if once a lie may pass for lawful in cases where it seemeth to be
good, it will overthrow human converse, and debauch man's nature and
the world.
2. And if one evil may be made a means for good, it will infer that
others may be so too, and so will confound good and evil, and leave
vicious man to take all for good which he thinks will do good. That is
not to be called a harmless lie, which is simply evil, being against
the law of God, against the order of nature, the use of human
faculties, and the interest and converse of the sociable world.
3. The error of the objectors chiefly consisteth in thinking that
nothing is further hurtful and morally evil, than as it doth hurt to
some men in corporal respects. Whereas that is evil, which is against
the universal rule of rectitude, against the will of God, and against
the nature and perfection of the agent; much more if it also tend to
the hurt of other men's souls, by giving them an example of sinning.
4. And though there may sometimes be some human probability of such a
thing, yet there is no certainty that ever it will so fall out, that a
lie shall save the life of king, parent, or yourselves. For God can
open the eyes of that enemy whom you think to blind by a lie, and
cause him to know all the truth, and so take away that life, which you
thought thus to have saved.
5. And there are lawful means enough to save your lives when it is
best for you to save them. That is, obey God, and trust him with your
lives, and he can save them without a lie, if it be best: and if it be
not, it should not be desired.
6. And if men did not erroneously overvalue life, they would not think
that a lie were necessary for it. When it is not necessary to live, it
is not necessary to lie for life. But thus one sin brings on another:
when carnal men overvalue life itself, and set more by it than by the
fruition of God in the glory of heaven, they must needs then overvalue
any means which seemeth necessary to preserve it. See Job xiii. 7-10;
Prov. xiii. 17; Rom. vi. 15; iii. 7-9; Psal. v. 7; Hos. iv. 2; John
viii. 44; Rev. xxi. 27; xxii. 15; Col. iii. 9; 1 John ii. 21.
7. Yet as to the degree of evil in the sin, I easily grant (with
Augustine, Enchirid.) that _Multum interest quo animo et de quibus
quisque mentiatur: non enim ita peccat qui consulendi, quomodo ille
qui nocendi voluntate mentitur: nec tantum nocet qui viatorem
mentiendo in adversum iter mittit, quantum is qui viam vitæ mendacio
fallente depravat_.
_Object._ Are not the midwives rewarded by God for saving the
Israelitish children by a lie?
_Answ._ I need not say with Austin, "The fact was rewarded, and the
lie pardoned;" for there is no such thing as a lie found in them. Who
can doubt but that God could strengthen the Israelitish women to be
delivered without the midwives? And who can doubt but when the
midwives had made known the king's murderous command, that the women
would delay to send for the midwives, till, by the help of each other,
the children were secured? Which yet is imputed to the midwives,
because they confederated with them, and delayed to that end. So that
here is a dissembling and concealing part of the truth, but here is no
lie that can be proved.
_Object._ But, Heb. xi. 31, and James ii. 25, Rahab is said to be
justified by faith and works, when she saved the spies by a lie.
_Answ._ It is uncertain whether it was a lie, or only an equivocation,
and whether her words were not true of some other men that had been
her guests. But suppose them a lie, (as is most like,) the Scripture
no more justifieth her lie, than her having been a harlot. It is her
believing in the God of Israel, whose works she mentioned, that she is
commended for, together with the saving of the spies with the hazard
of her own life. And it is no wonder if such a woman in Jericho had
not yet learned the sinfulness of such a lie as that.
_Object._ But at least it could be no mortal sin, because, Heb. xi.
31, and James ii. 25, say she was justified.
_Answ._ It was no mortal sin in her, (that is, a sin which proveth one
in a state of death,) because it had not those evils that make sin
mortal: but a lie in one that doth it knowingly, for want of such a
predominancy of the authority and love of God in the soul, as should
prevail against the contrary motives habitually, is a mortal sin, of
an ungodly person. It is pernicious falsehood and soul delusion in
those teachers, that make poor sinners think that it is the smallness
of the outward act or hurt of sin alone, that will prove it to be, as
they call it, venial, or mortified, and not mortal.
_Quest._ III. Is deceit by action lawful, which seemeth a practical lie?
and how shall we interpret Christ's making as if he would have gone
farther, Luke xxiv. 28; and David's feigning himself mad, and common
stratagems in war, and doing things purposely to deceive another?
_Answ._ 1. I have before proved that all deceiving another is not a
sin, but some may be a duty: as a physician may deceive a patient to
get down a medicine to save his life, so he do it not by a lie.
2. Christ's seeming to go farther was no other than a lawful
concealment or dissimulation of his purpose, to occasion their
importunity: for all dissimulation is not evil, though lying be. And
the same may be said of lawful stratagems as such.
3. David's case was not sinful, as it was mere dissimulation to
deceive others for his escape. But whether it was not a sinful
distrust of God, and a dissimulation by too unmanly a way, I am not
able to say, unless I had known more of the circumstances.
_Quest._ IV. Is it lawful to tempt a child or servant to lie, merely
to try them?
_Answ._ It is not lawful to do it without sufficient cause, nor at any
time to do that which inviteth them to lie, or giveth any countenance
to the sin, as Satan and bad men use to tempt men to sin, by
commending it, or extenuating it. But to lay an occasion before them
barely to try them (as to lay money, or wine, or other things in their
way, to know whether they are thieves or addicted to drink, that we
may the better know how to cure them; and so to try their veracity) is
not unlawful. For, 1. The sin is virtually committed when there is a
will to commit it, though there should be no temptation or
opportunity. 2. We do nothing which is either a commendation of the
sin, or a persuading to it, or any true cause either physical or
moral; but only an occasion. 3. God himself, who is more contrary to
sin than any creature, doth thus, by trial, administer such occasions
of sin to men that are viciously disposed, as he knoweth they will
take; and his common mercies are such occasions. 4. God hath no where
forbidden this to us: we may not do evil that good may come by it;
but we may do good when we know evil will come of it by men's vice. 5.
It may be a needful means to the cure of that sin, which we cannot
know till it be thus detected.
_Quest._ V. Is all equivocation unlawful?
_Answ._ There is an equivocating which is really lying: as when we
forsake the usual or just sense of a word, and use it in an alien,
unusual sense, which we know will not be understood, and this to
deceive such as we are bound not to deceive.
But there is a use of equivocal words which is lawful and necessary:
(for human language hath few words which are not of divers
significations.) As, 1. When our equivocal sense is well understood by
the hearers, and is not used to deceive them, but because use hath
made those words to be fit; as all metaphors are equivocal, and yet
may be used. 2. When the equivocal sense is the most usual or obvious,
and if it be not understood, it is through the hearer's fault or
extraordinary dulness. 3. When a robber, or usurping tyrant, or any
cruel enemy, that hath no authority to do it, shall seek to insnare my
life by questions, I may lawfully answer him in such doubtful words,
as purposely are intended to deceive him, or leave him ignorant of my
sense, so be it they be not lies or false in the ordinary usage of
those words. 4. And to such a person I may answer doubtfully, when it
is apparent that it is a doubtful answer, and that I do it as
professing that I will answer him no more particularly nor plainly,
but will conceal the rest.
_Quest._ VI. Whether all mental reservation be unlawful?
_Answ._ This needeth no other answer than the former. If the expressed
words be a lie, the mental reservation will not make them justifiable as
a truth. But if the expressed words of themselves be true, then the
mental reservation may be lawful, when it is no more than a concealment
of part of the truth, in a case where we are not bound to reveal it.
But of both these cases I must refer the reader to what I have said
about vows, part iii. chap. v. tit. 2, without which he will not know
my meaning.
_Quest._ VII. May children, servants, or subjects, in danger, use
words which tend to hide their faults?
_Answ._ 1. When they are bound not to hide the fault, they may not:
which is, 1. When due obedience, or, 2. The greater good which will
follow, require them to open it.
2. When they are not bound to open it, they may hide it by just means,
but not by lies or any evil. In what cases they may hide a fault by
just means, I shall here say no more to.
_Quest._ VIII. May I speak that which I think is true, but am not sure?
_Answ._ If you have a just call, you may say you think it is true; but
not flatly that it is so.
_Quest._ IX. May I believe and speak that of another, by way of news,
discourse, or character, which I hear reported by godly, credible
persons, or by many?
_Answ._ 1. The main doubt is when you have a call to speak it, which
is answered after, part iv. at large.
2. You may not so easily believe and report evil of another as good.
3. You must not believe ill of another any further than evidence doth
constrain you; yet you may believe it according to the degree of
evidence or credibility; and make use of the report for just caution
or for good; but not to defame another, upon uncertainty, or without a
call.
4. The sin of receiving and spreading false reports of others upon
hearsay, is now so common among those that do profess sobriety and
religion, that all men should take heed of it in all company, as they
would do of the plague in an infectious time. And now it is so
notorious that false news and slanders of others are so common,
neither good men's words, nor common fame, will allow you (or excuse
you) to believe or report any evil of another, till you are able to
prove that it is your duty; but all christians should join in
lamenting and reproving this common uncharitable sin.
_Tit._ 4. _Special Directions against Idle Talk, and
Babbling._
_Direct._ I. Understand well what is idle talk; for many take that to
be vain which is not, and many take not that to be vain which is. I
shall therefore open this before I go any further.
[Sidenote: What is not idle talk.]
The judgment of infidels and impious men here are of little regard. 1.
Some of them think prayer to be but vain words, because God knoweth
our wants and hearts, Job xxii. 2,3, and our service is not profitable
to him: as if he had bid us "seek him in vain," Isa. xlv. 19.[521]
These I have elsewhere confuted. 2. Others think frequent preaching
vain, and say as the infidels of Paul, Acts xvii. 18, "What will this
babbler say;" and as Pharaoh, Exod. v. 9, "Let them not regard vain
words;" but God saith, Deut. xxxii. 46, 47, "Set your hearts to all
the words which I testify among you----for it is not a vain thing for
you, because it is your life." 3. Some carnal wretches think all vain
in God's service, which is spiritual, and which they understand not,
or which is above the reach of a fleshly mind.[522] 4. And some think
all vain in preaching, conference, writing, or prayer, which is long.
But Christ spake no vain words when he "prayed all night," Luke vi.
12. Nor are we bid to pray in vain, when we are bid "pray continually,
instantly, and importunately," 1 Thess. v. 17; Acts vi. 4; Luke xviii.
1, 2. Nor did Paul speak idly when he preached till midnight, Acts xx.
Godliness is not vain "which is profitable to all things," 1 Tim. iv.
8. Indeed as to their own salvation the wicked may make our preaching
vain; but the word of God returneth not empty. The oblations of the
disobedient are vain, Isa. i. 13, and the "prayer of the wicked,
abominable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight,"
Prov. xv. 8. 5. Some think all preaching vain, of that which they know
already, whereas they have most need to hear of that, lest they
condemn themselves by sinning against their knowledge, 2 Pet. i. 12,
13; Rom. xiv. 22. 6. Some think it vain if the same things be often
preached on, or repeated, (see Phil. iii. 1,) though yet they never
received and obeyed them; or if the same words be oft repeated in
prayer, though it be not from emptiness or affectation but fervency,
Mark xiv. 39; Psal. cxxxvi.; cxix. 7. Unbelievers think our boasting
in God is vain, 2 Kings xviii. 20; Isa. xlix. 4, 5. 8. And some
malicious adversaries charge it on ministers as preaching in vain,
whenever the hearers are not converted. See Heb. iv. 2; Gal. v. 2;
iii. 4; iv. 11; Isa. liii. 1.
On the other side many that are godly mistake in thinking, 1. That all
talk is vain which is not of absolute necessity to some great use and
end.[523] 2. And that all mirth and pleasant discourse is vain.
Whereas the Holy Ghost saith, Prov. xvii. 22, "A merry heart doth good
like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Prov. xv. 13,
"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the
heart the spirit is broken." Gen. xxvi. 8, King Abimelech saw Isaac
sporting with Rebekah his wife: laughing, (as the Hebrew is,) or
playing, (as the Chaldee, and Samaritan, and Septuagint,) or jesting
(as the Syriac, Arabic, and vulgar Latin).
Observe these qualifications, and your mirth and sporting talk will not
be idle. 1. Let it be such and so much as is useful to maintain that
cheerfulness of mind and alacrity of spirits, which is profitable to
your health and duty; for if bodily recreations be lawful, then tongue
recreations are lawful when they are accommodate to their end. 2. Let
your speech be savoury, seasoned with salt, and not corrupt and rotten
communication: jest not with filthiness or sin. 3. Let it be harmless to
others: make not yourselves merry with the sins or miseries of other
men. Jest not to their wrong. 4. Let it be seasonable, and not when
another frame of mind is more convenient, nor when graver or weightier
discourse should take place. 5. Let it be moderate and not excessive,
either wasting time in vain, or tending to habituate the mind of the
speakers or hearers to levity, or to estrange them from things that
should be preferred. 6. See that all your mirth and speech be sanctified
by a holy end; that your intent in all be to whet your spirits and cheer
up and fit yourselves for the service of God, as you do in eating and
drinking, and all other things. 7. And mix (with cautelous reverence)
some serious things, that the end and use be not forgotten, and your
mirth may not be altogether as empty and fruitless as that of the
unsanctified is. Sporting, pleasant, and recreating talk is not vain,
but lawful upon these conditions. 8. Still remembering that the most
holy and profitable discourse must be most pleasant to us, and we must
not, through a weariness of it, divert to carnal mirth, as more
desirable, but only to natural honest mirth as a necessary concomitant
to exhilarate the spirits.[524]
[Sidenote: What is idle talk. The sorts of it.]
Idle or vain words, then, are such as are unprofitable and tend not to
do good.[525] I here forbear to speak of those idle words which are
also worse than vain, as mentioned before among the sins of the
tongue. Idle words are, 1. Either simply such which tend to no good at
all. 2. Or comparatively such; which are about some small or
inconsiderable good, when you should be speaking of greater things:
the former sort are always idle, and therefore always sinful; the
latter sort are sometimes lawful in themselves, that is, when greater
matters are not to be talked of: in its season it is lawful to speak
about the saving of a penny, or a point, or a pin; but out of season,
when greater matters are in hand, this is but idle, sinful talk.
Also there is a great deal of difference between now and then an idle
word, and a babbling, prating custom, by which it becometh the daily
practice of some loose-tongued persons, so that the greater part of
the words of all their lives are merely vain.
The particular kinds of idle talk are scarce to be numbered. Some of
them are these.
1. When the tongue is like a vagrant beggar or masterless dog, that is
never in the way, and never out of the way, being left to talk at
random about any unprofitable matter that comes before it; and such
will never want matter to talk of; every thing they see or hear is the
subject of their chat; and one word begetteth occasion and matter for
another, without end.
2. Another sort of idle talk is the vain discourses (by word or
writing) of some learned men, in which they bestow an excessive
multitude of words about some small impertinent thing; not to edify,
but to show their wit:[526] which Seneca reprehends at large.
3. Another sort of idle talk is vain and immoderate disputings, about
the smaller circumstances of religion, or frequent discourses about
such unedifying things while greater matters should be talked of. "But
avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain," Tit.
iii. 9. "Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure
heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which
some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to
be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor
whereof they affirm," 1 Tim. i. 5-7. "O Timothy, keep that which is
committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and
opposition of sciences falsely so called; which some professing, have
erred concerning the faith," 1 Tim. vi. 20, 21. "But shun profane and
vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness," 2 Tim.
ii. 16. "There are many unruly and vain talkers," &c. Tit. i. 10, 11.
4. Another sort of idle talk is the using of a needless multitude of
words, even about that which is good and necessary in itself, but
might better be opened in a briefer manner.[527] Even in preaching or
praying words may be vain; which is when they are not suited to the
matter and the hearers: for you must note that the same words are
necessary to one sort of hearers, which are vain as to another sort.
And therefore as ministers must take heed that they suit their manner
of speech to their auditors, so hearers must take heed lest they
censoriously and rashly call that vain which is unnecessary to them,
or such as they: there may be present many ignorant persons that the
preacher is better acquainted with than you: and the ignorant lose
that which is concisely uttered: they must have it at large, in many
words, and oft repeated, or else they understand it not, or remember
not that which they understand. But yet a real excess of words even
about holy things must be avoided. "Be not rash with thy mouth, and
let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is
in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few: for a
dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice is
known by the multitude of words."[528] Two causes of idle words in
prayer must be avoided: 1. Emptiness and rashness. 2. Affectation:
that is, (1.) Affectation to words, as if you should be heard for
saying so many words over and over, (as the papists in their Jesus
Psalter say over the name Jesu nine times together, and those nine
times, fifteen times over, besides all their repetitions of it, in the
petitions themselves between.[529] So in the titles of the blessed
Virgin, in her Litany, p. 525.) Hypocrites in all ages and religions
have the same trifling way of devotion; as Christ showeth of the very
heathen that used this way: "But when ye pray use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be
heard for their much speaking: be ye not therefore like unto them,"
Matt. vi. 7. (2.) There is an affectation of length that causeth idle
words in prayer; when men think that it is for the honour of their
parts to spend so much time, and speak so long together, or when their
superstitious consciences in secret tie them to hold on so long, and
have not matter or affection answerable to fill up the time, no marvel
if it be filled up with words that are too much guilty of vanity.
5. Another kind of idle talk is that which is purposely contrived to
humour idle fancies, and recreate vicious minds, and pass away men's
precious time: such are abundance of love-books, romances, plays, and
play-books; volumes of vanity, and hours full of studied vanity (and
worse): and such is much of the talk of feigned fools and jesters:
vices which I can hardly express so odious as I apprehend them.
6. Another sort is a custom of inordinate jesting: this vein or
disposition is so strong in some, that when they have a list to vent a
jest, they cannot hold, but out it must come whatever it cost, and be
it never so frivolous and vain, Eph. v. 4.
7. Another sort is foolish talk, that hath not wit enough to make it
edifying, Eph. v. 4. And among idle talkers how much of it is foolish!
How weary would it make a man to hear the talk of many babblers! How
insipid is it! How sottish! Like the talk of a mad-man, or a drunken
man, or a man in his sleep: it is far pleasanter not only to hear a
bird chirp, but a swine grunt, than to hear much of their discourse.
See Prov. x. 14; xii. 11; xxviii. 19; 1 Pet. ii. 15; Prov. xv. 2, 14.
[Sidenote: The aggravations of it.]
_Direct._ II. Understand also the aggravations of idle words; which of
them are the greatest sins, that they may be most carefully avoided.
Though all idle words are sins, yet all are not equally sinful: the
worst are such as these that follow.
1. When idle words are frequent, multiplied, and made their common
talk and custom: which is the case of some men, but of abundance of
loquacious women; whose natural disposition inclineth them thereto.
One that hath but little wit, and much self-conceitedness, and
passion, will have a torrent of words for a drop of sense.[530] If
they meet but with a person so patient and idle as to give them the
hearing, they will sit a whole hour together with you, yea, many
hours, to tell you first how the affairs go between them and their
husbands, or children, or servants; and then talk of their cattle,
house, or land; and then tell you of news, and enter into a long
discourse of other men's matters, which they neither understand nor
have any thing to do with: and next they talk of the weather; and then
of the market, what is cheap and what is dear; and then they tell you
what this body said to them, and what the other body said; and then
they tell you a story of the old times, and how the world is changed,
and how much better the former times were than these: then they tell
you what wrong such a one did them, and what he said of them, and how
bad this or that man is, and what they said or did amiss; and what the
report of the country is of such and such: then they tell you what
clothes such a one wears, and how fine and gallant such a one is, and
who keepeth a good house, and who is niggardly and sparing: then they
tell you what meat was at such and such a table or feast; and if they
be at meat, they have something to say about every dish, and every
sort of meat or drink; especially news takes up much of their
discourse.[531] And it is well if in all this, the sermon of the
preacher, or his prayer, or his life, be not brought in to fill up the
empty places of the discourse; and it may be the king and his council,
and his laws, and his doings, shall be defiled by these parrots'
unreverend prattlings, as well as meaner things and persons: so that,
as Theophrastus saith, he that would not fall into a fever, let him
run from them in all the haste he can. I should rather think it would
cast one into the scurvy, if weariness be so great a symptom of it as
they say. He that hath nothing to do in this world, nor any thing to
do for the world to come; and that hath no use for his time, or wit,
or tongue, or hands, but waketh as he sleepeth, and liveth as he must
lie when he is dead; he that hath neither master, work, nor wages, but
thinks he is made to see leaves wag, or hear flies buzz; let him
choose such a companion, and let him sit and hear such people chat.
For my part, I can easilier endure to have them call me morose, or
proud, or uncivil, or any thing; nay, I had rather be digging, or
ploughing, or ridding kennels, than endure the tediousness of their
discourses.[532] Dionysius sent one to be put to death, for finding
fault with his poetry; but called him again to try him once more; and
the man rose up in the midst of his recitation, saying, Come, let me
go to the gibbet, as choosing to die rather than to be so wearied. I
am not so impatient; but I should be glad if I could sleep well while
I am tied to such company. And if I had one to send to school that
were sick of the talking evil, the _morbus loquendi_, I would give (as
Isocrates required) a double pay to the schoolmaster willingly, one
part for teaching him to hold his tongue, and the other half for
teaching him to speak. I should think many such men and women half
cured, if they were half as weary of speaking as I am of hearing them.
He that lets such twattling swallows build in his chimney, may look to
have his pottage savour of their dung. Nay, though they may have some
learning and goodness to season their discourse, their too much
loquacity will make one's stomach turn against it; and the surfeit may
make some queazy stomachs distaste even the more wholesome food.
Pompey was so weary of Tully's talkativeness, that he wished he had
been on Cæsar's side, for then he would have feared me, (saith he,)
whereas now his familiarity wearieth me.
Omne supervacuum pleno de pectore manat.
2. It is an aggravation of the sin of loquacity and idle talk, when it
is done in a proud, self-conceitedness of your own wit, with an
unmannerly contempt of others. This is the case of abundance that have
not the manners or patience to stay till another man hath done his
speech. They think others so long that their list will not hold till
they come to the end. Yea, many pretended learned men and disputants
have this disease, that without any shame, or respect to order, or
their own reputation, they are in such haste to answer, and talk
themselves, that they cut off the speech of others in the midst, as if
they should say, Hold your tongue, and let me speak that am wiser. And
their excuse is, You are so long that I shall forget half before you
come to the end. But if it be in a disputation or about great matters,
it is usually much more to the advantage of the truth and hearers, to
speak all that necessarily must be considered together, in a
continued speech: for the parts of truth have such a dependence one
upon another, like the members of a body, or the wheels of a watch,
that they are not understood disjunctly, half the sense of them being
respective to the other parts. Therefore to deliver it (in such cases)
by fragments, and chopping of words, and frequent interruptions one of
another, is to chat or contend, and not to open the truth with the
clearness and gravity which it requireth. These, therefore, that
accuse others of speaking too long, to excuse their uncivil
interruptions, may take their answer from Augustine, _Absit ut
multiloquium deputem quando necessaria dicuntur, quantalibet sermonum
multitudine ars prolixitate dicantur_. The huge volumes of Augustine,
Chrysostom, Suarez, Calvin, yea, Tostatus himself, are seldom accused
of idle words. If you depute to each their equal share of time, a
composed discourse is fitter and spareth time better, than
interrupting altercations and exchange of words; and if your memory
cannot hold all that is said, either take notes, or crave the help of
some repetition, or answer the part which you do remember.
3. Idle talk is worst when it is about holy things, and tendeth to
profane them: when men unreverently babble about the Scriptures, or
controversies of religion; or when by fluent tongues men design the
increase of some faction, or propagating of some error, or the setting
forth their parts. Saith Hierom, (ad Nepot.) _Verba volvere et apud
imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere, indoctorum hominum est:
nihil tam facile quam vilem plebem et indoctam, volubilitate linguæ
decipere, quæ quicquid non intelligit, plus miratur_. Profane
loquacity is the worst kind of loquacity.
4. Idle words are the greater sin when they are magnified and
justified, and taken to be lawful, if not some excellent thing. As
some unhappy scholars that spend whole days and months about some
trivial, unnecessary studies, while Christ, the wisdom of God, (or the
subject of divine philosophy,) is neglected:[533] he that heareth some
of their supposed critical curiosities, would say with Paul, "The Lord
knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain," 1 Cor. iii. 20.
And if he compare their lives with their studies, perhaps he will
remember, "They became vain in their imaginations; their foolish
hearts were darkened, and professing themselves wise, they became
fools," Rom. i. 21.
5. Idle words are an aggravated sin, when they are studied, and
pompously set forth at great labour and cost, as a matter to be
gloried in; as in plays and romances: worse than tobacco-houses where
men sell smoke. The pleasure, the love, the labour, the cost, the
time, the deceit, the temptation, the impenitency, are the great
aggravations of this sin.
[Sidenote: The sinfulness of much idle talk.]
_Direct._ III. Understand and consider the mischief of the sin of
babbling, idle talk. For the common cause of it is, that men take it
to be so small a sin, that they think there is no danger in it; and
therefore they fear it no more than a scratched finger.
1. (Besides the general evil mentioned tit. 1. direct. i.) consider
that much idle talk is a multitude of sins. Though one idle word were
never so small a sin, yet when it cometh to hundreds and thousands,
and is your daily, hourly custom, all set together cannot be small.
Many thousand pence is more than one shilling or pound. And your
frequent custom of idle talk, may amount to a greater sinfulness, than
Noah's once drunkenness, or David's once adultery, or Peter's once
denying Christ. If a swearer should swear as oft, or a liar lie as
oft, or a thief steal as oft as many women (and men too) speak idly,
what monsters should we take them for!
2. Idle talk excludeth all the good discourse and edifying speech that
should have been used all that time.[534] We have many greater uses
for our tongues: you have your business to talk of, and your God, and
your souls, and your duties, and your sins, and the life to come to
talk of! Oh how many great and necessary things! And will you shut out
all this edifying speech, by your idle chat? Will you hinder others as
well as yourselves?
3. Idle talk is a sinful consumer of time: you have greater business
to spend your hours in: if you saw what a world you are ready to go
to, and saw how near you are to it, you would think yourselves that
you had greater business than idle chat, to spend your time in. Do you
know what you lose in losing all those hours?
4. Idle talk corrupts the hearers' minds, and tendeth to make them
light, and vain, and empty, even as good discourse doth tend to make
them good. Why do you talk to others, but to communicate your sense
and affections to them by your words? And for all that many take it
for a little sin, I am sure it is not a little hurt that it doth. If
men were not used to be entertained with so much vain discourse, they
could not tell how to keep better things from their minds or mouths;
nor would their thoughts be so habituated to vanity; nor would they
make such returns of idle words; whereas one vain discourse begets
another, and it is a multiplying and very infectious sin.
5. As your tongues are misemployed, so your wits and minds are
dishonoured by vain talk. Even good words will grow contemptible when
they are too cheap and common. A fiddler at the door goes but for a
rogue, though music and musicians be honoured: whoever took a
talkative babbler for a wise man? He that is _logophilus_ is seldom
_philologus_, much less _philosophus_.[535] As Demosthenes said to a
prater, If thou knewest more, thou wouldst say less. They seldom go
for men of action and virtue that talk much; they that say much,
usually do little: women, and children, and old folks, are commonly
the greatest talkers (I may add, mad folks). Livy noteth, that
soldiers that prate and brag much, seldom fight well; and Erasmus
noteth, that children that quickly learn to speak are long in learning
to go. It is not the barking cur that biteth. Let it be the honour of
a parrot to speak much, but of a man to speak wisely. The mobility of
their tongues (an honour common to an aspen leaf) is all their honour,
that can _multis verbis pauca dicere_, say a little in a great many of
words; but _multa paucis_, much in few words, is the character of the
wise, unless when the quality of the auditors prohibiteth it: and _qui
sunt in dicendo brevissimi_, if the auditors can bear it, shall be
accounted the best speakers. I am not of his mind that said, He oft
repented speaking, but never repented silence. But, except they be
ministers, few men have so much cause to repent of silence as of
speech. _Non quam multa, sed quam bene_, must be the christian's care.
As one said of philosophy, I may much more say of religion, that
though an orator's excellency appeareth only in speaking, yet the
philosopher's (and the christian's) appeareth as much in silence.
6. Where there is much idle talk, there will be much sinful talk.
Prov. x. 19, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he
that refraineth his lips is wise." There are lies, or backbitings, or
meddling with other folks' matters, or scurrilous jests, if not many
such sins that go along with a course of idle talk: it is the vehicle
in which the devil giveth his most poisonous draughts. Saith Lipsius,
It is given to praters, _non multa tantum sed male_; to speak ill, as
well as to speak much.
7. Vain words hinder your own edification. Who knoweth if you would
hold your tongues, but some one would speak wiselier, that might do
you good?[536]
8. And you weary the hearers (unless they are strangely patient) when
you intend to please them (or else you might as well talk all that by
yourself). It is scarce manners for them, unless you be much their
inferiors, to tell you they are weary to hear you, and to entreat you
to hold your tongues; but you little know how oft they think so: I
judge of others by myself; I fly from a talkative person, as from a
bed that hath fleas or lice: I would shut my doors against them, as I
stop my windows against the wind and cold in winter. How glad am I
when they have done, and gladder when they are gone! Make not
yourselves a burden to your company or friends, by the troublesome
noise of an unwearied tongue.
9. Many words are the common causers of contention. Some word or other
will fall that offendeth those that hear it; or else will be carried
to those that are absent, and made the occasion of heart-burnings,
rehearsals, brawls, or law-suits. There is no keeping quietness,
peace, and love, with talkative prattlers; at least not long.
10. Are you not sensible what pride and impudency is in it, when you
think yourselves worthiest to speak? As if you should say, You are all
children to me; hold your tongues, and hear me speak! If you had
christian humility, and modesty, you would in honour prefer others
before yourselves, Rom. xii.
10. You would think yourselves unworthiest to speak, (unless the
contrary be very evident,) and desire rather to hear and learn. As
Heraclitus being asked, Why he alone was silent in the company,
answered, That you may talk; so when you talk above your parts, it is
as if you told the company, I talk that all you may be silent.
11. It is a voluntary sin and not repented of. For you may easily
forbear it if you will; and you wilfully continue in it; and therefore
impenitency is your danger.
12. Lastly, consider how unprofitable a sin it is; and how little you
have to hire you to commit it. What get you by it? Will you daily sin
against God for nothing?
_Direct._ IV. If you would not be idle talkers, see that your hearts
be taken up with something that is good; and that your tongues be
acquainted with and accustomed to their proper work and duty.[537] An
empty head and heart are the causes of empty, frothy, vain discourse.
Conscience may tell you when your tongues run upon vanity, that at
that time there is no sense of sin or duty, or the presence of God
upon your hearts; no holy love; no zeal for God: but you are asleep to
God and all that is good; and in this sleep you moither and talk idly
of any thing that cometh into your mind. Also you make not conscience
of speaking of that which is good, or else it would keep out vanity
and evil. Remember what abundance of greater matters you have to talk
of! You have the evil of sin, the multitude and subtilty of
temptations, and the way of resisting them, to talk of; you have your
faults to lament, your evidences to inquire after, your mercies
thankfully to open, the greatness and goodness, and all the attributes
of God to praise; you have all the works of God to admire, even all
the creatures in the world to contemplate, and all God's admirable
providences and government to observe; you have the mystery of
redemption, the person, and office, and life, and miracles, and
sufferings, and glory, and intercession, and reign of Christ to talk
of; and all the secret sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost; and
all the ordinances of God, and all the means of grace, and all our
duties to God and man, and all the holy Scripture; besides death and
judgment, and heaven and hell, and the concernments of the church of
God, and the case of the persons you speak to, who may need your
instruction, exhortation, admonition, reproof, or comfort: and is not
here work enough to employ your tongues, and keep them from idle
talk?[538] Make conscience of those duties commanded, Eph. iv. 29,
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying, and may minister grace to the
hearers: and grieve not the holy Spirit of God." Eph. v. 18, 19, "Be
not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; giving thanks
always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. iv. 11, "If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God."[539] Sinful omission of good discourse, is the cause
of sinful commission of vanity. Specially when the heart itself is
vain; for as a man is, so is he apt to speak. 1 John iv. 5, "They are
of the world, therefore speak they of the world." Isa. xxxii. 6, "For
the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity,
to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord."
_Direct._ V. Walk always with God, as in his presence, and in the awe
of his laws and judgment, that conscience may be kept awake and
tender.[540] You will be restrained from vain talk, if you perceive
that God is hearing you, and if you remember that your tongue is under
a law, and that "for every idle word men shall give account, in the
day of judgment," Matt. xii. 36, 37, and that by your "words you shall
be justified, or condemned." If the law of God were in your hearts,
Psal. xl. 8, and hidden there, Psal. cxix. 11, your heart would be
fixed, Psal. lvii. 7. His word then would be the rejoicing of your
heart, Psal. cxix. 111; and your tongues would then be talking of
judgment, Psal. xxxvii. 30. A tender conscience will smart more with
an idle word, than a seared, senseless conscience with an oath, or
lie, or slander. For the fear of God is clean, Psal. xix. 9, and by it
men depart from evil, Prov. xvi. 6. "Be thou therefore in the fear of
the Lord all the day long," Prov. xxiii. 17.
_Direct._ VI. Avoid idleness, if you would avoid idle talk.[541] The
drones of the commonwealth that have nothing else to do, but visit, and
compliment, and prate of other men's matters, and that can have while to
sit whole hours together, upon no business, are they that are most
guilty of idle chat. Idle gentlemen, and beggars, and idle gossiping
women, and old men that are void of the fear of God, and children that
have no business to do, are they that can sit talking away their time to
as little purpose, as if they had been all the time asleep. All idle
persons swarm with the vermin of idle thoughts and words.
_Direct._ VII. If you would avoid idle talk, avoid idle, talkative
companions: or if you cannot avoid them, answer them not, but let them
talk alone, unless it be to reprehend them, or turn them to more
profitable talk.[542] For when you hear vanity, it will incline you to
speak vanity: and these ungodly persons "speak every one vanity to his
neighbour," as if their tongues were so their own, that no lord might
control them, Psal. xii. 1-6. The philosopher could say, That which
you would not hear, do not speak; and that which you would not speak,
do not hear. Most are like parrots, that will oftest speak the words
which they oftest hear. How hard is it to avoid idle talk amongst idle
talkers! One vain word draws on another, and there is no end.
_Direct._ VIII. Avoid vain works, if you would avoid vain words. For a
man that engageth himself in vain employment, doth lose all the words
as vain, which he useth about that employment. What a life then do
they live, that have an unlawful calling! When their very business and
trade is sin, the adjuncts, the words about it, must be sin, and so
all their lives are a continued sin. I had rather therefore be the
basest drudge, than one of these men. Especially stage-players should
think of this: and those that spend whole hours, yea, half-days, if
not nights, in gaming, or vain and sinful sports: what abundance of
idle words do they use about them! every cast of the dice, and every
card they play, hath an idle word; so that a sober man would be weary
and ashamed to hear them.
_Direct._ IX. Plunge not yourselves into excess of worldly business,
as some do, that undertake more without necessity, than they can
discharge: for such necessitate a variety of thoughts and words. And
all that are spent in serving them in those their vain employments,
are vain; though the work for the matter of it be not vain.
_Direct._ X. Let not a vicious mind make that seem necessary or
convenient which is vain. Carnal hearts that are acquainted with no
better things, think nothing vain that pleaseth their sensual
inclinations, or which their carnal interest doth require. A man-pleaser
thinketh civility obligeth him to observe his unnecessary visits and
compliments, and to answer idle talkers, and not sit silent by them, nor
contradict them: and so it must be a point of good manners to break the
law of God: and as they think it uncivil not to pledge every drinker in
his healths, so not to answer every twattler in his talk.
_Direct._ XI. Take heed of a proud, self-conceited mind, that thinks too
well of your own discourse. Get but humility, and you will rather choose
to hear than to speak. But when all your fancies and impertinencies seem
some excellent matters to you, then you are with child till you are
delivered of them, and then all must reverence and silently attend your
pride and folly; or be taken as neglecters of you for disregarding it.
_Direct._ XII. Avoid passion and passionate companions: for passion is
talkative, and will not be checked, but resisteth the restraint of
reason, and multiplieth words that are worse than vain.[543]
_Direct._ XIII. Take heed of an inordinate jesting vein:[544] for it
habituateth the mind to foolish levity, and knows no bounds, and breeds
idle words, as thick as putrified flesh breeds vermin: and it is the
greater sin, because it is ordinary, and with a certain pleasure and
pride, and glorying in vanity, and sinful levity and folly.
_Direct._ XIV. Understand particularly what service you have to do for
God or men, in every company you come in, and so fit your words to the
present duty and company.[545] For those words are vain and
inconvenient in one company, that are necessary or convenient in
another. If you be to converse with the ignorant and ungodly, turn
your discourse into a compassionate way of instruction or exhortation.
If with men wiser and better than yourselves, inquire and learn of
them, and draw that from them which may edify you.
_Direct._ XV. Affect not an unnecessary curiosity of speech, but take
those for the fittest words, which are suited to the matter, and to thy
heart, and to the hearers.[546] Otherwise your speech will be studiedly
and affectedly vain; and you will glory in that as elegant, which is
your shame. Hypocritical words that come not from the heart, are dead
and corrupt, and are but the image of true speech, as wanting that
verity and significancy of the mind which is their life. Words are like
laws, that are valued by the authority, and matter, and end, more than
by the curiosity and elegancy; or like money, that is valued by the
authority, metal, and weight, and not by the curiosity of its sculpture,
imagery, or matter. All that is counterfeit, though curious, is vain.
_Direct._ XVI. Suppose you had written down the idle words of a day,
(your own or any other prattlers,) and read them over all at night!
Would you not be ashamed of such a volume of vanity and confusion? Oh
what a book it would be, that one should thus write from the mouth of
idle talkers! What a shame would it be to human nature! It would tempt
some to question, whether man be a reasonable creature, or whether all
be so, at least? Remember then, that all is recorded by God and
conscience; and all this hodgepodge of vanity must be reviewed and
answered for.
The rest that is necessary for direction against idle words, you may
find chap. v. part ii. in the government of the thoughts, and in my book
of "Self-denial." In a word, (for I must not commit the fault which I am
reproving,) account not a course of idle talk for a small sin. Never
suffer so loose and slippery a member as your tongue to be unguarded;
and never speak that, of which you dare not say, as Psal. xix. 14, "Let
the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be now and
always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
[Sidenote: Who should be most watchful here.]
But especially, above others, these persons should watch against vain
words: 1. Preachers, who are doubly sanctified persons, and whose
tongues being consecrated to God, must not be sacrilegiously alienated
to vanity: which is worse than sacrilegious alienation of the places, or
utensils, or revenues of the church. Hate it therefore more than these.
2. Ancient people, whose words should be grave and wise, and full of
instruction to suppress the levity of youth; childhood and youth is
vanity; but age should not be so.[547]
3. Parents and masters, who should be examples of gravity and
staidness to their families; and by their reproofs and chastisements
should repress such faults in their inferiors.
4. Those that are better qualified than others, with knowledge and
utterance, to use their tongues to edification. Vain speech is a
double sin in them.
5. Those that are noted for persons of holiness and religion: for it is
supposed, that they pray and speak much against idle talk, and therefore
must not themselves be guilty of it. "If any man among you seem to be
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain," James i. 26. (See my sermon on that text.)
6. Those that are ignorant, and need much the edifying speech of others.
7. Those that live among wise and holy persons, by whom they may be
much edified.
8. Those that are among twattlers, where they know they have more need
to watch their tongues, than their purses among cut-purses.
9. Those (women especially) that are naturally addicted to over-much
talk, who therefore should be the more watchful, as knowing their
disease and danger.
10. Both empty and angry persons, who carry a continual temptation
about them. All these should be specially watchful against idle talk.
And for the time, 1. Specially when they are among those that may
receive most hurt by it. 2. And when you are going to holy duty, or
newly come from it, &c.
_Tit._ 5. _Special Directions against Filthy, Ribald,
Scurrilous Talk._
_Direct._ I. The chief direction against this filthy sin, is general;
to get out of a graceless state, and get a heart that feareth God, and
then you dare not be guilty of such impudency: God is not so despised
by those that fear him.
_Direct._ II. Cease not your holy communion with God in his worship,
especially in secret, and be not strange to him, and seldom with him.
And then you dare not so pollute those lips, that use to speak seriously
to God. What! talk of lust and filthiness with that tongue, that spake
but even now to the most holy God! God's name and presence will awe you,
and cleanse you, and show you that his temple should not be so defiled,
and that he hath not called you to uncleanness but to holiness; and that
a filthy tongue is unsuitable to the holy praise of God: but while the
rest of your life is nothing but a serving the devil and the flesh, no
wonder if ribaldry seem a fit language for you.
_Direct._ III. Cleanse your hearts of vanity and filthiness; and then
your tongues will be more clean. It is a vain or unchaste heart that
makes an unchaste tongue.
_Direct._ IV. Remember what a shame it is to open and proclaim that
filthiness of thy heart which thou mightest have concealed. Christ
telleth us how to expound thy words, that out of the abundance of thy
heart thy mouth speaketh, Luke vi. 45. And what needest thou tell
people that it is the rutting-moon with thee? and that lust and
filthiness are the inhabitants of thy mind? If thou be not so far past
all shame as to commit fornication in the open streets, why wilt thou
there talk of it?
_Direct._ V. Remember that filthy talk is but the approach to filthy
acts. It is but thy breaking the shell of modesty, that thou mayst eat
the kernel of the vomiting nut. This is the tendency of it, whether
thou intend it or not. Canst thou be offended with him, that believeth
thou dost that villany in secret, which thou talkest of openly? or
that taketh thee to be preparing thyself for a whore? If the deed be
bad, thy making a jest of it cannot be good.
_Direct._ VI. Remember that thou biddest defiance to godliness and
honesty: "corrupt communication" grieveth the Spirit of God, Eph. iv.
29, 30; v. 4. Canst thou expect that the Holy Ghost should dwell and
work in so filthy a room, and with such filthy company? Darest thou go
pray or read the Scripture, or speak of any holy thing, with those
lips that talk of filthy ribaldry? Dost thou find thyself fit to go to
prayer after such discourse? Or rather, dost thou not allow all that
hear thee to think, that thou renouncest God and godliness, and never
usest any serious worship of God at all? And if thou do pretend to
worship him with that filthy tongue, what canst thou expect in answer
to thy prayers, but a vengeance worse than Nadab and Abihu's, Lev. x.
1-3. "Shall sweet water and bitter come from the same fountain?" James
iii. 11. Dost thou bless God, and talk filthily with the same tongue?
and think he will not be avenged on thy hypocrisy?
_Direct._ VII. Consider how thou biddest defiance also to common
civility. Thou dost that which civil heathens would be ashamed of; as
if thou hadst a design to reduce England to the customs of cannibals
and savages in America, that go naked, and are past shame.
_Direct._ VIII. Observe what service thou dost the devil, for the
corrupting of others;[548] as if he had hired thee to be a tutor in
his academy, or one of his preachers, to draw the minds of the hearers
from modesty, and prepare them for the stews. Especially people can
scarce have more dangerous wildfire cast into their fantasies, than by
hearing rotten, filthy talk. And wilt thou be one of Venus's priests?
_Direct._ IX. Remember how little need there is of thy endeavour. Are
not lust and filthiness so natural, and the minds of all unsanctified
and uncleansed ones so prone to it, that they need no tutor, nor
instigator, nor pander to their lusts? This fire is easily kindled; the
bellows of thy scurrility are needless to make such gunpowder burn.
_Direct._ X. Presently lament before God and man the filthiness that
thy tongue hath been guilty of, and wash heart and tongue in the blood
of Christ; and fly from the company and converse of the obscene, as
thou wouldst do from a pest-house, or any infectious, pestilential
air. And if thou hear such rotten talk, reprove it, or be gone, and
let them see that thou hatest it, and fearest God.
_Object._ But, saith the filthy mouth, I think no harm; may we not
jest and be merry?
_Answ._ What! hast thou nothing to jest with but dung, and filth, and
sin, and the defilement of souls, and the offending of God? Wouldst
thou be unclean before the king, or cast dung in men's faces, and say,
I think no harm, but am in jest?
_Object._ But, saith he, those that are so demure, are as bad in
secret, and worse than we.
_Answ._ What! is a chaste tongue a sign of an unchaste life? Then thou
mayst as equally take a meek and quiet tongue to be a sign of an angry
man; or a lying tongue to be a sign of a true man. Would the king take
that excuse from thee, if thou talk treason openly, and say, Those
that do not, are yet in secret as bad as I? I trow he would not take
that for an excuse.
_Tit._ 6. _Directions against profane Deriding, Scorning,
or Opposing Godliness._
[Sidenote: The explication.]
To prevent the replies or excuses of the scorner, I must here tell
you, 1. That by godliness I mean nothing but an entire devotedness to
God and living to him: the doctrine and practice which are agreeable
to the holy Scripture. I mean no fancies of mistaken men, nor the
private opinions of any sect; but the practice of Christianity itself.
2. And yet I must tell you, that it is the common practice of these
scorners to fasten more upon the concrete, than the abstract, the
person, than the bare doctrine, and to oppose godly persons as such,
when yet they say that they oppose not godliness. The reasons of this
are these: (1.) Because they dare be bolder with the person, than with
the rule and doctrine of God himself. If they scorn at the Bible, or
at godliness directly, as such, they should so openly scorn at God
himself, that the world would cry shame on them, and conscience would
worry them: but as godliness is in such a neighbour, or such a
preacher, or such a man, so they think they may reverence it less, and
that what they do is against the person and not the thing.
(2.) In men they have something else to pretend, to be the matter of
their scorn. Godliness in men is latent, invisible, unprovable as to
the sincerity of it, and obscure as to the exercise. If he that
scorneth a godly man say, He is not godly, but a hypocrite; in this
world there is no perfect justification to be had against such a
calumny; but the probable evidence of profession and a godly life is
all that can be brought. But godliness, as it is in the Scripture,
lieth open to the view of all, and cannot be denied there, but by
denying the Scriptures themselves.
(3.) Godliness as in the rule of holy Scripture is perfect, without any
blemish that may give a scorner a pretence; but godliness in men is very
imperfect, and mixed with sins, with faults which the world may oft
discern, and the godly themselves are forwardest to confess; and
therefore in them a scorner may find some plausible pretence. And when
he derideth these professors of godliness as being all hypocrites, he
will not instance in their virtues, but in their faults; as in Noah's
drunkenness, and Lot's incest, and David's adultery and murder, and
Peter's denying Christ; yet so as the dart shall be cast at piety
itself; and the conclusion shall not be, to drive men from drunkenness,
adultery, or any sin, but from serious godliness itself.
(4.) Godliness as in the rule, is to them a more unobserved dormant
thing, and doth not so much annoy them; for they can shut their
Bibles, or make nothing of it, but as a few good words; but godliness
in the godly, existent in their teachers and neighbours, is more
discernible to them, and more active, and more troublesome to them,
and so more hated by them. In a dead letter, or dead saint, that
troubleth them not, they can commend it; but in the living they are
molested by it; and the nearer it is to them, the more they are
exasperated against it. The word is the seed of godliness; which least
offendeth them, till it spring up and bring forth the fruit which
condemneth their wicked lives.
3. And as opposers and scorners do usually strike at godliness through
the person and his faults, so they use to strike at the particular
parts of God's worship, through some modes or circumstances, or
imperfections of men in the performance. It is not preaching or
praying that they scorn, if you believe them, but this or that manner
or imperfection in preaching and praying. But the drift of all is,
not to help any man to do it better, but to make them odious that are
most serious in doing it at all, and thereby to persuade men that it
is a needless thing.[549]
4. Note also, that it is not the image or dead part of religion that
these men are most offended at and oppose; but it is the life, and
zeal, and diligence of the godly. So that if they differ not from
themselves in profession about any doctrine or ceremony, yet they hate
and scorn them for doing seriously the same which themselves
hypocritically profess.
5. Lastly, note also, that this is not a difference of one sect, or
party, or church against another, upon differing opinions; but it is
that which is among all parties within themselves, when there is any
thing of serious religion to be found. Even among the papists there
are some spiritual, serious, holy persons, who are derided and opposed
by the profane that are of their own church. Yea, among the heathens,
Seneca and others tell us, that strictness in moral virtue was made
the scorn of the rude and sensual sort of men. But though the quarrel
be but that which was taken up from the beginning between the woman's
and the serpent's seed, yet in all countries where church differences
cause contention, this serpentine enmity doth with serpentine subtilty
creep in and make advantage of them, and take up the nick-names, or
sharper weapons, which differing christians form against each other,
to strike at the heart of Christianity itself.[550]
_Direct._ I. For the cure of those that are already infected with so
heinous a sin, the chief direction is, to understand the greatness of
it, and the miserable consequents: as followeth.
1. Consider what it is that thou deridest. Dost thou know against what
thou openest thy mouth? 1. Thou deridest or opposest men for loving
God with all their heart, and soul, and might: and dost thou not
confess that this is the duty of all men living? and that he is not
worthy to be called a christian that loveth not God above all? Thou
canst not deny this. And yet wilt thou oppose it? Deny it not; for
this is the very thing that thou opposest; either men's loving God, or
showing their love to him. If thou didst but love him as much as they,
thou wouldst seek and serve him as diligently as they. Dost thou not
know this thyself, that if thou didst love him with all thy heart, and
soul, and strength, thou wouldst seek, and serve, and obey him with
all thy heart, and soul, and strength? If the godly do more than this,
deride them and spare not. If they love God, and serve him with more
than all the heart, and soul, and might, then call them righteous
over-much. If thou know any one that loveth God or serveth him more
than he deserveth, blame and oppose that man and spare not. Thou
knowest that what thou lovest most, thou art diligent thyself in
seeking and remembering. Thou labourest for money because thou lovest
it: and they labour in seeking and serving God because they love him:
and is it a work for any but a devil, to oppose or scorn men for; for
loving or showing their love to God?
2. Thou deridest men for delighting in that which is most delectable:
for delighting in high and heavenly knowledge, and in a holy state of
soul and life; and for delighting in the law of God, and meditating in
it day and night, Psal. i. 2; and for delighting in holy prayer, and
the praises of their Maker; and for delighting in the forethoughts and
mention of eternal joys, and making their calling and election sure.
What is it but the exercise of these holy desires and delights which
thou deridest? And wouldst thou not be as serious in religion and
holiness as they, if thou hadst as much of these delights as they?
Canst thou sit at thy pots, or follow thy game or sports, or talk of
vanity many hours together, because thou delightest in them? and yet
dost thou deride those that pray or hear God's word opened to them
many hours, because it is their delight? O poor souls! how quickly and
how terribly will God acquaint thee, whether their delights or thine
were the more rational and just! and whether their work or thine was
fitter to be derided!
3. Thou scornest men for paying but what they owe to the God that
created and redeemed them. Are they not his own? and did he not give
them all their parts and powers? and are not all their abilities and
possessions his? What have they which they received not of him? And is
this thy justice and honesty, to deride men for offering to pay their
debts, and to give God his own? If thou know any one that giveth him
more than he oweth him, deride that superstitious, over-righteous man,
and spare not. But if men should not be derided for paying their debts
to thee, deride not men for paying their debt to God, and giving him
that which is his own. As we must give to Cæsar that which is Cæsar's,
so we must give that to God also which is God's.
4. Thou deridest servants for obeying diligently their highest Master;
and for doing diligently the greatest, best, and needfullest work in
all the world. And is this a good example for thy own servants? Sure
if a man should be mocked for serving God, he should be mocked more
for serving such a one as thee. Dost thou know where we may find a
better master, whom we may serve with better encouragement than God?
He hath made us his stewards, and trusted us with his goods, and dost
thou scorn us for being faithful in our stewardship? Thou deridest his
subjects for obeying the King of all the world; and is this a good
example to the king's subjects? should it be a matter of scorn to obey
the king? or dost thou think that God's authority is less? or
obedience to him less commendable?
5. Nay, thou deridest men for doing but some part of their duty, and
discharging but a little of their debt. For the holiest man whom thou
deridest for doing too much, doth less than what he ought to do. Thou
knowest that the best of men do love God and serve him less than he
deserveth; and that the carefullest come short of the perfect keeping
of his laws; and yet wilt thou scorn men for doing so much, when they
know, and thou confessest, that they do too little? Could they do all,
they did but their duty, Luke xvii. 10.
6. Thou scornest men because they will not set up themselves, their own
wit, and will, against their Maker. God hath commanded them to "give all
diligence to make their calling and election sure," 2 Pet. i. 10; and to
"strive to enter in at the strait gate," Matt. vii. 13; and "day and
night to meditate in his law," Psal. i. 2; and to love him with all
their heart and might; and to "pray continually," 1 Thess. v. 17. And
thou deridest men for obeying these commands! Why, what wouldst thou
have us do, man? should we tell God that we are wiser than he? and that
he shall not have his will, but we will have our own? and that we know a
better way than he hath appointed us? and that he is mistaken, and would
deceive us by his laws? Wouldst thou have men thus to be voluntarily
mad, and profess themselves open rebels against God?
7. Thou scornest men because they trust him that is truth and goodness
itself. We cannot imagine that he can deceive us by his word, or that
he maketh any law for us that is not good, or requireth any duty of us
that shall be to our hurt, or that we shall be losers by.[551] And
therefore we resolve to obey him as carefully as we can, because we
are confident that goodness itself will not abuse us, and truth itself
will not deceive us: and is this a matter to be scorned for? should
not children trust their father?
8. Thou deridest men for not sinning against their certain knowledge
and experience. They know that a holy life is best, though thou dost
not; they know the reasonableness of it; they know the sweetness of
it; they know the necessity of it.[552] And must they renounce their
own understandings? must they be ignorant because thou art ignorant?
and put out their eyes because thou art blind? Is it a crime for men
to be wiser than thou? and that in the matters of God and their
salvation? They have tried what a holy life is, and so hast not thou.
They have tried what a life of faith and obedience is: and must they
renounce their own experience? Must they that have tasted it say honey
is bitter, because thou that never didst taste it sayest so? Alas,
what unreasonable men have we to deal with!
9. Thou opposest and scornest men for loving themselves; yea, for
loving their soul, and taking care of its health and welfare. For how
can a man truly love himself, and not love his soul which is himself?
And how can a man love his soul, and not prefer it before the low
concernments of his flesh? and not take the greatest care of its
greatest everlasting happiness? Can a man truly love himself, and yet
damn himself, or lose the little time in which he must, if ever, work
out his salvation? You will not scorn him that is careful of your
children, or your very cattle? You love them, and therefore are
careful of them yourselves. And shall not he that loveth his soul be
careful of it? To love ourselves is natural to us as men: and how
shall he love his neighbour that loveth not himself?
10. Thou scornest men because they love heaven above earth, and
because they are desirous to live for ever with God and all the holy
hosts of heaven. For what is it that these men do so diligently, but
seek to be saved? What do they but "seek first the kingdom of God, and
his righteousness?" "and labour for the meat" that perisheth not, John
vi. 27; and lay up their "treasure in heaven," Matt. vi. 20; and set
their "hearts there," ver. 21; "and seek the things that are above,
and have their conversation in heaven," Col. iii. 1-3; Phil. iii. 19,
20. And if it be so scornful a matter to seek for heaven, sure thou
never thinkest of coming to heaven thyself; unless thou think to come
thither by scorning at the seekers of it.
11. Thou deridest men because they are unwilling to be damned, and
unwilling to do that which they know would damn them; or to neglect
that without which there is no hope of escaping hell. They believe the
threatenings of God, and therefore they think no pains too great to
escape his wrath. They think a holy life is both a necessary and an
easy way to prevent everlasting torment: but if thou think otherwise,
keep thy opinion till grace or hell shall make thee wiser; and mock
not at a man that will not play with his own damnation, and leap into
hell as desperately as thyself.
12. Thou deridest men because they will not be the voluntary destroyers
of themselves. Were it not enough for thee to betray them unto others?
or to murder any of thy neighbours thyself? but thou must wish them to
do it with their own hands, and deride them if they will not? O cruel
monster! that wouldst wish a man to lie in the fire of hell for
evermore! and to go thither wilfully of his own accord! which is ten
thousand times worse than to wish him to cut his own throat. Dost thou
say, God forbid! I desire no such thing. Why, man, dost thou do thou
knowest not what? Doth not he tempt a man to be hanged, that tempteth
him to kill and steal? When the righteous God hath unchangeably
determined in his law, that "without holiness none shall see God, and
that Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that
obey not his gospel, and that all they shall be damned that obey not the
truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness;"[553] when God hath
resolved that hell shall be the wages of ungodliness, dost thou not
desire them to damn themselves, when thou desirest them to be ungodly?
If thou believe that there is any hell at all, then tell me what it is
possible for any man to do, to murder his soul and damn himself, but
only to be ungodly? If this way do it not, there is no danger of any
other. Tell me, dost thou think the devil deserveth to be called a
murderer of souls? If not, it seems thou wilt openly take the devil's
part; but if he do deserve it, then the reason of all the world be
judge, whether that man deserve it not much more, that will do much more
against himself, than the devil ever did or can do? The devil can but
tempt, but thou wouldst have men do the thing that he tempts them to,
and actually to sin, and neglect a holy life. And which is the worse, he
that doth the evil, or he that only persuadeth them to it? If the devil
be called, "Our adversary, that like a roaring lion goeth about night
and day seeking whom he may devour," 1 Pet. v. 8, what should that man
be called that doth far more against himself, than all the devils in
hell do against him? Sure he is a devourer or destroyer of himself. Tell
me, thou distracted scorner! is the devil's work, thinkest thou, good or
bad? If it be good, take thy part of it, and boast of it when thou seest
the end. If it be bad, (to deceive souls and entice them to sin and
hell,) why wouldst thou have men do worse by themselves? He that sinneth
doth worse than he that tempteth. Tell me, what way doth the devil take
to do men hurt, and damn their souls, but only by drawing them to sin?
He hath no other way in the world to undo any man, but by tempting him
to that which thou temptest men to; even to sin against God and to
neglect a holy life. So that it is plain that thou scornest and opposest
men because they will not be worse than devils to themselves.
13. Moreover thou opposest men for not forsaking God! What is it to
forsake God, but to refuse to love, and honour, and obey him, as God?
He hath told us himself that "he that cometh to God must believe that
God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him,"
Heb. xi. 6. And is it not this diligent seeking him that thou
deridest? It is plain then that thou wouldst scorn men away from God,
and have them forsake him as thou hast done.
14. Thou scornest men for not being hypocrites; because they will be
that in good earnest which thou hypocritically callest thyself, and
wouldst be thought. Thou callest thyself a christian; and what is it
but for being serious christians that thou deridest them? Thou takest
on thee to believe in God; and what is it but for obeying and serving
God that thou deridest them? Thou takest on thee to believe the
Scripture to be the word of God; and what is it but for following the
holy Scriptures that thou deridest them? Thou sayest thou believest
the communion of saints; and deridest them that hold the communion of
saints in practice. Thou sayest thou believest that Christ shall judge
the world; and yet scornest them that are serious in preparing for his
judgment. Thou prayest that God's name may be hallowed, and his
kingdom come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven; and
yet thou deridest them that hallow his name, and are subjects of his
kingdom, and endeavour to do his will. O wretched hypocrite! And yet
that tongue of thine pretendeth that it is their hypocrisy for which
thou hatest and deridest them, when thou dost it because they be not
such blind and senseless hypocrites as thyself! Can there be grosser
hypocrisy in the world, than to hate and scorn the serious practice of
thy own profession? and the diligent living according to that which
thy own tongue professeth to believe? If thou say that it is for doing
too much, and being too strict, I answer thee, if it be not the will
of God that they do, though I would not deride them, I would seek to
change them as well as thou! But if it be the will of God, then tell
me, dost thou think they do more than those that are in heaven do? or
do they live more strictly than those in heaven? If they do, then
oppose them and spare not. If not, why prayest thou that God's will
may be done on earth as it is in heaven?
15. Thou deridest men for doing that which they were made for, and that
which they have their reason, and will, and all their faculties for;
take them off this, and they are good for nothing: a beast is good to
serve man, and the plants to feed him; but what is man good for, or what
was he made for, but to serve his Maker? And dost thou scorn him for
that which he came into the world for? Thou mayst as well hate a knife
because it can cut, or a scythe for mowing, or a clock for telling the
hour of the day, when it was made for nothing else.
16. Thou deridest men for being saved by Christ, and for imitating his
example. What came Christ for into the world but to "destroy the works
of the devil," 1 John iii. 8; and to "save his people from their sins,"
Matt. i. 21; and to "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself
a peculiar people zealous of good works?" Tit. ii. 42. And hath Christ,
to the astonishment of men and angels, come down into flesh, and lived
among men, and given them his holy doctrine and example, and suffered
death for them, and all this but to bring men to zealous purity, and
darest thou make a scorn of it after this? What is this but to scorn thy
Saviour, and scorn all the work of redemption, and tread under foot the
Son of God, and despise his blood, his life, and precepts?
17. Thou scornest men for being renewed and sanctified by the Holy
Ghost. What is the work of the Holy Ghost on us, but to sanctify us?
and what is it to sanctify us, but to cleanse us from sin, and cause
us entirely to devote our souls and lives to God? Dost thou believe in
the Holy Ghost, or not? If thou do, what is that but to believe in him
as the sanctifier of God's elect? And what didst thou take
sanctification to be, but this purity and holiness of heart and life?
and yet darest thou deride it?
18. Thou deridest men for imitating those ancient saints, whose names
thou seemest thyself to honour, and in honour of whom thou keepest
holidays. Thou takest on thee to honour the names of Peter, and Paul,
and Stephen, and John; of Augustine, Hierom, Chrysostom, and other
such saints of God; and yet wilt thou make a scorn of those that
strive to imitate them? Search and see; if any of these men did, after
their conversion, live in luxury, carding, dicing, profaneness, and if
any of them were against a holy life, against much praying, hearing,
reading the Scriptures, meditating, exact obedience to God; then let
not the shame be thine, but mine. He that is most unlike them, let him
have the scorn.
19. Thou deridest men for repenting of their former sin, and for
accepting that mercy which Christ hath purchased, and God hath offered
them, and sent his messengers to entreat them to accept. Can they repent
of their former ungodliness, and not turn from it and amend? If thou
knewest what they know, thou wouldst repent thyself, and not deride men
for repenting: if thou knewest the gift of God, thou wouldst beg it, and
gladly accept of it thyself, and not deride them that accept it.
20. Thou scornest men for keeping that covenant, which thou also
madest with God in thy baptism thyself. At the same time thou speakest
against the anabaptists, that will not have their children baptized,
and deridest those that keep their covenant, which in baptism they
made. What a monster of contradictions is an ungodly hypocrite! Didst
thou not in baptism renounce the flesh, the world, and the devil, and
give up thyself in covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
And dost thou not yet know what thou didst? but scorn them that
perform it? What is it to be given up to God in baptism, but to take
him for thy God, thy Saviour, and Sanctifier, whom thou must love, and
seek, and obey in holiness, with all thy heart, and soul, and might?
He is a covenant-breaker indeed, that hates the keeping of it.
I have hitherto been showing thee what it is that thou opposest and
deridest: I shall now tell thee further what thou dost, in showing
thee the aggravations of the sin, and its importance.
2. Consider in all this, what an open enemy thou art to God, and an
open soldier for the devil: what canst thou do more against God, and
do thy worst, than make a scorn of all his work and servants? He
feareth not thy power or rage; thou canst not hurt him. How many
millions of such worms as thou can he tread to hell, or destroy in a
moment! It is in his servants and service that he is honoured or
opposed here, and that mortals show their love or hatred to him. And
how canst thou devise, if thou wouldst do thy worst, to serve the
devil more notoriously, than by opposing and deriding the service of
God? If such be not Satan's servants, he hath none.
3. Consider what a terrible badge of misery thou carriest about thee!
thou bearest the mark of Satan, death, and hell in thy forehead, as it
were. If there were any doubt whether a swearer, or drunkard, or
fornicator may be in a state of grace, yet it is past all doubt that a
scorner of godliness is not: it were strange indeed for that man to be
holy that derideth holiness: there is scarce any sort of men in the
world, that are more undoubtedly in a state of damnation than thou
art. It is dark to us what God will do with infidels, and heathens
that never had the means of salvation; but what he will do with all
the unbelieving and ungodly that have had the means, we know past
doubt; much more what he will do with those, that are not only void of
holiness, but deride it. I deny not but yet if thou be converted thou
mayst be saved: and oh that God would "give thee repentance to the
acknowledging of the truth," that thou mightest escape out of the
devil's snares, who leads thee captive at his will, 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26.
It is written of Basil, that by his prayers he caused the devil to
give back a writing, by which a wretched man had sold his soul to him,
that he might enjoy his master's daughter; and that the man repented
and was delivered: if thou mayst be so recovered it will be a happy
day for thee. But till then it is as sure as the Scripture is sure,
that thou art a miserable creature, and an undone man if thou die in
that condition that thou art in. Oh with what fear shouldst thou rise
and lie down, if thou hadst thy wits about thee, lest thou shouldst
die before thou art converted.[554]
4. To scorn at holiness is a defiance of grace, as if thou didst
renounce God's mercy: thou dost thy worst to drive away all hope, and
make thy case uncurable and desperate. For if ever thou be saved, it
must be by this grace and holy life which thou deridest: and is
scorning grace the way to get it? And is it likely that the Holy Ghost
will come and dwell in the man that scorneth his sanctifying works?
5. To scorn at godliness, is a daring of God to give over his
patience, and presently to execute his vengeance on thee! Canst thou
wonder if he should make thee a monument of his justice, and set thee
up for all others to take warning by? Who is fitter for this, than the
scornful opposers of his grace and service? Hasten not vengeance, man;
it will come time enough. Will a worm defy the God of heaven?
6. How little dost thou understand of all that thou opposest! Didst thou
ever try a holy life? If thou hadst, thou wouldst not speak against it;
if thou hast not, art thou not ashamed to speak evil of that which thou
dost not understand? It is a thing that none can thoroughly know without
experience: try it awhile, and then speak thy mind.
7. Didst thou ever consider how many judgments are against thee, and
whom thou dost contradict and scorn? (1.) If thou scorn at serious
godliness, at preaching, hearing, reading, praying, meditating, and
strict avoiding sin, thou contradictest God himself; for none in all
the world is so holy, or so much for holiness, as he: and therefore
ultimately, it is him that all thy malice is against; even God the
Father, and the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. (2.) Thou settest
thyself against all the evidence of Scripture; (3.) And against all
the works of God: for all conspire to call the world to holiness and
strict obedience to God. (4.) And thou contradictest all the prophets
and apostles, and all the ancient fathers of the church; and all the
martyrs and saints of God that were ever in the world; and all the
learned faithful ministers and pastors of the church that are or have
been; and all the godly throughout the world; and all that ever had
experience of a holy life: and what art thou, that thou shouldst scorn
all these? Art thou wiser than all the ministers and godly persons in
the world? than all the apostles and holy martyrs of Christ, that ever
were? yea, than God himself?
8. Didst thou ever mark how unlike the speech of Christ and his
apostles was to thine? Did they deride men for being too diligent, for
the pleasing of God and saving of their souls? Read but these places
following and judge: Matt. v. 8, 11, 20; vi. 21, 33; vii. 13, 14; 1
Pet. iv. 18; 2 Pet. iii. 11; i. 10; Heb. xi. 6; Matt. v.; Rom. viii.
1, 5-9, 13; Phil. iii. 18, 19; Heb. xii. 28, 29.
9. Dost thou not thyself do as much for the world, as those that thou
opposest do for heaven? Art thou offended that they preach and pray so
long? Art not thou longer about thy worldly business? And are not
gallants longer at a feast, or visit, or games and recreations? Art
thou offended that they talk so much of heaven? And dost not thou talk
more of earth? And which of these dost thou think in thy conscience,
doth better deserve to be sought and talked of? Which will prove
better at the last? And whose labour will be more worthy of derision?
10. What gain would it be to thee if thou hadst thy will, and praying,
and preaching, and holiness were as much banished from the world as
thou wouldst have it? and if men to please thee should displease God,
and cast away their souls for ever? Would it do thee good for earth to
be so like to hell? It is the grief of godly men already, to think how
little holiness is in the world: there is scarce a sadder thought that
ever came into my heart, than to survey all the nations of the earth;
and to think how ignorance and ungodliness abound, and how few there
be that are truly holy; and what an inhuman creature is that who yet
would have them fewer; and scorn out of the world the little wisdom
and piety that is left![555]
And would it be any pleasure to thee in hell, if men should accompany
thee thither to humour thee? Nay, it would be thy everlasting torment,
to see there so many for ever undone, by hearkening to thy wicked
counsel. Say not, that thou art not so cruel, and it is not their
damnation that thou desirest: no more is it thy own that thou
desirest; but all is one as to the effect, if thou desire the way to
it. Thou mayst as well give one man poison, and deride at another for
eating and drinking, and yet say, it is not your death that I desire.
But die they must, if they are ruled by thee.
11. Were not he a cruel man that would not do as much for the saving
of his neighbour's soul, as that which thou deridest them for in the
saving of their own? If thou wert sick, should I refuse to pray for
thy life? Or if I knew that it might save another's soul, should I
think any means or pains too much? If not, methinks I may be allowed
to do as much for myself, as charity bids me do for another.
12. Is it a season to mock at holiness, when at the same time there are
so many millions of souls in heaven that all came thither by the way of
holiness? and so many millions of souls in hell that all came thither
for want of holiness? and while thou art prating against it, they are
crying out in despair of the folly of their neglecting it? Would one of
the souls in heaven regard thy mocks if he were to live on earth again?
Or would one of the souls in hell be mocked thither, if they were but
tried with another life? If thou sawest at this hour, what unholy souls
in hell are suffering, and what holy souls in heaven enjoy, wouldst thou
ever mock again at holiness? For shame consider what thou dost; and see
by faith the things that mortal eyes behold not.
13. What if men should yield unto thy derisions, and forsake a holy
life to please thee? Wouldst thou undertake to justify them or be
answerable for them before that God, that required holiness, and will
condemn all the unholy? Wouldst thou bring them off, and save them
from damnation? Alas! poor soul, how unable wilt thou be to save
thyself! And wilt thou take them for wise men, if they displease the
Lord, and go to hell to humour such a one as thou?
14. Thou wilt not thyself be mocked out of thy house, or land, or right,
nor from thy meat, or drink, or rest: wouldst thou cast these away, if
another should mock but thee for using them? I think thou wouldst not.
And wouldst thou have wise men be mocked out of their salvation?
15. Thou wouldst not think it reasonable that thy children or servants
be derided for loving or obeying thee? or thy very horse dispraised
for serving thee? And do they owe thee more, than we all owe God?
16. God highly honoureth them and dearly loveth them, for that very
thing that thou hatest and deridest them for. John xvi. 27, and xiv.
21, "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father: and I
will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Psal. xi. 7, "The
righteous Lord loveth righteousness: his countenance doth behold the
upright." Psal. cxlvi. 8, "The Lord loveth the righteous." 2 Cor. vi.
16-19, "For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and
they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons
and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." And darest thou scorn the
sons and daughters of the Almighty? even for that very thing for which
he hath promised to receive them, and to be a Father to them? How
contrary then art thou to God! Mal. iii. 16-18, "A book of remembrance
was written for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name;
and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels: and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him:" and darest thou scorn God's jewels, and those that
are thus precious to him? "For them that honour me I will honour, and
they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. And
wilt thou be one of his despisers, opposing that in others, for which
God himself hath promised to honour them?
17. To hate and scorn at holiness, is to hate and scorn at God's own
image; and the clearest image of God that is under heaven; even that
which Christ came down from heaven to give us the first draught of;
even that copy of the holy life of Christ, which by the Spirit of God
is drawn upon the heart.[556] And he that scorneth at this image of
God, doth scorn at the Holy Ghost that made it, and scorn at Christ
who gave us the first pattern, and scorn at God himself whose image it
is. Saith Chrysostom, God is loved and hated in his servants, as a
king is honoured or despised in his image. And he that dare scorn God,
and scorn Jesus Christ, and scorn the Holy Ghost, in the image of God
upon his children, methinks should never have the face once to expect
to be saved by the God that he doth scorn.
18. Thou art the shame of human nature; and makest man so like a
devil, that it is hard to prove that the devils can do much worse than
thou.[557] Can there be a greater sin, than for a creature to scorn
and deride the image and laws of his Creator? and hate and oppose, or
persecute men for obeying him, and seeking to please him, and to save
their souls? What couldst thou do worse if thou wouldst study to be as
bad as thou canst? What a shame it is to thy understanding to be so
blind! and to thy heart to be so wicked! It were not half so great a
shame to scorn the sun for shining, or the earth for bearing fruit;
for though these are God's creatures, yet they bear not the image of
his holiness as his children do. When he will condemn men at last it
will be upon this account. Matt. xxv. 40, 45, "Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as you did it not (or did it) to one of the least of these
(my brethren) ye did it not (or did it) unto me." Oh wonderful, that
the nature of man can ever come to this, to hate, and oppose, and
scorn the image and obedience of his Maker, and make a mock of the
holiness of God! It is a great question whether the very tempting men
to such sins as these be not the devil's greatest sin: and to commit
it is worse than to tempt thee to commit it (_cæteris paribus_). And
for a man that hath a Saviour offered him, thus to scorn his Saviour's
grace, and mock his servants, must needs be far worse than for the
devil to do it who hath no Saviour, no pardon offered, and no hope,
but is shut up under endless desperation: as it is worse for a child
to curse his father, or scorn him, than for an enemy to do it. Think
and tremble, how near this deriding or opposing the work of the Holy
Ghost, doth come to the unpardonable blasphemy against him.[558]
19. What villany may not be expected from thee, that canst commit such
a sin as this? May not thy neighbour look for any mischief that thy
carnal interest shall lead thee to do against him? Is it any wrong to
thee to think that thou art a thief, a murderer, a whoremonger, a
deceiver, unless it be for want of a temptation to commit them; or
that thou wouldst be a traitor against thy king and country; or
perfidious to thy truest friend, if thou wert tempted to it; when thou
scornest men for obeying God himself?[559] Can that man stick at any
wickedness that he is equally tempted to, who dare scorn his Maker,
the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier; and spit contempt upon holiness
itself, the image of his Judge? For my part, if ever I trust thee or
any such man as thou, with life or liberty, or with the worth of a
groat, it shall be thy interest and not thy honesty and conscience
that I will trust; I will trust thee little further than I would trust
the devil himself that governs thee.
20. Lastly, consider what thou wilt think of thyself for this at death
and judgment.[560] Will it comfort thee when thou art going to be
judged of God, to think that thou art now going into the presence of
that God whom thou wast wont to scorn? When thou seest Christ come
with thousands of his holy angels to judge the world, will it comfort
thee to think, this is he whose holy life, and precepts, and servants
I mocked or persecuted on earth? Now I must be judged by him that I
derided. Oh dreadful case! for a scorner or persecutor of godliness,
to go to be judged by that holy God whose ways he scorned and
persecuted![561] If you say, It was not Christ but a man that you
derided; see Matt. xxv. 40, 45; Luke xix. 27; Acts ix. 4, "Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me?" If thou scorn a child for that in which he
resembleth, imitateth, or obeyeth his Father, thou wilt find in the
day of judgment to thy woe, that it was the Father himself that was
the utmost and principal object of thy scorn. Then I had rather be the
vilest toad than such a man. Then wilt thou stand to what thou saidst?
Wilt thou then maintain thy slanders and reproach? Wilt thou then
condemn or scorn the godly, when thou seest them justified at Christ's
right hand, or glorified with him in heaven? No! as Mal. iii. 18, when
God makes up his jewels, "then shall ye return and discern between the
righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that
serveth him not." Then how gladly would you eat all the words of
reproach and scorn, that ever you uttered against a saint; and wish
that you had never spoken them! I tell you it is an unseemly thing for
the same man now to scorn at godliness, who will so speedily tremble
before the righteous God in the remembrance of it!
I have thought these discoveries of the horridness of this sin, to be
the best directions against it; for as it is a sin thou gettest
nothing by, so it is a sin that thou mayst easily leave if thou be
willing. But for those that are yet but in the way to it, or in danger
of it, I shall add these further directions to keep them from so
desperate a wickedness.
_Direct._ I. Avoid the company of those distracted men, that dare
revile the servants and ways of God. There is that in your corrupted
natures, which will incline you to imitate the most horrid blasphemies
if you often hear them. We have seen it in our days, that in imitation
of others, men have been drawn to sins not to be named: to drink
healths to the devil, to make "God damn me" an ordinary by-word. Be
not therefore companions of them.
_Direct._ II. Take heed of sinning yourselves into blindness of mind
and hardness of heart. Forsake not God, lest you be forsaken by him.
It is men forsaken of God that ordinarily come to this desperate
degree of sin: insomuch that the book of Homilies thus describing them
saith, "The third sort he calleth scorners, that is, a sort of men
whose hearts are so stuffed with malice, that they are not contented
to dwell in sin, and to lead their lives in all kind of wickedness,
but also they do contemn and scorn in others, all godliness, true
religion, all honesty and virtue. Of the two first sorts of men, I
will not say but they may take repentance and be converted unto God:
of the third sort, I think I may without danger of God's judgment
pronounce, that never any yet were converted unto God by repentance,
but continued still in their abominable wickedness, heaping up to
themselves damnation against the day of God's inevitable
judgment."[562] Though I take this to be too severe, yet it is the
judgment of the church of England, and terrible to scorners that
profess their assent to it.
_Direct._ III. Take heed of scorning at the very circumstances or
modes of worship which you dislike; for such scorns come so near to
the worship itself, that the minds of the hearers may easily be hence
drawn to dishonour the substance for the sake of the derided mode or
circumstance; and it plainly savoureth of a bold profaneness, which
grave and sober christians do abhor. In the case of idolatry, or
where the very substance of the worship is impious and forbidden, I
deny not but Elias may (sometimes, and with wariness) be imitated, who
derided Baal's priests: but to do thus upon smaller differences in the
manner or circumstances of worship, is the way to teach men to turn
all religion into matter of derision and contempt. If you see about
the king some circumstance of clothing, ornament, or attendance of his
followers, which you dislike or judge ridiculous, if you look toward
him with a scornful laughter, it will not excuse you to say, I laughed
not at the king, but at such or such a thing about him; for his
presence should have restrained you from that which seemeth to be a
deriding of him. So here, I know you will say, It is not at God's
worship, but at such words or gestures of the minister that I scorn:
but take heed of dallying with holy things; play not so near the
consuming fire; give not others occasion to deride the thing itself by
your deriding the circumstances, though they were unapt. Have we not
seen, while factious christians raise jests, and nicknames, and scorns
against each other, how the profane and common enemies of religion do
take them up, and turn them against all serious godliness, to the
trouble of others and their own damnation?[563] And we have had
experience in these contentious times, that it is the sectaries and
the profane that are apt to use these scoffs and scorns against the
things and persons that they mislike; and that sober, peaceable,
judicious men of all sides do abhor it. How unsavoury and profane have
all sober men thought it, when they heard some young and hot-brained
persons mocking at the Common-prayer by the name of Pottage, and at
the surplice by the name of The whore of Babylon's smock! And from
hence the same spirit led them as proudly and bitterly to deride at
ministers, universities, learning, temples, tithes, and all the
appurtenances of worship; yea, at the Lord's day, and singing psalms,
and preaching, and almost all the duties of religion: for when once
men will pretend to strive for God, with the spirit and weapons of
Satan, and the world, and flesh, there is no stop till they come to
the bottom of impiety, and do Satan's work in Satan's way: and so on
the other side, while some have too reproachfully scorned such, as
Precisians or Puritans, who differed from them about the form of
church government and ceremonies, the rabble of the profane soon got
advantage by it, and turned these words to so common and bitter
reproaches of the godly, sober, peaceable people of the land, that Mr.
Robert Bolton saith, "I am persuaded there was never poor persecuted
word, since malice against God first seized on the damned angels, and
the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man, that passed through
the mouths of all sorts of unregenerate men, with more distastefulness
and gnashing of teeth, than the name of Puritan doth at this day;
which, notwithstanding as it is now commonly meant, and ordinarily
proceeds from the spleen and spirit of profaneness and good
fellowship, is an honourable nickname, that I may so speak, of
christianity and grace."[564] See more cited out of him, and Bishop
Downam, Bishop Abbot, &c. in my "Formal Hypocrite," p. 210, 212, &c.
_Direct._ IV. Be very fearful of making the persons of the godly
contemptible, though for their real faults, lest the ungodly easily
step thence to the contempt of godliness itself. For it is easy to
observe how commonly the vulgar judge of the doctrine and religion by
the person that professeth it. If a papist or a sectary live a holy
life, take heed of making a scorn at their persons, notwithstanding
thou takest the rise of thy derision from their mistakes; for even a
mistaking saint is dearly beloved and honoured of God; and wherever
holiness is, it is the most great, resplendent, and predominant thing
in him that hath it;[565] and therefore puts a greater honour on him,
than any mistake or infirmity can dishonour him: as the person of a
king must not be dishonoured by a reproachful mention of his
infirmities, lest it reflect upon his office; so neither must the
person of a holy man, lest it reflect on his religion. Not that any
man's person should credit or secure his faults, nor that we should
judge of the faults or manners by the men, instead of judging of the
men by their manners; but you must judge of them by that which is
predominant; and so blame their faults, as to preserve the honour of
their virtues and religion, and of their persons for their virtues'
sake. So blame the falls of Noah, and Lot, and David, and Peter, as
may make the sin more odious, but not so as may make their persons
contemptible, lest it make their religion next to be contemned. Mark
here the difference between the mentioning of good men's falls by the
godly and by the ungodly. The godly mention them to make sin appear a
thing more to be feared and watched against, and holiness to appear
more excellent and necessary; but the ungodly mention them (and read
them in Scripture) to make themselves believe that sin is not so bad
and dangerous a thing as preachers tell them; and that holiness doth
but little differ from a fleshly life.
_Direct._ V. Judge not of God's servants barely by report, without
some considerable acquaintance with them. I cannot remember one of a
multitude of the enemies, scorners, and persecutors of godliness,
great or small, high or low, but such as never had the happiness to be
well acquainted with them, by any familiarity, or observation of the
secret passages of their lives; but usually they are such as know them
but by report, or by sight, or small acquaintance. And if they did but
live with them in the same houses, or were of their familiarity, it
were the likeliest way to change their minds and speeches; unless
their acquaintance were only with some of the more ignorant,
passionate, or distempered sort of christians.
_Direct._ VI. Take heed of uncharitableness and malice against any; but
especially the servants of Christ. For this blinds the judgment, and
mads men with a venomous kind of passion, and will make them scorn and
rage against the most holy servants of the Lord. The least true love to
a christian, as a christian, would do much to the cure of all this sin.
_Direct._ VII. Take heed of being engaged in a sect or faction, and
take heed of the carnal zeal of schism, and of the spirit of faction,
which ordinarily makes men think it lawful, if not necessary, to scorn
the persons that seem against them, that so they may disable them from
hindering the interest of their cause or party. Thus papists, and
thus--the factious ones of every party, think that their revilings are
but the necessary disarming of the enemies of God (for such all must
seem that differ from them); and a stripping them of that honour by
which they might do hurt. Thus good is pretended for the most odious
evil, and God is set up against that love which is the fulfilling of
his law; and made the patron of the scorners of his children; but
surely he scorneth the scorners, Prov. iii. 34.
_Direct._ VIII. Take heed of error and infidelity: for if the
understanding be once deluded, and take religion itself to be but a
deceit or fancy, and godliness to be but conceit and hypocrisy, no
wonder if it be made a scorn by such. And such scorners will justify
themselves in it, and think they do no harm; so great a plague is a
blinded mind.
I have said less against this devilish sin than the nature of it
requireth, because I have already said so much, especially in three
treatises, viz. "The vain Religion of the Formal Hypocrite;" that
called "Now or Never;" and "A Saint or a Brute."
I conclude with these earnest requests to the godly: 1. Give men no
occasion of scorn by your imprudence, scandal, selfishness, or
passions, as you tender the honour of God and men's salvation. As
Chrysostom saith, "As he that beareth the king's standard in fight had
need to be well guarded, so he that carrieth the name and profession
of God and godliness."[566] 2. Be not discouraged by scorners: these
are but easy in comparison of what Christ suffered for you, and what
the scorners themselves must suffer.
FOOTNOTES:
[474] See the directions for holy conference, part ii. ch. 10.
[475] Psal. lvii. 8; xvi. 9; xxx. 12.
[476] Matt. vii. 16-18; xii. 33, 34.
[477] Lingua index mentis. Aristippus being asked, Quid differat
sapiens ab insipiente? Mitte, inquit, ambos nudos ad ignotos, et
disces. Laert. in Aristip.
[478] Psal. lxvi. 2; xcvi. 2; cxxxv. 3; cxlviii. 13; xxix. 2; c.
[479] Matt. xii. 31. They who use but few words need not many laws,
said Charyllus, when he was asked why Lycurgus made so few laws. Plut.
Apophtheg. p. 423.
[480] Plato rectè dicere, in quatuor scindit: 1. Quid dicere oportet.
2. Quam multum dicere. 3. Ad quos. 4. Quando sit dicendum: ea oportet
dicere quæ sint utilia et dicenti et auditori: nec nimis multa nec
pauciora quam satis est. Si ad peccantes seniores dicendum sit, verba
illi ætati congrua loquamur: sin vero ad juniores dicendum sit, majore
autoritate utamur in dicendo. Laert. in Plat.
[481] Quod facere instituis noli prædicare: nam si facere nequiveris,
rideberis. Pittaci Sent. in Laert.
[482] Didymus Alex. on James iii. of bridling the tongue, saith, Non
putandum est de peccato prolativi sermonis, quæ solœcismos et
barbarismos quidam vocant, hæc fuisse dicta.
[483] Existimant loquacitatem esse facundiam, et maledicere omnibus,
bonæ conscientiæ signum arbitrantur. Hieron Cont. Helvid.
[484] Indignum hominem divitiarum gratiâ laudare noli. Bias in Laert.
[485] Loqui quæ sentis, et sentire quæ loqueris, ut Seneca.--Fidum
nihil lingua loqui valet, dum cordi duplex altè insedit sensus. Sent.
Pittaci in Laertio. Bias percontanti homini impio quid esset pietas,
nihil respondet; cumque ille silentii causam sciscitaretur, quia,
inquit, de rebus nihil ad te pertinentibus quæris. Laert.
[486] James i. 19, "Slow to speak, slow to wrath." Prov. xvii. 28.
[487] Noli cito loqui: est enim insaniæ indicium. Bias in Laert.
[488] Psal. cxxxix. 4.
[489] Deut. vi. 13; x. 20.
[490] Isa. xlviii. 1; Jer. iv. 2.
[491] Deut. x. 20; Isa. xlv. 23; lxv. 16; Jer. iv. 2.
[492] Amos viii. 14; Hos. iv. 15; Zeph. i. 5; Jer. xii. 16; Isa. xix.
18.
[493] See Dr. Hammond's Pract. Catech. on the third commandment. Jer.
v. 2; Rev. xix. 12.
[494] Saith Fitzherbert, 1. 1. c. 23. n. 17, I cannot but lament, that
so great an impiety as blasphemy is, being so common, doth pass
unpunished: whereas in other countries the least blasphemies are
severely chastened: insomuch that in Spain I have known a man set in
the market-place, the greatest part of a day, gaping with a gag in his
mouth, for swearing only by the life of God.
[495] See Jer. v. 21, 22; Job xlii. 5, 6; and xxxviii. 2, 3, &c.
[496] Psal. xxix. 2; lxvi. 2; lxviii. 4; xxxiv. 3; xcvi. 2; Isa. ix.
6; xii. 4; xli. 25; Jer. xxxiv. 16; Ezek. xxxvi. 22, 23; 1 Kings viii.
16, 18, 19, 29; ix. 3, 7; 2 Sam. vii. 13; Deut xiv. 23; Psal. cxlv. 1,
2; Isa. xxvi. 8, 13; Psal. lxxxvi. 9, 12; cxxxv. 13; Cant. i. 3; John
xii. 28.
[497] Vid. Aquin. de Veritat.
[498] Matt. xxvi. 63; Mark xiv. 61; xv. 5; Luke xxiii. 9; John xix. 9;
Jer. xxxviii. 26, 27.
[499] Acts xxiii. 6-9. Licitum est aliquando salva veritate, illa
verba proferre, ex quibus probabiliter novimus auditores aliquid
conclusores falsi. Hoc enim non est mentiri vel falsum testari, sed
tantum occasionem alteri præbere errandi non ad peccatum committendum
sed potius vitandum. Ames. Cas. Consc. 1. 5. c. 53. See Luke xxiv. 28;
John vii. 8, 10.
[500] Tolle voluntatem, nec erit discrimen in actu.
[501] Verba propterea instituta sunt, non ut per ea se invicem homines
fallant, sed ut eis quisque in alterius notitiam cogitationes suas
proferat. Verbis ergo uti ad fallaciam, non ad quod sunt instituta,
peccatum est. Aug. Enchirid.
[502] Every lie is evil and to be avoided, saith Aristot. Ethic. 1. 4.
See Psal. v. 7; Prov. vi. 17, 19; xii. 22; xix. 5, 9; xxi. 18; Rev.
xxi. 27; xxii. 15; John viii. 44; Col. iii. 9.
[503] Numb. xxiii. 19; 1 Sam. xv. 29; 1 John v. 10.
[504] 1 Kings xxii. 22, 23, "I will be a lying spirit in the mouths of
all his prophets." 2 Chron. xviii. 21, 22.
[505] It was one of the Roman laws, tab. 12. Qui falsum testimonium
dixisse convictus erit, e saxo Tarpeio dejiciatur.
[506] Hic autem homines fallunt et falluntur: miseriores sunt cum
mentiendo fallunt, quam cum mentientibus credendo falluntur. Usque
adeo tamen rationalis natura refugit falsitatem, et quantum potest
devitat errorem, ut falli nollint, etiam quicunque amant fallere.
August. Enchirid. c. 17.
[507] Petrarch. 1. 1. de vit. solit.
[508] Sæpe delinquentibus promptissimum est mentiri. Cicer.
[509] Ille veritatis defensor esse debet, qui cum recte sentit, loqui
non metuit, nec erubescit. Ambr. Liars are valiant against God, and
cowards against men. Montaigne's Ess.
[510] Avoid both the extremes, which Petrarch mentioneth: Nam ut multi
qui se bonos, sic aliqui qui se malos fingerent sunt reperti; quod vel
humani favoris pestilentem auram; vet invisam bonorum temporalium
sarcinam declinarent. Quod de Ambrosio lectum est. Quam similis
amicitiæ adulatio? non imitatur tantum illam sed vincit: eo ipso
gratiosos facit quo lædit. Senec.
[511] Hieron. in Gal. iv.
[512] Cujus aures clausæ veritati sunt, ut ab amico verum audire
nequeat, hujus salus desperanda est. Cicer. Rhet. li. 1. Nemo
parasitum canum amat. Materia quoque fingendi tempore consenescit.
Athænus. Malum hominem blandiloquentem agnosce tuum laquum esse. Habet
suum venenum blanda oratio. Senec.
[513] Prov. xii. 19.
[514] Read Prov. xxi. 6.
[515] Jer. vii. 4, 8.
[516] Temere affirmare de altero est periculosum propter occultas
hominum voluntates, multiplicesque naturas. Cicer. Prov. xvii. 4; Hos.
vii. 3; Nah. iii. 1.
[517] Insignis est temeritas, cum aut falsa aut incognita res
approbatur: nec quicquam est turpius quam cognitione assertionem
approbationemque præcurrere. Cicer. Acad. l. 1.
[518] Acts v. 4; Isa. lix. 13; Ezek. xiii. 9, 19.
[519] Prov. xvii. 7; Hos. iv. 8.
[520] Rom. vii. 20-23.
[521] Job xxi. 15; Mal. iii. 14.
[522] Job xxiv. 9; Heb. xiii. 15.
[523] 1 Kings xviii. 27; Prov. xxix. 9.
[524] James v. 13, "Is any merry? Let him sing psalms."
[525] Otiosum verbum est quod justæ necessitatis aut intentione piæ
utilitatis caret. Gregor. Moral.
[526] 1 Cor. iii. 20; Rom. i. 21.
[527] Job xxxv. 16. Saith Hugo, there is a time when nothing, and a
time when something should be spoken; but never a time when all should
be spoken.
[528] Eccles. v. 23, The Spartan banished an orator for saying, he
could speak all day of any subject. Erasm.
[529] See the Manual of Prayers printed at Antwerp. 1658. pag. 507.
[530] Megabyzus, a great Persian lord, was told by Apelles, that while
he was silent they reverenced him for his gold and rich attire, but
when he talked of what he understood not, the boys in the shop laughed
at him. Plutarch de Tranquil. Anim. pag. 154.
[531] See Ezek. xxxiii. 30. Sollius Apollinar. Sidon. in his
description of king Theodoricus saith that at his feasts, Maximum tunc
pondus in verbis est: quippe quum illic aut nulla narrantur aut seria.
[532] Difficile est cum iis durare qui neque otii neque negotii
tempora distinguere norunt. Theophrastus.
[533] Col. ii. 8.
[534] Col. iii. 16, 17; Eph. iv. 29; Psal. cviii. 1.
[535] Eccles. v. 3, 7; x. 12-14; Psal. xxxvii. 30; Prov. xvii. 27, 28;
x. 20; xii. 18; x. 19; xviii. 4-6; xxi. 23.
[536] Prov. xxiii. 8, 9.
[537] Isa. xxxii. 4-6; Matt. xii. 34, 36; 2 Cor. iv. 13; John iii. 11;
1 John iv. 5; Prov. xvi. 23; Psal. xl. 5; Cant. vii. 9.
[538] Prov. xxiii. 16; Psal. cxlv. 6, 11-13, 21.
[539] Psal. cxix. 172; xlix. 3; xxxv. 28.
[540] Jer. viii. 6; Prov. vi. 22; Psal. lxxvii. 12; cv.; cxiv.; cxlix.
11.
[541] 1 Tim. vi. 13; 1 Pet. iv. 15.
[542] Garrulo non respondere convitium est.
[543] Prov. xiv. 17; xv. 18; Eccles. vii. 8, 9.
[544] Eccles. ii. 2; vii. 6; Eph. v. 4.
[545] Prov. xxii. 17; xii. 18; xiii. 20; xv. 2, 7, 31.
[546] You will else be but ingeniosi nugatores, as one called him that
wrote a great book on a little matter.
[547] 1 Tim. iv. 12; Job xii. 12; Eccles. xi. 10.
[548] 1 Cor. xv. 33.
[549] Socrates inter loquendum sæpe, agente id orationis vehementiâ,
jactare digitos solebat, ita ut à plerisque rideretur, et despectui
haberetur: quæ tamen omnia æquo animo ferebat. Laert. in Socrat.
[550] Si quis vero eorum mitior, et veritati aliquatenus propior,
videretur, in hunc quasi Britanniæ subversorem omnia odia telaque sine
respectu contorquebantur, et omnia quæ displicuerint, Deoque placuerint,
æquali saltem lance pendebantur, si non gratiora fuissent displicentia.
Gildas. Quod autem quædam de illo inhonesta et maligna jactantur, nolo
mireris: cum scias hoc esse opus semper diaboli, ut servos Dei mendacio
laceret, et opinionibus falsis gloriosum nomen infamet; ut qui
conscientiæ suæ luce clarescunt, alienis rumoribus sordidentur. Cyprian
de Cornel. Epist. ad Antonian. Hæc et nos risimus aliquando. Tertul.
[551] Malignity so blindeth the understanding that it maketh men
ascribe all the evil that befalleth them, to that which is the only
way to happiness: every bad success that the heathen Romans had, they
imputed to the christians: saith Paul. Diaconus, lib. 3. when
Radagusus the Goth invaded the Romans: Pavor infinitus Romam invadit;
declamatur a cunctis, se hæc ideo perpeti, quod neglecta fuerunt
magnorum sacra Deorum: magnis querelis ubique agere: et continuo de
repetendis sacris celebrandisque tractatur: fere in tota urbe
blasphemiæ ad nomen Christi, tanquam lues aliqua probris ingravantur,
conducuntur a Romanis adversus Radagusum duo Pagani duces, &c.
[552] Saith Chrysostom, As those that run or act in public games,
besides the prize which they hope for, do much increase their strength
and health by preparing their bodies for it: so besides the hopes of
heaven, it is no small comfort and advantage here in the way, which
christians get by their holy lives.
[553] Heb. xii. 14; 2 Thess. i. 8-10; ii. 12.
[554] Cyrillus Arrianorem Episcopus, Hunnericum Regem persuasit, non
posse pacatum atque longævum obtinere regnum, nisi nomen perderet
innocentum. Qui tamen Dei judicio post non multos dies turpissima
morte præventus, scatens vermibus expiravit. Victor. Utic. p. 369.
[555] Rom. xi. 1, 2.
[556] Luke xix. 27.
[557] Quid homini inimicissimum? Homo, inquit Martin. Dumiens. de Morib.
[558] Matt. xii.
[559] Psal. cxxiii. 4.
[560] Read well Jude 14, 15; Psal. i.
[561] Prov. ix. 12; xxix. 8; Isa. xxviii. 14.
[562] Homil. 10 part 2. tom. 9. pag. 150, cited before in my "Now or
Never," p. 125.
[563] Nicknames themselves are the great engines of the devil, and to
be avoided; it was well with the church when there was no other name
but christians put by Christ's disciples on each other; though by the
enemies they were scornfully called Nazarenes, and a sect, and heresy.
[564] Disc. of Happiness, p. 193.
[565] Pliny saith, that as pearls, though they lie in the bottom of
the sea, are yet much nearer akin to heaven, as their splendour and
excellency showeth; so a godly and generous soul hath more dependence
on heaven whence it comes, than on earth where it abideth. A good
saying for a heathen.
[566] Socrates cum fuisset a quodam calce percussus, admirantibus
illius tolerantiam dixit, Quid si me asinus calce impetisset? Num illi
diem dixissem?