Of trust in God, or, A discourse concerning the duty of casting our care upon God in all our difficulties together with An exhortation to patient suffering for righteousness, in a sermon on 1 S. Pet. III. 14, 15 / by Nathaniel Spinckes ...

SECT. II.

BUT these Means may be considered also as unlawfull (which they too often happen to be) and which cannot therefore be ventured upon without sin. And here my business will be to shew,

II. The great Evil and Danger of them, and that howsoever the Success which such indirect Attempts frequently meet with in the World may incline too many to look upon them as the properest Instruments for accomplishing their Designs, they grosly deceive themselves herein, as in truth they often find to their cost. They may fansie themselves to outwit or over∣power others, but by the just Judgment of God upon them for their Wickedness, the event ordi∣narily shews them to have most outwitted them∣selves. Wilt thou speak wickedly for God, said Job, and talk deceitfully for him? plainly intima∣ting, that God being All-sufficient of himself, hath no need of any of our Iniquities for effect∣ing his Designs; for whatever he in his infinite Wisdom determines, he knows how to perform it without our Assistance, but especially without our Sin. Which being always an intolerable Abomination in his sight, he therefore utterly disallows of it in all cases, as what can never be to his glory, though committed upon never so specious a pretence. Though it were to preserve a discountenanced Religion, or to save a sinking Church, or upon any other the most weighty occasion, he permits not a Lye to be told, much less an apparently ill Action to be done. And if

it be not lawfull to speak or act unrighteously for God, and with an intent to advance his Glory, who can conceive it safe to do it for our own sakes, though in our most urgent Necessi∣ties? His Eye is always upon us, to observe all our Circumstances, and to make provision for us, as he sees most suitable to our needs. And if he think fit to lay his Hand heavy upon us, all our own attempts will signifie nothing to∣wards the removal of it, till he shall be pleased to release us. Whilst they are agreeable to his Will, they may be usefull for our Deliverance, but when contrary to it, we may justly look that they should hinder and prevent, rather than be a means of promoting it. The Wise-man I am sure is very express to this purpose, when he af∣firms, That the righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors, (Transgres∣sors indefinitely, whosoever they be, or upon whatsoever account they are such) shall be taken in their own naughtiness. And again, a man, saith he,† shall not be established by wickedness; intimating, that all his sinfull Contrivances how promising soever in appearance, shall not be suf∣ficient to do his business.

Since it is from God's Blessing alone (as I have been endeavouring to shew) that Success is to be hoped for, and not from our own heartiest Endeavours without it, and this Blessing we may be sure is no longer to be rely'd upon than we keep to the observance of his Will, there is no room left to promise our selves Security when once we have begun to transgress his Laws. Men may involve themselves in Labyrinths and inex∣tricable Difficulties, by not waiting for God's Assistance, in his own time, and by his own

means, but they know not in any wise how to perfect their Designs without him. Whenever any go out of his way, though upon the fairest prospect of success, it is impossible to foresee what mischiefs they may bring upon themselves by those very means, whereby they vainly strive to secure themselves against them.

Morinus mentions a Tradition of one of the Rabbins, containing a peculiar method of God's punishing a greedy Worldling, who sought to enrich himself by Sacrilege, and found himself at length to have been sadly impoverished by it. The Method he took was this; His Estate ha∣ving brought him in a thousand Measures of Grain by the Year, instead of paying an hun∣dred for Tithe, he with-held ten, and pay'd on∣ly ninety. Whereupon it pleased God to order, that the next Year, his Ground should yeild him but nine hundred Measures, being just the quantity he had tithed for the Year before. Upon this he brings but eighty, and accordingly the next Year his Income was but eight hun∣dred; and so on, till it fell gradually to one hundred Measures in the whole, and might have come to less if he had not taken warning then, and penitently acknowledged his Offence, and resolv'd upon an amendment for the future. I don't vouch for the truth of this Relation; but however it naturally hints to us, how easie it is for God to find out wicked Men, when they think themselves most exquisitely subtile and pri∣vate in their Iniquities, and to shew them how vain a matter it is to attempt the bringing their Designs about without him. All the pains that are taken in this case may be to no purpose, or to a very bad one, leaving persons at last in as

ill, if not a far worse condition than they were in before.

For to make use of any kind of Sin in order to our welfare, is a very preposterous course in relation to Almighty God, arguing an unreason∣able diffidence in him, as if he would prove worse than his word, and would not take due care of us, notwithstanding he hath so oft and so plainly declared he will. It implies a distrust that either he cannot, or will not help us, and so calls either his Power, or else his Goodness and Veracity into question. Whence it must ne∣cessarily appear to be an act of high Disinge∣nuity and Undutifulness; and consequently to be utterly unbecoming our Christian Profession. It is at best but a doing ill with a good intent. And how dishonourable this is to Almighty God, and how dear it is like to cost the Doer, unless prevented by a sincere Repentance, may be col∣lected from those words of the Apostle S. Paul, And not rather as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil that good may come; whose damnation is just.

But because the generality, even of them that call themselves Christians, are more in love with the things of this World, than with those that are infinitely more valuable in another, and hence Arguments that relate to these, too fre∣quently work more upon them than those which are taken from the other, not to say, more than any that are brought from a bare consideration of their Duty, I will therefore apply my self to them in their own way, and endeavour to shew, that all sinfull and unwarrantable practices in or∣der to our Security and Happiness, are very im∣proper and disadvantageous in regard to this pre∣sent

life, as well as a ready way to everlasting Misery in another; and so are intolerably dan∣gerous in respect to both this and a future State. And particularly upon these following accounts.

1. Because in seeking to help our selves by these means, we may pos∣sibly take the direct contrary course to that we design, and may all the while be drawing upon our selves what we labour to avoid, or laying a sure train to miss of what we aim at. Considering the shallowness of our Capacities, it is easie to suppose, that we may be mistaken, and may judge those methods most conducive to our good, which either in their own nature, or in their necessary conse∣quence are most prejudicial to it; like him that in a fright casts himself into the Water for fear of being drowned, or runs into the Fire to escape burning; or† like a sick Man, whose Disease many times makes him most earnestly desire those things that are most hurtful to him, whilst in that condition. These Per∣sons do not intend their own Ruine, but not having the proper use of their Understanding, by reason of an unusual com∣motion and disorder of the Animal Spirits, put∣ting them for the present besides themselves, they cannot judge aright of what they do; and this makes them act in direct contradiction to what they would, if they were truly sensible of their own case. And whilst Mankind in general have their apprehensions of things bewildered in like sort, though not to the same degree, what

else can be expected than that they should be continually running upon one Inconvenience or another, though not in so gross a manner? We are neither competent Judges of what is really best for us, nor how what we think so may be best obtained, and must therefore inevitably lie exposed to multitudes of Mischiefs, whilst we take upon us to be our own carvers.

1. We know not what is really best for us. Every one is sensible enough what it is he actual∣ly desires, but who is it understands what state or condition of life is in truth most desirable for him? Here we are all at a loss, being too liable to wish for what, if granted, might prove no less destructive to us, than Rachel's desire of Children was to her. Give me Children, said she, or else I die. But the accomplishment of this de∣sire cost her her life, instead of comforting her as she expected, with the sight and enjoyment of her Off-spring. For though upon the birth of her first born† Joseph, she blessed her self to think that God had taken away her reproach, that lay upon her for her Barrenness, yet no sooner was she made the Mother of‖ Children by ano∣ther birth, but she died of her hard labour. When we leave it to God to choose for us, we are sure we cannot do amiss, because we have one in this case to take care of us, who best understands our Wants, and is best able to relieve them. But when we seek to take this work out of his hands, we are apt to run our selves into needless troubles, for want of Judgment to discern where∣in our true Interest consists. This Estate, that Preferment, such a Post of Honour, looks very charming, but we know not what Mischiefs and

Inconveniencies are to go along with it, as its inseparable attendants, which if we did, there would appear far less cause to be fond of it. We cannot foresee all the Difficulties that are to be undergone in order to it, what canvas∣sing there may be for it, what sneaking and crin∣ging there must be, and what services underta∣ken to obtain it. And when this is done, and the prize obtained, we are not aware what envy it may create us, what perplexing cares for se∣curing our Interest in it may incessantly molest us, what other burdens it may bring upon us, or how unfit our selves may be for such a new course of life. Our Heads perhaps may grow giddy if raised too high, and we may be in dan∣ger of falling lower than we are at present. In∣stead of wholsome Food, we may desire what in the consequence will prove meer Poison; and in most particulars it is almost an equal lay, (as a late learned Divine speaks) that we do so.

2. And no less prone are we to err in the choice of means for the obtaining what we thus desire. It is above Humane Capacity to dive into the wise Methods of God's Providence, and fathom the measures he propounds to himself for the Go∣vernment of the World, or to discover the several windings of the train he lays for bringing his Ends about. No Man is sensible what unfore∣seen impediments will arise, to obstruct his most plausible Contrivances, nor what may be the ef∣fect of them; and how then can any one think himself able certainly to attain his End? Had Joseph's Brethren aimed at his advancement, they would, no doubt, have pitched upon any other method for it, sooner than to sell him to the Is∣maelites,

to be a Slave all his days. Yet this they afterwards found to be the way, whereby the All-wise God had determined to exalt him to the Government of Egypt, to be a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land. And on the contrary, had† Adonijah known before-hand that his re∣quest of Abishag the Shunamite to be given him to Wife, would have been the occasion of his Death, and not of his wish'd Succession to the Throne of Israel, he would never have entreated of Bathsheba to petition her Son Solomon on this behalf. As neither would‖ Absalom have tried by Flatteries and Fawning to steal away the Peoples Hearts, whereby to usurp his Father's Crown, if he had foreseen that this would prove his ine∣vitable ruine.

In a word, there is no Man sure not to be entrap'd in the works of his own Hands, or en∣snared in his subtilest and best laid Devices. And therefore none, if he certainly knew wherein his present Interest consists, could yet have any rea∣son to perswade himself, that his endeavours for promoting it shall never have a quite contrary tendency. But when neither of these are under∣stood, when we neither know what makes truly for our welfare, nor by which means what we think such may be securely advanced, what un∣pardonable folly must it be in any one, out of a fond conceit for his own Abilities, to trust to these for Safety and Happiness, rather than to the gracious Protection of Almighty God; or in other terms, for any one to dare purposely to commit the least sin, though for avoiding the greatest hurt?

2. But the impropriety and disadvantage of these attempts is farther manifest, because if we really knew wherein our present Interest consists, and which were the most natural and usefull means for promoting it, this one fault of their being sinfull, and consequently, displeasing to Almighty God, were enough to defeat the whole design of them. For,

1. When it appears that God is about to in∣flict his Judgments upon us, to endeavour the a∣voiding of them by any unlawfull means is no better than an attempt to frustrate his Designs. And how vain this is the Wise Man informs us, saying, There are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. In which words is averr'd, that though Men may plot and contrive, and when they im∣patiently desire what they have not, or are pos∣sessed with a fearfull expectation of some im∣pending Calamity, or groan under some heavy Burden, may employ their Wits to find out means of removing these their fears or troubles, yet if these means agree not with the Will and Word of God, and the wise Determinations of his Providence, their Purposes must needs be∣come abortive, there being, as he speaks in ano∣ther place,† No wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord God is infinite in Knowledge and Power, and‖ there is no search∣ing of his understanding, nor any resisting his Arm. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou? And† those that walk in Pride, as all do who thus inconsiderately set themselves to counter∣mine his proceedings concerning them, he is able

to abase. This the great Nebuchadnezzar found to his sorrow, when he had been magnifying his own Glory and Grandeur, the stateliness of his Palace, and the extent of his Dominions, the might of his Power, and the honour of his Ma∣jesty, and was hereupon immediately driven from among Men, and forced to herd with the Beasts of the Field, till he was brought to bless, and praise, and honour the most high, who liveth for ever, and to acknowledge, that his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from gene∣ration to generation. And who art thou, O Man, that thinkest to withstand his decree? or how wilt thou be better able than this potent Mo∣narch to defend thy self against him? The least thou canst possibly expect in this case, is, that he should withdraw his Blessing from these thine en∣deavours, and render them fruitless for want of it.

To this purpose the excellent S. Chrysostome comments upon those words of our Blessed Sa∣viour,† Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves; be ye therefore wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves.‖

Let us therefore, saith he, be a∣shamed to act contrarily, by setting upon our Enemies like Wolves. For so long as we retain the Meekness of Sheep, and act like them, we are sure to come off Conquerors. Though many thousands of Wolves should encompass us, we shall yet be able to overpower and subdue them. But if our selves once become Wolves, we must expect thenceforward to be overcome; because hereby we lose

our best security, the care and protection of the Shepherd.

2. In flying to unlawfull Means in order to our welfare, we take the surest course to set God at enmity with us, provoking him not only to deny us his Blessing, but purposely to blast all our best-laid Designs. This is a direct violation of his Laws, and may justly excite him to plague as far beyond our utmost fears. It is to shew aware regard to Man, or other inferiour causes man to God himself, the Supream Lord and Governour, the great Creator, and prime mo∣ver of all things. And how terrible the Conse∣quence of this may be, he best knows, in whose power it is to make us as miserable as he pleases. I am very sure he deals very graciously with us, if he be not hereby prevailed with to inflict upon us some sorer Judgment, than any we might hope to prevent, or remove by it.

And the reason is plain, for when Men be∣take themselves to these sinister courses for aid, they are so far from casting their Care upon God, that they do what they can to take it off from him, and to put themselves together with all their concerns, out of his Protection into their own, as if they understood their own Wants better than he does, or could make better pro∣vision for themselves than he will. Or rather, it is no less than a going from God to the Devil for help; and consequently is the most effectual contrivance for bringing down the Severities of his Vengeance upon them, to punish them for this their Wickedness.

This the People of the Jews sadly experimen∣ted, when they had used their utmost Interest and Endeavours to get our Blessed Saviour put

to death, least otherwise the more powerfull Romans might be tempted to come against them, and take away both their place and nation, but by this same Project, as usefull as they thought it for their Preservation, provoked God to de∣liver them up into the Hands of the same People, against whom they sought thus impiously to se∣cure themselves. They looked upon the remo∣val of our Saviour out of the way, as the pro∣perest expedient for diverting so potent an Ad∣versary; but because this was a most heinous Of∣fence against God, it made way for that very Destruction to overtake them, which they were thus earnestly desirous to prevent.

And the like unhappy disappointment the learned Dr. Hammond understood our Blessed Lord to have threatened to his Disciples, if they should seek to save themselves, from the nume∣rous dangers whereto they were obnoxious, by any indirect and forbidden means.† Whosoever will save his life, saith our Lord, shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. As if our Saviour should have said,

They who by Persecutions should be brought to apostatize, and joyn with the Jews, should with them be certainly destroy'd in the great slaugh∣ter of them; but they that should hold out, and venture the utmost for the confession of the Truth, should be most like to be delivered from that dreadfull Destruction in which the rest would be involved.

These were to have a‖ Pel∣la provided for them, as a Reward of their Fi∣delity, a place of retreat wherein to shelter themselves, whilst those others, who thought to secure themselves by their sinfull compliances were cut off.

In short, he that studies to save himself, or to promote his Interest, by any known sin, takes a very likely way to have his Designs frustrated, and in effect, embraces what he hates, and opens a door for all those Evils against which he so foolishly arms himself to enter in. He prepares to himself needless difficulties, and at the same time deprives himself of that succour, without which he could not think to be safe in better Cir∣cumstances. And as if this were not misfortune enough, he farther exposes himself to all the Mi∣series which are threatened to the Refractary and Disobedient. By forsaking his God to save himself, he flies from him who alone can pro∣tect him against all Disasters, and runs into the open jaws of the Devourer. He takes care to create himself an Enemy, that will easily turn all his wisest Counsels into Foolishness, and render all his Undertakings successess; and who on the other hand can as easily overwhelm him with all sorts of Plagues and Calamities.

3. If God should be pleased to grant success to these Attempts, beyond what there is any reason to hope for; this pos∣sibly may be but to make way for some severer misery to overtake us. Such as Philip of Macedon was afraid of, when having received three joy∣full Messages at the same time, name∣ly, that his Chariot had come off Vi∣ctor in the Olympick Games, that his General had routed his Enemies, and that his Wife had born him a Son, cried out hereupon, with hands lift up to Heaven,† Oh that after so much good news, it

might be only some common calamity that should befall him! Or as befell Theramenes at Athens, who having met with a wonderfull Deliverance (when the House wherein he was with others at Supper had fallen and slain the rest of the Company without hurting him) was shortly after put to a more cruel Death by his Collegues in the Ty∣ranny.

God may please for the clearer ma∣nifestation of his Power,† to exalt wicked Men, and give them their fill of Wealth and Authority, and Ho∣nour, and to allow them the free en∣joyment of all these, only in order to their heavier fall. As he did sinfull Pharaoh, of whom the Scripture saith expresly,‖ In very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout the earth; meaning,

That God had not only set him in an eminent station, by by making him a potent King, but had moreover† preserved him alive after all the Plagues his Land had suffered for his Obstinacy and Diso∣bedience, had made him‖ to stand (as it is in the Original) to the in∣tent he might become a lasting Monument of the Divine Vengeance upon incorrigible Offen∣ders.

An Example well worthy the serious consideration of those that promise themselves Safety any other way than God has appointed. For howsoever such flatter themselves in their Wickedness, at present they know not how soon

a Day of Reckoning may come; and then they must look to pay dear for all their Abominati∣ons.

Sometimes God may permit Mens Ungodli∣ness to succeed, and to answer their Expectations for a while, but withall, may cause it to be at∣tended with some other inconvenience, that shall more than compensate for all the benefits arising from it. As in the case of Gehazi, who hoped to make an advantage of the lye with which he pursued Naaman the Syrian, and so he did for the present; but then upon his return in∣to his Master's sight,† he was seized with a Le∣prosie that was never to leave him all the days of his life, nor his Seed after him.

Sometimes he may cut them off before they come to tast the fruit of what they have unlaw∣fully obtained, as he did‖ Potamius Bishop of Lisbon. This Bishop was first Orthodox, but afterwards denied the Faith, and turned Arian, in hope of an Estate to be bestowed upon him by the Emperour. Which, though granted him, proved a very poor Recompense for his Infide∣lity; for as he was going to take possession of it, a certain pain seized him in his Tongue, where∣with he had blasphemed God, and his Distemper encreasing upon him, he died by the way with∣out the satisfaction of having seen what he so ea∣gerly thirsted after.

Sometimes again he may let Men go on in their Wickedness, and proceed from one degree of it to another, and after a while may put a very remarkable stop to their career, and per∣haps not without the loss of their Life. As it happened to Hosius Bishop of Corduba, who after he had been zealous for the Orthodox Faith in

the time of the Arian Persecution, and had cen∣sured and rejected the forenamed Potamius for his Apostacy from it, was yet wrought upon in his old Age, by the threats and punishments of the Emperour Constantius, to subscribe the Ari∣an Confession, and returned back from him into Spain, with Commissi∣on to banish all that refused to join in a Communion with him. But it came to pass, that being about to pronounce the Sentence of Deposition upon Gregory of Eliberis, in order to his Banishment, he was struck by the Hand of God,† Fell from his Seat to the earth, and there expired; or at least had his speech ta∣ken away, and was carried out for dead.

Or else when Men grow impetuous, and ex∣cessively extravagant in their Impieties, he may seem to connive at them for a time, and when that is past may take them down, in the height of their Pride, and make them acknowledge his Hand visibly upon them for their Crimes. Thus he avenged himself upon two notorious Adversa∣ries to his Church, Antiochus a profess'd Enemy to the Jewish, and Julian a subtile underminer of the Christian Worship and Religion. The former of whom having forbidden the Jews to Sacrifice, as their Law requir'd of them, having offer'd Swines∣flesh upon their Altar to profane it, having pro∣hibited their initiatory rite of Circumcision, and burnt their Scriptures, yet before his death, finding his illness very hard upon him, he de∣clared to his Friends about him,‖ that

he endured all this for the Cruelties he had exercised upon the Jews, and for his robbing their Temple, and despising their God. The latter had been educated from his Childhood in the Christian Religion, and though as he grew up he began to have most Inclination for the Hea∣then Idolatries, yet openly made profession of Christianity, and took upon him a Monastick Life, and was a Reader in the Church of Nicomedia in Bithynia, till at length he thought it a proper time to lay aside his Vizard, and then he disowned the Religion he had hitherto pro∣fess'd, went publickly to the Heathen Temples, sacrificed to the Images he found there, and cal∣led himself their High-Priest. Thenceforward he set himself against the Christians, and spake and wrote against their Doctrine,1 trying all ways,2 by fair Words,3 by Promises and Rewards,4 by Terrours and Sufferings,5 by Tole∣ration,6 by Tricks and subtile Arti∣fices to win them off from their Chri∣stianity. But after all, it is related of him, that having received his mortal Wound, and considering the Hand of God upon him in it,7 he could not but declare (though he did it in an undecent manner) that that Christ, whom he had so despised and reproached, and whose Worship he had laboured by so many various me∣thods to extirpate out of the World, was not too hard for him.

Thus it pleases the great God to execute his Wrath in an extraordinary and signal manner, when Men grow audacious and incorrigible in their Wickedness, and provoke him to that de∣gree, that he can no longer bear with them. All the present success such meet with is no security to them against a more deadly stroke, when the measure of their Iniquities is filled up. This is the proper season for him to vindicate his own Honour and Justice, and to let themselves and the rest of the World see, that he is not an un∣concerned Spectator of their doings. And ac∣cordingly he takes occasion many times to inflict some immediate Judgment upon them; or else he makes some other way for his Indignation, which, if attended to, must necessarily convince them of their folly, in having departed from his Precepts, how inviting soever the temptation might have appeared to them.

And if we appeal to the ordinary course of the World, it must be acknowledged, that though a Man may contrive to advance himself for the present (which yet is more than many can do with all their Cunning, and all their Wickedness) though a Man may contrive, I say, to advance himself for the present, by Cheating, Oppression, Sycophantry, Perjury, Subornation, Time-serving, or other evil Practices; these sel∣dom last long without recoiling upon him to his sorrow. They may prove serviceable whilst he can put a fair gloss upon them; but if once they come to be publickly taken notice of, his Credit

is presently impaired by them, and either he is at length undone, or at least, finds himself in worse circumstances than if he had kept to the undoubted Rules of Honesty. And such an one being brought into Streights, his former ill dealings not only occasion him fewer Friends a∣mongst Men to assist him in his necessity, but give him likewise just ground to expect far less of the Divine Favour and Compassion than he might otherwise have hoped for. Whence his fall becomes the greater, and the more grievous, the greater by how much the higher he had been advan∣ced, and the more grievous by how much the less pitied he falls by those about him, and the less hope he hath therefore of a recovery.

And the case is much the same in relation to Treasons, Rebellion, Robbery, Murther, or other the like dangerous, as well as unconscio∣nable Practices. Except that these not only fail in time to answer the Offender's Expectation, (as the former) but besides, are frequently attended with some ignominious punishment at the last, and it may be to the utter overthrow of them∣selves, and their Estates, and Honours together at one blow; after this manner verifying the say∣ing of the Wise-man,† As the fish that are ta∣ken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare: so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them; and that other of the Psalmist,‖ When the wick∣ed spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is (this is the time, whilst they are thus in their Splendor) that they shall be destroyed for ever.

But farther, if through the immense Clemen∣cy of God, the Sinner should escape all these forementioned Inconveniencies, neither erring in his Choice, nor in the Means he uses in pursuit of it, nor having his Designs defeated, nor any heavier Judgment inflicted upon him during the whole time of his abode in this World; suppo∣sing all this, still the impropriety and disadvan∣tage of unlawfull Means in order to our welfare will appear.

3. Because there are other dreadfull mischiefs that usually accompany them. The danger is not over upon obtaining the End aimed at, but there are ill consequences of the Means in order to it yet remaining, which will more than re∣compense for the benefits redounding from them. And especially these two.

• 1. The trouble, anxiety, and perplexity of Mind, that may justly be expected to follow up∣on them here in this World.
• 2. The intolerable tortures that are due to them in the other.

1. The trouble, anxiety, and perplexity of Mind, that may justly be expected to follow up∣on them here in this World. For it cannot be other than a very considerable abatement of a∣ny the greatest outward Happiness, to remember that it has been ac∣quired by the wilfull transgression of

God's Laws. When the Possessor blesses himself most in his unjust attainments, this one thought will be enough (like the Hand-writing on the Wall to Belshazzar) to imbitter all his Joys, to strike his Limbs into a fit of trembling, to cover his Face with paleness, and fill his Mind with horrour and confusion. What a damp must it be to his compleatest Satisfactions, to recollect, that they have been the purchase of his Sin, and that he must therefore look to suffer one day se∣verely for them? How gawdily soever he may appear, or whatever shew he make,† his Mind may yet be very uneasie,‖ like the troubled Sea, whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. And none but himself knows what private Pangs and Agonies seize him in his most Halcyon days; what Anguish, Fear, and Grief possess his Soul; how dissembled his Joys are for the most part, and how much more miserable he is in truth, than those who are most tempted to envy his Success. His seeming advantages above others are no evidence that all is right with∣in; for notwithstanding these, his Mind may be continually upon the Rack, and he may here∣by pay dearly, even at present, for what he so values himself upon.

Instances are frequent in History, of Persons whom no outward Grandeur, Wealth, or Pow∣er, could set at rest, that their own guilty Con∣sciences should not fill their Souls with dread and terrour, as if they were just upon the point of coming to account for their Iniquities. Such

as1 Tiberius,2 Caligula, and3 Ana∣stasius of Rome,4 Dionysius of Corinth,5 Lewis XI. of France, and6 Ri∣chard III. of our own Nation, &c. whose frightfull Dreams by Night, and restless Fears by Day were a suf∣ficient confirmation of the Poet's As∣sertion, that7 Aesculapius with all his Medicaments had no cure for a trou∣bled Conscience. If the greatest af∣fluence of outward Enjoyments could set a Man at ease, sure Kings and Emperours should have the best Title to it; yet these forementioned, and others shew, that they are many times farther from it than the meanest of their Subjects. When once the greatest of Men rebell against God, on whom they have their whole Dependance for their Lives and all their Enjoyments, they may conclude, that he will have no regard to them more than others, but will be at least as highly incensed against them. And consequently, they must have as much cause as any to dread the heavy effects of his Displeasure.

There is a great deal of Truth in that of the Moralist, That he who hath a guilty Conscience may sometimes be safe from any present danger, but never from the fear of it. For though his Sin be not yet discovered, he knows not how soon it may, and is disturbed in his Sleep, and as oft as he mentions ano∣ther's Wickedness, is possessed with a tormenting remembrance of his own. But if to this be added the Consideration of ano∣ther

Life, and the extremity of those dismal Tor∣tures the Sinner must then expect to undergo, no wonder though he find himself very uneasie at the thoughts hereof. These will pursue him into his closest Retirements in spight of all the care he can take to prevent them, and will be as so many Darts piercing him to the quick. The remembrance of having acted unagreeably to his Profession, a sense of the guilt hereby contract∣ed, and a fear of present Sufferings, together with the dread of an approaching Judgment, and the ineffable Terrours of the Lord in the o∣ther World, will cut him to the Soul, will even overwhelm him with Grief, and if duly attend∣ed to, will make him heartily repent, that ever he should have taken so indirect a course to pro∣mote his own welfare. And yet all this is but the beginning of Sorrows, and is nothing in compa∣rison of what I mentioned in the Second place, namely,

2. The intolerable Tortures that are due to these Practices in a future state; when both Soul and Body shall be everlastingly punished in Hell-fire, with the Devil and his Angels. This will undoubtedly be the Portion of all that fear not God; and amongst others, in particular of those whose distrust of his Goodness hath put them upon unwarrantable Contrivances for their own Safety or Advancement. There is no∣thing more certain, than that we must all ap∣pear, and God knows how soon, before the judg∣ment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; and then† will he render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek

for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but to them who obey not the truth, but obey un∣righteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doth evil, though for never so plausible an End, and upon never so advantageous a Prospect. Nothing of this Nature will then be allow'd of, as an excuse for having transgressed God's Laws, or will de∣liver from the Severities denounced against such as knowingly transgress them. But howsoever they escape at present, they will be sure (unless a timely Repentance prevent it) to be confined hereafter to unavoidable, insupportable, and yet incessant Agonies.

And how disadvantageous a bargain this will be to them, may be collected from those words of our Blessed Lord to his Disciples, What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? If a Man can possi∣bly satisfie himself in any profitable, or other∣wise usefull Wickedness at present, yet he will find a dolefull, and an amazing change, when he shall come at last to† lie down in sorrows, and‖ be tormented day and Night for ever and ever. For if the gain of the whole World would be an unequal Compensation for the loss of a Soul, as our Saviour teaches us, how egregious must their folly be, that will dare to ruine their Souls beyond hope of recovery, only for some small inconsiderable advantage, which may soon be gone again, and whilst it lasts, may administer but little satisfaction; or for the avoiding some present uneasiness, which possibly might have been soon over without it, and much better and more desirably than with it.

It is no slight matter to be condemned to e∣verlasting Burnings amongst the accursed and damned Spirits, to languish in extremity of Hun∣ger and Thirst, and Pain, and Grief, to have a guilty Conscience within, gnawing like a never∣dying Worm, and without the company of De∣vils terrifying and tormenting, the heat of un∣quenchable Fire parching, dismal Darkness ever∣shadowing us, and not one drop of Water, or any the least mitigation of these dolours to be procured upon any terms, nor any hope that the utmost period of time, though after Millions of Mil∣lions of Ages, will put an end to them. There will be yelling and howling, weeping and gnashing of Teeth, Pangs and Agonies, Fear and Dread, blackness of Darkness, Horrour and Confusion, and no expectation of any Good, or of freedom from any Evil. And which is the Completion of all, there will be no end of these Sufferings, nor any the least hope of it. In short,† Nec tormentis aut modus ullus, aut terminus, these Torments will be infinite as to both their intense∣ness and their duration, will be unspeakably, un∣conceivably sharp, and yet withall will endure to all Eternity. Insomuch that Aetna and Vesuvius with all their Roarings, and all their fiercest and their hottest Streams of Sulphur, are a very faint Emblem of these more dreadfull Flames. Where∣in the Flesh shall for ever fry, the Blood for e∣ver boyl, the Veins be for ever scorched, the Nerves for ever rack'd, Serpents shall for ever devour the Body, and Furies for ever tear the Soul.

Oh the dire Vengeance of an incensed Deity, that will thus eternally pursue and torture the guilty Sinner! and oh the intolerable stupidity therefore of venturing to expose one's self to it, for whatsoever worldly advantage! It is a sign persons have little apprehension of their own good, when they will choose to be uneasie in their Minds here, and thus excessively miserable hereafter, rather than undergo a little present smart, or it may be than want some place of Ho∣nour or Profit, which yet they might be very well without, if they would but heartily endea∣vour it.

And thus I hope I have sufficiently evinced the Unreasonableness of seeking to Unlawfull Means for Relief in whatever Case, and by con∣sequence, that if People would study their own truest Interest, and would be wise to the best pur∣poses, they must be ready to suffer, or part with any thing in this World, rather than commit the least Sin, and not only so, but if they would take the surest course to be happy at present, they must be very cautious of offending God, least otherwise they provoke him to disappoint their Hopes, to frustrate their Endeavours, and to plague them for all their Iniquities. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust, or Unrighteous, un∣der which Character they are certainly included, who make Sins their Refuge in their Distress, unto the day of judgment to be punished. Those that stick close to him, relying faithfully upon his good Providence in all their Necessities, he both can and will save without the help of wicked Artifices for their Deliverance; and those that betake themselves to Unlawfull Means for Refuge,

he will make either first or last to smart for it. And besides, all Events at present depend more upon the Influence of God's over-ruling Provi∣dence, than upon any Humane Means; nor will the best-laid Designs turn to any account with∣out his Concurrence. He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth back again, maketh poor and ma∣keth rich, bringeth low and lifteth up. And though in keeping to his ways, as† a late learned and pi∣ous Author of our own Church speaks, we should have no visible preparations to trust to, yet is Pro∣vidence, the ground of our Confidence, full of invi∣sible ones; which do abundantly more assure Delive∣rance or Success than any others; and which like Elisha's Mountain full of Horses and fiery Chariots, are discernible to the Eye of Faith, though not to the Eye of Flesh. He can make us happy if he pleases without our selves (though this be more than we are ordinarily to expect) but we can ne∣ver make our selves so without him. The subtilest undertaker can do nothing but by his assistance, which if he determine to with-hold, there needs nothing more to‖ disappoint the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their en∣terprize.

And in how forlorn a condition must Men be, when they fall into trouble, after they have parted with their Innocency, and dared even to damn their Souls, and hereby have forfeited the Favour of both God and Man to avoid it? If it be an abatement of the greatest Temporal Hap∣piness, that it has been obtained by the help of some Sin (as I have endeavoured to shew it is;) much rather will it be a mighty aggravation of all the Sinner's Fears or Sufferings, Wants or Disappointments, to consider that he has ventur'd

thus hard for the cure of them, and yet has not been able to obtain it.

The properest Support under any affliction is, a sense of a Man's own Integrity, an hope of God's Favour and Blessing, the Assistance of the Holy Spirit, and a Meditation of the cause of his Sufferings, and the Benefits that may re∣dound from a good improvement of them. And since he that wilfully runs into any known Sin, evidently deprives himself of all these grounds of Comfort, his Case must be very highly deplo∣rable, and so much the more, by how much the more provoking his Wickedness has been. In his most flourishing Estate he will have just cause to repent of his Folly; but if he find all his Attempts prove vain, for want of God's Bles∣sing, and be made to groan under the Evils which he had been striving a∣gainst, he will meet with a very con∣siderable foretaste of those uncon∣ceivable Torments, to which without a sincere and timely Repentance, he must be everlastingly consigned in the other World.

Never therefore let any think of sin∣ning for their own profit or security, of† doing evil that good may come, or of committing the least Wickedness, for any the most desirable End. For when all is done, there is no safety without God, who alone protects in the midst of the greatest Dangers, supports under the heaviest Burdens, and on the other hand, as easily de∣feats the Expectations of the most se∣cure in their Attempts against him.

And although sometimes, for reasons best known to himself, he may permit the most ungodly un∣dertakings to succeed, there is no ground to con∣clude, that he will do it whensoever we engage in them, or indeed at any time, unless it be in Wrath, and to the intent, that we may be the rather hardened in our Sins, and may hereby be prepared for the severer Destruction.

Notes

• Job 13.7.
• Prov. 11.6.
• †

  c. 12.3.
• Exercitat. Bibl. 6. c. 5.
• Rom. 3.8.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Diog. Laert. l. 6. in vita Diog. Cynici.
• †

  Aegrotantes contra∣ria delectant, & cum corpus hominis adversa valetudo possederit, con∣tra salutem suam à labo∣rantibus perversa poscun∣tur. Jul. Firmie. Matern. de err. gent.
• Gen. 30.1.
• †

  v. 23.
• ‖

  c. 35.17, 18.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Arr. E∣pictet. l. 13. c. 15.
• Dr. S. ot's Christian Life, Part 1. c. 3. n. 6.
• Gen. 45.8.
• †

  1 King. 2.24, 25.
• ‖

  2 Sam. 15.1, &c.
• Prov. 19.21.
• †

  c. 21.30.
• ‖

  Is. 40.28.
• Dan. 4.35.
• †

  v. 3••.
• v. 34.
• †

  S. Mat. 10.16.
• ‖

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. D. Chrysost. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• S Jo 11.48.
• †

  S. Matt. 16.25.
• ‖

  Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 5.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Aristot. Rhetor. l. 2. c. 24.
• †

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Plutarch. de Consolat. ad Apollon.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ibid.
• †

  Consuesse enim Deos immortales, quo gravius homines ex commutati∣one rerum doleant, quos pro scelere eorum ulci∣sci velint, his secundiores interdum res, & diutur∣niorem impunitatem concedere. J. Caes. de bel∣lo Gall. l. 1. Miseri in hoc altius tolluntur. ut decidant altius; hi enim ut victimae ad supplicium saginantur, ut hostiae ad poenam coronantur. Min. Fel.
• ‖

  Exod. 9.16.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Rom. 9.7.
• †

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, apud 72. Interp.
• ‖

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• 2 King. 5.21, 22, 23.
• †

  v. 27.
• ‖

  Faust. & Mar∣cell. libell. precum.
• Nullos fru∣ctus fundi vel visione per••••¦piens. Ibid.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So∣crat. Hist. P. l. 2. c. 31.
• †

  De sessu in terram eliditur, atque illic ex∣spirat; aut, ut quidam volunt obmutuit. Inde tamen effertur ut mortu∣us. Libel. prec. Ibid.
• ‖

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Josep. An∣tiq. l. 12. c. 13.
• Socrat. Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. Am. Marcel. l. 22. Theod. Hist. l. 3. c. 2. Greg. Naz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 1

  Sozom. Hist. l. 5. c. 17.
• 2

  Theod. l. 3. c. 22.
• 3

  Theod. l. 3. c. 16.
• 4

  Socrat. l. 3. c. 13, 14, 15, 16, 19.
• 5

  Am. Marcell. l. 22. Optat. Meliv. l. 2.
• 6

  Soz. l. 3. c. 17, 18. Greg. Naz. Stel. 1.
• 7

  Quanquam Nazare∣num nostium, & ut ipse solebat dicere Galilaeum, statim in praelio senserit. D. Hieron. Epist. 84. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So∣zom. l. 6. c. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Theodorit. l. 3. c. 25.
• Nam in omni adver∣sitate fortunae infoelicissi∣mum genus est infortu∣nii, fuisse foelicem. Boet. de Consol. Philos. l. 2. pros. 4.
• †

  Eccles. 9.10.
• ‖

  Ps. 92.7.
• Nullum maleficium sine formidine est, quia nec sine conscientiâ sui. Tertull. adv. Marcio. l. 4. c. 17. Nemo malus foelix. Juv. Sat. 4. v. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Pythagorae fragment. pros. apud Hieroclem, & Demophilii sentent. Pythag. Si sera Deorum vindicta sit, noluerunt tamen impios ipso in facinore adeo exultare, ut non an∣gore conscientiae fraudis{que} cruciatu, tanquam domesticis furiis, affiduè vexentur. Cic. Consol. ad Brut.
• Dan. 5.6.
• †

  Dii deaeque, quàm malè est extra legem vi∣ventibus? quicquid me∣ruerunt, semper expe∣ctant. Petron. Arb. Satyr. c 85.
• ‖

  Is. 57.20.
• Poena autem vehemens, ac multò saevior illis, Quas aut caeditius gravis in∣venit, aut Radamanthus. Nocte die{que} suum gestare in pectore testem. Juv. Sat. 13. v. 195.
• 1

  Tacit. Annal. l. 6. Sueton. in vit. Tiber. c. 63, 64, 65, 66.
• 2

  Id. in vit. Cal. c. 51.
• 3

  Zon. Annal. To. 3.
• 4

  Cic. Tusc. Quaest. l. 5. c. 20.
• 5

  P. de Comines. l. 6. c. 7.
• 6

  Speed, Baker, Trus∣sel, & al.
• 7

  Afferat ipse licet sacras Epidaurius herbas, Sanabit nullâ vulnera cordis ope. Ovid. l. 1. de pont. El. 4.
• Tutum aliqua res in malâ conscientiâ praestat, nulla securum. Putat e∣nim se etiamsi non de∣prehenditur, posse depre∣hendi, & inter somnos movetur, & quoties ali∣cujus scelus loquitur de suo cogitat. Senec. Epist. 105.
• 2 Cor. 5.10.
• †

  Rom. 2.6, &c.
• S. Matt. 16.26.
• †

  Is. 50.11.
• ‖

  Rev. 20.10.
• Nec videt interea qui terminusesse malorum, Possit, nec quae sit poena∣rum deni{que} finis. Lucret. l. 3.
• †

  Min. Fel. Octav.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 2 S. Pet. 2.9.
• 1 Sam. 2.6, 7.
• †

  Of Christian Prudence, &c. ch. 8.
• ‖

  Job 5.13
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Diog. Laert. l. 1. in vit. Chil.
• †

  Rom 3.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. An∣ton. Imp. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. l. 3. n. 14.
• Nihil est infoelicius foe∣licitate pec∣cantium, quia poenalis nutritur impunitas, & mala voluntas velut hostis interior roboratur. D. August. Epist. 5.