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viction and conversion: this life in preaching, | strict soever, if you will but act it as a player on

praying, discipline, reproof, and conference, is that which galls, goads, and disquiets their consciences. This they kick and rail against: this is the thing that will not let them sleep quietly in their sin and misery; but is calling and inciting them to awake, and will not let them sin in peace, but will either convert them, or torment them before the time. It is the life of religion that the hypocrite wants; and the life that he is most against. A painted fire burns not; a dead lion bites not.

The lifeless body of an enemy is not formidable. Let the words of that sermon that most offends them, be separated from the life, and put into a homily, and said or read in a formal, drowsy, or a school-boy tone, and they can bear it and commend it. Let the same words of prayer which now they like not, be said over as a lifeless, customary form, and they can like it well. I speak not against the use of forms, but the abuse of them: not against the body but the shadow. Let forms themselves be used by a spiritual serious man, in a spiritual serious manner, with the interposition of any quickening exhortations, or occasional passages, that tend to keep them awake and attentive, make them feel what you mean and are about, and you shall see they love not such animated forms. It is the living, Christian, lively worship, and serious, spiritual religion, which they hate: kill it and they can bear it. Let the picture of my enemy be nearer and comelier than his person was, and I can endure it in my bed chamber, better than himself in the meanest dress.

It is the living Christians that in all parts of the world are chiefly persecuted. Let them be once dead, and dead-hearted hypocrites themselves will honour them, especially at a sufficient distance they will destroy the living saints, and keep holidays for the dead ones. 'Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets; wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which kill the prophets: fill ye up the measure of your fathers: ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell!' The dog that will not meddle with the dead creature, will pursue the living; and when he sees it stir no more, will leave it. Christianity without seriousness is not Christianity, and therefore not liable to the hatred of its enemies as such. Say any thing, and do any thing how

the stage, or do it coldly, slightly, and as if you were but in jest, you may have their approbation. But it is this life, seriousness, and worshipping God in spirit and truth, that convinces them that they themselves are lifeless, consequently troubles their deceitful peace, and therefore must not have their friendship. If it were the mere bulk of duty that they are weary of, how comes it to pass that a Papist at his psalter, beads, and mass-books, can spend more hours without much weariness or opposition, than we can do in serious worship? Turn all but into words, beads, canonical hours and days, shows, and ceremony, and you may be as religious as you will, and be righteous overmuch, and few will hate, or reproach, or persecute you among them, as too precise or strict. But living Christians and worship, come among them like fire, that burns them, and makes them smart, with a 'word that is quick and powerful, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."'

The enmity of the Cainites may teach the Christian what he should be, and wherein his excellency lies. It is life and seriousness that your enemies hate: and therefore it is life and seriousness that you must above all maintain ; though dead-hearted hypocrites never so much oppose and contradict you.

They are no trifles, but the greatest things that God hath set before you in his word, and called you out to prosecute and possess: your time of seeking them is short, and therefore you have no time for trifles, nor any to lose in idleness and sloth. And of all men, preachers should be most sensible of this. If they were not against serious holiness in others, it is double wickedness for such as they, to be against it in themselves. It is great things that they have to study and to speak of: such as call for the greatest seriousness, reverence and gravity in the speaker, and condemn all trifling in matter or in manner. A man that is sent of Christ to run for an immortal crown, or to direct others in such a race, to save his own, or other men's souls, from endless misery, should be ashamed to fill up his time with trifles, or to be slight and cold about such great and weighty things. All the heart, soul, and might, is little enough for matters of such unspeakable importance. When I hear preachers or people spend their time in little impertinent fruitless things, that do but divert them from the great business of their lives, or to trifle with the greatest matters rather than to use them

and treat of them with a seriousness suitable to | lives to their profession and holy rule, their lives their importance; I oft think of the words of would confute the reproaches of their enemies, Seneca, the serious moralist, as shaming the and command a reverend and awful estimation hypocrisy of such trifling preachers and profes- from the observers, and do more to convince sors of the Christian faith: You compose copi- the unbelieving world of the truth and dignity ous words, and tie hard knots by curious ques- of the Christian faith, than all the words of the tions; and you say, O these are acute things! most subtle disputants. Christianity being an What is more acute than the peal of corn? and affecting practical science, must practically and yet what is it good for? Subtilty itself makes affectionately be declared, according to its nasome things unprofitable and ineffectual.' Again, ture: arguments do but paint it out: and pic'Leave these toys or fooleries to poets, whose tures do no more make known its excellency, business is to delight the ear, and to compose a than the picture of meat and drink makes known pleasant fable. But they that mean to heal men's its sweetness. When a doctrine so holy, is understandings, and retain credibility among visibly exemplified, and lives, walks, and works men, and to bring into men's minds the remem-in serious Christians before the world: either brance of their duties, must speak seriously, and this or nothing will convince them, and constrain do their business with all their might.'

Did a Seneca see, by the light of nature, so much of the necessity of seriousness and diligence about the matters of the soul; and so much of the madness of spending words and time and trifles? And yet shall there be found a man among professed Christians, and among the preachers of faith and holiness, that pleads for trifling, scorns at seriousness, and accounts them moderate and wise that a heathen brands as toyish and distracted?

them, to glorify our Lord, and say that God is among us, or in us of a truth,' but it is unchristian lives that darkens the glory of the Christian faith. When men that profess such glorious hopes, shall be as sordidly earthly, sensual, ambitious, impotent, and impatient as other men, they seem but dissemblers.

test conformity to the Christian rule, and faithfullest obedience to the almighty sovereign, to seem to be but hypocrisy or self-conceitedness, or needless trouble, if not the way of sedition, and public trouble, and turning all things upside down? That cannot reprove sin, without malicious, insinuating slanders or suspicions against the holy law, and holy life, that are most contrary to sin, as life to death, as health to sickness, and as light to darkness?

Yet shall there be found such a perfidious wretch under the heavens of God, as a professed minister of Christ, that shall subtilly or openly labour to make an exact, holy, and heavenly What is it that clouds the glory of Christianity, conversation a matter of reproach and scorn; and and keeps so great a part of the world in heathen- that, under pretence of reproving the sins of hyism and infidelity, but this, that among Chris-pocrites and schismatics, shall make the exactians there are so few that are Christians indeed? And those few are so obscured by the multitude of formal trifling hypocrites, that Christianity is measured and judged of by the lives of those that are not Christians? Religion is a thing to be demonstrated, honoured, and commended by practice: words alone are ineffectual to represent its excellency to so blind a world, that must know by feeling, having lost their sight. In our professed faith we mount unto the heavens, and leave poor unbelievers wallowing in the mire. O what a transcendant, inconceivable glory, do we profess to expect with God unto eternity, and what manner of persons should they be, in all holy conversation and godliness, that look for such a life as this! How basely should they esteem those transitory things, that are the food and felicity of the sensual world! How patiently should they undergo contempt and scorn, and whatsoever man can inflict upon them! How studiously should they devote and refer all their time, strength, wealth, and interest, to this their glorious, blessed end! How seriously should they speak of, and how industriously should they seek sure, near, and endless joys! Did professed Christians more exactly conform their hearts and

For any man, especially any professed Christian, any where to oppose or scorn at godliness, is a dreadful sign, as well as a heinous sin: but for a preacher of godliness to oppose and scorn at godliness, and that in the pulpit, while he pretends to promote it, and plead for it in the name of Christ, is a sin that should strike the heart of man with horror to conceive of.

Though I look upon this sort of the enemies of holiness as those that are as unlikely to be recovered and saved, as almost any people in the world, except apostates and malicious blasphemers of the Holy Ghost, yet in compassion to the people and themselves, I shall plead the cause of God with their consciences, and try what light can do with their understandings,

and the terrors of the Lord with their hardened thy might, which thou endeavourest closely and hearts.

1. A preacher of the gospel should much excel the people in understanding: and therefore this sin is greater in them than other men: what means, what light do they sin against? Either thou knowest the necessity of striving for salvation with the greatest diligence, or thou dost not. If not, what a sin and shame is it to undertake the sacred office of the ministry, while thou knowest not the things that are necessary to salvation, and that which every infant in the faith doth know? But if thou dost know it, how dost thou make shift maliciously to oppose it, without feeling the beginnings of hell upon thy conscience? When it is thy work to read the Scriptures, and meditate on them, dost thou not read thy doom, and meditate terror? How canst thou choose but perceive that the scope of the word of God is contrary to the bent of thy affections and suggestions? Yea, what is more evident by the light of nature, than that God and our salvation cannot be regarded with too much holy seriousness, exactness and industry? Should not the best things be best loved; and the greatest matters have our greatest care? Is there any thing to be compared with God and our eternal state? O what overwhelming subjects are these to a sober and considerate mind! what toys are all things in comparison of them: yet dost thou make light of them, and also teach men so to do? As if there were something else that better deserved men's greatest care and diligence than they. What! a preacher, and not a believer; or a believer, and yet not see enough in the matters of eternity to engage all our powers of soul and body against all the world that should stand in competition?

2. Is it not sinful and terrible enough, to be thyself in a carnal, unrenewed state: and to be without the Spirit and life of Christ, but thou must be so cruel as to make others miserable also ? ، But to the wicked, saith God, What | hast thou to do to declare my statutes; or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee?-Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach the same, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'

3. What an aggravation is it of thy impiety and soul-murder, that thou art bound by office to teach men that life of holiness which thou opposest and to persuade them to that with all

cunningly to disgrace! And wilt thou be a traitor to Christ in the name of a messenger and preacher of the gospel? Wilt thou engage thyself to promote his interest, and to use all thy skill and power to build men up in holiness and obedience; and when thou hast done this, wilt thou disgrace and hinder it? Dost thou take on thee to go on the message of Christ, and then speak against him? We do not find that Judas dealt thus with him when he sent him as he did other preachers, we read not that he preached against him. O let not my soul be numbered with such men in the day of the Lord! It will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for the refusers of the word and grace of Christ. What then will be the doom of the opposers? And above all of those treacherous opposers, that pretend themselves to propagate and promote them?

If the wit and malice of Satan's instruments were sharpened against the ways and servants of the Lord, it belongs to you to plead Christ's cause, shame these absurd unreasonable gainsayers, and stop the mouth of impious contradiction. Will you join with gainsayers, and secretly or openly say as they? Who should confound the deriders of a holy life but you? Who should lay open the excellencies of Christ, the glory of heaven, the terrors of the Lord, and all other obligations to the most serious, but you that have undertaken it as your calling and employment? If any man in the parish were so atheistical and brutish, as to think God unworthy of our dearest love, our most exact obedience, and most laborious service, who should display this atheist's folly, but you that are doubly, as Christians and ministers, obliged to defend the honour of your Lord? If any of the people should fall into such a dream or dotage, as to question the necessity of our utmost diligence in our preparations for eternal life, who should awake them by lifting up their voices as a trum pet, and help to recover their understandings, but you that are the watchmen, and know their blood will be required at your hands, if you give them not loud and timely warning? If any subtle, malicious servant of the devil should plead against the necessity of holiness, and dissuade the people from serving God with all their might, who should be ready to confirm the weak, and strengthen and encourage them that are thus assaulted, and help to keep up their zeal and forwardness, but you that are leaders in the army of the Lord? Is it not a holy God that you are engaged to serve; and a holy church in

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which you have your station; and a communion | condemnation. For the nurse to poison them: of saints in which you have undertaken to ad- for the parents to cut the children's throats, is minister the holy things of God? Have you worse than for an enemy to do it. If the devil, not read what was done to Nadab and Abihu, our professed enemy, should himself appear to us when Moses told Aaron, This is it that the and say, Prepare not so seriously for death: be Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them not so strict, so diligent, and holy; it were not, that come nigh me, and before the people I will in many respects, so bad as for you to do it, be glorified.' Is it not a holy law and gospel that should help to save us from his snares. You which you publish? You have undertaken to that profess yourselves their fathers; that should warn the slothful, the sensual, the worldly, and travail in birth till Christ be formed in your peothe profane, that they strive to enter in at the ple's hearts; that should love your people as strait gate, and seek first the kingdom of God your own bowels, foster the weak, pity the and his righteousness.-To give diligence to wicked, and stick at no labour, suffering, or cost, make sure their calling and election. To give that might advance their holiness, and further all diligence in adding virtue to their faith. their salvation; for you to tempt men into a -With all diligence to keep their hearts.' And careless life, and turn them out of the holy way, are you the men that would quench their zeal, is an aggravated cruelty. It is worse for the and destroy the holy diligence which you should shepherd to destroy us than the wolf. preach? The Lord touch your hearts, and recover you in time, or how woeful will it be with such hardened hypocrites, that in the light, in his family and livery, and under his standard and colours, dare prove traitors and enemies to the Lord.

6. Are you not ashamed thus to contradict yourselves; what can you find to preach from the word of God, that tends not to this holy diligence which you are against; how can you make shift to preach an hour, and not acquaint men with the duty and necessity of seeking God with all their might? Do you not tell them, that Except they be converted and be born again, they shall not enter into the kingdom of God.' And that without holiness none shall see the Lord. That if they live after the flesh, they shall die.-That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pha

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dom of heaven. And will you, in your application or private discourses, unsay all this again and give God and yourselves the lie; letting people see that the pulpit is to you but as a stage, and that you believe not what you speak?

4. And what an addition is it to your guilt, that you speak against God in his own name? By office, you are to deliver his message, and speak to the people in his name and in his stead. Dare you, before the sun, and under the hea- | vens of God, and in his hearing, persuade men that the most holy God is against holiness; and the King of saints is an adversary to sanc-risees, they shall in no case enter into the kingtity; and that he that made his holy law, is against the most exact obeying of it? Dare you prefix a Thus saith the Lord,' to so impious a speech as 'It is in vain to serve the Lord?' What needs there so much ado for your salvation? Dare you go to men as from the Lord, and say, 'You are too careful and diligent in his service; less ado may serve the turn; what need of this fervour and redeeming of time; this is but puritanism or preciseness! It is better to do as the most, and venture your souls without so much ado.' Who could at last hold up his face, or stand before the dreadful tribunal, that should be found in the guilt of such a crime? What, to put God into the similitude of Satan, and describe the most holy as the enemy of holiness! To make him plead against himself, disgrace his own image, and dissuade men from that which he himself hath made of necessity to their salvation! What viler blasphemy can be utter

ed?

5. It aggravates your sin, that your relation obliges you to the most tender affections to your people and yet that you should seduce them to

7. Consider, that your place and calling make you the most successful servants of the devil, and so the most bloody murderers of souls, while you give your judgment against a strict and heavenly life. For a drunkard in an alehouse to mock the minister, and rail at serious religion, is less regarded by sober men, and of small injury to his master's cause; nay, the wickedness of his life is so great a shame to his judgment, that it inclines many to think well of those that he speaks against. But when a man that pretends to learning and understanding, to be himself a pastor of the church, and preacher of the mysteries of Christ, shall make them odious that are most careful of their souls, most exact in pleasing God, and shall make all serious diligence for heaven to seem but intemperate zeal and selfconceitedness: and shall describe a saint as if the formal, lifeless hypocrite, that gives God but

the leavings of the world, and never sets his heart on heaven, were indeed the man: what a snare is here for the perdition of the ignorant! They that are naturally averse from holiness, and are easily persuaded to think that to be unnecessary or bad, which seems so much above them and against them, will be much confirmed in their mistakes and misery, when they hear their teachers speak without them, the same that Satan by his suggestions doth within them. This turns a trembling sinner into a hardened scorner: he that before went under the daily correction of his conscience, for neglecting God, and omitting holy duties, and living to the flesh, grows bold and fearless when he hears the preacher disgrace the stricter, purer way. By that time he hath heard a while the fear of God derided as preciseness, and tender conscience reproached as a scrupulous foolish thing, his conscience grows more pliable to his lusts, and hath little more to say against them. When God's own professed ministers, who should be wiser and better than the people, are against this zeal and industry for heaven, the people will soon think, that at least it is tolerable in them: and they will sooner learn to deride a saint from a sermon or discourse of a preacher or a learned man, than from the scorns or talk of hundreds of the ignorant. Wilt thou teach them to hate godliness, who hast undertaken, before the righteous God, to teach them to practise it? He that despises it, though under the names, and represents it as odious, though masked with the title of some odious vice, doth indeed endeavour to make men hate it. And what a terrible account wilt thou have to make, when the seduction and transgression of all these sinners shall be charged upon thee; when Christ shall say to the haters, deriders, and opposers of his holy ways and servants, 'in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it unto me? How durst you scorn the image of your Maker; hate the saints whose communion you professed to believe; and deride, or oppose that serious holiness, without which you had no hope of being saved? If then the sinners become your accusers, and say, 'Lord, we thought it had been but unnecessary preciseness, and that serious Christians had been but self-conceited, factious hypocrites, and that lip-service with a common worldly life, might have served the turn; we heard our preachers represent such strict and zealous men as turbulent, seditious, and refractory, as odious and not as imitable: their application was against them: their discourse derided them of them we learnt it: we thought they

were wiser and better than we: of whom should we learn but of our teachers ? Wo to the teachers that ever they were born, that must be then found guilty of this crime.

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If Adam's excuse was Eve's accusation; woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat,' and the woman's excuse did charge the serpent, 'the serpent beguiled me and I did eat,' though it freed not the excusers, how will it load you, when your people shall say, 'the teachers that we thought thou gavest us, did teach us and go before us in setting against this holy diligence, and we did but learn of them, and follow them"

8. Are not the people backward enough to the serving of God with all their might, unless you hinder them? Is not the corrupted heart of lapsed man averse enough to the matters of salvation, but you must make them worse? If you had to do with the best and holiest person in the world that walks with God in the most heavenly conversation, he would tell you that his dull and backward heart hath no need of clogs, and discouragements, but of all the help that can be afforded him, to quicken him up to greater diligence. The most zealous lament that they are so cold: the most heavenly lament that they are so earthly and so strange to heaven: the most laborious lament that they are so slothful, and the most fruitful believers, that they are so unprofitable; those that are most watchful of their words and deeds, that they are so careless; those that most diligently redeem their time, lament it, that they lose so much; and those that walk most accurately and exactly, that they are so loose, and keep no closer to the rule. Yet darest thou increase the backwardness of the ungodly! will not their carnal interest and lusts serve to keep them from a holy life? Is not Satan strong enough of himself? Will not the common distaste of godliness in the world, sufficiently prejudice and avert them without thy help? Do you see your people so forward to do too much for heaven, that you must pull them back? Cannot souls be condemned without your furtherance; or is it a desirable work; and will it pay for your cost and labour? The way is up-hill; the best of us are weak, and frequently ready to sit down. A thousand impediments are cast before us by Satan and the world, to make us linger till the time be past; and many a charm of pleasure and diversion, to make us sleep till the door be shut. Ministers are sent to keep us walking, and take us by the hand, to lead us on, and remove impediments: and shall they set in with the enemy, and be our chiet

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