The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…

First, Some among them, of a slander and false report, they bring upon the holy ways of God; as if it would not quit cost to be Religious; and to take pains in its work, were labour lost. This, I confess, is an high charge, and there is reason I should make it good, before I proceed to the refuting of it; lest while I accuse others of slandering, my self be thought the Slanderer; and to set up an enemy to shoot at, when there is none, except in mine own imagination. But the proof is easy. The Devils Empire in the world, was founded first of a lye; and as he got it, so he labours to keep it; he found man at the first, happy in his willing subjection, and obedience to his God; his only way therefore to undo him, was to inveigle him out of Gods service ⟨p. 88⟩into his own; to effect this his Policy, was to bring him into a dislike of his present state; and to promise him, not only impunity, but strange advantages, accruing upon the change of his Master. Thus as Enemies throw down Castles, by blowing them up; so he by puffing man up with a conceit of being like God, brought him down from the height of his Felicity; and instead of making him like a God, made him like himself, who is an accursed Devil. Speeding so well by this stratagem, he hath used it ever since, to keep sinners from returning to their first rightful Lord and Master, as he had done, to entice man, at first from his service; that is, by slandering God and Religion. He must be a hard Master, that reaps where he doth not sow, or suffers not his Servants to reap what they do sow. Either he exacts more than he gives ability to do, or he doth not reward the work they have done, and so makes them labour in vain. Both false slanders. The first ⟨p. 89⟩I must pass over as foreign to my subject. But the second lies in my way; and God knows, though it be as untrue, as he is true, yet it finds too easy credence among Sinners, who are glad to have any pretence to excuse them from▪ the service of God, which their own corrupt hearts do so much dislike. This, therefore, hath been the old Plea, which wicked men have made for their aversation to Religion, Job 22.17. Which said unto God, depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them? Oh what Sots doth sin make men? their Plea had been more plausible, if they had said, what can the Unmighty do for them?