The explication.
To prevent the replies or excuses of the scorner, I must here tell you, 1. That by godliness I mean nothing but an entire devotedness to God and living to him: the doctrineand practice which are agreeable to the holy Scripture. I mean no fancies of mistaken men, nor the private opinions of any sect; but the practice of Christianity itself.
2. And yet I must tell you, that it is the common practice of these scorners to fasten more upon the concrete, than the abstract, the person, than the bare doctrine, and to oppose godly persons as such, when yet they say that they oppose not godliness. The reasons of this are these: (1.) Because they dare be bolder with the person, than with the rule and doctrine of God himself. If they scorn at the Bible, or at godliness directly, as such, they should so openly scorn at God himself, that the world would cry shame on them, and conscience would worry them: but as godliness is in such a neighbour, or such a preacher, or such a man, so they think they may reverence it less, and that what they do is against the person and not the thing.
(2.) In men they have something else to pretend, to be the matter of their scorn. Godliness in men is latent, invisible, unprovable as to the sincerity of it, and obscure as to the exercise. If he that scorneth a godly man say, He is not godly, but a hypocrite; in this world there is no perfect justification to be had against such a calumny; but the probable evidence of profession and a godly life is all that can be brought. But godliness, as it is in the Scripture, lieth open to the view of all, and cannot be denied there, but by denying the Scriptures themselves.
(3.) Godliness as in the rule of holy Scripture is perfect, without any blemish that may give a scorner a pretence; but godliness in men is very imperfect, and mixed with sins, with faults which the world may oft discern, and the godly themselves are forwardest to confess; and therefore in them a scorner may find some plausible pretence. And when he derideth these professors of godliness as being all hypocrites, he will not instance in their virtues, but in their faults; as in Noah's drunkenness, and Lot's incest, and David's adultery and murder, and Peter's denying Christ; yet so as the dart shall be cast at piety itself; and the conclusion shall not be, to drive men from drunkenness, adultery, or any sin, but from serious godliness itself.
(4.) Godliness as in the rule, is to them a more unobserved dormant thing, and doth not so much annoy them; for they can shut their Bibles, or make nothing of it, but as a few good words; but godliness in the godly, existent in their teachers and neighbours, is more discernible to them, and more active, and more troublesome to them, and so more hated by them. In a dead letter, or dead saint, that troubleth them not, they can commend it; but in the living they are molested by it; and the nearer it is to them, the more they are exasperated against it. The word is the seed of godliness; which least offendeth them, till it spring up and bring forth the fruit which condemneth their wicked lives.
3. And as opposers and scorners do usually strike at godliness through the person and his faults, so they use to strike at the particular parts of God's worship, through some modes or circumstances, or imperfections of men in the performance. It is not preaching or praying that they scorn, if you believe them, but this or that manner or imperfection in preaching and praying. But the drift of all is, not to help any man to do it better, but to make them odious that are most serious in doing it at all, and thereby to persuade men that it is a needless thing.[549]
4. Note also, that it is not the image or dead part of religion that these men are most offended at and oppose; but it is the life, and zeal, and diligence of the godly. So that if they differ not from themselves in profession about any doctrine or ceremony, yet they hate and scorn them for doing seriously the same which themselves hypocritically profess.
5. Lastly, note also, that this is not a difference of one sect, or party, or church against another, upon differing opinions; but it is that which is among all parties within themselves, when there is any thing of serious religion to be found. Even among the papists there are some spiritual, serious, holy persons, who are derided and opposed by the profane that are of their own church. Yea, among the heathens, Seneca and others tell us, that strictness in moral virtue was made the scorn of the rude and sensual sort of men. But though the quarrel be but that which was taken up from the beginning between the woman's and the serpent's seed, yet in all countries where church differences cause contention, this serpentine enmity doth with serpentine subtilty creep in and make advantage of them, and take up the nick-names, or sharper weapons, which differing christians form against each other, to strike at the heart of Christianity itself.[550]
Direct.I. For the cure of those that are already infected with so heinous a sin, the chief direction is, to understand the greatness of it, and the miserable consequents: as followeth.
1. Consider what it is that thou deridest. Dost thou know against what thou openest thy mouth? 1. Thou deridest or opposest men for loving God with all their heart, and soul, and might: and dost thou not confess that this is the duty of all men living? and that he is not worthy to be called a christian that loveth not God above all? Thou canst not deny this. And yet wilt thou oppose it? Deny it not; for this is the very thing that thou opposest; either men's loving God, or showing their love to him. If thou didst but love him as much as they, thou wouldst seek and serve him as diligently as they. Dost thou not know this thyself, that if thou didst love him with all thy heart, and soul, and strength, thou wouldst seek, and serve, and obey him with all thy heart, and soul, and strength? If the godly do more than this, deride them and spare not. If they love God, and serve him with more than all the heart, and soul, and might, then call them righteous over-much. If thou know any one that loveth God or serveth him more than he deserveth, blame and oppose that man and spare not. Thou knowest that what thou lovest most, thou art diligent thyself in seeking and remembering. Thou labourest for money because thou lovest it: and they labour in seeking and serving God because they love him: and is it a work for any but a devil, to oppose or scorn men for; for loving or showing their love to God?
2. Thou deridest men for delighting in that which is most delectable: for delighting in high and heavenlyknowledge, and in a holy state of soul and life; and for delighting in the law of God, and meditating in it day and night, Psal. i. 2; and for delighting in holy prayer, and the praises of their Maker; and for delighting in the forethoughts and mention of eternal joys, and making their calling and election sure. What is it but the exercise of these holy desires and delights which thou deridest? And wouldst thou not be as serious in religion and holiness as they, if thou hadst as much of these delights as they? Canst thou sit at thy pots, or follow thy game or sports, or talk of vanity many hours together, because thou delightest in them? and yet dost thou deride those that pray or hear God's word opened to them many hours, because it is their delight? O poor souls! how quickly and how terribly will God acquaint thee, whether their delights or thine were the more rational and just! and whether their work or thine was fitter to be derided!
3. Thou scornest men for paying but what they owe to the God that created and redeemed them. Are they not his own? and did he not give them all their parts and powers? and are not all their abilities and possessions his? What have they which they received not of him? And is this thy justice and honesty, to deride men for offering to pay their debts, and to give God his own? If thou know any one that giveth him more than he oweth him, deride that superstitious, over-righteous man, and spare not. But if men should not be derided for paying their debts to thee, deride not men for paying their debt to God, and giving him that which is his own. As we must give to Cæsar that which is Cæsar's, so we must give that to God also which is God's.
4. Thou deridest servants for obeying diligently their highest Master; and for doing diligently the greatest, best, and needfullest work in all the world. And is this a good example for thy own servants? Sure if a man should be mocked for serving God, he should be mocked more for serving such a one as thee. Dost thou know where we may find a better master, whom we may serve with better encouragement than God? He hath made us his stewards, and trusted us with his goods, and dost thou scorn us for being faithful in our stewardship? Thou deridest his subjects for obeying the King of all the world; and is this a good example to the king's subjects? should it be a matter of scorn to obey the king? or dost thou think that God's authority is less? or obedience to him less commendable?
5. Nay, thou deridest men for doing but some part of their duty, and discharging but a little of their debt. For the holiest man whom thou deridest for doing too much, doth less than what he ought to do. Thou knowest that the best of men do love God and serve him less than he deserveth; and that the carefullest come short of the perfect keeping of his laws; and yet wilt thou scorn men for doing so much, when they know, and thou confessest, that they do too little? Could they do all, they did but their duty, Luke xvii. 10.
6. Thou scornest men because they will not set up themselves, their own wit, and will, against their Maker. God hath commanded them to "give all diligence to make their calling and election sure," 2 Pet. i. 10; and to "strive to enter in at the strait gate," Matt. vii. 13; and "day and night to meditate in his law," Psal. i. 2; and to love him with all their heart and might; and to "pray continually," 1 Thess. v. 17. And thou deridest men for obeying these commands! Why, what wouldst thou have us do, man? should we tell God that we are wiser than he? and that he shall not have his will, but we will have our own? and that we know a better way than he hath appointed us? and that he is mistaken, and would deceive us by his laws? Wouldst thou have men thus to be voluntarily mad, and profess themselves open rebels against God?
7. Thou scornest men because they trust him that is truth and goodness itself. We cannot imagine that he can deceive us by his word, or that he maketh any law for us that is not good, or requireth any duty of us that shall be to our hurt, or that we shall be losers by.[551]And therefore we resolve to obey him as carefully as we can, because we are confident that goodness itself will not abuse us, and truth itself will not deceive us: and is this a matter to be scorned for? should not children trust their father?
8. Thou deridest men for not sinning against their certain knowledge and experience. They know that a holy life is best, though thou dost not; they know the reasonableness of it; they know the sweetness of it; they know the necessity of it.[552]And must they renounce their own understandings? must they be ignorant because thou art ignorant? and put out their eyes because thou art blind? Is it a crime for men to be wiser than thou? and that in the matters of God and their salvation? They have tried what a holy life is, and so hast not thou. They have tried what a life of faith and obedience is: and must they renounce their own experience? Must they that have tasted it say honey is bitter, because thou that never didst taste it sayest so? Alas, what unreasonable men have we to deal with!
9. Thou opposest and scornest men for loving themselves; yea, for loving their soul, and taking care of its health and welfare. For how can a man truly love himself, and not love his soul which is himself? And how can a man love his soul, and not prefer it before the low concernments of his flesh? and not take the greatest care of its greatest everlasting happiness? Can a man truly love himself, and yet damn himself, or lose the little time in which he must, if ever, work out his salvation? You will not scorn him that is careful of your children, or your very cattle? You love them, and therefore are careful of them yourselves. And shall not he that loveth his soul be careful of it? To love ourselves is natural to us as men: and how shall he love his neighbour that loveth not himself?
10. Thou scornest men because they love heaven above earth, and because they are desirous to live for ever with God and all the holy hosts of heaven. For what is it that these men do so diligently, but seek to be saved? What do they but "seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness?" "and labour for the meat" that perisheth not, John vi. 27; and lay up their "treasure in heaven," Matt. vi. 20; and set their "hearts there," ver. 21; "and seek the things that are above, and have their conversation in heaven," Col. iii. 1-3; Phil. iii. 19, 20.And if it be so scornful a matter to seek for heaven, sure thou never thinkest of coming to heaven thyself; unless thou think to come thither by scorning at the seekers of it.
11. Thou deridest men because they are unwilling to be damned, and unwilling to do that which they know would damn them; or to neglect that without which there is no hope of escaping hell. They believe the threatenings of God, and therefore they think no pains too great to escape his wrath. They think a holy life is both a necessary and an easy way to prevent everlasting torment: but if thou think otherwise, keep thy opinion till grace or hell shall make thee wiser; and mock not at a man that will not play with his own damnation, and leap into hell as desperately as thyself.
12. Thou deridest men because they will not be the voluntary destroyers of themselves. Were it not enough for thee to betray them unto others? or to murder any of thy neighbours thyself? but thou must wish them to do it with their own hands, and deride them if they will not? O cruel monster! that wouldst wish a man to lie in the fire of hell for evermore! and to go thither wilfully of his own accord! which is ten thousand times worse than to wish him to cut his own throat. Dost thou say, God forbid! I desire no such thing. Why, man, dost thou do thou knowest not what? Doth not he tempt a man to be hanged, that tempteth him to kill and steal? When the righteous God hath unchangeably determined in his law, that "without holiness none shall see God, and that Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that obey not his gospel, and that all they shall be damned that obey not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness;"[553]when God hath resolved that hell shall be the wages of ungodliness, dost thou not desire them to damn themselves, when thou desirest them to be ungodly? If thou believe that there is any hell at all, then tell me what it is possible for any man to do, to murder his soul and damn himself, but only to be ungodly? If this way do it not, there is no danger of any other. Tell me, dost thou think the devil deserveth to be called a murderer of souls? If not, it seems thou wilt openly take the devil's part; but if he do deserve it, then the reason of all the world be judge, whether that man deserve it not much more, that will do much more against himself, than the devil ever did or can do? The devil can but tempt, but thou wouldst have men do the thing that he tempts them to, and actually to sin, and neglect a holy life. And which is the worse, he that doth the evil, or he that only persuadeth them to it? If the devil be called, "Our adversary, that like a roaring lion goeth about night and day seeking whom he may devour," 1 Pet. v. 8, what should that man be called that doth far more against himself, than all the devils in hell do against him? Sure he is a devourer or destroyer of himself. Tell me, thou distracted scorner! is the devil's work, thinkest thou, good or bad? If it be good, take thy part of it, and boast of it when thou seest the end. If it be bad, (to deceive souls and entice them to sin and hell,) why wouldst thou have men do worse by themselves? He that sinneth doth worse than he that tempteth. Tell me, what way doth the devil take to do men hurt, and damn their souls, but only by drawing them to sin? He hath no other way in the world to undo any man, but by tempting him to that which thou temptest men to; even to sin against God and to neglect a holy life. So that it is plain that thou scornest and opposest men because they will not be worse than devils to themselves.
13. Moreover thou opposest men for not forsaking God! What is it to forsake God, but to refuse to love, and honour, and obey him, as God? He hath told us himself that "he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Heb. xi. 6. And is it not this diligent seeking him that thou deridest? It is plain then that thou wouldst scorn men away from God, and have them forsake him as thou hast done.
14. Thou scornest men for not being hypocrites; because they will be that in good earnest which thou hypocritically callest thyself, and wouldst be thought. Thou callest thyself a christian; and what is it but for being serious christians that thou deridest them? Thou takest on thee to believe in God; and what is it but for obeying and serving God that thou deridest them? Thou takest on thee to believe the Scripture to be the word of God; and what is it but for following the holy Scriptures that thou deridest them? Thou sayest thou believest the communion of saints; and deridest them that hold the communion of saints in practice. Thou sayest thou believest that Christ shall judge the world; and yet scornest them that are serious in preparing for his judgment. Thou prayest that God's name may be hallowed, and his kingdom come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven; and yet thou deridest them that hallow his name, and are subjects of his kingdom, and endeavour to do his will. O wretched hypocrite! And yet that tongue of thine pretendeth that it is their hypocrisy for which thou hatest and deridest them, when thou dost it because they be not such blind and senseless hypocrites as thyself! Can there be grosser hypocrisy in the world, than to hate and scorn the serious practice of thy own profession? and the diligent living according to that which thy own tongue professeth to believe? If thou say that it is for doing too much, and being too strict, I answer thee, if it be not the will of God that they do, though I would not deride them, I would seek to change them as well as thou! But if it be the will of God, then tell me, dost thou think they do more than those that are in heaven do? or do they live more strictly than those in heaven? If they do, then oppose them and spare not. If not, why prayest thou that God's will may be done on earth as it is in heaven?
15. Thou deridest men for doing that which they were made for, and that which they have their reason, and will, and all their faculties for; take them off this, and they are good for nothing: a beast is good to serve man, and the plants to feed him; but what is man good for, or what was he made for, but to serve his Maker? And dost thou scorn him for that which he came into the world for? Thou mayst as well hate a knife because it can cut, or a scythe for mowing, or a clock for telling the hour of the day, when it was made for nothing else.
16. Thou deridest men for being saved by Christ, and for imitating his example. What came Christ for into the world but to "destroy the works of the devil," 1 John iii. 8; and to "save his people from their sins," Matt. i. 21; and to "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works?" Tit. ii. 42. And hath Christ, to the astonishment of men and angels, come down into flesh, and lived among men, and given them his holy doctrine and example, and suffered death for them, and all this but to bring men to zealous purity, and darest thou make a scorn of it after this? What is this but to scorn thy Saviour, and scorn all the work of redemption, and tread underfoot the Son of God, and despise his blood, his life, and precepts?
17. Thou scornest men for being renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. What is the work of the Holy Ghost on us, but to sanctify us? and what is it to sanctify us, but to cleanse us from sin, and cause us entirely to devote our souls and lives to God? Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost, or not? If thou do, what is that but to believe in him as the sanctifier of God's elect? And what didst thou take sanctification to be, but this purity and holiness of heart and life? and yet darest thou deride it?
18. Thou deridest men for imitating those ancient saints, whose names thou seemest thyself to honour, and in honour of whom thou keepest holidays. Thou takest on thee to honour the names of Peter, and Paul, and Stephen, and John; of Augustine, Hierom, Chrysostom, and other such saints of God; and yet wilt thou make a scorn of those that strive to imitate them? Search and see; if any of these men did, after their conversion, live in luxury, carding, dicing, profaneness, and if any of them were against a holy life, against much praying, hearing, reading the Scriptures, meditating, exact obedience to God; then let not the shame be thine, but mine. He that is most unlike them, let him have the scorn.
19. Thou deridest men for repenting of their former sin, and for accepting that mercy which Christ hath purchased, and God hath offered them, and sent his messengers to entreat them to accept. Can they repent of their former ungodliness, and not turn from it and amend? If thou knewest what they know, thou wouldst repent thyself, and not deride men for repenting: if thou knewest the gift of God, thou wouldst beg it, and gladly accept of it thyself, and not deride them that accept it.
20. Thou scornest men for keeping that covenant, which thou also madest with God in thy baptism thyself. At the same time thou speakest against the anabaptists, that will not have their children baptized, and deridest those that keep their covenant, which in baptism they made. What a monster of contradictions is an ungodly hypocrite! Didst thou not in baptism renounce the flesh, the world, and the devil, and give up thyself in covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? And dost thou not yet know what thou didst? but scorn them that perform it? What is it to be given up to God in baptism, but to take him for thy God, thy Saviour, and Sanctifier, whom thou must love, and seek, and obey in holiness, with all thy heart, and soul, and might? He is a covenant-breaker indeed, that hates the keeping of it.
I have hitherto been showing thee what it is that thou opposest and deridest: I shall now tell thee further what thou dost, in showing thee the aggravations of the sin, and its importance.
2. Consider in all this, what an open enemy thou art to God, and an open soldier for the devil: what canst thou do more against God, and do thy worst, than make a scorn of all his work and servants? He feareth not thy power or rage; thou canst not hurt him. How many millions of such worms as thou can he tread to hell, or destroy in a moment! It is in his servants and service that he is honoured or opposed here, and that mortals show their love or hatred to him. And how canst thou devise, if thou wouldst do thy worst, to serve the devil more notoriously, than by opposing and deriding the service of God? If such be not Satan's servants, he hath none.
3. Consider what a terrible badge of misery thou carriest about thee! thou bearest the mark of Satan, death, and hell in thy forehead, as it were. If there were any doubt whether a swearer, or drunkard, or fornicator may be in a state of grace, yet it is past all doubt that a scorner of godliness is not: it were strange indeed for that man to be holy that derideth holiness: there is scarce any sort of men in the world, that are more undoubtedly in a state of damnation than thou art. It is dark to us what God will do with infidels, and heathens that never had the means of salvation; but what he will do with all the unbelieving and ungodly that have had the means, we know past doubt; much more what he will do with those, that are not only void of holiness, but deride it. I deny not but yet if thou be converted thou mayst be saved: and oh that God would "give thee repentance to the acknowledging of the truth," that thou mightest escape out of the devil's snares, who leads thee captive at his will, 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. It is written of Basil, that by his prayers he caused the devil to give back a writing, by which a wretched man had sold his soul to him, that he might enjoy his master's daughter; and that the man repented and was delivered: if thou mayst be so recovered it will be a happy day for thee. But till then it is as sure as the Scripture is sure, that thou art a miserable creature, and an undone man if thou die in that condition that thou art in. Oh with what fear shouldst thou rise and lie down, if thou hadst thy wits about thee, lest thou shouldst die before thou art converted.[554]
4. To scorn at holiness is a defiance of grace, as if thou didst renounce God's mercy: thou dost thy worst to drive away all hope, and make thy case uncurable and desperate. For if ever thou be saved, it must be by this grace and holy life which thou deridest: and is scorning grace the way to get it? And is it likely that the Holy Ghost will come and dwell in the man that scorneth his sanctifying works?
5. To scorn at godliness, is a daring of God to give over his patience, and presently to execute his vengeance on thee! Canst thou wonder if he should make thee a monument of his justice, and set thee up for all others to take warning by? Who is fitter for this, than the scornful opposers of his grace and service? Hasten not vengeance, man; it will come time enough. Will a worm defy the God of heaven?
6. How little dost thou understand of all that thou opposest! Didst thou ever try a holy life? If thou hadst, thou wouldst not speak against it; if thou hast not, art thou not ashamed to speak evil of that which thou dost not understand? It is a thing that none can thoroughly know without experience: try it awhile, and then speak thy mind.
7. Didst thou ever consider how many judgments are against thee, and whom thou dost contradict and scorn? (1.) If thou scorn at serious godliness, at preaching, hearing, reading, praying, meditating, and strict avoiding sin, thou contradictest God himself; for none in all the world is so holy, or so much for holiness, as he: and therefore ultimately, it is him that all thy malice is against; even God the Father, and the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. (2.) Thou settest thyself against all the evidence of Scripture; (3.) And against all the works of God: for all conspire to call the world to holiness and strict obedience to God. (4.) And thou contradictest all the prophets and apostles, and all the ancient fathers of the church; and all the martyrs and saints of God that were ever in the world; and all the learnedfaithful ministers and pastors of the church that are or have been; and all the godly throughout the world; and all that ever had experience of a holy life: and what art thou, that thou shouldst scorn all these? Art thou wiser than all the ministers and godly persons in the world? than all the apostles and holy martyrs of Christ, that ever were? yea, than God himself?
8. Didst thou ever mark how unlike the speech of Christ and his apostles was to thine? Did they deride men for being too diligent, for the pleasing of God and saving of their souls? Read but these places following and judge: Matt. v. 8, 11, 20; vi. 21, 33; vii. 13, 14; 1 Pet. iv. 18; 2 Pet. iii. 11; i. 10; Heb. xi. 6; Matt. v.; Rom. viii. 1, 5-9, 13; Phil. iii. 18, 19; Heb. xii. 28, 29.
9. Dost thou not thyself do as much for the world, as those that thou opposest do for heaven? Art thou offended that they preach and pray so long? Art not thou longer about thy worldly business? And are not gallants longer at a feast, or visit, or games and recreations? Art thou offended that they talk so much of heaven? And dost not thou talk more of earth? And which of these dost thou think in thy conscience, doth better deserve to be sought and talked of? Which will prove better at the last? And whose labour will be more worthy of derision?
10. What gain would it be to thee if thou hadst thy will, and praying, and preaching, and holiness were as much banished from the world as thou wouldst have it? and if men to please thee should displease God, and cast away their souls for ever? Would it do thee good for earth to be so like to hell? It is the grief of godly men already, to think how little holiness is in the world: there is scarce a sadder thought that ever came into my heart, than to survey all the nations of the earth; and to think how ignorance and ungodliness abound, and how few there be that are truly holy; and what an inhuman creature is that who yet would have them fewer; and scorn out of the world the little wisdom and piety that is left![555]
And would it be any pleasure to thee in hell, if men should accompany thee thither to humour thee? Nay, it would be thy everlasting torment, to see there so many for ever undone, by hearkening to thy wicked counsel. Say not, that thou art not so cruel, and it is not their damnation that thou desirest: no more is it thy own that thou desirest; but all is one as to the effect, if thou desire the way to it. Thou mayst as well give one man poison, and deride at another for eating and drinking, and yet say, it is not your death that I desire. But die they must, if they are ruled by thee.
11. Were not he a cruel man that would not do as much for the saving of his neighbour's soul, as that which thou deridest them for in the saving of their own? If thou wert sick, should I refuse to pray for thy life? Or if I knew that it might save another's soul, should I think any means or pains too much? If not, methinks I may be allowed to do as much for myself, as charity bids me do for another.
12. Is it a season to mock at holiness, when at the same time there are so many millions of souls in heaven that all came thither by the way of holiness? and so many millions of souls in hell that all came thither for want of holiness? and while thou art prating against it, they are crying out in despair of the folly of their neglecting it? Would one of the souls in heaven regard thy mocks if he were to live on earth again? Or would one of the souls in hell be mocked thither, if they were but tried with another life? If thou sawest at this hour, what unholy souls in hell are suffering, and what holy souls in heaven enjoy, wouldst thou ever mock again at holiness? For shame consider what thou dost; and see by faith the things that mortal eyes behold not.
13. What if men should yield unto thy derisions, and forsake a holy life to please thee? Wouldst thou undertake to justify them or be answerable for them before that God, that required holiness, and will condemn all the unholy? Wouldst thou bring them off, and save them from damnation? Alas! poor soul, how unable wilt thou be to save thyself! And wilt thou take them for wise men, if they displease the Lord, and go to hell to humour such a one as thou?
14. Thou wilt not thyself be mocked out of thy house, or land, or right, nor from thy meat, or drink, or rest: wouldst thou cast these away, if another should mock but thee for using them? I think thou wouldst not. And wouldst thou have wise men be mocked out of their salvation?
15. Thou wouldst not think it reasonable that thy children or servants be derided for loving or obeying thee? or thy very horse dispraised for serving thee? And do they owe thee more, than we all owe God?
16. God highly honoureth them and dearly loveth them, for that very thing that thou hatest and deridest them for. John xvi. 27, and xiv. 21, "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Psal. xi. 7, "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness: his countenance doth behold the upright." Psal. cxlvi. 8, "The Lord loveth the righteous." 2 Cor. vi. 16-19, "For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." And darest thou scorn the sons and daughters of the Almighty? even for that very thing for which he hath promised to receive them, and to be a Father to them? How contrary then art thou to God! Mal. iii. 16-18, "A book of remembrance was written for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name; and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels: and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him:" and darest thou scorn God's jewels, and those that are thus precious to him? "For them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. And wilt thou be one of his despisers, opposing that in others, for which God himself hath promised to honour them?
17. To hate and scorn at holiness, is to hate and scorn at God's own image; and the clearest image of God that is under heaven; even that which Christ came down from heaven to give us the first draught of; even that copy of the holy life of Christ, which by the Spirit of God is drawn upon the heart.[556]And he that scorneth at this image of God, doth scorn at the Holy Ghost that made it, and scorn at Christ who gave us the first pattern, and scorn at God himself whose image it is. Saith Chrysostom, God is loved and hated in his servants, as a king is honoured or despised in his image. And he that dare scorn God, and scorn Jesus Christ, and scorn the HolyGhost, in the image of God upon his children, methinks should never have the face once to expect to be saved by the God that he doth scorn.
18. Thou art the shame of human nature; and makest man so like a devil, that it is hard to prove that the devils can do much worse than thou.[557]Can there be a greater sin, than for a creature to scorn and deride the image and laws of his Creator? and hate and oppose, or persecute men for obeying him, and seeking to please him, and to save their souls? What couldst thou do worse if thou wouldst study to be as bad as thou canst? What a shame it is to thy understanding to be so blind! and to thy heart to be so wicked! It were not half so great a shame to scorn the sun for shining, or the earth for bearing fruit; for though these are God's creatures, yet they bear not the image of his holiness as his children do. When he will condemn men at last it will be upon this account. Matt. xxv. 40, 45, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did it not (or did it) to one of the least of these (my brethren) ye did it not (or did it) unto me." Oh wonderful, that the nature of man can ever come to this, to hate, and oppose, and scorn the image and obedience of his Maker, and make a mock of the holiness of God! It is a great question whether the very tempting men to such sins as these be not the devil's greatest sin: and to commit it is worse than to tempt thee to commit it (cæteris paribus). And for a man that hath a Saviour offered him, thus to scorn his Saviour's grace, and mock his servants, must needs be far worse than for the devil to do it who hath no Saviour, no pardon offered, and no hope, but is shut up under endless desperation: as it is worse for a child to curse his father, or scorn him, than for an enemy to do it. Think and tremble, how near this deriding or opposing the work of the Holy Ghost, doth come to the unpardonable blasphemy against him.[558]
19. What villany may not be expected from thee, that canst commit such a sin as this? May not thy neighbour look for any mischief that thy carnal interest shall lead thee to do against him? Is it any wrong to thee to think that thou art a thief, a murderer, a whoremonger, a deceiver, unless it be for want of a temptation to commit them; or that thou wouldst be a traitor against thy king and country; or perfidious to thy truest friend, if thou wert tempted to it; when thou scornest men for obeying God himself?[559]Can that man stick at any wickedness that he is equally tempted to, who dare scorn his Maker, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier; and spit contempt upon holiness itself, the image of his Judge? For my part, if ever I trust thee or any such man as thou, with life or liberty, or with the worth of a groat, it shall be thy interest and not thy honesty and conscience that I will trust; I will trust thee little further than I would trust the devil himself that governs thee.
20. Lastly, consider what thou wilt think of thyself for this at death and judgment.[560]Will it comfort thee when thou art going to be judged of God, to think that thou art now going into the presence of that God whom thou wast wont to scorn? When thou seest Christ come with thousands of his holy angels to judge the world, will it comfort thee to think, this is he whose holy life, and precepts, and servants I mocked or persecuted on earth? Now I must be judged by him that I derided. Oh dreadful case! for a scorner or persecutor of godliness, to go to be judged by that holy God whose ways he scorned and persecuted![561]If you say, It was not Christ but a man that you derided; see Matt. xxv. 40, 45; Luke xix. 27; Acts ix. 4, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" If thou scorn a child for that in which he resembleth, imitateth, or obeyeth his Father, thou wilt find in the day of judgment to thy woe, that it was the Father himself that was the utmost and principal object of thy scorn. Then I had rather be the vilest toad than such a man. Then wilt thou stand to what thou saidst? Wilt thou then maintain thy slanders and reproach? Wilt thou then condemn or scorn the godly, when thou seest them justified at Christ's right hand, or glorified with him in heaven? No! as Mal. iii. 18, when God makes up his jewels, "then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." Then how gladly would you eat all the words of reproach and scorn, that ever you uttered against a saint; and wish that you had never spoken them! I tell you it is an unseemly thing for the same man now to scorn at godliness, who will so speedily tremble before the righteous God in the remembrance of it!
I have thought these discoveries of the horridness of this sin, to be the best directions against it; for as it is a sin thou gettest nothing by, so it is a sin that thou mayst easily leave if thou be willing. But for those that are yet but in the way to it, or in danger of it, I shall add these further directions to keep them from so desperate a wickedness.
Direct.I. Avoid the company of those distracted men, that dare revile the servants and ways of God. There is that in your corrupted natures, which will incline you to imitate the most horrid blasphemies if you often hear them. We have seen it in our days, that in imitation of others, men have been drawn to sins not to be named: to drink healths to the devil, to make "God damn me" an ordinary by-word. Be not therefore companions of them.
Direct.II. Take heed of sinning yourselves into blindness of mind and hardness of heart. Forsake not God, lest you be forsaken by him. It is men forsaken of God that ordinarily come to this desperate degree of sin: insomuch that the book of Homilies thus describing them saith, "The third sort he calleth scorners, that is, a sort of men whose hearts are so stuffed with malice, that they are not contented to dwell in sin, and to lead their lives in all kind of wickedness, but also they do contemn and scorn in others, all godliness, true religion, all honesty and virtue. Of the two first sorts of men, I will not say but they may take repentance and be converted unto God: of the third sort, I think I may without danger of God's judgment pronounce, that never any yet were converted unto God by repentance, but continued still in their abominable wickedness, heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of God's inevitable judgment."[562]Though I take this to be too severe, yet it is the judgment of the church of England, and terrible to scorners that profess their assent to it.
Direct.III. Take heed of scorning at the very circumstances or modes of worship which you dislike; for such scorns come so near to the worship itself, that the minds of the hearers may easily be hence drawn to dishonour the substance for the sake of the derided mode or circumstance; and it plainly savoureth of a bold profaneness, which grave and sober christians do abhor. In the case of idolatry,or where the very substance of the worship is impious and forbidden, I deny not but Elias may (sometimes, and with wariness) be imitated, who derided Baal's priests: but to do thus upon smaller differences in the manner or circumstances of worship, is the way to teach men to turn all religion into matter of derision and contempt. If you see about the king some circumstance of clothing, ornament, or attendance of his followers, which you dislike or judge ridiculous, if you look toward him with a scornful laughter, it will not excuse you to say, I laughed not at the king, but at such or such a thing about him; for his presence should have restrained you from that which seemeth to be a deriding of him. So here, I know you will say, It is not at God's worship, but at such words or gestures of the minister that I scorn: but take heed of dallying with holy things; play not so near the consuming fire; give not others occasion to deride the thing itself by your deriding the circumstances, though they were unapt. Have we not seen, while factious christians raise jests, and nicknames, and scorns against each other, how the profane and common enemies of religion do take them up, and turn them against all serious godliness, to the trouble of others and their own damnation?[563]And we have had experience in these contentious times, that it is the sectaries and the profane that are apt to use these scoffs and scorns against the things and persons that they mislike; and that sober, peaceable, judicious men of all sides do abhor it. How unsavoury and profane have all sober men thought it, when they heard some young and hot-brained persons mocking at the Common-prayer by the name of Pottage, and at the surplice by the name of The whore of Babylon's smock! And from hence the same spirit led them as proudly and bitterly to deride at ministers, universities, learning, temples, tithes, and all the appurtenances of worship; yea, at the Lord's day, and singing psalms, and preaching, and almost all the duties of religion: for when once men will pretend to strive for God, with the spirit and weapons of Satan, and the world, and flesh, there is no stop till they come to the bottom of impiety, and do Satan's work in Satan's way: and so on the other side, while some have too reproachfully scorned such, as Precisians or Puritans, who differed from them about the form of church government and ceremonies, the rabble of the profane soon got advantage by it, and turned these words to so common and bitter reproaches of the godly, sober, peaceable people of the land, that Mr. Robert Bolton saith, "I am persuaded there was never poor persecuted word, since malice against God first seized on the damned angels, and the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man, that passed through the mouths of all sorts of unregenerate men, with more distastefulness and gnashing of teeth, than the name of Puritan doth at this day; which, notwithstanding as it is now commonly meant, and ordinarily proceeds from the spleen and spirit of profaneness and good fellowship, is an honourable nickname, that I may so speak, of christianity and grace."[564]See more cited out of him, and Bishop Downam, Bishop Abbot, &c. in my "Formal Hypocrite," p. 210, 212, &c.
Direct.IV. Be very fearful of making the persons of the godly contemptible, though for their real faults, lest the ungodly easily step thence to the contempt of godliness itself. For it is easy to observe how commonly the vulgar judge of the doctrine and religion by the person that professeth it. If a papist or a sectary live a holy life, take heed of making a scorn at their persons, notwithstanding thou takest the rise of thy derision from their mistakes; for even a mistaking saint is dearly beloved and honoured of God; and wherever holiness is, it is the most great, resplendent, and predominant thing in him that hath it;[565]and therefore puts a greater honour on him, than any mistake or infirmity can dishonour him: as the person of a king must not be dishonoured by a reproachful mention of his infirmities, lest it reflect upon his office; so neither must the person of a holy man, lest it reflect on his religion. Not that any man's person should credit or secure his faults, nor that we should judge of the faults or manners by the men, instead of judging of the men by their manners; but you must judge of them by that which is predominant; and so blame their faults, as to preserve the honour of their virtues and religion, and of their persons for their virtues' sake. So blame the falls of Noah, and Lot, and David, and Peter, as may make the sin more odious, but not so as may make their persons contemptible, lest it make their religion next to be contemned. Mark here the difference between the mentioning of good men's falls by the godly and by the ungodly. The godly mention them to make sin appear a thing more to be feared and watched against, and holiness to appear more excellent and necessary; but the ungodly mention them (and read them in Scripture) to make themselves believe that sin is not so bad and dangerous a thing as preachers tell them; and that holiness doth but little differ from a fleshly life.
Direct.V. Judge not of God's servants barely by report, without some considerable acquaintance with them. I cannot remember one of a multitude of the enemies, scorners, and persecutors of godliness, great or small, high or low, but such as never had the happiness to be well acquainted with them, by any familiarity, or observation of the secret passages of their lives; but usually they are such as know them but by report, or by sight, or small acquaintance. And if they did but live with them in the same houses, or were of their familiarity, it were the likeliest way to change their minds and speeches; unless their acquaintance were only with some of the more ignorant, passionate, or distempered sort of christians.
Direct.VI. Take heed of uncharitableness and malice against any; but especially the servants of Christ. For this blinds the judgment, and mads men with a venomous kind of passion, and will make them scorn and rage against the most holy servants of the Lord. The least true love to a christian, as a christian, would do much to the cure of all this sin.
Direct.VII. Take heed of being engaged in a sect or faction, and take heed of the carnal zeal of schism, and of the spirit of faction, which ordinarily makes men think it lawful, if not necessary, to scorn the persons that seem against them, that so they may disable them from hindering the interest of their cause or party. Thus papists, and thus—the factious ones of every party, think that their revilings are but the necessary disarming of the enemies of God (for such all must seem that differfrom them); and a stripping them of that honour by which they might do hurt. Thus good is pretended for the most odious evil, and God is set up against that love which is the fulfilling of his law; and made the patron of the scorners of his children; but surely he scorneth the scorners, Prov. iii. 34.
Direct.VIII. Take heed of error and infidelity: for if the understanding be once deluded, and take religion itself to be but a deceit or fancy, and godliness to be but conceit and hypocrisy, no wonder if it be made a scorn by such. And such scorners will justify themselves in it, and think they do no harm; so great a plague is a blinded mind.
I have said less against this devilish sin than the nature of it requireth, because I have already said so much, especially in three treatises, viz. "The vain Religion of the Formal Hypocrite;" that called "Now or Never;" and "A Saint or a Brute."
I conclude with these earnest requests to the godly: 1. Give men no occasion of scorn by your imprudence, scandal, selfishness, or passions, as you tender the honour of God and men's salvation. As Chrysostom saith, "As he that beareth the king's standard in fight had need to be well guarded, so he that carrieth the name and profession of God and godliness."[566]2. Be not discouraged by scorners: these are but easy in comparison of what Christ suffered for you, and what the scorners themselves must suffer.
I have already spoken of christian works, and the duty of our callings, chap. iii. grand direct. x; and am now only to subjoin these few directions, for the right choosing of your callings: for of the using of them I must speak more anon.
Direct.I. Understand how necessary a life of labour is, and the reasons of the necessity.