hath is better than great Treasures of many wicked because he is satisfied with what he hath The vanity of the Creature proceeds from the vanity of Mens minds when Men will make the Creature their chief happinesse they must needs find it vanity and vexation of spirit because it doth not answer their expactations from it they looking for more from it than ever God put in it But a Godly Man having something else for his chief good which is sufficient to fill his most enlarged desires and to answer the highest expectations that he can have from it he makes use of the Creature only for the end to which God hath appointed it to supply his bodily necessities to be a Viatioum in this his Pilgrimage towards Heaven which end it is sufficient to answer so that there is none can rejoyce and take pleasure in the Creature more than a Godly Man SECT V. The influence which Religion hath even upon our bodies how far it conduceth to our health Diseases of the body ordinarily proceed from the distempers of the Soul That Temperance Diligence in our callings and moderation of our passions which the Gospel requires and teaches is the best remedy against them THE next interest of Man which I shall speak of doth yet more nearly concern him and that is Health which is not only as one calls it the Paradise of all sensual pleasures wherein they grow and flourish but the Salt that seasons all our worldly comforts without which we can find very little sayour in them yea are not only incapable of enjoying all other things but of enjoying our selves yea the want of it makes us as unable to do good as to enjoy good but only as we may be examples of Faith and Patience to others Now though Religion chiefly concerns the Soul and seems to have little influence on Mens bodies yet I
will confidently affirm what may seem a Paradox to many that the precepts of Christ well observed would free as many from Diseases as his Miracles they would prevent as many diseases as his miracles cured How many are there whose bodies are filled with the sins of their souls which they have tired and worn out in the service of their insatiable Lusts which are like furious Riders that tire out their Beasts they ride on before they be tired themselves Though Men are not presently sensible of decayes in their health by riot drunkennesse and such like sins they lay in daily the seeds of those diseases which many groan under in their old age though others feel them sooner We ordinarily say that excesse kills more than the Sword By excesse we are not to understand only eating and drinking to surfeiting and drunkenness or till nature be so oppressed that it dischargeth it self of its burden but when Men make their appetite not their reason the measure of their allowance It would require the skil of a Physician to enumerate the Diseases which are the effects of Mens sins but every one may easily observe that the ordinary Rules which the best Physicians prescribe for the preservation of Health require nothing more than Temperance and exercise the former Religion strictly injoyns and though it do not require the later as such or under such a notion yet in effect it requires it of most commanding diligence in Mens callings and condemning idlenesse which is the source of so many diseases as daily experience will evince it being obvious to the observation of all that Health is the poor Mans priviledge and sicknesse most common among the Rich who live in idlenesse though they have many other advantages above the poor for the preservation of their health besides those two causes of sicknesse there is a third which religion doth remove or at least much correct and that is inordinate passions such as Anger Fear Sorrow Envy which have a very malignant influence upon the Body and there is scarce any thing which tends so much to the poizing and ballancing of the humors of the body which is so necessary for the preservation of the health as a well composed temper of mind and calmnesse and quietness in the Soul which Religion doth not only teach but which is more doth in a great measure effect and therein exceeds the morals of Phylosophers as we shall in due place more fully see SECT VI. Religion forbids us not any pleasures which are agreeable to nature reason or Mans own interest None can more freely enjoy pleasures than a Godly Man THere is yet another thing which many account their great interest and their great prejudice against Religion is that they conceive it inconsistent therewith and that is Pleasure Now if we take Pleasure in a large sence as it is taken in Scripture that inward Joy Comfort and satisfaction which accompanies an holy Life and those everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand which a holy Life leads to will fall afterwards under consideration And as for those bodily pleasures which in this place are chiefly intended Religion doth not at all forbid them nor deprive a Man of them and it is an unjust calumny of some that God hath put inclinations into mans nature to such things as he hath forbidden him and that this is the chief cause of so much sin in the World But these men know not what spirit they are of It was the suggestion of the Devil to Man in Paradise that God as if he envyed mans happinesse had laid a restraint on them to keep them from that which as the Devil would perswade them he knew might better their condition and advance them to an equality with himself as if it had been a small matter that he had allowed them such liberty to enjoy all the pleasures of Paradise and to eat of all the fruit of it save only that in the midst of the Garden But they received a just recompence for believing the Devil rather than God It is the same spirit which now perswades Men that God hath dealt hardly with us to interdict us the enjoyment of that wherein we might find such pleasure and satisfaction whereas he hath rather manifested his goodnesse to Man in that he hath put into him such inclinations as he may take pleasure in those things which are necessary for the propagation of the species or for the conservation of the individuals of Mankind and he doth not forbid our pleasure in these but only forbids Gluttony and Drunkennesse which is excess in the use of meats and drinks and Adultery which is the misplacing of these desires which he hath provided for the satisfaction of mankind without sin and we have no cause to complain of Gods bounding of us in these things but rather wonder that there should be any need of any Laws to forbid such irregularities therein as we should wonder that any should make Laws strictly to forbid Men to burn their own houses to cut their own flesh to drink poyson if we consider the mischiefs that ensue upon our exceeding the limits which God hath yet set us in these things in impairing our Health wasting our Estates staining our honour breeding discords in Families depriving us of reason and turning us into Bruits exposing us sometimes to Mans rage sometimes to the penalty of human Laws In short God hath not only provided for the supply of our necessities but for our delight and comfort Psal 104.15 2ly Religion allows a Man to enjoy and take comfort in these things which God hath given us Eccl. 2.24 25 26.5.18.9.7 8 9. Yea requires we should rejoyce in them Deut. 12.7.12.18 cap. 14.26 cap. 16.11 14. cap. 26.11 3ly There is none can take more pleasure in these things than a Christian Eccl. 2.25 Solomon might hasten as much as any to such pleasure not so much as he was a King and had all things in abundance but as he was a good Man and in the favour of God Eccl. 9.7 But this I have elsewhere touched Sect. 4. and sect 8. If any account it hard to be restrained from unnatural pleasures I may say as Joash of Baal Judges 6.31 Will you plead for these He that will plead for these let him presently be put to Death He that cannot content himself with moderate pleasures without excesse let him go and learn of Bruit-beasts that will not eat and drink to Gluttony and Drunkennesse He that cannot satisfie himself unless he may wholly prostitute himself to pleasure and spend his whole time therein as if he were put into the World as the Leviathan into the Sea to play therein Psal 104.26 Let them learn of a Heathen who would say He is not worthy the name of a Man thà t would spend a whole day in pleasure So that Religion restrains us no more in the use of Pleasures than nature reason or our own interest restrains us but rather teacheth us
their fault and neglect of good education are addicted to nothing but idleness and luxury and as Midwives form and fashion the head while the bones are tender so Parents should fashion their Childrens minds and form their manners while they are tender and plyant which if then neglected do very hardly afterwards yield to Discipline Ecclesiastical or Civil Thus far I have shewed how Godlinesse doth promote the good of a Nation in a way of natural causality There is yet another way whereby it doth conduce thereto and that is by a moral causality God delivering often the Island of the innocent which is delivered by the purenesse of his hands Job 22. 30. These are as the Trees in a Cawsey which having life and substance in them though sometimes they cast their leaves do keep it from going to ruine and mouldering away to which the Prophet is supposed to allude Isa 6.13 I know Ahab looked upon the good Prophet as the troubler of Israel who indeed was as the Chariot and Horsemen thereof for its security and defence And he justly retorted that crimination upon Ahab himself So in the primitive times if there were War Earthquakes plague inundations the poor Christians must to the Lions as if they were the cause of it When Aurelius upon experience found that they prevailed more by their prayers for the good of the Empire than others could by prayers and arms so that he desired the Senate to cease their persecution against them lest they should turn those spiritual weapons against the Empire the effects of which he had found in such an eminent instance and that they might pray for the good of the Empire As Darius defired that the Jews might offer sacrifice of sweet savors unto the God of Heaven and pray for the Life of the King and of his Sons Ezra 6.10 Upon the same ground Justinian as we may see Constit 6. ad Epiphanium took such care for the establishing of the true Religion and for the observation of those sacred Rules which were given by the Apostles as that which would conduce much to the happinesse of the Empire and especially for the setling of a pious Ministry by whose prayers he hoped for so great blessings upon himself and his Government And a wise and great Prince in our own memory doth not only acknowledge that natural influence which Religion hath upon the obedience of Subjects whereof I have alittle before spoken who himself doth best expresse his own sence of it It is no wonder saith he if Men not fearing God should not honour their King They will easily contemn such shaddows of God who reverence not that supream and adorable Majesty in comparison of whom all the Glory of Men and Angels is but obscurity but as knowing also how far it doth conduce morally to the happinesse of a Nation gives it in charge to his Son his Majesty now reigning in England to begin and end with God and alwayes to keep up solid Piety and those fundamental truths which mend both the hearts and lives of Men it being not only the Glory of Princes to advance Gods Glory but the means to make them prosperous and keep them from being miserable Whereupon his Majesty as remembring such pious words and counsels of His Royal Father did at his first restoration expresse his just displeasure against such as pretending a great zeal to his Cause and Service did not only discredit it by the licence of their lives and manners but hazard the driving away those approaching mercies which they should rather have acknowledged in their several stations with circumspection integrity and reformation in their lives It is ordinarily said Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi But it is true on the other hand also that Rulers are punished for the sins of the People 1 Sam. 12.25 God ordering it so in his wise and righteous Providence not only as they partake many times in each others sins but as they have a joynt interest so as one suffers in the sufferings of another I remember Machiavel who was never thought to be over-precise or to be troubled with a bogling conscience complains of it in his Common-wealth as that which he feared would be the ruine of Italy that wickednesse did so much abound and that there was such a decay of Religion amongst them and they were so far degenerated from the purity of the Primitive times that they had reason to expect the vengeance of God upon them Whereupon he shews how necessary it is for Princes to have a special care for the preservation of the purity of Religion which I am sure is an innocent policy and the wisest maxim which he layes down for besides that the Church hath alwayes been a burdensom stone which hath broken in pieces all that have burdened themselves with it Zach. 12.13 Whilst Righteousnesse doth exalt a Nation Prov. 14.34 Wickednesse like the talent of lead in the Ephah Zach. 5.8 sinks it down We know ten righteous persons would have saved a Sodom and God would do nothing against it whilst there was one in it And if God did not for the sake of such many times spare Nations and shew them some peculiar favour there had been no ground for that which he himself hath pronounced of them that they are such of whom the World is not worthy SECT XIV An enquiry into the causes why Religion is so much neglected The remoter causes the corruption of Mans nature the malice and power of the Devil the nearer cause the prevalenccy of sence against Faith and reason which is removed by shewing in how many in stances of our Lives we do by reason correct the errors of sense HE that shall read what I have hitherto written and observe the general practice of the World will perhaps wonder that if these things be so Men should no better understand their own interest but generally neglect this which is pretended to conduce so much to the making of the World happy what I have said though it may seem to some to have some shew of probability will hardly obtain belief but lye under some suspition like the honest projects of some well-wisher to the publick good which never obtained so much credit as to be reduced to tryal Wherefore I shall a little enquire after the causes of that ungodlinesse and prophanenesse that so generally reigns in the World And first we know the Scripture hath oft taught us that the nature of Man is so corrupted by that which is called Original Sin That the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are only evil and that continually his heart desperately wicked and deceitful above all things his understanding so darkened that he is alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him filled withall unrighteousness fleshly lusts warring against the Soul and prevailing in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death The Wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God so that man is
presently we observe that their thoughts are quite taken off from those things and like water which hath been warmed they return to their old temper again We see here Christ himself assigns the cause of it it is the Devil that doth this where it is supposed that he hath power to do it though we are not so easily able to understand how he doth it unlesse it be by propounding other objects to us We see here his design in it discovered which is to hinder their believing and consequently their Salvation which we find by sad experience to be the woful consequent of this his malice Now the most effectual remedy against this inconsideratenesse would be a serious apprehension of the great moment and concernment of these things It is the means which Moses prescribes to the Israelites Deut. 32.47 for setting their hearts to those things which he testified to them It is not a vain thing for you saith he it is your life and by those things you shall prolong your dayes It is a rule of Prudence which prevails throughout that we should look to the main chance and not neglect the important affairs of our life The Husbandman sorgets many petty businesses but he never forgets to Plow and sow He would be accounted a mad man that should go to the Market and buy trifles and toyes for his children and forget to buy them bread A Traytor will not forget to sue out his pardon or a Man that hath a suit for his whole Estate forget to produce his evidences and prepare his answer against the Term. This is our case we are condemned already in law John 3.18 that is in force against us we know not how soon we shall be setched to execution If a Man did but apprehend the danger he is in continually while he is a wicked man and in an unregenerate condition standing continually upon the pits brink and ready to fall in it would surely awake him out of his security and prevent his sleep till he should have some hope of his pardon or the thoughts of the infinite advantage that true Godliness brings with it would make him continually apply his heart to it The abundance of the Rich suffers him not to sleep by reason of his care and solicitude for the keeping of it and we have more cause a thousand times to be sollicitous in this case lest a promise and possibility being left us of entring into such a rest we should by any means fall short of it The ordinances of the Gospel the reading of the Word the Communion of the Saints are prescribed by God as a further remedy of this evil Heb. 3.13 Daily mutual exhortation is commended as a means to prevent the hardening of our hearts through the deceitfulness of sin which the more it is indulged the more it insinuates and prevails upon us Mens knowledge makes not the Word of God less useful to them therefore it is a vain ignorant thing for Men to neglect it upon pretence of knowing as much as their Teachers though the Saints to whom Peter writes were instructed and established in the truth yet he thinks it necessary to write those things to them 2 Pet. 1.12 to put them in remembrance and thereby to stir up their pure minds Cap. 3.1 The words of the wise being not only as nails to fasten that Christians may be established but as goads to excite that so they may not grow negligent Eccl. 12.11 and the work of Ministers lies more in awakening the conscience and quickening the affections than informing the Judgement and there are few men that live where the sound of the Gospel comes but know that which duely improved would make a considerable change in their lives and I think it might be of singular use in a Christian life for those that have near Relations if such as are prudent and faithful or those that have friends which are to them as their own Souls if they live together and have opportunity to know well each others conversation seriously to oblige themselves to each other if they observe any thing in each others lives or carriages which is unbecoming their profession to take the first opportunity with all Christian meekness and privacy to tell them of it how they spake such a thing unadvisedly did this thing unseemly exceeded in the other thing I know it is a duty of zeal and charity which all Christians owe to each other but those have the best opportunity for it who have daily intimate conversation with others and advantage for observing the whole procedure of their lives And this which I have now been speaking of doth likewise make that gracious Christian communication which the Gospel requires more necessary And for this cause God did not only require it of the Jews but further enjoyns them the use of their Phylacteries and the writing the most important Periods of the Law upon their Gates and Posts that so the things which did so nearly concern them might be continually sounding in their ears and represented before their eyes I might assign further some other causes and cures of mens Atheism and wickednesse as the corruption of mans nature doth strongly incline a man to evil so Regeneration is that which doth change their natures and dispose them to holiness but there are many acts of morality which conduce to Mens present advantage both in a personal and a relative capacity to which regeneration is not absolutely necessary and I have already spoken something of it Sect. 7. therefore I shall say no more of it in this place Concerning the praevalency of evil habits and customs and the prejudice that doth thereby arise against holiness as also concerning the advantage that one who is a Christian indeed and hath experience of spiritual comforts and the sweetnesse of the duties of Religion hath above one that is only outwardly a Christian and doth duties only as a task I have elsewhere spoken somewhat also and so supersede from any further consideration of them I confess I think the putting off and procrastinating of repentance detains many in the snares of Satan but the former part of my discourse doth wholly militate against this folly of men and deprive them of all such pretence in that besides the imprudence and extream madnesse of putting off that which we know not whether we shall ever have opportunity for and leaving a matter of such importance as our eternal Salvation at uncertainties the advantages which Men have by observing the precepts of the Gospel even in this life do require our most speedy applying our selves to the observance of them and argue the deferring of our repentance of the greatest folly and all that have been brought thereto especially in their old age have been ready with Austin to complain that they have known God too late repented that they did no sooner exchange the pleasures of sin for the joy and peace which is in believing SECT XVI Objections from
to consist quietly together which heat doth sever and seperate So that I am almost ready to say with Luther that I know not how to believe that the Gospel hath been preached in a place where I do not see errors and divisions And it is further observable as an argument of the general concurrence of all Christians in the belief of the necessity and excellency of an holy life that setting aside some few who being themselves Slaves to vile affections have laid down some loose principles to patronize their own corrupt practises and draw after them such as are laden with the like sinful lusts men of all opinions and perswasions have earnestly pressed men to the greatest strictnesse and accuratenesse in their conversations and have served themselves at least of a shew of holinesse as the most effectual means to induce men to a belief of their Doctrine But to come nearer to the matter let us leave men to suspend their belief a while of those things which they see controverted and where they find probable arguments alledged on the one side and on the other yet their objection holds not against such things wherein all are agreed as are most of the precepts of the Gospel That rule which was formerly mentioned given by our Saviour Mat. 7.12 is not only allowed by all Christians but by the very Heathens Alexander Severus did so much esteem it that he would have it written upon the Walls of his Palace So many other important truths which are a sufficient Foundation of the most strict and holy conversation are agreed on amongst all as Gods omnisciency overseeing all our actions a future judgement wherein all must be sentenced according to their actions insomuch that even Robbers and such as conspire in wickednesse and seem to bid defiance to Heaven are self condemned and witnesse for God against themselves in obliging themselves to secresie and faithfulnesse to each other by solemn oaths wherein they swear by the name of that God whose commands they live in the open breach of and so acknowledge him as a witnesse and spectator of their actions and one who will severely punish the contempt of his authority in the breach of such oaths Many cannot agree indeed about methodizing their notions and disposing them into such a systeme as that every part may agree and that there may be an harmony in the whole Some cannot agree about the order and nature of Gods decrees yet all believe that no decree doth excuse a Mans sin or that any can pretend any benefit by their election that have not some evidence of it in their sanctification Men differ in their notions about the cause of sin yet on both sides they hold that as the kind of fruit is not according to the root or stock but according to the Graft or Cyon out of which it immediately grows so the specification of actions depends not upon any remote causes which may have an influence into them but upon the will of him that is the immediate cause of them and that there is nothing in the decrees of God or the temptations of Satan which will excuse the sinner or quit him from guilt Men are at variance about the extent of the efficacy of Christs death but agree that none shall have any saving benefit by it but those that believe Men differ about the Power of nature and liberty of the will but on both hands own so much power as will leave men inexcusable and may be a ground of our endeavors and so much necessity of Grace and Divine assistance as may bring us upon our knees and force us to our Prayers Some difference there is about Perseverance but a consent in this that he that doth not persevere in holiness shall never be saved Some difference there is about the hand that works have in our justification but all agree that they are necessary in those that are justified Men vary in their opinions about the obligation of the Law the nature of the Covenant of Grace Christian liberty c. but in this they consent that the things required in the Law are necessary to be done though not perfectly yet sincerely as we can that the Covenant of Grace is not so far absolute that men may be saved without faith and holiness that Christians are not to abuse their liberty as an occasion to licenciousness Now happy is he that condemns not himself in the things which he alloweth In short let us pray as if all depended wholly on Gods grace without our endeavors Do good works as if we were to be justified by them Trust to Gods Grace and mercy in Christ as if we had done no works at all Live as if there were no Gospel Hope as if there were no Law I speak not in respect of the lowness and servileness of our principles but in respect of the diligence of our endeavours Let us walk watchfully and cautiously as if we feared falling away yet love God and hope in him as if we were certain to persevere In short if I may take liberty to mention such names let us pray like Calvinists endeavour like Arminians act like Legalists hope like Antinomians be Papists in our works Protestants in our Faith Let me again add to prevent mistake and offence I speak not of the principles of Mens actions but the matter and substance of them nor of what they do in Hypothesi which come under such distinguishing names but of what such Mens principles do really or at least are supposed by others to lead them to Finally whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same things FINIS ERRATA PAge 6. line 8. read Isa 6. l. 11. Phil. 3.19 p. 34. l. 25. for God read Gold p. 37. l. 6. r. Col. 3.23 p. 51. l. 15. blot out Mankind l. 28. blot out yet p. 53 l. 15. for them r. him p. 58. l. 10. r. out of joyn◠p. 129. l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 145. l. 9. r. Zech. 12.3 There are some small faults in the pointing but such as will not much trouble any Reader