A Saint or a Brute, Part 2 · Chapter 10 · Section 3
ANd now as we have ſeen it plainly proved, that the life of Holineſs is the moſt Pleaſant life, ſo from hence we may ſee two ſorts reproved, that (in different meaſures) are found to be trangreſſors.
The firſt is, Thoſe blind ungodly wretches, that can find no pleaſure in a holy life, when they can find pleaſure in their worldly drudgery, and in their ſenſual uncleanneſs, and their childiſh vanities. They have the God of infinite Goodneſs to delight in; but to their impious hearts he ſeemeth not delightful. They have his Power, and wiſdom, and holineſs, and truth to love, and admire, and truſt upon, and his excellent works to behold him in, and his holy laws, and gracious promiſes to meditate on; but they have ſmall delight in any ſuch imployment. They have leave as well as any others to open their hearts to God in ſecret, and in prayer and praiſe to recreate their ſouls, and to hold communion with the Saints of God, and to be exerciſed both in publike and private in his worſhip, and to order their families in his fear, and to mannage their affairs according to his word: but they find no pleaſure in ſuch a life as this, but are as backward to it as if it were a toileſome and unprofitable buſineſs, and are weary of that little outſide worſhip which they do perform. They have Heaven ſet before them to ſeek after, and to make their portion and delight, but they have ſmall delight to think or ſpeak of it. Their hearts are unſutable to theſe high holy and ſpiritual things. They are matters that they are ſtrange to, and have no firm and confident belief of, but an uncertain wavering weak opinion: and therefore they are too far off, to be their delight [They ſay to God, Depart from us; for we deſire not the knowledge of thy way; What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him? and what profit ſhould we have if we pray unto him? Job 21. 14, 15.] If they do come to the publike Aſſemblies, and joyn there in the outward part of worſhip, they find little life and pleaſure in it, becauſe they are ſtrangers to the reward and ſpiritual part which is the kernel. They look more duplicate page duplicate page at the Preachers gifts, and the manner of his doctrine and delivery, then at the ſpiritual neceſſary matter that is delivered. They have ſome pleaſure in a neat compoſed ſpeech, that ſeemeth not to accuſe them any more then others, and grateth not on their tender ears with plain and neceſſary truth; but ſuffers them to go home as quietly as they came thither. But if the Preacher touch them to the quick, and endeavoureth faithfully to acquaint them with themſelves, or if he have no eloquence or accurateneſs of ſpeech to pleaſe them with, but be guilty of any unhanſomneſs of expreſſion, or m…d… imperfections, they are weary of hearing him, and think it long till the glaſs be run, and perhaps inſtead of taſting the ſweetneſs of wholſom truth, they make it the matter of their denſion and contempt.
But let them be at Cards or Dice, at Hawking or Hunting, at any idle ſports and vanities, and they can hold out longer with delight. At drinking, or feaſting, or idle talking, they are not ſo weary. Yea in the labours of their calling, when their bodies are weary, their minds are more unwearyed; and in their fields and ſhops they have more delight, then in the ſpiritual holy ſervice of the Lord. They are never ſo merry as when there is leaſt of God upon their hearts and in their wayes. And it is one of the reaſons that hindreth their Converſion, leſt it ſhould deprive them of their mirth, and cauſe them to ſpend the remainder of their dayes in uncomfortable heavyneſs. If ſin were not ſweet to them, converſion would be more eaſie: The Pleaſure which they find in creatures by their ſin, is the priſon and fetters of their ſouls captivity. If this be thy caſe that readeſt theſe lines, I beſeech thee lay to heart theſe following aggravations of thy ſin.
1. How blind and wicked is the heart that can find more pleaſure in ſin than holineſs? Is the creature pleaſant to thee, and God unpleaſant? What a ſhame is this to thy Underſtanding and thy Will? It proclaimeth thy pernicious Folly and Impiety. If thou hadſt no more wit then to be Pleaſed more with ſtones then gold, with dung then meat, with ſhameful nakedneſs then cloathing, thou wouldſt not be judged wiſe enough to be left to thy own diſpoſe and government. But the folly which thou doſt manifeſt, is unſpeakably greater. Darkneſs is not ſo much worſe then Light, and Death is not ſo much worſe then Life; as ſin is worſe than Holineſs, and the world than God. And is the Worſt more Pleaſant to thee then the Beſt? It is a fool indeed, to whom it is a ſport to do miſchief, Prov. 10. 23. and ſo great a miſchief as ſin is: and yet hath no delight in underſtanding, Prov. 18. 2. Delight is not ſeemly for ſuch fools, Prov. 19. 10.
And how wicked is that Heart as well as Blind, that is ſo averſe to God and Holineſs? Doth not this ſhew thee, 1. The abſence of Gods holy image, 2. And the preſence of Satans image upon thy ſoul?
Nothing doth more certainly prove what a man is, then the complacency and diſplacency of his Heart. If you know what it is in your ſelves or others, that pleaſeth and diſpleaſeth moſt, you may certainly know whether you have the ſpirit and grace of Chriſt or not. This is the durable infallible Evidence, which Satan ſhall never be able to invalidate, and which the weakeſt Chriſtians can ſcarce tell how to deny in themſelves: Could they be more Holy, it would pleaſe them better then to be more rich: Could they believe more, and Love God more, and truſt him more, and obey him better, it would pleaſe them more then if you gave them all the honours of the world: They are never ſo well pleaſed with their own hearts, as when they find them neareſt Heaven, and have moſt of the Knowledge of God, and impreſs of his attributes, and ſenſe of his preſence. They are never ſo well pleaſed with their lives, as when they are moſt holy and fruitful, and may fullyeſt be called A walking with God. They are never ſo much diſpleaſed with themſelves, as when they find leaſt of God upon their hearts, and are moſt dark, and dull, and undiſpoſed to holy Communion with him. They are never ſo much weary of themſelves, as when their lives are leaſt fruitful, holy and exact. And this is a certain Evidence of their ſincerty: For it ſhews what they Love, and what it is that hath their Hearts or Wills. And it is the Heart or Will that is the man, in Gods account. God takes a man to be what he ſincerely would be. As he is, ſo he Loveth and Willeth: and as he Loveth and Willeth, ſuch he is. His complacency or diſplacency are the immediate ſure diſcoveries of his bent or inclination: This certain Evidence poor doubting ſouls ſhould have oft recourſe to, and improve.
And on the contrary, it is as ſure an Evidence of your miſery, when you ſavour not the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7. and when it pleaſeth you more to be great, then to be good; to be rich, then to be religious and righteous; to ſerve your luſts, then to ſerve the Lord: When you ſet more by the applauſe of men, then by the approbations of God: and had rather be far from God then near him, and be excuſed from a holy life then uſed to it, and conſtant in it: When you take the world and ſin for your recreation or delight, and a godly life for a melancholy, weariſom, and unpleaſant courſe: This certainly ſhews that you have yet the old corrupted nature, and Serpentine enmity againſt the Spirit and Life of Chriſt, and are yet in the fleſh, and therefore can no more pleaſe the Lord, then his holy wayes are pleaſing unto you, Rom. 8. 6, 7, 8. and it proveth that you are yet in the gall of bitterneſs, and the bonds of your iniquity, and that your hearts are not right in the ſight of God, and that you are the ſlaves of Satan, whoſe nature you partake of, by which you are thus alienated from the Lord.
Didſt thou know God as Faith doth know him, his Loving kindneſs would be better to thee then life it ſelf, Pſalm 63. 3. If thou didſt Love him (as it is like thou wilt pretend thou doſt) it would be meat and drink to thee, to enjoy his Love, and do his Will. And if thou know him not by Faith, nor cleaveſt to him by unfeigned Love, how canſt thou pretend to have his Image?
How would you judge of that mans heart, that were no better affected to his friend, to his parents, or children, or other relations, then you manifeſt your ſelves to be to God? If he can take no pleaſure in the company of his wife or children, but is glad when he is far from them, in the company of ſtrangers, or harlots, or prodigals, would you not ſay this man had a baſe unmanly diſpoſition? Expreſs but ſuch an inclination in plain words, and try how honeſt ſober men will judge of them. Much more would it be odious to Chriſtian ears, if you ſhould tell God plainly, [We can find no pleaſure in thee, or in thy holy wayes; thy Word and Service are unſavoury and weariſom unto us: We had rather be talking or buſied about the matters of the world: We have far more pleaſure in recreations and ſenſual accommodations, then in remembring thee and thy Kingdom, and then we find in the life that is called holy.] Would not ſuch words as theſe be called impious, by every Chriſtian that ſhould hear them? And is not that an impious heart then, which ſpeaketh thus, or is thus affected, and that an impious life that manifeſteth it? though diſſembling lips are aſhamed to profeſs it?
If God be not moſt to be loved and delighted in, then any thing or all things elſe, he is not God. If Heaven and Holineſs be not ſweeter then all the pleaſures of earth and ſin, let them have no more ſuch honourable names. Let ſin and earth then be called Heaven; but wo to them that have no better.
2. What monſtrous ingratitude is that man guilty of, that when God hath provided, and Chriſt hath purchaſed ſuch high delights, and freely tendred them to unworthy ſinners, will ſay, I find no pleaſure in them, and take them for no delights at all? When the Lord beheld thee wallowing in thy filth, and laughing in thy miſery, and making a ſport of thine own perdition, he pittied thee, and provided and offered to thee the moſt noble and excellent delights, that thy nature is capable of enjoying: And wilt thou caſt them back unthankfully in his face, and ſay, They are unpleaſant tedious things? If your child did ſo by his meat or cloathes, yea or a beggar at your door did ſo by his alms, you would think it proved his great unworthyneſs: If he throw away the beſt you can give him, and ſay, [It is naught, there is no ſweetneſs in it] would you not think it fit that want ſhould help to mend his relliſh, and cure his ingratitude? And will you do ſo your ſelves by Chriſt and Holineſs, and ſay as thoſe, Mal. 1. 13. What a wearineſs is it? Take heed leſt you provoke the Lord to caſt you into a ſtate in which you ſhall have more cauſe to be aweary. If you are weary of reading, and praying, and hearing, and other holy exerciſes, and weary of heart-ſearching, penitent meditations, will you not be wearyer of Hell-fire, and of the dolorous reviews of this your folly, and of the endleſs, eaſeleſs, remedileſs ſenſe of the wrath of God, and gripes of your own ſelf-tormenting conſciences! How juſt is it with God to give thoſe men ſomewhat that they have cauſe to be aweary of, that will be thus aweary of his ſweeteſt ſervice, and reject the greateſt mercies he can offer them, as if they were ſome burdenſom worthleſs things!
3. Will you have any pleaſure at all, or will you have none? If any, in what then will you place it, and whence will you expect it, if not from God in a holy life? If God be thy trouble, what then is fit to be thy delight? Dareſt thou ſay in thy heart or with thy tongue, that ſin and ſenſuality is better? Dareſt thou ſay that a good bargain, or other worldly gain, or cards, or dice, or other ſports, or eaſe, or good chear, or an Ale-houſe, or a Whore, are pleaſanter things then walking with thy God in faith and holineſs, and expectation of the everlaſting joyes? Heaven and earth ſhall bear witneſs againſt thee, and common Reaſon ſhall bear witneſs againſt thee, for this inhumane, impious folly and ingratitude, if ever thou appear at the barr of God, with the guilt of ſuch unreaſonable ſin. What! is God no better in thine eyes, then a filthy brutiſh ſinful pleaſure? and is the Love of God no ſweeter a work, then the Love of ſenſual delights! Saith bleſſed Auguſtine, He that will ſell or exchange his ſoul for tranſitory commodities, doth cenſure Chriſt to be a fooliſh Merchant, that knew no better what he a…, when he gave his Life for thoſe ſouls, that you will not loſe a ſin for. So I may ſay here: Hath Chriſt bought for you Holy and Everlaſting pleaſures, at the price of his own moſt bitter pains, and precious blood, and do you now think them no better then your fleſhly beaſtial delights? Is it Chriſt or you, think you, that is miſtaken in the value of them? Did he ſhed his blood to purchaſe you that which is not worth the parting with a cup of drink for, or the parting with your pleaſure, or unjuſt commodity for? Sure he that judgeth thus of Chriſt, is far from believing in him, with any true Chriſtian ſaving Faith.
4. If you can find no pleaſure in God and in a holy life, you may be ſure that he will have no pleaſure in you. Wonder not if you find in your greateſt need, that you are abhorred and loathed by the Lord, when you loathed the very thoughts and mention of him, in the day of your viſitation. Marvail not if the moſt Holy God do take no pleaſure in a leathſem ſinner, when the ſinner is ſo ungodly, that he takes more pleaſure in the moſt ſordid fading trifles then in God. You may offer the ſacrifice of your heartleſs hypocritical prayers and praiſes unto God, and he will count them abomination, and caſt them back as dung into your faces, and tell you that he hath no pleaſure in the ſacrifice of ſuch fools: Read it in his own words, Prov 15. 8. & 21. 27. Iſa. 1. 13. Eccles. 5. 4. As you are weary of ſerving him, ſo he is …ary of your ſervices, and it is a trouble to him … them, and when you spread forth your hands, he will hide his eyes from you, yea when you make many prayers he will not hear, Iſa. 1. 14, 15. When the Jews offered their lame deceitful ſacrifices, and ſaid, [Behold what a wearineſs is it?] God ſends them word, that he hath …o pleaſure in them, nor would regard their perſons, nor accept a ſacrifice at their hands, Mal. 1. 8, 9, 10. and their ſolemn feaſts he counteth [dung]: And dung would be no acceptable preſent or ſeaſt to your ſelves, if it were offered you inſtead of meat, Mal. 2. 3. [My ſoul (ſaith the Lord) loathed them, and their ſoul abhorred me] Zech 11. 8. As he that deſpiſeth him, ſhall be lightly eſteemed by him, 1 Sam. 2. 30. So he that loatheth him, ſhall be loathed by him. [If any man draw back, ſaith the Lord, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him.] Heb. 10. 38. For he is not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with him: the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his ſight: he hateth all the workers of iniquity, Pſalm 5. 4, 5. And little do you now imagine what a horrour it will be to you in the day of your extremity for God to tell you that he hath no pleaſure in you: When you look before you into an eternity of woe, which you have no hope to eſcape but by the mercy of the Lord, and he ſhall daſh that hope by telling you that he hath no pleaſure in you, it will give your ſouls the deadly wound that never ſhall be healed. In vain then ſhall you wiſh that you had choſen in time the durable delights, and not the pleaſures of filthy ſin for ſo ſhort a ſeaſon: and to your torment you ſhall know, whether God or the world was more worthy of your ſweeteſt affections and delights: and how deſervedly they are [all damned that obeyed not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, 2 Theſ. 2. 12. Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of death, not only do the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that do them, Rom. 1. 32. If you will count it your pleaſure to ryot in the day-time, rather then to walk and work by the light, you muſt look to receive the due reward of ſuch unrighteouſneſs, 2 Pet. 2. 13. If it be your sport to ſin and to do miſchief, (Prov. 10. 23.) you ſhall have ſmall ſport in ſuffering the puniſhment of your willful folly.
5. If God and Holineſs ſeem not pleaſant to you, then Heaven it ſelf cannot ſeem pleaſant to you, if you conſider it truly as it is. For the Heavenly felicity conſiſteth in the perfection of our Holineſs, and the perfect fruition of God himſelf, by Sight, and Love, and Joy for ever. If the little Holineſs be unpleaſant and irkſom to you, which appeareth in the imperfect Saints on earth, what pleaſure could you take in that ſupereminent Holineſs which is the ſtate and work of the celeſtial inhabitants? If the thoughts and mention of God be unpleaſant to you, and ▪his holy praiſes do ſeem to you as matters of no delight, What then would you do in heaven where this muſt be your everlaſting work? And if Heaven ſeem a place of toyle and trouble to you, how juſt will it be that you are everlaſtingly ſhut out? How can you for ſhame beg of God to glorifie you, when you take the Glory that he hath promiſed for a miſery? If you think that there is a Heaven of ſuch ſenſual pleaſures as you deſire, or that any ſhall be ſaved that only chooſe Heaven as a leſs and more tolerable miſery then Hell, you will ſhortly find your expectations deceived.
Lay all theſe five conſiderations together, and you may perceive what miſerable ſouls thoſe are, that can find pleaſure in periſhing trifles of the world, and none in a Holy and Heavenly life. Be aſſured of this, whoſoever thou art, that if God and Heaven and a Holy life, be not a thouſand times ſweeter and more delightful to thee, then any thing that this world can afford to thy contentment, it is not for want of matter of ſuperabundant delight to be found in God and in his holy ways; but it is for want of reaſon, or faith, or conſideration, or a ſutable Heart in thee, which may make thee fit to know and taſte the pleaſures which now thou art unacquainted with. And is it not pitty that ſuch infinite delights ſhould be ſet before men, and they ſhould loſe them all for want of a Heart and appetite to them? and ſhould periſh by chooſing the loweſt vanities before them?
I do therefore earneſtly beſeech thee that readeſt theſe words, if thou be one of theſe unhappy ſouls, that canſt find no pleaſure in God and Holineſs, that thou wouldſt ſpeedily obſerve and lament that blindneſs and wickedneſs of thy heart, that is the cauſe of this infatuation and corruption of thine apprehenſion and rational appetite: and that thou wouldſt preſently apply thy ſelf to Chriſt for the cure of it; To which end I adviſe thee to theſe following means.