A Christian Directory Volume I Part 8

_Tempt._ VI. But, saith the tempter, holiness is the excellency of holy persons; but vulgar, unlearned people may be saved, without such high matters, which are above them.

_Direct._ VI. But G.o.d telleth you, that "without holiness none shall see him," Heb. xii. 14. The unlearned may be saved, but the unG.o.dly cannot, Psal. i. 6. Holiness is to the soul, as life to the body: he that hath it not, is dead; though all have not the same degree of health: sin is sin, and hated of G.o.d, in learned or unlearned. All men have souls that need regenerating at first: and as all bodies that live, must live on the earth, by the air, and food, &c.; so all souls that live, do live upon the same G.o.d, and Christ, and heaven, by the same word and Spirit; and all this may be had by the unlearned.

_Tempt._ VII. But, saith the tempter, G.o.d is not so unmerciful as to d.a.m.n all that are not holy: this is but talk to keep men in awe; and not to be believed.

_Direct._ VII. But if G.o.d's threatenings be necessary to keep men in awe, then are they necessary to be executed. For G.o.d needs not awe men by a lie. He best knows to whom he will be merciful, and how far. Did you never read, Isa. xxvii. 11, "It is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour." And Psal. lix. 5, "Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors." Is he not just, as well as merciful? Exod. x.x.xiv. 6, 7. Do you not see that men are sick, and pained, and die, for all that G.o.d is merciful? And do not merciful judges condemn malefactors? Are not angels made devils by sin for all that G.o.d is merciful? The devil knoweth this to his sorrow. "And if G.o.d spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to h.e.l.l," 2 Pet. ii. 4, will he be unjust for you?

_Tempt._ VIII. But Christ died for all; and G.o.d will not punish him and you both for the same fault.

_Direct._ VIII. Christ died so far for all that have the gospel, as to procure and seal them a free and general pardon of all their sins, if they will repent and take him for their Saviour, and so to bring salvation to their choice. But will this save the unG.o.dly obstinate refusers? Christ died to sanctify, as well as to forgive, Eph. v. 27, and to "purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,"

t.i.t. ii. 14; and to "destroy the works of the devil," 1 John iii. 8; and to bring all men under his dominion and government, Rom. xiv. 9; Luke xix. 27. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his," Rom. viii. 9.

_Tempt._ IX. No man can be certain of his salvation; but all must hope well: and to raise doubts in men's hearts, whether they shall be saved or no, will not help them, but puzzle them, and cast them into despair.

_Direct._ IX. But is there so little difference between a child of G.o.d and of the devil, and between the way to heaven and the way to h.e.l.l, that they cannot be known asunder? Hath not Christ taught us plainly how to know them? Psal. i. and xv.; 1 John iii; and bid us "give diligence to make our calling and election sure?" 2 Pet. i. 10. If all men must hope that they shall be saved, then most must hope for that which they shall never have: but it is no hope of G.o.d's making, which deceiveth men. Should so great a matter as our everlasting joy or misery be cast out of our care, and ventured so regardlessly in the dark? When is it that we have life, and time, and all for to make it sure? And what hurt can it do you, to find out the truth of your own condition? If you are indeed unregenerate and unholy, discover it now in time, and you have time to be recovered. You must despair of being saved without conversion; but that preventeth absolute, final despair.

Whereas if you find not out your case till time is past, then hope is past, and the devil hath you in endless desperation, where he would.

_Tempt._ X. If this prevail not, the devil will seek to carry it by noise instead of reason; and will seek to keep you in jovial, merry, voluptuous company, that shall plead by pots, and plays, and pleasures; and shall daily make a jest of G.o.dliness, and speak of the G.o.dly with scorn, as a company of fanatic hypocrites.

_Direct._ X. But consider, that this is but the rage of fools, that speak of what they never understood. Did they ever try the way they speak against? Are they to be believed before G.o.d himself? Will they not eat their words, at last, themselves? Will their merry lives last always? Do they die as merrily as they live? and bring off themselves as well as they promised to bring off you? See Prov. xiii. 20; xxviii.

7; Eph. v. 7, 11. He that will be cheated of his salvation, and forsake his G.o.d, for the ranting scorns of a distracted sinner, is worthy to be d.a.m.ned.

_Tempt._ XI. Next he telleth them, that a G.o.dly life is so hard and tedious, that if they should begin, they should never endure to hold on, and therefore it is in vain to try it.

_Direct._ XI. But this pretence is compounded of wickedness and madness. What but a wicked heart can make it so hard a thing to live in the love of G.o.d, and holiness, and in the hope and seeking of eternal life? Why should not this be a sweeter and pleasanter life, than drinking, and roaring, and gaming, and fooling away time in vain; or than the enjoying of all the delights of the flesh? There is nothing but a sick, distempered heart against it, that nauseateth that which in itself is most delightful. When grace hath changed your hearts, it will be easy. Do you not see that others can hold on in it, and would not be as they were for all the world? And why may not you?

G.o.d will help you: it is the office of Christ and the Spirit to help you: your encouragements are innumerable. The hardness is most at first; it is the longer the easier. But what if it were hard? Is it not necessary? Is h.e.l.l easier, and to be preferred before it? And will not heaven pay for all your cost and labour? Will you set down in desperation, and resolve to let your salvation go, upon such silly bug-bear words as these?

_Tempt._ XII. Next the devil's endeavour will be, to find them so much employment with worldly cares, or hopes, or business, that they shall find no leisure to be serious about the saving of their souls.

_Direct._ XII. But this is a snare, though frequently prevalent, yet so irrational, and against so many warnings and witnesses, even of all men in the world, either first or last, at conversion or at death, that he who, after all this, will neglect his G.o.d and his salvation, because he hath worldly things to mind, is worthy to be turned over to his choice, and have no better help or portion in the hour of his necessity and distress. Of this sin I have spoken afterward, chap. iv. part 6.

_Tempt._ XIII. Lest the soul should be converted, the devil will do all that he can to keep you from the acquaintance and company of those whose holiness and instructions might convince and strengthen you; and especially from a lively, convincing minister; and to cast you under some dead-hearted minister and society.

_Direct._ XIII. Therefore, if it be possible, though it be to your loss or inconvenience in the world, live under a searching, heavenly teacher; and in the company of them that are resolved for heaven. It is a dead heart indeed that feeleth not the need of such a.s.sistance, and is not the better for it when they have it. If ever you be fair for heaven, and like to be converted, it will be among such helps as these.

_Tempt._ XIV. But one of the strongest temptations of Satan is, by making their sin exceeding pleasant to them, for the gain, or honour, or fleshly satisfaction; and so increasing the violence of their sensual appet.i.te and l.u.s.t, and making them so much in love with their sin, that they cannot leave it. Like the thirst of a man in a burning fever, which makes him cry for cold drink, though it would kill him; the fury of the appet.i.te conquering reason. So we see many drunkards, fornicators, worldlings, that are so deeply in love with their sin, that come on it what will, they will have it, though they have h.e.l.l with it.

_Direct._ XIV. Against this temptation I desire you to read what I have said after, chap. iv. part 7, chap. iii. direct. 6, 8. Oh that poor sinners knew what it is that they so much love! Is the pleasing of the flesh so sweet a thing to you? and are you so indifferent to G.o.d, and holy things? Are these less amiable? Do you foresee what both will be at last? Will your sin seem better than Christ, and grace, and heaven, when you are dying? O be not so in love with d.a.m.ning folly, and the pleasure of a beast, as for it to despise the heavenly wisdom and delights!

_Tempt._ XV. Another great temptation is, the prosperity of the wicked in this life; and the reproach and suffering which usually falls upon the G.o.dly. If G.o.d did strike every notorious sinner dead in that place, as soon as he had sinned, or struck him blind, or dumb, or lame, or inflicted presently some such judgment, then many would fear him, and forbear their sin; but when they see no men prosper so much as the most unG.o.dly, and that they are the persecutors of the holy seed, and that sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, then are their hearts set in them to do evil, Eccles. viii. 11.

_Direct._ XV. But alas, how short is the prosperity of the wicked!

Read Psal. lxxiii. and x.x.xvii. Delay is no forgiveness: they stay but till the a.s.size: and will that tempt you to do as they? How unthankfully do sinners deal with G.o.d! If he should kill you and plague you, that would not please you: and yet if he forbear you, you are imboldened by it in your sin. Thus his patience is turned against him; but the stroke will be the heavier when it falls. Dost thou think those men will always flourish? Will they always domineer and revel?

Will they always dwell in the houses where they now dwell, and possess those lands, and be honoured and served as now they are? Oh how quickly and how dreadfully will the case be changed with them! Oh could you but foresee now what faces they will have, and what heavy hearts, and with what bitter exclamations they will at last cry out against themselves for all their folly, and wish that they had never been deceived by prosperity, but rather had the portion of a Lazarus!

If you saw how they are but fatted for the slaughter, and in what a dolorous misery their wealth, and sport, and honours will leave them, you would lament their case, and think so great a destruction were soon enough, and not desire to be partners in their lot.

_Tempt._ XVI. Another temptation is, their own prosperity: they think G.o.d, when he prospereth them, is not so angry with them as preachers tell them: and it is a very hard thing in health and prosperity, to lay to heart either sin or threatenings, and to have such serious, lively thoughts of the life to come, as men that are wakened by adversity have; and specially men that are familiar with death.

Prosperity is the greatest temptation to security, and delaying repentance, and putting off preparation for eternity. Overcome prosperity, and you overcome your greatest snare.

_Direct._ XVI. Go into the sanctuary, yea, go into the church-yard, and see the end; and judge by those skulls, and bones, and dust, if you cannot judge by the fore-warnings of G.o.d, what prosperity is.[43]

Judge by the experience of all the world. Doth it not leave them all in sorrow at last? Woe to the man that hath his portion in this life!

O miserable health, and wealth, and honour, which procureth the death, and shame, and utter destruction of the soul! Was not he in as prosperous a case as you, Luke xvi. that quickly cried out in vain for a drop of water to cool his tongue? There is none of you so senseless as not to know that you must die. And must you die? must you certainly die? and shall that day be no better prepared for? Shall present prosperity make you forget it, and live as if you must live here for ever? Do you make so great difference between that which is, and that which will be, as to make as great a matter of it as others when it comes, and to make no more of it when it is but coming? O man, what is an inch of hasty time? How quickly is it gone! Thou art going hence apace, and almost gone! Doth G.o.d give thee the mercy of a few days or years of health to make all thy preparations in for eternity, and doth this mercy turn to thy deceit, and dost thou turn it so much contrary to the ends for which it was given thee? Wilt thou surfeit on mercy, and destroy thy soul with it? Sense feeleth and perceiveth what now is, but thou hast reason to foresee what will be? Wilt thou play in harvest, and forget the winter?

_Tempt._ XVII. Another great temptation to hinder conversion is, the example and countenance of great ones that are unG.o.dly. When landlords and men in power are sensual, and enemies to a holy life, and speak reproachfully of it, their inferiors, by the reverence which they bear to worldly wealth and greatness, are easily drawn to say as they: also, when men reputed learned and wise are of another mind: and especially when subtle enemies speak that reproach against it, which they cannot answer.

_Direct._ XVII. To this I spake in the end of the first part of this chapter. No man is so great and wise as G.o.d. See whether he say as they do in his word. The greatest that provoke him can no more save themselves from his vengeance, than the poorest beggars. What work made he with a Pharaoh! and got himself a name by his hard-heartedness and impenitency! He can send worms to eat an arrogant Herod, when the people cry him up as a G.o.d! Where are now the Caesars and Alexanders of the world? The rulers and Pharisees believed not in Christ, John vii.

48; wilt not thou therefore believe in him? The governor of the country condemned him to die; and wilt thou condemn him? "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us," Psal. ii. 2, 3; wilt thou therefore join in the conspiracy? When "he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision--He will break them with an iron rod, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, unless they be wise, and kiss the Son, and serve the Lord with fear, before his wrath be kindled and they perish," Psal. ii. 4, 9-12. If thy landlord, or great ones, shall be thy G.o.d, and be honoured and obeyed before G.o.d and against him, trust to them, and call on them in the hour of thy distress, and take such a salvation as they can give thee. Teach not G.o.d what choice to make, and whom to reveal his mysteries to: he chooseth not always the learned scribe, nor the mighty man. Christ himself saith, Matt. xi. 25, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes: even so, Father; for so it seemeth good in thy sight!" If this reason satisfy you not, follow them, and speed as they. If they are greater and wiser than G.o.d, let them be your G.o.ds.[44] 1 Cor. i. 26-28, "You see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many n.o.ble, are called: but G.o.d hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and G.o.d hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty; and base things of the world, and the things that are despised, hath G.o.d chosen, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are." It is another kind of greatness, honour, and wisdom which G.o.d bestoweth on the poorest saints, than the world can give. Worldlings will shortly be aweary of their portion. In your baptism you renounced the world with its pomps and vanity; and now do you deify what you then defied?

_Tempt._ XVIII. Another temptation is to draw on the sinner into such a custom in sin, and long neglect of the means of his recovery, till his heart is utterly hardened.

_Direct._ XVIII. Against this, read after, chap. iv. part 2, against hardness of heart.

_Tempt._ XIX. Another temptation is, to delay repentance, and purpose to do it hereafter.

_Direct._ XIX. Of this I entreat you to read the many reasons which I have given to shame and waken delayers, in my book of "Directions for a Sound Conversion."

_Tempt._ XX. The worst of all is, to tempt them to flat unbelief of Scripture and the life to come.

_Direct._ XX. Against this, read here chap. iii. direct. 1, chap. iv.

part 1, and my "Treatise against Infidelity."

_Tempt._ XXI. If they will needs look after grace, he will do all he can to deceive them with counterfeits, and make them take a seeming half conversion for a saving change.

_Direct._ XXI. Of this read my "Directions for Sound Conversion," and the "Formal Hypocrite," and "Saints' Rest," part 3. c. 10.

_Tempt._ XXII. If he cannot make them flat infidels, he will tempt them to question and contradict the sense of all those texts of Scripture which are used to convince them, and all those doctrines which grate most upon their galled consciences; as, of the necessity of regeneration, the fewness of them that are saved, the difficulty of salvation, the torments of h.e.l.l, the necessity of mortification, and the sinfulness of all particular sins. They will hearken what cavillers can say for any sin, and against any part of G.o.dliness; and with this they wilfully delude themselves.

_Direct._ XXII. But if men are resolved to join with the devil, and shut their eyes, and cavil against all that G.o.d speaketh to them to prevent their misery, and know not, because they will not know; what remedy is left, or who can save men against their wills? "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. He that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved," John iii. 19, 20. In Scripture, "some things are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest to their own destruction," 2 Pet. iii. 16. Of particulars read the end of my "Treatise of Conversion."

_Tempt._ XXIII. Yea, Satan will do his worst to make them heretics, and teach them some doctrine of licentiousness suitable to their l.u.s.ts. It is hard being wicked still against conscience in the open light. This is kicking against the p.r.i.c.ks; too smarting work to be easily borne; therefore the devil will make them a religion which shall please them and do their sins no harm. Either a religion made up of loose opinions, like the familists, ranters, libertines, and antinomians, and the Jesuits too much; or else made up of trifling formalities, and a great deal of bodily exercise, and stage actions, and compliments, as much of the popish devotion is: and a little will draw a carnal heart to believe a carnal doctrine. It is easier to get such a new religion, than a new heart. And then the devil tells them that now they are in the right way, and therefore they shall be saved.

A great part of the world think their case is good, because they are of such or such a sect or party, and of that which (they are told by their leaders) is the true church and way.

_Direct._ XXIII. But remember, that whatever law you make to yourselves, G.o.d will judge you by his own law. Falsifying the king's coin is no good way to pay a debt, but an addition of treason to your former misery. It is a new and a holy heart and life, and not a new creed, or a new church or sect, that is necessary to your salvation.

It will never save you to be in the soundest church on earth, if you be unsound in it yourselves, and are but the dust in the temple that must be swept out: much less will it save you, to make yourselves a rule, because G.o.d's rule doth seem too strict.

_Tempt._ XXIV. Another way of the tempter is, to draw men to take up with mere convictions, instead of true conversion. When they have but learnt that it is but necessary to salvation, to be regenerate, and have the Spirit of Christ, they are as quiet, as if this were indeed to be regenerate, and to have the Spirit. As some think they have attained to perfection, when they have but received the opinion that perfection may here be had; so abundance think they have had sanctification and forgiveness, because now they see that they must be had, and without sanctification there is no salvation: and thus the knowledge of all grace and duty shall go with them for the grace and duty itself; and their judgment of the thing, instead of the possession of it: and instead of having grace, they force themselves to believe that they have it.

_Direct._ XXIV. But remember G.o.d will not be mocked: he knoweth a convinced head from a holy heart. To think you are rich, will not make you rich: to believe that you are well, or to know the remedy, is not enough to make you well. You may dream that you eat, and yet awake hungry, Isa. xxix. 8. All the land or money which you see, is not therefore your own. To know that you should be holy, maketh your unholiness to have no excuse. Ahab did not escape by believing that he should return in peace. Self-flattery in so great and weighty a case, is the greatest folly. "If you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," John xiii. 17.

_Tempt._ XXV. Another great temptation is, by hiding from men the intrinsic evil and odiousness of sin. What harm, saith the drunkard, and adulterer, and voluptuous sensualist, is there in all this, that preachers make so great ado against it? what hurt is this to G.o.d or man, that they would make us believe that we must be d.a.m.ned for it, and that Christ died for it, and that the Holy Ghost must mortify it?

"Wherefore," say the Jews, Jer. xvi. 10, "hath G.o.d p.r.o.nounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed?" He that knoweth not G.o.d, knoweth not what sin against G.o.d is; especially when the love of it and delight in it blindeth them.

[Sidenote: Psal. xl. 12. Psal. li.]

_Direct._ XXV. Against this I entreat you to ponder on those forty intrinsical evils in sin, which I have after named, chap. iii. direct.

8, and the aggravations. If the devil can but once persuade you, that sin is harmless, all faith, all religion, all honesty, and your souls and all are gone. For then, all G.o.d's laws and government must be fictions; then, there is no work for Christ as a Saviour, or the Spirit as a Sanctifier, to do; then, all ordinances and means are troublesome vanities, and G.o.dliness and obedience deserve to be banished from the earth, as unnecessary troublers of mankind; then, may this poison be safely taken and made your food. But oh how mad a conceit is this! How quickly will G.o.d make the proudest know, what harm it was to refuse the government of his Maker, and set up the government of his beastly appet.i.te and misguided will! and that sin is bad, if h.e.l.l be bad.

_Tempt._ XXVI. The devil also tempteth them to think, that though they sin, yet their good works are a compensation for their bad, and therefore they pray, and do some acts of pharisaical devotion, to make G.o.d amends for what they do amiss.