A Christian Directory Volume I Part 94

10. Thou scornest men because they love heaven above earth, and because they are desirous to live for ever with G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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 d.a.m.ned, and unwilling to do that which they know would d.a.m.n them; or to neglect that without which there is no hope of escaping h.e.l.l. They believe the threatenings of G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l shall make thee wiser; and mock not at a man that will not play with his own d.a.m.nation, and leap into h.e.l.l 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 h.e.l.l 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, G.o.d 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 G.o.d hath unchangeably determined in his law, that "without holiness none shall see G.o.d, and that Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that obey not his gospel, and that all they shall be d.a.m.ned that obey not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness;"[553] when G.o.d hath resolved that h.e.l.l shall be the wages of unG.o.dliness, dost thou not desire them to d.a.m.n themselves, when thou desirest them to be unG.o.dly?

If thou believe that there is any h.e.l.l at all, then tell me what it is possible for any man to do, to murder his soul and d.a.m.n himself, but only to be unG.o.dly? 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 h.e.l.l 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 h.e.l.l,) 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 d.a.m.n 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d! What is it to forsake G.o.d, but to refuse to love, and honour, and obey him, as G.o.d?

He hath told us himself that "he that cometh to G.o.d must believe that G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d; and what is it but for obeying and serving G.o.d that thou deridest them? Thou takest on thee to believe the Scripture to be the word of G.o.d; 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d'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?" t.i.t. 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 under foot the Son of G.o.d, 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 G.o.d? Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost, or not? If thou do, what is that but to believe in him as the sanctifier of G.o.d'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 G.o.d; 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 G.o.d; 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 G.o.d hath offered them, and sent his messengers to entreat them to accept. Can they repent of their former unG.o.dliness, 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d 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 unG.o.dly hypocrite! Didst thou not in baptism renounce the flesh, the world, and the devil, and give up thyself in covenant to G.o.d 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 G.o.d in baptism, but to take him for thy G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, and an open soldier for the devil: what canst thou do more against G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l, 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 G.o.d? 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 h.e.l.l 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 G.o.dliness 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 d.a.m.nation than thou art. It is dark to us what G.o.d will do with infidels, and heathens that never had the means of salvation; but what he will do with all the unbelieving and unG.o.dly 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.dliness, is a daring of G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.dliness, at preaching, hearing, reading, praying, meditating, and strict avoiding sin, thou contradictest G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d: for all conspire to call the world to holiness and strict obedience to G.o.d. (4.) And thou contradictest all the prophets and apostles, and all the ancient fathers of the church; and all the martyrs and saints of G.o.d that were ever in the world; and all the learned faithful ministers and pastors of the church that are or have been; and all the G.o.dly 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 G.o.dly persons in the world? than all the apostles and holy martyrs of Christ, that ever were? yea, than G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, and cast away their souls for ever? Would it do thee good for earth to be so like to h.e.l.l? It is the grief of G.o.dly 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 unG.o.dliness 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 h.e.l.l, 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 d.a.m.nation 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 h.e.l.l 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 h.e.l.l be mocked thither, if they were but tried with another life? If thou sawest at this hour, what unholy souls in h.e.l.l 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 G.o.d, that required holiness, and will condemn all the unholy? Wouldst thou bring them off, and save them from d.a.m.nation? 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 h.e.l.l 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 G.o.d?

16. G.o.d 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 G.o.d: as G.o.d hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their G.o.d, 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 G.o.d! 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d himself hath promised to honour them?

17. To hate and scorn at holiness, is to hate and scorn at G.o.d's own image; and the clearest image of G.o.d 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 G.o.d is drawn upon the heart.[556] And he that scorneth at this image of G.o.d, doth scorn at the Holy Ghost that made it, and scorn at Christ who gave us the first pattern, and scorn at G.o.d himself whose image it is. Saith Chrysostom, G.o.d is loved and hated in his servants, as a king is honoured or despised in his image. And he that dare scorn G.o.d, and scorn Jesus Christ, and scorn the Holy Ghost, in the image of G.o.d upon his children, methinks should never have the face once to expect to be saved by the G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d! 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 (_caeteris 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 wh.o.r.emonger, 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, to think that thou art now going into the presence of that G.o.d 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 G.o.dliness, to go to be judged by that holy G.o.d 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 princ.i.p.al 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 G.o.dly, when thou seest them justified at Christ's right hand, or glorified with him in heaven? No! as Mal. iii. 18, when G.o.d makes up his jewels, "then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth G.o.d 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 G.o.dliness, who will so speedily tremble before the righteous G.o.d 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 G.o.d. 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 "G.o.d d.a.m.n 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 G.o.d, lest you be forsaken by him.

It is men forsaken of G.o.d 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 G.o.dliness, 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 G.o.d: of the third sort, I think I may without danger of G.o.d's judgment p.r.o.nounce, that never any yet were converted unto G.o.d by repentance, but continued still in their abominable wickedness, heaping up to themselves d.a.m.nation against the day of G.o.d'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 a.s.sent to it.

_Direct._ III. Take heed of scorning at the very circ.u.mstances 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 circ.u.mstance; 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 circ.u.mstances 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 circ.u.mstance 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 G.o.d'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 circ.u.mstances, 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 G.o.dliness, to the trouble of others and their own d.a.m.nation?[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 wh.o.r.e of Babylon's smock! And from hence the same spirit led them as proudly and bitterly to deride at ministers, universities, learning, temples, t.i.thes, 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.dly, sober, peaceable people of the land, that Mr.

Robert Bolton saith, "I am persuaded there was never poor persecuted word, since malice against G.o.d first seized on the d.a.m.ned angels, and the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man, that pa.s.sed 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 G.o.dly contemptible, though for their real faults, lest the unG.o.dly easily step thence to the contempt of G.o.dliness 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 G.o.d; 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 G.o.dly and by the unG.o.dly. The G.o.dly 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 unG.o.dly 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 G.o.d's servants barely by report, without some considerable acquaintance with them. I cannot remember one of a mult.i.tude of the enemies, scorners, and persecutors of G.o.dliness, 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 pa.s.sages 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, pa.s.sionate, 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 pa.s.sion, 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.