hinderers? O treacherous guides! O miserable helps! Are not our dark understandings, our earthly, dull and backward hearts, our passions and troubled affections, our appetites and sensual inclinations, our natural strangeness and averseness to God, heaven and holiness, enough to hinder us without you? Are not all the temptations of the devil, the allurements of the flesh and world, the impediments of poverty and riches, of flattery and of frowns, of friends and foes, in our callings, are not all these enough to cool us and keep us from serving God too much, and being too careful and diligent for our souls, but preachers themselves must be our impediments and snares? Now the Lord deliver our souls from such impediments, and his church from such unhappy guides! Is 9. Consider whom thou imitatest in this. it Christ, or Satan? Christ calls men to 'strive,' to'labour,' to 'seek first,' to 'watch,' to 'pray always,' and 'not wax faint.' The apostles call men to be 'fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works, to pray continually, to be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, to show forth the praises of him that hath called us, and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.-To fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold upon eternal life. To serve God acceptably (being as a consuming fire) with reverence and godly fear.-To be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.' And dare you gainsay the Lord and his apostles, concur with Satan, and the Pharisees and enemies of Christ? 10. You do your worst to make the sacred office of the ministry become contemptible, as Eli's sons did: poor people that cannot suffi ciently distinguish the doctrine from the application, the office from the person, the use from the abuse, will be tempted to run from the ordinances of God, and think the worse of others for your sakes, and suspect all their food, because you mix such poison in it. The more holy and necessary the office and work is, the greater is your sin in corrupting it, or making it suspected or abhorred. Consider soberly of these things, and then go on and speak against a life of holy diligence, if you dare. I know you say it is not godliness, but singu❘ larity, or humour, or disobedience, or hypocrisy, Dr faction, that you oppose; and perhaps you instance in some that are guilty of some of these, or seem so at the least. But, 1. I here solemnly profess that I hate these crimes as well as you; and that it is not any part of my intention to plead for intemperance, disobedience in lawful things, for schism, or faction, or any irregularity: this I here put in against those that are disposed to misunderstand and misrepresent us, and leave it, as on record, to prove them slanderers, that shall accuse me of defending any such thing. I protest against those on the other side, that will seek encouragement for any transgression from my necessary plea for the holy industry and vigilance of believers. And moreover, I profess that it is only the opposers of holiness that I mean in this defence, and have not the least intent to intimate that any others are guilty of that crime who are not. But having premised this protestation, to prevent mistakes and false reports, I answer now to the guilty. 2. If it be crimes only that you are against, deliver yourself so, as you may not lay reproach or suspicion on godliness, which is most opposite to all crimes. Cannot you preach against divisions, disobedience, or any other sin, without any scornful intimations or reflections against men's diligent serving of the Lord. 3. Why do not you commend those that are not liable to your accusations, encourage them in holiness, and draw others to imitate them? And why do you not commend the good, while you discommend the evil that is mingled with it? 4. Shall health and life be made a scorn, because there are few but have some distemper or disease? Shall Christianity and holiness be secretly reproached, because all Christians have some fault to be accused of? If men be faulty, you should persuade them to be more strict and diligent, and not less; it is for want of watchfulness and strictness that they sin. Nothing is more contrary to their faults than holiness. There is no other way for their full reformation. And therefore all true humbled Christians are ready to confess their faultiness themselves; but so far are they from thinking the worse of piety for it, that it is one great reason that moves them to go on, to read, hear, pray, meditate, and do so much, that they may get more strength against their faults. Must they think ill of food, physic, and exercise, because they are infirm? All faithful ministers tell their people plainly of their sins, so far as they are acquainted with them, as well as you: but they do it not in a way reproachful to their holy diligence: they do not therefore call them off from godliness, nor tempt them to be less in the use of means, but more, by how much their need is greater. A holy he modestly reproves another for his sins, or charitably exhorts him in order to his salvation, or gives any necessary plain instruction to his family, for whom he must give account? Believe it, it will be a poor excuse to any man, that becomes an enemy to the diligence of a saint, that he could thus cloak his malice, and clothe a saint with the vizor of a hypocrite, and the rags of any odious sect. heart, and a malignant heart, will show their dif- | gamesters, by a more gentle, less disgraceful ference in the reproving of the same fault. The name; to say a man becomes a preacher, when one lays all the odium on the vice, and honours the holy obedience of the saints. The other fastens his sting upon the godly, and under pretence of dishonouring their faults, doth seek to fasten the dishonour on their holiness. Those that are so minded, will never want occasion or pretence, for the worst that Satan would have them say. The church will never be without some hypocrites, and scandals, nor the best without some faults and passions; nor the holiest action without some mixture of human frailty and infirmity; nor will the very goodness and holiness of the action, be free from plausible calumnies and scorns, while there is the wit and venom of the serpent in the heads and hearts of wicked men. If the pharisees were to be believed, it was not they, but Christ that was the hypocrite; nor was it the Son of God, but an enemy to Cæsar, and a blasphemer, that they put to death. But will not Christ know his sheep though he find them torn in a wolf's skin? You say it is turbulent precisians that you strike; but what if Christ find but one of the least of his brethren bleeding by it? It is but hypocrites or schismatics that you reproach; but if Christ find an humble, serious Christian suffering by your abuse, and you to answer it, I would not be in your place for all the greatness and honour that you shall have before your everlasting shame. Tertullus accuse a 'pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition,' and Christ find a holy, laborious apostle in bonds and suffering by it, it is not his names that will excuse him, and make an apostle, or persecution to be another thing. If How easy is it to put a name of ignominy upon every person and every duty; to charge any man with hypocrisy, or pride; to take the wisest man for self-conceited, because he is not of the accuser's mind; to call our obedience to God, by the name of disobedience unto man, when man forbids it, as they used the three witnesses, and Daniel himself, for praying in his house, though they confessed they had nothing else against him; to call God's truth by the name of heresy, and heresy by the name of truth; to charge all with schism that dare not subject their souls to the usurpation and arrogant impositions To return to the endangered flocks: look upof the sons of pride, that have neither authority wards, my hearers, and think whether heaven be nor ability to govern us, as the Papists deal with worth your labour. Look downwards, and think the greatest part of the Christian world; to lay whether earth be more worthy of it. Lay up snares for men's consciences, and then accuse your treasures where you must dwell for ever. them for falling into those snares; to make new If that be here, then gather, flatter, and get all articles of faith, till they have transcended the that you can: but if it be not here, but in anocapacity of divine and rational belief, and then ther life, then hearken to your Lord, lay up for condemn us for not believing them; to make yourselves a treasure in heaven, and there let laws for the church, unnecessary in their own your very hearts be set. And upon the peril of opinion, and sinful in other men's; command everlasting misery, hearken not to any man that things which they know that others think the will tempt you from a diligent holy life. It is a Lord forbids, and then load them with the suf- serious business, deal seriously in it; and be ferings and reproaches of the disobedient, tur- not laughed or mocked out of heaven, by the bulent, heretical, schismatical, or seditious; to sneers of a distracted sensual atheist. If any call men factious, if they will not be of their of them will pretend sobriety and wisdom, and faction, and sectarians, if they will not unreason-undertake to prove that God should not be loved ably subject their souls to them, and join with and served, and your salvation sought with all an imperious sect against the catholic unity and your might, with greater care and diligence than simplicity, all which the Romanists practise upon any earthly thing, procure me a sober conferthe church of Christ. How easy, but how un- ence with that man, and try whether I prove reasonable, and yet how irresistible is all this; him to be a befooled servant of the devil, a mishow easy is it to call a meeting of sober Chris-chievous enemy of your salvation and his own. tians, for prayer and mutual edification, such as O that we might have but sober debates, instead that was, by the name of a factious, schismatical of jeers and scorns and railing, with this sort of conventicle; and a meeting of drunkards, or men! How quickly should we show you that they must renounce the scripture, and renounce not what you are called or taken to be, but what Christianity; and, if that be nothing with them, you are. Says he, 'Inwardly consider of thyself that they must renounce God, renounce right and judge not what thou art by the words of reason, unman themselves, if they will renounce others: for the most part good men are called a holy heavenly life, and blame them that make fools and dotards: let me be so derided. The it their principal business in the world to prepare reproaches of the ignorant or unskilful, must be for the world to come. patiently heard, and this contempt of one that follows virtue, must be contemned.' Yea, it is the highest honour to be content to be accounted bad, that we may not be so; and the greatest trial whether we be indeed sincere, to put to it, to be either accounted hypocrites, or to be such. Methinks I can scarcely too often recite that excellent saying of Seneca,' No man seems to set a higher price on virtue ;, no man seems to be more devoted to it, than he that hath lost the reputation of being a good man, lest he should lose his conscience.' But if they will not be intreated to such a sober conference, will you that hear them, if you care what becomes of you, but come to us, and hear what we can say for a holy life, before you hearken to them; let your souls have fair play, and show that you have so much love to yourselves, as not to cast away salvation at the derision of a fool, before you have heard the other side. If I make not good the strictest law of God Almighty, against the most subtle cavils of any of the instruments of Satan, then tell me that infidels or epicures are in the right. Compare their words with words of God. Consider well but that one text, and tell me whether it suit with their opinions, 'Seeing all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy conversation and godliness; looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God!' Did these words but sink into your hearts, the next time you heard any man reproach a holy, heavenly life, it would perhaps make you think of the words of Paul to such another, 'O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil; thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?' But perhaps you will ask, may not a man be righteous overmuch? I answer, it is making a man's self overwise or righteous, that is there reproved. And no doubt but, 1. Many take on them or make themselves more wise and righteous than they are; that is, are hypocrites. 2. As righteousness is taken materially and in common estimation, so a man may be too righteous. He may be too rigorous, which is called justice; too much in grief or fear, or trouble; and too much in any outward act that goes under the name of duty. But it is not then truly and formally duty and righteousness, but sin. As, to fast to the disabling the body for God's service: to pray when we should hear: to hear when we If holiness be evil spoken of by them that should be about some greater work of mercy or never tried it, what wonder! Christ hath fore- necessity: to neglect our outward labour and told us that it must be so. 'Blessed are ye calling on pretence of religion: to set up sacriwhen men shall revile you and persecute you, fice against or before mercy: to sorrow when and say all manner of evil against you falsely, we should rejoice: to meditate, fear, and grieve, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, beyond what the mind can bear, till it distract for great is your reward in heaven; for so per-us: this is called, being righteous overmuch secuted they the prophets which were before you. as also to make us a religion of our own inven-If ye were of the world, the world would love tion, to overdo with will-worship and the trahis own; but because ye are not of the world, ditions of men, as the pharisees and papists. but I have chosen you out of the world, there- But indeed this is not righteousness but sin: to fore the world hateth you. They think it strange be formally overmuch righteous, is a contradicthat you run not with them to the same excess tion, and impossible. For to go beyond the rule of riot, speaking evil of you, who shall give ac- is unrighteousness and to do too much is to count to him that is ready to judge the quick go beyond the rule. Unless you dare imagine, and dead.—If ye be reproached for the name of that God hath erred, that the rule itself is overChrist, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory, strict, and the law is unrighteous: but then 'how and of God, resteth upon you. On their part he shall God judge the world?' saith the apostle. is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glori-Shall not the Judge of all the world do rightefied.' Seneca himself often tells us, that among ously? Nay, how then should he be God? the heathens virtue was a derision, so far is the nature of man degenerated. The question is And is there any thing now left but ignorance or wickedness to stand up against thy speedy diligence? Away then with thy delays and what are these to the things that thou art called slothfulness. If thou wilt serve God with to prosecute! Hold on then, Christians, in the all thy might, let it be seen; if thou wilt work that you have begun. Do it prudently, be a Christian indeed, let deeds declare it. and do it universally. Take it together, both Christianity is not a dead opinion. If really thou works of piety, justice, and charity but do it live in hope of heaven, such hopes will make thee now without delay, and do it seriously with your stir for the attainment. Why standest thou idle, might. I know not what cloud of darkness hath when thou art born for work, and all thy facul- seized on those men's minds that speak against ties are given thee for work, and thou art re- this, or what deadly damp hath seized on their deemed for work; for evangelical work. If hearts, that hath so benumbed and unmanned thou be sanctified, thou hast the Spirit of Christ, a them. For my own part, though I have long quickening, working principle within thee; which | lived in a sense of the preciousness of time, and way canst thou look, that thou mayest see that which would shame a slothful soul, and fire a cold and frozen heart, and call thee up to a speedy industry? What quickening words shalt thou find in scripture, if thou wilt but bring thy heart thither, as one that is willing to be quickened? What powerful commands, what promises, what threatenings, what holy examples of exceeding diligence of Christ and his apostles? See how the godly about thee are at work, though the world oppose them and deride them! How earnestly they pray! how carefully they walk! how sadly they complain that they are no better! Hast thou not an immortal soul to save or lose as well as they? See what a stir the proud ambitious person makes for less than nothing; what a stir the covetous and the voluptuous make for a sweetened draught of mortal poison! And shall we be idle that are engaged for heaven? Is it reason that we should do less for God and our salvation, than they do for sinful pleasure to damnation? You cannot mock them out of their pride or covetousness: and shall they mock thee out of thy religion, and thy hopes of heaven? All the commands, promises, and threatenings of God, the most powerful preaching, that, as it were, sets open heaven and hell to them, doth not prevail with fleshly men to leave the most unmanly sin and shall the words or frowns of dust prevail with thee against the work for which thou livest in the world, when thou hast still at hand unanswerable arguments from God, from thyself, from heaven and hell, to put thee on? Were it but for thy life, or the life of thy children, friend, yea, or enemy, or for the quenching of a fire in thy house, or in the town, wouldst thou not stir and do thy best? And wilt thou be idle when eternal life lies on it? Let Satan frown against thee by his instruments. Let senseless sinners talk a while of they know not what, till God hath made them change their note, let what will be the consequence to thy flesh. have not been wholly idle in the world; yet when I have the deepest thoughts of the great everlasting consequences of my work, and of the uncertainty and shortness of my time, I am even amazed to think that my heart can be so slow and senseless, as to do no more in such a case. The Lord knows, and my accusing, wounded conscience knows, that my slothfulness is so much my shame and admiration, that I am astonished to think that my resolutions are no stronger, my affections no livelier, and my labour and diligence no greater, when God is the commander, his love the encourager, his wrath the spur, and heaven or hell must be the issue. O what lives should all of us live, that have things of such unspeakable consequence on our hands, if our hearts were not almost dead within us! Let who will speak against such a lie, it shall be my daily grief and regret that I am so dull, and do so little. I know that our works do not profit the Almighty, nor bear any proportion with his reward; nor can they stand in his sight, but as accepted in the Lord our righteousness, and perfumed by the odour of his merits. But I know they are necessary, and they are sweet. out the holy employment of our faculties, this life will be but a burden or a dream, and the next an inexpressible misery. O therefore that I had more of the love of God, that my soul could get but nearer to him, and more swiftly move upward by faith and love! O that I had more of that holy life, and active diligence, which the serpentine, Cainish nature doth abhor, though I had with it the scorns of all about me, and though they made me as they once did better men, as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things! O that I had more of this derided diligence, and holy converse with the Lord, though my name were cast out as an evil doer, and I were spit at and buffeted by those that do now but secretly reproach! Might I nearly foliow Christ in holiness, why should I grudge to bear his cross, and to be used as he was used? KnowOling that if we suffer with him, we shall also These are not matters for a man much to observe, that is engaged for an endless life. reign with him; and the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' If when we have done all, we are but unprofitable servants, and must say, we have done but our duty, have we not all more need of monitors to humble us for doing so much less than our duty, than to be reprehended for being too diligent and exact? I again protest, that it is not any works of super-errogation, or human invention, superstition, or self-appointment, that I am defending, but only the accurate obeying of the laws of God, and the utmost diligence in such obedience, for the obtaining of everlasting life. Either God hath commanded these works of holiness, justice, and charity, or not. If he have not, then I have done, and yield the cause: it is only what he hath commanded that I plead for. O that before you either speak against any holy duty, or yourselves neglect it, you would but come to us, and soberly join in searching the holy scriptures,' to see whether it be required there or not; and resolve but to obey it, if we prove it thence: and if it be not a matter of human imposition, we leave you to yourselves, and should desire that you may be much left to yourselves in such things; that you place not too much of your religion therein. But if indeed it be commanded in the word of God, I beseech you, as you are Christians, and as you are men, remember that whenever you blame or scorn a holy duty, it is God himself that you blame or scorn. If it be naught, it belongs to him that did command it: the subject must obey: should not such worms as we obey the infinite God that made us? If it be a fault to obey, it is a duty to rebel, or disobey; that inust be because that God hath no authority to command, and that must be because he is not God. See whether you bring your opposition to an holy life: and dare you stand to this? Dare you as openly mock God for making these strict and holy laws, as you do men for obeying them? None but a professed atheist dare. Alas, it is nothing but intoxicating prosperity, sensual delights, and worldly diversions, that turn your brains, and leave you not the sober use of reason, that makes you think well of ungodly slothfulness, and makes you think so contemptuously of a heavenly life. I tell you, and remember another day that you were told of it, that there is not the boldest infidel in the world, nor the bitterest enemy to holiness in this assembly, but shortly would wish they had rather been saints in rags, with all the scorn and cruelty! that malice can inflict on such, than to have braved it out in pride and gallantry, with the neglect of the great salvation. I tell you again, there is not an ungodly person that hears me, but ere long would give a world if he were owner of a holy heart and life, that he had spent his days in holy watchful preparations for his change, which he spent for that which will deceive him and forsake him. Methinks I even see how you will passionately rage against yourselves, and tear your hearts with self-revenge, if grace prevent it not by a more safe repentance, when you think too late how you lived on earth, what golden times of grace you lost, and vilified all that would not lose them as foolishly as you. If repentance unto life made Paul so call himself 'foolish, disobedient, deceived, and exceeding mad,' you may imagine how tormenting repentance will make you call yourselves too late. You cannot now conceive, while you sit here in health, ease and honour, what different thoughts will then possess you of a holy and unholy life! How mad you will think them that had but one life's time of preparation for eternal life, and desperately neglected it: how sensible you will then be of the wisdom of believers, that knew their time, and used it while they had it. 'Now wisdom is justified of all her children:' but then how sensibly will it be justified of all its enemies! With what pangs will undone souls look back on a life of mercy and opportunities, thus basely undervalued, slept away in dreaming idleness, and fooled away for things of nought. The language of that condemned rich man, in Luke xvi. may help you in your predictions. O how will you wonder at yourselves that ever you could be so blind and senseless, as to be no more affected with the warnings of the Lord, and with the forethoughts of everlasting joy or misery! To have but one small part of time to do all that ever must be done by you for eternity, and say all that ever you must say for your own or others' souls, and that this was spent in worse than nothing; to have but one uncertain life, in which you must run the race that wins or loses heaven for ever; that you should be tempted by a thing of nought, to lose that one irrecoverable opportunity, and to sit still or run another way, when you should have been making haste with all your might; the thoughts of this will be other kind of thoughts another day, than now you feel them; you cannot now think how the thoughts of this will then affect you! That you had a time in which you might have prayed, with promise of acceptance, and had no hearts to take |