The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 3
SECT. 3.
3. WAnt of Heat, Intention and Livelineſſe in Religion. If 3 The want of life in Religion cauſeth abuſe of Grace.God be not ſerved in fervency of Spirit, Luſt will. If Satan cannot keep from Religious exerciſe, he tempts to Luke-warmneſſe, yea Key-coldneſſe in the performance of them. Inſtinctu Satanae, faith one, by Satans deading and flatting inſtinct, a drowſie tyring in good things ſteals upon body and ſpirit. Faint fighting is not wont to overcome, nor faint ſervice of God to mortiſie Luſt. How fe… are there in a Chriſtian congregation ſuperabounding in ſpiritual joy, alwaies pleaſant and merry in the Lord, fervent in ſpirit, day and night meditating in the Law of God, lifting up pure hands in prayer, follicitous obſervers, and ſtudents of their own hearts, zealous witneſſes of holy affections to good works, to whom Chriſtian diſcipline is amiable, Faſting ſweet, long Watching ſhort, the whole pietie of a regular converſation is a delitious feaſt, yea doth exceed the ſweetneſſe of the Quorum brevis & rara compunctio, animalis converſatio, ſermo fine circumſpectione, oratio ſine cordis intentione, lectio ſine edificatione. Bern. Virga & calcaribus indigentes.hony and the hony comb? Alaſs, how many are there who in an impartial inqueſt will be found remiſſe in the ſtudies of Holyneſs, fainting under Chriſts eaſie yoak, and light burden, whoſe compunction is ſhort and rare, converſation naturall, ſpeech without circumſpection, prayer without intention of heart, reading without edification, good purpoſe without execution, religious exerciſe without fervencie, who in the waies of godlineſs want the whipp and ſpurs, but in the too prone and nimble motions of diſlolute looſeneſs, need curbing bridles. Licentious courſes are ſo ſtrong and impetuous, that the modeſt ſhame of uncomelineſs, the bridle of reaſon, yea the fear of Hell, can hardly reſtrain them? No wonder if corruption be daring, diſſolute, and potent, when religious exerciſes are flat, dead, cold, and feeble. Wee bluſh not Sine debita attentione & fervore ſpiritus. Bern.(ſaid one) to pray to God without due attention and fervour of ſpirit. He that hath no ſweet communion with God, will ſeek it in the world, and pleaſing his inticing luſts. When the minde is ſenceleſs in reading and meditation, and affections are dull, corruption will be lively. 'Tis ſad to conſider how many ſeemed to diſcover the fervour of a pious converſation, in whom by degrees charity hath waxen cold, and iniquity abounded, and what appeared to be begun in the Spirit, ends (it is to be feared) in the fleſh. Gal. 3. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee, becauſe of the ſavour of thine ointments. Cant. 1. 3, 4. Therefore there is need of Opus habeo trahi, quia refriguit pauli…per in nobis ignis amoris tui. Bernard.drawing, becauſe the divine fire of the ſoules love, for want of fewel to it, and blowing of it, by degrees abates ad cooles. Drawing nigh the fire is for warmth, and drawing nigh of God is for holy heat. In near approaches to him, the new creature is a zealous enemy to wanton looſeneſs. Cockering cooleneſs in the ſevere religious exerciſes of Mortification is the bane of Profeſſion. Adonijah was a very goodly man, David his Father diſpleaſed him not at any time, in ſaying why haſt thou done ſo? 1 King. 1. 6. In the ſiſt verſe you ſinde him a daring Rebel; you may read in the Contents of the Chapter, Adonijah Davids darling uſurpeth the Kingdome. Thus is it with every fair faced goodly luſt. The indulgent Chriſtian is it too remiſſe in rebuking and chaſtizing it, and it riſeth up in arms againſt him. Cockering Mothers cold in rebuking wanton ſons, teach them to be Libertines, oſt-times train them up for the Gallows and Hell, ſo when the heart is remiſs and cold for good and againſt evill. Luſt will have its reins and lawleſſe liberty, and ruin its ſervants.