1. If you consider the pleasure of his goodness, you will see abun- dant cause to praise God. First let us state the difference between man and man, which can come from God only. That there is a heaven and a hell is not only evident by the light of scripture, but in a great measure by the light of nature. That heaven is for the good and just, and hell for the naught and wicked, is as evident as the former ; for men's different course of life causeth the apprehension of these different recompenses. It cannot easily go down with any man, that hath but a spark of reason and conscience left, that good and bad should fare alike. Well, but now let us inquire iuto the causes of this difference, why some are good, others bad. Nothing can be assigned but their different choice ; some choose the better part, others abandon them- selves to their lusts and brutish satisfactions ; for this is indeed the next cause, their own choice and inclination. But we will carry the
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inquiry higher. Whence cometh this different choice and inclination? And there is reason for this question, for both scripture and experience will tell us that man from his infancy and childhood is very corrupt, and more inclinable to evil than to good : and you may as well expect to gather grapes from thorns, and figs from thistles, as that man of his own accord should be good and holy. Whence is it ? Either it is from temper and education, or, which is akin to it, the advantages of means and outward instruction that some have above others. Is it from temper and constitution of body ? The truth is, this is a benefit and a gift of God to have a good temper and constitution, the dispositions of the mind following very much the temperament of the body. But this cannot be all ; if it be any cause, it is but a partial cause ; it cannot be the whole, for then the blemish of a man's actions would light upon the Creator who formed him in the womb with a diseased temper ; and when the foolishness of his heart perverteth his way, he would be in a great measure justified in his fretting against the Lord, who gave him no better temper of body. Besides, experience contradicteth it ; how many are there who be of brave wits, and spoil an excellent constitution of body by their intemperance and incontinency, and so do not make this good choice by which they might be everlastingly happy ? And on the other side, we see many of crabbed and depraved tempers, that master their ill dispositions by grace ; and God doth often choose beams and rafters for the sanctuary of the most crooked timber, and doth wonderfully change them by his grace, and of a sour and rugged temper maketh them to become meek and holy. Surely temper is not all, the wise men among the heathen themselves being judges.
Come we then to the next cause, good education, and setting their inclinations right from their infancy. I cannot wholly reject this ; it is an advantage, and parents are justly culpable before God for not bringing up their children in the nurture and information of the Lord, and setting them straight betimes in a course of virtue and religion. Hearken to Solomon : Prov. xxii. 6, ' Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' There is very much in the education of children ; the first infusions in our instruction stick by us, and conduce much, if not to conversion, yet at least to conviction, and reproach men all their days for warping from that good way wherein they are educated. But allowing this a means, it doth not exclude the first cause and author of grace ; and besides, we see many not only quench brave wits and spirits in filthy excess, but also wrest themselves out of the arms of the best education ; and though they have been brought up in the most religious families, where they are little acquainted with vice and sin, and have been choicely educated in the grounds and principles of christian religion, yet have spit in the face of their education, and turned the back upon those holy instructions and counsels that have been instilled into them.
Well, then, let us go to the third cause, since education, though it does much to fashion men, yet it cannot change their hearts. The third is the means of grace, or the institutions of Christ, which certainly in a way of means have great authority and power ; for Christ is so good and wise, that he would never set us about fruitless labours ; lie
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knoweth what keys will fit the wards of the lock, and what is most likely to do the deed, and prevail upon the heart of man : Ps. cxix. 9 , ' Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereto according to thy word ; ' Acts xv. 9, ' Purifying their hearts by faith.' The doctrine of the gospel well understood and applied will do it, or nothing will do it ; but many hear the gospel who are not one jot the better : Rom. x. 16, ' They have not all believed the gospel ; for Isaiah saith, Who hath believed our report ? ' We see the same sun that softeneth wax hardeneth clay ; the same seed that thriveth in the good and honest heart is lost on the highway, the stony, thorny ground ; the difference is not in the seed but in the soil ; therefore whatever helps or means you can imagine, good temper, good education, powerful ministry, all will do nothing, till God puts a new heart and life into us, to incline us to seek after him, and other things as they lie in subordination to him.