A Vindication of Godliness, Sermon 2 · Part 1 – Part 2
The Application of the whole.
Vſe 1. HAving thus, by the help of God, vindicated the good ways of the Lord, from the Cavils and Reproaches of unreaſonable men; and proved to you in this, and the precedent diſcourſe, that the preciſeſt Chriſtians are the wiſeſt men; and that that godlineſs, which is cried down for folly and fanſie, is undoubtedly, and indiſpenſably neceſſary to ſalvation; I ſhall now take you by the hand, and lead you on (as many of you as are willing to follow me to the practice of it. And in this undertaking, I ſhall apply my ſelf,
1 To the Ungodly.
2 To the Godly.
1 I ſhall ſpeak a few words to the ungodly. Speak now, O ye fooliſh ſinners, Is Godlineſs of God? Is Chriſtianity of Chriſt, or is it not? Is holineſs the way of life, or can you hope to ſee life without it? If you ſay it is not of God, and will ſtand to it, produce your cauſe, bring forth your ſtrong reaſoning…; onelyonly I muſt tell you, if you ſay any thing, you had need look to it, that it be ſomething of weight that you alledge in a matter of ſuch importance, ere you do conclude againſt it.
Let your Conſciences ſpeak, for to them (if you will forbear conſulting with luſt) I dare now appeal; let your Conſciences ſpeak, whoſe voice is this, See that you walk circumſpectly. S… ait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life. God hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelf. Follow holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee God. Speak Sinners, whoſe words are theſe, and what do Preciſians ſpeak more, or other then this? Dare you ſay concerning the way of life, as it hath been deſcribed to you; If this be godlineſs, let me never ſee God: I'le never ſee life, if this be the onelyonly way to it.
But if your Conſciences tell you this is of God, this ſtrait and narrow way, is the onelyonly way of life: Then, O conſider, what is it that you have done, whom is it that you have reproached? Mean you ſtill to hold your courſe, be it right or wrong, come life come death?
Is there any among you, whoſe heart ſmites him on the mouth, and whiſpers him thus in the ear, Blaſphemeſt thou God, revileſt thou his ſervants, and wilt thou ſtill go on to pervert the good ways of the Lord? Is there any among you that doth enquire, what muſt I do to get into this way of life? Let ſuch of you hearken unto me, whileſt I give you theſe following directions.
Conſider that I am now dealing with you about your entrance upon a godly life; my preſent buſineſs is to help you over the threſhold; to get you within the ſtraight gate; you muſt firſt be Chriſtians, ere you can follow Chriſt, you muſt firſt enter into the ſtrait gate, e're you can walk on in the narrow way. Now if ever you would attain to the beginning of godlineſs, take this courſe.
I. Get theſe three principles to be deeply fixed in your heart.
1 That the things which are eternal, are unſpeakably more conſiderable, than the things which are but temporal.
2 Tha… things not ſ…en are as infallibly certain, as the things which are ſeen.
3 That according to your preſent choice, muſt be your eternal lot.
1 That the things which are Eternal, are unſpeakably more conſiderable then the things which are but temporal; It's nothing ſo conſiderable what men enjoy, or ſuffer … this world, as what they ſhall enjoy, or may ſuffer in the world to come. There are good things temporal, and good things Eternal; and there are evil thin…s temporal, and evil things Eternal; the …ood things Temporal, are Meat, and Drink, and Money, and Cloaths, and Eaſe, and Pleaſures, and Credit, &c. and the good thing▪ Eternal, a…e G…ory and Joy, and Beſt, and everlaſting bleſſedneſs: the evil … Temporal, are the ſufferings, the loſſes and wants, the ſorrow and ſhame, and ſcorn and torments, that men fall under, or lye under in this life; the evill things to come, are in one word, the Vengeance of Eternal Fire.
The good things and the evil things of this life, are more perceptible, having the advantage of their preſence, and obviouſneſs to our ſenſes; the good things and the evil things to come, are leſs underſtood, having the diſadvantage of their diſtance, and thoſe clouds that do yet keep them out of fight; and hereupon thoſe are ſlighted, and deſpiſed, and theſe are looked upon as the onelyonly conſiderable things; till men be ſet right in their apprehenſions of theſe things, it will be a vain and fruitleſs attempt, to perſwade them to Chriſt; miſtakes and miſapprehenſions here, are the grounds of mens miſcarriages.
The difficulty of perſwading ſinners to Chriſt, lies mainly here; There is ſo much to be loſt, and left for Chriſt, there is ſo much to be ſuffered & undergone; ſo much labour, ſo much hardſhip and trouble, that they cannot ſee how Chriſtianity and Godlineſs can ever make them amends for what they are like to ſuffer▪ they will not be made ſenſible, that the things Eternal will ballance the things that are before them; they will not eaſily be perſwaded, but that they ſhall be great loſers by hearkning to Chriſt. Now, whence is it that men are thus fooliſh? If they did but clearly underſtand, and were deeply affected with the vaſt difference that is betwixt the vain glory of the world, and the weight of that glory that is to come; betwixt the light afflictions of this life, and the aſtoniſhing torments of the other world, they would ſure be of another mind; the great objections againſt godlineſs, would then be all anſwered, and removed.
Thou ſayeſt Sinner, it is hard to part with thine eaſe, and thy pleaſure, and thy liberty, and thy carnal contentments and delights, which if thou wilt follow Chriſt, thou ſeeſt muſt all go. But how wilt thou bear it, to be ſhut out of the everlaſting Kingdome, to be ſhut out from the preſence of God? Art thou indeed in the mind of that Atheiſt, that ſaid, He would not leave his part in Paris, for his part in Paradiſe? Thou canſt not indure the trouble and perſecution of this world, but how wilt thou endure the torments and plagues of the other world? Oh, if thou were but ſenſible, what that exceeding eternal weight of glory is, what thou wilt find everlaſting death and darkneſs to be; then what ſignificant things would all things that are now before thee appear to be! Satan would then want arguments to diſſwade ſinners from Chriſt, his tempting trade would quickly grow to be a poor trade, if the concernments of Eternity were clearly underſtood, and duly regarded.
When the Lord hath once ſhewed you the wonderful things of Eternity, the true riches, the enduring ſubſtance, the laſting joys, his rivers of pleaſures, together with the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never ſhall be quenched: When the Lord hath ſhewed you what a heaven he hath prepared for the Saints what an Oven he hath prepared for ſinners, then neglect Chriſt if you can, then neglect holineſs if you dare, then look down and ſee, what poor contemptible things, the pleaſures and the ſufferings here below will appear to be. Oh, ſtudy things Eternal more, lanch forth into theſe Deeps, dwell upon the meditation of them till your hearts and all that is within you acknowledge and confeſs, that things preſent are nothing to things to come.
2. That the things that are not ſeen, are as infallibly certain as the things that are ſeen.
There is much Atheiſm and Infidelity in the hearts of men, and more then they are aware of; if they do not peremptorily conclude, there are no ſuch things; yet, are there not many whoſe hearts do queſtion at leaſt, Whether there be any ſuch things or no? We have read and heard of another World, but no Mortal ever ſa… it; who ever hath aſcended up to Heaven, and hath brought us word what he hath ſeen there? Who ever hath deſcended into the Deep, and brought us up tidings thence? It may be, there may be no ſuch matter as another world; If we could ſpeak with one that hath been there, that would be ſomething to aſſure us. But what if it appear, that you may have as great certainty of theſe things, as if one ſhould riſe from the dead, and come and tell you? Do not the Scriptures tell you of ſuch things? The Scriptures are a ſure Word▪ and there is unqueſtionable evidence of the truth of what they ſpeak; and you have as great reaſon to believe them, as if you had the Teſtimony of one raiſed from the dead, Luke 16. 31. They have Moſes, and the Prophets, if they will not hear them, neither will they be perſwaded, though one roſe from the dead. Beloved, if you ſhould ſee before your Eyes, perſons riſing from the Dead; if one ſhould come down from Heaven, and come in here into this Congregation, in all his Glorious Robes, with with his Palm in his hand, his Crown on his head, the joy and glory of the Lord ſhining forth in his Face, and ſhould declare to you the wonderful things that his Eyes had ſeen, and his Heart had been ſatisfied and raviſhed with in the preſence of God. If you ſhould ſee another coming up out of the Deep with his Chaines of Darkneſs upon him, with the ſmell of that Infernal Fire and Brimſtone about him, with the print of the Dragons clawes appearing in his Fleſh, and the blackneſs of that ſmoaking Furnace ſtricking on his Face, and hidgeouſly roaring out the anguiſh he felt burning in his Bowels, ſhould tell you, This is the ſtate of them that know not God. If you ſhould ſee to ſuch ſights appearing this hour here in the mideſt of you, would you not think you had reaſon to believe, there were an Heaven and an Hell? This word which is before you is a far greater, and a more certain Evidence, then if Tidings were thus brought to you by perſons riſing from the Dead. And if you will not give credit to this Teſtimony of God, neither would you give credit to any ſuch Teſtimony. Sinners! believe God, and believe him who was once on Earth, and now daily ſpeaks to you from Heaven; believe that Word which is before you; in which appear ſuch Beames of Divine Light, ſuch an impreſs of Divine purity, which hath been ſo atteſted by a Divine power in mighty Signes and Wonders, that you may as well queſtion, Whether the Sun hath light, as whether his Word hath truth, believe this Word to be certain, and then queſtion if you can, whether the things not ſeen are certain or no.
Let theſe two things ſink into your hearts, (Sinners) be once ſetled and eſtabliſhed in your hearts, about the importance, and about the truth, and certai…ty of theſe Eternal things, and then you are go… ten fairly onwards in your way towards Chriſt, and a Godly life.
If men were as ſure that there is an Heaven and an Hell, ſuch unſpeakable Glory and ſuch intollerable miſery, and an Eternity of both; if men were as ſure of this, and did as verily believe it, as they are ſure of what their Eyes have ſeen and their Ears have heard, and their hands have handled; What a flying would there be out of the way of Death and Hell, and what a flocking would there be into the way of Life: Half the work of Preachers, and the hardeſt half (their perſwading work) would then be at an end: There would be as much knocking at their doors for counſel, as now there is at ſinners doors for their acceptance.
Oh Brethren, if you were once brought to this paſs, if your unbelief were removed, your darkneſs taken away, your Souls awakened, your Eyes opened to ſee theſe marvellous things as unqueſtionable Truths; would you then ſcoffe at pureneſs? would you then mock at godlineſs? would you then ſlight reproofs, or need any further conviction of your folly? You would have an Admoniſher within you, a Remembance within you, a Reprover within you; your own Conſciences would plead with you for your entertaining of Chriſt, and embracing his Word, and would continually cry in your Ears, What meaneſt thou, O fool? Doeſt thou not ſee a Kingdome before thee, which may be thine, and art thou willing to loſe it? Doſt thou ſee that Gulf of Miſery and Perdition with open mouth gaping for thee to devour thee? Ariſe ſluggard, look to thy ſelf, leaſt thou be undone before thou art aware.
3. That according to your (choiſe) in this World your (lot) muſt be for ever in the world to come.
Your chuſing or refuſing Chriſt and his holy ways is that which doth determine your Eternal ſtate; chuſe Chriſt, and you make Heaven ſure to you; refuſe Chriſt here, and you will be rejected of him for ever.
God doth offer you this choice, either the ſtrait and the narrow way, with that life of bleſſedneſs, which is at the further end of this way: Or the broad way, with that Death and Deſtruction to which it leads: Chriſt with his Yoak, his Croſs, and his Eternal Crown, or the Devil with his golden mines, his Paradiſe and eternal Priſon: and all the parts of each of theſe offers are linked together: Chuſe the Devils golden Mines and fleſhly Paradiſe, and you muſt have his Priſon too: Take Chriſts Yoak and his Croſs, and you ſhall have his Crown, you cannot take the Devils Paradiſe and Chriſts Crown; if you will have his Pleaſures, you muſt have his Priſon. You cannot obtain life, but you muſt chuſe the narrow way that leads to it.
Here is the choiſe, ſinners, that God puts you to, this is the buſineſs of this World to chooſe for Eternity: And that which is the buſineſs of this life, is, the buſineſs of this hour. This very little piece of your time, and the choice you make now, may be it that will give a final determination what your Eternal ſtate ſhall be: If you make an evil choice now, you may never have a minutes time to chooſe again for ever. Oh, if your hearts were ſenſible of this, that there is ſo much depending upon every houre of your lives, as Life or Death, Heaven or Hell, Eternity, ſure you could not but reaſon thus with your ſelves, Is it a time for me to ſtand all the day idle? To be laughing or ſporting, or to be drudging and ſcraping for the muck of this Earth? Is this a time for me to ſtand trifling with Chriſt and the Goſpel, to make ſo many delayes, to make ſo many excuſes; The tearms are too high, the way is too ſtrait, the yoak is too heavy, this I cannot part with, that I cannot bring my heart to ſubſcribe to? Is this the buſineſs that is now under debate, what my everlaſting ſtate muſt be? In which of the two Regions of Eternity my Lot ſhall fall; whether I ſhall be a Saint or a Devil, a veſſel of honour, or a veſſel of wrath? whether my dwelling ſhall be in everlaſting bleſſedneſs, or in everlaſting burnings? which way the ſcales do turn now, either for Chriſt or the world; Do they turn for everlaſting? Sure if matters ſtand thus, I had need be ſerious and conſider what I do. This is the firſt direction, get theſe three principles fixed in your hearts, that things Eternal are much more confiderable then things Temporal, that things not ſeen are as infallibly certain, as the things that are ſeen, that upon your preſent choice depends your Eternal lot. Chuſe Chriſt and his wayes, and you are bleſſed for ever; refuſe and you are undone for ever. And then,
II. Make your choice.
Put your hearts to it, to turn either to the right hand or to the left, lay both parts before you, with every link of each; Chriſt with his Yoak, his Croſs, and his Crown, or the Devil with his wealth, his pleaſure and his curſe: And then put your ſelves to it thus: Soul, Thou ſeeſt what is before thee, what wilt thou do? Which wilt thou have, either the Crown or the Curſe? If thou chuſe the Crown, remember that the day thou takeſt this, thou muſt be content to ſubmit to the Croſs and Yoke, the ſervice and the ſufferings of Chriſt, which are linked to it. What ſayeſt thou? Hadſt thou rather take the gains and the pleaſures of ſin, and venture on the Curſe? or wilt thou yield thy ſelf a ſervant unto Chriſt, and ſo make ſure the Crown?
If your hearts flie off, and would fain wave the buſineſs, and leave it undeermined, leave them not ſo. If you be onelyonly unreſolved, you are reſolved. If you remain undetermined for Chriſt, you are determined for the Devil. Therefore give not off, but follow your hearts from day to day, let them not reſt till the matter be brought to an iſſue, and ſee that you make a good choice.
This is your chooſing the good part, God and your bleſſedneſs of the world to come for your portion and happineſs: and in this is included, Your renouncing the world, and a worldly happineſs.