The Marrow of Divinity, Religious treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Quest. WHether may a man sinne in the use of Lawful things?
Answ. Yea, abuse of lawful things is damnable, as well as the use of unlawful. The abuse of lawful profits, pleasures, cares, and desires, choaks the seed of the Word, Mat. 13.22. So Mat. 24.38. As in the dayes of Noah they did eat, they drank, they married, and gave in marriage, until the day that Noah entred into the Ark, &c. What? was it a sin to eat, to drink, to marrie? No, but they sinned in the abuse of these things, they were so intent upon these, that they cast off all admonitions, and predictions of judgement. So Luke 14.18. What was more lawful then to buy a Farme, a yoke of Oxen, or to mar…y a Wife? Yet these shall never taste of the Supper: not because they did these things, but because they were so inordinately intent upon them, that they refused the Call to the Kings Supper. So 1 Cor. 10.7. The people sa…e down to eat, and drink, and rose up to play.
Quest. Why is there so much danger in the use of lawful things?
Answ. 1. Because in using lawful things men are most secure, and think themselves safe: and yet Satan is most where he is least suspected: As the Serpent lieth in the greenest grasse: so Satan lies in ambush against us in our most lawful Liberties: As he laid his train against Christ himself, in the matter of meat, and drink, when he was an hungry, Mat. 4.3. So also against us, chiefly in things wherein God hath given us allowance. Wherein was it that Satan overcame Lot? Was it first in Incest with his daughters? No: but he first foiled him in that which was lawful: He first abused himself with Wine, and then in Incest.
Whereas our Nature, Spider-like, turnes our best, and sweetest things to poison, Satan addes his poison too, putting us forward to abuse lawful things: because this both hinders God of his glory in the meanes of our good, and our selves in the end for which God alloweth them. God gives us these things as helps to heaven: but we make them hinderances. His grace puts them into our hands as staves …o help us in our way, we by our abuse make them clogs to cast us back: He allows us them as spurres to provoke us to cheerfulnesse in his service: we pervert them, and make them as thornes to choak, and hinder us in his service. And well knows Satan, that the best things abused, become evil to him that so useth them. Christ himself shall be a Rock of offence. The Word if it kill not our vices, kills our soules: The Sacraments are rank poison to the unworthy Receiver: He cares not if wealth flow in as waters from a full fountain, so they drown their soules in perdition: and so of the rest.
Because sins in lawful things are both more ordinary, and lesse discerned, both for the avoiding and preventing, as also for the recovery, and repentance from them. How many natural and indifferent actions doth a man perform in a day, into which creep a number of sins, because men judge themselves free to do as they lust in them, only contenting themselves that they have liberty from God to do the thing, whilest they are unwilling to hear of any of Gods restraints, or impositions in the manner, and fruition of that liberty.
Quest. What instances may be given to shew how men abuse their lawful Liberties with the hazard of their soules?
Answ. 1. In eating and drinking, which is not only lawful but necessary: yet here Christians offend many wayes.
1. When they eat not their own bread, earned by their lawful labour, 2 Thes. 3.12.
2. When they feed themselves without feare, Jude 12. not as before the Lord.
3. When they corrupt themselves in the creatures, losing sobriety, modestie, chastity, health, and reason.
4. When they never taste the sweetnesse of God in the creature, more then beasts do: nor sanctifie themselves after feasting: as Job did his sons, Job 1.5.
5. When they waste the creatures, not remembring the afflictions of Jos…ph, Amos 6.6.
In apparel, then which nothing is more necessary decently to cover our nakednesse, to fence our bodies from the injury of the weather, and to put us in minde of sin. But what a number of sins do men and women put on with their apparel? And that
First, for the matter, which is not skins as Adams, but stately and costly beyond their rank.
2. For the manner, while they take liberty to disguise themselves in strange attire, and monstrous fashions, shewing no other hidden man of the heart but lightnesse, vanity, wantonnesse, and thraldome, to every new-fangled fashion, for which the Lord threatned to visit the Kings children, Zeph. 1.8.
3. For the measure whilest they passe all bounds of sobrietie, and prodigally waste more on their backs, then would cloath a number of the poor servants of Jesus Christ.
In recreation: which are both lawful and necessary: yet how do men sin therein?
1. In respect of the matter, when with the fool, (Prov. 26.18) th…y make a sport of sin: as of Dice, Cards, lascivious Dancing, Playes, Interludes, and all other sports, wherein is neither praise, vertue, nor good report, Phil. 4.8.
2. In respect of the manner, when they turne their vocation into recreation, pouring out their hearts unto pleasure, being lovers of pleasure more then of God, 2 Tim. 3.4. when they waste their precious time in sports, hindring better duties, both in their general and particular callings: dishonouring the sacred Name of God by Oaths, blasphemous cursings, jesting upon the Holy Word of God, jeering his Ministers, Servants, Religion, &c. or when others are hurt by their sports, and gaine by winning their money to their prejudice: or their own estate, as Solomon saith, He that loves pastime shall be a poor man, Prov. 21.17.
In Marriage: what is more necessary for mans comfort, and for the continuance of the World and Church by an holy seed? But many heap up sin by the abuse of this holy Ordinance: Some conceit that they may marry where they list, the sons of God to the daughters of men; forgetting that of the Apostle: Only in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7.39. Joyning themselves with Infidels, Hereticks, and enemies to the true Religion; as did Solomon to the turning away his heart from the Lord. Others use it rather to the stirring up of natural corruptions then to allay them: Some rather to further each other to hell then to heaven, whilest the husband loseth his authority by unthriftinesse, bitternesse, or lightnesse: and the wise shakes off her subjection by fullennesse, and contempt both of his person, and commandments: Others sin more directly when the husband leaves the wife of his youth, and embraceth the bosome of a stranger: or the wife forsakes the guide of her youth, and loves a stranger better.
In a mans calling, wherein its lawful and necessary for a man to busie himself: But how many sin herein? either by living in unlawful callings, or betaking themselves to no callings: or not being careful to sanctifie their callings, and the duties of them by the Word of God and Prayer: or not retaining heavenly affections in their earthly employments: or not sticking to gathet Manna on the Sabbath-dayes, which shall rot between their teeth: or by driving their Trades with as many glossings, lies and oaths, almost as words: or by turning their Trades into Crafts, and Mysteries of Iniquity, getting as much by Deceit and Injustice, as by faire dealing: or by choaking their general calling by their special, scarce allowing any time to Gods service, &c.
In providing for a mans family, which is lawful and necessary, and he that doth it not is worse then an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. yet herein many sin by carking cares: not seeking first the Kingdome of God for themselves and theirs, but becoming drudges to the world, and to their children, neglecting to bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord, as they are commanded, Ephes. 6.4.
In company and society with men, which is sweet and necessary, man being a sociable creature; but how many sins creep into the use of this mercy? as when men voluntary run into idle and vaine company; associating themselves with swearers, dtunkards, whoremongers, …tc. when they spend their time in vain, profane, or rotten communication, neither doing nor receiving good, as they might and ought to do.
Quest. What meanes may we use to prevent our abuse of these lawful things?
Answ. 1. Consider that lawful liberty used to the full extent of it, is exceeding dangerous, and therefore some restraint is necessary. He that will take all the liberty he may, will somtimes take that he ought not: and the more the flesh is pampered, the more the spirit is weakened and foiled.
Remember who is the Author of all thy libertie in these things, and be sure that whilest thou hast the sweetnesse and comfort of them, he may have the glory of them, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat, or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.
With the use of natural things, labour to joyne a spiritual, and so whilest we cherish our bodies, we shall also refresh our soules: As in the use of meat, and drink, stir we up our selves to labour for the bread and water of life. In putting on our cloaths, labour to put on Christ, Rom. 13.14. In Marriage, meditate much on that sweet contract between Christ and the soul: and so in the rest. This is an holy Alchimy, that draws Gold out of Lead, Heaven out of Earth, and Grace out of Nature.
Consider that the right use of peace and plentie, is to grow up in the feare of God, in peace of Conscience, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost: So the Church used her rest and peace, Acts 9.31. For where the Lord affords more outward blessings, and with them, more time and meanes to serve him, he looks for the more service from them.
In our more free and joyful use of Gods good creatures, let us carry holy jealousie over our selves, lest sin creep in, and so we dishonour God: Job, when his sons feasted together, sanctified them, and sac…ificed according to the number of them, saying, It may be my sons have sinned, &c. Job 1.5. Do thou the like, mingle not thy joy with sin, lest it end in wo. Dr. Tailor on the Parable of the Sower, p. 164.