6. Thou scornest men because they will not set up themselves, their own wit, and will, against their Maker. God hath commanded them to "give all diligence to make their calling and election sure," 2 Pet. i. 10; and to "strive to enter in at the strait gate," Matt. vii. 13; and "day and night to meditate in his law," Psal. i. 2; and to love him with all their heart and might; and to "pray continually," 1 Thess. v. 17. And thou deridest men for obeying these commands! Why, what wouldst thou have us do, man? should we tell God that we are wiser than he? and that he shall not have his will, but we will have our own? and that we know a better way than he hath appointed us? and that he is mistaken, and would deceive us by his laws? Wouldst thou have men thus to be voluntarily mad, and profess themselves open rebels against God?
7. Thou scornest men because they trust him that is truth and goodness itself. We cannot imagine that he can deceive us by his word, or that he maketh any law for us that is not good, or requireth any duty of us that shall be to our hurt, or that we shall be losers by.[551] And therefore we resolve to obey him as carefully as we can, because we are confident that goodness itself will not abuse us, and truth itself will not deceive us: and is this a matter to be scorned for? should not children trust their father?
8. Thou deridest men for not sinning against their certain knowledge and experience. They know that a holy life is best, though thou dost not; they know the reasonableness of it; they know the sweetness of it; they know the necessity of it.[552] And must they renounce their own understandings? must they be ignorant because thou art ignorant? and put out their eyes because thou art blind? Is it a crime for men to be wiser than thou? and that in the matters of God and their salvation? They have tried what a holy life is, and so hast not thou. They have tried what a life of faith and obedience is: and must they renounce their own experience? Must they that have tasted it say honey is bitter, because thou that never didst taste it sayest so? Alas, what unreasonable men have we to deal with!
9. Thou opposest and scornest men for loving themselves; yea, for loving their soul, and taking care of its health and welfare. For how can a man truly love himself, and not love his soul which is himself? And how can a man love his soul, and not prefer it before the low concernments of his flesh? and not take the greatest care of its greatest everlasting happiness? Can a man truly love himself, and yet damn himself, or lose the little time in which he must, if ever, work out his salvation? You will not scorn him that is careful of your children, or your very cattle? You love them, and therefore are careful of them yourselves. And shall not he that loveth his soul be careful of it? To love ourselves is natural to us as men: and how shall he love his neighbour that loveth not himself?
10. Thou scornest men because they love heaven above earth, and because they are desirous to live for ever with God and all the holy hosts of heaven. For what is it that these men do so diligently, but seek to be saved? What do they but "seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness?" "and labour for the meat" that perisheth not, John vi. 27; and lay up their "treasure in heaven," Matt. vi. 20; and set their "hearts there," ver. 21; "and seek the things that are above, and have their conversation in heaven," Col. iii. 1-3; Phil. iii. 19, 20. And if it be so scornful a matter to seek for heaven, sure thou never thinkest of coming to heaven thyself; unless thou think to come thither by scorning at the seekers of it.
11. Thou deridest men because they are unwilling to be damned, and unwilling to do that which they know would damn them; or to neglect that without which there is no hope of escaping hell. They believe the threatenings of God, and therefore they think no pains too great to escape his wrath. They think a holy life is both a necessary and an easy way to prevent everlasting torment: but if thou think otherwise, keep thy opinion till grace or hell shall make thee wiser; and mock not at a man that will not play with his own damnation, and leap into hell as desperately as thyself.