.Againfl quarrelling 1vitb Godlinifn nitt, Eternal, perfel1 Good, in whom i1 no evil, nor none can be : To be a Devil, is to be Evil, even the chief rhat Do·evil, and would draw others fo to do. It is not an ugly fhape in which a Painter dothreprefcnt the Devil, whifh lhcweth us his uglincfs indeed: An enemy ofGodlinefi is likcr to him than that pil1ure: 1t is his jinfulnef$ againfi God, which is his true deformity. Therefore to fu– fp<Ct God to beEvil, is to fufpc61: him to be the Devil; fo horrid a bhfphemy doth rhis fin partake of. And if Godlinefs be bad, then He that is the Aurhor and End of it c;nnor be Good. . . ~- 7· Direct. 4· Confider what horrible blindnefs it i1 t~ impute mem faultr to God who i 1 the greauft Dzrcl1. 4~ adverfary to fin in a~ the world, and wbn wiU moft j(verely punifh it , ar.d to Godlincfi which il perfo[i. ly itt contrar;r. There is no Angtl in Heaven [o liule robe fufpe8ed to be the friend of fin as God. Creatures arc mutable in themfdves : Angels have the innoctnt imperfection of creatures: Saims on earth have a culpable imperfeCtion through the remainder of fin: If you h:~d only furp::dcd thcfe, you might have had fomc pretence for it: But to quarrel with God or Godlincfs, is madder than to think that Light is the caufe of darknefs. ~· 8. Dirc::Cf. S· And tblnk wbat extremity ef injury ·and injttjlice this is to God, to blame him Qt hM Dircll. 5 • Laws for tiJoje fins of men which are committed agai11jl him tJnd bis Lanu. VVho is it that fin is committed againfi but God ? Is it nor he that made the Laws which it is the nanfgrdfion of? Are not thofe Laws, think you, firiCl: enough againll it? Is it not their·flrilbttfs which fuch as you diflike ~ Were they Laws that Would give you leave ro be worldly, fcnfual and proud, you would never quarrel with them: And yet you charge mens fins on thcfc Laws, bccaufr: they are fo fhiCt againll them. Do you impute fin to God, bccaufe he will judge men for it to Hell tire, and cafi them for ever out of his glorious prefencc inro mifery? 0 curfcd impudence ! How righteous is God in con~ demning fuch malicious fouls? Tell us if you can: Would you have l1:1d God to have forbidden fin more HriCtly? Or condemned it more fcvcrcly? Or punifhed it more terribly? If you would, you pray for greattr vengeance rhan Hell upon your felvcs ~ Wo tO you, when he cxccuteth bur fo much as he hath already threatned? Shall the ctimc of Rebels be imputed to the King, again£\ whom they rebel? If a Thief iliall rob you, or a fcrvant deceive you , or a Son defpife you , is he jull: tlut will [o much increafe your injury, as to lay the b!ime of all upon your felvcs ~ You'l fay, It is not God that we are offended with. But if it be at a Holy life, it is at God : For what is Godiine[s but the loving, and {e;vmg, and obeying God~ If you fay, that it is not,Godfinrfs· neither; Why then do you di~ fiafle or fpeak againfl a godly life, on this occafion? If you fay, It i; thefe Hypocrite.; ody tbt we diflik.,e; What do you diflikc them for? Is it fqr their Virtue or their Vicc; ? It it be for their fins, Why then do you not fpcak and do more againfi fin, in your feh•es and others ? We will concurr with you to the utmoll in oppofing fin where ever it be found ? If it be their Hypocrifie that you bJame, perfwadc your fclvcs and other men to be fincercly godly. How would you have Hypocrifie avoided~ By an open proftflion to fcrvc the Devil? Or by tinceriry in ferving God ?If the laHer, why then do you think evil of the moft: ferious obedience to God? Alas, all Chrillian Countreys are too full ofHypocrites : Every one that is Baptized, and profcffeth Chrifli~nity, is a Saint or an Hypocrite ? All drunken, covetous, ambitious, fenfual, unclean Chrifiiam,are Hypocritesand not Chrifiians indeed. And thefc Hypocrites can quietly live a worldly fle(hly life, and never lament their own hypocrifie, nor their perfidious violating their Baptifmal Vow: But if one that feemeth dil~gent for his foul prove an Hypocrite, or fall into any fcandalous fin, here they prefcntly make ail ourcry ; not to c11l th.e man frem his fin, but to make a godly diligent life feem odious to all, by telling rnrn, Thtfe are your god. ly men? lt is Godlinefi that they quarrel with, while they pretend only to find fault with fin. \Vhy elfe do not you find fault with the fame fin equ1lly in all~ Or at lcafi pcrf~vade men by fuch ex1m~ ples to be lefs finful, and more watchful, and not to be lefs religious aud more loofc. Tell me tn~:y ofany one that is more again(\ fin than God, or any thi11g more c0ntruy to it than Godlincfs and true Religion, or any men that do more againfi it than the .mofl: Religious, and then I wilt joyn with you in preferring tho[e. Till then remember how you condemn your felves, when you condemn them that are better than your [elves. 9· 9• Direct. 6. 'I'hink,whata foolijh audacious thing it is, to{et your fdvu again}! your God and Judgr. Direli 6' Will you accMfo him of evil, be,aufe men do eviP Are you titto judge him? Are guilty \~torms ei· o '! ther Wife or Juft enough for fuch an attempt, or ftrong enough to bear it out > Wh•t do you but fer your faces againft Heaven, and profefs Rebellion againil God, when you blame his Laws and Government, and think the obeying and ferving him to be evil~ 9· xo. Direct. 7· Confider what crutlty it is to your {elves, to turn the faults of otherJ to your Direa. 1 • ruine, which jhould be your warniug to avoid the liize. If at:~ other nun fin, will you not only do [o too, but be the more averfe to Repentance and Reformation ? Will you cut your throat, becaufe ano~ ther cut his finger, or did fo before you? Why !hou\d you do your felves fuch mifchief? ~· I r. DireCt. 8. Remember that this W..Js the defign of the Devil in tempting religious people tn ji11, D. {1 8 not only to deftroy them, but to u11dtJ yctt a11d others by their faUs. If he can make you think the tre • • worfcof Religion, he hath his defign and will; He harh killed many ar a blow. Ye>, perhaps the finncr may Repent and be forgiven, when you that are driven from Repentance and Godlinefs by the fcanda\ may be damned. And will you fo far gratific the Devil, in the wilful deilruC*ion of your felv~s? Sin is contagious: And this is your catching of the infection, if it prev1il to drive you further from God> And thus this Plague devoureth multitudes. • 9· t2. Direct. 9· He tlw willthinf,. iUo[Godlinefs for meni fins, ji,J/l mver want occajion of fi"h Dmll. '); offence, nor foch temptations ttJ fiye from God. If you are fo foolifh or malignant as to pick quarrels with God and godlinefs for mens faults ( which nothing but God and Godlinefs Cln reform ) you may
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=