The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 16
SECT. 16.
THe fourth head of cauſes, that fathers this adulterate offſpring, 16. Temptation cauſeth the abuſe of Grace in four particulars.The abuſe of Gods Grace, is temptation: There are four temptations to this ſin.
1. Temptation, a voluptuous life: The Widow that lived in pleaſures, waxed wanton againſt Chriſt, 1 Tim. 5. 11. As the Apoſtle oppoſeth the Spirit of God and the World, 1 Cor. 2. 12. ſo moſtly ſpiritual and worldly pleaſures are inconſiſtent. Such as are raviſhed with the delights of the Spirit, are crucified to worldly delights, unaiding and unconducing to higher comforts; and the intemperately toxicated with worldly delights, loath the delights of the Spirit: Voluptuous, proſperous, ſecure ones, that joy in their Poſſeſſions and Relations, feaſt their ſenſes with creature-ſuitable ſweetneſſes, That ſpend their days in mirth, as Job ſays, in this wanton bruitiſh life, diſparage and abuſe the God of grace, and the life of grace, the fountain and the ſtreams of higheſt ſweetneſs; The God of Grace, in theſe words, They ſay unto God, depart from us, Job 21. 14. They had been as good have ſaid, Depart Heaven and Happineſs: 'Tis his preſence which maketh Heaven; ſo they deſpiſe the life of Grace, deſire not to be acquainted with it; We deſire not the knowledge of thy ways, v. 14. nor to walk in them; all whoſe pathes are pleaſantneſs, yea matchleſs delights, What is the Almighty, that we ſhould ſerve him; or what profit ſhould we have if we pray unto him, v. 15. What profit? Ah beaſtly Atheiſtical Senſualiſts! What not? The gain godlineſs, 1 Tim. 6. 6 The Pearle of great price Jeſus Chriſt, Mal. 13. 46. Saving wiſdome is better then gold or ſilver, Prov. 3. 14. The ſpirit of Grace, Luke 11. 13. Precious Faith, 2 Pet, 1. 1. The gaine of the Soule, Mar. 8. 37. Treaſure in Heaven, Luke 12. 33. Rich commodities, in which, prayer in the Holy Ghoſt trafficks, Theſe high gaines and joyes, Epicurean Pleaſuriſts, with an ignorant and ſupercilious diſdaine, abuſe, as not worthy their thoughts, eſtimate, affections, as if they were Mahumetans, not chriſtians, had only ſtudied the Alcoran, not the Bible, were Deos nihil curare dicit, non ira non gratia tangi: infercrum poenas non eſſe metuendas: quod animae poſt mortem occidant: voluptatem eſse ſummum bonū: eius cauſa naſci hominem, Lactan. l. 3. c. 17.poyſoned with the perſwaſion of Epicures, That the Gods care not for the things below, are neither pleaſed nor angry with humane affairs, infernall puniſhments are not to be feared, ſouls and bodies die together, pleaſure is the cheifest good, that it was the end why man was borne. If irreligious pleaſure-hunters ſay they are neither Atheiſts nor Epicures, they do as well follow Heavenly as Earthly delights, they ſay more then their hearts and lives p…ove. Are not the pleaſures of ſenſe their delight in good earneſt, the pleaſures of Faith their jeſt, their fancy, their dream? Can the ſtrength of the Soule go out to both? I ſay not 'tis impoſſible. '… is very rare to be high in Earthly and Heavenly delights, their number is very thin of delicate, high fed, rich chriſtian profeſſors, that can ſay, and not lie, high joyes below are out joyed by higher joyes above, that do but uſe them not enjoy them, that are crucified to them, that can at pleaſure retreat from them. The better fed Quemadmodum impoſſible eſt, ut ignis flammam concipiat in aqua foreign eſt voluptates mundi, cum poenitentia Chriſtiana manere Otho Caſmannus.then taught, Peaſtiall Chriſtians, wantons in the worlds large and high Paſtures, ſpeak but the flattery of the Fleſh and Devill, when they ſay the ſevere diſcipline of ſerious Repentance can conſiſt with carnall earthly delights. Tis a ſaying of a good writer, that hath too much experience for its Probatum eſt, As it is impoſſible that fire ſhould burne in water, ſo its impoſſible that the pleaſures of the world and Chriſtian Repentance ſhould dwell together. I cannot therefore but admire and adore infinite wiſdome, who knowing the worlds higher ground is dangerous, and high ſenſuall pleaſures are as ſlippery places, Pſa. 73. 18. Hath ordinarily made the rich Heires of Glory, the poorer ſort of the world, Jam. 2. 5. Leſt the pallate of their Soules ſhould be vitiated and corrupted with too much ſavouring of Creature ſweetneſſe. The wholeſome and prudent deſigne of left hand ſtreightnings is to brighten the future Crowne of Glory, by coming to it through much want and labour; the great Heires of Heaven are uſually kept low, leſt they ſhould come to their immortall inheritance Ne immortalitatem delicate aſſequerentur & molliter Lact. l. 7. c. 5.too delicately and ſoftly. God will not honour Grace deſpiſing voluptuous worldlings, ſo highly as to remove, yea in ſome, not to imbitter thoſe outward delights, which in angry providence he giveth and knoweth will turn to their bane. Tis a ſad ſaying of Lactan. God ſuffers corrupt and vicious men to live a luxurious delicate life, becauſe he lookes on them as worthleſſe perſons, and he will not honour them ſo as to amend them. I wonder not that a poore Chriſtian that walkes with God, feaſts, lives, hopes, high values eſtates by their ſpirituallity, inviſibility, eternity, and not by the worlds accounts, would not change his hard bed, thred-bare garment, dry cruſt, ſmall drinke, for the graceleſſe pompe and Deus corruptos & vitioſos luxurioſe ac delicate patitur vivere, quia nō putat emendatione ſua dignos. Lactan. l. 5. c. 23:fullneſſe of beds of Down, delicious Tables, ſoft, coſtly, and ſhining changes of Rayment. I knew a very poor and very rich godly woman, that would not change her holy poverty, for her rich neighbours unſanctified eſtate: indeed the meaneſt judicious Chriſtian in his ſpirituall wits, reſents not the civill honours and vaſt annuall wealth of carnall wantons with envy, but pitty, they are rather to be lookt upon with weeping then fretting, whoſe way to Hell is ſtrewed with Roſes, who go through pleaſant meadowes to Execution. Rejoyce poor Chriſtian that ſtands in the worlds lower ground, be not troubled that wicked ſenſualiſts now ſtand above thee, thy right hand promotion is a coming, thou in low temporall allowances ſoweſt in penitentiall teares, they in high enjoyments even to ſurfet, impiety and Atheiſme, ſow in carnall merriments, thine Harveſt and theirs, will be as different as Thornes and Wheat, thou ſhalt reap in joyes, they in ſorrows: Chriſtian Repentance is incomparably above carnall pleaſing voluptuouſneſſe. This is the mother of wordly laughter, that of Chriſtian teares, this inlargeth the fleſh, that ſtrengthens it, this puts a leaden weight upon the Soule, that wings it to fly to Heaven, this ſerves the fleſh in every thing, that crucifies the fleſh, and brings the body into ſubjection, this calls off a man from God, that calls him back again to God his Saviour, this obeyes the Devill, that is devoted unto God.