The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII. A fifth cauſe of ſins of Omiſſion. The example of others, with the cure of it.
5. ANother cauſe of ſins of Omiſſion, is the example of others. Men are much led by the eye, more than by the ear, and look rather to what their Neighbours do, than to what God ſpeaketh. Though all men are not of one mind in all things, yet moſt in the places where we live are of a mind about evil, and againſt good. The whole City of Sodom will joyn together in a ſin that was againſt the very light of nature. Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, ſinned in like manner. The Diſeaſes of others Souls are far more infectious than the Plague, or any other Diſeaſe of their Bodies. The ground why ſeveral neglect the Duties God requireth, is, becauſe others neglect them. They ſee their Neighbours (ſome of whom are counted (poſſibly) wiſe men, and are (it may be) rich men and great men, and others who are numerous,) to live without God, to omit Prayer and Scripture in their Families, to neglect the inſtruction of their Children and Servants, and they think they may omit them as ſafely as others. Nay, they will tell us, ſuch and ſuch men are ſober men, and underſtand themſelves well enough, and they think it needleſs to make ſo much ado about Family-Duties, and the ſanctification of the Sabbath, &c. and our Neighbours generally are of their mind; and why ſhould we be wiſer than our Neighbours? O what a ready Scholar is man to learn a wicked Leſſon that is ſet him by others! If Corah conſpire againſt God, he ſhall quickly have ſome hundreds to joyn with him in his rebellion. They move ſwiftly towards the dead Sea of deſtruction, who are carried thitherward by the tide of Nature, and blown powerfully with the wind of Example.
The patterns of them who are Perſons of Quality and Eſtate, have a ſtrange prevalency upon the inferior ſort, and are often the Looking-glaſſes by which they dreſs themſelves. Ordinary men look on their Superiors, eſpecially if they be not ſcandalous, as men of wiſdom (whether they be ſuch or no) and fit to guide and govern others, and ſo judge they cannot err much, if they follow their ſteps. The Phariſees plead this for the Omiſſion of the great Goſpel-Duty, Joh. 7:48. Have any of the Rulers of the Phariſees believed on him? Will ye be wiſer than they? Do you think that if Faith in this Son of man (as he calls himſelf) were a Duty, they would neglect it; or if he were the true Meſſiah, ſuch underſtanding men as they would not know it?
One great man, as a great Letter in an Indenture (though it ſignifie no more than another ſmall one) hath many ſmall ones following him. The Herodians (ſome think) were ſo called from their conforming to Herod in their Religion. And it's judged the Melchites, who lived in the Eaſt, were ſo called from Melech, i. e. of the Kings Religion. The works of great men are more powerful with the ordinary ſort, than the the Will and Word of the great God. Again, the example of the multitude is very forcible. Men are carried down with the ſtream both eaſily and ſtrongly. It is as common to do as the moſt do in irreligious, as in natural actions. We think our ſelves in greateſt ſafety, when we are with the moſt numerous Party. To be ſingular, is lookt upon as ridiculous; and thoſe who are ſo, are counted proud, conceited, preciſians. Men chooſe rather to be ſociable in ſin, than ſingular in ſanctity, and to do as the moſt do, than as the beſt do. The fewneſs of Chriſt's Followers was a ſtumbling-block to his Enemies, and an offence to his Friends.
To cure this, Reader, conſider:
1. That no patterns of any men are valid againſt the Precepts of God. The Precepts of God are like himſelf, of certain purity and eternal verity; but the patterns of men are like themſelves, vain and variable. Our buſineſs is not to look to what men do, but to what God ſpeaketh. It is highly derogatory to the ſupream Being to make the examples of men, and not his Commands the rule of our lives. The examples of Murderers, Thieves, Drunkards, Swearers, are of as much force againſt the good and wholſome Law of a Prince, as the irreligious examples of any men are againſt the holy and righteous Laws of God. A Judge would deride the Malefactors Plea, that ſhould ſay, It is true, I have broke the Kings Laws, but have done no more than ſuch an Eſquire, or Knight, or Lord; I have but imitated them therein: Or that ſhould ſay, I was guilty of ſuch Treaſons, but I joyn'd with many other Traytors; I had good ſtore of company with me. And doſt thou think, Reader, the Judge of Quick and Dead, when he ſhall arraign thee for thine unchangeable Eſtate, and demand of thee why thou omittedſt the Duties he enjoyn'd thee, will accept thy Plea, when thou ſhalt ſay, It is true, Lord, I did live without Scripture, or Prayer in my Family; but ſuch and ſuch great men, who lived near me, did ſo as well as I; I wrot after their Copies, and thought it would be well enough to do as they did; or when thou ſhalt ſay, Lord, though I neglected thy Worſhip and Service, I followed therein almoſt all the Town and Pariſh where I lived, and I judged it beſt to imitate the moſt. Canſt thou imagine that ſuch a ſilly ſimple excuſe will bear any weight? Thou wilt not take ſuch a pitiful Plea from any Child or Servant in thy Family. If thy Child, when reproved by thee for Drunkenneſs, or Thieving, or Diſobeying thy Commands, ſhould excuſe himſelf, and ſay, Sir, other mens Sons are as bad as I, ſuch a Gentleman's Sons are worſe; the Children of very many meet and joyn with me in all my drinking, ſtealing, and debauched courſes. How ill would ſuch an anſwer ſound in thine ears? Or what wouldſt thou think, if thy Servant, inſtead of doing the work appointed him, ſhould run from Ale-houſe to Ale-houſe, and ſpend his time in Carding and Dicing, and then excuſe it to thee, that he did as others did; there were many beſide himſelf, and ſome of Quality, who were examples to him. Conſider how poor, how pitiful, how irrational a Plea it is to excuſe thy Diſobedience to God, by thy imitation of irreligious men; and do not think that the great God will take that excuſe from thee which thou wilt not from a Child or Servant. Surely there is a little more difference between the boundleſs bleſſed God, and thee a poor Worm, than there is between thee and any Son or Servant.
2. Conſider, If thou wilt follow others (be they great or many) in ſin, thou ſhalt alſo follow them in intollerable and eternal Sufferings. The ways of ſuch tend to death, and their ſteps take hold of Hell. And if thou wilt walk in their ways, and tread in their ſteps, thou canſt not avoid their end, Rev. 18.4. Come out from among her my people, and be not partakers of her Sins, that ye receive not her Plagues. He that catcheth the Plague of another, catcheth all the pain and weakneſs, and ill effects of ſuch a Diſeaſe. Do not think to feed on wicked mens Dainties, to live their lazy ſenſual lives, and not to pay their reckoning. Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, went a whoring after ſtrange Fleſh; here they joyn in ſinning, but are they ſeparated in ſufferings: truly no: Are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude, verſ. 7. If they unite in wickedneſs, they ſhall be united in woe. God will bind them up together as Tares for the fire.
I know, Reader, thou wouldſt not be willing to dwell for ever with, and fare for ever as wicked great men ſhall. Tophet is prepared of old: for the King it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much, wood: the breath of the Lord, like a ſtream of brimſtone, doth kindle it, Iſa. 30. ult. And why then wilt thou do as they do, and reſemble them now in time. It is unavoidable. Live as they do here, and live as they do for ever. Again, thou art unqueſtionably loth to be with, and ſuffer as the moſt ſhall to eternity. At the great day the World, (i. e. the far greater part of it,) ſhall be condemned, 1 Cor. 11.31. When they ſhall be arraigned for their endleſs Eſtates, they ſhall be caſt and condemned to the company, and curſes, and torments of the Devils for ever and ever; and if thou wouldſt not die their Deaths, or partake of their unchangeable Conditions, why wilt thou live their lives, and walk in their wicked ways.
3. Conſider of all patterns, theſe two, The greateſt or richeſt, and the multitude, are moſt unfit for thy imitation. Becauſe of all men, theſe uſually are the worſt men, and do leaſt imitate Chriſt. For great men, how few are there who are good; Grace and Greatneſs are happy and lovely, but rare Conjunctions. Solomon tells us, That Wiſdom is good with an Inheritance, Eccleſ. 7.11. But where ſhall we find Wiſdom and Wealth, Righteouſneſs and Riches together. Great and rich men have their Farms and Merchandizing, and Honours and Pleaſures, and other things to look after than their Souls and Salvation. How hardly, ſaith our Saviour, ſhall a rich man enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It may well be hard for him, who turns the cords of Love, and bands of Kindneſs into fewel, to his luſts and weapons of unrighteouſneſs. Bleſſed be God there are ſome great men who walk religiouſly, but truly they are very few. Brethren, ye know your calling, not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the World, &c. 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, Not many wiſe, or mighty, or noble are choſen or called of God. But God hath choſen the poor of the World rich in Faith, and Heirs of a Kingdom, James 2.5. The poor are evangelized, transformed into the heavenly ſpiritual Nature of the Goſpel. The Poor receive the Goſpel, the Rich receive the World, and the things of the World. The Poor having little Eſtate in the World, look after an Eſtate in the Covenant; but the Rich having this Worlds Goods, are ſatisfied, and deſire no more. Now, Reader, wilt thou follow them that are wholly taken up with fleſhly fading Pleaſures and Riches, and caſt off all care of their eternal condition? Are they fit to be thy Guides, who bid defiance to God, and fight againſt him with his own Mercies, and throw off all regard and care what ſhall become of them for ever and ever?
Again, for the giddy-headed multitude, how unfit are they to be thy examples. Moſt are uſually the worſt. Of all Creatures, the baſeſt and vileſt are ever moſt numerous, as Flies and Vermine. How few Jewels to Pebbles or common ſtones. The weaker part are more than the wiſer. The whole World lieth in wickedneſs, as a brute in his filth, 1 Joh. 5.19. and are ſuch fit to be followed? The whole Earth wandreth after the Beaſt, Rev. 17. and is deceived by the Devil, Rev. 12.9. And are ſuch poor tame Slaves to a cruel Devil, who hates them and thee perfectly, good examples for thee to imitate? Doſt thou not conſider what truth ſpeaketh, Broad is the way, and wide is the gate that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be who go therein, Matth. 7.14. Stop a little, and ponder it. Wilt thou go after them, who go in the broad way to deſtruction?