which are those paths the Wisdom of God sees necessary to perfect and spiritualize our Natures and which the Goodness of God has prescribed to lead us to himself and to the Regions of eternal Life Whatsoever God in his holy Gospel calls us to profess or practise that is the way to the World above And if we hope to arrive safe there and attain the Glory and Blessedness thereof whatever hardships occur or accidents befal us therein we must never go out of the way When upon any consideration we turn out thence all our steps are wrong and will never be right till we return into it again The way to make the most of this World and secure to our selves the greatest ease advantage and injoyment in our passage are the Rules of humane Prudence and worldly Wisdom And as we are call'd upon to hold on constantly in the former by the more still voice of Conscience and the Laws of God So are we reminded to make use of these later as occasion serves by the more importunate cravings of our sensual Nature and Necessities and the more loud voice of Flesh and Blood Now as our fleshy Nature and Necessities require so doth Religion allow us to serve our selves of these Rules of Humane Prudence so long as we keep within a due compass That is whilst we betake our selves only to such ways of external quiet and injoyment in this World as go not out of any way of Religion or path of Happiness leading to another World Whilst the Rule of Wisdom is only such as affords ease or comfort in our passage but doth not carry us out of our way or stop our progress When be sent out his Disciples as sheep in the midst of wolves be wise says our Lord to them as serpents so long as they took care first to keep as innocent or simple and plain-carriaged as doves Mat. 10.16 But fleshly Nature is glad of any way that affords ease here however it hinders or misleads us from the paths of those greater Joys which we should all seek to secure and prepare for hereafter It runs to them and that with greediness So that when any Duty of Religion gainsays it and calls another way there is a tryal of our Love and Affection for the two Worlds When any way of Righteousness for instance becomes burden'd with the Cross and a way of worldly and unrighteous Wisdom can avoid it or it may be lead to be not only safe and easie here but seemingly happy and prosperous then doth God make a tryal whether Religion or Flesh and Blood have most Force whether this or the next World are of greatest weight with us Worldly Reproaches and Persecutions upon a Duty are the true Test of its worthy and faithful Votaries and discover who they are that set it above this World And God is careful in the course of Providence still to annex worldly sufferings to some Duties of Religion or other to separate the impure dross from the pure Gold the light chaff that a storm of Persecution can drive away from the solid Wheat and as a Touch-stone to make manifest who are those truly worthy and sincere minds that will love and steadily practise any Duty when left to it self and stript of all external Bait of worldly inducement There must be Heresies saith St. Paul which as they increase grow still into Factions and Persecutions against the Orthodox that they who are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 To be ready to approve our selves to him in such Tryals it highly concerns us all to understand clearly what are the ways of fleshly Wisdom that at such times we may take more care to keep back from them There is the more need to be clear in this before-hand because the time of determining and practising is not the fittest for deliberating upon it For Flesh and Blood starts first and calls loudest on such occasions It presents variety of these ways to our minds And tho the ways are wrong yet through the biass of fleshly inclinations our minds are leaning and very willing to believe them right The generality of Mankind are prone to see and assent on that side which appears most safe and consistent with this present World They are apt to bid a hearty welcome and listen to any one that speaks for that way and are easily convinced by him being willing to be Deceived and 't is well if not active to Deceive themselves into such a persuasion And when Flesh and Blood are like to be so busie and powerful on such occasions to recommend such ways of worldly Prudence it is very necessary our Minds and Consciences should not be without their Armour but have clear convictions of their folly and unlawfulness to oppose against them To afford some Help in this Point to such sincere Tempers as would be thankful to be shew'd a losing Truth and glad to approve themselves to God on such occasions I shall offer something tho imperfect to set off the way of true Wisdom and to shew what are the limitations of Religious Prudence and what the contrary liberties of fleshly Wisdom or worldly Craftiness That so they may not err for want of information when in course of Providence they are brought on such Tryals CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Christian Prudence and how seen in chusing Right Ends. WIsdom or Prudence at large is being wise for our selves or seeing and following what Reason sets off as best for us It is Reason contemplating not the mere Truth of things which is Science but their Goodness and Desirableness or what are best for us to seek or practise And about this Practice it considers not only how to do things skilfully which is the consideration of Arts but how to do them profitably respecting either their future accountableness for Rewards or Punishments or implying moral good or ill and being directed by or promotive of any Virtues or their worldly usefulness and advantage to the end we are driving on or have to serve in this Life It notes Reason not only contemplating these things but influencing and effecting them For Prudence speaks the commendableness of several Powers It carries with it the virtue of our Wills as well as of our Understandings and besides the skill to see what is good for us includes also such influence over our other Powers as makes them follow it and take up therewith A man may be a knowing man that acts against the true Dictates of his own Reason But he only is a truly wise and prudent Person who follows and is guided by them And accordingly the wicked tho otherwise of never so much Knowledge are call'd Fools in Solomon's Proverbs and other Scriptures Thus is true Wisdom or Prudence the same as Reason well applied to Practice or Reason directing and influencing us unto what is profitable and best for us in any case Now this takes in the greatest variety of matters even all the managements
each of these Duties so must he hereafter to answer and be tryed by them Now Christian Prudence is to prevent this by storing up clear Notions of every Duty and of the Offices thereof against such time as we shall have a call and opportunity to discharge them The Wisdom of the prudent says Solomon is to understand his way i. e. to know what he ought to do on all occasions Prov. 14.8 And this the Scripture expresses by having our Senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 and calls for as a necessary Preparative to our walking accurately or exactly The walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumspectly or accurately which S. Paul requires Eph. 5.15 he tells them is to walk as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as fools but as wise or prudent Wherefore adds he be ye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imprudent or unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is Since if they did not understand it they were not like to be very exact in keeping it v. 17. Now opposite in this matter to both these is the way of fleshly or worldly Wisdom For 1. Instead of proposing in every Point above all things to do our Duty It aims and Proposes in the first place to secure our external Quiet to serve our worldly Peace Prosperity or Temporal Interests It seeks not in all things what is virtuous but what is safe And being for worldly Safety it never seeks to do what 't is like to suffer by It s Eye is first for keeping or encreasing these worldly Emoluments and enjoyments for our selves our Friends or Families for the Church or State It may fix upon Religion as well as the things of this Life and carry us out for the Church as well as for the Common-Wealth But then what it aims at or seeks in rhe first place to secure in these is not the inward Excellence but the outward Appendages not their integral Parts and Spiritual Substance but their worldly Accoutrements and Advantages If Religion is taken in among the Good things of this World and stands guarded and enriched by secular Laws and Privileges Riches and Honors Worldly Wisdom will be carried out as far to secure these worldly Appendages when they are about Religion as when they are about any thing else But as for the proper and essential Parts of Religion it self which lies in doing our Duty in every thing or in the integrity of Faith and good Life the Wisdom of this World sets them only in the second place It may shew fair respect and carry Decently towards them even where it will give it self no trouble about them As we see several that have no serious value for Religion will yet be Civil to it in point of good Breeding and as sensible of the need there is however 't is neglected by them that it should be kept up in the esteem yea and practice too of other Men. Nay worldly Wisdom when it rightly understands it self will aim at it in most Cases as serving its own wise Purposes beyond any thing else True Virtue being for the most part best fitted and conducing to the Happiness and Enjoyment of both Worlds But where it thus bâ—ars the best good Will to the inward and essential Ingredients of Religion it is only whilst they are subservient or consistent with its own worldly Designs being ready to thrâ—w them aside when once they oppose it On such Competitions The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 It considers then not their intrinsick Goodness and Excellence but their Expedience and will give them up for what it accounts higher Ends or dearer Interests On such occasions its Questions are not What will become of this Duty or another of Innocence and a clear Conscience but what will become of our Estates our Liberties our outward Peace Powers Honors Privileges or other Enjoyments of this Life by such or such a Course when 't is deliberated on 2. Instead of seeing in every Case what is our Duty worldly Wisdom is for continuing ignorant of and not seeing a Losing Duty It cares not for the Knowledge of troublesom or afflicted Truths It is ready to look upon and let in such as consist with worldly Ease and Interests But afraid to understand because 't is loth to practice others Conviction of a Duty serving only to encrease the Guilt and disturb the Quiet of those who will not practise it Hence comes that sleightful Saying of fleshly Wisdom in these Cases of Leaving every Man to his own Persuasion and not censuring any much if he act therein according to his own Conscience They represent such Cases as if it mattered not much which Side a Man takes and there were no important difference in the things themselves but only in the different Opinions and Belief of Men about them So that let a Man but have a Persuasion of that Side which is most easie and favourable to worldly Interest as Men are ready enough to have in trying Cases if that will Do and nothing else will greatly harm him in these matters Hence comes also that backwardness of Conversing and Discoursing with those of the other Opinion who are both ready to practise and able to plead for a Duty when 't is oppressed and has the Cross upon it 'T is a Rule of fleshly Wisdom at such times to look on such as dangerous Persons whose Company is not safe Their Discourses such Men imagine can only serve to make them more uneasie in the way they have a mind to go They will start Scruples to dissatisfie and unsettle a Mind that had no such Doubts before but had easily satisfied and settled it self upon the saving side Or if they come in the way of such Discourses especially when fit to do Right to Truth by setting it off to advantage they receive them against their Wills and meet them not with a religious Desire but worldly Fear They are not thankful for the offer of a saving Truth but sorry for and troubled at it and ready to say to the Messengers thereof as Ahab did to the Prophet who still called upon them to hear what they had no Will to understand that he was his Enemy and the Troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18.17 and Ch. 21.20 When they seâ— worldly Safeties above religious Innocence they fear and hate the Light as our Saviour says which reproves the secure ways they desire to take Minding not to follow it they use care not to be hamper'd and troubled with it and as the Scripture speaks will not have the knowledg of his ways Job 21.14 Hence lastly when they allow themselves to enquire and examin the Truth comes that Hastiness and Partiality in taking any thing for sufficient proof that makes for the safe side Any serviceable but ill grounded Presumptions about Words or Things shall hastily be taken up and pass for
good Books where the Duties themselves are Practically and Particularly treated of But besides this seeing what Means are fitteâ—â— for the Discharge of any Duties Another part oâ— Prudence is to see in such Discharge what wayâ— are fittest for its or our own outward Encouragement or that we may Do it with most Ease Convenience and Safety to our selves This Prudence looks at in all our Ways whether the Discharge of Duty or any others that are free and left to our selves And this Prudence Christianity must moderate that our Care for our Safety neveâ— carry us against or make us careless of our Duty And upon both these viz. The ways of Securing both Religion and our selves I shall observe severaâ— Limitations which in regard to the Nature and Rules of Christianity Spiritual Prudence lays on us whilst a Latitude is given therein by Fleshly Wisdom and taken by the worldly Wise. 1. In the first place then I observe of Spiritual Wisdom that it is never for doing Evil that Good may come This Good is any Fleshly Convenience or Benefit of this World that concerns us either as Men or Christians And this whose worldly Convenience soever it serves whether our own or our Friends and Relations whether of few or many private or publick of Religion or Civil Government Church or State These things are the main Care of the Wisdom of the Flesh and the great Mark which the Prudence of this World drives at And Spiritual Prudence allows the seeking thereof so long as it is without Sin but it gives no leave to Do ill i. e. to omit any Duty or transgress any Commandment for them I speak of Commandments that require things of a Natural or Moral Obligation In mere Positives as Circumcision Shew-Bread and the Sabbatick-Râ—st God sometimes allows more Liberty in case of Necessity or Great Convenience As the Omission of Circumcision was Conniv'd at for the extream Burdensomness thereof whilst they were in a Travelling State in the Wilderness But Natural or Moral Obligations are not to give way to any outward Convenience In case of these Spiritual Prudence is not for Doing a Spiritual Ill for any Worldly Good It will rather suffer any Ill than Do it It gets by the Ill it suffers if it can suffer with Patience and Innocence But it always loses by the Ill it doth Tho it get a worldly Convenience it parts with what is incomparably better its Integrity and a good Conscience It will never yield to commit a Sin no not for the Worldly Convenience of the things of God and Religion not owning that corrupt and ungodly Maxim of breaking Religion to preserve Religion Be wise as Serpents but simple and innocent as Doves saith our Saviour Mat. 10.16 That is says an old and learned Comment to speak in a word be wise as Serpents that you may understand and shun what is ill But be simple as Doves that you may not Do any thing that is ill It may seem needless perhaps to prove this to be a Rule and Precept of true Spiritual Wisdom to Christians or indeed to any Persons of Natural Honesty and good Moral Tempers But yet we see by sad Experience when they are brought to the Pinch and cannot have the Good they seek without Doiâ—g Ill for it That not only Christians but Christians of all Persuasions are ready to think and profess 't is otherwise This is the General Effect of the VVisdom of the Flesh and in their Necessities offers it self and too oft God knows with over-much Success to all that have Fleshly Natures and is not confin'd to any Sects or Parties They that will blame it when they do not need it and cry out of it in others are ready alass most shamefully many times to justifie it in their need and practise by it themselves But when they do thus it is only at the Incitation of Fleshly Wisdom of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Craftiness that makes use of any thing which will help on a Design and which the Scripture notes and taxes in VVorldly wise Men Eph. 4.14 1 Cor. 3.19 But is what Religion and Christian Prudence which contrives more for God and Goodness than for VVorldly Convenience will never allow of This Doing a Spirituall Ill that a Worldly Good or Convenience may come thereby is not to be justified 1. First by any Pretence of Serviceableness or Ends of Piety towards God VVe must never Sin for him or Transgress his Laws to please or do him Service He has no need of our Sins for 't is only human Impotence which has no place in him that is the Parent of and puts upon all unlawful Expedients And he will never accept or be served by them For our Service is not so much to Do him Good who being all Fullness and perfectly happy in himself stands in no need of any thing from us as to shew our Obedience And if the acceptance of all our Services lies in our Obedience we cannot think he will ever count himself served by seeing his Laws broken and himself therein disobey'd When Saul spared the Fat things the best of the Sheep and Oxen of the Amalekites it was indeed a Breach of Duty God having expresly commanded him to destroy all and spare none but it was upon a Pretence of Piety They were spared as he pleads for himself only for a Sacrifice which he thought was more for God's Glory and Service 1 Sam. 15 15. But what says God to Saul's committing this ill to do good to him or sinning for his Glory and Interest Hath the Lord as great delight in Sacrifice and Burnt-offerings as in obeying the Voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice i. e. than to yield to an Act of Disobedience that we may have a Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Rams v. 22. When well-meaning Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it to bear it up when the Oxen shook it and it tottered in the Cart he did ill 't is true for he touch'd it with a forbidden hand God having order'd on any Carriage of the Sanctuary and of the Ark that no unhallowed hand of those that bare it should touch any holy thing lest they dye Num. 4.5 15. But this ill thing he did in an apparent danger and with a most visible appearance of Good to come to the Things of God thereby What might Uzzah think may not I especially in a seeming little thing transgress one Precept when there is an apparent necessity for it to save even the Ark of God that Glory and Strength of Israel as 't is called or to keep and Preserve a Church already tottering from tumbling to the Ground But how doth God receive this unlawful indeed but well meant Course of committing a seemingly little Sin to save the things of his own House which he himself had made of highest Dignity and Importance The Anger of the
wicked have laid a snare for me 〈◊〉 I erred not from thy Precepts Psal. 119.109 110◠They had almost consumed me upon Earth but I forsook not thy Precepts v. 87. When there is no way to escape the Cross but a Sin Religion is for taking up the Cross not for escaping it Tho we may Love our Selves and Love our Friends and seek what is pleasing both to them and us ye◠must that be under God not against him and we must prefer our Duty and pleasing him before both If any man love Father or Mother or any thing else yea his own Life above me says our Saviour he is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 Luk. 14.26 And when St. Peter in this way of Selfish Expedience out of pure humane Love and Friendship fell to dissuade Christ from that last and hardest part of Obedience in his Sufferings Get thee behind me Satan says he to him Mat. 16.22 23. Such Counsels never come from God nor are accepted with him but always have Satan and Selfish Natures at the Bottom and are pleasing to them alone Thus upon no Pretence of Good to come may we ever break a Commandment or venture on an evil Action Expediency or Serviceableness tho to the best Purposes will never hallow an unholy or justifie an unlawful Thing When we are proposing any Good we must take a good way to it Good Ends must be compassed by good Means and Methods To make a good Action we must not only do what is good but do it with a good Design For Bonum as the Rule says est ex integra Causa taking in the Goodness both of the Act and of the Intention But to render what we do an ill Action 't is enough if we either do an ill thing tho with the best Design or a good thing if we do it with an ill one For Malum as the Rule of Morals says est ex quolibet Defectu and will come in either by the illness of the thing or by the illness of the intention An ill thing is still an ill thing tho men do it with the best intention and the Actors are punishable in Religion for the illness of the Action not justifiable for the Goodness of the intention Some indeed once laid this to St. Paul's Charge as if he taught them to do ill with a good intention or to do evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 But this says the Apostle was a slanderous Report and the Doctrine was a Doctrine for loose Libertines not for holy Christians such as he did by no means own but abhor and throw out with indignation Some slanderously report that we say let us do evil that good may come whose Damnation is just Rom. 3.8 〈◊〉 God hath commanded no man to do wickedly So be the Pretence what it will neither hath he as the wise Son of Sirach says given any man licence to sin Ecclus. 15.20 CHAP. V. Of the Plea of Necessity Providence or Prophecies for Doing ill HAving said thus much to shew in general how inviolable a Rule of Christian Wisdom this is not to do evil that good may come I shal◠from hence observe the vanity of some Palliations whereby men fruitlesly endeavour to blanch over the Deformity of this Practice such as the Plea of Necessity Providence or Prophecies And after that to tax and set off some of the most considerable instances of doing ill wherein tha◠Fleshly-wise are wont to think they may bes◠take Liberty in pursuit of any good Ends. First Spiritual Prudence will never allow us to set aside any Duty on Pretence of Necessity It will never yield that we offend against God or Man that in any thing we be false undutiful or unjust that we dishonour our Parents break our Oaths Promises and Ingagements covet other mens Goods take what is not right or with-hold what is or break any one or more of God's Commandments on the Plea of Necessity or saying it was necessary for us so to do This God knows is too much set up in the World And when unjustifiable ways are taken and things practised which the very Actors are ready to own as otherwise ill done yet is this thought a sufficient Reason why they should be done because they were necessary and they could not do without them But what were they necessary for To please God or to fulfil any Rule of his or Precept of Religion No sure they are not necessary to these Ends but necessarily overthrow them But they were unnecessary for saving the things of this World to keep what is ill got or maintain what is ill done But now these are not Religious but Self-Ends not for the other World but for this And these ways of supplying its Necessities are not Spiritual but Carnal not Religious but Worldly Prudence And if we give way to break God's Precepts for worldly Necessities this is not to shew Religion but Self-Love not to set up God but our Selves We are not to commit any Sin as I have shewn when that seems the most necessary to procure the best and most desirable Goods either to God the Publick or our Selves And if we might sin rather than suffer and take Liberty to set aside any Religious Duties to supply the Call of worldly Necessities what work would this make with the Commandments And how are any of them a Duty longer than they stand with our Convenience What becomes of Patience which is for dutifully bearing Hardships not for removing them by Undutifulness What becomes of the Religion of taking up the Cross and of Suffering for Righteousness We may bear the Cross as I formerly observed when we cannot help it but then properly we take it up when a Sin might avoid it And it may be our misfortune sometimes to suffer for Righteousness as having no way in righteous more than in unrighteous Courses always to avoid Sufferings But it cannot be our Duty to suffer for Righteousness if without Breach of Duty we may leave off to be righteous to save Sufferings At this rate of forsaking the Commandment to stick to the World or when a worldly Necessity drives him to it contrary to what our Blessed Lord and his Apostles taught a man may serve both God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 be a Friend of the World and not an Enemy of God Jam. 4.4 They that are in the Flesh this way may please God And if the Carnal mind cannot become subject to the Law of God as St. Paul says it cannot the Law of God will by this Rule become Subject to it Rom. 8.7 8. In Summ there would be no Necessity of being transformed from this World as St. Paul requires but a Liberty of being conformed unto it which he forbids Rom. 12.2 Nor any need of Denying our Selves as Christ urges if we would be his Disciples Luk. 9.23 So that this Plea of worldly Necessity setting aside our Duty in any Case is a Principle purely of this World but not at
Circumvention Prov. 14.8 Their Counsels says he again are Deceit Prov. 12.5 The Wisdom of this World saith S. Gregory is to cover and conceal their hearts by subtle Sleights and Devices to Draw a Veil before their Meanings by dark or deceitful Expressions to mak◠Falshoods appear as if they were Truths and Truth◠pass for Falshoods The general aim of worldly Wisdom indeed is to compass its End by any means And where it has Power and Confidence enough it will not stay perhaps to go about and use Deceit but serve it self by open Violence But in most Cases it needs to serve its Ends by keeping them undiscerned Or when it doth serve ill Ends it would also save its Credit by not being thought to serve them which is by Deceit So that Deceit is its great and usual Instrument But contrary to this Simplicity and Plain-Dealing are the great Duty and inviolable Care of Christian Wisdom We have renounced the hidde◠things of Dishonesty saith S. Paul not walking i◠craftiness 2 Cor. 4.2 There is scarce any thing that makes us Degenerate so far from Spiritual Nobleness as Fraud and Deceit and nothing doth more hurt in the Church than versute Simulation saith S. Chrysostom Simplicity is what Christ requires of us at the most pressing Seasons when we are put most to our Wits and Driven to use any Arts or Double Dealings to save our selves Behold says he to his Disciples I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents but innocent as Doves Mat. 10.16 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Simplicity as well as Innocency So 't is rendered Rom. 16.19 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Translated Wise concerning Good and Simple concerning Evil. And accordingly in some Manuscripts our Saviours Words are read not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Simple 〈◊〉 are the Doves If any thing could excuse the Subtilty of Foxes their Doublings and Deceitful Turnings it would be the Pressing Necessity of such Times when all their fallacious Arts are only Evasions and they betake themselves to ways of Delusion and of begetting a wrong Belief or Expectation in others only to save themselves Yet even then will not Christ allow his Followers to use any more of the Serpentine Subtilty than what consists with the Doves Simplicity And accordingly S. Paul when he speaks of his being pressed in Asia out of measure above strength when they had the Sentence of Death and no hope in themselves yet professes for all this that he had held his Conversation in the World not with Fleshly Wisdom but in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity and by the Grace of God 2 Cor. 1.8 9 12. And it was amidst all the great Tryals and Perils he run through in the Discharge of his Ministry under which says he we faint not that instead of ever having Recourse to he Declares as I noted how he had renounced the hidden things of Dishonestty or Shame never privately betaking himself to that which he should be ashamed to have known abroad not walking in Craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4 1 2. In such Tryals Faith in God and Trust in Providence made all that up to them which crafty Shifts do to carnal Politicians who can ground no Hope but in humane Appearances They would never part from their Simplicity for carnal Security Whilst they were in this or any other discharge of Duty which is God's way they knew they were in God's hand and so long they were not afraid of whatsoever could befal them In the Acceptation of the World Simplicity has one Sense wherein it is no Virtue viz. as it signifies Unwariness A simple man in the common way of speaking is the same as an unwise or unwary man that doth not see before or look about him And this is no Commendation of Goodness but impeachment of Discretion it shews no Person to have a better Heart but only a weaker Understanding It argues nothing but that a Man either wants Understanding or neglects the use thereof when he needs to shew it which is no Ornament in the Eyes of God more than 't is in the Eyes of men And instead of calling us to Simplicity in this sense true Spiritual Wisdom calls it How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye Fools hate knowledge Turn ye at my reproof says Wisdom Prov. 1.22 23. But the Simplicity which is a Virtue and which Christian Wisdom injoyns is only Veracity and Plainness in what it shews to others not Improvidence or Unwariness in what it either doth to or expects from them It doth not think every Person it has to do withal means honestly because it means so it self nor by heedless Security or Short-sightedness doth expose it self without any Guards against Dangers or dishonest Actions The virtuously simple are provident and wary as well as the worldly crafty but with this difference The Caution of the virtuously Simple is first against Sin and next to that against Suffering It is more concern'd how to keep true and innocent than how to keep safe and quiet In seeking either to obtain Good or shun Loss its Eye and Care is in the first place to do nothing that will offend God or is of ill Report and dishonourable to Religion nor that will delude the Opinion or abuse the Faith and Expectation of men And when this Consistency with Religion and a good Conscience is taken care for but not before it is as wise and watchful to remove or avoid all worldly Evil as it can It seeks out the Subtility and Wisdom of the Serpent when according to our Lord's Rule it has first secured the innocency of the Dove It first considers of the Lawfulness of the way it is about to take and then is moved by the Expedience or Usefulness thereof but never admits of the least thought of doing it self or others good by the Breach of any Commandment But contrariwise the Caution of the Crafty or of the Wisdom of the Flesh is either all or at least in the first place against Suffering and none at all or only in the next place against Sin The Caution of this World is for the Ends and things of this World To save our worldly Interests or serve our fleshly Ease and Appetites is that which it would have first done And that if it can by ways of Innocence Truth and Openness but yet so as to take up with unlawful means with Arts of Falsehood or things of ill Report rather than it should be left undone And this where it bears the most good will for Religion but too often the Caution of fleshly Wisdom or worldly Craft is all against Persecution Loss or Suffering but none at all against Sin So that in any case it only considers what is fit to be done for Interest in this World And
at different times and under the several Changes and Turns of worldly Temptation and Convenience Without this when our mind is single at any time and in the right it would not be stable and stedfast therein but on any Change of Humor or Advantage put on a different Form and appear quite another thing Which is to have two Minds or two Consciences Beliefs and Intentions suited to two different times And this Inconstancy and Instability St. James particularly taxes in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Double Souled Persons A Double minded man saith he is unstable in all his ways Jam. 1.8 Again this Singleness allows not as of a Double mind against Duplicity of Thought and Intention So neither of a Double heart against Duplicity of Will and Affection It never seems to be pleased with what is displeasing to it or to have a good Will to a thing when it bears an ill Will against it or to go willingly and by Choice in a Business where it goes against its Will and merely in Submission It doth not appear to love what it really hates or to admire what inwardly it slights and contemns to be thankful or glad of that which truly gives it sorrow and is a trouble to it or to be sorry and afflict it self for a thing when really it rejoyceth at it to desire or pray for any Event when its Heart is averse thereto and flyes from it or to hope for any issue which within it self it fears or to fear any which in very deed it covets It is no Part or Proof of this Singleness to pretend we have given up our Wills to God's when we will not rest under his Will in any unpleasing Case but make our own Wills take place of his or our Heart to God and Religion when 't is not so much to him as to this World nor is tyed so fast to the Duties of Religion as to the worldly Conveniences and Advantages about Religion Or to pretend that we love God above this World when our Hearts are ready to sin against God to save the things of this World or that our chief Care and Concern is for the Joys of Heaven when we are ready to go out of any way that leads thither to keep what we have here on Earth or that our Heart is in the first place to keep Innocence when it will chuse rather to sin than suffer and is not so much for keeping innocent as keeping safe And these and such like shew not a single but a double Heart One in Pretence and Appearance and another in Reality and Truth one that is for God and a good thing and another that can be as much against them which are quite opposite to Simplicity and Singleness of Heart Or if our Heart is truly affected to good and ill as it shews and but one way at once yet would it be a double Heart still if it is not constant in these Affections whilst there is the same Cause but double and divided now one way and anon another if taken at different times As it is when we love any virtuous ways or things whilst they serve our Turn and grow averse to them as soon as that Turn is served set much by them whilst they suit our Ends but are set as much against them when once they begin to oppose them In a word seem pleased or offended love or hate hope or fear slight or admire desire or turn away from the same things being now all for them and then all against them according as they suit our uncertain Turns or Interests When we do thus by any Truths or Virtues we have not one single Affection for the ways we would be thought to approve but are sometimes on and sometimes off Our Hearts are not at unity with themselves nor true and constant to their own Motions So that no hold is to be taken of us and men know not where they will have and where they will miss of our Hearts And this is not to shew Simplicity but Double heartedness An Heart as to love so to hate the same thing at different times that goes not all one way but on different Turns not of the things but of our own Convenience and Affairs is contrarily affected towards them An Heart in shew that is set on the Goodness or Truth of the things themselves but in Reality on our own Interests under that Cover and serving of our selves by them Which plainly is harboring of a Double Heart and betrays us unavoidably into the going two ways threatned by the Son of Sirach and into that instability which St. James condemns in the Double-minded Like as also the Scripture says of the men of Zebulun who came over to David without any hankering after or Reserves for the House of Saul that they were not of a double heart 1 Chron. 12.33 Or as 't is expressed v. 38. that they came to him to Hebron with a perfect heart And this Duplicity or Division of Heart in any Duties is opposite to that Integrity of heart which God requires in his Service Telling us that in the way of his Commandments we must love and serve him with all our heart Deut. 10.12 Mar. 12.30 and walk before him with a perfect heart 1 King 8.61 Isa. 38.3 2. Secondly This Singleness of Simplicity excludes our being of a double Tongue against Duplicity of Talk and Expression Neither at any time used we flattering words courting your Favour by speaking pleasing things more agreeable to your Humor or Necessities than to our own Sentiments says St. Paul setting off his own Simplicity and sincere Dealing among the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2.5 It is not for speaking one thing to a mans Face and another behind his back for talking one way in publick and the quite contrary in private or among those who are of the same Judgment for talking still as the Company doth owning all as right and assenting to quite contrary Discourses as it falls in Company contrarily affected in the matters discoursed of It doth not speak differently of the same things only as that differently happens best to suit our Purposes as if there were nothing in the celebrated Names of true and false good and ill but our Convenience It doth not commend a thing for instance when we are about to sell and disparage it when we come to buy it or cry up a thing as a Virtue when it serves our selves and condemn it as a Vice when it serves others or give out the same thing as mere Necessity if done by us when we are over others which we accused as malicious infringement and intolerable Usurpation when others did it whilst over us It will not magnifie Moderation when we are down and stand in need thereof and speak against it as loathsom Lukewarmness or Treacherous Neutrality when we get up and are in Place to shew it Nor condemn justly all Bloody Persecuting Injurious and Despoiling Zeal in Papists and yet
Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 So that Sufferings for Righteousness are the Livery and Badge which must be wore by his Retainers For ingenerating this I shall briefly note some 〈◊〉 of Spiritual Prudence 1. The First is For Christians to be above this World There is no expectation that any man should suffer much for Christ 'till this Foundation is first laid A man tied to this World will not give up Worldly Interests for a Good Conscience but will either violently burst â—â—â—ough all the Ties and Remonstrances of Conscience or artificially blind the eyes and corrâ—pt the sence thereof and by studied Salvo's and nice Distinctions impose upon himself 'till he has brought over his Conscience to his Worldly Convenience Whosoever will be a Friend of the World in such Cases as the Scriptâ—re says must needs be the Enemy of God Jam. 4.4 You cannot serve both God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6.24 If we will be his Disciples he tells us we must be ready to Leave Houses and Lands Fathers and Mothers Luk. 14.26 Mar. 10.29 Till our Hearts sit loose to them they are not like in Tryals to stick fast to him These seem hard Sayings but they should not seem strange among Christians who have renouced the World at their Baptism when they were first Listed under Jesus Christ and profess to be Men of another World not of this The Sayings are most reasonable in themselves and easie to such Disposed Hearers and fall hard only on Worldly minds who have a stronger impression of seen than of unseen things and are more influenced by Present Advantages than by the hopes of Religion and Faith of Eternal Happiness 2. Subservient to this is another Rule of Mortifying and not Pleasing our Appetites Worldly Losses are like to fall hard on those who seek to live in Ease and Pleasure and study Worldly Enjoyments To accustom and indulge our selves in these doth mightily corrupt the mind and ties it Down to worldly things So that a Voluptuous and Luxurious Age and a Course of Ease and Fulness is not like to furnish out many Confessors And therefore Religion that calls us to Suffer disposes us thereto by Mortifications and bringing Down the Body and Self-Denials not Self-Pleasings If we would prepare our selves for Good Souldiers of Jesus Christ in trying Days it must be as St. Paul tells Timothy by enduring hardness 2 Tim. 2.3 He that striveth as the Apostle says in reference to the Heathen Games is temperate in all things such Persons always preparing themselves by a prescribed course of strict Labours and Abstinence both from Wine and Pleasures For which purpose adds he I my self keep under my Body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.25.27 And accordingly this was the Method of the Holy Martyrs in the days of Persecution to prepare themselves for Sufferings not by self-satisfactions but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by congruous exercise of stricter abstinence or by Austerities and afflicting of the Flesh as Eusebius says of young Apphian This Course of Abstinences and Self-Denyals will give us Power over our selves when we cannot have it over outward things and then our Satisfactions do not stand to their Courtesie We â—ffect not to have what we like but always to â—â—ke what we have and what God is pleased to allot which is the true Christian Spirit And he who is of that mind is both secure against Discontent and above the Reach and Power of this world 3. As a further Help after we have thus pared 〈◊〉 the Pleasures it will be a serviceable piece of wisdom to this Purpose by a virtuous Frugality and â—â—ovidence to prevent Straits and Necessities of 〈◊〉 world Worldly Losses can never seize us 〈◊〉 more Disadvantage than when we have before â—â—warily run our selves into worldly Necessities â—hich render us as the more unprovided to â—ear so the more loath to fall under them And therefore it is as a Great Point of Wisdom at all 〈◊〉 so especially a Preparation for Sufferings â—or all Good Christians carefully to live within the compass of their Fortunes Not to spend â—pon Hopes and Expectancies or live upon things before they come to possess them or to live to â—he utmost of their Incomes which will be the ready way to go beyond them or by any Extraâ—â—gance and superfluous Expences throw themselves into Debts and Worldly Difficulties which â—ust needs make the voice of worldly Losses of pâ—rting with Lands or Livelyhoods more unwelcome and a Greater Tryal even to an Honest and well Disposed mind These Suffering Spirits thus prepared are now God knows much out of vogue amongst us Christians were once most Eminent and Distinguishable by Passive Virtues and as a suffering Generation But now a Soft and Delicate Spirit is come in place thereof and the Generality had rather Sin than Suffer and instead of chearfully taking up the Cross and bearing it themselves are for any way that will transfer it and lay it with Triumph upon their Persecutors and are all for being known not as a Suffering but as a Secular thriving sort of Men. This is a sad case and lamentable Consequences it produces For this want of Passive Spirits and abhorrence of the Cross is the Root of all the ill and the true Cause of all the foregoing wicked Devices and ungodly Rules of the wisdom of the Flesh and that which in trying times makes our Carriage so unlike that of our Saviour Christ and the Primitive Christians But as the Power of Christianity revives this Suffering Spirit will be retrieved among Christians And they that profess a Doctrine of the Cross will have Spirits to bear and take up Crosses whensoever they lye in the way of Religion or a Righteous Cause But now most opposite to this is the Wisdom of this world To be wise for this world is to be so wise as to keep it And not to suffer the Loss of the Good things thereof so long as any Compliance can avoid losing The Wisdom of the Flesh can believe no Good in Fleshly Sufferings but only in Fleshly Injoyments And therefore on any occasion it is ready to give up a Good Conscience for Carnal Ease to comply in what is required tho' very Unrighteous to save it self and to break any Duty even what it holds fastest and has professed highest rather than 〈◊〉 the Phrase of some at such times is to be undone for it CHAP. XI Of Spiritual Prudence chusing Seasons and tempering to Circumstances HAving hitherto insisted on Christian Prudence as it lies in seeing and following Right Ends of Religion and pursuing them only by fit and Christian ways I proceed now to shew iâ— the 2. Place another part of this Prudence in the Execution hereof viz. in taking for these Pursuits the most Advantageous Seasons in tempering them to Circumstances and in shewing caution to prevent Harm thereby or ill Consequences All these Parts of care about Right Executions as well as the former about Right
opportunity But never breaking them or setting them aside to make use of some Worldly opportunity If we would Do Good to Church or State to Do this wisely we must Do it under God not by setting up against him So we must not throw out his Service as an unseasonable thing when an opportunity is offer'd us to serve the Publick by refusing to serve him when he calls The Thoughts of Doing Good i. e. Temporal Good or that of outward Settlement to the Publick if by Breach of Duty or omission thereof when call'd by him to Discharge it is a Temptation And the Doing it that way is endeavouring to be wise against God and setting up Policy against Religion which if God must give Succâ—ss is not like to speed or in the Event to procure Good to them Near a kin to this is thinking it no Season to Condemn and Fault things as we did whilst they served others when they come to serve our selves This is the way of this World if not to commend yet to connive at any Error or Wickedness whilst it gets by it It is pleased if not with the Wickedness yet with the Advantage and had rather bear the Sin for the Profits than want and Condemn the Profit for the Sins sake So it will not open its mouth against Errors whilst 't is getting or against Sins and breach of Duty whilst 't is served by them being not so much offended with their falsness or wickedness as pleased with their usefulness or convenience Though most loud at others it is silent then and would have others too to be silent and not cry out against them at such â—imes And this is meer Wisdom of this World or being Wise for Worldly Things which lies in getting or taking worldly Advantages however they come by them and can brook what Religion most abhors whilst it brings in what Flesh and Blood best approves Which plainly shews that a man has not so much of Religion as of this World and Self-Design nor is acted so much by Conscience as Convenience Thus must we be Careful that the Pretence of unseasonableness do not carry us to smother our Belief of any Truth or our Practice of any Duty when God calls us to shew them forth on any Pretence of hazard to our selves of unprofitableness to Religion or our Neighbours or of their being a hindrance to any Good that doth come in to our selves or is sought to be brought about for the Church or State The Truth is in Points of direct and express Duty the part of Prudence lies more in sight and Discerning than in Choice of Seasons In Matters that are not of Direct and Determinate obligation there is more Room for Discretion in the timing of them and in Resolving both whether and when to Do them For Free things which are not Determined by the Law of God or that are not directly injoyn'd but may indirectly some more and some less be serviceable to and promotive of that which is or that are free and undetermined expressions and instances of General Laws Such Free Things I say and Free-will Offerings are most properly matter of Prudence being left to Prudence and not determinately bound on Conscience And in these there is a proper Choice of Seasons which men may embrace or let slip either Doing that thing or another now or at another time as they see cause But in things expresly required by God and Points of Direct Duty there is not the like Choice of Seasons or Room for Discretion For whensoever God calls us to them and they are put upon us either by the Authority of Superiors or by any occasion with our Neighbours or other just Call of Providence giving us opportunity for them or perhaps laying us under a necessity either of Professing or Dissembling them or Practising them or what is Repugnant to them We are then under a necessity and Obligation of Discharging and have no Liberty to let them alone For Matters of express Duty we are bound to perform as oft as God calls us to perform them Whensoever he calls we have no power to refuse And this Call is by his Providence as that brings us under opportunities and puts us upon Practising or Declaring our selves And what time Providence shall allot and fix on for these is at God's Choice not at ours He is Free when he sees best to give the Calls but when once he doth we are under his Command and never free to set them aside or refuse obedience So our Part is only a Duty and Necessity to see and embrace the Seasons he chuses and God's part is to have the Liberty and Discretionary Power to chuse them And therefore the Wisdom and Prudence to be shewn in Choice of these Seasons is God's Wisdom and not ours His Providence takes care of that and 't is a wise Providence that never calls us to the Profession of necessary Truths or Practice of necessary Duties but at wise and fitting Seasons which best fit his Purposes though they least fit ours So that whensoever he Calls us to them we are eased of that care of Deliberating about the seasonableness of them In Free things we are left to Chuse the Seasons our selves and may let go a worse in hopes of a better But in necessary and bounden Duties God's Call must always be our Season and we are only to discern and take it not left to Chuse and Deliberate upon it God having already made that Choice to our Hands 2. Secondly In Execution of our Purposes Christian Prudence is for Tempering what we Do to Circumstances i. e. For considering Place and Persons and Instruments and manner of acting and the like and so to suit all as may best serve our Design and set off the thing Done so as may give us most Help and Advantage from all and least Hurt or Hindrance from any of them This attention to Circumstances is that Circumspection which is so much spoken of and is implyed in Prudence which St. Paul calls for when he exhorts the Ephesians to walk not as Fools but as Wise as I noted before Eph. 5.15 Walk in wisdom says he again to the Colossians towards them that are without calling them to such Prudence in their Carriage towards and before such as consider'd the Principles and Dispositions of those they conversed with Col. 4.5 Let your speech says he in that place be with Grace and seasoned with Salt i. e. Savoury and Prudent and so seasoned and temper'd on every occasion as if most fit that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man or to give each such an Answer as may be proper for him and the occasion v. 6. This tempering what we Do to Circumstances and Distinguishing of Persons and Places and the like is a Great point of Prudence And Christians in their way must take care as they are able to adorn themselves therewith as well as others Endeavouring when they Do their Duty
so they will set much more by them And 't is a plain Evidence any Persons are men of this World and Worldly wise when they are more Watchful and Sollicitous against Temporal than Spiritual Consequences and can take up with any Dammages brought to Truth and Godliness when they are necessary to keep off Worldly Dammage from themselves What will be the Effect and Consequence thereof to the outward Ease and Enjoyments Liberties or Priviledges Security or Advancement of our selves or Families Church or State says the Carnal Man But what will be the Consequence of it to Duty and Religion not to make them Secularly Great but to shew them Spiritually Good not to hold them in External Power and Possessions but to give or keep their hold upon Mens Hearts and Consciences by Confirming all in the Belief of the Reality and Sincerity of the Efficacy and Excellency thereof This is the Religious or Spiritually Wise Man's Question CHAP. XIII Of Spiritual Prudence in Worldly Matters or as over-ruling all other inferiour Prudence about things of this Life And of Sollicitude THE Third and last Thing Proposed at first to set off the Nature and Offices of Spiritual Prudence is to shew its part in worldly Matters or how after its having been thus wise as is declared for the things of Religion it self as for all other Inferiour and Worldly Prudence in Things of this Life it so Orders the Ends and Over-rules the ways thereof as to keep them subservient to Religion or as best becomes Christians Worldly Prudence is to be Wise for the Ends of this World As to preserve our Lives here and the Comforts and Enjoyments thereof our Properties Power External Quiet To secure or augment these or other earthly Good things to our selves our Friends and Families to the Church or State All these are Worldly Ends. And to be wise for them is Worldly Prudence And this we have all need of here because we are Members of this World needing Worldly Things and being twisted in worldly Relations Good Men and Good Christians as well as others But though we live in this World we aim at a better World We are kept alive by Worldly Things but we live for better even for Heavenly Things which Religion shews and which the ways thereof will procure for us So that the Wisdom of Religion must limit and over-rule us in all the Acts of Wisdom and Prudence we shew about the lesser and inferiour Things of this Life The Flesh must be subject to the Spirit and the Wisdom of this World to the Wisdom of the next Now Concerning this over-ruling influence of Spiritual Wisdom in all inferiour and Worldly Deliberation I shall note these two things 1. First That the Rules of Religion are the truest Wisdom as for the next so even for the Ends of this World They are really the most Prudent ways and best chosen for all the Great and Desirable Purposes of this Life So that had God left them free and said nothing of them their own Usefulness would have recommended them to every discreet man and true Worldly Wisdom would have said the same that Duty and Religion now says of them No other fancied ways and least of all their Contraries could so well have served the true Ends of living here as these do Other ways perhaps may seem more serviceable and fit to be taken up for these Ends at some one particular turn But none of them are so fit and conducive if taken into constant course and made a General Rule of Living And men are made to live by Rules and their Happiness to be sought by Rules without which there would be nothing but utmost Uncertainty and Confusion which would spoil all happiness and prove the greatest misery here on Earth They are made to desire and to seek what is best for the Ends of Life not only in some one or few Actions but in the Tenor of Life not only what will happen to promote them on some accidental turns but what is fit to do so ordinarily and at all times though by chance on some particular turns it may admit of an Exception And this General and constant Service must be by Rules which are general things and made to direct not only as occasion serves but that all other men may know where to have us and we know where to be our selves without which as I say there would be nothing but jealousie and confusion instead of happiness for Directors in ordinary and constant course or at all times Now as for Rules of Wisdom for attaining the true Ends of Life there are none better than those prescribed by our holy Religion God having adopted our Real Interest into our Duty and made those things whereby Wisdom would Direct all men to serve themselves here the way of serving him and securing to themselves the joys of Heaven hereafter What Rules for instance are better in Conversation than to give no offence neither injuring nor despising and less disdaining any Than by being Gentle and easie of Access and Courteous a way of gaining much that will cost us little Than by having a care of Censure not being apt to tax what we do not know or to Condemn others And of all Backbiting or Accusations and Ripping up either the real or fancied Faults of absent Persons yea in Places and Companies abounding in Censure by being â—ary even how we bring up the Names of the absent who are not there to speak for themselves lest it afford Matter to the malignity of Evil Tongues and make them evil spoken of Than by not expecting much from others not being soon angry or exceptions which will prevent our having Difference with others and under any Carriage of theirs keep us easy within our selves and however Affronting or Provoking their Carriage be we do not thereby lose much if it doth not rob us of the Tranquility and Enjoyment of our own Spirits By all these ways and sundry others which Religion prescribes we take the wisest care to Converse with others with the most advantage and the least hurt and trouble to our selves What Rules again are better in Dealing than to be true and just which are the way to be trusted To be Industrious and Careful in our business to do always as we are willing to be done by to be Reasonable in our Demands Moderate in our Gettings Fair in all our Trading and Transactions which will most effectually retain those that try and draw in others to Deal with us when they are neither like to be Neglected or Deceived and Over-reach'd in their Business To Do all that is Right and with a willing mind that discovers no uneasiness in being shew'd it or backwardness in Performing thereof To offer nothing that is wrong yea when others offer it not to return it not maliciously remembring and studiously recompensing but Forgiving Injuries which is absolutely as the most Christian so the wisest Course and most for the Ends
and Enjoyment of this Life For it costs us abundance more Labour and Vexatious Thought to Revenge an Injury than it need do to put it up To Forgive it is only to bear the Disquietude that is past but to Revenge it is to throw away a great deal more of our Quiet after it and to add to our former Sore by a New and in probability much Greater Heap of fresh Toil and Danger What Rules are so Wise for the Enjoyment of our selves of Health of Body and Ease of Mind in this Life as Sobriety and Temperance and Chast and Due Regulation of Fleshly Pleasures and Moderation in all things As bringing our Minds in every thing to our Conditions noâ— affecting still to have what suits our Fleshly Likings but to like what God is pleased to send us As Mortification and due Subjection of Bodily Appetites instead of pampering of them as sitting loose to this World instead of being Worldly minded and fond thereof As Living upon Providence and trusting to God more than to our selves or to any humane Provisions and being resigned to his Will or Contented and Desirous rather that he should Do his own Will as we profess in our Daily Prayers than that he should Do ours Than all which what can better prepare us to receive all the Vicissitudes of this Life to give us least Trouble from the ill or afford us most Comfort Contentment Unwearying and true Enjoyment from the Good Things thereof What Rules lastly could Conduce so much to Settle Happiness as in Neighbourhoods so in Families greater Societies and all Relations as the due Discharge of all those Duties which Religion Prescribes in those Relations By Parents being careful to Educate their Children well and to Provide for them keeping them under an wholesom Government but kind and without â—nnecessary Provocation and by Childrens being full of Respect in all things and obedient to them again By Wives being subject in all things innocent to their Husbands and Husbands being Kind and Condescensive to their Wives as to their own Flesh. By Masters Governing with Equity and forbearing Threatning and Servants not answering again but shewing heartiness in what Service they perform and Doing it with Diligence and all Fidelity By Princes being Wise and watchful for the Publick Good and Ruling all in the fear of God with Clemency and Justice And Subjects on the other hand ever honouring their Rulers as the Ministers and Vicegerents of God obeying their Commands where Conscionably they may and keeping in their Subjection not throwing it off and forcibly resisting where they cannot obey Such as these are the Rules of Religion both towards our selves and towards others And better cannot be given for attaining the wise Ends of Life and for ordering our selves as the best studied Prudence would have us in Conversation or Business by our selves or with others and in all Relations So that every Religious Good Man whilst he keeps to the ways of Duty and Religion follows the wisest Courses and the best Rules of Prudence for this Life Yea though he should not be among those that pass for the Wise but the Weak and Simple Understandings though he should not see their Conduciveness for these Ends nor follow them for the Worldly Wisdom but only for the Religion of them Though he has not the skill and apprehension to see and judge of Secular Prudence yet whilst he keeps to the Rule of his Duty he has always this which is the best Proof of Prudence ever to be found in the most Prudent and Secular wise ways Having the Grace of being Good and Honest he cannot miss of Doing what the best Understandings must needs say is most Prudent and Discreet The Wisdom of God guides him where if left to himself he could not like better Understandings shew much Wisdom of his own And following what God has prescribed he is sure to act wisely though he is not able to say much to others to shew them the Wisdom and Conduciveness of his own Actings The Ways of Duty wherein he walks are chosen of God and are the Ways of Gods Prudence for serving the wise Ends of Life And the most Prudent Persons had better follow him than their own Understandings they can never find such another Director nor make any other choice of ways so Wise and Prudent for themselves But besides these ways of Duty for compassing the Ends of Life which are ways of God's chusing Worldly Wisdom has a great many more of its own which God has left Free and whereof he has said nothing The worldly Ends of Life themselves are rather our Liberty than Duty more God's Permission than Injunction And in pursuing them besides the Duties of Religion whereby we set them on whilst we are serving him there are multitudes of other ways wherein Worldly Wisdom has its latitude and that a very wide compass And in this Field of Worldly Prudence when it proposes its Ends and Pursues them by its own Methods this is 2. Secondly The other thing I would note of Spiritual Prudence That when worldly Wisdom sets up Ends or thinks to serve it self by ways Prejudicial to Godliness it over-rules it in all such motions Sometimes Worldly Prudence is for setting up ill things for Ends. It proposes how to serve Vices or Vanities how to compass Ends of Ambition or Covetousness Lust or Revenge Vain-Glory or Intemperance It aims at the accomplishing or serving of a Sin which is no End of Life of God's Making nor any part of his Creation but begot between Satan and our selves and meerly of his and our Production And Spiritual Wisdom quite throws out such ends which being the Stain and Reproach the Misery and Destruction of Life must never be turned into the aim thereof As it doth also all setting up the Real Advantages and useful things of this world for last and main Ends. Not seeking at all to serve God or shew forth any Virtue thereby which is to turn them into an opportunity and matter of Religion but only to satisfie our Fleshly Appetites and enjoy our Selves therein Again in seeking the Good things of this Life Worldly Prudence is apt to transgress in Means and Methods And the Prudence of Religion is as to prevent its setting up Undue Ends so to keep out any thing Ill or Vndue in the way or course it takes over-ruling it in these not as agrees most with Worldly Minds but as best becomes Christians Particularly I shall observe 1. First In Pursuing any Worldly Ends it keeps it from serving it self by Doing any Forbidden and Vnlawful Things And besides all that has been hitherto Discoursed to this Purpose with a more especial Eye to Ends of Duty and Religion I shall here set this off briefly in some most obvious Instances in the course of Secular Affairs In Competition the Way of Worldly Wisdom is for Doing any thing that will overcome It will use any Means and take all as lawful that seems
shall briefly observe how we are taught all this both to keep to one way and to shun the other in St. Paul's Practice For this is the Account which that blessed Apostle gives of himself Our Rejoying is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with Fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 He Disclaims having had any Conversation by Fleshly Wisdom i. e. by having suited his Conversation to Fleshly Ends or Governing himself by Fleshly Methods Wisdom is seen in proposing of Ends and in choice of Means And Fleshly Wisdom is such as is fittest for Fleshly Purposes pursuing Fleshly Ends by Fleshly Courses especially by Deceit and Craftiness By Fleshly Wisdom he here means not Eloquence but Wickedness and Craftiness says Theodorit And to pursue all Things to Deal and Converse with all Persons of this World by Fleshly Wisdom is to serve the Ends or Appetites of our Flesh by them to take up at every turn with such things as are easiest to Flesh and Blood or make most for it and to compass them as need is by any Method especially by Craft and Deceit So that then men Converse by Fleshly Wisdom when they Govern their Conversations by Fleshly Considerations and Worldly Maxims and Compâ—ss their Ends by Unlawful and Deceitful ways and steer their Course in every thing they do or meet withall in this World as may give them most and best enjoyment of Worldly Things And this all they count wise who are fixt to this World and look no further But this the Blessed Apostle tell us was not his measure not by Fleshly Wisdom But by the Grace of God That is bâ— Religion or the Rules of the Gospel which is called the Grace of God as Containing his Graciâ—â—â—â—â—â—lings and Intentions towards us and aâ— both Declaring to us what we should Do and Offering us Grace whereby to Do it The Grace of God bringing Salvation teaches us c. saith St. Paul i. e. the Gospel doth Tit. 2.11 So that his Conversation he ordered all along not aâ— might get him or keep him most ease and interest in this World but as might best secure his innocence in every thing and the Rules of Religion His chief Care was at all times and in every Action to Do his Duty to keep the Orders and serve the Honour of Christianity All his Study and Deliberation was as a Man of another World not of this as one that sought to save his Soul not to pamper his Body what way he might be most innocent and holy not what would make him a more wealthy worldly easie or happy Person If a way or thing was never so cross to his Worldly Interests and to the Cravings of the Flesh to Discharge his Duty and keep a Good Conscience he would take or Do it And in any thing if a Duty was called for by the Gospel or the Grace of God for any Considerations of this World he would not forego it Not in Fleshly Wisdom but in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity which I have before explained at large and by the Grace of God or Rules of the Gospel I have had my Conversation in the World Lastly I shall Note the Comfort and Satisfaction he found in all this This is our Rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Glory and Triumph the Testimony of our Conscience c. Such a Cause of Rejoycing his Conversing in all Things without Fleshly Wisdom and by the Grace of God proved to him most fully afterwards But whilst he was Practising this Rule though he had plenty of inward Comforts and Satisfaction yet he found outward Trouble enough therein As he had no regard for this World or for the Rules of Fleshly Wisdom So had this World no more Favour or Regard for him All this time whilst he held on in the way of Simplicity and of the Grace of God he run through as much Rage and Rudeness and Persecutions of the World as any man This indeed was one thing he was still sure of and the great exercise of his Life in every Place So the Holy Ghost as he says witnessed to him that in every City Bonds and Afflictions abode or waited for him Act. 20.23 Nay these he met with in the highest Degrees Conflicting not only with the Malice but with the Downrighâ— Rage and Madness of the People They were ready to tread him Down like Dirt under their Feet and valued him no more than the sweepings of the Streets We are saith he as the Filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things unto this Day 1 Cor. 4.13 Here had he need enough to betake himself from Simplicity and the strict Rules of the Gospel or Grace of God to Fleshly Wisdom could any thing on Earth have driven him thereto And he met with outward Trouble and Sorrow enough for his Conscientious and Religious Stiffness that he would not And yet after all this he doth not in the least Repent of all his Sufferings nay were they all to be suffer'd over again or as many more set before him he is as ready as ever he was to hold on still in the same Course He looks upon those Sufferings in this way with other eyes than common Spectators do rating them as Favours and the truest matter of Glorying and Joy His Case all this while seemed most miserable to others but they saw only the outside and viewed it at a distance whereas in truth it was all the time happy to himself The Pains of his Sufferings were soon gone but the Peace and Joy thereof were lasting Whilst the Pains and Troubles were most pressing upon him he had still a stream of inward Joys and Consolations coming in that did refresh and support him under them God comforting him as he says in all his Tribulations and still as the Sufferings of Christ abounded in him so his Consolations also in Proportion abounding by Christ 2 Cor. 1.4 5 But though these Joys came with his Sorrows yet they did not vanish with them but staid and stuck by him afterwards for a full and abundant Compensation And this is the Comfort of all truly Religious and upright Sufferers as this Holy Apostle was they are best pleased with themselves when others are most displeased with them Though they have not the Joys of this World yet they have Joy in it Joy whilst they lose the good things thereof yea therefore joy because they lose them and still a greater measure of joys the greater their loss is if it be for Discharging a Good Conscience towards God or for keeping the Rules of Righteousness and the Service of Jesus And they have a clear Prospect of most ineffable and lasting Joys so soon as ever the Scene shall change and they shall be taken and removed from hence Come thou Good and Faithful Servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 But
OF CHRISTIAN PRUDENCE OR RELIGIOUS WISDOM Not Degenerating into IRRELIGIOUS CRAFTINESS IN Trying Times LONDON Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh at the Golden Ball over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1691. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Christian Prudence seen in chusing Right Ends. ITS Ends are 1. In every Particular to do our Duty 2. In every Point to make us see what is our Duty Both these are contrary in Fleshly Wisdom 3. It is alike for taking care of both Tables And as ready to suffer for any Point of Morality and Justice as for Purity of Worship and Orthodoxy of Faith CHAP. II. Other Ends of Christian Prudence 4. A Fourth End is as to perform the Duties so to promote the Honour of Religion Of honouring it externally in our Carriage Of Confession Of not changing Doctrines as we change Interests Nor being glad of any Temporal Advantage by ill things CHAP. III. Christian Prudence for Pleasing God and a good Conscience Against Popularity A Fifth End is to please God This will take us ofâ— from Popularity And to please our own good Conscience Of the contrary ways of worldly Wisdom Greatness of Numbers should not draw to anâ— ill thing nor want of Number drive from a good one CHAP. IV. Of not Doing Evil that Good may come This not justifiable by Pretence of Serviceableness to God To the Publick To our selves As accomplishing by these ways some approved Predictions CHAP. V. Of the Plea of Necessity Providence or Prophecies for doing ill Spiritual Prudence allows not of setting aside any Duty 1. On Plea of Necessity 2. Nor justifies it by Plea of Providence 3. Nor by Plea of Prophecy CHAP. VI. SECT I. Of Christian Simplicity and Sincerity And of not Deceiving by Actions Simplicity sometimes notes Unwariness which is no Virtue The difference between the Wariness of the Virtuously simple and of the Fleshly wise Virtuous Simplicity implies 1. Veracity in opposition to Falshood and Lyes Against telling a Lye in Words Or in Actions Of Profession by Observance of instituted Days for Religious Purposes Of Breach of Simplicity herein and in other Actions and by the Libellatici in the Primitive Church 2. A double Tongue A double Practice 3. Openness opposite to Concealment and close Reserves and Plainness opposite to misleading Dress 4. Harmlesness opposite to Dolus Malus The Ground of this Simplicity Preservation of Equality In what Things especially to be shewn and by whom Of the contrary Method of worldly Wisdom CHAP. VI. SECT II. Of Christian Simplicity and Sincerity A second thing implied in Simplicity is Singleness opposite to double Dealing Against a double Mind and Heart CHAP. VII Of not discharging Relative Duties for Ends of Religion or of our own Ease No Discharge of Relative Duties when they grow burdensom for Ends of Religion or of our own Ease No such Discharge towards Relatives of different Religions Or that perform not their part towards us Instead of putting by 't is wont to accomplish Fears This proved from remarkable Instances and Rules of Scripture A Rule to prevent being intangled therein CHAP. VIII Of the Imprudence of pursuing our Ends by unlawful Means The Prudence as well as Religion of not betaking our selves to unlawful Means CHAP. IX Of partaking in the Sins of others He partakes in an unlawful thing 1. That Orders and Commands it 2. Who when in place and station for it doth not duly shew himself to stop and prevent it Thus Magistrates and Parents partake And Ministers when they fail to warn against a Sin or mislead people therein or teach it by corrupt Doctrine or inventing Salvo's for Sin Instances of these among the Jews The great Guilt and sad Consequences hereof 3. Who under another ministers in an unlawful business 4. Who as an Equal helps it forward Several ways of doing this 5. Or who approves it afterwards which set off in sundry particulars 6. Who caused others to sin or gave Scandal by ill Example CHAP. X. Of Relyance on Providence and the Benefit Religion makes by outward Sufferings A third Rule of Christian Prudence about Means is in compassing Effects to look more at Providence than at Humane Appearances A Fourth is to see how well it may compass the Ends of Christianity by Sufferings Christianity is a passive Religion and Christians are to have passive Spirits Some Rules to ingenerate passive Spirits CHAP. XI Of Spiritual Prudence chusing Seasons and tempering to Circumstances 1. It is for taking the most advantageous Seasons in its Prusuit Three Rules to prevent setting aside any Duties as out of Season in compliance with carnal Wisdom 2. It is for tempering what we do to Circumstances Three Rules to prevent such tempering thereof as would impair or give it up for our external Quiet 3. Of flight in Persecutions Of Flight of Pastors Some Rules to keep off from doing harm to our Duty in Caution to avoid harm to our selves CHAP. XII Of Caution in preventing Harm by any Duties and of Flight in Persecutions 3. It is for shewing Caution to prevent ill Consequences Of staying for a Call in persecuted Duties CHAP. XIII Of Spiritual Prudence in Worldly Matters or as over-ruling all other inferior Prudence about things of this Life And of Solicitude The Rules of Religion are the truest Wisdom for the Ends of this Life When worldly Wisdom thwarts these Rules in pursuit of any Ends of this Life it over-rules it in such Motions Thus when it is apt to transgress about Ends or about Means Some Rules for this The point of Solicitude stated Of fleshly Wisdom are all so many Branches of Jesuits Morals which are not to be taken up to drive out Popist Superstitions CHAP. XIV A Recommendation of Christian Prudence The Prudence and Simplicity hitherto described recommended from St. Paul's Practice 2 Cor. 1.12 The contrary Rules ERRATA Pag. 16. lin 22. dele the figure 1. p. 18. l. 14. for Equal read Equally p. 24. l. 5. purly r. purely p. 36. l. 16. drive r. drove p. 41. l. 20. necessity r. necessity p. 55. Ch. 3. after the Title dele the first five lines and begin the Chapter Fifthly and lastly p. 136. l. 11. p. 151. l. 5. fool r. foot p. 200. l. 3. dele Take p. 207. l. 21. in justice r. injustice p. 264. l. 3. r. St. Peter p. 320. â—27 far r. for OF GODLY WISDOM OR Religious Prudence Not Degenerating into irreligious Craftiness in Trying Times MAnkind were formed and placed by God in this World but design'd for another And the condition and employment of our Life here is to be a passage through this World in pursuit of and preparation for a better And whilst we are duly careful for the next and omit nothing that is to bring us to the end of our Stage we may wisely provide for this too and contrive for our quietness and convenience by the way The way to the other World of true and perfect Joys are all the Duties and Directions of Religion
the third Commandment taught men to break the fifth not suffering a man to do any thing for his father and mother after once he had said It is Corban that is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me or I interdict what I have by the vow Corban from ever being helpful unto thee a Form among the Jews of forswearing to help others Which instead of being an approved way of keeping first Table-Duties our Lord charges as setting up the Commandments of men for Doctrines and making void God's Law through their Traditions Mat. 15.5 6 9. Mar. 7.11 We must not suffer our selves to be carried on to break the fifth sixth eighth ninth tenth Commandments i. e. to throw off Duty to our Parents Natural or Civil or any Obligation of Morality of Justice Truth or Gratitude towards men for the Honour and Glory of God or for either the new setting up and erection or the continuance and preservation of a more Orthodox pure and spiritual way of Worship and Devotion It is too common among the worldly wise to consent to several violations of Morality for the Preservation as they say of God's Church or Advancement of his Glory Meaning thereby the Glory and Preservation of a true and Orthodox Profession of Faith and of a pure and Gospel-Worship And the Glory sought thereby for these is to make them externally glorious to seat them in worldly Sway Power or Priviledge that men may own the Confessions and pay the Worship with external ease and encouragement to themselves or without Persecutions But is not God to be glorified and obeyed in his other Precepts as well as in these Confessions of Faith and pure Devotions And is it a way to glorifie him in one point by disgracing him in others Will he receive so much Glory and Service by the Orthodoxy as Disservice and Dishonour by the Immorality Is not God glorious in his Moral Attributes of Justice Faithfulness and the like as well as in the Unity and Spirituality of his Nature And is it not as necessary for those that would duly glorifie him to copy out and display his Glory in these Moral Excellencies as to own and declare it in the other Nay is he not particularly careful to call us to an imitation and Transcript of his Glory in these to be merciful as he is merciful Luc. 6.36 and holy as he who hath callâ—d us is holy and that in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16 And to tell us that to be created after his Image the new man must put away lying and other immoralities and be formed in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.24 25 c. And must not the Church be preserved in true ways of Justice and Moral Duties as well as of Worship and Confessions of Faith Ought it not to be as much concerned for good Practice as for good Prayers and will it not get as much by good Life as by being Orthodox Nay can immoral men be saved in any Religion or will a good Worship recommend any to God in evil-doing or shall they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that call Christ Lord Lord but do not obey him There is no way of glorifying God but by being intire in our Duty and performing all that he prescribes us Nor of advancing his Church but by advancing the Practice of all those Duties which are to recommend to save and signalize his Church We may confess the true Faith and Practise a pure and spiritual Worship in keeping all the other Commandments and without the breach of any yea and that in Persecutions if we please and dare run hazards And so may all other persons if they have the heart to do like us And 't is not for us to transgress any of them only as a way to remove hard Tryals from them or from our selves Which is not to glorifie God or our Duty or advance his Church but to discredit and disserve both for our own carnal ease and advantage 2. Secondly That a true Christian be ready to suffer for any point of Morality and Justice as well as for any point of Orthodoxy in Faith or Purity in Divine Worship For upon which soever of these they suffer the cause is Religious and they are alike Confessors The Duties of the first Table indeed have God not only for their Author but likewise for their Object and so are more particularly stiled Piety or Duties towards God on that account As are likewise some Duties injoined in the second Table viz. those of the fifth Commandment towards Parents and Magistrates who are in God's place and on that Account are sometimes in Scripture call'd Gods Thou shalt not revile the Gods saith the Law meaning thereby the Rulers Exod. 22.28 And thus St. Paul calls it shewing piety at home when Children relieve and requite their Parents 1 Tim. 5.4 And the undutiful are stiled â—ons of Belial and impious and Disloyalty impiety or Secundum Sacrilegium a Second Sacriledge as Tertullian's Phrase is But all other Duties are injoined by God and performed for his sake and are as truly Parts of Religion and he accordingly stands upon them as those which are more immediately referr'd to God himself For Religion lies in keeping of the Laws of God at large or in all the Duties of Justice and Morality as well as in the Duties and Acts of Piety The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation that is the Christian Religion consists in living soberly and righteously no less than in living godly in this present world according to St. Paul's distribution of Duties Tit. 2.11 12. And pure and undefiled Religion St. James describes by the moral Acts of visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction and keeping ones self unspotted from the world Jam. 1.27 And the Kingdom of God or the Religion of Christ the Apostle makes to consist in Righteousness and Peace those second-Table and moral Duties as well as in joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 So that to suffer for any second Table-Duties is to suffer for God's sake since God injoins them And to suffer for Religion since Religion implies them Tho they do not so immediately respect God yet are they as much required by Religion and as truly parts thereof as those that do Now it is suffering for Religion that makes men Confessors and Martyrs And this they do who suffer for the moral parts thereof What the Gospel declares blessed is being persecuted for Righteousness sake Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 And if ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye 1 Pet. 3.14 And there is as true and acceptable Righteousness in moral Duties as in any Confessions of Orthodoxy or Purity of Worship and Devotions The Confession which Christ requires of us is to confess him and his words Luk. 9.26 And the Martyrs in the Revelations are expressed by suffering for the Testimony of Jesus and for the word of
God Rev. 20.4 And we have as good word and command for these as we have for any others The Sufferers he respects are those that suffer for his Name Mat. 10.22 But all the Duties required by his Gospel are call'd by his Name And all the Acts of Morality which stood before on Natural Obligation now since he has injoined them and his Spirit helps us to perform them being practised out of Christian Principles and through the Grace of Christ are all become Christian. And the Losses he recompenses are Losses for his sake he that loses his life for my sake shall find it Mat. 10.39 Or as 't is in St. Mark For his sake and the Gospels Mark 8.35 And is it not purley for his sake and in regard to him that we perform any second Table-Duties when we are sure to lose by them And are not those Losses for the sake of the Gospel which are purely out of Conscience to Gospel-injunctions Thus are all the Comforts and Encouragements the Approbation and Acceptance of Gospel-Sufferers common and alike to both Tables And he is as true a Confessor that in Peril of Suffering gives his testimony against any Acts of Unrighteousness and Immorality as he that doth the same against any false Articles of Faith or Acts of false Worship and Idolatry I know among Good things there is a difference in degrees And especially he that suffers for owning Jesus to be the Christ suffers for the whole of the Gospel which is more than some particular Duties thereof whether relating to Faith Worship or moral Practice But sufferings for any are all of the same kind and quality they are alike Religious and the Sufferers alike Christ's Martyrs and Confessors And suitable is the received Judgment concerning Sufferers in these cases John the Baptist was one of God's blessed Martyrs tho the Cause he suffer'd for was that of the seventh Commandment or declaring against an unlawful and incestuous Marriage Mat. 14.3 4 5 10. The persecuted Prophets were brave and Noble Confessors among the Jews Tho what they suffered for and sought to revive was not always or only a right Worship but the Duties of Morality and Justice in Declaring freely and undauntedly not only against Idols or Calves and Groves and High Places but against Falshood and Rapine and Violence and Perversions of Justice and other Grievous immoralities wherewith the Jewish State was over-run in those Degenerate and Corrupt times Thus the Holy Women and Virgins were ranked in the List of Confessors and Martyrs who would Dye or Disfigure themselves rather than yield their Bodies to the Lusts of Tyrants and Persecutors And St. Dionysius of Alexandria tells Novatus It would be as Glorious a Martyrdom nay in my judgment says he a Greater for a man to suffer Death to prevent Schisms and the rending and tearing of the Church among themselves as to suffer the same for Profession of Christianity at the Hands of Persecutors So long as we are suffering for any Duty of our holy Religion be it of Piety or of Justice and Morality the difference as to this is not much To make a Martyr or Confessor it matters not for which Table 't is so long as it is for either And accordingly to be beheaded for the Word of God which extends alike to both is the Character of the Martyrs Rev. 20.4 Now contrary to this is the visible sense and carriage of too many persons For many alas even of those who are free to expose themselves and to suffer in testifying against False Worship and Idolatry seem much more indifferent and unconcern'd about suffering or standing out and Declaring against Unrighteousness and Immorality By Religion they are wont to mean chiefly Confession of Articles and Purity of Worship And to rate that to be suffering for Religion when they suffer for them or that to be acting for the Glory of God and the Good of Religion when this acting is to serve them Nay when 't is only to serve and secure those worldly Interests and Priviledges which are tacked to them And tho in Performance of this Service they take a greater Liberty and make bold with Moral Duties only that they may secure such external Freedom and Encouragement for such pure Worship and Confessions As if that God who has commanded one had not commanded the other as much Or as if we could oblige him by breaking some of his Commands to save others Yea when there is no need of or help by any such Breach to save any but all the intent and use thereof is only to save our selves Which tho it be Right and Reasonable in the Eye of the worldly Wise is not sure the way to be wise for God or for his Glory so far as that is made to lie in our Duty nor must ever pass for that Wisdom which comes by Christ Jesus CHAP. II. Other Ends of Christian Prudence A Fourth End proposed by Christian Prudence is as to discharge the Duties so to serve and promote the Honour of Religion To be wise for God is to be wise for Religion which is the only acceptable and effectual way of serving and honouring him And to contrive wisely for Religion must always study and seek the Honour of Religion For proportionably to the Honour and Esteem the World has for it is like to be their Acceptance and Observance thereof Spiritual Prudence therefore must ever take this care of Religion by acting so in all things where it is concern'd as may set it up highest in mens Opinion and gain it the most cordial Respect and greatest Reverence from them They must consider in these matters what serves best to convince men of the Truth and Sincerity to manifest the Power and Efficacy to set out the Worth and Excellency thereof And never take up with any ways how promising soever on other Accounts that would afford considerate men a Ground in Reason to suspect Religion as if it were a fictitious thing and the Profession thereof as if it were Hypocrisie Or to fansie all its magnified Power to be real weakness and unable to carry men on to the Practice of what before they did profess when in any trying Case they are brought to the push Such Reflections bring Religion under the greatest Dishonour and Disadvantage And therefore whosoever would act prudently for it must have an especial Eye to avoid any thing that would make Religion evil spoken of For this God was highly offended with the Jews that through them the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2.24 And for this the Apostle had great indignation against some False Christians that through them the way of Truth was evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 And to prevent any thing of this among Christians are those Commands of God of walking worthy of the Gospel Eph. 4.1 Phil. 1.27 So as becometh Saints Eph. 5.3 Of adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Tit. 2.10 Of walking
〈◊〉 effects and of the tree by its fruits for every treâ— is known by its own fruits Luk. 6.44 When 〈◊〉 Question arises or a Test comes to try and disâ—cover the true Adherents to any Duty 'T is 〈◊〉 the Heart which is unseen but the visible Praâ—ctice which must determin it Shew me thy faitâ— by thy works It being our Works that must deâ—clare what our fixt belief or opinion about it 〈◊〉 Jam. 2.18 To Neglect it or Conceal our adheâ—rence to it out of shame thereof Christ account a Denying it He that shall be ashamed of my word of him will I be ashamed Luk. 9.26 And S. Paul speaking of his Sufferings for the Gospel opposeâ— our Practice of a suffering Duty when we arâ— called to suffer for him to our Denying him If 〈◊〉 suffer we shall reign with him if we deny him 〈◊〉 also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.12 When Men come to Search after the Retainers to any Duties they cannot judge by what is invisible but only by what externally appears So that he who doth not practise when called to it in human account is esteemed to disclaim it But 't is much more Denied in Deed if when put to the Tryal they do not only neglect to Practise it but deliberately practise what is directly opposite and inconsistent with it If any Christian when called to the Test would burn Incense on the heathen Altars and sacrifice to their gods he did really and was esteemed thereby to Disown his Christianity and to Deny Christ and his Words as if he had renounced them with his Lips Now opposite to this way of Honouring all the Duties of Religion by verbal and real Confessions and external Appearances is the way of worldly Wisdom It is for such ways of owning them as suits best with the Ends and Conveniences of this World It will outwardly Practise and Profess fashionable Duties such as are in vogue and the World Honors and Speaks well of But as for those that are publickly Decry'd or bear against the wicked Customs received or the Ends and Projects pursued and driven on in this World which expose to the Censure thereof it is not for manifesting but concealing them It is for owning there only in the Mind which can give the World no offence because the Mind is not under this Worlds notice or for owning and practising in private or out of sight As Nicodemus did at first who came to our Savior by night Joh. 3.2 and those many of the chief Rulers who tho they believed on him did not confess him because of the Pharisees loving the praise of men more than the praise of God John 12.42 43. Not that worldly Wisdom is for Heart Duties being no more for inward than for outward Holiness further than it agreâ—s or makes for worldly Ease and Interests Nay indeed being less for that because 't is harder to perform and more uncouth and opposite to Flesh and Blood But what Duties it can Conform to and Comply withal it is for keeping up in the Heart not exposing in open Practice when that is like to give the World offence or cause hard Names and Censures Or what it cannot comply with it is for counterfeiting and Pretending to serve in Heart which lying out of sight is more easie to be Pretended and not so easie to be Detected and Disproved 2. This external owning of Religious Prudence is not only in times of Peace but of Persecutions It is confessing it under impendent Sufferings as often as we are called either to Profess or Practise an oppressed Duty before others To Confess it then is truly to Do Honor to Religion It shews it true and unfeigned and that the Pretenders to it believe themselves in what they say of it when they are ready to venture all thereupon In suffering for Religion they give Testimony to it it proves it strong and powerful admirable in Motives and mighty in Effects able to set men above this World to outstand the hardest Tryal and conquer all the World counts terrible 'T is to Honor it when the World explodes it and seek to cast all the Disgrace they can upon it To own it when it s own Followers are ready to fall off and desert it The Days of Suffering for Righteousness are worst times for Flesh and Blood but the best and most advantageous for serving Religion and doing Honour unto God When you suffer as Christians says St. Peter and are reproached for the Name of Christ on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4.14 16. So that in the Eye of Spiritual Prudence whose aim is to be wise for Religion and to see what serves it not what serves our selves these times of Persecution instead of exempting from such Confessions are their most proper seasons Accordingly this Confession of any Duties is particularly required of us and call'd for at such times We are to be blameless unrebukeable as the Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation Phil. 2.15 Be not ashamed of me and of my words says our Saviour in this adulterous and sinful Generation which was wholly bent on Persecution Mar. 8.38 When he calls for Confession of him before men Mat. 10.32 he puts the hardest Cases and confronts the Doing of our Duty with the Dearest worldly Interests and there bars all opposite influence and interposition of Fear of men that would hinder Confession and strikes it down with the greater and more powerful Fear of God which will hinder Denying Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell v. 28. He allows us not to be stopt of Confession by regard to Father or Mother Son or Daughter He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me v. 37. Nay nor in regard to our own Lives He that finds his life viz. out of the way of confessing me and my woâ—ds shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake or for mine and the Gospel's as St. Mark shall find it v. 39. The Cross on any Duties must be no Discouragement the Cross must be taken up with the Duty and not the Duty let alone or rejected for the Crosses sake He that doth not take his Cross and follow after me is not worthy of me v. 38. Nay at some times he must take it up daily and follow me Luc. 9.23 And if then when he must bear his Cross tho it be in Neglect of his Dearest Relations yea of his own Life he doth not for all that keep on in my way and come after me he cannot be my Disciple Luc. 14.26 27. Thus strict is our Blessed Lord in Calling for this Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or harmless Constancy free owning of him and his Laws even when beset with the greatest
worldly Perils Very Frightful were these Perils in the Apostles days which Drive many from this way of Couragious Confessors to shifts of Deserting Cowardice tempting them sometimes to conceal themselves and to forsake the Publick Assemblies against both which St. Paul absolutely declares Rom. 10.9 10. Heb. 10.23 25 and sometimes to fall quite off from the way of Christ to that of their Persecutors And what now doth he that sits upon the Throne say to such Persons As he that continueth constant or overcomes shall inherit all things So the fearful or cowardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Unbelievers or false and unfaithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the timorous mistrustful Deserters who fell in their Tryals for want of Faith and Patiâ—nce formerly held the Glory of Saints tho now made the scoff and derision of prophane Spirits these says he together with Murderers and Whore-mongers and Idolaters all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Rev. 21.7 8. Among all Reprobates yea before all he first places these Cowardly Deserters for their share in this Lake of Fire and Brimstone says Tertullian The Foundation of this Confessorian Constancy and Freeness is Love to Christ and to his Laws and Doctrines For when Love is perfect as St. John says it casts out Fear which in time of Danger is the Parent of all Revolting tergiversations or hypocritical and unlawful Compliances And herein adds he is our Love made perfect that we may have Boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Freeness and Fearlesness in Confession which it is the Perfection of Love to inspire us with in the Day of Judgment or when brought before any Tribunal for the Cause of Christ because as he is so are we in this world viz. in a Persecuted state wherein we are to shew this Constancy and Courage as he did 1 Joh. 4·17 18. And the Cure of Cowardice or the Spirit of Fear St. Paul notes is by the Spirit of Love which is the Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 And therefore the Spirit writing to the Church of Ephesus which was it seems in danger of falling into the Practices of the temporizing Gnosticks when he calls them back to their former Courage and Constancy in Tryals bids them return to their first Love Rev. 2.4 This Love to Christ and the ways of Godliness when in a great many it is strong enough for times of Peace is apt to be much shaken and impaired in their hearts in times of Tryal and Persecutions Because iniquity i. e. of Persecutors as the Context shews shall abound love of many says our Saviour shall wax cold Mat. 24.12 And as it decays so will the Confessorian Constancy and Courage which is shewn by virtue thereof and timorous Haltings Compliances and Revolts will still succeed in its place But he that shall endure unto the end or whose Love and Constancy at such times shall both hold out the same shall be saved v. 13. But now quite contrary to this is the way of worldly Prudence which is never for professing Persecuted Truths or practising Persecuted Duties It s care is not how to confess but how to conceal or Dissemble its Sentiments at such times Instead of looking then to the Duty it looks to it self and considers not what is Good but what is safe Distressed Virtue at the best it neglects or Disclaims in open view which it thinks to make up by approving or practising it in Private It divides it self between God and the World and seeks to content him by a Secret or invisible Observance and to content it too by open and visible Neglects or Violations of oppressed Religion and Righteousness on such Tryals But now instead of conscionable lawful Prudence this is nothing but wicked Subtilty and mere carnal or Satanical Suggestions For to persuade on any trying Call not to shew forth an incumbred and afflicted Duty but to let it alone is the Voice of Flesh and Blood not of Religion it never comes from God but from Satan So Christ told Peter when he counselled him to fly the Obedience of the Cross and instead of that costly way of Doing the Will of God to look more to himself Get thee behind me Satan saith he thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men or mere carnal humane Wisdom Mat. 16.23 24. And thereupon he immediately repeats this Precept to his Disciples telling them If any man will come after me he must not hearken to Peter's Advice to stand still or step out of the way when the Cross is laid upon any Duty but take up his Cross and follow me And follow me i. e. going on still under the Burden of the Cross in the Duty whereto I call and going on also therein after my Example as you see notwithstanding the Cross now in my way I do v. 24. It is a deceitful Shuffling on both sides playing fast and loose or Halting between two Opinions as those of Israel did who in their hearts stood right for God but yet to please Ahab and Jezabel and for fear of the Times externally Complied in the Worship of Baal and went to his Sacrifices Whom Elijah the Prophet reproved saying How long halt ye between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him 1 King 18 21. If it were enough thus to serve one invisibly in our Hearts whilst we visibly serve the other in external appearance there would be no necessity of what our Lord declared that no man can serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 It is at best but to affect the Duty whilst we plainly fly all the Scandal and Offence thereof Which if it be a lawful Prudence there is no ingagement to preach up Persecuted Truths against Persecuting Errours as St. Paul thought there was for all the Cross that lay upon it when he preached down Circumcision so zealously set up by the Jews Gal. 5.11 There will be an end of the Scandal of the Cross which when tack'd to any Duty will be no longer a Scandal or an Occasion of Sin if we may lawfully pass it by and let the Duty it is laid upon alone without Sin Especially taking up the Cross when placed in the way of Confession could never be the Condition of Worthiness in Christ's Disciples as our Lord declares it is Mat. 10.32 38. and afterwards in opposition to Peter's Advice of ways to Prevent it by forbearing the Duties burden'd with it which he imputes as I noted to carnal Wisdom and the Suggestion of Satan Mat. 16.23 24. Men may bear the Cross when it comes upon them by Necessity and they cannot help it But then only they take it up when they might let it alone if they would viz. by forbearing or avoiding the Duty whereto it comes annexed And if they may be worthy
Disciples in shunning it it can be no Condition of their Worthiness to take it up Lastly were it no Point of Duty and Religion for which they were sure to be finally rewarded this taking up a Duty with the Cross upon it could have nothing inviting here for them to Glory and Triumph in it And yet this our Saviour and his Blessed Apostles direct all good Christians to do at such times If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ or for Righteousness sake as Ch. 3.14 happy are you for the Spirit of Glory rests upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 If any man sâ—ffer as a Christian let him glorifie God on that behalf v. 16. 3. In these Confessions it is another Part of Spiritual Prudence not to stay till we are under an absolute Necessity or Force but to confess with Freeness I do not say this is absolutely necessary in all cases And when there is utmost Peril the Torture extreme and Confession Capital the case is Pitiable and to wait in case of several Truths or Duties for Proof from Prosecutors seems more excusable But this is only connivence and Condescension to Humane weakness and to be Free in owning any necessary Articles or part of Virtue and Godliness on a just Call thereto openly preferring it to our own Lives is the Praise of Confessors and most excellent and rewardable in it self Being judicially asked he voluntarily confesses it being condemn'd he gives thanks for it says Tertullian of the Primitive Confessors This again is for the Honour of Duty and Religion that its Followers are not driven by Nenessity but led to own it by Affection 'T is not for its Reputation that its own Servants would do no more for it than they needs must nor appear in its Cause so long as they can lie hid This argues it to be little beloved by its own Retainers and that the acknowledgments it has from them at such Trying times is out of Fear which needs to be driven not from Love much less from Zeal which would shew forth not only a free but Forward Motion Men may serve the Duty when they shew not their Adherence till they are necessitated to it but to Honour it they must move of themselves and be prompt and forward to profess it And this Freeness as it is requisite to the Honour of any Part of Duty or Religion So I think is implied in the Nature of Confession Conviction indeed may be a forced thing and we are at Liberty there to plead Not-Guilty and not own the Charge till it is judicially proved upon us And this may be taken by all Malefactors in what they are ashamed of and acknowledge to be ill things But Confession is to be our own and the Praise of it lies in being a voluntary and free thing and of our selves we are to profess and own there on any just Call when in way of publick Tryal or Private Usefulness we are put to the Question And this is the way in any Duties which we profess to glory and triumph in When we stay to have it Proved upon us as if it were a thing we would not own but are ashamed of we are Convicted as Criminals Or if we come in as Confessors there it is as having before voluntarily and freely chosen to be or Do what we plainly saw would bring us into Danger we are Confessors only in respect of what we practised or Professed under terrifying Prospects before not in Respect of our present Answer But when we are ready to own it our selves and to glory in what they accuse that is a further Degree and then we answer as Confessors And this Freedom and Promptness to own and profess such persecuted Truths or Duties was most eminently seen and honourably discharged as I noted from Tertullian yea sometimes to Excess in the Primitive Liberty or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Ancient Confessors The Zeal of Numbers carrying them under the greatest Hazards and amidst the most terrifying Examples to profess before they were accused and Pâ—blish in open Court their own Faith whilst they saw their Brethren Tryed and Condemned for it as we learn abundantly from the Story of those Times 4. I shall add in the last Place that 't is for the Honour of Religion in these Confessions that they be divested of too scrupulous and nice a Care of our worldly Interests I do not condemn all prudent Care of Confessors for securing their worldly Concerns when their Duty is first secured and they are not wanting either by Word or Deed to assert and honour it as they are call'd to it When they have taken care to save Religion and a good Conscience first they may be allowed a just and reasonable Care for saving what they have in this World next it being reasonable that they should save what they well can when 't is against Reason and Religion too that they should lose any thing And thus the Apostles and Primitive Christians about Jerusalem when they saw the Storm coming on sold their Lands and private Properties putting the Prices into the hands of the Church in Preparation for the approaching Wants and Confiscations Acts 4.34 c. But I think they are most Honourable to Religion when they are not most Solicitous at such times nor exact in all Arts and Methods of indemnifying themselves Such Confessions are a Tryal of the Spirituality of our Minds how able they are to contemn this World and how far they are set above it and how strong their Faith and Trust in God is And we acquit our selves best in manifesting this when we only shew a moderate Care and take the plainest and most reputablâ— ways of Saving when we are not scrupulously exact in things or immoderately Solicitous 〈◊〉 stretch to the utmost Lengths we dare in any indemnifying Arts which may fully this Profession and Proof of Spirituality by a suspicion of Earthly-mindedness and of Faith in God's Providence by signs of immoderate Care for our selves Oâ—â— Sufferings as well as our Service is Honourable and Useful to God and Religion at such times A Prophane and Atheistical World and an exploded Duty need a suffering Testimony And when we may exalt and advance our Duty by our Losses as well as by our Practice and Professions godly Wisdom looks more to serve God and Goodness than to secure our selves bidding such Loss of Goods welcome and taking it joyfully as the manner was of the Primitive Saints And tho it will not rashly and unnecessarily without a Call throw its worldly things away yet when 't is call'd thereto it will not be over-careful or scrupulously inquisitive how to keep them Now all this is contrary in the aim of worldly Wisdom It s great End is to be Free and forward in getting but forced in losing worldly things to move of it self in any way of compassing but to move no faster than 't is driven in any way of parting with them It will readily
neglect any thing that will occasion present Damage but it knows not how to omit what promises any removal or abatement of it Worldly Wisdom is wise for worldly Goods but wise â—gainst worldly Evils and never Free to serve 〈◊〉 Spirit against the Flesh to seek the Honour â—f Religion by worldly Disgrace or to Advance â—nd inrich it by its own Loss and Impoverishâ—ent 4. In Pursuit of this End of the Honour of Reâ—igion it is another Rule of Spiritual Prudence â—ot to change our Doctrines as we change our Inteâ—ests or to do alike our selves to what we have â—â—udly condemn'd in others To maintain for inâ—â—ance the indefeasible Power of Princes whilst â—hey are of our Religion but of the People â—hen Princes are of a contrary Religion To â—reach up Toleration and Temper and Liberty â—f Conscience whilst we are under and kept â—own but as mere Hot-spurs to decry all Temâ—er and screw up all to our apprehension shewâ—ng no tenderness to other mens Consciencâ—s â—hen we are in place to Lord it over them To Call any thing a Publick Grievance in Government while our Rulers do it but to pretend â—nd plead Necessity for it when the Power is got into our own hand For a Jew to condemn a Heathen that he robs God of his due Honour by Worship of Idols and yet not condemn his own Robbery in committing Sâ—criledge Rom. 2.22 For Christians to cry out of the Jews for distinguishing away the Commandments and making void as our Lord says and shews they did in several instances the Law of God through their Traditions and Expositions and yet to justifie and cry up themselves whilst to all appearance they seem to take the same Liberties and are Doing the same things For any Protestants to condemn the Papists foâ— Deposing Heretical Princes and yet to be for Dâ—â—throning their own for his Zeal in a False Reâ—ligion To accuse them for holding it lawful 〈◊〉 do evil that good may come and yet be ready 〈◊〉 Do the same themselves when they think it neâ—cessary for the Church or Nation To blamâ— their Liberties in any Breach of Faith Justice 〈◊〉 Charity towards Hereticks and yet take Libeâ—â—ty neither to keep Promise nor do Justice noâ— shew common Charity and Humanity to meâ— of those Opinions which are most displeasing 〈◊〉 themselves To upbraid them lastly for thinkâ—ing to excuse their False appearances in Word 〈◊〉 Practice when that may save the things of thiâ— World by Aequivocations and Mental Reservations i. e. inward Reserves of intention and limitations in their own minds tho in their Practice they shew none but appear the same as others and yet when they are brought in streights for their Consciences to use like deceitful Artifices and take the same Liberties to bring themselves off This is saying and gainsaying as it serves our Turns and Doing what we condemn in others or what is so like it that the By-standers are not able to distinguish it and making the same thing a Vice when used in our Neighbours case but a Virtue when used in our own But now this Change of Doctrines as we change Interests or doing the very same or like to what we Condemn is apt mightily to reflect upon the Honour of Religion As if its Principles stood not upon intrinsick Truth but external Usefulness as if we held things true while we gain by them and they make for us but begun to hold them False confessing our eyes are open and that we see the Error of them when once we are brought to lose thereby and they make against us This is as if gain were Godliness and seems as if what in these Tenets we seek to set up were not the Honour of God but the Interest of this World not Truth but our Selves Which Reflections are such that Religion cannot fall under a sorer Disgrace or a more hurtful Prejudice And therefore Spiritual Prudence which professes to be wise for it is especially careful to Prevent such turns of Doctrine and Practice according to the turn of worldly Interests which would give men Ground or Occasion to pass such Reflections on it 'T is true good and wise men may change their Opinions And as they grow Older Mortal and Fallible Understandings may be allowed to grow wiser And when we discover Errors we must not after that obstinately adhere to them because we have formerly believed and professed them Constancy in former Opinions must not be obstinacy in former Errors and when we Discover a New Truth we must not Deny it because we condemned it before but be glad to profess it now we see it and sorry we saw it no sooner Nay if it happen to make for our interest we are for all that to receive and profess it For Truth is Truth and will Challenge both our Belief and Profession whether it make for us or against us Our Interest must not make us take Falshood for Truth but withal it must not hinder us from owning and embracing Truth it self for Truth It would be a strange Return to a Profitable and advantageouâ— Truth to be Foes to it because it is a Friend to us and therefore to Deny it because we are like to be the better by it So that if it is a real Truth we Profess now good and wise men must Profesâ— it tho they gain by it and tho it be contrary to what they Professed formerly And 't is no Scandal to Religion but the Command and Crediâ— thereof to have men thus exchange their Errorâ— for Truth or that which was not Religion nor honourable to it for that which really is But then this Change must be made upon manifest Appearance and sufficient Evidence of Truth 'T is justifiable and Honourable when 't is an Exchange for Truth not for Interest And therefore that which justifies it must be the Evidence of Truth being got by the Exchange 'T is the Suspicion of Interest that occasions all the dishonourable Reflections and the Demonstration of Truth must clear them And therefore on such Changes the Discoverers of the New Truths must discover new Reasons and produce better Proofs for them than they had for their old Errors They must bring new Arguments which whilst they were of a contrary Belief were not urged to themselves Or carry the old ones further than they had met them improved by others and shew the weakness of those Answers they were wont to give to them or of the Arguments they used to offer against that side which they now take And this they are the more obliged to do with clearness of Argument and Reason in apparently advantageous Changes because in the Constant Sense and Experience of the wise World Interest is not held the best Inlightner of our Minds It s Power is not so much to make us knowing as willing not so fit to carry our Understandings before our Wills as to make our Wills out-run our Understandings and in the constant Experience of
the World both formerly and at this day is much more successful in making the Minds of men to miss of Truth than in carrying them to find it Wise Care therefore for the Honour of God and Religion or Spiritual Prudence requires that we should not change our Doctrines on an apparent Change of Interest unless we make out before men as plain an appearance of Truth in the Exchange as there is of Interest that we may not seem to hold it true because it is for our Interest or to be led more by Interest than we are by Truth And therefore when once good men see their Errors it highly concerns both themselves and Religion instantly to renounce them not for Advantage but for the Truths sake And not stay till the Course of this World turns and they may hope to get as much by Disclaiming as before they had by Professing them For otherwise the World will be but too apt to judge them not Religious and Conscientious but Secular and Self-ended Penitents who will never see and repent of their Errors and Evil-doings whilst they bring them in present Advantage Or whom Reasons of Truth and Duty could never bring to Repentance till Reasons of fleshly Interest struck in therewith but who can readily repent of any ways as soon as once they turn to Loss and they are evidently call'd to suffer for them And on the other hand we must be wary how we censure others when we see them change from their former Judgments and stay to heaâ— their Reasons before we presume to tax their Sincerity in the Exchange When the Interest is apparent the By-standers have an appearance of Interest at first sight but have not the appearances for Truth till the Person that made the Change has opportunity to make known to them how the new Truth appear'd to him This indeed is a Temptation to those that take up with what comes next and are confident of the Evidence of their own and the little appearance on the other side to be too often hasty and hard in their Censures But one man must not be rasâ— to judge of the Appearances of Truth to another but wait to hear them from himself And after 〈◊〉 has heard them not presently conclude a way could not thereby appear true to him because on the same Evidence it doth not nor really ought to appear so to himself That the thing is not true he may safely say not that the other could not think it so For all mens Judgments are not equally wrought upon by the same things and that may seem good Proof to some which doth not so to others So that as to the Censure of particular Persons especially whilst they keep true to their New Principles not still as necessity calls out-running their own Pretences it is good and safe ordinarily to be slow in passing our Judgments and leave them to their own Judge who sees their Hearts and to whom each of them stands or falls But in General when the Arguments of Truth are not as apparent as those of Interest in the Change and the Parties by all their Study could never see the Truth pretended whilst they were like to lose by it but see it clearly yea and that perhaps without much Study when once it makes for their Profit the World is very suspicious that 't is Interest more than Evidence which opens their eyes and a great Scandal comes upon Religion by such Changes Such men are wont to preach up say the World what stands them in stead not what they themselves really believe and think All colour whereof St Paul was careful to remove from himself when his Calumniators suggested this of him to the Corinthians For having professed his Simplicity and godly Sincerity without fleshly wisdom more abundantly towards them we write no other things unto you saith he than what you read or acknowledge and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end 2 Cor. 1.12 13. That is as Theodoret comments We do not preach one thing to you and think another as some endeavour to calumniate us For what I taught when present I write now being absent and hope I shall always be found preaching and saying the same to the end But now opposite to this is the way of worldly Wisdom It is still for seeing Truth in that which is advantageous and convenient for it And willing to be beat out of any Duty or Doctrine when it comes to lose by it It first considers the Gain and Convenience of a Case When it sees what makes most for that it resolves that side is to be held and then casts about to find a Reason or Pretence for it And any thing is a good Reason for a Way to those who before-hand are resolved to take it It blames or commends condemns or justifies as a corrupt Party not as aâ— equal Judge Self-Love steers all its Determinations And following all its windings it is neveâ— true to the Reality of the thing but to its owâ— Concern therein Which being differently affectâ—ed by any ways at different times it accordingly either applauds or decryes them and has one Judgment of them when they are in our owâ— Case and another when they are in our Neighbours Contrary to all good Reason and truâ— Wisdom which if it come from above is withoâ—â— Partiality and without Hypocrisie as St. James say Ch. 3.17 Which therefore if obeyed and followed would make us as true and constant to 〈◊〉 good things so true and constant to our selves in loving and commending them Never to blame that in one which we cry up in another Never to acquit that in our selves which we accuse in ouâ— Neighbours And when we advance any Tenets as true or any things as just as reasonable as religious always to allow as much Truth to the Tenets and as much Justice Reason and Religion to the Things when they happen to serve our Brethrens Purpose as we claimed to them before when they served our selves 5. A Fifth Rule of Christian Prudence for this Purpose is not to be glad of any Temporal Advantage by ill things and whilst we reap the Profit to be content with the wickedness By the ill done Religion suffers tho what is so ill and dishonourable for Religion happen to be useful for our Interest in this World and make us Gainers And if we can be content for our own Gain to have it damnified it shews we are not so much for it as for our selves but are Free to have it truck'd away and given up for our own advantage Spiritual Prudence therefore which proposes the Honour and Interest of God and Religion in the first place and sets 〈◊〉 before our selves will not be bribed by any thing to inrich our selves by their Loss or Glory in their Disgrace or be pleased in what is to their Prejudice Indeed if a Good thing is Done tho with an ill mind he that is wise for God and Religion may
and true Goodness How can ye believe says our Savior and 't is the same Case with all other discountenanced and exploded Duties who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour which comes from God only Joh. 5.44 The chief Rulers even when convinced in their Consciences would not confess Christ because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Joh. 12.42 43. And if I yet pleased men saith St. Paul I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 He that will be Good therefore and truly wise for God must arm against Censure and be content as Christ and his Apostles and the best men in all times were to hear himself call'd by hard Names and pass through good and ill Report 2 Cor. 6.8 Nay in trying Times especially if his Statioâ— is any ways publick it is scarce possible to avoid it but in seeking to shun he would tho in a 〈◊〉 measure run upon it For whilst for striking iâ— with the Crowd he is cryed up by those who arâ— in the Wrong he must expect tâ— be cryed dowâ— by those who are in the Right whose applause tho it makes less Noise yet ought to be of moâ—â— Moment We must not be dismay'd then becausâ— the World is against a thing but because there 〈◊〉 just Reason for it to be so We must not begin 〈◊〉 because it is commended nor give over a Dutâ— or Good thing because it is decryed We musâ— resolve to look what pleases God not what 〈◊〉 please the Multitude and then we are wise foâ— God not foolish for the Company of Simplâ— men and like to do what we ought to do Next to this of Pleasing God is Pleasing theâ—â— own Good Conscience And this is subordinate to thâ— former and a Consequent thereof since we caâ— never in Conscience be pleased with our Selves but when we think God is pleased with us Thâ—â— is a most wise End and of mighty importance 〈◊〉 be satisfied with our selves Without this we caâ— have no Happiness If we are discontented 〈◊〉 our minds whatever is without us can neveâ— please us Nothing makes us happy further thaâ— we are pleas'd with it and we can have no truâ— Relish of Pleasure in other Things whilst we 〈◊〉 uneasie and displeased with our selves Better all the World should be angry with us than God and our own Conscience So that the Wisdom which would secure the Power and Honour and afford us the Comfort and Pleasure of Religion must always propose to it self the Doing what will Please God and thereby our own Consciences And whether or no we have Done what we know is pleasing to him Spiritual Prudence sends us to learn not from others but from within our selves This is our rejoycing says S. Paul the testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 And this is the great happiness of all upright Walkers that all their Comforts are from a Witness within themselves If our own Heart Condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God 1 John 3.21 Our own heart is near us So that at any time when we please we may ask it the Question It is Privy to all our Actings So that whensoever we enquire it can answer us And we are as privy to its Answers So that we need not go to learn of any what return is made to us Such is the Advantage of having this to learn from the Testimony of our own Hearts and Consciences And to their Testimony God and Spiritual Wisdom send us in this case For when the Question is about our own Actings the Things of a Man as the Scripture says are best known to the Spirit of the Man himself 1 Cor. 2.11 Tho we Do not know so much of others Yet under God we are all able to tell the most of our selves and no one else can say so much as our own Bosoms So that we must not fetch our Rejoycing from the Censures and Commendations of others nor be Chearful or Dejected according as they surmise or think of us But according as we know by our own selves It may be they are rash and unjust in their Censures and judge us unheard as indeed they are oft aptest to condemn us who know least of us But if all the while our own Conscience can testifie 't is otherwise we may say with S. Paul 't is a very small thing with me that I should be judged of you or of mans judgment 1 Cor. 4.3 If all the World speaks well what is that if we are accused in our own Consciences And if we are acquitted there that is worth ten thousand Witnesses and what signifie all their Accusations Let us take care therefore to Live so as that we may be well Reported of in our own Breasts and we need not look out for Comforts from the Opinions and Reports of others To know what is in us for our Joy or Sorrow we must not take our Account from Strangers we are best known to our own selves But now quite contrary to all this is the way of Fleshly Wisdom It s care and aim is not how to please God but how to come off among men It is more concerned for what is like to anger and offend them than for what will offend him As the Chief Rulers who believing in Christ knew to own him was most pleasing to God But yet did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue Jo. 12.42 It is for suiting its Carriage not to the Reality of things but to their Diseased Opinions It s Maxim is not to side with the Truth but to swim with the Stream It is for Doing what is in vogue and seeming to approve what is by most applauded whether it be good or bad It will assert an ill Cause when the Multitude are for it and desert a good Cause when 't is generally decryed It will renounce any Duty or Virtue when 't is exploded Strike in with the Oppressors of much envyed and hated Persons when they are trampled under foot tho it happens to know they are innocent or knows not that they are in fault or however faulty they are in other things tho it believes they are greatly wronged in the present Case and suffer against Justice it will always run along with all the Violences of the time And that as seeking not what is really good but what other men think and call so not as studying to please God but to Live at quiet and please the World steering all its Course not by Truth and Virtue which are a certain fix'd thing always one and the same but by the uncertain Blast of Popularity or vulgar Opinion Agreeable to this we may observe it is the Rule of worldly wise men to stand for Virtue and Duty not when it has few Friends and they must practise it
alone but when they have Company enough to back and stand by them They are for Truth and Goodness when they have the strongest Parties and the Cry of a Crowd to approve and justifie them in that Cause But not when the Cry goes against them and they see no Numbers to joyn with So that 't is not Spiritual Truth and Goodness but Worldly Strength and Number which is highest in their Opinion and takes most with them We may likewise observe from the same influence and interposition of Fleshly Wisdom even among well-disposed Men the great Difference between Suffering Duties when cryed up and the saâ—â— when decryed by the Multitude Men find it much easier to suffer for a good thing when the Shout of the People is for them but very hard when it runs all against them Nay there is a Terror in the Clamor of Rabbles which frights many thaâ— dare even stand the face of Regular Justice Fleshly Wisdom looks out still for some visible Support and a fleshly Arm which when it cannot have from Authority and the Higher Powers it would fain have from the Number of Partakers Where it has inclination it needs moreover to bâ— heartened and commended in a good thing It is not mortifyed enough to the Countenance and Cry of Men Looking too much without it self to their Applauses and too little within to the Commendations of God and a Good Conscience Whereas by all the Rules of God and true Wisdom if a way is bad no Authority of Numbers or Press of the Multitude must bear us along with it Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil saith the Law Exod. 23.2 If sinners entice thee whether more or fewer whether a Sinful Man or a Sinful Nation consent thou not saith Wisdom Prov. 1.10 When ill Men list themselves in Numbers and Combine in Errors or ill things they are ungodly Conspiracies and all that Love God or themselves must take care not to be drawn in or go along with them Say not ye a Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear Is. 8.12 13. Thus must not we run in with their wrong Opinion or fear what affrights them but instead thereof what will offend him When the World is bent upon ill things as it ordinarily is Good Christians must not think it will excuse them to say they were born away in the same with the Torrent But they must remember that in their Baptism they renounced the World that Christ tho he found his Followers in the World yet has called or chosen them out of or from among the World John 15.19 and that they must not be conformed to this World but transformed into a quite different Stamp by the Renewal of their Mind Rom. 12.2 And on the contrary if a way or thing is truly Virtuous and Good no smallness of Numbers on its side or scarcity of Adherents can warrant us to forsake it Our owning it at such times instead of being excused is more highly requisite and most of all needed For then under all the Attaques of its Enemies it is to be supported by its Followers and can worst Dispense with their Service It is then in want of Adherents and so can least of all spare us It is then like to be left Destitute and without help in its greatest need which instead of Releasing any must incite every one who would approve himself its true Friend a Friend being born for Adversity instead of flinching from to appear for it and put to his helping hand And accordingly the best Persons have not Cowardly slunk away but Couragiously stuck to God and their Duty when they had the least Company and were left to own and stand to it by themselves When Jesus Christ that absolute Patron and Advocate for Virtue appeared in the World He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sign spoken against Luc. 2.34 When the Apostles after him came to embarque in its Cause and Interest they were a Sect every where decryed Acts 28.2 the whole World in a manner stood at gaze and they were made a gazing-stock to the World by Reproacheâ— and Afflictions Heb. 10.33 being made a Spectacle or Theatrical Show to the World to Angels and to men 1 Cor. 4.9 Confessing the Truth bravely and undauntedly as did all the Primitive Saints under all the Discouraging Crys and Persecutions of Popular Tumults and Uproars as well as of Courts and Judicatures Noah was a Pattern and Preacher of Righteousness to the old World when the whole Earth had corrupted themselves with one Voice Decrying his Virtue and Deriding his Preaching and Provision of the Ark and were full ripe for Ruin by the Flood Gen. 7.1 2 Pet. 2.5 Elias was true to God and Religion and jealous for them when he had none visibly to side with him and take his part all the Prophets as he complains to God being slain with the Sword and I even I only am left and they seek my Life to take it away 1 Kings 19.10 Jeremy asserted the Truth and way of God when he alone was to be a Defenced City and a Brazen Wall against the whole Land Jerem. 1.18 when he was a Derision to all his People and their Song all the day Lam. 3.14 In the great Article of the Divinity of our Lord S. Athanasius was almost left by himself and there was as it was said Athanasius contra Mundum or Athanasius on one side and the whole World on the other And to those who then objected the Paucity of its Numbers and measured the Authority of a Doctrine by the multitude of Applauders he suggests that Christ chose twelve Apostles and armed these twelve who were all simple illiterate and poor Men with Truth against the whole World who tho so many more in Number were yet all in the wrong And these twelve were not to follow ten Thousand But the ten Thousand were to Compose themselves to the Way and Belief of these Twelve Who as he goes on when St. Stephen stood alone Derided by all and Stoned to Death would not rather have been on the Side of this single oppressed Man than of the Numerous and Persecuting Vulgar Or on Phineas 's who went out alone for God among the Jews Or on Noah 's to have been saved with those few Souls in the Ark when the universal World were destroyed by a Deluge 'T is Good 't is Good for a just Man tho he be but one and stands alone to shew a Confessorian Liberty and Profess the Truth boldly and freely and this way to break the Power of Error and Wickedness tho standing on the united Votes and concurrent agreement and approbation of the Multitude And as for the Weight of Numbers a Multitude without Demonstration Proceeding only by Will is fit to imprint Fear not to persuade Belief Tho some Multitudes I
all of Almighty God It overthrows as all the Rules so all the Design of Religion and the Grounds of good Practice It can come into the Thoughts only of worldly-wise not of truly Religious Persons who never urged a Temporal Necessity against a Spiritual Duty being not men of this World but of a better There can never be any Necessity of Sinning to him that dare suffer And he who is resolved against Suffering may think himself a worldly-wise man but God will account him no good Christian. But this now is otherwise in the Wisdom of this World Necessity it thinks a Reason not to be argued or disputed And what it calls Necessary is what is necessary to one who is resolved to keep this World not to one who can part with it What is necessary not to one that would set God and Religion above the World but that sets the World uppermost and so makes a God of it If it talk of any thing being necessary for the Interest of God and Religion it means only for the worldly things about them It looks not what is necessary to keep Innocence for other things it accounts more necessary than that but what is necessary for carnal worldly Convenience It is more for things necessary to present Safety than for those which are necessary to good Hopes of Eternity And to make men safe here by affording visible Humane Securities not by ingaging the Protection of God and the Guard of an unseen Providence 2. Secondly Spiritual Prudence will never allow us to justifie any Breach of Duty by the Plea of Providence This is the way of worldly-wise men who are ready to catch at any thing as a good Argument of a way 's being approved by God and pleasing to him if it profits them If God give Success when they use unlawful ways and Expedients especially if in bringing that success about there are any surprising or remarkable Circumstances they cry up the Hand of God and think his prospering it so signally is his approbation God himself here say they is willing to become a Party and such Success is his Testimony But Spiritual Wisdom teaches us to take the Morality of Actions and the goodness or illness of things from Laws not from Providence It is the Laws of God in Nature or Scripture that must teach us our Duty and tell us what will please God or what will offend him Sin is the Transgression of a Law as St. John says and Obedience is the keeping of them And these Laws are publish'd in the Nature of things and the Word of God which are a plain and sure Promulgation of them But as for Providence its Design is not to be a Publisher of Precepts God's Providence is not an Act of his Legislation but of Judicature and Execution It s part is not first to shew and promulge Laws but supposing those promulged before to supervise the Carriage of those they were promulged to and execute their Sanctions Or to recompense Actions by suitable Events according as they have either transgressed or kept them The Judgments of God according to his Will before promulged we may read in the Events and Issues of Providence But what his Will is the Observance or Breach whereof Providence thus rewards or punishes we must read in the Moral Nature of Things and the Holy Scriptures 'T is a bad Use therefore of Providence to make it take off our Eyes from the Morality of Things and the plain Voice of Laws and look for what is pleasing to God and according to his Will only in the Events of Actions Which is like leaving the clear Light of the Sun to go to read by that of a Glow-worm 'T is to go read our Duty where it was not intended to be writ and Neglect or over-look the perusal of that where it is writ And 't is worse when we see both to make Providence carry against plain Laws and the Moral Nature of Things which is to turn the Signification of Providence not only against the Laws but against it self For the use of Providence is to be a Government according to those Laws and the Morality of Things It is to be a Maintainer of them by just Retribution and so is only to back and strengthen but never to oppose them And therefore Providence must never be urged in Favour of an ill and unlawful thing For since its right use is to be a Retribution of Laws and to reward Dutifulness all its right Signification and all our right Remarks thereupon must be only for Encouragement to keep our Duty but not to transgress it It must never be pressed against Laws but always for them and must only draw us to trust and depend upon God in a good thing but never in an ill one which Nature or the Holy Scriptures have forbidden Indeed as Providence is the Administration of God's Judicature here on Earth and he permits or disposes of Events of things or Actions in way of Government and Justice there is a Signification of his Liking or Disliking in these Disposals But 't is hard and unsure to fix this on Persons and Actions to say from these Issues of Providence alone who or what he is Pleased or Displeased withal For in the same Issues and Events Providence is Concerned with a Number of Persons of the most contrary Qualifications they are fatal to one and favourable to another But yet since therein he has an Eye at both from the Event alone we cannot say which God likes and which he dislikes whether the Success is to Reward the Actors Righteousness or to punish the Sufferers Wickedness Nay oft-times in the Justice of Providence God makes some Sinners the Executioners of others and punishes one by anothers Offences making them Grind each other to Pieces So that here on which side soever the Shew of Favor or Success falls it doth not Signifie that God is pleased with either He will speed one to punish another when he is offended with both The Assyrians Success was only as the Rod of God's Anger to scourge the wicked Nations Which once done he and his Ways being no more pleasing to God than the others were he was to be broken himself and fall under like Judgments Is. 10.5 12 16 c. The wicked who in their Course of Wickedness are far from being pleasing to him yet says the Psalmist are a Sword of thine and so long find Success therein Psal. 17.13 Yea as the Thriving of some is not always to shew Favor so the Sufferings of others in Events of Providence is not always to shew Displeasure For many times their Sufferings are not Designed to punish the Sufferers but only to try their Patience and refine and manifest their Virtues and rowze a sluggish World with the Sight of brave Examples Such was the meaning of David's Sufferings and Persecutions under Saul Such was the Signification of Providence in the Sufferings of Job of the holy Prophets of
Shew of Doing what really they neither did nor durst do And thus were their hypocritical Appearances and ungodly Evasions rebuked and censured by the holy Zeal and downright Honesty and Simplicity of the Primitive Fathers To appear to the World as obeying an unlawful Edict was equally scandalous to Religion in the Eyes of Men as if really they had been obedient to it And therefore they rated such external Seemers and Appearers as Real Observers He that would seem say they to have satisfied any Edict that injoyns a thing against Religion in that very thing pays Obedience to it that he studies to be thought obedient When called to own a Truth by openly Refusing what we hold a Sin to Practise Qui fallaces in excusatione praestigias quaerit negavit He that seeks to make the Imposer believe he doth what is required and falls to fallacious Tricks and cozening Compliances in Excuse Denies his Duty as if he had Done what he required him was their Judgment as I noted before And this must hold alike in all Duties For if any thing is a real Wickedness greater or less alters the Case betwixt it and any other only as to Degrees But if such False Seemings are really partaking in ill and hypocritical Shews as appears from the preceding Instances we may no more Partake or act an hypocritical Part in a less than we may in a greater Wickedness By all which I think it sufficiently appears that all we can expect in such external Observances of Significant Days or other things is to pass for Hypocrites and Dissemblers with God and men if we say we do not mean what such Meeting doth and as we thereby profess Or to be taken to Do the thing which we in heart Condemn from our having Done that which is the outward Profession of it We Do in Moral Estimate what we Do visibly and what we would be thought to Do. So that how little soever the Heart goes along therewith if we appear among the Practisers of an ill thing and Do as they who are for it in outward Profession and Observance we shall be censured among them and being found in their way must expect to share in their Condemnation I know 't is said by some when they do not answer the Signification of these Assemblies that they join only at the innocent Parts of the Service there Performed and pass over what comports not with their Consciences Which Palliation and Excuse for what is wrong makes many innocent and well meaning Minds who would Neglect no opportunity of serving God to resort thither for the sake of all that is Good and Right in the Service on such Occasions But they consider not that the things they are afraid to promote or joyn in are Signified and Declared by the very Meeting and not only by some particular Prayers which are put up there And in coming to such an Assembly they profess to have what it means by their Appearance as well as by some Passages in the Prayers The Edict that calls them thither fixes a Signification and tells them for what purpose And their coming upon that Summons is a Profession of setting on that Purpose Thus it would be thought in any Case where Men are invited and called in by their Friends to seek a Blessing from God on some Conspiracies or hazardous Undertakings Tho then there would be some good Confessions of Sin and other ordinary Devotions to fit them for more Prevalence and to accompany those Prayers which are more special for the Designâ— yet must all who appear there on such an inâ—â—mation expect to be judged both by God anâ— men as Parties with them therein And thus ' tiâ— as I have observed in all the foregoing Instances there is a Signification and Profession in the very Act or Observance it self And this I think makes the Case of joyning in these Assemblies Different as to this Point viz. of professing contrary to our Sentiments from that of our joyning in the Daily Service of the Church tho that happen to have some Passages which we cannot in Conscience joyn with if those Passages are otherwise tolerable on account of their Unlawfulness For the intent and signification of our Meeting in the daily Devotions is not to profess a determinate Approbation and Concurrence in these scrupled Passages but for Devotion at large· We come to them to do God Honor and Service and to seek Supplies for all our own and others Necessities So that our Presence there is to concur in the Religion of the Day or Devotion in the just Latitude thereof And it cannot be gathered merely from our being there or Presence alone that we are for these scrupled Passages since were we against them we might still be there for so many other Purposes but from some other external sign or saying Amen to them still as they come 〈…〉 as for these other Assemblies the thing 〈…〉 is signified not only by some particulaâ—â—â—ssages in the Form but by the whole Meeting And accordingly our Concurrence therein is professed not only by our saying Amen at such Passages but by our Appearance at the Meeting The Day it self is instituted for that Dâ—sign it is the next or ultimate End of all that is then done which first or last is for speeding and carrying of it on Indeed it highly concerns men to look to the Matter and End of their Prayers that they be for good things and to set on none but good Designs To pray for ill ones is to make our selves Parties to them and to partake in Guilt and Punishment with the Actors themselves If any come that brings not this Doctrine bid him not God speed saith St. John for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds 2 Joh. 10.11 Where we cannot with a safe Conscience assist we cannot pray for Success is more from Providence than from humane Means and therefore Prayers are among the highest and most valuable Assistances To lend Prayers to ill things is not only to assist and partake in the ill but to prophane and pollute those most Sacred things our Prayers themselves and turn them into the rankest abominations For any ill or forbidden thing is never so abominable to God and all good men as when it is not only against God but offer'd to him When it creeps into our very Prayers and stains and pollutes them which should be pure as the God they are offer'd to and purge away all our other Pollutions Which is as much as in us lyes not only to disobey and provoke but to rifle God's own Holiness to tempt him to our Sins to try if we can make him a Party to our Wickedness and draw him in to be as deep in any unjust ungodly or otherwise forbidden thing as our selves than which it is not easie to conceive what can be a greater Abomination Prayers are among the plainest and greatest Expressions of Piety when put up for good
not condemn but justifie our selves when we feel our Spirits fermenting with the same Bitterness This and such like is to have two Tongues one in our own Case and another in our Neighbours One behind a mans back and another before his Face One in this Company and another in that as may best please each Which is the Double Tongue against which as I noted St. Paul cautions the Deacons who especially if of complying Natures would be in danger to say one thing to one and another thing to another to please the different Affections of those they talked withal when employ'd as they often were to go from house to house 1 Tim. 3.8 And is also the flattering Lip in the Psalmist which saying that to ones Face which the heart never thinks and which it would be ready to gainsay in the next convenient place he calls speaking with a double heart Psal. 12.2 It is to have one Tongue to the World for Fear to avoid Persecutions as the Gnosticks had and another in Truth and privately towards God or where they might profess their Sentiments in Religion without hazard Which double Dealing of theirs St. James may not unlikely refer to when he says A double minded man is unstable in all his ways Jam. 1.8 To this of a Double Tongue I shall also refer as speaking thus differently in different Speeches so likewise all Double meaning or speaking Doubtfully and Deceitfully in the same Speech Such are all speaking with Mental Reservations when we only utter part of our Meaning in words and secretly Reserve the other part still unuttered in our Minds which part of the Speech reserved in our Minds if added to what is expressed in words would make it quite a different thing to what it sounds And use of Aequivocations which design to delude by a Double sense of some words or of Ambiguities i. e. like Double meaning by the doubtful and uncertain Construction of whole Sentences which without any violence to Rules of Grammar may be expounded quite different ways And lastly all Craftiness and ways of Trepaning in Discourses either by talking in the Clouds and casting a Mist of words to make a thing unintelligibly obscure and dark when we are afraid lest another should see and understand it Or by contrived Circumlocution and Round of Words laying Trains by degrees to draw those we talk withal imperceptibly into wrong Apprehensions For men use to go about when they tell a Lye and yet would be thought to speak a Truth They stand off at a distance from the Point and are not for answering plainly and directly to it They break the Falshood to pieces and cast a multitude of Words that in the Crowd something wrong may get in among others that are right without being seen or suspected So that what they could not put off by Whole-Sale they retail out among other Ware and vent by Piece-meal without being discover'd by the abused Parties Nay perhaps by these Arts they have â—ozen'd themselves first and then their Neighbours They may have hid or lost the Falshood by this means and not know well in what part of the Discourse to find it themselves And thus the Lye broken to pieces and slurr'd off is easily swallow'd and goes down without Regret which had they utter'd it plainly would have almost choaked them and bore too hard upon their Consciences Now all these ways of Mental Reservations Aequivocations Ambiguities and crafty Speeches and Discourses are using a Double Tongue Their End is to abuse the Apprehensions and Belief of men by a deceitful Sign against the Faith of Society and the End of all Discourse and Conversation For Words are the Instrument of Faith and Confidence and therefore should be so used as they may be relied on But what St. James taxes in the Double-mind is equally true of this double Tongue as that is so unstable in all its ways so is this in all its Meanings that they are not to be built upon Jam. 1.8 They are the Instruments of Hypocrisie or of mens dissembling their own Thoughts and of Guile or of their beguiling and abusing other mens and we are to lay aside all guiles and hypocrisies 1 Pet. 2.1 to be as our Lord testified Nathanael was such true Israelites in whom is no guile Joh. 1.47 or as he himself was of whom it was said that no guile was found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 The Use they serve and the End they propose is not to inform but to deceive others So they are the Ways and Expressions not of a true but of a deceitful Tongue They carry with them not a single but a double Meaning and so bear in them all the Force and Effect of a double Tongue which speaks twice and two contrary things at one time 3. Thirdly This Singleness of Simplicity excludes a double Practice against Duplicity in Life and Carriage It will not allow us to be open Saints and secret Sinners to practise one thing before God and another before the World to be one thing at Church and another in our own Closets It will not permit us to worship God and to worship Baal to comply still with the Worship of the Place tho in things of direct Repugnance betwixt themselves going one day with the Gnosticks to the Jewish Synagogues and the next to the Heathen Temples and the third to the Christian Churches Or to be for a man in the Crowd and against him in a trusty Company to profess we are for one and yet act against him or wish and act for him when in private or left to our selves and yet turn over from him in the Eye of the World and renounce him in Profession to appear among those that meet to pray for a thing at Church which we cannot pray for but it may be pray against when we are by our selves to go among the Rejoycers in Publick for what we mourn in Private or among those that afflict themselves and mourn abroad for what we rejoyce at home It will not be for the Practice of Duty in the Sun-shine and against it in Persecution as the Gnosticks who as St. James says were unstable in their ways sticking to Christian Assemblies in opportunities of Peace and turning to those of Jews or Gentiles in Fear of Persecutions Denying thus as the Apostle says the Lord that bought them when they could not otherwise save themselves tho confessing him at other times It doth not use when a Virtue is cryed up to be at the top of those who stickle for it but when cryed down to hide its head among those that do not know it To encourage and run up a way whilst it serves our selves but to brow-beat and run it down when it disserves us or serves others To set off the obligation of Duty to Superiors whilst they go our way and are for us but to be silent of them or shake off Duty when they go contrary as if the Duties were not
must needs be subject yea every Soul not only for wrath but Conscience sake says S. Paul Rom. 13.1 5. Whenas at this time as is notorious Kings and Sovereiâ—â— Powers were Heathens Thus careful were they not to seem in the least to set Men free from any Relative Duties and Obligations towards their Heathen and Idolatrous Relations And this with the more exactness to cut off from the Heathen World who knew well enough the Dueness and Necessity of these things and the Guilt of the contrary without the Preaching of the Apostles all color for aspersing Christianity as overthrowing Justiâ—â— and Morality as pulling up Foundations of Nature and setting persons loose from the Obligations of their several Relations Which would have been the greatest Scandal that could haâ—â— been fixed upon Religion and have made it to turn the Moral and Natural Obligation as well as the Heathen Superstition of the World upside down Teach Wives to be obedient to their own Husbands and to take care of their Children that the Word of God be not blasphemed And Servants to be obedient shewing all good Fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in alâ— things says S. Paul Tit. 2.4 5 9 10. Submit 〈◊〉 every Ordinance of Man says S. Peter for so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. 1 Pet. 2.13 15. Again 2. He calls for these Relative Duties and Performances towards Men of all Religions whatever their Performance on their Part be towards us We must be dutiful Children to hard improvident or careless Parents and faithful Servants to 〈◊〉 and unequal Masters and obedient 〈◊〉 to bad Husbands and good and true 〈◊〉 to ill administring and unrighteous 〈◊〉 â—â—â—vants be subject with all fear not only to the 〈◊〉 and Gentle but also to the froward saith S. Peâ—â—â— not only whilst you receive Right but when 〈◊〉 good Conscience towards God you suffer wrongâ—â— at their hands 1 Pet. 2.18 19. 〈◊〉 Pontius Pilate was far from discharging the 〈◊〉 of a good Governor to our Blessed Saviour 〈◊〉 his Blood only to satisfie the Peoples Claâ—â—s against the Conviction of his own Conscience 〈◊〉 yet our Lord took care to approve himself a 〈◊〉 Subject towards him as he had done beâ—â—â— towards the Chief Priests forbidding his Serâ—â—â—â— to use the Sword against them in his own 〈◊〉 owning even at that time his Power 〈◊〉 from above Jo. 19.11 Ananias the High Priest did not sure perform 〈◊〉 his part when sitting to judge Paul by Law commanded him to be smitten contrary to the Law 〈◊〉 23.2 3. But yet even under this Grievance 〈◊〉 â—aul confesses he ought him all the same Duty 〈◊〉 he should have owed to a more just Judge â—â—d begs pardon for having forgot himself and not spoken so reverently towards him upon that occasion as the Law required towards the Ruler of the People Vers. 5. Saul unquestionably was guilty of Male-administration in an high degree and far from discharging towards David his Duty of Protection yea moreover he was reprobated by God or rejected from being King 1 Sam. 15.23 But yet for all that David was still bound in Conscience to perform his Duty of Subjection towards this unrighteous Sovereign As he did when he had the highest Temptation and the most Providential opportunities to rid himself of him owning him even then for the Lordâ— Anointed and saying Who can lift up a hand against him and be guiltless 1 Sam. 24.5 6. Ch. 26.9 Lastly No man will say the Emperors and Rulers in the Apostles Days performed the Part of Good Governors Persecuting the true Religion instead of Protecting it preying upon the Remains of Roman Liberties instead of preserving them and Ruling by Blood Injustice and Oppression instead of just and regular Administration But yet towards these Non-Performers and Notorious Violaters of Princes Duties the Apostles injoyn all the Subjects of the Empire most punctually and Conscientiously to discharge their Duties putting them in mind to be subject to Principalities and to obey Magistrates Tit. 3.1 not only for Wrath but Conscience Rom. 13.5 as the Will of God and for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13 15. All which God strictly exacted and Good Men in all times most Conscientiously performed not daring to shake off Subjection and rise up against God's Vice-gerents when they proved the most unjust Invaders of Religion and Rights as they who list may see proved at large In all these Relations each side must look to what concerns themselves Their Duties are Mutual but not Conditional so that we may not break with them tho they break with us The breach of their Part is ill in them And therefore since what is ill in one cannot be good in another the Breach of ours must needs be answerably ill in us too So that not to go along with them in an ill thing or be condemned for Company we must every one take care 〈◊〉 discharge our own Duty whether our Relatives make due Return of Duty and discharge theirs towards us or no. Indeed all the Laws of the Second Table or the Duties of Justice are absolute in Obligation without regard either to the Religion or to the Good Performances and Moral Qualities of Men. We must speak Truth and keep Faith and Promises especially when confirm'd by solemn Oaths and deal justly and where we have received Favours remember them gratefully especially in their need and return them as we can even towards the worst Persons to men of the worst Carriage and of the worst Religions Hereticks or Infidels The Jews â—ere for streightning the Exercise of Justice Gratitude and Kindness not extending it to men of an opposite and hated Religion but confining the Neighbour mention'd in the Law to a Fellow Jew or one of their own Nation and Religion But to cure this our Lord instructs them in the Parable of the man falling among Thieves that the Jews must be Neighbours even to the Samaritans bidding him that asked Who is my Neighbour after he had related how Neighbourly the Samaritan dealt by the Jew in Distress Go and do thou likewise Luk. 10.29 30 37. Honour thy Father and Mother thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit Adultery thou shalt not steal thou shalt not covet thou shalt not bear false Witness are Commandments that oblige equally towards all Persons We are no more at Liberty to break any of them towards a Pagan than towards a Christian a Papist than a Proetstant an ill and unjust than towards a Good and Righteous Man More particularly kind we ought to be to the Houshold of Faith and those of our own way But just and true and grateful is what in common we are bound to be to all All this is plainly owned and implied in that Maxim which is confessed by all sober Persons and expresly denied by none but some wild Enthusiasts viz. That worldly Dominion
〈◊〉 find or save it Matth. 16.25 And to which 〈◊〉 Peter also may seem to have reference when 〈◊〉 his second Epistle writ very near this final Overâ—â—â—â—w of their City and Nation he tells the Chriâ—â—â—â—ns laboring under Persecution which the Jews â—â—â—dently set on that the Lord knows how to deliâ—â—â— the Godly or those who in all their Dangers 〈◊〉 to their Duty and Trust in Providence out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust or those who by wicked Shifts seek to escape unto the Day of Judgment to be punished As it signally happened with these Gnosticks when the Day of the Lord as the Scripture often calls it came on the Jews or by God's just Judgment they were all destroyed 2 Pet. 2.9 Indeed this Preservation of themselves in that common Overthrow by not craftily deserting but honestly adhering to their Duty is what Christ promised and what as it drew on the Apostle spressed for their Encouragement and what the poor persecuted Christians believed and waited for And accordingly when the time did come which in Mat. 24. was presignified the Providence of God did most watchfully and wonderfully accomplish and bring it about When the Abomination of Desolation i. e. the Roman Armies which make all desolate called abominable because of their Heathen and Idolatrous Worship stands in or about the holy Place viz. the City Jerusalem or as it is in S. Luke when Jerusalem is compassed about with Armies as it was by Cestius Gallus Then know says our Lord that the destruction thereof is nigh and let them which be in Judea flee to the mountains or out of it to some quiet and secure place Matt. 24.15 16. Luke 21.20 21. The Siege of Cestius gave the Alarm according to this Prediction And when he without any visible Cause both unexpectedly and most unaccountably and unwisely as Josephus notes raised the Siege that gave the upright Christians Liberty and Opportunity before its being begirt again to draw themselves off and the Oracle of God to some holy Men made them all with one consent to embrace it So that when Titus at last came before it at the time of the Passover when all the Jews and Judaizers from all Places were come up to the Feast there were only unbelieving Jews and hypocritical Judaizing Christians to be shut up for the Slaughter All the upright Orthodox having by the Care of a Gracious and an Indulgent God made their Escape before In sum this way of preserving those by unforeseen Providences who would not seek when there was no other visible means to preserve themselves by sin and of disappointing those who in distrust of Providence make unlawful ways their refuge causing the wicked Remedies of their fear to prove the fatal accomplishers thereof has still been God's course Look at the Generations of old and see says the Son of Sirach did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded Or did any abide in his fear and was forsaken or God leave those that had not first left him Ecclus. 2.10 And on the other hand the fear of the Wicked says Solomon or of him that betakes himself to wicked ways to keep off what he fears shall come upon him Prov. 10.24 This I grant it doth not always in the issue of things here there being no Rule in these matters viz. the Orderings of Providence but admits of some exceptions and wherein for wise Reasons God may alter and change sometimes But thus it is in ordinary course and 't is not rare and extraordinary contingencies but the ordinary course of Events that must ground our hopes and guide our expectations of them It usually happens so and is so common that 't is drawn into a Rule by the Spirit of God and the carefullest Observers of Providence Particularly by Solomon in several places who tells us that he only who walketh uprightly walketh surely But that he who perverteth his way shall be known Prov. 10.9 That whilst the integrity of the upright guides and delivers them perversness destroys the transgressors and the wicked instead of standing thereby shall fall by his own wickedness being not extricated as they hoped but taken and insnared in their own Naughtiness Prov. 11.3 5 6. That whilst Righteousness tho' it may seem to endanger and expose yet really keepeth him that is upright in the way Wickedness on the contrary for all it may seem to uphold overthrows the Sinner c. 13.6 His own Wickedness shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the Cords of his Sins c. 5.22 The great Pretence for Mens stretching to such unlawful Expedients is many times the preservation of their Children or Families of Religion and the Church or other Publick Ends. And the Method of Providence is to make them Fools in their ungodly Expedients causing them to fall by their wickedness And at the same time in his own way often securing those innocent persons or holy things they were afraid and sin'd for Thus it was in the Case of the Israelites when God would have had them go into the Land of Canaan they would not go or trust to his Power to carry them on but were for turning back again for fear as of themselves so least their little ones should become a Prey to the Inhabitants who were People of very big Bodies and lived in Towns of extraordinary strength Deut. 1.27 28.32.39 For this by Travels in the Wilderness God consumed all these men that thus sinfully Revolted in hopes of Preservation v. 35.40 But as for their little ones for whose sakes they sin'd lest they should become a Prey to the Canaanites and which in that day having no knowledge between Good and Evil could not partake of their Fathers Offences he declared he would and so accordingly he did bring them in and gave it to them for a Possession v. 39. Thus is all use of wicked Means and unlawful Expedients as a most wicked so a most foolish Course Since there is more done towards success by Providence than by visible Preparations there must needs be more security thereof by Faith in God in ways of innocency than by any promising ways of sinning for expediency To offer up our Sins as Actors under his Providence is not sure the likely way to success if Providence must give success God iâ— never like to bless what is sought by such Instruments they are enough with him to mar any Design which they meddle in So that if we would not only keep a good Conscience or be wise for the next world but prosper and speed in any Designs in this World either for God or Religion the Church or Kingdom for our Selves or our Friends we should never seek to succeed by the least Sin We must never make Lyes our Refuge or Falsifie by Word or Practice nor make our selves better or others even our Enemies worse than they are We must forge no false Reasons nor brand any with unjust
Guilt who though he dâ—th not inwardly approve nor Praise it to othâ—rs yet deceitfully Complements the Actor of an iâ—pious or unrighteous thing and flatteringly â—â—â—lauds it to himself This Carries with it the Guilt of praising an evil thing which it doth to the Guilty person and aggravates it with Falshood and Dissimulation speaking therein contrary to their own Opinion It Flatters the Offender in his Evil Way which is to harden him in his Sin and bar all thoughts of Repentance or Restitution and make him not only ready but ambitious to repeat the same again upon the next Temptation And this is to partake in one Sin and to prepare him for more laying before him new snares both of Sin and Danger A man that flatters his Neighbour spreads a Net for his feet saith Solomon Prov. 29.5 A flattering mouth says he again worketh ruine Prov. 26.28 So that such a Caressing and extolling Fatterer comes in and Partakes as a cause both of his sin and Fall 6. To all these ways of Partaking in the Sins of others may be added lastly the contributing thereto by the scandal of our Falls or ill Exâ—â—ples All ill Examples are but too powerful in promoting ill things Good Examples are not so successful in kindling Virtue as bad ones are in Propagating Vice The main Reason is because Wickedness is more agreeable to corrupt Nature and inclination and Virtue and Holiness are Cross to it An ill Example leads them to follow Nature but a good one to over-rule and subdue it So they readily follow one because it calls them only to please themselves and are more hardly wrought on by the other as calling them to Self-Denials Which is the true Cause why the Devil and his Servants have so many more Followers in this world than God and his Saints he and his instruments inviting them still to ways that pursue their fleshly Lusts and Passions but the other to curb and restrain them Now the State of Mankind being thus and corrupt Nature like tinder most ill Examples that are all as so many sparks of fire will be apt to catch one or other But then they are most unhappily influential when ill things are committed by Parents and Magistrates or by Men in Power and Authority over others For then besides their conduciveness to ends and inclinations on other accounts they are taken up as the way to have an air of greatness or to gain favour and recommend themselves or to be like those whom Nature has made dear or Honour great and glorious in our eyes Or when they are acted by Persons of note and eminence for Wisdom and Goodness For then they come as having lost their illness on a presumption no ill could come from such Actors Nay if they are Pillars of Truth and Piety in deference to their Judgments numbers of good minds are apt to distrust their own and call in question even the plain Voice of Conscience and the clear Sense of Good and Evil Right and Wrong So that such mens Falls never go alone but strengthen the wicked in their Evil way and shock the strong in the way of Truth and turn the weak out thereof Yea they put a reproach into â—he mouths of its Adversaries and make the way of Truth and Righteousness to be evil spoken of All which to their own adds the sins or falls of many others And this must accumulate guilt and inflame reckonings He that by his sin draws others not only to sin after him but to blaspheme must needs precipitate others as well as himself into destruction and so will be guilty and answerable for as many as he has drawn into guilt with him says Salvian Thus by all these fore-mentioned ways to omit others may Men make themselves Guilty of others Sins Though they are not Actors in an impious or unrighteous thing yet if they enjoyn it or being in Power do not use their Power to prevent and punish it or in things that go by consent if they do not expresly refuse their consent when 't is asked or if Ministers if they neglect to warn against it or mislead their People and go before them therein or invent Salvo's and unsound Palliations to defend and â—olster them up in the same If when in Service or subordinate Office they Minister in an Unlawful Business or help it forward as Complices in Studies or Counsels as persuading to it or furnishing out Provisions for it or praying for the Success thereof If they approve of it when 't is acted being inwardly delighted therewith or appearing to Praise it or Defend it or visibly to Countenance the Actors going about it or stand by and look on with Delight whilst 't is a doing Or if when really they Dislike the Fact they yet appear to the World like one that Doth it or Deceitfully Complement and Flatteâ— the wicked Actors thereof Or lastly if by the scandal of their ill Examples they Draw others into Guilt as well as themselves By all these ways may Men that act not the Guilty and Unrighteous Things themselves draw other mens Guilt upon their own Heads And 't is the part of Spiritual Prudence when they keep out from the Execution of any Wickedness in the direct Act to take care moreover that it do not reach them in the Rebound and that they do not by any of the foresaid ways partake in their Crime who are engaged therein CHAP. X. Of Reliance on Providence and of the Benefit Religion makes by outward Sufferings FRom what I have before said of the Folly as well as Wickedness of the First Rule of worldly Prudence about Means and Method viz. Doing Evil that Good may come I shall proceed now briefly to note further on that Point 3 dly A Third Rule of Spiritual Wisdom in pursuit of its ends and that is Faith in Providence or in compassing any Effects to look more to Providence than to Humane Appearances The great Virtue and Excellence of Religion as well 〈◊〉 the most general and constant exercise and â—â—ployment of the Life of man is Faith in God This Faith is a Faith in Providence so 〈◊〉 as concerns us in all the things of this Life Our Faith also respects Futurities and what God 〈◊〉 promised beyond this World in another Life But all that God doth accomplish and 〈◊〉 Government thereof in this World is the Administration of Providence And all our Regard to God in Earthly Affairs seeing his â—â—nd in them and expecting from him their desired issues is the Faith in Providence This is that which Spiritualizes this World and turns all things that affect us here into Religion And this therefore is the Life of all truly Good and Religious Men. Through the whole Course of this World they walk in Faith and this Faith is in Gods Providence which they ever look up to and rely or build most on in all things Contrary to the way of the World who as though they walked without God
in it look not in every thing to the Living Creatures i. e. Angels represented in that Vision with the Face of Living Creatures standing by the Wheels or Course of Worldly things to govern their Motions as Ezekiel says c. 1.15 16.19 20 21. and c. 10.9.16 17. Or to the over-ruling influence of invisible Providence managed by the Ministry of Angels which has the leading hand and gives the last and Ruling stroak to all that happens But only to what is visible before their eyes or to humane Preparations and Appearances And expecting more from Providence than from Worldly Appearances they never seek to compass any Ends as I have shew'd by Unlawful ways Which will lose them more in the Help of Providence than it will get in that of Humane Preparations Nor despair of his Protection or promised Success in Gods own ways Nay their trust in Providence here they account as one of the best Means being that which will most ingage Providence The Lord will help them and save them from the wicked that are always plotting to Destroy them because they put their trust in him saith the Psalmist Ps. 37.40 They trust it to the last when there is nothing visible to back it nor any thing else to trust to When on the burning of Ziklag the People with David spake of stoning him and he was Greatly Distressed then did David encourage himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.1.6 Our bones are scattered at the Graves mouth as Chips are when one Cutteth or Cleaveth wood upon the Earth says he on another occasion but mine Eyes are unto thee O Lord in thee is my Trust to keep me from the Snares laid for me Ps. 141.7 8 9. When my Soul fainted within me at what time he was in the Whale's Belly I Remembred the Lord saith Jonah Jon. 2.7 We were pressed above measure and had the Sentence of Death in our selves says the Apostle that we should not trust in our selves but in God who raiseth the Dead who delivered us and doth deliver 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. This proves the Sincerity of our Trust in God when we have no Reserves of Humane grounds It shews the commendableness and Degrees thereof when we Dare throw our selves wholly on God's Care and Kindness And this is that whereby Good men Signalise themselves They are Abrahams Children by being Followers of Abrahams Faith Gal. 3.7 â—t is their best Armor and Defence which they â—â—ver put off even in the hottest Persecutions 〈◊〉 here saith St. John after the seemingly most helpless States and hardest Tryals is the Patience and Faith of the Saints Rev. 13.10 And we are to be Followers of them who thro Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 But contrary to this is the way of Worldly Wisdom When it has little or no humane Prepâ—â—ations or Worldly Appearances it is as if it had nothing to depend upon and gives any things up even those which God has promised and for which he is most concern'd as Desperate What would have become say worldly men of us or of our holy Religion if this and that Unlawful Course had not been taken What would have become of them had they kept to their Duty when they went beyond it That would have become of Religion or of any good thing which God pleases And after all their Breach of Duty to preserve them That must still become of them which God pleases So this in Case of Unlawful Expedients can only be the saying of those who have no eye at Providence in these matters or that Do not rely on God or put their trust in him but in visible Preparations and Appearances When they enquire what would become and ask about Events I would ask them again whether Events are our Business or Gods And if they are under his care it is only to Distrust God and to ask him what will become of his Charge not us what will become of ours As if he were not able to do his own Business whithout the help of our Sins or to bring to pass what concerns him in his ways without our breaking what is commanded and concerns us both in his way and ours A Fourth and last Rule which I shall note of Christian Prudence about the Means whereby its Ends are to be attained is The Vsefulness of Sufferings or seeing how it may highly compass the Ends of Christianity by Persecutions This indeed is a Paradox to this world who cannot think of growing richer by their Losses or that the Sufferings of men can ever be brought into the Account of their Successes and Advantages But this is a very certain and great Truth in Religion which serves its Ends by Suffering as well as by Thriving and looks upon Persecutions with other Eyes than this World doth Spiritual Prudence that is wise for the Advancement of our Duty and the improvement of our Spirits sees many singular Advantages which Persecution affords for these So that it never thinks it self out of its way but in the high and beaten Road to what it aims at when it is call'd to Suffer It is out of the way of worldly Peace and Injoyments and those are the things which Persecution takes from us but in a very Good way of practising a Number of most acceptable and Honourable Duties and making Spiritual Improvements For 1. Persecutions are the best and truest Proof of the Sincerity of our Affection to Religion or of our Love to Christ. It shews plainly that we set 〈◊〉 above this World and are thereby as he sâ—ys Worthy of him when we are ready to Part with any thing of this World for his sake And therefore Persecutions are call'd Tryals of our Faith in the Scriptures Nay the fiery Tryal which will separate the Pure Mettal from the Dross and prove Sound and Right Christians â—s it proves pure and right Mettals such another way of trying Christs faithful Servants as 〈◊〉 is of trying Silver or Gold it self And â—his tho to a worldly mind as depriving it of worldly injoyments it appears a heavy Afâ—â—ction to a Christian Spirit is of Great account For what so valuable to it as to prove 〈◊〉 self one of Christs faithful Servants the approbation whereof it sets more by than by all that is Dear and desireable to it in this â—ife What so pleasing to a Soul bent on Heaven as to have given such a clear Proof of its Preferring Heaven before Earth of its being so set on things above as for their sakes to Overlook and Despise all beneath of its having suffered with Christ which the Apostle gives as a Pledge to all Good Souls that they shall Reign with him 2. It calls us to the Exercise of many Duties of Religion yea such as are the very height and Perfection thereof which we have no such opportunity to exercise at a quiet time For now when Suffering comes we are put upon shewing how far we are set above the World and how
able to Contemn it being call'd to part therewith Yea we are much prepared thereby and disposed so to do nothing being more effectual to Cure our fondness for this World than Worldly Sufferings We are call'd to manifest how Heavenly-minded we are when our minds have nothing but Heaven to influence and bear them up and to carry them to quit what is most Dear to them here on Earth How Resign'd to the will of God when that Will of his is so hard to Flesh and Blood How Patient when we have Heavy Sufferings to try our Patience How strong our Faith is of unseen things when in assurance thereof we must forego all we see here or of Gods Grace and Present Assistances when in Expectation of them we are going out to Encounter the Greatest Tryals and Difficulties How we can take up the Cross and bear it after Christ when the Cross is laid in our way and we are call'd out to Suffer for Christ or for Righteousness sake And lastly how under all this we can heartily thank God and forgive and Love our Enemies and Pray for our Persecutors even whilst they are exasperating our Spirits by all the Provoking Arts of spiteful and injurious Usage Not to mention how instead of rebating it is found to add Spirit to good mens pious Resolution and a stedfastness and Complacency therein And indâ—ed Brave Minds are not in so much danger of being threaten'd and forced as Flatter'd and Caress'd out of their integrity suffering that Shipwrack of a good Conscience many times by the Smiles which they never could be made to do by the Frowns of Princes Now Contempt of the World and Heavenly mindedness and Faith and Patience and taking up the Cross and Loving and Forgiving Enemies and cruel Persecutors and such Religious Bravery and Gallantry of Spirit in God's Cause as no menaces and inflictions can shake much less vanquish are among the most raised and elevated Virtues in all our Religion And therefore Spiritual Prudence which rates the beneficialness of Things as they promote the greatest Virtues or Carry them on to the Greatest improvements must needs see and acknowledge how Directly and advantagiously it is pursuing its own Ends tho it be quite out of the way of Worldly Ends when it is called out to do Honour to God and Religion and to advance it self by the exercise of these and many other noble Virtues in Persecution 3. It calls us to do benefit to others by our Sufferings For our Sufferings for Christ and in a Christian manner or with a truly Christian Spirit in the manifestation of the Virtues before mentioned will help their Faith It will beget Faith in some and Confirm it in others there being a Witness or Testimony in the Blood and an Evidence in the Sufferings of Martyrs and Confessors to make Proselytes as the Scripture Declares and they Experienced in the Primitive Church It will also help their Practice For the sight of such Sufferings in us will call them with great Power and Force to Perseverance in their Duty when it comes under Tryals it will awaken those that are lapsed and help to stop those that are wavering and about to fall from it and Confirm and settle others in what they have received and embolden them in Professing of it animating them to a like Suffering for it as they see we Do. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing Confident by Example of my Constancy in Bonds says St. Paul are thereby become much more Bold to speak the word without fear Phil. 1.14 It makes one known to another and in time of Distress it is a Great heartning and encouragement to see the Number with us as well as a Good Confirmation of our Judgment and Guide of our Practice to see the same Truths resolutely owned by others especially by some whom we have cause to esteem better and wiser than our selves And accordingly St. Paul calls us to shew stedfastness at such times for these Purposes Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering and not forsake the Assembling of our selves together says he to the Hebrews in Persecuting times Considering one another to provoke unto Love and to Good Works Heb. 10.23 24 25. If we be afflicted and the Sufferings of Christ abound in us says he to the Corinthians it is for your Consolation and Salvation which is effectual among you in the enduring of the same Sufferings which we also suffer 2 Cor. 1.5 6. This Free and Stedfast Practice of Suffering Duties and Resolute Suffering for them before others is the way to call upon and Exhort them to Edifie and Build them up in the like Practice according to the Rule of Scripture which requires us to Edifie 〈◊〉 another Whereas on the Contrary our Denying those Duties or Shrinking from the Sufferings threatned in Persecutions especialy in Persons of Reputation and Influence is apt to give mighty Sâ—andal or Occasion of Falling It shocks the strong and turns the Weak out of the way which otherwise they are inclined to walk in and has a mighty effect on most who are Glad of the pretence of having such Examples to Follow and of any Colourable Ground to go that way It Encourages those that have Err'd and Pricks others forward and hardens those that are Resolved weakning the hearts of those that Stick to their Duty and heartning those that Revolt from it and strengthning the hands of the Wicked and of the Persecutors thereof against which God makes such Complaint Ezek. 13.22 So that the way of Christian and Resolute Suffering in Persecutions is a most Charitable and Edifying Course It doth Honour to Virtue and Religion as I formerly Noted when they are most exploded and when they are sorest prest and have fewest to stand by them It recals some Deserters and Establishes other wavering Professors and Animates and Strengthens all its Followers even at that time when it has the most need of them And all this though it be out of the World is in the way of Religion it never goes on more prosperously with its Ends then at such times 4. And being on all these Accounts the way to improve and perfect our Virtue it must answerably be the way to heighten consummate our Reward There are Great and Glorious Prerogatives in the Recompence of Martyrs and Confessors St. John Notes an extraordinary Preference and Priviledge of highest value to those who were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God beheading being the usual Death of Martyrs in those Days the more Cruel ways of Killing and exquisiteness of Torture not being commonly used upon them 'till afterwards and had not Worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor had received his Mark upon their hands or Foreheads i. e. had stood out couragiously under the sorest Tryals as brave Confessors against all Contrary and Unchristian Practices Be the Tryals never so Great for Christ's or for Righteousness sake I
and throw it away unnecessarily on lesser Matters Some Care for them is necessary God having so Order'd Things to incite industry that we cannot compass what we need without our own Care But when we do take care for them that should be a just and proportion'd Care not an unnecessary Care where the Superfluity doth the End we seek no Good but only troubles our selves and leaves us the less care in store and reserve for better Things It must not be immoderate or more than Suits either 1. With the true Weight and Worth the Dangers or Hazards of these Things The Worldly Things we seek are of a very mixed and limited Goodness And we may easily bestow more care and pains in pursuit of any of them than it will answer They are likewise many times more easily attainable and not liable to any Great hazard Or when there is more uncertainty in any pursuit yet if we cannot have one thing the World has variety and we may have another as Good that will serve as well Or if we have it not at one time let us but wait and we may have it at another And perhaps when that time comes it will appear to be a better So that we may easily spend more care upon them than they will require And having so much use of it Spiritual Prudence is for having us to be Good Husbands of our Care not spending more upon any Worldly Thing than the worth of the Thing will bear and if it were got thereby we should be well paid for nor laying out more thereon than the Difficulty of the Thing it self or the hazards incident to it do require 2. Or more than suits with our other Greater and Higher Cares We must be careful in such sort for any Ends of this Life as that we Neglect not all due Care for the Things of the Life beyond this So that our Care for any Worldly Thing must not be such as takes up our mind too much Not such for instance as leaves it not Time and Care enough to spare for Spiritual improvements and for attaining all the Virtues of Religion and for watching against all the Temptations of the World and for any opportunities and ways of Doing the Good we have been taught or of Avoiding the Evil whereof we have been fore-warn'd all which is sâ—ch a Care of this Life as choaks the Word as our Saviour says Mat. 13.22 Nor such as obtrudes it self at an aliene or unseasonable time calling us to mind our Worldly Care when we have a contrary Call to mind God or Religion some work of Piety or Charity or when we are present at and our minds should be attending to and spending all their Care upon some Spiritual Functions as Prayers or other Divine Offices or in any other Call and Season for like Good and Religious Things The Care of this World must yield to the Care of Religion it must not justle out God and our Duty but give way to them So that it is always immoderate and ill Govern'd when it is not made to comport with them 3. Or with the enjoyment of our own Minds When Care grows Great it is very Disquieting and a vexatious burthensom thing And most of those Worldly Things which men pursue tho' they are valuable when they come cheaper and are got more quietly yet however they may flatter themselves with Fancies before when they come to try them they do not ordinarily find that Satisfaction therein which will Compensate for the loss of Ease and Tranquility of Mind That Care is immoderate and gives away more than it is like to get which Robs us of our Internal Ease and self Enjoyment For it is a much more valuable thing to enjoy what is within than what is without us and to enjoy our selves and our own minds than those Worldly things we are in pursuit of That Care is to be removed which is Vexatioâ—s and Disquieting to the mind What our Lord has forbid not being all Labour and Care but only Sollicitude as St. Jerom says 4. Particularly it excludes all such Care as Disquiets it by Distracting Fears and anxiety about Events or all anxious Cares with mistrust of Providence For a Competency of Worldly Things tho' we have no Surplusage and always such success in any pursuit as is good and fit for us is what we have secured by Promises and the Providence of God And all our Solicitude for these Things must only be a Care with Faith in God and Reliance on Providence never an anxiouâ— Fear with want of Faith or Distrust thereof Which Distrust of God and about Things men are eagerly Desirous of must needs fill Worldly Minds indeed with Anxiety and Distractions For their Great Desires will put them upon Great Cares and their want of Faith â—â—â—ving no sure Anchor of Hope in God the 〈◊〉 fix'd stay to hold to will fill them with 〈◊〉 So that they are still wavering in Ebbs 〈◊〉 Flows Hopes and Fears and are of Anxious aâ—d Distracted Spirits But now this Anxious and Mistrustful Solicitude is what Spiritual Wisdom by no means allows We are not to give way to it though we have Bread bâ—t from Day to Day which calls us to a constant Dependance on God for what we shall eat â—ext as I observed before from the Lord's Prayer Nor in Dangers either Private or Publick to Church or State though our Preservation or Deliverance is but from Day to Day without any comfortable Prospect of Continuance and we are held there in like constant Dependance Our Care indeed is necessary for attaining of Worldly Good Things and putting by Worldly Evils God having left those good attainments for an Employment of Industry and not Conferring them upon us by himself alone or making them fall on every Man's head by Miracles but by our own Concurrence And these Depending in good part upon us must be a Matter of our Care employing our Care as well as his Providence But as they Depend on us they Depend on him too And as we are to have them by our Cares so must we have them under and from his Providence And therefore when we are careful to get them we must at the same time look up to him and trust he will give them or sâ—ch other Good in lieu thereof as he sees most fitting for us Faith in Providence especially where also we have God's express Promises withall must always both support our Cares and Speed or give Success to them So that whâ—â—soever we Care and are Solicitous for any Earthly Things it must always be under God not excluding him and with Faith in Providence and Gods Promises not with anxious and distracting Fears and mistrust thereof Which anxious and mistrustful Solicitude about Food or Raiment that is the Good Things of this World our Saviour warns against Mat. 6. For the Care there spoken of is a mistrustful painful Care that Solicitude being taxed as shewing little Faith v. 30.
if any means serve the Flesh and be desirable upon that account it little troubles or concerns it self whether it savour of Veracity or Deceit whether in the account of Conscience and Religion it be good or bad Now this virtuous Simplicity is an undisguised and invariable Tenour of Truth and Innocence It excludes all doing hurt and is especially opposite to all the ways and Methods of Deceit It speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen marks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Simplicity of his Father i. e. undisguisedness of Soul and unfallaciousness of Manners or Conversation Whatever it seems it is and it never is what will vex or harm others It is â—eracity without Lyes Singleness without Double-dealings or corrupt Mixtures Openness without studied Concealment and close Reserves of what it is call'd to profess Plainness without amusing or misleading Dress of what it professes and Harmlesness without doing any Wrong or Hurt to others Such an uniform Veracity and Undeceitfulness both of Mind and Carriage is that Simplicity which Christian Prudence requires of us And which God calls for when he bids us to throw out all Deceit Mar. 7.22 to lay aside all Guile and Hypocrisies 1 Pet. 2.1 to be no Deceitful workers 2 Cor. 1â— 13 And declares him only to be fit to stay in God's Tabernacle and dwell in his holy Hill who speaketh the Truth in his heart or whose words never go against the thoughts and intents of his Heart but always express and bear out what is there Psal. 15.1 2. 1. The First thing implied in virtuous Simplicity which Christian Prudence injoyns is Veracity in opposition to Falshood and Lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius explains by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being sincere by being true or veracious Simplicity bottoms all on Truth which it never tempers or brews together or daubs over with Falshood He that is for Simplicity in Truth must needs abhor Lyes never speaking contrary to what he thinks which sure is not to speak the Truth in his heart as God requires nor giving in a False Testimony of Persons or Relation of things 1. This will exclude all spontaneous use of False Speeches when of themselves men are ready to frame or tell Lyes for Ends. Contrary to the Rule of Spiritual Wisdom which every where most plainly forbids Lying and says Lye not one to another Brethren seeing ye have put off the Old man Col. 3.9 and tells us of the Lake of Fire for those that love and make Lyes Rev. 21.8 27. And also all speaking Lyes out of Fear or Compliance when for escaping Rebuke or soothing men any Persons expresly assent to things against their own Judgments or say and unsay in different Companies Thus to the Deacons who going about from house to house were like to be under the Temptation to say and unsay or speak different things as might best suit with different Companies St. Paul gives it as a particular Charge not to be double-tongued 1 Tim. 3.8 Nâ—t double-tongued that is says Theophylact 〈◊〉 thinking one thing and saying another or saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing to one and another thing to another And to the Ephesians that putting away lying they speak every man truth with his neighbour as being members one of another forbidding Lyes not only in direct Assertions but in Soothing and Dissimulation against those as Grotius observes who to curry Favour with Jews or Gentiles were apt to speak contrary to what they thought Eph. 4.25 'T is not for such virtuously simple Persons to speak Lyes in Officiousness or with intent to hurt none but to do others a kindness For ill is not to be done that good may come of it and therefore to do others a kindness they may no more break this than they may any other Precept The Rule of Kindness to our Neighbour is to love him as our selves but tell a Lye we dare not for the sake of our own Advantage and so not for his Nay we must not tell a Lye in hopes to do good thereby to Religion or for the sake of God himself This really was the Case of Job's Friends They were forgers of lyes against him Job 13.4 But all those were officious Lyes or out of their Officiousness as I before noted to God himself And yet Job's was a just Reproof against them Will ye speak wickedly for God and deceitfully for him v. 7. Veracity or speaking Truth we must carefully practise not only for its Usâ—fulness or doing Kindness but for the Truth 's sake We must bear a conscientious regard to it as it bears the Image of God wherein we were at first formed and whereto we are renewed in Christ. Put on the new man says the Apostle which after God is created in true Holiness or the holiness of Truth Wherefore putting away lying speak every man Truth c. Eph. 4.24 25. God is the God of Truth and of Veracity or true speaking And the Devil God's grand Enemy is particularly noted as the Father of Lyes and a Spirit of Falshood And as the Authors and Heads themselves are so are their Children distinguish'd by the same They that love and speak Truth are Children of the God of Truth as they that love and utter Lyes are Children of the Father of Lyes For his Children they are as our Saviour told the Jews whose works and lusts they do And he abode not in the Truth from the beginning because there is no Truth in him When he speaks a Lye he speaks it of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it Joh. 8.39 44. Veracity then or speaking Truth is what we are bound to not only as beneficial to our Neighbours but as resembling God or bearing his Image and being a Divine Perfection And accordingly this is the injunction of the Scriptures not to lye one to another whatever be the Pretence to speak as the Psalmist says that Truth which is in our heart not that Falshood which makes for our Brother's convenience To put away all guile and hypocrisies which admits not of retaining any to serve turns as St. Peter says 1 Pet. 2.1 Some indeed have fetch'd a Plea for Officious Lyes from the Case of the Egyptian Midwives or the Practice of David in his Distress when he fled from Saul or other Scripture-instances But the Practice of a Good Man is no Argument a thing is well done if it be visibly against the Rule of Well-doing No not tho it have encouragement from God as in the Case of the Midwives whose houses God built for their sparing the Israelitish infants For in such mixt Actions a Gracious God is prone to reward the Good which is predominant and over-look the ill which is compassionably interwoven with it as he did with the Midwives if they spoke falsly recompensing their Charity not their officious Falseness Not to dispute whether what they said was really false