A Christian Directory

§. 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly, is a great cause of mens impiety and damnation. They must be well resolved for God and holiness, who will not yield to the major Vote, nor be carried down the common stream, nor run with the rabble to excess of riot. When Christianity is a Sect which is every where spoken against, it proveth so narrow a way that¹ few have a mind to walk in it. Men think that they are at least excusable, for not being wiser and better than the multitude. Singularity in honour or riches or strength or health, is accounted no crime; but singularity in godliness is, at least thought unnecessary. [What! will you be wiser, than all the Town, or than such and such superiors?] is thought a good reprehension of Godliness, where it is rare; Even by them who hereby conclude their superiors, or all the Town to be wiser than God.

§. 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly, is a great cause of mens impiety and damnation. They must be well resolved for God and holiness, who will not yield to the major Vote, nor be carryed down the common stream, nor run with the rabble to excess of ryot. When Christianity is a Sect which is every where spoken against, it proveth so narrow a way that¹ few have a mind to walk in it. Men think that they are at least excusable, for not being wiser and better than the multitude. Singularity in honour or riches or strength or health, is accounted no crime; but singularity in godliness is, at least thought unnecessary. [What! will you be wiser, than all the Town, or than such and such superiours?] is thought a good reprehension of Godliness, where it is rare; Even by them who hereby conclude their superiours, or all the Town to be wiser than God.

1. 1Act. 2. 8.

§. 11. 11. Also the vulgars scorning and deriding Godliness, is a common cause of Murdering souls: Because the Devil knoweth, that there cannot one Word of solid Reason, be brought against the Reason of God, and so against a Holy life, he therefore teacheth men to use such weapons as they have! A Dog hath teeth, and an Adder hath a sting, though they have not the Weapons of a man: A fool can laugh, and jeer and rail; and there is no great wit or learning necessary, to smile, or grin, or call a man a Puritan, or precisian, or Heretic or Schismatic, or any name which the malice of the age shall newly coin. Mr. Robert Bolton largely showeth how much the malignity of his age, did vent it self against Godliness, by the reproachful use of the word, Puritan. When Reason can be bribed to take the Devils part (either natural or literate reason) he will hire it at any rate: But when it cannot, he will make use of such as he can get! Barking or hissing may serve turn, where talking and disputing cannot be procured. Drum and Trumpets in an Army, serve the turn instead of Oratory, to animate cowards, and drown the noise of dying mens complaints and groans. Thousands have been mocked out of their Religion and salvation at once, and jeered into Hell; who now know whether a scorn, or the fire of Hell, be the greater suffering. As Tyrants think that the Greatest and Ablest and wisest men, must either be drawn over to their party or destroyed; so the Tyrant of Hell who ruleth in the Children of disobedience, doth think that if Reason, Learning and wit cannot be hired to dispute for him against God, they are to be suppressed, silenced and disgraced; which the noise of rude clamours, and foolish jeers is fit enough to perform.