It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of enmity. And the change that the world has undergone, has only altered its methods, but not lessened its power of destroying religion.
Christians had nothing to fear from the heathen world, but the loss of their lives; but the world become a friend, makes it difficult for them to save their religion.
How many consciences are kept at quiet, upon no other foundation, but because they sin under the authority of the christian world? How many directions of the gospel lie by unregarded, and how unconcernedly do particular persons read them? for no other reason, but because they seem unregarded by the christian world. So that there is hardly any possibility of saving yourself from the present world, but by considering it as the same wicked enemy to all true holiness, as it is represented in the scriptures; and by assuring yourself, that it is as dangerous to conform to its tempers and passions, now it is christian, as when it was heathen.
From this quarter, therefore, arises a great obstruction to a really devout life, because it cannot subsist in any person, but so far as he is dead to the world. And though human prudence seems to talk mighty wisely about the necessity of avoiding particularities, yet he that dares not be so weak as to be particular, will be often obliged to avoid the most substantial duties of christian piety.
CHAPTER V.
Shewing that the education which men generally receive in their youth, makes a devout life difficult to be practised; and the spirit of a better education represented in the character of Paternus.
ANOTHER obstruction to a devout life, arises from our education. We are all of us, for the most part, corruptly educated, and then sent to take our course in a corrupt world: so that it is no wonder, if examples of true piety are so seldom seen.
Numbers are undone by being born and bred in families that have no religion; where they are made vicious and irregular, becoming like those with whom they first lived.
But this is not the thing I now mean; the education that I here intend, is such as children generally receive from virtuous and sober parents, and learned tutors and governors.