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
Ends and Ways are likewise necessary Requisites of Prudence which is not only for Doing a Good thing but for Doing it well and wisely And Christianity is for Ruling this Part of Prudence by the Laws of Christ and lays on us sundry Restraints which in this matter are easily and ordinarily broke through by the worldly wise 1. First in the Execution of our Purposes by the ways aforesaid Christian Prudence is for taking the most Advantageous Seasons To every thing and to every purpose as the Wise Man says there is a Season Eccles. 3.1 And every thing is both most easie to effect and most Beneficial and Beautiful when it is effected in its Season He hath made every thing Beautiful in its time Eccles. 3.11 And a word fitly spoken or in its Season is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver says Solomon Prov. 25.11 'T is the work of Prudence to see these Seasons or to Discern Opportunities and take them A Fool still slips his Opportunities and sees them not but a wise man's heart Discerns both time and judgment Eccles. 8.5 His Eyes says he again are in his head to look before him and round about or to espy both what to Do and when Eccles. 2.14 And this is one part of that Circumspection or walking Circumspectly which the Scripture calls upon us to use that we may appear to act not as Fools but as Wise Eph. 5.15 For that Circumspection or looking about us is as for the most commodious ways so for the fittest times and best opportunities of Performing Actions or bringing about any Business And as the Prudence of Worldly Men is shewn in taking their best opportunities for the things of this Life So must the Prudence of Christians be shewn in a Commodious Timing and Watching the most Advantageous Seasons for what they Do in care of their Souls and in Service or Honour of Christ Jesus But here care must be taken in determining what are Good Seasons for Religious Actions either Professions of some Points of Faith or Practice of some Duties Of this there is the more Danger because Religion says one thing and Flesh and Blood another in this Matter So that when Spiritual Prudence that minds Religion says one time is a Good Season for such a Profession or Practice Worldly Prudence that minds outward Ease will often â—ry they are most unseasonable But Christian Prudence must not take its Seasons from the Serviceableness of any Duty to worldly Purposes but to its own Ends. To prevent our setting aside any Duties as out of Season at the Suggestion of Carnal Wisdom when indeed we have an obliging Call and Season to Discharge them I shall note these things following 1. First in Determining the Seasonableness or Unseasonableness of Professing any necessary Truths of Christ or Practising any Christian Duties we must not say there is no Season for such Practice or Profession when there is hazard in them This indeed is the way of Worldly Wisdom which thinks Suffering in this World to be Seasonable at no Time and so accounts persecuted Suffering Duties to be ever out of Season To call for the Fruits of Righteousness or Morality when 't is Loss of Power or Place of Goods or it may be of Life it self to produce them it looks upon as a most unreasonable and unskilful miss-timing of things As bad as to come to the Trees to gather Fruit in the Spring e're 't is put forth or in the Depth of Winter when both Fruit and Leaves are fallen off long before The only Season it owns of Doing them is when it is like to Do it self no worldly hurt thereby but when they bring Suffering it cries out This is no time to talk of them But this is to Rate the Seasons for Spiritual Duties not by Ends of Virtue and Religion or the Advancement and Honour thereof which are Spiritual Considerations but only by Present Interest and Security which are Worldly Motives and lye ever closest to a Worldly Mind It is to make the Duties of our Religion not to be Duties at all times As if the Truths thereof were not to be professed or the Laws practised when we are call'd to Suffer but only when in Worldly account we are like to get or at least to save by them But these men never consider that Christianity as I observed before is a Doctrine of the Cross or a Suffering Religion all the Truths whereof were published and its Duties prescribed not for a Thriving but for a Suffering time Instead of excepting them it was Calculated for Days of Persecution since in such it enter'd and begun in such it got footing and daily maintained and enlarged what it had got among men All its Duties look for their Reward in another world and so must be duly observed when they draw after them the Greatest Dangers or Losses in this world Persecution tho' 't is no Good Season for getting or keeping any worldly Goods by Discharge of Duties yet is as Good as any nay better than others for getting Heaven thereby Though 't is no Season to serve Flesh and Blood 't is the properest Season to serve Truth and Virtue which are then most especially to be defended by us when others attack them and to be own'd by their stedfast Friends when their Enemies Explode and their own Dependants are ready to Desert them And these being the Ends of Spiritual Prudence instead of esteeming Persecutions which conduce so much thereto as unseasonable for Christian Duties it accounts them as I have before shewn the most obliging and Advantageous Seasons 2. Secondly We must not say there is no Season for Christian Duties when there is no worldly Appearance of Doing Good by Discharging them This is usually taken up by Worldly Wisdom when any necessary Truth or Virtue is born down with a Torrent They say it is in vain for the Servants and Professors thereof to practise or appear for it which would be only to oppose their single selves against an Host and to endeavor by their own Strength to stem a tide when the course thereof is most violent and drives away all before it This they think is only to Destroy themselves without doing their Duty any Good which however it may be pitiable as well intended yet say they is not commendable as being a Service altogether miss-timed and most imprudent But here men should consider that their Obligation to profess the necessary Truths or perform the Laws of God as they are call'd to them is not only for their Serviceableness as an Expedient but for their own sakes In Free and Discretionary things indeed men are to look to the usefulness and to go according to the probability of doing Good therewith But in the necessary Truths and Laws of Christianity which are bounden Duty towards God there Duty its self is their End and they have enough to ingage them to any Act without looking further if they do their Duty therein They
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
to an unlawful Expedient is absolutely the wisest and the likeliest course which in Pursuing these Ends a Prudent man can take For doth not all Driving Trades and management of Business and carrying on of Projects and Designs lye in Dealing with others And is not all Dealing where men dare Trust and can Confide And doth not all Trust and Confidence depend on Uprightness No man is willing to be Deceived or Cozen'd Wrong'd or Outwitted And therefore if they suspect any to be a Crafty Person Men are loath to Deal with him Or in Dealing being still suspicious of Design they are slow and difficult to Grant him any Reasonable thing whereof they would make no Scruple to another Person If they find a man to be a man of Tricks having had to do with him once they will be wary how they come to have to do with him a second time Dishonesty and Unlawful Ways may serve a mans turn in some one Act. But it will Disserve him in an hundred for that one in those that are to follow and is mere Folly if we look forward incapacitating him for being trusted and rendring him it may be the more unfit to carry on any Bargain or Business all his Life afterwards For a man that lives by Trade or Business is not only for Doing this one Day but many Days Not for Living by one Customer or Dealer and for having all his End on him at once but for so using him once as that he may hope to have him often for so Dealing by that one as may Encourage and Draw in many more to Deal with him And this Wisdom or Providence that looks forward a man quite Contradicts that uses any Dishonesty or Unlawful Means to serve a Turn at present Tricks for a while may lye hid and so long they stand a worldly mind in some stead to the Ends of this World but this uses not to be long and sooner or later they are for the most part discovered A Lying tongue is but for a moment Prov. 12.19 He that walks uprightly walks surely says Solomon But he that perverteth his ways or hath recourse to Dishonest and Unlawful Methods shall be known i. e. a little time will discover him Prov. 10.9 And when once discover'd his way is hated and he is not trusted And then by catching unlawfully at a little gain or success in one act he loses all that he lawfully might have had in all the Scores of Opportunities which keeping in honest ways would have brought him of getting or succeeding in the like matters afterwards Besides by the just Providence of God this way of serving our worldly Ends by Vnlawful Methods is wont to be Defeated The ill Means used to Divert an Evil he over-rules to bring and pull it down upon them as the killing of Christ to bringing in the Romans the compliances of the Gnosticks to involve them in Destruction with the Jews the Sale of Joseph to bring his Proud and Wicked Brethren to pay him Homage though all these as I formerly noted were intended and wickedly resorted to by the Actors for quite contrary Purposes When to compass an End Men flye to an Evil and Forbidden Thing that sets God and Providence against them And they are like to have but little cause to boast of their Gettings or Success whilst he sets himself to blast all they Project and to undo what they are unrighteously a Doing 2. Secondly In Course of Converse or Business Spiritual Prudence keeps the Wisdom of this World from letting fall or being wanting in any Duties It Drops none as I said above to save it self from Persecutions much less should it omit them to suit it self to Turns and Companies This Men are very apt to Do in the usual Method of this World They are called in Worldly Companies and in the Course of Worldly Business to express their Regard for many Duties It may be the Name of God is blasphemed or some Truth of his run down or some Virtue Dishonoured and we stand by and hear it Or some Innocent and Good Men Good Ways or Good Things are loaded with Reproach and Accusations which we know to be False Or intemperance is carried on with an expectation of our Presence or Concurrence therein or the like Now here the Suggestion of Worldly Wisdom is out of Bashfulness to keep silence and not to shew uneasiness at the Reproach of God or Goodness or Good Men for fear of Displeasing and giving offence And to Countenance intemperance or it may be in part at least to share therein rather than break Company or incur the Censure of being Rude Morose Unsociable or the like But Spiritual Wisdom sets the Honour of God and the owning of Virtue and the assertion of Truth of the Goodness of Things or of the Innocence of Persons at an higher Rate than these Worldly Considerations And therefore it will not be wanting to manifest and shew forth the Honour it has for God the Justice it bears to Men the Conscionable Regard it has for every Virtue and the Conscientious Fear it has of every Sin when it is call'd to manifest its Like or Dislike its Concurrence or Dissent on any just Occasion Not being for suffering Sin upon much less Countenancing it in our Brother Lev. 19.17 and requiring us to have no Fellowship with the Works of Darkness but rather to reprove them where we meet them as St. Paul says Eph. 5.11 So to bear out Christ's Truths and Laws and to bear up his Name not only in Secret but in Life and Conversation The better to Discharge and Facilitate this I think it would be an Excellent Rule of Spiritual Prudence for all true Christians to make open and ordinary Professions of strict Virtue Not falsly giving out what Virtue we have not Nor affectedly bringing into Company what we have when we need not But on the other hand not being ashamed or afraid to Profess what we really are and all that strictness which it becomes Christians to have or they ought to Practise when there is occasion for us to shew our selves It would be very fit I think for all Christians to appear to have and to keep about them the same sense of Things in Conversation which they appear to have at Church Professing still to like and approve here what they pretend to like and approve there And shewing their Godly Fear and Dislike of the same things when they meet them Proposed or Practised before Men as they did when they heard them Discoursed of and Represented before God And for all Ministers to appear visibly to think and to say the same of all Matters in Company as they do in their Pulpits Shewing the same Sentiments of Things in Liking or Disliking allowing or rebuking them and giving them the same reception when they meet them in Practice as they did whilst far off and whilst warning against them in Discourses And the benefit of this to all would be
Truths which a little deliberation and enquiry would shew to be Falshoods Former Tenets and Opinions which usually are so very tedious and difficult to be extirpated shall be laid aside upon much less Argument and offer of proof than that whereby they had before been maintained Yea the very same things shall be offered as good Arguments which when offered by others had been cast out and confuted as false ones Variety of Topicks shall be started to make up in number what they lack in weight And tho all are so uncertain that they who use them keep themselves upon the reserve and are afraid to stand or fall by any one alone yet they shall conclude that some or other of them is right and sufficient to prove what they draw from it Which I think is not the way of seeking Truth but serving Interest 'T is to resolve upon the conclusion before one sees the Reason which can make it good Worldly Wisdom says this must be held and then if one Topick that is pressed for proof cannot make it out another must Yea confessedly weak and false Arguments shall pass for Evidence and great Names or Numbers when they fall on this side fleshly Wisdom will call in its own Case a proof of Right Tho looking abroad every where else in the World where store of Opinions about other matters have these same Supports and yet are condemned by our selves at the same time in our Neighbors Case it shall be ready to Declare that Names and Numberâ— are no sure Argument of Truth but too commonly the false colour and fair show of Errour These and such like are the effects of that affected ignorance which worldly Wisdom would be held in of any Duties which it is like to lose by And this is quite opposite to spiritual Prudence and must never be yielded to by any that would make sure their eternal concerns or pass for truly religious honest virtuous Dispositions In matters of Salvation the best and truest security is being in the right way And I know no relief for any man in the wrong but a sincere willingness to see and follow the right when the Providence of God shall lay it sufficiently before him Which gives no relief at all to those who for want of love to a saving Truth especially when persecuted and through too much love of this world are afraid to come in the way thereof and unwilling to let it in 1. It is not enough for one that seeks to approve himself a good man that he follow that Duty which he sees but he must also take care to see every thing which is his Duty that he may follow it The Knowledge of our Duty must not sure be ranked among indifferent things for Faith as well as Obedience makes up the Gospel-terms To believe and know what Christianity makes necessary to be known is as requisite as to Do what it makes necessary to be Done Nay to know those things which are necessary to be Done is as necessary as to Do them since we cannot do them till we know them Indeed if the Ptovidence of God affords not an honest mind the opportunity of such Knowledge he will graciously connive both at the want of Knowledge and Practice But if we have no mind to know what we might know we shall suffer both for the want of Practice and Knowledge 'T is plainly there a want of Virtue in the heart that causes a want of Understanding in the head such evil doers as our Lord says love darkness and hate the light and will not come to it lest their deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.19 20. An honest mind must never be unwilling or afraid to see its Duty no not where 't is most costly It must have a Love for it when 't is persecuted as well as when 't is applauded when in the eye of the world it is a losing as well as when it is a gaining Virtue They must receive the love of the Truth that they may receive the belief thereof and to keep off as St. Paul says from being of their number that perish in their unrighteousness by believing lyes because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved thereby 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. This Love will not only make them to listen to it but to be inquisitive after it where sufficient instruction is not voluntarily offer'd and thankfully to see and receive the will of God whether it be with their worldly interest and fleshly inclination or against them And this is true Docility and Teachableness of Temper which is what the Scripture calls the ear to hear or the necessary Preparative profitably to hear a Religious or Moral Lecture 'T is necessary to Faith especially of those Truths or Laws of God which are more unsavoury and uneasie to flesh and blood And being such a previous Requisite of Faith and implied in it 't is sometimes in Scripture expressed thereby Pray that I may be delivered from unreasonable men says St. Paul for all men have not faith 2 Thess. 3.2 Noting those who receive or reject what is tender'd only by Humour or inclination of Flesh and Blood not by Reason as men void of Faith i. e. of a teachable Temper and Disposition 3. Thirdly Christian Prudence is alike for taking care of both Tables or for discharging faithfully as all the Duties of Piety so equall all others of Justice and Morality Since both are equally parts of God's will they are equally a matter of its care and its constant aim and study is how it may inviolably observe both and transgress neither but never to set one against the other Both Tables it receives as coming from one Authority and claiming one Obedience Well knowing that he that said Thou shalt not worship an Idol said also Thou shalt not kill or steal And if thou keep free from Idolatry yet if thou kill as St. James argues in this case thou art become a Transgressor of the Law Jam. 2.11 There is no transgressing of one to save another nay there is no breaking of one to save all For whosoever shall keep the whole Law besides saith the same Apostle and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all v. 10. And if for breaking that one he will be punish'd as if he had broke all there cannot be any room left to think of breaking one tho it were upon pretence to save all Which I call a Pretence because indeed it is a mere Pretence For the Commandments never oppose one another and we can never reasonably pretend to break the latter that we may keep the former since if we please we may at all times keep both and as we never can have any Authority so neither can we be under any necessity of breaking either The Effect and Consequence I shall observe from hence is 1. First That we never oppose the first to the second Table As the Pharisees who to keep
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
Lord was kindled against Uzzah and God smote him there for his errour and there he Dyed by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.6 7. If God would accept of Wickedness for any Ends certainly it must be for his own Glory which is worth all the World besides and which has some Plea of Compensating him for the Disobedience and making him a Gainer by the Exchange And if he would allow of any Sin for his Glory one would think it should be an officious Lye when his Servants and Well-wishers think and stretch beyond the Truth or traduce the opposite Parties especially where they have some Plausible Colour in Pressing Consequences merely because they think his Honour needs it and they know not how they can otherwise well defend his Cause But yet God will not accept of any Service by any such Sin or Breach of Duty as this For what says the Scripture to Job's Friends Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Will ye accept his Person in judging as you do between him and me when he requires in Judgment to accept no Person Job 13.7 8. But now all the Unrighteousness or ill they did against Job was only thereby to clear God's Honour and Justice in Job's Sufferings They were Forgers of Lyes against the innocent as he tells them v. 4. but all with a design to justifie the Proceedings of God Eliphaz accuses him that he had plowed iniquity and sowed wickedness and now reaped the same Job 4.8 But this was to make God juster than Job in his Sufferings v. 7.17 18. Bildad tells him that his Children were wicked and he himself an hypocrite Ch. 8.4 6 13. But this he said lest else in his Case God should appear to pervert Justice and Judgment v. 3. Zophar charges him that he had been wicked and that iniquity was still in his Tabernacles Ch. 11.3.6 14. But the design hereof was to justifie God's dealings and to shew he exacted of him less than Job's iniquity deserved v. 6. All these ill things which Job's Friends did were well meant their hard Judgments against Job were only the effect of their Respecting the Person of God and taking his Part. This is Job's own Construction of them Will ye says he accept his Person Ch. 13.8 Their unjust Surmises and Accusations were only pious Falshoods God's Proceedings needing them as they conceived And yet for all the ill was done with so pious an intention will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Was a Report unanswerable when Job objected it against them Ch. 13.7 God will never allow his Servants to go out of his own way tho it be on Pretence to serve himself He will never think and we must never say he is glorified when he is disobeyed or that he can ever get any Glory by our Transgressing of our Duty We glorifie his Power and Sovereignty when we obey it his Wisdom when we follow it and Religion when we keep and practise the Rules thereof We glorifie him as I formerly observed by shewing forth his Glorious Attributes and expressing them in our selves Whereas all Sin is never the expression but always the defacement of his Image and therefore his Glory can only be sought as 't is only compassed by Obedience 2. Nor is it to be justified by any Pretence to serve the Publick However the Good of the Publick is of more account than any Private Good yet is it of less than the Honour and Interest of Almighty God And therefore if we may not be allow'd to sin to serve God we can never be allow'd to do more for the Service of any other Master or sin to serve the Publick This indeed is a specious Cover for unlawful Expedients and nothing is more ordinarily pretended by those that use them for their own Defence For this is the way to make all People Parties to stop their mouths from branding it with just Censures nay to bribe their Favour and Approbation of the Expedient to perswade the Publick it is made use of only for their sakes But this will never pass before an impartial and most just God however it may stop the mouths of Partial and Corrupt men This Pretence the Jews had in the Murder committed upon our Blessed Saviour If we let this man alone say the Pharisees at their Council held about him all men will run after him and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Joh. 11.48 'T is expedient said the High Priest Caiphas for us that one man should dye for the People and that the whole Nation perish not v. 50. But yet for all this Pretence and Warranty of publick Expedience this was a Murder acted by most wicked hands Acts 2.23 The Publick must be sought under God not set up against him and it as well as private Persons must rule it self by ways of Righteousness not by ways of mere Expedience Indeed nothing is so true and serviceable an Expedient for the Publick as an intire Practice of Religion or Performance of Duty and Pleasing God This is the best Bottom and firmest Security of Common Good or Publick Interest 'T is not thought so I confess by worldly men who look only at sensible and present things But it will appear so to all raised and Spiritual Minds who know God has the most to do or the greatest hand in bringing any Events about and rely on Providence For to be sure they that rest on Providence more than on Humane Provisions and Appearances will never think they can serve the Publick Interest by Disobedience Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum is their Maxim To do their Duty is their Care to govern the World and see this do no hurt is God's And when they have done their Duty which is their Part they can chearfully trust and rely on him for Events 3. Nor by any Pretence to serve our Friends or Relations nay or to serve our selves or our own Lives If an unlawful Expedient may not be taken to serve God to be sure it may not be taken to serve us for his interest is infinitely of more account than ours and he is not so like to dispense with the Breach of any of his own Laws for us as for himself If it may not be done for the Publick sure it must not for any Private account for the Publick Good contains that of Private Persons and is worth more to God than any Private is Indeed if Self-Love may be Judge we might soonest take these Liberties in our own Case and stretch furthest to serve our selves But Self-Love and Religion are two things and as the Great Rule of that is Self-pleasing so the Fundamental Principle of this is Denying of our selves 'T is always without Exception for Denying of our Sins and not doing the least ill to get out of the greatest Distress Tho my Soul is continually in my hand says the Psalmist yet do I not forget thâ— Law The
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
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
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
Case of Vsury permitting it not under the Name of Vsury but of the Contract Mohatra i. e. Selling any Person that wants Money any Commodities on Trust at a Great Rate and he presently Selling them again for ready Money to the same Person at so much less as the use would come to Or by nice and vain Distinctions eluding all the Force of a Duty by limiting it to some such Bounds or making it to bind only for such Reasons as they will be in little need to transgress Or running it into such thin and subtile Notions till they have lost both it and themselves Or by the Plea of Favourable Circumstances which in Carnal Estimate call for Ease and Indulgence and which they are most Liberal in Granting at God's Cost to save themselves Or by Shifting of Intentions confining the Malignity thereof to Doing it for certain Ends which they can easily Evade by proposing other Ends therein to themselves The main Study and Boasted Subtilty of their Casuistry lies not in Explaining but in Defeating Moral Duties in Spreading Plasters for all Sores and inventing Salvo's for Sins And instead of Instructions and Inforcements how to keep venting among their Disciples Palliations and Devices to shew them how without Sin they may break God's Commandments In Sum not to lengthen out this Point by any more Particulars they are extreamly tender of Fleshly Wants and Necessities But this as they that are for more Flesh than Spirit shewing no tenderness far God but making as bold as may be with Religion and its Duties Theirs is an accommodating and complying Theology and their Great Care is not to bear but to avoid and shift off the Cross and temper and bring Down the Strictnesses and Severities of Christ to the Pitch and Measure of a Fleshly Mind And this wicked Policy or Suiting the Rules of Morality and Holiness to Carnal Ends and Inclinations they call Religious Wisdom or being wise to retain or multiply the Followers to serve the Ends and Interest of the Lord Jesus It would be too long to annex particular Sayings and Proofs of all these and other such like Opinions and Maxims of Fleshly Wisdom advanced by some or other of these Carnal Politiâ—ians They who list may see enough from their own Authors or without giving themselves trouble to look further for them in the Mystery of Jesuitism or Provincial Letters and in the several Extracts of Propositions from the Jesuits Writings in the Additionals Thus are the foresaid Rules and Worldly Maxims Declared against in the Preceding Chapters no better than Jesuits Principles which Secular Reason and Carnal Interests and Self-Ends are ready enough to Suggest to Fleshly Natures of all Sects and Parties but which they above all others have cultivated to Perfection So that as these Rules of Fleshly Wisdom take Place and come in use the Jesuit creeps in and revives amongst us And if Jesuits Morals must come in to Drive out Popish Superstitions and Idolatries as much and as bad Popery will come in at the Back Door as goes out at the Fore-Door and there will be no Deliverance from Popery that way to boast of I have an hearty Aversion to Popery whilst I pity their Persons and am I thank God ready to perform all that is Just and Charitable to them at the same time mightily condemning their Persuasion as a most corrupt Religion Accordingly I think it a mighty Preservation to be kept by God's Grace and Good Providence from those most Dangerous and Mischievous Errors or from all violent Temptations to them But I confess I am for keeping out Popery or any other ill Religion only by Orthodox Tenets and true Christian Practices Which God be thanked whatever it is of too many of its Members is the way of this Church in all her Authentick Doctrines and Offices that set as much by Good Life as by Orthodox Belief and are not more for Professing Truth than for Practising a strict and inviolable Morality and Holiness As all her Children and Sons must be too who will not Revolt or break off from her Principles And I think it a most lamentable Unhappiness for Men in their Zeal against so blame-worthy a Religion to run headlong into some of its most heinous Vices and even when they are opposing it with the greatest seeming Fierceness from sound and intire Protestants to become in Truth Part-boyl'd Romanists or Drive out Popish Superstitions by the use and help of Jesuitish Immoralities Which really is Done as I have shewn as often as the fore-condemn'd Rules of Fleshly Wisdom and others like unto them do find Place amongst us FINIS A Catalogue of BOOKS Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh PArey's Surgery Davela's History of the Civil-Wars of France Evelin's Sylva Saunderson's Sermons Bishop Brownrigg's Sermons Snape's Anatomy of an Horse Dr. Rawleigh's Sermons Dr. Outram's Sermons Mackenzie against Stilling fleet Discourse of Primogeniture Practical Rule of Christian Piety L'Estrange's Tully's Offices Doctors Physician or Dialogues concerning Health The whole Art of Converse Arbitrary Government display'd Hudibras Fourth Part. Alamode Phlebotomy or a Discourse of Blood-letting Eutropuis in English or a Breviary of the R. History Chalmer's Spelling-Book Behn's Miscellany Poems The Whole Duty of Man in French The Works of Mr. John Oldham Tate's Miscellany Poems Maimburg's Prerogative of the Church of Rome The History of Count Zozimus Discourse of Monarchy The French Bible The Testament in French Titus Andronicus Majestas intemerate Dr. Pelling's Apostate Protestant Dr. Curtis's Sermon Dr. Allestree's Sermon Sheridon's Case Gouges Principles Spirit of Meekness Stafford's Tryal The History of Passive Obedience Compleat 3 Parts The Case of the Afflicted Scotch Clergy History of the Scotch Persecution Don Sebastian Modern Policy Rebels Catechism writ by Doctor Heylin Scotch Memorial Proteus Ecclesiasticus Answer to Obedience and Submission to the present Government Demonstrated from Bishop Overall Perjur'd Phanatick Essay on Pride Dr. Talbor of Agues Venice Preserv'd a Tragedy Elliot against Oates The History of Edward the Third a Tragedy The Mistake or False Reports A Play Slainees Sermon Hindmarsh's Sermon Hool's Vocabulary Erasmus Colloquies 24 s. Ingratitude of a Commonwealth Aristella Castalio's Latine Testament City Politicks Plays Sir Courtly Nice Plays Banditti Plays Dame Dobson Plays The Poets Complaint of his Muse by Mr. Otway Seneca's Morals Martin's Letters Disappointment or The Mother in fashion a Play Rolls's Loyalty and Peace Hesketh's Sermon Robert's Sermon Loyal Satyrist Vindication of the Church of England Pelling's Good Old Way FINIS * Ad Nicom l. 2. c. 6. †De prospera adversa Fortuna de Prudentia Conc. 21. Tom. 3. p. 582. * The wise Servant made Ruler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same as prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24.45 As the wise as serpents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 10.16 and wise virgins Mat. 25.2 * Joh. 3.20 * Mat. 13.9 43. c. 11.15 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †1 Sam. 10.27
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