The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 9 – Section 10
SECT. 9.
9. WAnt of conſidering the ſtraight way to life, and the 9. … … … of … … … ing … … ſtreight …ay life, cauſeth the abuſe of Gracebleſſed end thereof: Moſt Goſpellers would have Heaven at the cloſe of their lives in the broad way of wanton allowances and indulgencies to the luſts and pleaſures of the fleſh, had rather have inlargements of their deſires in a way of damnation, then the ſtreightning of them in the way of ſalvation. The wiſdom of the fleſh, wiſe onelyonly to deſtruction, ſuffers not inconſidering men, ſeriouſly to weigh the unſpeakably, ſafe, ſweet and glorious Iſſue of ſtrict Chriſtianity. Holy reaſon would thus conſider: Though that great Idol carnal ſelf were beaten down, ſweet luſts and pleaſures were mortified, dreadful guilt, and diſhonors to God, were lookt over with broken hearts and weeping eyes, the vanities and pomps of the world were renounced; the frequent requiries of the Scripture, and neceſſities of the poor, call for, and command coſtly alms: Though Faſtings and Watchings, continual ſpiritual Arms and Combates, Prayers and Tears, Deſertions and Afflictions, denial of unlawful, yea often times of lawful things, render practical chriſtian Religion, a formidable, unchooſable and intollerable thing: Though the entrance and progreſs of godlineſs be ſtrict, ſevere, painful, and rigid to the fleſh, and bears an unpleaſing dominion over the ſenſitive appetite; yet on this ſoure crab-ſtock is engraffed, by the hand of Gods Spirit, ſweet fruit: After this dirty Lane, the reproaches and ſufferings of this life, there will be getting unto the Heavenly Fathers Houſe: I ſay, ſpiritual reaſon will aſſure, that the ſharpeſt ſtorms of Religion, will do the kindneſs as to drive Heavenly Paſſengers, to the Port of their everlaſting Reſt; and though the ſpiritual Battles may be long and ſharp, yet they will end in eternal Peace, Victory and Triumph. Satan knoweth the Diſcipline, Life, and ſtrictneſs of Grace will have a bleſſed Iſſue, and therefore in conjunction with the wiſdom of the fleſh, ſuffers not deluded ſinners to be ſo wiſe, as to remember the latter end of Religions Severities, and ſaving Experiences. Hence the Sirens of the world the ſweet enchantments, pleaſures, profits, vain-glories, the ſenſualities of this life, make carnal Goſpellers, even while they hypocritically chide their ſinnes to love them heartily, while they eaſily cry up holyneſs, ſtrictneſs, heaven and happineſs, yet to give way to looſe and wanton hearts, language and converſation, and while they have good words, and ſeeming good belief, they clearly confute both by unſanctified hearts, and unreformed lives, for want of ſpiritual ſerious dwelling conſideration of the ſtrait way to glory, is the ſad miſcarrying of holy Profeſſion.
Ah Chriſtians lay to heart what one ſaith; It is to be conſidered Via ad vitam non quam ſit aſpeta, ſed quo nos deducat eſt cogitandum, non quam … arcta, ſed ubi deſinat; Vis caeleſtis ſpins horrentibus aſpera: Lact. de vero cul. tu. l. 6. 0. 4.not how ſharp the way of life is, but where it leads, not how ſtrait it is, but where it endeth, not how it is ſtrewed with thorns, but to what roſy and ſweet ſpicy delights it brings. Though this world be a valley of tears; Heaven is a mountain of ſpices, Can. 8. 14. The difficulties and ſeverities of Religion, that are as a Lyon in the way to Manſions of glory, ſhould rather call for reſolution, and ſharpen the edge of affections, than blunt endeavours? As our Mediatour went through infinite difficulties of Redemption, ſo all the methods of its application, from converſion, throughout the progreſs of Sanctification unto a diſſolution, are very difficult. The righteous are ſcarcely ſaved with much adoe, 1 Pet. 4. 18. O you tender, delicate, ſpurious Chriſtians, who dream of heaven, and the way of it: you fancie it broad, but the Scripture and experience will everlaſtingly prove it narrow. Do you think in good earneſt, that the carnall latitudes, the broad allowances of the fleſh, will end in eternall peace and delights? Will your ſtudied, idolized, ſenſual delights carry, as in a Chariot, V…luit Deus nt myſterium religionis ſuae eſbet arcanum, at propoſita difficultate anguſtiſſimus trames, ad immortalitatis praemium ſublime perduceret. Lact. de. Juſtiria, 1. 5. … 19.your departing ſouls into an eternal Paradiſe? Doe Chriſts Souldiery come out of great tribulation unto the eternall Palms and Crowns of their victories? and can your effeminate, wanton, diſſolute, brutiſh lives give you the leaſt aſſurance, that your voluptuouſneſs below will end in the delights above? Have the noble Army of Martyrs, the whole Church of the firſt-born, found the way of life a narrow ſtrait way, and doe you make it broad? The Word hath told you, and Death and Judgement will be an infallible Comment on the Text, Broad is the way that leads to deſtruction. In a broad champion, and Regimental march, hundreds may paſs on a breaſt; but in a very narrow lane the paſſage is but two by two. O all you diſmall, black Armies, that march under the King of the bottomleſs pit, your Captain-Generall, you may troop, yea you may ſpeed in the broad champion of corrupt nature, and walk in a full career and march to Hell, but Chriſs, ſouldiery paſſ in a ſtrait lane, a thin company hedged about with commands, that connot, dare not frolick in the large green plains of carnall delights. If you think, or hope your large profeſſions, or large lives, under ſtrict profeſſion, will bring to, and leave you in the heavenly country, you then muſt impudently and blaſphemouſly charge the lye upon the faithfull and true witneſſe Jeſus Chriſt, hee hath told you the broad way of looſe Principles and Lives, will lead you to hell, if you will not beleeve, you ſhall ſee and feel the truth of Chriſt by the light of eternal flames.
SECT. 10.
10. THe ſecond head of cauſes, that are experimentally influentiall into this great ſin, Abuſe of Gods grace, is Error. 10 Error in particulars cauſeth the abuſe of Grace.This will appear in five things.
1. The error of a corrupt palate. Sin is mans diſeaſe which makes him diſſavour the beſt things. Sickneſs taketh away the ſweetneſs of wholſome meat, and Sin of the hidden Manna, moſt heavenly Feaſts. God hath the beſt furniſhed houſe for his Family. We read the fatneſs of the Gods houſe, Pſal. 36. 8. afeaſt of fatthings in the mountain of the houſe of the Lord, Iſ. 25. 6. A ſweet merry feaſt. They ſhall be joyfull in my houſe of prayer. Is. 56. 7. but it is to them onelyonly, whoſe palate is rectified and judicious, that relliſh their heavenly food, that taſte and ſee the Lord is good. Pſal. 34. 8. and gracious, 1 Pet. 2. 3. who can ſay with David, How ſweet are thy Words unto my taſte? Pſal. 119. 103. and with the Spouſe, His fruit was ſweet unto my taſte, Cant. 2. 3. But to the injudicious, unregenerate, the choiceſt ſpiritual dainties are unſavoury; they are unto Good works, though they profeſſe the contrary, void of judgement, Tit. 1. 16. They have no a ſweet, judicious ſenſe of ſoul food. Have you ſeen delicate wantons better fed than taught, that do more cenſure and play with, than eat heartily and work by their diet, abuſe the precious creatures, may be throw it to dogs? or a diſeaſed patient, vitiated in ſtomack and palate, diſrellish the beſt dyet, make faces at it, ſpit it out, cry out it is naught. Here is the embleme of carnall ſpirits, vitiated with corrupt, unſavoury humours, the beſt proviſions of Gods houſe will not down with them: They vilifie Angels food, Goſpel-banquets, cry out upon it, in their diſtemper, or if they take in a little of it, they ſpit it out again, or it runs through them. Holy convictions ſtay not to concoction and nouriſhment. Their palates doe onelyonly relliſh the world, and delight in worldly things.