The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 17
SECT. 17.
2. TEmptation to wrong Gods grace is evil company. What 17 Evil company is a temptation to wrong the grace of God.more unworthy abuſe than a ranſomed captives ungratefull denyal of their Redeemer. Self-deſtroying Hereticks doe thus deny the Lord that bought them: They goe not to Hell alone with their wanton looſe wits, argue others into their company, and make them fellow wantons of damnation; for ſo the Greek Text, and word in the Margin will bear it; Many ſhall follow their damnations, or deſtructions; the abſtract for the concrete, their damnable wayes: Our Engliſh is, pernicious waies; foreign: The Margin in the Greek is foreign; in the Engliſh, laſcivious waies. The import of the Original is, That laſcivious Hereticks are very fruitful; ſome Maſters of Hereſie beget numerous Scholars, which argue and beleeve themſelves out of their Faith into Damnation: Their word frets as doth a Gangreen, 2 Tim. 2. 17. The leaven of looſe wits did ſpread abroad in the pureſt times of the Apoſtles, to ſpeak perverſe things, and draw away Diſciples after them, Act. 20. 30. Chapmen of error, will bring cuſtome to the Devils ſtall. Have any of the Phariſees beleeved in him? Joh. 7. 48. The faſt brotherhood of Antichriſtian Phariſaiſme was Argumentative to deſpiſe and oppoſe the Grace of Jeſus Chriſt. Thus the diſſolute walking of a pack of Hypocrites imbolden one another to frequent indignities, unbecoming the Goſpel; the ſociety of Mammoniſts, ſainted by their faith in Gods mercy and Chriſts merits, bow down to Money, their Idoll; and while they profeſſe God their portion, and Chriſt their Lord, and pay to both ſome eaſie and cheap religious formalities, they diſhonor both by paying that adoration, eſtimation, and affection they owe to both, to their worldly gain. Reputed devout godly mens covetouſneſſe is infectious. Thus profeſſed Chriſtians follow worldlings reaſon, ſuch and ſuch are devout godly men that keep the Sabb…th, they fear God, and will go to heaven, and yet doe ſo and ſo, and we do no worſe. Thus a company of earthly minds, that have grace and heaven in their pretenſions, but the world in their hearts; ſow pillows under one anothers elbows. He that will goe about to drive the world out of his heart and life, by following the inſtances of ſome eminent Profeſſors, will never do it, but in the iſſue fall ſhort of heaven. The herd of Swine too, tipling good fellows, can lick one another clean by the grace of God, and the allowance of Chriſtian liberty, yea Gods beneficence, that he made the creatures for mans uſe; and hence they conclude that there is a latitude allowed them. The exceſſive gaudineſſe of apparrel grows in faſhion with the Chriſtians of the higher form, as they pretend, by Chriſts licence. As if, forſooth, no bravery, nor ſplendid gallantry could be too good for Chriſts diſciples. High-flown wantons in the nation ſhould rather follow Chriſt in his contempt than courting of the world. He is their preſident in the glory of Grace, not in vain wayes, indecent habits. The gaming away of time and money, miſpending companions, if they look to the throne of Grace, in a few cold, heartleſs deſires, and be devout a Chriſtmaſs day, or Good Friday, it may be hear weekly Sermons, yet may be utterly ſtrangers to the myſterious way of walking with God, and ſpiritual recreations, yet notwithſtanding can judge one another as excellent Chriſtians, aun doubt not by Gods grace to be ſaved, as wel as the moſt mortified, ſtrict beleevers. O the horrid abuſe to the Goſpel and Grace of God, that is too frequent in our times by evil examples and inſtigations! There are not a few ſoul-murdering preſidents under Chriſtian profeſſion. What is ſaid of the heatheniſh guides of their Mortifera ſacra. Suarum & alienarum interfectores animarum. Lact. l. 5. c. 20.Religion, whoſe deadly, idolatrous worſhip did ruin their diſciples, is true of many Chriſtian guides and followers in looſeneſs, they are their own, and others ſoul-killers. Were the queſtion put to the prophane generation of the Age, that hate the power, yea ſcorn the form of godlyneſſe, whoſe looſe wits jeer, and Atheiſtical religion neglects family-duties, who ſpeak dung, but drop not the honey-comb, vent rotten, not gracious words. Doe you think to be ſaved? Yes, the Anſwer would be, by the grace of God and merits of Chriſt. Thus in looſe company Profani homines multos ſua petulantia in ſimilem contemptum inducunt. Calv. in Iſ. 50. Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent.the grace of God is at once contemned and truſted to; and that of Calvin is ſad experience; Prophane men by their wantonneſs invite others to the ſame contempt. O the ſad conſequence of exemplary ſinne, what miſchief doth it in Families, Churches, Common-wealths, the world? the Leaders in ſin under profeſſion of grace, are doubly blameable and pernicious to themſelves and others, by their ſinne and their example; yea more guilty by their example then their ſin. Dear Chriſtians, of more ſhining, and obſcure profeſſion, take heed of that root of bitterneſs that is in you, for your own ſakes, but let it not ſpring forth for others ſakes. If it be kept within you, and wither not, you looſe your own ſouls: If it ſpring forth without, and defile many, Heb. 12. 15. you ruin others. Satans Kingdome is too much in Chriſts. Perditi spiritus, ſolatium perditionis ſuae pe…dendis hominibus operantur.The viſible ſubjects of Chriſts kingdom too much promote Satan work, the damnation of ſoules. 'Tis the ſolace of loſt Apoſtate ſpirits, to increaſe fellows in deſtruction. If they be capable of any feli…ity, 'tis in others everlaſting miſery. We read of heaps upon heaps, the bloody …ork of Sampſons body-ſlaughter, Judg. 15. 16. So heaps upon heaps is the bloody buſineſſe of the Ʋtinam ſoli errare, ſoli deſipere vellent: Alios etiam in conſortium ſui mali rapiunt, quaſi habituri ſolatium de perditione multorum. Lact. l. 5. c. 20Devils ſoul-ſlaughter. He goeth about ſeeking whom he may devour. And looſe deſtroying inſtances promote his work. The wiſh of one concerning profeſſed ſeducing Heathens may be uſed concerning profeſſed ſeduced Chriſtians, O that their error were ſolitary, they were fooliſh alone, but they draw others into the fellowſhip of their ſin, as if ſociety were the ſolace of deſtruction. The huge fellowſhip of the damned will be no diminution but aggravation of their torments.