Discourse of Excuses, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Excuſes taken from other things.
WE have done with Excuſes (as to 3. Excuſes taken from other things.ſin) taken from our ſelves and other perſons: We come now to ſpeak of ſuch as are taken from other things, of which there are ſo many (Reader) that I do not promiſe thee to enumerate all, but ſuch as are moſt common and obvious. And firſt, Ignorance is a great and common 1. Ignorance.pretence; and were it really ſo, it might paſs for a juſt defence: As when Abimelech was charged to be in a Confederacy with David againſt Saul, he 1 Sam. 22. 15.avowed he was altogether ignorant of any ſuch thing, it was, or ſhould have been accepted as a clear purgation. But ignorance is oft made a Cloak to careleſneſs, and wretched neglect of duty belonging to our places. Thus Solomon takes it for granted ſome do; If thou forbeareſt (ſaith he) to Prov. 24. 11, 12.deliver them that are drawn to death, and ſayſt, Behold we knew it not: Doth not he that pondereth the heart conſider; and ſhall not he render to every man according to his works? q. d. This is a poor ſhift, a meer put-off; Conſcience is not ſo acquitted: Thou mayſt pretend thou waſt not there, hadſt other buſineſs, or ſome indiſpoſition of Body, but thou ſhouldſt have been there. If Nicodemus had not opened his mouth on Chriſt's behalf, when he was traduced, John 7. 51. And Joſeph of Arimathea had not entered his Diſſent at the Council-Table, Luke 23. 51.when he was condemned: The one had never been worthy of the name of a Diſciple, nor the other of an honourable Counſellour, Mark 15. 43. Thy duty is, if thou art betruſted with an Office, to wait on thy Office, Rom. 12. 7.
2. And now we have ſpoken of an Office; 2. Their Place and Office.there are ſome ready to plead their Place and Office for excuſe, that muſt bear them out. Thus did Naaman plead, When the King goeth into the houſe of Rimmon, and 2 Kings 5. 18.leaneth on my hand, (for that is my place at Court) and I bow in the houſe of Rimmon as doth the King, the Lord be merciful to me, and hold me excuſed herein. The like alſo might Pilate have pleaded, if that would excuſe him: My Place is to releaſe one at the Feaſt, though a Murderer, and to condemn the moſt Innocent, if the people ſhall importune it. Thus alſo no queſtion did thoſe perſecuting Biſhops in Queen Mary's dayes flatter themſelves, when they burnt thoſe Innocents: We have taken an Oath to the Pope, and our Place tyes us to condemn them to the Flames, whom the Pope declareth Haereticks. And when they gave Sentence, they ſaid, They did it ex Officio; that is, by vertue of their Office. How much better had it been for them to have refuſed thoſe Preferments with a Nolo Epiſcopari in good earneſt, as Nazianzen Sozom. l. 6. c. 3. Socr. l. 3. c. 19. Bal. in vitis pont.ſometimes did: And Jovinian the Empire, crying out, Ego ſum Chriſtianus; or to have reſigned thoſe places, as Caeleſtine the Fifth is ſaid to have the Papacy, returning to his ſolitarineſs and privacy again? Or they might all of them have inſcribed that on their Monuments, which Biſhop Hall reporteth that Hadrian the Sixth Ordered to be engraven on his, viz. That nothing in all his life befel him ſo unhappy, as his Preferment.
3. Others alledge the example of their 3. Example of their Predeceſſors.Predeceſſors: They who have gone before them have done ſo and ſo, made ſo much of their Places; but quo jure, qua injuria would be enquired. Godly Nehemiah came after ſuch, and might have fleeced and exhauſted the people, and enricht himſelf, if he could have ſatisfied himſelf with this Plea: But thus did he not do, becauſe of Neh. 5. 15.the fear of the Lord: Yea, the very Servants of the former Rulers bare Rule, and got Eſtates. But he conſidered the people over whom he was ſet, were now poor, and had groaned under many Preſſures and Taxes: Therefore he received not the Perquiſites of his place, nor did he eat the Bread of the Governor; but ſpent his own Eſtate among them, and fed many at his own Charge; chuſing rather to be a poor Prince over a rich People, then Rich over a Poor. Non ſibi, ſed Patriae, is a good Motto for a Prince or Patriot: Praeſis ut Proſts, a good Motto for a Prelate, as Bernard counſelled Eugenius. It is a memorable ſtory that Luther relates of a German Luth. Coll.Prince, at a time when many of the Princes were together, and diſcourſed of their ſeveral States, Territories and Revenues; This Prince ſaid, Though his Territory and Revenue was not equal to theirs, yet in one thing he counted himſelf as happy as any of them; that was, the Love of his Subjects: For he ſaid, He could venture himſelf to take a Nights-lodging in the houſe of any of his Subjects, and ſleep ſecurely without a Guard. A rare example of clemency and confidence in a Prince, and of Love and Loyalty in a People.
4. A fourth ſaith, I am not the firſt, nor ſhall be the laſt; like enough: But what a pittiful 4. I am not the firſt, nor ſhall be the laſt.Excuſe is this, to excuſe thy ſin by the ſin of others! As Job ſaid of the Grave, A many are gone before, and innumerable ſhall Job 21. 33.follow after; it may be ſaid of Sin and Hell-Lamech could ſpeak of a Murderer before him. Jeroboam was not the firſt that made a golden Calf to be worſhipt, Aaron had done ſo before him; nor was he the laſt, for all, or moſt, of the Kings of Iſrael that followed, continued in the ſame Idolatry: It is not ſafe ſinning by Example. Many Faſhions are new, few new Sins; nothing new under the Sun. This Sin that all our Diſcourſe is about, viz. Excuſe-making, had both our firſt Parents deeply in it: Thus did Adam, thus did Eve; from the beginning it hath been thus, and bears the oldeſt date of any other Act, viz. Anno primo Creationis, menſe primo; if not Die primo too, as ſome conceive. Polygamy had a Preſident in the old World, in Lamech; Gen. 4. 19. Gen. 6. 11.Oppreſſion was before the Flood. Fornicators had Zimri and Cozbi put to death Num. 25. 8.for this Sin long before they were born. Seditious Oppoſers of Magiſtracy and Miniſtry had a Corah, Dathan, and Abiram Num. 16. 3.Predeceſſors. The Sabbath-Breaker reads of one ſtoned to death for that Sin long ago, Numb. 15. 36. And the Blaſphemer of another, Levit. 24. 23. The wicked Witch and painted Strumpet had a Jezabel their foundreſs. Now theſe are our Examples, and recorded not to Excuſe, but admoniſh us.
5. And he that ſaith, The reſt and greateſt 5. The reſt do the ſame.in the place do ſo, and why may not I; thinks if he have not a great deal of reaſon on his ſide, yet he hath good Company to back him: But the greateſt man in the Pariſh is not alwayes the beſt. He who is higheſt in the King's Books for matter of Subſidy, may be loweſt in God's Book for matter of Piety. The beſt Living and the beſt Liver dwell ſometimes a great way aſunder. In our Saviour's time, the Poor Mat. 11. 5.were they who received the Goſpel. And in the Apoſtles dayes, not many Wiſe, or 1 Cor. …. 26, 27.Mighty, or Noble owned it, but the Poor and Simple. In after-times of Apoſtacy, the purity of Religion was preſerved among the Waldenſes, and the Poor men of Lyons, as they were commonly called. And long before them, the great Worthies of the World (of whom the World was not worthy) were clad in Sheep-skins and Goats-skins, and dwelt in Caves and Cottages, out of the Worlds notice, unleſs to be perſecuted, afflicted, tormented.
6. A good intention is a great Plea, and 6. A good intention.we think nothing excuſeth more: But though an ill intention is enough alone to mar a good action, yet is not a good intention enough to render an ill action good; Bonum ex integriss malum ex quolibet defectu; There muſt be a concurrence of all due circumſtances to make an action good.
Ʋzzah doubtleſs had no ill intention, 2 Sam. 6. 7.when he put forth his hand to hold the Ark, yet periſht for his Error. Saul paid 1 Sam. 15. 23.dear, notwithſtanding his good meaning, for ſparing the beſt of the Cattel for Sacrifice. What could they have other then a good meaning who ſacrificed their own Children to Moloch, in imitation (it is likely) of Abraham's forwardneſs to Sacrifice his Son? yet never did the Sun ſee a greater abomination. This Weed hath peſtered the Church from time to time, and hath Jer. 7. 31. & 19. 5.turned Sharon into a Foreſt, Bethel into Bethaven: This brought in at firſt adoration of Images, Croſſes, Reliques; Invocation of Saints, Prayer for the Dead. Blind Zeal the Father and good Intention the Mother, have hatched moſt of the Brats of Popiſh Superſtition.
7. Next comes Antiquity, and looks to 7. Antiquity.be heard with ſome Reverence and reſpect. Thus it hath been time out of mind; that which hath been good, is good ſtill; our Fathers did thus before us. Anſwer: Then let us to Maſs again, from thence to Judaiſm, & thence to Paganiſm, (for that is the elder Religion of the three.) Let us to our Maſt and Acorns again, for that is the elder Diet. Paganiſm was the Mother or Nurſe of many Popiſh Rites and Cuſtoms, borrowed from the Heathens, as their holy Water, Luſtrations, Lights, Images, tutelar and local Saints, &c. True it is, Popery is ancient, ſo is Error, ſo is Sin. The fall is more ancient then the Goſpel, which was brought in upon it. Mahumetiſm is ancient too, can plead a thouſand years ſtanding, breaking out much about the ſame time with Popery, Six hundred years after the Incarnation. But Judaiſm is before both, and Paganiſm elder then them all, if ancientry muſt carry it. But there is an Antiquity ſenior to them all, Idverum Tertull.quod primum: That which was from the beginning, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 John 1. 1. Thither we appeal, thither we provoke; To the Law, and to the Teſtimony; To Chriſt, Eſay 8. 8….and to his Apoſtles we will refer our ſelves, to decide all the Points in Controverſie between us and Rome. And I think it is as equal a motion, that which Chriſt and the Apoſtles taught ſhall go for the beſt Religion, (be it Popiſh or Proteſtant) as that once, The God that anſwereth by fire ſhall be 1 Kings 18. 24.acknowledged the true God, (whether Jehovah or Baal) when there was ſuch halting between two Opinions, as there is now adayes by too many. If therefore the Papiſts can ſhew us out of the Old or New Teſtament, their Pope's Supremacy, Purgatory, plurality of Mediators, Pardons, Invocation of Saints, Image-worſhip, praying for the Departed, their Opus operatum, Tranſubſtantiation, Elevation, Adoration, Circumgeſtation of the Hoſt, forbidding Marriage to Prieſts or Miniſters, &c. We ſhall promiſe to ſubſcribe the Tridentine Creed, and confeſs our Error, and return into the lap of Rome. But if they be not to be found there, let them ceaſe to accuſe us of Novelty, Lutheraniſm or Calviniſm, and accuſe us of Petriniſm, Pauliſm, Scripturiſm or Chriſtianiſm, if they pleaſe. So that in fine, all the great flouriſh that Papiſts boaſt of Antiquity, is but like that of the Jews to Jeremy, We will be of our Fathers Religion. Jer. 44. 16.Thus did our Kings, Princes, and our Fathers, offering Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven. It was not their ancient Fathers, in Moſes's, Joſhua's, Samuel's dayes; or in the beſt Kings, David's, Solomon's; but after the Defection, in Jeroboam's dayes, and under the degenerating Kings, Ahaz, Manaſſeh, Ammon, Zedekiah, &c.
8. Tradition ſucceeds Antiquity, and 8. Tradition.pleads for its continuance, and the obſerving ſuch things as have been handed to them by their Guides and Elders. Therefore did the Phariſees quarrel with Chriſt and his Diſciples, charging them with too little reſpect to the Tradition of the Elders. And our Saviour chargeth them again with too little (or no) reſpect to the Commandments of God. Their traditional Corban Mat. 7. 9.had expunged the fifth Commandment. As the Papiſts Image-worſhip, after the II. Nicene Council hath juſtled out the Second Commandment, and made but an & caetera of it. The Samaritan woman Joh. 4. 20, 22.pleaded hard with our Saviour for their old Worſhip, Our Fathers, ſaid ſhe, worſhipped in this Mountain: But you Jews anathematize us, and tell us, Jeruſalem is the only place of Worſhip. Our Saviour tells her, Ye know not what ye worſhip. But we do, For ſalvation is of the Jews; you have Tradition, we Scripture. We may ſay the like to the Papiſts; you have Tradition, but give us Scripture, or we can't expect Salvation in your Church; you have Tradition for auricular Confeſſion, Purgatory, extreme Unction, Invocation of the Saints, the bleſſed Virgin eſpecially, &c. But where is the Scripture all this while? Quod non ſcribitur, non creditur.
9. But univerſality makes a great noiſe, 9 Univerſality.and pleadeth next, Why ſhould not we do as do the moſt? what our Fore-Fathers, Kings, Prieſts, People, all do, is ſafe for us to follow. Juſt as good Divinity, as his was Loyalty, who ſaid, Whom God (by his permiſſive providence) and all the people chooſe for King, him will I follow, though they had a rightful David for their Soveraign, 2 Sam. 16. 18.and the other a rebellious Miſcreant. The Jews might have diſputed Chriſt out of the World by this argument, Do any of J…h. 7. 48.the Rulers or Phariſees believe in him? but this people that know not the Law are accurſed. The greater part is moſt an end the worſt: Where was univerſality in Noah's, Lot's, Elias's dayes, when each of them were left alone? The godly have been ever almoſt over-born with numbers. The Epheſians Acts 19.talked of no leſs then all Aſia and the World beſides for their Diana. Elias was oppoſed by four hundred Prophets of Baal: One Athanaſius againſt the whole World. So Luther had Pope, Emperour, Cardinals, Biſhops, Prieſts, all againſt him: Chriſt's is ſtill a little Flock, Luke 12. 32. The looſe Proteſtant would bear down the ſerious by this account; the Papiſt the whole Society of Proteſtants; the Mahumetan the Chriſtian; the Pagan all. Learned Brerewood divides the World into thirty parts, and finds Chriſtianity to have but five, Mahumetiſm ſix, and Paganiſm hath the other nineteen parts. The whole World was once all Pagan, another while Arrian, ſince Antichriſtian (when all that dwelt on the Earth worſhipped the Beaſt) but a ſmall Remnant whoſe Names were written in the Lambs Book of Life in Red Letters, but in the Popes Regiſtry in Black. The World was never ſo happy as to be all Chriſtian: What it may be in thoſe laſt dayes propheſied of Eſay 2. 1, 2. I know not, When the Mountain of the Houſe of the Lord ſhall be exalted on the top of the Mountains, and all Nations ſhall flow to it.
10. To this of univerſality, I may ſubjoyn 10. Singularity.his oppoſite ſingularity, and the excuſe made thereupon; would you have me ſingular? like no body? ſtand alone? Shall I preſume that I have more wiſdom, piety, conſcience then all the World. This Luther confeſſeth was a great ſtumbling-block to him, when he diſcovered firſt the groſs Errors of Popery; what ſhall I be wiſer then all the World? what is become of our Fathers? Had I not better Cum Platone errare quam cum aliis recte ſentire? Had I not better ſubſcribe to the received Doctrines and Opinions of School-men, Univerſities, Councils, then hold a private belief of my own? But Noah was content to be ſingular, & though, it is likely, the World condemned him ſufficiently in their Cenſures, He is ſaid to condemn the World upon a true account, Heb. 11. 7. Lot, Elias, Micaiah, Jeremy, and our Saviour, were all ſingular in their times. But is it not better to be ſaved alone, or with a few, as Noah, Lot and Rahab? then to periſh with a multitude. Was not Joaſh more happy that he was preſerved, 2 Kings 11. 2, 3.when the whole Family was cut off, and reſcued by a ſtrange providence, and reſerved for a Kingdom, then if he had undergone the ſame lot with the whole Royal Race?
11. There are in the next that think to 11. The Law of the Land. 1 Tim. 1. 8.ſhelter themſelves under the protection of the Law of the Land. And the Law is good, as the Apoſtle ſaith, if a man uſe it lawfully. And for our Laws we have cauſe to bleſs God that we have ſo many good and wholſome Laws, and to bleſs the King that we enjoy the benefit of them: But yet the legal Chriſtian is not the right Chriſtian. Now there are two ſorts of men that ſhrowd themſelves under the wing of the Law: Firſt, One ſaith, I do what the Law of the Land requireth, living peaceably and conformably thereunto; then what hath any man to ſay to me? I anſwer, Though Man hath not, God may. It is impoſſible, ſaid that learned Caſuiſt, that Biſhop Sanderſon de Leg.the Laws of Men ſhould command whatſoever is to be done, and forbid whatſoever Hum. Pr… lect. 6.is to be avoided: That is the peculiar Prerogative and Perfection of the Divine Law. Beſides, the Laws of men, ſaith he, never pretend to the government of the Thoughts, Heart, Spirit, and inſide of the man; in which lies the chief, both of Grace and Sin, Vertue and Vice, which the Law of God doth principally take notice of. The Adequate object of the good Subjects Obedience is the Law of the Land, but the Adequate object and meaſure of the good Chriſtians Obedience is the Law of God. And therefore though the Subjects conformity to the Laws of men abſolve him in humane Courts, and procure him the common benefit of the King's Peace; yet it is conformity to the Law of God, which procures ſpiritual peace of Conſcience before God. So that if you enquire in a civil and political ſenſe, Vir bonis eſt quis? Who is the good man? The anſwer is, Qui conſulta patrum, qui Leges, jura que ſervat; He that obſerves the Laws and Edicts of the King and State where he lives; but if in a religious ſenſe, Qui conſulta Dei; He that, as Zachary and Elizabeth, walketh in all the Ordinances Luke 1. 6.and Righteouſneſs of the Law of God without rebuke.
2. There is another ſort of men, when charged with rigor, and hard dealing with their Neighbours, (men of a perverſe and contentious ſpirit) are ready to make their defence; I do but what the Law will bear me out in: who can blame me for following the Law, and taking what advantage the Law will give me? my Neighbour ſhall have Law and Juſtice at my hands, and what he can recover by Law. But we have a common ſaying, Summum jus ſumma injuria, Extremity is extreme hard; Extreme right, is extreme unrighteouſneſs. We Chriſtians have a Command, That our moderation ſhould be made known to all men: Phil. 4. 5.We are to be a Law to our ſelves, above the Laws of Men, under the Law of God. Conſider Chriſtian, if the Lord ſhould ſay to thee and me, you ſhall have Law and Juſtice, what you can claim by the Law, and no more: Both you and I were eternally undone. Remember, with what Mat. 7. 2.meaſure thou meteſt, it ſhall be meaſured to thee again. And he ſhall have Judgment Jam. 2. 13.without Mercy, who hath ſhewed no Mercy: And mercy both in God and all good men ſhould triumph over Judgment. Do not thou therefore take thy Fellow-Servant by the Throat for the hundred pence, when thou lyeſt obnoxious to the Juſtice of God for ten thouſand Talents (as it is in the Parable) leaſt he, for thy extremity, deal in juſt extremity with thee, and caſt thee into Mat. 18. 34.Priſon, till thou ſhalt ſatisfie for the whole Debt.
12. Another ſort of men make this excuſe, It is my own, and I may do what I pleaſe with that.It is my own, and may I not do with my own what I will? what hath any man to do with me in ſuch caſe? This is the excuſative plea of two contrary kinds of men.
1. The Prodigal ſaith, If I ſpend high, and make all away, what is that to any man? I may do with my own as I think good. So ſaith the Miſer, If I keep all in my Cheſt, and live below my ſtate, what is that to any man? All is Ours, ſay both; I ſay neither; Nothing is ours: Nor are we our ſelves our own, ſaith the Apoſtle; 1 Cor. 6. 19.h. e. at our own arbitrary diſpoſe, no nor yet our States: we are Stewards and Fiduciaries. The Silver and Gold is mine, ſaith Hag. 2. 8. Hoſ. 2. 9.the Lord: Thy Wooll, Flax, Wine, Oyl, mine. Nabal was as much Fool as Churl, when he talked ſo much of his Bread, his Cheeſe, his Victuals; none muſt taſte of his Cheer but himſelf and his own Domeſticks. The Law of Men will queſtion neither the Prodigal or Miſer, God will: The Lord will enquire what good thou haſt done with thy State. There are two Queſtions that all whom God hath given Eſtates to, ſhould ſtudy to make a good Anſwer to: 1. The one is, How cameſt thou by it? was it by honeſt labour, and conſcientious diligence in thy Calling, and God's bleſſing therewith: Then much good may thy State do thee, and much good mayſt thou do with it. But if by ſycophantizing, as Zacheus call'd it, by bribery, extortion, grinding the face of the Poor, falſe Weights and Meaſures, detaining the Labourers Hire, or Servants Wages, racking Tenants, &c. Thy State is not thy own, nor did God give it thee. Thou haſt Achan's accurſed wedge in thy Tent: This is aes Alienum. Thou muſt reſtore with Zacheus, if thou wouldſt have Salvation come to thy houſe. The next queſtion is, How thou haſt kept or employed thy Talent: The Miſer thinks he is ſafe enough, he got it hardly, and keeps it charily; makes no idle expences, nothing ſpent in Taverns, Cards or Dice, or coſtly Entertainments: But he keeps what he hath got, and increaſeth it daily, as if this was the only Talent that God would call him to an account of. Thy State is not yet thine, till thou haſt as well the Uſe as the Poſſeſſion Quo mihi fortunas, ſi non conceditur uti. Hor.of it. The rich Miſer is not ſo properly ſaid to have his Eſtate, as his State poſſeſſeth and enſlaveth him; Habet nummos, non habet ipſum: We ſay, Fire and Water are bad Maſters; Gold and Silver are worſe, they ſink the Soul in deſtruction and perdition. The Miſer is the greateſt monſter in the World; no Creature in the Univerſe that only lives to it ſelf. The Sun communicates his light, the Springs are free of their waters to every thirſty Paſſenger: God's direction is to thee to drink the waters of thy own Ciſtern (to Prov. 9. 15, 16.take part of what he hath given thee thy ſelf) and that thy Fountain ſhould be diſperſed abroad, to the relief and benefit of others. God, the Church, State, the Poor, thy Family and Friends challenge a ſhare in thy State. The Prodigal thinks he can anſwer it as well, or better, I have not been baſe or ſordid, keeping and hoarding up; I have lived on what I had, and like a man: I count him next door to a mad man, that is too ſaving for his next heir,—Parcus ob haeredis curam, nimium que ſeverus, Aſſidet inſano.—And him to be ſtark mad that Horat.ſpares all his life, to die rich.
Eſt furor haud dubius, eſt & manifeſta Phreneſis,Juvenal.
Ʋt locuples moriaris egenti vivere fato.
But how haſt thou ſpent? upon thy Luſts? what is the account thou wilt make to God, to thy Anceſtors, or Poſterity? I had ſome thouſands left me, ſome may ſay; One part ſpent on my Back and Belly, another in Gaming, a third on Pleaſures, Hawks, Hounds, Harlots; a fourth in Taverns, Plays, Entertainments: Thus what the Palmer-worm hath left, the Locuſt hath eaten; what the Locuſt, the Caterpillar; Joel 1. 4.what the Caterpillar, the Canker-worm hath eaten. Thus, at laſt, all is gone; where is Chriſt's part all the while? what hath been laid out on pious and charitable Uſes? Here is a ſad account, a State ruined, and a Soul ruined. This man is as ſad a monſter as the other, and as to his Houſe and Poſterity worſe: Thou ſhouldſt have followed the ſame direction of the wiſe man, Drink water out of thy own Ciſtern, Prov. 5. 15.and let ſtreams run to others, yet let them be only thy own, ſaith he, that is, retain the principal ſtill. The Sun indeed gives light to others, but withall preſerves the principal, and waſts not his ſtock: It were prodigious, if in a prodigal Vain it threw it ſelf out of its Orb: The Springs water the Earth, yet ſo, as to keep a ſtock ſtill going. If Naboth ſaid, God forbid I ſhould 1 Kings 21. 3.ſell the Inheritance of my Fathers: Let ſober men ſay, God forbid I ſhould make away the Inheritance of my Fathers by Riot and Luxury: We are but Stewards, remember that. And all good men know it is their duty to honour God with their Purſes, as well as with their Perſons. A David would ſay, What ſhall I do for the Name, and Houſe, and Service of God? A Nehemiah, What ſhall I do for the Publick, and my Country? A Zacheus, What ſhall I do for the Poor? All good men. How ſhall I give account of my Talent with joy, and not with grief?
13. Others think they make a lawful What I do, is in it ſelf lawful.excuſe, when they ſay, What I do is in it ſelf lawful: But Licitis perimus omnes, There may be danger in the uſe (abuſe rather) of lawful things. Poyſon is often given in a golden Cup, or wholſome Diſh; ſometimes in a Noſegay. Be not too bold with things lawful: there may be a ſnare in Company, Employments, Mirth, Recreations, Paſtimes; yea, in thy very Calling. To ſwear in it ſelf is lawful, but unneceſſarily and frequently, ſinful. The old World and Sodom periſht in theſe Licitis, (theſe lawfuls) They eat, they drank, bought, ſold, Luke 17. 26, 27.built, planted: But minded nothing elſe. Lawful and ſinful, are near Neighbours. If we go to the utmoſt of lawfuls ground, we tread ere aware on ſinfuls. Our Saviour gives an Item againſt worldly cares, which are ſometimes commanded, ſometimes Luke 21. 34.commended; yet a ſurfeit, and over-plus of them, is as dangerous as of eating and drinking when immoderate; though all lawful in their meaſure, though few conſider it. There is ſomewhat more neceſſary, which muſt be obſerved above lawful; e. g. To reſt on the Lord's day, and forbear work, lawful; but the ſanctifying the day is the neceſſary. To read a good Book, very lawful and commendable that day; but, if nothing hinder, to forbear coming to the Publick Worſhip, is ſinful and ſcandalous. So in many other caſes, Sacrifice ſometimes beſt, ſometimes Mercy better: In the uſe of things lawful therefore the Apoſtle gives three good Cautions; 1. All 1 Cor. 6. 12. & 10. 23.things are lawful (that is, things indifferent, and not ſinful in their nature,) but all things are not expedient, profitable, convenient. Here I muſt have regard to my ſelf, ſaith learned Paraeus, how much, how far, how long expedient. 2. All things are lawful, but all things edifie not; though lawful to me, here I muſt have regard to my Neighbour. The third is, All Turpe eſt eſſe ſervus gulae, aut ventri. Par in locum.things are lawful to me, but I will not be brought under the power of any: I muſt ſee I be not enſlaved to my Belly, Pleaſure, Recreation, &c. but that I can as well forbear as uſe them; As St. Auſtin ſaid of Alipius, he having been once at the Play, grew mad of them, Abſtulit ſecum inſaniam, quaſtimularetur redire, &c. That he could not for his life keep from them, till he was afterwards changed.
14. There be many that will plead Chriſtian liberty.Chriſtian liberty, and think that may excuſe many things, which ſavour rankly of unchriſtian Libertiniſm, rather then of Chriſtian Liberty. They can travell or work on the Lord's day, ſit up Night by Night at Cards and Dice, frequent Taverns and Plays day by day, drink Health after Health, go to Maſs, be preſent at Idolworſhip, and cover all with the Veil of Chriſtian liberty, while they underſtand not well what Chriſtian liberty meaneth. It is a pretious and coſtly Jewel, purchaſed with the blood of Chriſt: And as all pretious Jewels are to be charily looked to, ſo this as much as any. I ſhall therefore, 1. Briefly tell you wherein it ſtands not. 2. Wherein it ſtands. 1. It frees us not from the obſervation of the holy Laws of God. 2. Nor from Civil ſubjection to the juſt Laws of Authority over us; or Servants to the command of their Maſters, &c. as St. Peter at large declares. 3. Nor doth 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14, &c.it ſet us free from the Bonds and Rules of Sobriety, Temperance, Modeſty, Chaſtity, &c. to give ſcope to Riot, Exceſs, Luxury, or any Miſdemeanour. 1. But it ſtands in freeing us from the Bondage of the old Ceremonial Law, Gal. 5. 1. 2. Frees Believers from the Curſe of the Moral Law, Gal. 3. 13. 3. From our Sins. 1. As to the Guilt, 1 John 1. 7. 2. As to the Dominion and Power, Rom. 6. 14. & 8. 2. 3. As to the Condemnation of Sin, Rom. 8. 1. 4. Believers are freed from the Wrath of God, 1 Theſſ. 1. 10. 5. From H…ll, 1 Cor. 15, 55, 57. 6. From a Spirit of ſlaviſh Fear, and ſervile Bondage, 2 Tim. 1. 7. But Chriſt hath not at all ſet us free from the duties and purſuance of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, as you may ſee, 1 Pet. 2. 16. As free, but not uſing your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciouſneſs (or Naughtineſs, foreign.ſo the word ſignifies) but as the Servants of God. Where you have the Sum and Epitome of Chriſtian Liberty in its two parts: 1. Negative, not uſing it as a Cloak of any Naughtineſs or Evil. 2. Poſitive, but as the Servants of God, q. d. notwithſtanding your Liberty, you muſt carry your ſelves as ſuch who are not your own, but have a Maſter, a God to pleaſe, whom you muſt eye in all your actions, eſpecially in the uſe of your Liberty. That as another Apoſtle ſaith in another place, 1 Cor. 7. He that is called, being man's Servant, need not care for that, he is God's Free-man: So he that is called to be God's Free-man, needs to have a care, for he is ſtill God's Servant. Surely Chriſt had died to little purpoſe, if he had come to ſet us free, ſo that we might do what we pleaſe: But he ſets us free from all Iniquity, to purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of Tit. 2. 14.good works. And that we being delivered from our Enemies, might ſerve him (without fear) in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of Luke 1. 74, 75.our Lives.
15. But the grand Excuſe of all is, the Our calling the grand Excuſe.Calling. This the moſt plauſible, and under it all thoſe in the Parable take Sanctuary, Luke 14. 18, 19, 20. I have my Land to take poſſeſſion of, and look after; and I my Oxen to go try, ſaith, another, and I have marryed a Wife, ſaith the third; and there are certain cares attending that condition, eſpecially till I am ſettled. Plauſible and fair Excuſes all, but ſuch as they fairly excuſed themſelves out of Heaven by. Know, O Chriſtian, thou haſt two Callings to follow. Both muſt be looked after, or all is not well: Thou haſt two Hands, and God gives thee, as he did Moſes, Deut. 9. 15.two Tables to hold: Thou muſt as well look to the firſt, as to the ſecond. Thy outward Calling is given to thee, as Eve to Adam, to be an help to thy Spiritual Calling, and not as Michal to David, to be a ſnare. The 1 Sam. 18. 24.outward Calling is to be ſubordinate to thy Spiritual, and ſo ſubordinata non pugnant, as we ſay; they will not claſh. But as David and Jonathan, each ſtrengthen 1 Sam. 23. 16.one anothers hands in the Lord. Let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God: That is either an ill calling wherein thou canſt not abide with God, and God with thee, or ill managed. Take heed the lean Kine devour not the fat, and that the great Husband do not devour the good Chriſtian: There are ſtore of great Husband and Huſwives in Hell; but ſuch as ſerved Mammon more then God; ſlight in God's Service, ſerious in the Worlds: Shimei looking after his Servants, loſt his life; take heed in looking after thy Servant the World, thou looſe not thy Soul. The good Servant knows how to take his Work, and leave it, (as we ſay) that is, ſo to time and place every thing, that nothing be loſt by negligence and careleſneſs; but every thing in the fitteſt time and place. And he is the good Chriſtian that knows how to take the work of his calling and leave it, that all things may be ſo contrived and fore-caſt, that one buſineſs do not enterfere with another, to the prejudice of either. Now tell me, thou that haſt a great Trade, & art full of buſineſs; thou canſt contrive it ſo as to have a Dining-time, and canſt thou not find a praying-time? Thou wilt ſpare time to ſpeak with a Cuſtomer, and haſt thou no time to ſpeak with thy God? Thou wilt be ſure to take time by day or night to over-look thy Shop-Book, and haſt thou no time to look into thy Soul-Book, thy Bible, or thy Book of Conſcience? It is alwayes ominous when Lot and Abraham part; when a great Trade or Stock draws thee from God, and the ſociety of his People: He never did thrive after. And remember, that all theſe Self-Excuſers in the Text are rejected, the Lord ſaying, None of theſe ſhall taſte of my Supper.Luke 14. 24.
16. There be that will excuſe themſelves The manner of the Country, Trade, &c.and ſome things not otherwayes to be juſtified, with this; It is the manner of the Country, or the way of their Trade, and the like. Thus did that ſubtle and faithleſs Laban, when he had wronged Jacob in his Nuptial Contract, giving him Leah in ſtead of Rachel, colour over his Cheat; It is not the manner of our Country to give Gen. 29. 26.the Younger before the Elder, ſaith he. But remember what a man this was that made this evaſion, a man of no Conſcience, that would ſay and unſay, do and undo; a man full of his ſhifts, that had changed Jacob's wages ten times over. There is a myſtery in all Trades we ſay, and if there be not a myſtery of Iniquity in ſome of them, it is well. Howſoever, Mos Patriae, the cuſtom of the place, or way, is put a poor ſhift, Trita frequenſ que licet ſit via, crimen habet; And be it never ſo ordinary, it is very bad. How much better would Jacob's reſolution become us, My Righteouſneſs ſhall anſwer, Gen. 30. 33.and ſpeak for me in time to come. Or Abraham's, Not ſo much as a Thread or Shooe-latchet; leaſt it ſhould be ſaid, That fraud and diſhoneſt dealing had made me rich.
17. Some again are confirmed and hardened The odious Names put upon Virtue.in their wayes, by the odious and reproachful Names put upon Religion, and the honourable Titles wherewith Vice is adorned: 1. The odious Names wherewith Piety is branded, an old practice to ſmut Religion with diſgrace. Thus the very Name of Chriſtian was once a term of diſgrace: Exitiabilis ſuperſtitio, Tacitus call'd Tert. Apolog. Secus vir bonus, ſed Christianus.Chriſtian Religion. And they were wont to ſay in the Primitive perſecution-times, Such a man was a good man, but a Chriſtian. Thus the Name of Proteſtant is odious in Spain: In Italy, Piety is Lutheraniſm: In France, Hugonotiſm. Civility is ſtiled Dulneſs, Sobriety Unſociableneſs, Seriouſneſs Sullenneſs, Profeſſion Hypocriſie. Such is the envy of Nature (ſaid our fluent Biſhop Hall) That where ſhe ſees a better Face then her own, ſhe is ready to ſcratch it, or caſt dirt on it, knowing that all Vertue hath a native beauty in it; ſhe labours to deform it with the fouleſt Imputations.
2. By the honourable Titles put upon 2. The fair Titles put upon Vice.Vice. Thus is Pride termed Neatneſs, Diſſembling Courtſhip, Swaggering Gallantry, Q…arrelling Manhood, Ribaldry Urbanity, Fallit enim vitium ſptcie virtutis & umbra. Juven.Drunkenneſs Good-fellowſhip, &c. That as Phyſicians gild over their Pills, to cover the bitterneſs of the Ingredients; ſo do theſe gild over their Sins, and ſo they are more eaſily ſwallowed down. But though the Phyſician hath put upon many Diſeaſes ſpecious Names, and calls a Plague-Sore a Carbuncle, and the white filme, which taketh away the ſight of the Eye, a Pearle: Yet who can be brought (ſaith a late learned Doctor) by ſuch ſlender Dr. Spurflow in his Meditations.Artifices into Opinion, That a Carbuncle is leſs loathſome, or mortal, then another ſwelling, which hath not ſo gay a name? or that that blindneſs which is cauſed by the Pearle in the Eye is more comfortable, then the loſs of ſight by any other accident. There is a ſad Woe pronounced to both of theſe, Woe to them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil, that put Eſay 5. 20.Darkneſs for Light, and Light for Darkneſs, Sweet for Bitter, and Bitter for Sweet.