If God had prescribed man a course of duty in his Laws,1 (as to obey and love him upon terms of fleshly suffering) and had not given man such motives as might rationally prevail for the performance; his Laws had been all in vain. He that hath made Holiness our indispensable duty, hath certainly left us motives and rational helps to perform it. But so many and great are the temptations of this life, and so strong is our sense, and so great are the sufferings of the obedient, that in this our imperfection we could never go through them, without the motives which are fetched from another life. 1. It would weaken the hands of the best, as to their duty, it would embolden them to sin, it would give victory to all strong temptations. Let every Reader but consult with his own soul, and (though it be granted that virtue should be chosen for its own sake, how dear soever it may cost, yet) let him without lying say, what he thinketh he should be and do in case of temptations, if he knew that he had no life to live but this. ⟨p. 130⟩I am not sure,2 but I will freely confess what I think most that now are honest would be and do. First, They would observe how little difference God maketh between the obedient and disobedient in his providence, and how ordinarily his present judgements are not much to be feared. And hence they would think, that he maketh no great matter of it, what they either are or do: and so their very love of Virtue would be much debilitated: Nay, the sufferings of the virtuous would tempt them to think, that it is no very desirable way:3 and though still they would have something within them, which would tell them, that honesty, and temperance, and piety are good; yet the natural love of themselves is so deeply planted in them,4 and so powerful, that in most great temptations it would prevail. They would venture upon lying and perjury, rather than lose their liberty, or livelihood, or reputation. They would do any thing which the Rulers bid them, or any one that is stronger than they, rather than suffer much for their innocency. I think they would not scramble much for riches, or high places, because a quiet life best pleaseth them; but if they had a fancy to any delightful seat, or pleasant accommodation, they would stretch their consciences hard to get it: And to escape poverty, and suffering, and death, they would do I know not what.
If God had prescribed man a course of duty in his Laws,1 (as to obey and love him upon terms of fleshly suffering) and had not given man such motives as might rationally prevail for the performance; his Laws had been all in vain. He that hath made Holiness our indispensible duty, hath certainly left us motives and rational helps to perform it. But so many and great are the temptations of this life, and so strong is our sense, and so great are the sufferings of the obedient, that in this our imperfection we could never go through them, without the motives which are fetch'd from another life. 1. It would weaken the hands of the best, as to their duty, it would embolden them to sin, it would give victory to all strong temptations. Let every Reader but consult with his own soul, and (though it be granted that virtue should be chosen for its own sake, how dear soever it may cost, yet) let him without lying say, what he thinketh he should be and do in case of temptations, if he knew that he had no life to live but this. ⟨p. 130⟩I am not sure,2 but I will freely confess what I think most that now are honest would be and do. First, They would observe how little difference God maketh between the obedient and disobedient in his providence, and how ordinarily his present judgements are not much to be feared. And hence they would think, that he maketh no great matter of it, what they either are or do: and so their very love of Virtue would be much debilitated: Nay, the sufferings of the virtuous would tempt them to think, that it is no very desirable way:3 and though still they would have something within them, which would tell them, that honesty, and temperance, and piety are good; yet the natural love of themselves is so deeply planted in them,4 and so powerful, that in most great temptations it would prevail. They would venture upon lying and perjury, rather than lose their liberty, or livelihood, or reputation. They would do any thing which the Rulers bid them, or any one that is stronger than they, rather than suffer much for their innocency. I think they would not scramble much for riches, or high places, because a quiet life best pleaseth them; but if they had a fancy to any delightful seat, or pleasant accommodation, they would stretch their consciences hard to get it: And to escape poverty, and suffering, and death, they would do I know not what.
- 1Ex ipsa vità discedimus tanquam ex hospitio, non tanquam ex domo: Commorandi enim nobis natura diversorium, non habitandi domum dedit. Cic. in Cat. Maj.
- 2Atque haud scio an pietate adversus Deos sublata, fides etiam & societas humani generis & una excellentissima virtus justitia tolletur. Cic. de Nat. Deor. p. 4.
- 3Pietas est fundamentum omnium virtutum. Cic. pro Plan.
- 4Zenophon reporteth Cyrus as saying, If all my san•liars were endued with piety to God, they would do less evil to one another, and to me. l. 8. Pietate adversus, Deos sublatà, fides etiam & societas humani generis, & una excellentissima virtus justitia, tollatur necesse est. Cic. de Nat. Deor. l. 1.
