Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Part 2 · Section 18
SECT. XVIII.
Poſit. 1. THere are many that are really bad, and not ſo much as ſeemingly good. There are many that do not profeſs any goodneſs; ſuch are your open, debaucht ſinners, that give themſelves up unto all Licentiouſneſs and ſin.
Poſit. 2. That there are many that are ſeemingly good, that are not really good. Many make a great ſhew in Religion, that have no Religion in them. Many pray much, and hear much, and talk of good things much, but are not good themſelves; and the miſery of theſe is,
1. That they loſe all their labour; for if they themſelves be not good, their praying is not good, and their talking of good things is not good: For, the ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord, Prov. 15.8.
2. They have no real Communion with God who are but ſeemingly good: For, what communion hath light with darkneſſe, 2 Cor. 6.13, &c.
3. They ſhall have no real reward, in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their goodneſſe is but ſeeming goodneſs, and their happineſs is but ſeeming happineſs.
4. They are ſeemingly like to God, but are really like the Devil.
5. They aſſociate with Gods Children, but are none of Gods Children; for all Gods Children are good.
6. They have no true peace, Iſa. 57.21. But God hath really preſerved you from death, and really kept you alive, therefore be not ſatisfied to be ſeemingly good, but be really ſo.
Poſit. 3. That there be many that are really good, that are not gradually good, that have grace in truth, that have not grace in growth. Thoſe that are ſeemingly good are not ſo many as thoſe that are openly bad, and thoſe that are really good are not ſo many as thoſe that are ſeemingly good, and thoſe that are gradually good are not ſo many as thoſe that are really good. Ever the better the fewer, both for kinde and degree. It is ſo in Naturals; not ſo many Whales as leſſer Fiſh; not ſo many Eagles as little Birds; not ſo many Suns as Stars: And ſo it is in Spirituals; not ſo many ſtrong men in Chriſt, as babes; not ſo many tall Cedars, as there are Shrubs in Gods Lebanon. Now my purpoſe is to exhort you (eſpecially after ſuch a Providence) to be not only really good, but to be gradually good.
Poſit. 4. That thoſe that are gradually good, are yet imperfectly good, as appears by the remainders of ſin in the beſt; and would be evident by a particular enumeration of their Graces, which is the beſt thing in the beſt men; they know but in part, and they love but in part, and delight in God but imperfectly, Philip. 3.9, 10, 11, 12.
Poſit. 5. Thoſe that are really good though imperfectly good, are truly acceptable unto God. God will not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax, Mat. 12.20. There may be a great deal of ſmoak where there is but little fire, a great deal of ſin where there is but little grace; but yet it is pleaſing unto God, if it be true; a little grace is of great value, (a Pearl of ſmall quantity might be of great worth) and better than a great deal of riches, or of gifts; better than a ſtrong Memory pregnant phantacy, ſolid Judgement, quick Apprehenſion, voluble Tongue, or any ſuch things; becauſe the leaſt Grace is a pledge of Heaven, and ſo are none of all the reſt.
Poſit. 6. That when a good man doth increaſe in goodneſs, he increaſeth more or leſs in all ſaving goodneſs. When any one ſin is more mortified, every ſin is in ſome meaſure more mortified, and yet every ſin is not equally ſtrong, becauſe ſome ſins are more deeply radicated, have been more ſtrengthened by frequent acts, and are more rooted in the conſtitution; ſo though addition be made in every Grace, when a Chriſtian growes better, yet every grace might not be equally ſtrong in the ſame Chriſtian, becauſe ſome grace may be more oppoſed by the contrary ſin, and ſome grace is drawn forth more into act and exerciſe than the reſt; yet as a Childe growes in all parts truely though not equally; ſo it is in a good Chriſtian: And this I adde, that you may endeavour to be univerſally good, and univerſally better, better in Faith, and better in Love, and Humility, &c.
Poſit. 7. That thoſe that are good ſhould labour to be better, and thoſe that are better, ſhould ſtrive to be beſt. You ſhould not reſt in goodneſs poſitive, but labour to have comparative goodneſs, and when you have it in the comparative degree, you ſhould aſpire after ſuperlative goodneſs: You ſee it is ſo in other things; amongſt Scholars men ſtrive who ſhould be the beſt Scholar; and amongſt Artificers, men ſtrive who ſhall be the beſt Artificer; and now after the Plague, you will perceive men to be more earneſt in their Trading (I pray God they may not exceed) to re-gain, what they loſt for want of Trading: And ſo amongſt Chriſtians, every one ſhould ſtrive who ſhould be the beſt; and to quicken and provoke you hereunto, lay theſe things to your heart. Conſider,