THE ART OF CONTENTMENT. 183
he be answerable to bis own name, if be be not an bypocrite, he hath an abibty in him, be can do more than the world.
Use 1. First of all then, learn here, that religion is not a matter of u-ord, nor stands upon words, as wood consists of trees. To speak thus and thus, it may come from parts, from memory, and wit ; but religion is a matter of power, it makes a man able. It made Paul, what ! To speak only ? No ; bis learning made bim able to do all things. It is a matter of practice, and there is nothing so speculative in religion but it tends to practice. Religion is an art, not of great men, not of mighty men, but of holy men. It is an art and trade. A trade is not learned by words, but by experience ; and a man hath learned a trade, not when he can talk of it, but when he can work according to his trade. So we see Paul shews his learning he speaks of before, by his ability. The point of the Trinity it is a speculative point, and it tends to practice. First, to be a foundation of our worship, that we worship one God in three persons. And then it tends to shew the unity among Christians, that God will work among Christians at length, that they shall be all one in some sort, as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one : which, though it be a point of high and deep speculation, yet it tends to practice. Now if the sublime and high points do, what point is there in religion but it tends to practice ? And therefore let us not please ourselves that we have deep understandings, but let us shew our under- standings by our practice. As the sheep shews bow he thrives in his pasture by bis wool and fleece, so shew how thou profitest in religion, by being enabled with the power of grace, that carries thee through all con- ditions, to avoid the sins and to express the graces in such conditions. So much grace as thou hast to carry thyself thus, so much ability thou hast, and so much religion.
Use 2. If a Christian be an able man, I beseech you, let it serve to try ourselves by this scantling'^- that I have spoken of. Is Christianity a point of strength and ability ? Let us try the truth of our estate then. Thou wouldst be a Christian ; what canst thou do then ? What sin canst thou resist ? What canst thou bear ? What holy duty canst thou do ? How canst thou enjoy the good blessings that God sends thee, without defiling of thyself with those blessings, that thou art not proud of the riches nor of the honour thou hast ? Grace manageth all conditions. Thus, if thou be a Christian, answer thy name ; if not, thou art a hypocrite yet. For a Christian in some measure is able ' to do all things, through Christ that streugtheneth him.' I beseech you, let us not deceive ourselves. The best of us all may mourn for our want in this kind. Our consciences tell us that we might have done a great deal more than we have ; that God would have enabled us if we had not been false-hearted, and betrayed ourselves, and been negligent in the use of the means, to have done a great deal more than we do. What a shame is it for Christians, that indeed have some truth of grace in them, that they cannot be a little abased in the world, but they are d la mort.f Why, where is the power of grace ? They cannot be lift up in their condition a little, but they will scant know their brother of low degi-ee. Where is religion now ? What hast thou better in thee than a worldling hath ? Nay, a heathen man, out of principles of morality, would learn to conform his carriage, outwardly at the least, better than thou. Let us learn therefore to shame ourselves when we find any murmuring and rising of corrupt nature in any condition whatsoever, and know that this
* Cf. note a, Vol. I. page 117.— G.
t That is, ' deadened ' = dead-afraid. — G.
184 THE ART OF CONTENTMENT.
becomes not a Christian. This is it which the apostle presseth so oft, that we should carry ourselves as bccometh Christians. Oh, doth this become a Christian ? A Christian should bo able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth him. What a shame is it for a professor of religion to be as worldly, as distracted with cares, as passionate, if ho bo a little touched, as a man that professeth no religion at all ? AVhere is the power, where is the glory and credit of religion here ? I beseech you, let us be ashamed, and know that our profession requireth that we should bo able.
Use 3. Again, This a)isn'crs the anmnon object iuii of carnal vren. They ward oir all reproofs with this. Tell them of their faults, why it is my infirmity, it is my weakness. Is it so ? Art thou a Christian or no ? If thou be a Christian, thou labourest for strength against thy weakness ; thou dost not make a plea for it. There is weakness indeed in the best ; but that is the matter of their humihation, and the object of their mortifi- cation. It is not their pica for idleness, to give themselves to sinful courses. Men therefore make a false plea of infirmities and weaknesses. There is no infirmity in a carnal man that hath not the Spirit of Christ. He is dead. There is no weakness in a dead person. In regard of civil car- riages there may be weakness in such a man. He may be passionate, ho may be froward, unbeseeming a man that is civil ; but that is not in the rank we speak of. None can have infirmities but a Christian that hath the life of grace in him in sincerity and truth. And therefore if thou discover that thou hast not the ti'uth of grace, never say it is thy infu'mity. To shew what infirmities be, I rank them to three heads.