reckon saith St. Paul that the Sufferings of this Present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 The more we endure for the more we shall receive from him Majora Certamina Majora Sequuntur praemia The harder the Sufferings the higher the Recompences says Tertullian These Sufferings for Christ are call'd the Remains or what is behind of the Sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 and the Marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 And the more conformable his Servants are to the likeness of his Sufferings the more in Proportion shall they be conformed to the likeness of his Glories Answerable to our Suffering shall be our Reigning with him 2 Tim. 12. If so be that we Suffer with him we shall be also Glorified together Rom. 8.17 The Surplusage of their Glory and Bliss shall be so much the earlier and Greater than the Bliss of others as to render these Sufferings the most valuable Blessings to all truly Good men and a Cause of highest Joy and Thankfulness Rejoyce then and leap for joy rejoyce and be exceeding Glad says our Saviour for Great is your Reward in Heaven Luk. 7.22 23. Mat. 5.12 Rejoyce in as much as ye are made Partakers of Christs Sufferings says St. Peter that when his Glory shall be Revealed ye may partake answerably in that too and be Glad also with exceeding Joy 1 Pet. 4.13 Such as these are the Benefits which Virtue and Religion have by Persecutions And accordingly such is the Estimate which Christian Prudence makes of them It Dreads them not â—s hindrances but when call'd by God thereto looks upon them with a willing and chearful eye as fitting means to set on and most proper and advantageous to bring about its own Purposes And the Reasons why at such times Men are so much against Suffering is because they look not upon them with Spiritual but with Carnal Worldly eyes I do not seek by this to make men fond of Sufferings or put themselves upon them before they need to suffer without waiting Gods leisure Such rash and hasty zeal there was which produced ill Effects in some Confessors of the Primitive Church and which thereupon it ceased to countenance and fell Canonically to censure and repress forbidding men to run to suffer before God call'd them or to give the Judges unnecessary provocation But when God sends Sufferings as he doth when there is no keeping of it off without acting against the Rules Interest or Honour of Religion I say their Master and mine is not for having us afraid to Suffer or capable of being forced out of our Principles or Duty to avoid it Nay he would be glad to see us willing and chearful under the approach as well as Constant and Resolute under the pressure thereof looking on Persecutions as what will Do no Final hurt but Do both him and our selves the most and best service For on this Point I would have it observed that Christianity is a Passive Religion or a Doctrine of the Cross. It is a Profession to expect and to bear Sufferings It s Author was a Crucified Saviour He was a Man of Sorrows and a most absolute Pattern of Patience And the sharp Tryals thereof though they begun in the Head were not to end there but to Descend Down to the Members whom God in such measure as he sees fit fore-ordains or praedestinates to be conformed to the Image of his Son viz. in the conformity of Suffering which is the Argument there treated of Rom. 8.29 A Share of these is left for his Church and Followers which St. Paul calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Remainders or what is behind of the Sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 Accordingly he Foretels Sorrows for his Disciples and calls them to bear and prepare for them Passive times are what he presignifies us and Passive Duties which we are to Discharge under them make up a considerable part of his Precepts If any man will come after 〈◊〉 says he he must Deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Mat. 16.24 Through many Tribulations says his Apostles we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 Yea all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution saith St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.12 So that Sufferings and Persecutions must never seem strange things among Christians Indeed sometimes through the Goodness and Indulgence of God we have a long enjoyment of quiet and encouraging times and so actual Sufferings are Greater Strangers to us But it never is a Stranger to our Profession and Principles being one of Religion's chief Businesses And the bâ—st Souls and most Religious men are gone to Heaven that way bearing the Cross before they gâ—t the Crown and suffering for Christ e're they were taken to Reign with him So went the Antient Prophets and Worthies some stoppâ—ng the Mouths of Lyons others quenching the violence of Fire some having Tryal of Cruel Mockings and Scourgings yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonments others wandering about in Sheep Skins and Goat Skins being Destitute Afflicted Tormented some being stoned others Sawn asunder others slain with the Sword others Tortured and not accepting Deliverance when proffer'd them upon their Apostacy that they might obtain a better Resurrection as St. Paul says Heb. 11.33 34 35 36 37. So went also not only our Blessed Lord himself but his Apostles and the best Souls and Saints of the Suffering Ages who are set off as much by their Patience as by any thing else I John your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ says St. John to the Seven Churches Rev. 1.9 And as they followed Christ so must we be ready upon occasion to follow them our Calling being as St. Paul notes to be Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 And Professing thus a Passive Religion we should all have Passive Spirits The Spirit of Suffering or Patience is one of our most necessary Qualifications The Gospel which we profess is call'd as sometimes the word of Faith So at others the word of Patience Thou hast kept the word of my Patience saith Christ to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3.10 And accordingly the Professors of this Gospel must be Signaliz'd and Remarkably Eminent as for the Spirit of Faith so for the Spirit of Patience Your Companion saith St. John of himself in the Patience of Jesus Rev. 1.9 And we are Followers of those who got the Promises through Faith and Patience as St. Paul says And here says the Spirit calling on every one that has an ear to attend is the Patience and Faith of the Saints Rev. 13.9 10. The Scars on his Body which were the Tryals of his Patience St. Paul calls the Marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 And the Miseries and Dangers he every where underwent for him he terms bearing about in his Body the Dying of the
each of these Duties so must he hereafter to answer and be tryed by them Now Christian Prudence is to prevent this by storing up clear Notions of every Duty and of the Offices thereof against such time as we shall have a call and opportunity to discharge them The Wisdom of the prudent says Solomon is to understand his way i. e. to know what he ought to do on all occasions Prov. 14.8 And this the Scripture expresses by having our Senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 and calls for as a necessary Preparative to our walking accurately or exactly The walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumspectly or accurately which S. Paul requires Eph. 5.15 he tells them is to walk as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as fools but as wise or prudent Wherefore adds he be ye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imprudent or unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is Since if they did not understand it they were not like to be very exact in keeping it v. 17. Now opposite in this matter to both these is the way of fleshly or worldly Wisdom For 1. Instead of proposing in every Point above all things to do our Duty It aims and Proposes in the first place to secure our external Quiet to serve our worldly Peace Prosperity or Temporal Interests It seeks not in all things what is virtuous but what is safe And being for worldly Safety it never seeks to do what 't is like to suffer by It s Eye is first for keeping or encreasing these worldly Emoluments and enjoyments for our selves our Friends or Families for the Church or State It may fix upon Religion as well as the things of this Life and carry us out for the Church as well as for the Common-Wealth But then what it aims at or seeks in rhe first place to secure in these is not the inward Excellence but the outward Appendages not their integral Parts and Spiritual Substance but their worldly Accoutrements and Advantages If Religion is taken in among the Good things of this World and stands guarded and enriched by secular Laws and Privileges Riches and Honors Worldly Wisdom will be carried out as far to secure these worldly Appendages when they are about Religion as when they are about any thing else But as for the proper and essential Parts of Religion it self which lies in doing our Duty in every thing or in the integrity of Faith and good Life the Wisdom of this World sets them only in the second place It may shew fair respect and carry Decently towards them even where it will give it self no trouble about them As we see several that have no serious value for Religion will yet be Civil to it in point of good Breeding and as sensible of the need there is however 't is neglected by them that it should be kept up in the esteem yea and practice too of other Men. Nay worldly Wisdom when it rightly understands it self will aim at it in most Cases as serving its own wise Purposes beyond any thing else True Virtue being for the most part best fitted and conducing to the Happiness and Enjoyment of both Worlds But where it thus bâ—ars the best good Will to the inward and essential Ingredients of Religion it is only whilst they are subservient or consistent with its own worldly Designs being ready to thrâ—w them aside when once they oppose it On such Competitions The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 It considers then not their intrinsick Goodness and Excellence but their Expedience and will give them up for what it accounts higher Ends or dearer Interests On such occasions its Questions are not What will become of this Duty or another of Innocence and a clear Conscience but what will become of our Estates our Liberties our outward Peace Powers Honors Privileges or other Enjoyments of this Life by such or such a Course when 't is deliberated on 2. Instead of seeing in every Case what is our Duty worldly Wisdom is for continuing ignorant of and not seeing a Losing Duty It cares not for the Knowledge of troublesom or afflicted Truths It is ready to look upon and let in such as consist with worldly Ease and Interests But afraid to understand because 't is loth to practice others Conviction of a Duty serving only to encrease the Guilt and disturb the Quiet of those who will not practise it Hence comes that sleightful Saying of fleshly Wisdom in these Cases of Leaving every Man to his own Persuasion and not censuring any much if he act therein according to his own Conscience They represent such Cases as if it mattered not much which Side a Man takes and there were no important difference in the things themselves but only in the different Opinions and Belief of Men about them So that let a Man but have a Persuasion of that Side which is most easie and favourable to worldly Interest as Men are ready enough to have in trying Cases if that will Do and nothing else will greatly harm him in these matters Hence comes also that backwardness of Conversing and Discoursing with those of the other Opinion who are both ready to practise and able to plead for a Duty when 't is oppressed and has the Cross upon it 'T is a Rule of fleshly Wisdom at such times to look on such as dangerous Persons whose Company is not safe Their Discourses such Men imagine can only serve to make them more uneasie in the way they have a mind to go They will start Scruples to dissatisfie and unsettle a Mind that had no such Doubts before but had easily satisfied and settled it self upon the saving side Or if they come in the way of such Discourses especially when fit to do Right to Truth by setting it off to advantage they receive them against their Wills and meet them not with a religious Desire but worldly Fear They are not thankful for the offer of a saving Truth but sorry for and troubled at it and ready to say to the Messengers thereof as Ahab did to the Prophet who still called upon them to hear what they had no Will to understand that he was his Enemy and the Troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18.17 and Ch. 21.20 When they seâ— worldly Safeties above religious Innocence they fear and hate the Light as our Saviour says which reproves the secure ways they desire to take Minding not to follow it they use care not to be hamper'd and troubled with it and as the Scripture speaks will not have the knowledg of his ways Job 21.14 Hence lastly when they allow themselves to enquire and examin the Truth comes that Hastiness and Partiality in taking any thing for sufficient proof that makes for the safe side Any serviceable but ill grounded Presumptions about Words or Things shall hastily be taken up and pass for
God Rev. 20.4 And we have as good word and command for these as we have for any others The Sufferers he respects are those that suffer for his Name Mat. 10.22 But all the Duties required by his Gospel are call'd by his Name And all the Acts of Morality which stood before on Natural Obligation now since he has injoined them and his Spirit helps us to perform them being practised out of Christian Principles and through the Grace of Christ are all become Christian. And the Losses he recompenses are Losses for his sake he that loses his life for my sake shall find it Mat. 10.39 Or as 't is in St. Mark For his sake and the Gospels Mark 8.35 And is it not purley for his sake and in regard to him that we perform any second Table-Duties when we are sure to lose by them And are not those Losses for the sake of the Gospel which are purely out of Conscience to Gospel-injunctions Thus are all the Comforts and Encouragements the Approbation and Acceptance of Gospel-Sufferers common and alike to both Tables And he is as true a Confessor that in Peril of Suffering gives his testimony against any Acts of Unrighteousness and Immorality as he that doth the same against any false Articles of Faith or Acts of false Worship and Idolatry I know among Good things there is a difference in degrees And especially he that suffers for owning Jesus to be the Christ suffers for the whole of the Gospel which is more than some particular Duties thereof whether relating to Faith Worship or moral Practice But sufferings for any are all of the same kind and quality they are alike Religious and the Sufferers alike Christ's Martyrs and Confessors And suitable is the received Judgment concerning Sufferers in these cases John the Baptist was one of God's blessed Martyrs tho the Cause he suffer'd for was that of the seventh Commandment or declaring against an unlawful and incestuous Marriage Mat. 14.3 4 5 10. The persecuted Prophets were brave and Noble Confessors among the Jews Tho what they suffered for and sought to revive was not always or only a right Worship but the Duties of Morality and Justice in Declaring freely and undauntedly not only against Idols or Calves and Groves and High Places but against Falshood and Rapine and Violence and Perversions of Justice and other Grievous immoralities wherewith the Jewish State was over-run in those Degenerate and Corrupt times Thus the Holy Women and Virgins were ranked in the List of Confessors and Martyrs who would Dye or Disfigure themselves rather than yield their Bodies to the Lusts of Tyrants and Persecutors And St. Dionysius of Alexandria tells Novatus It would be as Glorious a Martyrdom nay in my judgment says he a Greater for a man to suffer Death to prevent Schisms and the rending and tearing of the Church among themselves as to suffer the same for Profession of Christianity at the Hands of Persecutors So long as we are suffering for any Duty of our holy Religion be it of Piety or of Justice and Morality the difference as to this is not much To make a Martyr or Confessor it matters not for which Table 't is so long as it is for either And accordingly to be beheaded for the Word of God which extends alike to both is the Character of the Martyrs Rev. 20.4 Now contrary to this is the visible sense and carriage of too many persons For many alas even of those who are free to expose themselves and to suffer in testifying against False Worship and Idolatry seem much more indifferent and unconcern'd about suffering or standing out and Declaring against Unrighteousness and Immorality By Religion they are wont to mean chiefly Confession of Articles and Purity of Worship And to rate that to be suffering for Religion when they suffer for them or that to be acting for the Glory of God and the Good of Religion when this acting is to serve them Nay when 't is only to serve and secure those worldly Interests and Priviledges which are tacked to them And tho in Performance of this Service they take a greater Liberty and make bold with Moral Duties only that they may secure such external Freedom and Encouragement for such pure Worship and Confessions As if that God who has commanded one had not commanded the other as much Or as if we could oblige him by breaking some of his Commands to save others Yea when there is no need of or help by any such Breach to save any but all the intent and use thereof is only to save our selves Which tho it be Right and Reasonable in the Eye of the worldly Wise is not sure the way to be wise for God or for his Glory so far as that is made to lie in our Duty nor must ever pass for that Wisdom which comes by Christ Jesus CHAP. II. Other Ends of Christian Prudence A Fourth End proposed by Christian Prudence is as to discharge the Duties so to serve and promote the Honour of Religion To be wise for God is to be wise for Religion which is the only acceptable and effectual way of serving and honouring him And to contrive wisely for Religion must always study and seek the Honour of Religion For proportionably to the Honour and Esteem the World has for it is like to be their Acceptance and Observance thereof Spiritual Prudence therefore must ever take this care of Religion by acting so in all things where it is concern'd as may set it up highest in mens Opinion and gain it the most cordial Respect and greatest Reverence from them They must consider in these matters what serves best to convince men of the Truth and Sincerity to manifest the Power and Efficacy to set out the Worth and Excellency thereof And never take up with any ways how promising soever on other Accounts that would afford considerate men a Ground in Reason to suspect Religion as if it were a fictitious thing and the Profession thereof as if it were Hypocrisie Or to fansie all its magnified Power to be real weakness and unable to carry men on to the Practice of what before they did profess when in any trying Case they are brought to the push Such Reflections bring Religion under the greatest Dishonour and Disadvantage And therefore whosoever would act prudently for it must have an especial Eye to avoid any thing that would make Religion evil spoken of For this God was highly offended with the Jews that through them the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2.24 And for this the Apostle had great indignation against some False Christians that through them the way of Truth was evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 And to prevent any thing of this among Christians are those Commands of God of walking worthy of the Gospel Eph. 4.1 Phil. 1.27 So as becometh Saints Eph. 5.3 Of adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Tit. 2.10 Of walking
Disciples in shunning it it can be no Condition of their Worthiness to take it up Lastly were it no Point of Duty and Religion for which they were sure to be finally rewarded this taking up a Duty with the Cross upon it could have nothing inviting here for them to Glory and Triumph in it And yet this our Saviour and his Blessed Apostles direct all good Christians to do at such times If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ or for Righteousness sake as Ch. 3.14 happy are you for the Spirit of Glory rests upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 If any man sâ—ffer as a Christian let him glorifie God on that behalf v. 16. 3. In these Confessions it is another Part of Spiritual Prudence not to stay till we are under an absolute Necessity or Force but to confess with Freeness I do not say this is absolutely necessary in all cases And when there is utmost Peril the Torture extreme and Confession Capital the case is Pitiable and to wait in case of several Truths or Duties for Proof from Prosecutors seems more excusable But this is only connivence and Condescension to Humane weakness and to be Free in owning any necessary Articles or part of Virtue and Godliness on a just Call thereto openly preferring it to our own Lives is the Praise of Confessors and most excellent and rewardable in it self Being judicially asked he voluntarily confesses it being condemn'd he gives thanks for it says Tertullian of the Primitive Confessors This again is for the Honour of Duty and Religion that its Followers are not driven by Nenessity but led to own it by Affection 'T is not for its Reputation that its own Servants would do no more for it than they needs must nor appear in its Cause so long as they can lie hid This argues it to be little beloved by its own Retainers and that the acknowledgments it has from them at such Trying times is out of Fear which needs to be driven not from Love much less from Zeal which would shew forth not only a free but Forward Motion Men may serve the Duty when they shew not their Adherence till they are necessitated to it but to Honour it they must move of themselves and be prompt and forward to profess it And this Freeness as it is requisite to the Honour of any Part of Duty or Religion So I think is implied in the Nature of Confession Conviction indeed may be a forced thing and we are at Liberty there to plead Not-Guilty and not own the Charge till it is judicially proved upon us And this may be taken by all Malefactors in what they are ashamed of and acknowledge to be ill things But Confession is to be our own and the Praise of it lies in being a voluntary and free thing and of our selves we are to profess and own there on any just Call when in way of publick Tryal or Private Usefulness we are put to the Question And this is the way in any Duties which we profess to glory and triumph in When we stay to have it Proved upon us as if it were a thing we would not own but are ashamed of we are Convicted as Criminals Or if we come in as Confessors there it is as having before voluntarily and freely chosen to be or Do what we plainly saw would bring us into Danger we are Confessors only in respect of what we practised or Professed under terrifying Prospects before not in Respect of our present Answer But when we are ready to own it our selves and to glory in what they accuse that is a further Degree and then we answer as Confessors And this Freedom and Promptness to own and profess such persecuted Truths or Duties was most eminently seen and honourably discharged as I noted from Tertullian yea sometimes to Excess in the Primitive Liberty or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Ancient Confessors The Zeal of Numbers carrying them under the greatest Hazards and amidst the most terrifying Examples to profess before they were accused and Pâ—blish in open Court their own Faith whilst they saw their Brethren Tryed and Condemned for it as we learn abundantly from the Story of those Times 4. I shall add in the last Place that 't is for the Honour of Religion in these Confessions that they be divested of too scrupulous and nice a Care of our worldly Interests I do not condemn all prudent Care of Confessors for securing their worldly Concerns when their Duty is first secured and they are not wanting either by Word or Deed to assert and honour it as they are call'd to it When they have taken care to save Religion and a good Conscience first they may be allowed a just and reasonable Care for saving what they have in this World next it being reasonable that they should save what they well can when 't is against Reason and Religion too that they should lose any thing And thus the Apostles and Primitive Christians about Jerusalem when they saw the Storm coming on sold their Lands and private Properties putting the Prices into the hands of the Church in Preparation for the approaching Wants and Confiscations Acts 4.34 c. But I think they are most Honourable to Religion when they are not most Solicitous at such times nor exact in all Arts and Methods of indemnifying themselves Such Confessions are a Tryal of the Spirituality of our Minds how able they are to contemn this World and how far they are set above it and how strong their Faith and Trust in God is And we acquit our selves best in manifesting this when we only shew a moderate Care and take the plainest and most reputablâ— ways of Saving when we are not scrupulously exact in things or immoderately Solicitous 〈◊〉 stretch to the utmost Lengths we dare in any indemnifying Arts which may fully this Profession and Proof of Spirituality by a suspicion of Earthly-mindedness and of Faith in God's Providence by signs of immoderate Care for our selves Oâ—â— Sufferings as well as our Service is Honourable and Useful to God and Religion at such times A Prophane and Atheistical World and an exploded Duty need a suffering Testimony And when we may exalt and advance our Duty by our Losses as well as by our Practice and Professions godly Wisdom looks more to serve God and Goodness than to secure our selves bidding such Loss of Goods welcome and taking it joyfully as the manner was of the Primitive Saints And tho it will not rashly and unnecessarily without a Call throw its worldly things away yet when 't is call'd thereto it will not be over-careful or scrupulously inquisitive how to keep them Now all this is contrary in the aim of worldly Wisdom It s great End is to be Free and forward in getting but forced in losing worldly things to move of it self in any way of compassing but to move no faster than 't is driven in any way of parting with them It will readily
go along in the keeping of them For the Signification of these is most express It is instituted and fixed upon them by Laws and Edicts The same Authority that calls men to meet together at these times appoints the Signification and tells them the Reason why Here then is an instituted Signification in these Assemblies that has Authority and Law to stand upon And whatever men inwardly intend this is externally professed by their resorting to and joyning therein And accordingly by such Resort or Refusal of it they are understood to testifie and declare their Concurrence or standing off from what is thereby signified or professed in the Account both of their Rulers and of all others They rate the Neglecters not as prophane or irreligious but as disaffected Persons These Assemblies are a Test not of Religion and Devotion but of Parties and Times So Refusal speaks Dissent from the Signification appointed as assembling doth Approbation and Concurrence therewith And all People are ready to say such a Person is for the Design and Signification thereby carried on because he kept the Day and met at the Assembly held thereupon Now the Authority of Laws or Edicts and Custom or received Use are among the chief things that fix and settle Significations And since they fix such Meanings in these Days and Assemblies the Observance or Refusal thereof in us are in the Nature of Professions either as Affirmations or Denials And according as they declare either that Truth which is in our Heart or what is contrary to it our Profession thereby is either true or false If we meet at the Assembly which is to use the Sign and at the same time have inwardly no such Meaning this is to signifie and profess what we do not mean which is not Sincerity but Dissimulation We profess to desire what is sought in the Institution of the Day by our outward Act when in Heart we do not desire it or to be glad of an Event when really perhaps we are sorry for it which is only to put on a false Person and act a Part to be an out-side Complier but a real Hypocrite This Profession by outward Observance of such Days and Assemblies of what is contrary to our Heart and inward Sentiments 1. Is contrary to the owning of Duties which Goâ— requires or to the Part of Confessors If a thing is against any Rule of Religion it is against Religion to desire it And if it is against Religion to desire a thing it is a Duty of Religion not to desire it And if it is our Duty not to desire it we are bound not to smother and conceal but profess that Duty when called thereto Now when an ill thing or Breach of Duty 〈◊〉 upon us our Confession is testifying against the illness either in Words or in Practice by ouâ— Refusal thereof We betray the Cause of Dutâ— in going along which is to transgress it in visible appearance and seem to the World as if we disbelieve or have thrown it off but we assert it by our refusing Qui fallaces in excusatione praâ—stigias quaerit negavit He that seeks to bring himself off by a fallacious Sleight or jugling Trick and by seeming to comply with the Persecutors when he diâ— not therein has denied Christ say the Clergy of the Church of Rome speaking of the necessity of confessing him When the meaning of any Days or Assemblies therefore is to profess desires oâ— affections against any part of Duties or Religion if we could act like carnal Complyers we shall visibly Practise as others Do and seem to desire where we Do not But if we would discharge the Part both of Sincere Christians and of Right and Acceptable Confessors we shall own the unlawfulness of the thing and give our Testimony against it by openly Refusing We shall not pretend to Do or make other men think we Do what in Conscience we dare not Do but dare to Practise and Profess what our Duty and Conscience is 2. It is judged insincere by our selves in the like Observance of Days or Meetings on such Occasions The Festival of Christmas and Easter for instance are appointed as Professions of Joy for the Birth and Resurrection of Christ. And would not the common Sense of Mankind say he did greatly Prevaricate who would come to observe either of these and yet did not believe it The Thirtieth of January is a Profession of Shame and Sorrow for the Murder of our late Martyred Sovereign And should we not call it Hypocrisie for any person to appear there who did not in Heart condemn but justifie that Murder and think it well done The Fifth of November is a Profession of Gladness for the Discovery of the Powder Treason And would not he dissemble notably in appearing at that Days Assembly who is inwardly sorry for the Miscarriage of it and heartily wishes that Plot had gone on Take it in any Case then where we have no Temptation to mislead or particular Concern to byass us and this Complyance in outward Observance where the Signification is contrary to our inward Sentiments is Dissimulation and Hypocrisie our selves being Judges And how can we hope to clear our Sincerity and Simplicity therein before any just and indifferent Judge when makâ— us but once indifferent and no longer Parties and we are all ready to condemn the Falsenesâ— of it our selves 3. It was so judged and esteemed in the Primiâ—tive Church as appears by their Dealing with the Observers of Jewish or Gentile Fasts or Festivals Those Days were of fixed and received Signifiâ—cations And the Observance of those Times was a known Profession of what was signifieâ— by them And therefore when any Christian who had nothing of the Jewish or Gentile Apâ—prehensions did externally joyn as several did in their Observation they could only publiâ—â— their own Hypocrisie therein The only way they had to bring themselves off from being Aâ—postates was to say they still retained their own Faith and tho they might use the Jewish 〈◊〉 Gentile Sign together with them yet they haâ— nothing of their meaning and intention Which is no better than to say in other words that whilst they believed one thing they professed aâ—nother And accordingly such Persons were censured for their scandalous and dissembling Compliances by the Apostolical Canons as they were also by the Council of Laodicea afterwards For further Proof hereof and also to set off by more Instances this part of Simplicity of 〈◊〉 Deceiving by Actions I observe that 4. It was rejected as Deceitful and Dishonest Carriage by the Pious and Good People among the Jews When old Eleazar was required on Pain of Death to eat of unlawful Meats his old Acquaintance that had the Charge of that wicked Feast took him aside and besought him to bring Flesh of his own Provision such as was lawful for him to use and make as if he did eat of the Flesh taken from the Sacrifice commanded by the King
must needs be subject yea every Soul not only for wrath but Conscience sake says S. Paul Rom. 13.1 5. Whenas at this time as is notorious Kings and Sovereiâ—â— Powers were Heathens Thus careful were they not to seem in the least to set Men free from any Relative Duties and Obligations towards their Heathen and Idolatrous Relations And this with the more exactness to cut off from the Heathen World who knew well enough the Dueness and Necessity of these things and the Guilt of the contrary without the Preaching of the Apostles all color for aspersing Christianity as overthrowing Justiâ—â— and Morality as pulling up Foundations of Nature and setting persons loose from the Obligations of their several Relations Which would have been the greatest Scandal that could haâ—â— been fixed upon Religion and have made it to turn the Moral and Natural Obligation as well as the Heathen Superstition of the World upside down Teach Wives to be obedient to their own Husbands and to take care of their Children that the Word of God be not blasphemed And Servants to be obedient shewing all good Fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in alâ— things says S. Paul Tit. 2.4 5 9 10. Submit 〈◊〉 every Ordinance of Man says S. Peter for so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. 1 Pet. 2.13 15. Again 2. He calls for these Relative Duties and Performances towards Men of all Religions whatever their Performance on their Part be towards us We must be dutiful Children to hard improvident or careless Parents and faithful Servants to 〈◊〉 and unequal Masters and obedient 〈◊〉 to bad Husbands and good and true 〈◊〉 to ill administring and unrighteous 〈◊〉 â—â—â—vants be subject with all fear not only to the 〈◊〉 and Gentle but also to the froward saith S. Peâ—â—â— not only whilst you receive Right but when 〈◊〉 good Conscience towards God you suffer wrongâ—â— at their hands 1 Pet. 2.18 19. 〈◊〉 Pontius Pilate was far from discharging the 〈◊〉 of a good Governor to our Blessed Saviour 〈◊〉 his Blood only to satisfie the Peoples Claâ—â—s against the Conviction of his own Conscience 〈◊〉 yet our Lord took care to approve himself a 〈◊〉 Subject towards him as he had done beâ—â—â— towards the Chief Priests forbidding his Serâ—â—â—â— to use the Sword against them in his own 〈◊〉 owning even at that time his Power 〈◊〉 from above Jo. 19.11 Ananias the High Priest did not sure perform 〈◊〉 his part when sitting to judge Paul by Law commanded him to be smitten contrary to the Law 〈◊〉 23.2 3. But yet even under this Grievance 〈◊〉 â—aul confesses he ought him all the same Duty 〈◊〉 he should have owed to a more just Judge â—â—d begs pardon for having forgot himself and not spoken so reverently towards him upon that occasion as the Law required towards the Ruler of the People Vers. 5. Saul unquestionably was guilty of Male-administration in an high degree and far from discharging towards David his Duty of Protection yea moreover he was reprobated by God or rejected from being King 1 Sam. 15.23 But yet for all that David was still bound in Conscience to perform his Duty of Subjection towards this unrighteous Sovereign As he did when he had the highest Temptation and the most Providential opportunities to rid himself of him owning him even then for the Lordâ— Anointed and saying Who can lift up a hand against him and be guiltless 1 Sam. 24.5 6. Ch. 26.9 Lastly No man will say the Emperors and Rulers in the Apostles Days performed the Part of Good Governors Persecuting the true Religion instead of Protecting it preying upon the Remains of Roman Liberties instead of preserving them and Ruling by Blood Injustice and Oppression instead of just and regular Administration But yet towards these Non-Performers and Notorious Violaters of Princes Duties the Apostles injoyn all the Subjects of the Empire most punctually and Conscientiously to discharge their Duties putting them in mind to be subject to Principalities and to obey Magistrates Tit. 3.1 not only for Wrath but Conscience Rom. 13.5 as the Will of God and for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13 15. All which God strictly exacted and Good Men in all times most Conscientiously performed not daring to shake off Subjection and rise up against God's Vice-gerents when they proved the most unjust Invaders of Religion and Rights as they who list may see proved at large In all these Relations each side must look to what concerns themselves Their Duties are Mutual but not Conditional so that we may not break with them tho they break with us The breach of their Part is ill in them And therefore since what is ill in one cannot be good in another the Breach of ours must needs be answerably ill in us too So that not to go along with them in an ill thing or be condemned for Company we must every one take care 〈◊〉 discharge our own Duty whether our Relatives make due Return of Duty and discharge theirs towards us or no. Indeed all the Laws of the Second Table or the Duties of Justice are absolute in Obligation without regard either to the Religion or to the Good Performances and Moral Qualities of Men. We must speak Truth and keep Faith and Promises especially when confirm'd by solemn Oaths and deal justly and where we have received Favours remember them gratefully especially in their need and return them as we can even towards the worst Persons to men of the worst Carriage and of the worst Religions Hereticks or Infidels The Jews â—ere for streightning the Exercise of Justice Gratitude and Kindness not extending it to men of an opposite and hated Religion but confining the Neighbour mention'd in the Law to a Fellow Jew or one of their own Nation and Religion But to cure this our Lord instructs them in the Parable of the man falling among Thieves that the Jews must be Neighbours even to the Samaritans bidding him that asked Who is my Neighbour after he had related how Neighbourly the Samaritan dealt by the Jew in Distress Go and do thou likewise Luk. 10.29 30 37. Honour thy Father and Mother thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit Adultery thou shalt not steal thou shalt not covet thou shalt not bear false Witness are Commandments that oblige equally towards all Persons We are no more at Liberty to break any of them towards a Pagan than towards a Christian a Papist than a Proetstant an ill and unjust than towards a Good and Righteous Man More particularly kind we ought to be to the Houshold of Faith and those of our own way But just and true and grateful is what in common we are bound to be to all All this is plainly owned and implied in that Maxim which is confessed by all sober Persons and expresly denied by none but some wild Enthusiasts viz. That worldly Dominion
are not left here to Prudence or to Do it or let it alone as they see Cause but are bound in Conscience to Do the thing and if thereby they are like to Do no more yet is the keeping of the Commandment it self or the Doing of their Duty a sufficient Purpose Besides when men are Doing their Duty though there is little Appearance of any effect on others yet will it be like to do more Good among them than they are apt to think or are aware off For when they have discharged their Part by doing of their Duty God will manage it as to Events and make it turn to more use for the Ends of Religion anâ— hiâ— own Glory than they ever Dreamed of It is then out of their Hands and Care and in the hands of Providence which will thereby stop some from being ill and others that are ill already from going on without Check and Remorse and growing worse Truth and Goodness though Ordinarily driven out thence by Prejudice Interest and vile Affections are most Natural and near akin to all our Souls and so have a secret hank upon us and a hidden Friend that lurks in all our Bosoms And this the Providence and Spirit of God strikes upon by our Profession or Practice thereof before their Eyes operating thereby on some at this time and on others at that on some more on others less according to his own good Pleasure and their Predispositions So working much Good and many blessed Effects that pass betwixt himself and them whilst we are insensible of any and think of nothing less Our Free Practice and Profession at such times as he requires and calls for them but worldly men say we shall do no Good with them he uses to Encourage and Strengthen the hands of the Strong to Establish the Wavering to call back the Stray'd Sheep and to lift up those that fall to work Remorse in its Deserters and Fear and Faintness in its Persecutors to retrieve a Truth or Duty when to Humane Eyes 't is almost lost and to beget anew a Respect and Reverence for it when it was all in Disgrace and seemingly quite Exploded The Practice of a Right Good thing tho' but by a very few will quickly draw in more Though only ten among us should appear for Doing a Duty says St. Chrysostom yet would these ten quickly be made twenty those twenty fifty that fifty an hundred that hundred a thousand and that thousand the whole City And as by lighting up of ten Candles a man may easily fill all the whole house with Light So also in Spiritual Good Deeds if only ten of us Do our Duty we shall kindle one intire flame through the City yielding Light to them and bringing Security to us For the Nature of Flame it self when fallen on combustible matter is not so sure to kindle still and seize the wood that lies next to it as the zeal of Virtue fallen into a few Souls is by going on and still inflaming more to fill the whole City Thus doth God when we put it into his Conduct do Great Good and accomplish great Effects by our discharge of our Duty when we thought nothing could be hoped from thence Thus in all times he has done and daily still doth and will do in the World the Experience of all Ages and the Successfulness of Generous and Brave Asserters of seemingly destitute and unfriended Virtue frequently witnessing on that side And in confidence of this or however if that should fail in Discharge of their own Good Conscience Good men in all times have been careful still to Confess the Truths of God and Do their own Duty when there were the fewest that seemed capable of being thereby wrought upon and they had none to stand by them but strove altogether against the stream having the whole World to oppose them As Noah wrought Righteousness Elias was zealous for the true God Jeremy was an asserter of his Mind and Precepts and many other Holy Men and Prophets yea our Blessed Lord and his Apostles were the undaunted Preachers and Practisers of Decryed Godliness in the most Degenerate Deriding and Persecuting Ages when they seem'd to have the fewest prepared Hearers or Spectators all many times appearing ready to contradict and few or sometimes none to stand by and back them as I formerly noted 3. Thirdly We must not say Christian Duties are unseasonable when they Do not suit with some Designs carrying on or are against some Seeming and much Desired Good of Church or State This is the way of Worldly Wisdom which when any Truths or Duties hinder some worldly Good they are pursuing for Religion or the Kingdom bids the Professors thereof to â—eep their Practice and Professions of them for some fitter time If these are Truths and Duties say they at such times let them give way to Publick Good and the Advancement of true Religion which are of more importance And let those that believe them take care whilst they embrace these to approve themselves withall as Good Members of the Publick whereof they all receive the benefit by seeking and setting on not retarding or obstructing the Good of Church or Common-Wealth You may shew your care of them will they suggest when it will be as a Good so a Wise and Prudent care and hinder no Greater thing But never bring them in play now to stop the Great and much and Generally wish'd for Good that is going on For this is a Critical time for it and if this opportunity is over-pass'd the like may never return again But are not we all Disciples of Christ and Professors of Religion as well as Members of a settled Church and Kingdom And must we not first take care to acquit our selves as Good Christians before we seek how to shew our selves Good Statesmen and Politicians Is it not our Profession to be more for another World than for this And may such Professors go out of the way of being happy there when that serves to make themselves more happy here A Good Christian must never be wanting to his own Duty or go beyond it to Do Good to any nay to a whole Nation And so must never think of setting aside the Season for Discharging his Duty for a Season of serving of the Church or Nation He must never slip the Season of shewing himself Good for a Season of making himself or others Secularly Fortunate or the Season of Practsing and Professing as the Servant of Christ for the Season of serving any Interest or Condition though never so Great and Publick in this World There is no Doing Evil that Good may come Good publick or Good private as I have shewed before Besides 't is not for a Good man to think of Doing Good to a Church or Nation by Evil-Doing The Greatest Good to them in his Opinion is to engage God for them And that must be by keeping his Commandments and practising and professing them as we have
all to pare away part of the Obligation and to perform no more than in their present Circumstances may be tolerably suitable and the Flesh will consent to They will urge the Circumstance of the Person Another man say they might Discharge the Duty more fully in this Case But as for me Men must consider my Relation how I am joyn'd in Affinity or Blood my Obligations how Great Favours I have received or the Necessity of my Condition and my Dependance for Support or Interest on those who are warm and zealous for another way So that it is not to be expected from me that I should keep so fully and invariably to the Duty as another Person of more easie and agreeing Relations Obligations and Dependance may do And the Circumstance of the Place Were I in a Place says a mind that retains too much of this World where this or that Duty would go down where the due Discharge of it would be like to be quietly received or where the Minds of men were any ways impressible to give some appearance of its doing good upon them much more Fidelity might be shewn therein But I live where the Spirits of Men are in a Ferment where the Duty is Generally Decryed or bitterly Persecuted and the Practice thereof instead of procuring any Religious Regard from the Beholders provokes only their outrage against the Practisers thereof So I am forced to Sail as near the Wind as I can that I may not endeavour both against Wind and Stream I omit what will not be endured and practise what will and this meerly to content the People as forced on by the press of a Crowd one Man being unable to withstand a whole Multitude And the Circumstance of the Instruments or Auxiliaries Though they would discharge the Duty fully were they left to themselves yet now they are upon Designs and must consider not only what will pass with themselves but with their Complices They must keep in with their Humane Succors and therefore they must abate of their Religious Duties lest standing too stifly and inflexibly for them they disoblige and lose their Patrons or Auxiliaries It is well say they if by a Man so linked in some part can be performed whilst some part is abated Some part must be yielded to gratifie their Interests or their Principles some to keep those of wrong and some to keep the loose and immoral or those of no Religion And the Circumstance of the End They would as please God in the Duty so profit his Church thereby And a Duty happens at some time not to suit the interest of their Party in Religion If they will abate or infringe it they may set up or keep up themselves but if still they will faithfully discharge it as they ought in all appearance they must become subject and truckle under others To deduct something in the present Circumstance is most safe or serviceable for that Party of Christians they espouse which they call God's Church And in this strait they think they should not be censured if they practise so much as is serviceable and lay the rest aside And the Circumstance of the Time admitting no season for the full practice of any Duties or profession of any Truths when there is hazard in them or no probability of doing Good by them or they are like to be impeditive of some designed Good or much desired Settlement to Church or State of which I spoke before Thus is Worldly Wisdom for making bold with its Duty to save its Worldly Concerns and for tempering Duty to the present Circumstances by abating it and by parting with so much thereof when it retains the rest as all its Circumstances consider'd shall make it draw least inconvenience after it from any of them Which is nothing else but setting up this World above Almighty God and our own Convenience above his ways Whereby however we may promise our selves to pass for Worldly Wise we shall be sure to appear ill Christians as I think is clear enough from the foregoing Chapters I speak not this of abating in Discharge of our Duty thus to Circumstances where Circumstances really make Abatements I know there is not so much due from us in some Circumstances as there is in others For some Circumstances are incapacities and these abate so far and so long as they incapacitate Impossibilium says the Moral Rule nulla est obligatio No Man is tied to impossibilities And therefore where we owe never so much Duty we are not bound to an actual exercise and discharge thereof whilst we are not in capacity So far as it is Providentially out of our Power and so long as it is so our actual Discharge thereof is under a Suspension 'till by Degrees it come to be in our power again which always brings back with it a like gradual Return of our Obligation But I speak of their tempering their Duty in these Abatements to Circumstances of Worldly Convenience where there is the same State and Foundation of their Religious Obligations as at other times We must not abate our Duties whose Ground and Obligation is still the same and which we have Power and Opportunity to Practise if we dare run Hazards and sustain Inconveniences and Losses for them to temper them to the external Ease and Convenience of Place or Persons or other present Circumstances Which in this tempering is not to respect the Obligation of Circumstances but only the Fleshly Ease Convenience and Advantage of them 3. This Tempering to Circumstances must lie only in our not unnecessarily provoking Men whilst we do no ill our selves not in our carrying on the unreasonable or ungodly wills of others It is â—ne thing to temper our selves to the Necessities of things another to the Lusts or Vices of Persons one thing to suit their innocent wants or ways another to set on their wickedness This is to have Fellowship with the works of Darkness to partake of other Mens Sins and Sin along with them for Company So that we must never talk of tempering our selves to Circumstances by putting our selves into other mens ill circumstance or by complying in any ungodly or ill things If ill things then are driven on by the violence and press of People or the Power of Rulers if all seem to Conspire together and Combine to oppress an innocent Person or to explode an Excellent and Good thing to pull down what is Right and set up what is Wrong to seek safety by what is Sinful or Publick Good either of Church or State by Doing Evil it must not be thought any part of our Prudence to temper our selves to their Ungodly Wills by Compliance by striking in and countenancing by being or seeming to be for them by crying up or carrying on or going along therewith If we would seek to be truly Good rather than falsly to appear Wise Religion is not for such ebbs and flows for being fast and loose with virtuous or
are not their own as all those False Messiah's were who came to impose themselves upon the Fold before him v. 8. But also from all Mercenaries who though entring in by the Door i. e. by himself or under him the true Lord and Pastor yet look to his Sheep only with an Hirelings indifference and not with a true Pastoral Spirit and Affection Instead of watching them with his Life in his hand as the true Shepherd doth He that is an Hireling whose own the Sheep are not i. e. who looks to them not with an Owners care and heartiness but only for his pay when he seeth the Wolf coming he leaveth the Sheep and fleeth to save himself The Hireling fleeth because he is an Hireling and careth not for the Sheep but for his own safety v. 12 13. The Note of the Hireling is the want of Care for the Sheep in time of Danger or of Pastoral Affection As St. Paul also intimates when he laments the want of the Pastoral Spirit and sets it off by having â—one by him like-minded to Timothy that good Shepherd who would naturally care for their Spiritual State and by finding all to seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs Phil. 2.20 21. And this disposition as our Lord notes the Pastors shew when in times of Danger they leave their Flocks destitute and unprovided scandalised or dispirited and instead of standing at the peril of their Lives by their Charge flee away and shift for themselves Indeed if when some go who are more particularly obnoxious to a Persecutors Fury others are still left to supply the needs of the Saints these Servants of God have more Plea to withdraw themselves As St. Polycarp did at the importunity of the Brethren as the Church of Smyrna write when he was sought for by Name And as Athanasius did when Persecuted by Syrianus Who yet in that Barbarous Outrage which drave him away was Resolved to be one of the last in the Church and see how the Flock escaped the hands of the rude and merciless Souldiers before he would attempt to escape himself Or if they are like at one time to be taken off more privately or before strangers they may think fit by Flight to escape that storm that with the more Advantage to God and the Church they may offer themselves before their own People there by their own Practice more effectually confirming those Exhortations to Martyrdom which they had formerly made among them And thus St. Cyprian in the last Epistle he wrote to them tells his Church that when Officers were coming to fetch him to suffer at Vtica he had withdrawn and waited in his Recess 'till he should hear the Proconsul was returned to Carthage intending then to return to his own House that he might suffer before their eyes This Liberty I grant is indulged us not only for God's sake and the Churches as St. Cyprian used it in this last instance but also for our own We are allowed to fly not only in way of well husbanding the Opportunities for serving God and our Brethren at St Clement of Alexandria leaves a mind that neither seeks nor fears Death to Determine this Point by the Glory of God and the Benefit of Mankind but also in mercy to humane weakness But this Permission to humane weakness is in subordination to the Glory of God and the Good of the Church So that when the Pastors cannot withdraw themselves without dishonouring God and Religion scandalising their Flocks or leaving them deâ—â—itute they are not to flye but to abide by the Dangers though at the Peril of their Lives But this Caution of Spiritual Prudence lying in preventing Worldly Harm and Consequences Worldly Wisdom is forward to extend too far and turn into a Doing Harm to our Duty to keep off Harm from our selves To keep out Harm and ill Consequences as far as we can so long as we keep not out any Duty or part of Duty together with them is what God allows and what Prudence guided by the Spirit is to take care of Accordingly it doth not run into a Duty of outward Harm as I say before it has a Call and when by a Faithful Discharge of Duty Suffering is drawn on by Flight or Concealment it may save it self from it if it can But Worldly Prudence is for Providing against the Harm though it be by making no Provision at all for the Duty being always ready rather to omit the Doing what is Good than to Suffer what is Evil. To prevent this we must take along with us these Rules in all our Deliberations about these matters 1. That Caution is never Good which Drops or Violates a Duty The Caution of a Christian is only to beware against Harm whilst he doth his Duty never to beware of doing his Duty lest he suffer Harm thereby Religion owns no hurt like the hurt of Sin and so prescribes no Caution against any thing so much as against Evil-Doing The Breach of Duty is never to be taken up as an Expedient but the Performance of it must always be our first and chief End Do that when we are called and do nothing against it and then be as Cautious of any hurt that is like to come thereby as we can But this must never be neglected or let fall that a Worldly Good or Convenience may be secured Tho' this is so much the way of Worldly Prudence viz to be wise and wary against Worldly Harm by the Omission of any Duty which is like to Draw it upon us that when men have a Call to Discharge a Duty 't is really thought by many somewhat a suspicious thing to hear them ask after the Prudence of it that being God knows much oftner the method of those who are seeking and have a mind Prudently to Omit than of those who have a mind Prudently to Practise it 2. We must never shew more Care and Caution to prevent ill Consequences to our Worldly Interests than to prevent ill Consequences to our Spiritual Interests The Interest and Honour of Religion and Virtue of Truth and Righteousness is to be above any Worldly Interest in a Christan's Thoughts And therefore in looking about to descry Consequences his Eye should soonest fix upon and his Care and Wariness Provide for those Consequences in any way which are like thereby to befall these It will consider and see in the first place when a Course is proposed whether Virtue and Religion are like to get or lose by it whether it will bring any Truth of God or Duty of Godliness under good or ill Report whether it will lay Hindrances and Incumbrances in its way or afford Encouragements whether it will stagger or confirm others in the Belief seduce them from or invite them to the Practice of Truth and Holiness The Consequences to Duty and Religion are far beyond any Consequences of this Life and all truly Religious men as they ought
so they will set much more by them And 't is a plain Evidence any Persons are men of this World and Worldly wise when they are more Watchful and Sollicitous against Temporal than Spiritual Consequences and can take up with any Dammages brought to Truth and Godliness when they are necessary to keep off Worldly Dammage from themselves What will be the Effect and Consequence thereof to the outward Ease and Enjoyments Liberties or Priviledges Security or Advancement of our selves or Families Church or State says the Carnal Man But what will be the Consequence of it to Duty and Religion not to make them Secularly Great but to shew them Spiritually Good not to hold them in External Power and Possessions but to give or keep their hold upon Mens Hearts and Consciences by Confirming all in the Belief of the Reality and Sincerity of the Efficacy and Excellency thereof This is the Religious or Spiritually Wise Man's Question CHAP. XIII Of Spiritual Prudence in Worldly Matters or as over-ruling all other inferiour Prudence about things of this Life And of Sollicitude THE Third and last Thing Proposed at first to set off the Nature and Offices of Spiritual Prudence is to shew its part in worldly Matters or how after its having been thus wise as is declared for the things of Religion it self as for all other Inferiour and Worldly Prudence in Things of this Life it so Orders the Ends and Over-rules the ways thereof as to keep them subservient to Religion or as best becomes Christians Worldly Prudence is to be Wise for the Ends of this World As to preserve our Lives here and the Comforts and Enjoyments thereof our Properties Power External Quiet To secure or augment these or other earthly Good things to our selves our Friends and Families to the Church or State All these are Worldly Ends. And to be wise for them is Worldly Prudence And this we have all need of here because we are Members of this World needing Worldly Things and being twisted in worldly Relations Good Men and Good Christians as well as others But though we live in this World we aim at a better World We are kept alive by Worldly Things but we live for better even for Heavenly Things which Religion shews and which the ways thereof will procure for us So that the Wisdom of Religion must limit and over-rule us in all the Acts of Wisdom and Prudence we shew about the lesser and inferiour Things of this Life The Flesh must be subject to the Spirit and the Wisdom of this World to the Wisdom of the next Now Concerning this over-ruling influence of Spiritual Wisdom in all inferiour and Worldly Deliberation I shall note these two things 1. First That the Rules of Religion are the truest Wisdom as for the next so even for the Ends of this World They are really the most Prudent ways and best chosen for all the Great and Desirable Purposes of this Life So that had God left them free and said nothing of them their own Usefulness would have recommended them to every discreet man and true Worldly Wisdom would have said the same that Duty and Religion now says of them No other fancied ways and least of all their Contraries could so well have served the true Ends of living here as these do Other ways perhaps may seem more serviceable and fit to be taken up for these Ends at some one particular turn But none of them are so fit and conducive if taken into constant course and made a General Rule of Living And men are made to live by Rules and their Happiness to be sought by Rules without which there would be nothing but utmost Uncertainty and Confusion which would spoil all happiness and prove the greatest misery here on Earth They are made to desire and to seek what is best for the Ends of Life not only in some one or few Actions but in the Tenor of Life not only what will happen to promote them on some accidental turns but what is fit to do so ordinarily and at all times though by chance on some particular turns it may admit of an Exception And this General and constant Service must be by Rules which are general things and made to direct not only as occasion serves but that all other men may know where to have us and we know where to be our selves without which as I say there would be nothing but jealousie and confusion instead of happiness for Directors in ordinary and constant course or at all times Now as for Rules of Wisdom for attaining the true Ends of Life there are none better than those prescribed by our holy Religion God having adopted our Real Interest into our Duty and made those things whereby Wisdom would Direct all men to serve themselves here the way of serving him and securing to themselves the joys of Heaven hereafter What Rules for instance are better in Conversation than to give no offence neither injuring nor despising and less disdaining any Than by being Gentle and easie of Access and Courteous a way of gaining much that will cost us little Than by having a care of Censure not being apt to tax what we do not know or to Condemn others And of all Backbiting or Accusations and Ripping up either the real or fancied Faults of absent Persons yea in Places and Companies abounding in Censure by being â—ary even how we bring up the Names of the absent who are not there to speak for themselves lest it afford Matter to the malignity of Evil Tongues and make them evil spoken of Than by not expecting much from others not being soon angry or exceptions which will prevent our having Difference with others and under any Carriage of theirs keep us easy within our selves and however Affronting or Provoking their Carriage be we do not thereby lose much if it doth not rob us of the Tranquility and Enjoyment of our own Spirits By all these ways and sundry others which Religion prescribes we take the wisest care to Converse with others with the most advantage and the least hurt and trouble to our selves What Rules again are better in Dealing than to be true and just which are the way to be trusted To be Industrious and Careful in our business to do always as we are willing to be done by to be Reasonable in our Demands Moderate in our Gettings Fair in all our Trading and Transactions which will most effectually retain those that try and draw in others to Deal with us when they are neither like to be Neglected or Deceived and Over-reach'd in their Business To Do all that is Right and with a willing mind that discovers no uneasiness in being shew'd it or backwardness in Performing thereof To offer nothing that is wrong yea when others offer it not to return it not maliciously remembring and studiously recompensing but Forgiving Injuries which is absolutely as the most Christian so the wisest Course and most for the Ends