5. To scorn at godliness, is a daring of God to give over his patience, and presently to execute his vengeance on thee! Canst thou wonder if he should make thee a monument of his justice, and set thee up for all others to take warning by? Who is fitter for this, than the scornful opposers of his grace and service? Hasten not vengeance, man; it will come time enough. Will a worm defy the God of heaven?
6. How little dost thou understand of all that thou opposest! Didst thou ever try a holy life? If thou hadst, thou wouldst not speak against it; if thou hast not, art thou not ashamed to speak evil of that which thou dost not understand? It is a thing that none can thoroughly know without experience: try it awhile, and then speak thy mind.
7. Didst thou ever consider how many judgments are against thee, and whom thou dost contradict and scorn? (1.) If thou scorn at serious godliness, at preaching, hearing, reading, praying, meditating, and strict avoiding sin, thou contradictest God himself; for none in all the world is so holy, or so much for holiness, as he: and therefore ultimately, it is him that all thy malice is against; even God the Father, and the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. (2.) Thou settest thyself against all the evidence of Scripture; (3.) And against all the works of God: for all conspire to call the world to holiness and strict obedience to God. (4.) And thou contradictest all the prophets and apostles, and all the ancient fathers of the church; and all the martyrs and saints of God that were ever in the world; and all the learned faithful ministers and pastors of the church that are or have been; and all the godly throughout the world; and all that ever had experience of a holy life: and what art thou, that thou shouldst scorn all these? Art thou wiser than all the ministers and godly persons in the world? than all the apostles and holy martyrs of Christ, that ever were? yea, than God himself?
8. Didst thou ever mark how unlike the speech of Christ and his apostles was to thine? Did they deride men for being too diligent, for the pleasing of God and saving of their souls? Read but these places following and judge: Matt. v. 8, 11, 20; vi. 21, 33; vii. 13, 14; 1 Pet. iv. 18; 2 Pet. iii. 11; i. 10; Heb. xi. 6; Matt. v.; Rom. viii. 1, 5-9, 13; Phil. iii. 18, 19; Heb. xii. 28, 29.
9. Dost thou not thyself do as much for the world, as those that thou opposest do for heaven? Art thou offended that they preach and pray so long? Art not thou longer about thy worldly business? And are not gallants longer at a feast, or visit, or games and recreations? Art thou offended that they talk so much of heaven? And dost not thou talk more of earth? And which of these dost thou think in thy conscience, doth better deserve to be sought and talked of? Which will prove better at the last? And whose labour will be more worthy of derision?
10. What gain would it be to thee if thou hadst thy will, and praying, and preaching, and holiness were as much banished from the world as thou wouldst have it? and if men to please thee should displease God, and cast away their souls for ever? Would it do thee good for earth to be so like to hell? It is the grief of godly men already, to think how little holiness is in the world: there is scarce a sadder thought that ever came into my heart, than to survey all the nations of the earth; and to think how ignorance and ungodliness abound, and how few there be that are truly holy; and what an inhuman creature is that who yet would have them fewer; and scorn out of the world the little wisdom and piety that is left![555]
And would it be any pleasure to thee in hell, if men should accompany thee thither to humour thee? Nay, it would be thy everlasting torment, to see there so many for ever undone, by hearkening to thy wicked counsel. Say not, that thou art not so cruel, and it is not their damnation that thou desirest: no more is it thy own that thou desirest; but all is one as to the effect, if thou desire the way to it. Thou mayst as well give one man poison, and deride at another for eating and drinking, and yet say, it is not your death that I desire. But die they must, if they are ruled by thee.
11. Were not he a cruel man that would not do as much for the saving of his neighbour's soul, as that which thou deridest them for in the saving of their own? If thou wert sick, should I refuse to pray for thy life? Or if I knew that it might save another's soul, should I think any means or pains too much? If not, methinks I may be allowed to do as much for myself, as charity bids me do for another.
12. Is it a season to mock at holiness, when at the same time there are so many millions of souls in heaven that all came thither by the way of holiness? and so many millions of souls in hell that all came thither for want of holiness? and while thou art prating against it, they are crying out in despair of the folly of their neglecting it? Would one of the souls in heaven regard thy mocks if he were to live on earth again? Or would one of the souls in hell be mocked thither, if they were but tried with another life? If thou sawest at this hour, what unholy souls in hell are suffering, and what holy souls in heaven enjoy, wouldst thou ever mock again at holiness? For shame consider what thou dost; and see by faith the things that mortal eyes behold not.
13. What if men should yield unto thy derisions, and forsake a holy life to please thee? Wouldst thou undertake to justify them or be answerable for them before that God, that required holiness, and will condemn all the unholy? Wouldst thou bring them off, and save them from damnation? Alas! poor soul, how unable wilt thou be to save thyself! And wilt thou take them for wise men, if they displease the Lord, and go to hell to humour such a one as thou?