(3.) Godliness as in the rule of holy Scripture is perfect, without any blemish that may give a scorner a pretence; but godliness in men is very imperfect, and mixed with sins, with faults which the world may oft discern, and the godly themselves are forwardest to confess; and therefore in them a scorner may find some plausible pretence. And when he derideth these professors of godliness as being all hypocrites, he will not instance in their virtues, but in their faults; as in Noah's drunkenness, and Lot's incest, and David's adultery and murder, and Peter's denying Christ; yet so as the dart shall be cast at piety itself; and the conclusion shall not be, to drive men from drunkenness, adultery, or any sin, but from serious godliness itself.
(4.) Godliness as in the rule, is to them a more unobserved dormant thing, and doth not so much annoy them; for they can shut their Bibles, or make nothing of it, but as a few good words; but godliness in the godly, existent in their teachers and neighbours, is more discernible to them, and more active, and more troublesome to them, and so more hated by them. In a dead letter, or dead saint, that troubleth them not, they can commend it; but in the living they are molested by it; and the nearer it is to them, the more they are exasperated against it. The word is the seed of godliness; which least offendeth them, till it spring up and bring forth the fruit which condemneth their wicked lives.
3. And as opposers and scorners do usually strike at godliness through the person and his faults, so they use to strike at the particular parts of God's worship, through some modes or circumstances, or imperfections of men in the performance. It is not preaching or praying that they scorn, if you believe them, but this or that manner or imperfection in preaching and praying. But the drift of all is, not to help any man to do it better, but to make them odious that are most serious in doing it at all, and thereby to persuade men that it is a needless thing.[549]
4. Note also, that it is not the image or dead part of religion that these men are most offended at and oppose; but it is the life, and zeal, and diligence of the godly. So that if they differ not from themselves in profession about any doctrine or ceremony, yet they hate and scorn them for doing seriously the same which themselves hypocritically profess.
5. Lastly, note also, that this is not a difference of one sect, or party, or church against another, upon differing opinions; but it is that which is among all parties within themselves, when there is any thing of serious religion to be found. Even among the papists there are some spiritual, serious, holy persons, who are derided and opposed by the profane that are of their own church. Yea, among the heathens, Seneca and others tell us, that strictness in moral virtue was made the scorn of the rude and sensual sort of men. But though the quarrel be but that which was taken up from the beginning between the woman's and the serpent's seed, yet in all countries where church differences cause contention, this serpentine enmity doth with serpentine subtilty creep in and make advantage of them, and take up the nick-names, or sharper weapons, which differing christians form against each other, to strike at the heart of Christianity itself.[550]
Direct. I. For the cure of those that are already infected with so heinous a sin, the chief direction is, to understand the greatness of it, and the miserable consequents: as followeth.
1. Consider what it is that thou deridest. Dost thou know against what thou openest thy mouth? 1. Thou deridest or opposest men for loving God with all their heart, and soul, and might: and dost thou not confess that this is the duty of all men living? and that he is not worthy to be called a christian that loveth not God above all? Thou canst not deny this. And yet wilt thou oppose it? Deny it not; for this is the very thing that thou opposest; either men's loving God, or showing their love to him. If thou didst but love him as much as they, thou wouldst seek and serve him as diligently as they. Dost thou not know this thyself, that if thou didst love him with all thy heart, and soul, and strength, thou wouldst seek, and serve, and obey him with all thy heart, and soul, and strength? If the godly do more than this, deride them and spare not. If they love God, and serve him with more than all the heart, and soul, and might, then call them righteous over-much. If thou know any one that loveth God or serveth him more than he deserveth, blame and oppose that man and spare not. Thou knowest that what thou lovest most, thou art diligent thyself in seeking and remembering. Thou labourest for money because thou lovest it: and they labour in seeking and serving God because they love him: and is it a work for any but a devil, to oppose or scorn men for; for loving or showing their love to God?
2. Thou deridest men for delighting in that which is most delectable: for delighting in high and heavenly knowledge, and in a holy state of soul and life; and for delighting in the law of God, and meditating in it day and night, Psal. i. 2; and for delighting in holy prayer, and the praises of their Maker; and for delighting in the forethoughts and mention of eternal joys, and making their calling and election sure. What is it but the exercise of these holy desires and delights which thou deridest? And wouldst thou not be as serious in religion and holiness as they, if thou hadst as much of these delights as they? Canst thou sit at thy pots, or follow thy game or sports, or talk of vanity many hours together, because thou delightest in them? and yet dost thou deride those that pray or hear God's word opened to them many hours, because it is their delight? O poor souls! how quickly and how terribly will God acquaint thee, whether their delights or thine were the more rational and just! and whether their work or thine was fitter to be derided!
3. Thou scornest men for paying but what they owe to the God that created and redeemed them. Are they not his own? and did he not give them all their parts and powers? and are not all their abilities and possessions his? What have they which they received not of him? And is this thy justice and honesty, to deride men for offering to pay their debts, and to give God his own? If thou know any one that giveth him more than he oweth him, deride that superstitious, over-righteous man, and spare not. But if men should not be derided for paying their debts to thee, deride not men for paying their debt to God, and giving him that which is his own. As we must give to Cæsar that which is Cæsar's, so we must give that to God also which is God's.
4. Thou deridest servants for obeying diligently their highest Master; and for doing diligently the greatest, best, and needfullest work in all the world. And is this a good example for thy own servants? Sure if a man should be mocked for serving God, he should be mocked more for serving such a one as thee. Dost thou know where we may find a better master, whom we may serve with better encouragement than God? He hath made us his stewards, and trusted us with his goods, and dost thou scorn us for being faithful in our stewardship? Thou deridest his subjects for obeying the King of all the world; and is this a good example to the king's subjects? should it be a matter of scorn to obey the king? or dost thou think that God's authority is less? or obedience to him less commendable?