The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 57
§ 57.
Seventhly, let me refer it to any rational man, whether the Voluptuous Prodigal is not a ſtark Fool? who ſuffers himſelf to be ſtolne away for an Apple: For, for a little tickling of the palate, a kind of running Banquet, he will hazard the loſſe of eternal comfort, and expoſe himſelf to a devouring fire, an everlaſting burning? Iſa. 33. 14. And what greater folly? Is it not a dear purchaſe? an ill penni-worth? yea, a deſperate madneſſe, to buy the merriment of a day, (yea, poſſibly the pleaſure of an hour, may deterimine it) with ages of pangs, with eternity of unſufferable torments, that are capable of neither eaſe 1. or end.
Nor is this all, for they run upon Gods judgements, as Balaam did upon the ſwords point in the Angels hand, and yet are ſo farre from being afraid, that they applaud their own wiſdome, for giving ſuch liberty to their luſts; thinking no men in the world enjoy the like freedome. When indeed their bondage is much worſe then the cruel and tyrannical bondage, and ſlavery of Egypt. For firſt, that bondage was of the body onelyonly, but the ſervice of ſinne is of the whole man, body and ſoul.
Secondly, in the bondage of Egypt, they ſerved men; but in this bondage, ſervice is done to ſinne & Satan, moſt vile Lords, which command moſt baſe, and filthy works.
Thirdly, in the bondage of Egypt, the moſt harm was temporall, loſſe of liberty, ſmart and pain of body, in this ſervice of ſinne, the loſſe is eternal, even deſtruction in Hell for ever (without the infinite goodneſſe of God.) Fourthly, in this bondage under Pharaoh, they had a ſenſe of their thraldome, and deſired liberty; in this of ſin, men do not ſo much as ſuſpect themſelves to be bound, but think themſelves free, and deſpiſe liberty. Laſtly, in all outward bondage, they which are bound may poſſibly help themſelves; as by running away, or by intreaty, or by ranſome: In this bondage we lie ſtill, as it were, bound hand and foot (till God by his mercy deliver us) not having ſo much as the leaſt thought of relieving our ſelves. By all which it appears, that ſuch who take the moſt liberty to ſin, are the moſt perfect ſlaves in the world; becauſe moſt voluntary ſlaves: and that Chriſts ſervice is the onelyonly true freedome; his yoke an eaſie yoke; his burthen but as the burthen of wings to a bird; which makes her flye the higher. Wherefore, as we ſerve the lawes, that we may be free: ſo let us ſerve Chriſt, and we ſhall be the freeſt people alive.
A godly man being demanded, what he thought was the ſtrangeſt, and fooliſheſt thing in the world, anſwered, an impenitent ſinner, or an Unbeliever: For, ſaid he, that a man ſhould provoke God, ſo gracious and mighty, that he ſhould believe Satan the father of lies and cruelty, forget his own death ſo imminent and in-evitable; obey the command of his Fleſh, a Drudge ſo ignoble, admire the world ſo fickle and dangerous, prefer it before Heaven ſo bleſſed & glorious; wilfully caſt himſelf into hell, a place ſo woful and dolorous, and all for vanity, ſuch a wretched emptineſſe; that he ſhould feare the blaſts of mens breath, and not the fire of Gods wrath; weep for the loſſe of friends, & not for his ſoul: And laſtly, that Chriſt ſhould ſtand at the door of his heart, craving for entrance, that he may remedy all, and make him everlaſtingly happy; and God call him every day, either by his Word in the mouthes of his Meſſengers, or by ſtrange judgements, or extraordinary mercies upon himſelfe, or others, and all in vain Such an one, ſayes he, is the moſt fooliſh and degenerate creature alive:
Thus I might go on to Traytors, Murtherers, Back-byters, Seducers, Drunkards, Blaſphemers, Perſecutors of the godly, proud perſons, Hypocrites, Thieves, Atheiſts, and what other ſinners you can name: and prove them all fools alike. But I have already (upon one occaſion or other) done it in ſome other Tract. Nor do I love to tautologize, except it be for a great advantage to my Reader, and for others good: though in ſuch a caſe, I can, I thank God, diſhonour my ſelfe, that I may honour my Maker. The which if men did well ponder, they would be more ſparing of their cenſures; How-ever I could wiſh, that our Reverend Divines would afford themſelves more liberty in this caſe then they do. There be ſome expreſſions, that we borrow from our Predeceſſors, that deſerve to be mentioned, or uſed (by a Miniſter that remains perhaps twenty, or thirty years in a Pariſh) more then once, though it be to the ſame Congregation (for that which takes not, or is not minded at one time, may at another: and how many have been converted, by that onelyonly argument? that God ſeeth all things even in the darke, when the doors are ſhut, and the curtains drawn.) Nor do I think, that a dull and flat tool, or inſtrument would be uſed, when a more quick, and ſharp one may be had at as eaſie a rate, and perhaps neerer at hand. But we are moſtly (even the beſt of us) loth to deny our ſelves; though it be for our Maſters, (& many of our Brethrens great gain and) advantage. But of this by the way onelyonly, a word or two more, that may reach to all, that are in their natural condition, and I ſhall conclude.