To fear God,1 and keep his Commandments, (which is the whole duty of man,2 as the Preacher speaks in his last chapter) and to love God above all,3 and our neighbours as our selves; (upon which hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets, as Christ tells us, Math. 22.) are indeed soon spoken, but not so easily, truly learned; and most hardly, sincerely practised. Is it enough,4 think you, to make a man a good Carpenter, or Mason, to say; That, that is soon learned; and, I know as much as the best workman can teach or tell me: To build an House, is nothing but to lay the foundation, to rear the walls,5 and cover it with a Roose? Is it enough to make a good Husbandman, to say; I know as much as the best Husbandman can teach me; for Husbandry is nothing else, but to sow and reap? Is it enough to make a good Preacher, to say; It is no such great matter,6 to make a Sermon; I know as much in that point, as the best Scholar amongst them can tell me: To preach, is nothing else but to expound the Text, gather Doctrines, and make use and application to the hearts & consciences of the hearers? But it would be long before these idle and empty vaunts would build Houses, fill Barnes, or ⟨p. 67⟩save Souls. There is far more required to these businesses, than so: There is to be undergone much toil and labour, much care & trouble, expense and exercise, before any of these works can be rightly accomplished. It is even so in the great work of salvation, and the attainment of Heaven. The state of grace, and trade of Christianity, is not so easily purchased & practised. There goes more to saving of a soul, than bold & ignorant brags: than to say; If that be all, I hope I can quickly and easily learn to love God above all, & my neighbour as my self: For before these,7 there goes many things; as, knowledge of Gods will, and Word; a thorough view of our own misery & corruptions, in the glass of the Law; strange agonies, and sore pangs in the new birth, and sorrow for sin, refreshings and coolings by the mercies of God, and merits of Christ; faith, repentance, sanctification, a blessed & holy change in the whole man, both body, soul, and spirit. And then follows new obedience; which consists in the uprightness and sincerity of our own hearts; a conscionable and charitable carriage towards our neighbours, and a zealous constancy in all religious duties and right service of God:8
To feare God,1 and keepe his Commandements, (which is the whole dutie of man,2 as the Preacher speakes in his last chapter) and to love God above all,3 and our neighbors as our selves; (upon which hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets, as Christ tells us, Math. 22.) are indeed soone spoken, but not so easily, truly learned; and most hardly, sincerely practised. Is it enough,4 thinke you, to make a man a good Carpenter, or Mason, to say; That, that is soone learned; and, I know as much as the best workman can teach or tell me: To build an House, is nothing but to lay the foundation, to reare the walls,5 and cover it with a Roose? Is it enough to make a good Husbandman, to say; I know as much as the best Husbandman can teach me; for Husbandry is nothing else, but to sowe and reape? Is it enough to make a good Preacher, to say; It is no such great matter,6 to make a Sermon; I know as much in that point, as the best Scholler amongst them can tell me: To preach, is nothing else but to expound the Text, gather Doctrines, and make use and application to the hearts & consciences of the hearers? But it would be long before these idle and emptie vaunts would build Houses, fill Barnes, or ⟨p. 67⟩save Soules. There is farre more required to these businesses, than so: There is to be undergone much toile and labour, much care & trouble, expence and exercise, before any of these workes can be rightly accomplished. It is even so in the great worke of salvation, and the attainment of Heaven. The state of grace, and trade of Christianitie, is not so easily purchased & practised. There goes more to saving of a soule, than bold & ignorant brags: than to say; If that be all, I hope I can quickly and easily learne to love God above all, & my neighbor as my selfe: For before these,7 there goes many things; as, knowledge of Gods will, and Word; a thorow view of our owne misery & corruptions, in the glasse of the Law; strange agonies, and sore pangs in the newbirth, and sorrow for sinne, refreshings and coolings by the mercies of God, and merits of Christ; faith, repentance, sanctification, a blessed & holy change in the whole man, both body, soule, and spirit. And then follows new obedience; which consists in the uprightnesse and sinceritie of our owne hearts; a conscionable and charitable carriage towards our neighbors, and a zealous constancy in all religious duties and right service of God:
- 1Answ.
- 2It is soon said, not so soon done.It is soone said, not so soone done.
- 3Eccles. 12. 13. Math. 22. 40.
- 4Simile.
- 5Simile.
- 6Simile.
- 7Things required, before a man can love God or man.
- 8How our service to God must be qualified.
