End that must inform an Honest mind and life can have no Honesty of mind or life Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. But perhaps you will say that there hath been Honesty found among Heathens and therefore this doctrine cannot hold To which I answer 1. If this were true yet it is proved that there is no comparison between their Honesty and the true Christians 2. But indeed there was never true Honesty found in any ungodly man But something that is like to Honesty they may have Materially they may do the same outward acts that Honest men do and this the world accounteth Honesty that seeth not the inside and the Ends and therefore give the name to the Matter without the Form And such may be Honest secundum quid but not simplicitur An Analogical Honesty they may have â— and be less dishonest then some others And so as Robbin Whood was called an Honest thief that would rob none but the rich and sometimes bring a yoake of Oxen that he had stoln and give them to a poor that had none so may a Heathen and ungodly man be Honest But men must be Denominated and so must their actions according to what is predominant in them And therefore we must say if we will speak properly that no ungodly man is Honest If you ask How then it comes to pass that such are accounted Honest men and tâ—…neth not the Honeâ—ty â—…th in a Holy 〈…〉 Because that â—â—â— the 〈…〉 have an Enmity to Holiness And malice blindeth men that they cannot see the Good that is in those they hare 2. Because they do not know what Godliness is and therefore know not the Honesty of it appearing in its Principles Ends and Rule For it is not effectually known by any but those that have it 3. Because all carnal men do judge after the flesh and as they are to themselves their highest End so they do judge of all things else according to that End He is an Honest man with them that is for them and furthereth their commodity or answereth their desire Mark them whether they judge not those to be the Honestest men that suit themselves most to their minds and wills and say and do as they would have them And so among Thieves there is none so honest men as their companions nor among drunkards none so honest as they that will sit with them and waste their time and prate like ideots over a pot of Ale forgetting that death and judgement are posting toward them while they sit there And among Harlots their Mates seem Honest. So that dishonest men are no fit Judges of Honesty That which is suted to their corrupted mind is best with them And this is their Honesty By this time you may see if you are not willfully blind that the way of Godliness is the only Honest way and therefore you must either be Godly or Dishonest and pretend not any longer that you are Honest while you are ungodly unless you will increase your shame by your contradictions The Scripture description of one that is Honest is that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God he hath his conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. The Honesty which the Gospel teacheth and which God will own is this that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we live soberly righteousâ—â— and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 12 13. A Godly Seed is opposed to the fruit of Adultery Mal. 2. 15. And when David lamenteth the decay of Honesty in the world his language tells you whom he took for Honest men Psal 12. 1. Help Lord for the Godly â—â—â— ceaseth for the faithful faile from among the Children of 〈…〉 and vers 8. you may perceive what he thinks of 〈…〉 The wicked walk on every fiâ—â—â— when the 〈◊〉 mâ—n 〈…〉 To serve God with reverence and godly fears â—◠〈…〉 Honesty Heb. 12. 28. And now choose you whether you will be Honest or ungodly but be sure that it is the Godly that are esteemed Honest and accepted by the Lord and how ever the world judgeth Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself as he tells you Psal 4. 3. CHAP. VIII Holiness is the most Gainfull way VVEE have certainly found out already the SAFEST Way and the HONESEST way We are next to enquire which way is most Profitable And one would think that this should be as easily resolved as the rest I am sure if God be wiser then man and his holy word to be believed the question is decided and beyond dispute Saith Paul 1 Tim. 6. 5 6. Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth suppose that Gain is godliness or that it is better then Godliness and therefore their Godliness to be suited to their worldly gain But it is Godliness with contentment which is the great Gain Yea Godliness is profitable to all things having Promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. But to what end should I cite more words of Scripture for a point which all the Scripture proveth It is not possible that any man can be unresolved in this that understandeth and believeth the word of God But yet because I see that Commodity is so much lookt after in the world and almost all are for the Gainful way as they apprehend it and therefore its plain that Godliness is not Practically believed to be the most gainful way or else men would follow it as eagerly as they do their worldly gain I shall therefore open to you somewhat of that Gain that Godliness doth bring and if you can say that any other course will prove as gainful and make it good then take that course But if you cannot consider what you have to do and do not refuse your own Commodity 1. The first part of our Gain which is the sum of all the rest 〈◊〉 himself who is become our God through Jesus Christ He is in Covenant with all the Saints Psalm 50. 5. and this is the Covenant I will be your God and you shall be my People Jer. 7. 23. Ezek. 36. 28. Jer. 11. 4. 30. 22. Lev. 26. 45. 12. Ezek. 11. 20. 37. 23 27. 2 Cor. 6. 16. He is a God to others as a King is a King to Traytors whom he will condemn But he is a God to his People as a King is related to his faithful subjects and a Father to his dearest child When he calleth himself Our Father he speaketh so much of his childrens Happiness as is their admiration as well as their joy But when he calleth himself Our God he speaks as much as much as can be spoken To be our God is to be the Infinite
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
hearts they set most by the pleasures of this world Why else is their Heart most towards them Why else do they choose them and refuse to Live a Holy life Why have they no delight in God and why have we so much ado with them to bring them to a heavenly mind and life and all in vain What! will not men be perswaded to choose that which they know is best for them Object Temptations are strong and men are weak and so men go against their knowledge Answ 1. What do Temptations prevail with you to do Is it not to think well of sinful pleasures and to think more hardly of the wayes of God Is it not to like a worldly fleshly life better then a Holy life If not how can you follow those temptations And if it be so then they draw you for that time to think that fleshly pleasures are the better part 2. But if indeed it be as you say you are the most unexcuseable miscreants in the world What! do you know that God is best for you and yet will you fly from him Do you know that heaven is the only happiness and yet will you seek this world before it Do you know what is Best for you and will not hâ—â—â— it and what is worst and yet will keep it Will you go to 〈…〉 and know whither you are going And will you run from â—…ven and damn your selves and know that you do so Yea 〈◊〉 that while we day by day entreate you to the contrary If this be the case of any one of you the God of Justice shall teach you to know what you are doing by his everlasting vengeance Heaven and earth shall be witness against you your own Consciences and such Confessions of your own shall bear witness against you that you justly perish and are damned because you would be damned and are shut out of Heaven because you would not be perswaded to come thither Object But we hope we may have Both Pleasure here and Heaven hereafter and that we may be saved by the mercy of God and the blood of Christ without the sanctification of the spirit and though we do not live a Holy life Answ And who gave you these hopes Is it God on whom you pretend to trust or the Devil that doth deceive you Certainly not God For he hath told you over and over that he will save none but the sanctified Acts 26. 18. and that except a man be born again even of the Spirit as well as of water he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. 3 5. and that without holiness none shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And is it God that perswadeth you that his Word is false Doubtless it is the Devil When God had told Adam and Eve That in the day that they did eat the forbidden fruit they should die the death was it not the Serpent that gave them hopes of living and told them that they should not die If you be at that pass that you will take on you to trust in God and yet will not believe him but your trust is but trusting that God is a lyar you are as sottish in your presumption as Heathens are in their Infidelity For who is worse he that believeth that there is no God as Atheists do or he that believeth that God is a Lyar which is to be no God and worse If therefore you do believe indeed that Heaven is Best you must needs believe that Holiness is Necessary yea and Best too when Heaven consisteth so much in perfected holiness And therefore you must choose and seek with greatest diligence that Happiness which you confess is Best or never hope that it will be yours O did you at the heart believe it to be Best and that for you you would love it and seek it and be a holy people without delay You cannot so turn away from that which you heartily judge to to be Best for you indeed But the most that I have to deal with are they that cannot be perswaded at the heart but that feasting and drinking and lust and wealth and worldly honour are Better for them then a Holy life with such promises of Heaven as God hath left us For all or most ungodly men have this perswasion next their hearts whether they observe it and know of it or not Now with such deluded unbelieving souls I am next to plead this weighty cause If thou that Readest this be one of them that takest a worldly felicity with Gods threatnings to be Better and rather to be chosen then Holiness with his Promise of future happiness I will now debate the case with thee and undertake by the light of Christ to open the horrible folly of thy mistake And if I do not give thee such sound and weighty undenyable evidence that no man of Reason should resist to prove the choice of Holy persons to be the wisest and their part the best I will give thee leave to call me a Lyar and a deceiver for ever CHAP. II. What in Reason he must do that would be certainly resolved which is the best part and way And who shall be Judge BUt before we come to the debate I have two Questions to pâ—â— to thee that in Reason must be first resolved The first is Whether thou art willing to know the Truth and resolved to choose the best part when thou knowest it It is in vain for me or any man to Reason with thee if thou wouldst not kâ—â—â— and to shew thee the Truth if thou hate it and wilt not acknowledge it when thou seest it and to bring thee in the clearest light if thou be before hand resolved to shut thy eyes And if thou wilt not choose that which thy conscience shall be convinced thou shouldst choose as being absolutely best to what purpose then should it be revealed to thee Wouldst thou be a happy man or noâ— Wouldst thou have Joy or Sorrow Good or Evil stop here and before thou goest any further make me this Promisâ—… before the Lord That thou wilt not wilfully resist the lighâ—… that thou wilt choose and presently and resolvedly choose that 〈…〉 that thy conscience shall tell thee upon certain evidence is the 〈…〉 Promise but this which no man of Reason 〈…〉 and then we may make something of our debate My second Question is Who it is that shall be Judge between us in this debate or whose witness it is that you will take for currant I am willing to stand to the Judgement of any that understand the case and are impartial I hope you will consent that we shall take the most competent witnesses and Judge And if so 1. You know that the Devil is no competent Judge It is he that perswadeth you that present delights are the better part and rather to be chosen then a Holy life But he is Gods enemy and therefore no wonder if he speak against him He is your deadly enemy
Christ told us that the Devil is thus like a strong man armed that while he keepeth his Palace his goods are in Peace but when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth the spoils Luke 11. 21 22. The hearts and the Nations that are not conquered by Christ are the Devils Garrisons and possessions Do you think that it is best that he possess them still in Peace Or that the Preachers of Christ that plant his Ordinance against them and batter them till they are forced to yield are therefore busie troublesom fellows What is it for but for your deliverance that are Satans captives at his will 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. 3. And might you not on this ground also account Christ himself the troubler of the world as much and a thousand times more then us For be doth more to disturb men in their sins then any of we and be doth more for Holiness then all the world besides And in this sense he confesseth and fore-tells us that he came not to send Peace but division into the world into Towns and Countries and Families Luke 12. 51 52 53. If we can have no Peace with you unless we will disobey our Lord and serve the Devil and the flesh and damn our own souls and suffer you to do the like then keep your Peace among your selves we will none of that Peace we have no mind to buy your friendship and good words at such a rate If your peace will stand with our peace with God and peace of Conscience we will gladly accept of it If it will not we can be without it Your souls are like sores that may not be searched or a broken bone that must not be set for fear of hurting you You are like men that must have that which would kill them or like children that will cry if they be but taken out of their dung or kept from fire or from knives If we do but cross you in the way to Hell we trouble you and we break the peace Yea and if we will not cast away our souls everlastingly for company And is this the case Is this the breaking of your Peace The Lord will shortly be a Righteous Judge between you and us and tell you who it was that was the Troubler of the Towns and Countries and of the world You find Ahab and Elijah at this contest Ahab takes him for the Troubler of Israel when a heavy famine was among them Elijah saith No but it was Ahab and his Fathers house that had troubled Israelâ— by their wickedness 1 Kings 18. 17 18. And which think you was in the right the Prophet or the King Why Sirs What is it that Godliness doth that it should be taken for the Troubler of the world when ungodliness is taken for your peace Is it our perswading or hindring you from sin that troubleth you And will not the everlasting fruit of it trouble you more Then even say that washing you or sweeping your houses or curing your sores or sickness or perswading you not to kill your selves is a troubling of you Or is it as the Lord hath told us it will be Matth. 5. 10 11. John 15. 18 19. 1 Pet. 4. 4 5. because we are not such as you and will not do as you do and be of your opinion and forsake our Lord to keep you company Is it not with good reason When we know you cannot save us harmless and will not answer for us before the Lord We know that every man must answer for himself and therefore we durst not trust you if you would promise us to bring us off It is best for you to study better how to answer for your selves But if you are resolved on it that ungodly you will be and that you will venture on Hell to scape a holy life why should not you give us leave to pitty you and to forbear your folly and to save our selves Will it do you any harm that others should be saved Or that others should be Godly Your own sanctification indeed cannot stand with your lusts and fleshly pleasures but another mans may It will take none of your vain-glory or wealth or sensual delights from you that another man is sanctified or devoted unto God And therefore be not angry with us if we obey the Holy Ghost that calleth to us Acts 2. 40. Save your selves from this untoward generation Object O but saith the ungodly crew it was never a good world since there was so much Religion and preaching and preciseness and so much ado about serving God! It was a better world when we had but a short Service read on Sundaies and played and merrily talkt together the rest of the day There was more Love and good neighbourhood then amongst men then there is now There was not then so much deceit and consening and oppressing and covetousness in the world There was more peace and plenty and a better world it was then now Matters of peace and plenty change often in the same age And certainly you have as little hinderance now from being as good as you have a mind to be as ever your fore-fathers had Two things I have to say to your Objection 1. If this be true that the world is so bad which part is it of the world that you mean Is it all or some Not all sure that were too horrible censoriousness to say Then God would presently destroy the world Sodome had one Lot and his family in it Well it is but some then that are so bad And which part is it Is it the Godly or the Ungodly If Godliness be naught then Heaven is naught where there is nothing else And then take it not ill to be shut out If it be the Ungodly that are naught that 's it that I am saying It is time then to leave it and to turn to God Is it not you your selves that make the complaint that are the men that make the world so bad Is is not you that are so Covetous and worldly that you have nothing for the poor and no time to spare for the work that you were made for nor scarce any room to think or speak of the life to come Is it not you that have so little Charity that you even hate men for Loving and serving God and seeking diligently to save their souls It s true that there was never greater wickedness in the world then since there hath been so much Preaching But What is that wickedness and in whom It is the despising and disobeying the calls of God and the hating and neglecting of a holy life Those that are saved by the Gospel may say that it was a happy messageunto them but those that slight it and willfully sin in the openest light may well say that it is a bad world with them and worse it is and will be for ever if they be not converted
you speak falsly because you make the most barbarous Heathens to be most happy and the worst of men to be the best If it be best where there is least Religion and least Teaching or meddling with holy things then are the naked Indians the best and the Cannibals that live on the flesh of men These be they that are least troubled with Preaching and Religion And if you think that these miserable souls are best and happyest I pray you go to them and be happy with them And by my consent the Magistrate shall promote your happiness and send you thither 17. And would you have us believe you when you contradict your selves Out of your own mouthes will we silence or condemn you It is Christ that teacheth us to be Holy And do you not pretend your selves to believe in Christ That which you dislike as a troublesom or needless thing is nothing but serious Christianity it self And do you not say your selves that you are Christians Do not you profess the Articles of the Christian Belief And what do we but practice that which you profess We do but obey that God whom you say you believe in as the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and all things We do but love the Lord our Saviour whom you say you believe in as your Saviour We do but obey the Holy-Ghost that sanctifieth all that God will save whom you also profess to believe in your selves We practise that Communion of Saints which you deride and yet profess that you believe We seek after the remission of sin and that life everlasting which you take on you to believe your selves And will you profess to Believe these things and yet say they are naught or that it was never a good world since they were regarded and practised And do you not profess to take the ten Commandments for the Law of God which all men should obey And what do we but endeavour to obey them All that which you hate as too much preciseness is nothing but the obeying of these ten Commandments And O that we could do it better And do you not use in the saying of the Lords Prayer to pray that the Name of God may be Hallowed and his Kingdom come and his Will be done yea even as it is done in Heaven And yet 〈◊〉 you say with the same mouth that it was never a good world since Gods name was Hallowed and since his Kingdom was â—â—vanced and his Laws so much regarded and his Will obeyed O hypocrites Is this your praying and do you look such prayers should be accepted which you hate and speak against your selves You pray that you may not be led into Temptation but delivered from evil and yet you run into temptation and take that Evil to be Good How oft have I heard men when the Commandments have been repeated which require us to take the Lord only for our God and not to take his Name in vain and to Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day to joyn to it as their prayer Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law and when they come home revile those people that are willing to keep it and that will not take Gods Name in vain and forbear the keeping holy of his day as they do themselves Either give over professing the Christian Belief and using the Lords Prayer and praying that you may keep the Commandments of God or else give over reviling those that do it Either say plainly that you are Heathens and no Christians or else never say that a Christian Life is hurtful to the world nor make it the matter of your reproach 18. And I must needs say that I am the more assured that your words against Religion are false because I know that they please the Devil who is the Father of lyes and are just such as he would have you speak and would speak himself if he had but liberty and his appearance would not marr hâ—â— cause When thou art railing at Godliness and saying that this Religion is the trouble of the world and that the servants of Christ are but a company of busie hypocrites just so would the Devil have thee speak I can prove it fully from the Scriptures and from his Nature and designs You could not speak more agreeably to his mind If he had hired you and written down every word which he would have you speak you could not more punctually obey him Do you plead against Holiness and for a careless and ungodly life Do you despise the righteous and justifie the wicked Just so would the Devil have you do If he stood by you and prompted you as indeed he doth though you do not know it those are the very words that he would have you say Indeed when he is compelled the Devil himself speaketh better then you as in Acts 16. 17. he saith These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation These are better words then yours But when he is left to himself and speaketh of his own he speaketh just as you do and shall we believe you when the Devil sets you on and you speak the words of the lying spirit 19. And I the less believe you when you say that the world is the worse for Preaching and Religiousness because I know from whence this comes You take that to be the best that is the worst and that to be the worst that is indeed the best You judge after the flesh and take those for the best times when you have most prosperity and may sin with least contradiction and molestation and be least troubled in your sensual course These are your good daies which wise men know to be your slavery and misery It is never a good world with you when your consciences are troubled and your sores are lanced and Satan cannot keep his garrison in peace and when you cannot be permitted to drink and swear and game and revell without controll And if this be your good world I had rather have a prison or a pair of stocks with Christ and the Gospel which you despise and with the means and hopes of the world to come then to have your good world which is but thee quietest passage to damnation You are not yet to be believed stay till you see the end and what comes of it and then tell us which was the good world 20. Lastly if all this will not serve I will silence you and shame you if you have any shame left If Religion and so much serving of God do make the world worse and those be the worst times where there is most of these then Heaven would be worse then Earth or Hell even the worst place in all the world For no place hath so much Holiness as Heaven Nowhere is there so much ado about the Praise and Service of God as there is in Heaven There they do nothing else but that which