A Guide to Godliness, Book 6 · Chapter 3
CAP. III.
Of ſuch priuate impediments which the world vſeth, to hinder vsus in a godly life, and firſt, thoſe on the right hand.
§. Sect. 1 Of the tentations of proſperity, which are moſt dangerous impediments of a godly life.
WHat are the publike impediments, which the world caſteth in our way, to hinder vsus from proceeding in the duties of a godly life, we hauehave ſhewed in the former chapter: & now it remaineth that wee intreate of thoſe which are more priuate. And theſe are either the tentations wherewith the World vſually aſſaulteth vsus; or certaine ſcandals and offences which it layeth before vsus, to diſcourage vsus in the waies of Godlineſſe. The World tempteth vsus diuerſly, both on the right hand with earthly proſperity, and on the left with croſſes and afflictions. The more dangerous of theſe two, are the tentations of proſperity, wherewith the world allureth vsus (as by her bewitching baites) to make vsus leaue the narrow & afflicted path of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, and to walke in the broad and eaſy way that leadeth to deſtruction. Theſe are thoſe intoxicating cups, whereby it maketh men ſo drunke, that they hauehave neither liſt nor power to walke in the path of piety; thoſe falſe lights, which ſo dazle mens eyes, that they cannot diſcerne the excellencie of ſpirituall grace and heauenly glory; thoſe inamouring potions, that make vsus to louelove the world, & to dote ſo on this painted Strumpet, that we thinke all time loſt which is not ſpent in her ſeruice; thoſe waters, which quench in vsus the louelove of God, the zeale of his glory, and all feruency of deſire in attayning to heauenly happineſſe; thoſe thornes, which choake in vsus all good motions of Gods Spirit; and finally, thoſe intangling ſnares which catch and hold vsus, that wee cannot goe on in any religious duties or holy actions. Againſt theſe tentations, which as ſtrong impediments hinder ſo many from the profeſſion and practice of godlineſſe, wee may beſt arme our ſelues, by conſidering that the louelove of the 1. Ioh. 2. 15.world and the louelove of God will not ſtand together, becauſe, as the Apoſtle Iames teacheth vsus, The amity of the world is enmity againſt God, and hee Iam. 4. 4.who maketh himſelfe a friend to the one, doth make himſelfe an enemy to the other. That the proſperity of the world is vaine and vncertaine, momentany and mutable, hard to get, and eaſily loſt. And that it doth not vſually further vsus towards the attaining of our mayne and chiefe ends, as neither adding any thing to Gods graces in vsus heere, nor to our glory and happineſſe in the life to come. Yea, by reaſon of our corruption, which is apt to abuſe it to our owne harme, it vſually becommeth a great hinderance, and a notable pulbacke in running the Race of Chriſtianity, making vsus forgetfull of God and our owne good, proud and high-minded, worldly and carnall, doting ſo vponupon the preſent fruition Pro. 1. 32.of earthly vanities, as that we vtterly neglect all meanes of our future happineſſe.
§. Sect. 2 Of ſuch impediments as a life frō worldly things, as honours, riches and pleaſures, and from the ſociety and familiarity of wicked men.
Now the ſpeciall impediments of a godly life are diuers and manifold; but the chiefe and principall which the world vſeth to tempt vsus on the right hand, are honours, riches, pleaſures, worldly friends and acquaintance, whoſe ſociety and conuerſation are notable hindrances to a godly life. And theſe baites the world fitteth to eueryevery mans ſeuerall humour and diſpoſition; vntounto the ambitious, it propoundeth honours and the glory of the world; vntounto the couetous, riches and earthly treaſures; vntounto the voluptuous, pleaſures and carnall delights, cauſing them to bend their whole thoughts, and to ſpend their whole time in compaſſing them, ſo as they hauehave no leaſure to thinke vponupon, much leſſe to performe the duties of a godly life. Which impediments if we would auoyd, we muſt learne to contemne theſe earthly vanities, as being vaine and worthleſſe, vncertaine both in reſpect of getting and keeping, and vnprofitable, yea hurtfull and pernicious to all thoſe who ſet their hearts vponupon them. All which, with many other to this purpoſe, I hauehave largely handled in the ſecond part of my Chriſtian Warfare, and therefore doe heere thus briefly paſſe them ouer. Neither is it needfull that I ſhould heere ſay much of the ſociety, friendſhip, and familiarity with the wicked and prophane, ſeeing I hauehave already ſpoken of it in the former Diſcourſe. OnelyOnly let vsus heere take notice, that it is one of the chiefe impediments which the world vſeth to hinder vsus in the wayes of godlineſſe. For no more apt is the contagious Sicut malu… …r aſſiduo ſtatu tractus inflicit corp…; ita peruer… l…tio aſſid…è infirmantium infi…it animum, vt tabeſcat delectatione praui operis, aſſiduitate curioſi ſermonis. Greg. ſuper Ezech. Pro. 29. 6.ayre, which wee daily breathe, to poyſon and infect the body, then the company of vngodly and vngracious men, to taint and infect the ſoule. And no more poſſible is it to walke daily among ſnares and not be caught, or to liue amongſt the eues and not be robbed, then to preſerue our ſelues from being intangled in the nets and grinnes of the wicked, and to bee ſpoiled of all Gods graces, if wee take delight to conſort our ſelues with ſuch as are graceleſſe and vngodly. So Salomon telleth vsus, that in the tranſgreſsion of an euill man, there is a ſnare, whereby he doth not onelyonly more and more intangle himſelfe, but alſo all others that beare him company. For ſociety and familiarity ariſeth out of likeneſſe of mindes and manners, and cannot long continue, if it doe not either finde, or at leaſt make this ſimilitude and correſpondence, according to that of the Prophet; Can two Amos 3. 3.walke together, and not be agreed? And as poſſible it is to reconcile light and darkeneſſe, truth and falſhood, good and euill, as the faithfull and infidels, godly Chriſtians and prophane worldlings, both retaining their owne properties and diſpoſitions. For an vniuſt man is an abomination to the Pro. 29. 27.iuſt, and he that is vpright in his way, is an abomination to the wicked. Neither let any ſo much preſume vponupon their owne ſtrength, as to imagine that they can retaine their ſincerity, though they keepe wicked company, and rather conuert them to good, then be peruerted by them vntounto euill, ſeeing this is a matter of great difficulty. To bee good (ſaith one) among the Inter bonos bonum eſſe, ſalutem habet, inter malos vero etiam laudem, &c. Bern. in Epiſt.good, hath in it health and ſafety; among the wicked to be ſo, is alſo commendable and praiſe-worthy; in that, happineſſe is ioyned with much ſecurity; in this, much vertue with difficulty. For as hee who is running downe the hill, can ſooner pull with him one that is aſcending, then hee who is going vp, can cauſe him to aſcend that is running down: ſo he who holdeth an headlong courſe in wickednes, can more eaſily carry with him one that is aſcending the hill of vertue, being a motion cōtrary to naturall diſpoſition, then he can cauſe him to aſcend with him. For in common experience we ſee, that the worſer ſtate preuaileth more, in altring the better to its condition, then the better to make the worſe like it ſelfe. The infected are not ſo ſoone cured by the ſound, as they tainted with their contagion; Rotten Apples lying with the ſound, are not reſtored to ſoundneſſe; but the ſound are corrupted with their rottenneſſe. Dead carkaſes vnited to liuing bodies, are not thereby reuiued, vnleſſe it be by miracle, as we ſee in Elizeus and Paul; but the liuing, if they continue any time vnited to the 1. King. 4. 34. Act. 20. 10.dead, partake with them in their mortality and corruption. And thus it is alſo in our ſpirituall ſtate, wherein the worſer more preuaileth to corrupt the better, then the better to reforme the worſe. For they being wholly fleſh, are more earneſt and diligent in the deuils ſeruice, to draw others vntounto his Kingdome, then true Chriſtians can be in the cauſe of God, ſeeing they are but in part regenerate, and the fleſh oppoſeth the Spirit in all good actions, which either reſpect themſelues or their neighbours. And therefore wicked men will leaue no meanes vnaſſayed, but will imploy their whole ſtrength and indeuour to draw others with them into the ſame exceſſe of worldlineſſe and wickedneſſe. For firſt, they will infect them by their vnſauoury ſpeeches and filthy communication, which is a powerfull meanes to taint thoſe that beare them company with their wickedneſſe, according to that of the Apoſtle; Euill words corrupt good manners. Secondly, 1. Cor. 15. 31.by their exhortations and perſwaſions, as the Wiſeman excellently Pro. 1. 10, 11, 12. & 5. 3. & 7. 13, 14, 21.ſheweth in diuers places, vntounto which Syrens ſongs wee are apt to giuegive heed, vnleſſe wee ſubmit our ſelues to be guided and directed with the voyce of Wiſedome, and be powerfully reſtrained with the contrary motions of Gods Spirit. Thirdly, wicked men doe much hinder them who keepe them company in the wayes of godlineſſe, and prouoke them to accompany them in their ſinnes, by their euill examples, eſpecially when they ſee them thriue and proſper in their wickedneſſe, as we ſee in Dauid, who though hee were a man according to Gods owne heart, yet his foot had almoſt ſlipt, when he ſaw the great proſperity of the vngodly, being ready to conclude, that he had clenſed his heart in vaine, and waſhed his hands in innocencie. The which tentation is of greater force, when wee hauehave the Pſal. 73. 2, 13.euill example not of ſome few, but of the multitude, or of ſome great and eminent perſons, whoſe actions aboue others, are moſt exemplary. Finally, wicked men draw on thoſe who keepe them company, to hauehave fellowſhip with them in their wickedneſſe, by their faire promiſes, alluring baites, and liberall offers of rewards. And thus thoſe ſinfull wretches of whom Salomon ſpeaketh, draw on their companions to ioyne with them in violence and oppreſſion, by offering vntounto them part of the ſpoile, and large rewards, to incourage them in their wickedneſſe: Wee ſhall finde Pro. 1. 11, 13, 14.(ſay they) all precious ſubſtance, we ſhall fill our houſes with ſpoile. Caſt in thy lot among vsus, let vsus all hauehave one purſe. Which dangerous impediment if wee would auoyd, let vsus with all care and diligence make choyce of good company, which will both by their words, mutuall exhortations, and good examples, helpe vsus forward, and better our ſpeed in the wayes of godlineſſe, like runners in a race, who by ſtriuing who ſhall out-runne one another, doe all come to the goale in ſhorter time and with much more ſpeed, then if they ſhould runne alone, and hauehave no other to contend with them. And contrariwiſe, let vsus with like care ſhunne familiar ſociety with wicked men, though in worldly reſpects it is profitable vntounto vsus, aſſuring our ſelues, that though for the preſent, wee finde ſome benefit by ſuch ſociety, yet in the end our ſpirituall loſſe will farre exceed our worldly gaine. Or if wee bee ſo ſettered and hampered with ſuch neere bonds of conſanguinity, alliance, neceſſary intercourſe of dealing, or neere neighbourhood, that wee cannot goe farre from them, yet at leaſt let it bee our griefe, that wee are conſtrained to liue with them, and come into their company more often then wee would, according to the example of holy Dauid, who cryed out in this caſe; Woe is mee, that I ſoiourne in Meſech, that I dwell Pſal. 20. 6.in the tents of Kedar; and of Lot, whoſe righteous ſoule was much grieued, 2. Pet. 2. 7.when liuing among the Sodomites, hee was forced to ſee their filthy conuerſation. And to this end, let vsus remember firſt the many exhortations vſed in the Scriptures, inciting vsus, with all care and circumſpection, to ſhunne and auoyd the ſociety of the wicked: Bee yee not Eph. 5. 7, 11.partakers with them; neither hauehave any fellowſhip with the vnfruitfull workes of darkeneſſe. Separate your ſelues from them, and come out from amongst Num. 16. 26. Apoc. 18. 4. Exod. 23. 1.them, leſt you bee partakers of their plagues. Secondly, when their proſperity allureth vsus to accompany them in their euill courſes, let vsus not iudge according to outward appearance, nor conſult with fleſh and blood, but with Dauid goe into Gods Sanctuary, and there wee ſhall Pſal. 73. 17.learne the end of theſe men▪ namely, that being ſet in ſlippery places, they ſhall quickly catch a fall, and be ſo wholly rooted out, that their place ſhall no more be found. Thirdly, that if we keepe company with the wicked, we ſhall not only communicate with them in their ſinnes, but alſo in their puniſhments; for the companions of fooles ſhalbe deſtroyed; and they that will not come out of Babylon, ſhall be partakers of her plagues. Finally, let vsus remember, Pro. 13. 20.that they are bleſſed, who walke not in the counſell of the vngodly, nor ſtand Pſal. 1. 1.in the way of ſinners, nor ſit in the ſeat of the ſcornfull. But of theſe motiues I hauehave before ſpoken, and therfore content my ſelfe here, thus briefefly to hauehave touched them.