THE VAIN RELIGION Of the Formal Jam. 1. 26, If any man among you feem to be Religious,and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans Religion is vain. B Eloved hearers, I may fuppofe that we are all come-hither to day, for the great end of our lives; and to labour in that work B for for which we are created, redeemed, preferved, inftructed, and furnished with the helps and means of Grace: even to prepare for death that is coming to arreft us, and for the prefence of our Judge, who ftands as at the door; and to make our Calling and Election fure, that the glory of the Saints may be our lot, when the world of the ungodly are caft into endless mifery and despair. And I hope I may fuppofe that in order to this end, you would gladly be acquainted with the caufes of damnation, that you may avoid them, with your greatest dangers, that you may escape them; and with the hinderances of your falvation, that you may overcome them. When we read in the Gofpel, that falvation is to be offered unto all, and no man is excepted or fhut out, but such as shut out and except themfelves; and yet read that that there are but few that find the ftrait gate,and the narrow way,and that the flock is little that fhall have the Kingdom, and that many t fall feek to enter that shall not be able, (Matth. 7. 13, 14. Luk. 12. 32. and 13. 24.) we muft needs conclude that fome powerful enemy standeth in the way, that can cause the ruine of so many millions of fouls: But when we go further and find what rich preparations God hath made, and what means he hath used, and what abundant helps he offereth and affordeth to bring men to this blessed state of life, it forceth us to admire that any enemy can be foftrong, as to fruftrate fo many, and fuch excellent means. But when we yet go further, and find that falvation is freely offered,and that the purchase is made by a Saviour to our hands, and that hearty confent is the condition of our Title, and nothing B 2 but e but our wilful refufal can undo us; when we find that falvation is - brought down to mens wills, and alfo what motives and convincing helps, and earnest perfwafions are appointed and used to make men willing; we are then furprized with yet greater admiration, that any deceiver can be fo fubtile, or the heart of man can be fo foolish, as to be drawn (in defpight of all these means) to caft away the immortal crown, that elfe no enemy could have taken from him. And now we difcern the quality of our enemy, of our fnares, of our danger, and of our duty : It is not meer Violence but Deceit that can undo us: not force but fraud that we have to refift. And were not the mind of a carnal man exceeding brucifh, (while he feemeth wife for carnal things) it were a thing incredible that fo many men, could by all the fubtilty of hell be drawn in the day-light of the Gospel, deliberately and obftinately to refufe their happiness, and to choose the open way of their damnation and leave their friends lamenting their calamity, that might have mercy, and cannot be perfwaded to confent. That Satan is the great Deceiver, and layeth the fñare, and manageth the bait, we are all convinced that the world and all our fefbly accommodations are the inftrumental Deceivers, the fnare,the bait, which Satan ufeth, is also a thing that we all confefs. But that befide the Devil and the world, a Reafonable Creature fhould be his own Deceiver, and that in a bufinefs of unfpeakable, everlafting confequence, and that Religion it felf, (a feeming Religiousness that indeed is Vain,) fhould be made by himself the means of his Deceit, this is a myfterie, that is opened to |
