to Agrippa, * Would to God you were not almost, but altogether as I am, saving these bonds,' Acts xxvi. 29, to make conscience of all ways and courses. It stands with the most reason of the world, so to justify religion by reasons unanswerable, that may set down corrupt nature, and stop the mouth of the devil himself. And herein let us propound sound and strong questions to ourselves often. Are those things that I am moved to do good, or are they not? If they be good, why do I not do them? If they be bad, why do I do them at all ? If they be good, why do I stick at them ? How do I prove them to be good? Have alway ready some Scripture, or reason from thence, which is as good. The reasons of the word are most divinely strong, let them be ready against all objections whatsoever, as against slight oaths, think of that of Christ, that we must give an account for all idle words. Mat. xii. 36. How much more for atheistical oaths ! So against grosser sins learn reason, a civil man, an heathen, would not do thus. So also when the flesh moveth us to any backwardness in rehgious courses, let us have some Scripture ready, or reasons deducted from it. As, 1. From the dignity of our profession, from the great hopes we have to be glorious another dag. And reason the matter. How doth this that I am moved to, suit with my hopes and expectation to come? How fmiihers it my journey homewards ? And consider this likewise. 2. That no excuse will serve the turn at the dag of judgment, but such an one as arisethfrom an invincihh injirmftg, or an imremovahle impediment. Such an excuse, taken from an invincible infirmity, may then serve the turn. As, when we cannot possibly do a thing, from impediments that all the means in the world cannot remove, as, a poor man cannot be liberal, &c. Excuses also, fetched from impossible impediments, as from invincible weakness, may avail. K a man have an infirm body, that he cannot do that which another man can. These excuses, with a gracious God, will serve the turn : which are not so much excuses, as a just plea. But othei-wdse, our imtoward excuses will not serve the tm-n. What hindered them in the gospel who were invited to the supper ? Luke xiv. Excuses from oxen, wives, &c. Was it not lawful to buy oxen ? and was it not lawful for the married to take content in a wife ? ' Another had married a wife.' Were not all these things lawful ? Very lawful. The farm hm'ts not, if it hinder not, nor the wife, oxen, nor anything. But in this case, when we regard these things more than the invitation to come to the feast of holy things, here is the malice of the devil, which brings that doleful message, ' They shall never taste of my feast,' Luke xiv. 24. There is such an infinite disproportion between the good of religion, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost here, and heaven and happiness hereafter, and between anything in this world, that to allege any hindrance whereby we cannot keep a good conscience, and preserve assurance of salvation, is most extreme folly and atheism. I believe not a better life, the disproportion being so great between the state of this life and a better, if I fetch excuses from the things of this life, to keep me fi-om religion, the fear of God, and working out my salvation with fear and trembling. These excuses will not sei-ve the turn. Not only with God at the day of judgment, but also our own consciences will tell us, that we are hypocrites to make such or such a plea. Therefore, when men become false, thereby to provide for wife or children, and take corrupt courses to keep them from religion, with pretext of their callings, lest they should lose one day in seven, this employment cannot prosper, which shghts over duties under false pretences. Oh, they can toil for the pelf of the world ! But for matters of their souls, they turn oS' all shamefully, as if there were
Cant. V. 3. J * i have put off my coat.* 95
not a God to judge them, a heaven to reward them, or a hell to punish them. Will such excuses serve the turn ? Oh, no ; they cannot with conscience, much less with God the Judge, who is greater than our con- science. This is another way to cut off these idle cavils, to consider that these excuses cannot serve the turn, neither to comfort conscience in this world, nor to uphold us in our plea at the day of judgment. Eemember that.
5. And then again. Let ?/s iimre ourselves to hear the rjoke of reUfjionfrom our youth, which will make it easy aftei-wards. It wore an excellent thing if those who are young, in the prime of their years, would inm-e themselves to the exercise of religion. This would make it easy unto them, to read the word of God, to open their spirits unto him in prayer. It may please God hereby (though they be negligent herein), yet they may be called to religion. But for an old man there is much work to do to read, to get anything into his brain, when his memoiy is pestered ^Tith other things, and corrupt nature in him is armed with a world of excuses, that might have been prevented by a timely and seasonable training up in a course of religion. Profane young persons know not what they do when they put off rehgion. Have they excuses now ? They will have many more hereafter, when Satan and comiption will be much stronger. 0 ! let them bear the yoke of religion, that is, inure themselves to duties that become Christians, ■which may facilitate and make it easy and pHable, that it may not be harsh to our nature. If a man do not hear, pray, and read, he can never have faith, grace, knowledge, mortification of corruption, wherein religion stands. But because these lead to duties that are hard to nature, and harsh, it is •wisdom to inure young ones thereto betimes, that, having used themselves to these preparing duties, they may be the more fitted for the essential ones ; that, having things in the brain by reading and hearing, grace may be wrought in the heart, it being a more easy passage fi'om the brain to the heart. When a man is converted, it is an easy matter to bring it fi-om the brain unto the heart ; whereas a man that hath been negligent in his youth must then be instructed in the principles of religion. Therefore, it is a miserable case (though men be never so politic in the world) to have been negligent herein till age. It breeds a great deal of difficulty to them, ere they can come to be in such a state as a Christian should be in. Kemem- ber this, therefore, to do as Paul adviseth Timothy, a young man, ' to exercise himself in godliness,' 1 Tim. iv. 7. It is a good thing for all that are young to exercise themselves to all duties of rehgion, or else pretences will gi'ow up with age, whereby they will be indisposed every day more than other. Experience shews it generally. We may believe it. If we wiU not, we shall find it hereafter too true by woful experience.