ntage, or the satisfaction of
our own natural inclinations. Now this leads all mankind to a pursuit
after these things. But how base a scent is it? And how vain a pursuit is
it? For the faster they move in that way, the further they are from all
solid and true contentment. Again, in all godly men, there is something of
this rectified, and they suppose religion to be the only true wisdom, and
this wisdom the only true happiness. But oftentimes there are even
mistakes in that too. As many of the world call sweet bitter, and bitter
sweet, because of the vitiated and corrupted palate; so the godly, being
in some measure distempered, call that which is not so sweet sweetest, and
that which is not so bitter, bitterest. They change the value of things,
and misplace them out of that order in which God hath set them. One great
mistake is this. We impose a great deal of weight and moment upon these
things in religion, which are but the hay and stubble, or pins in the
building, and we esteem less that wherein the foundation and substance of
true religion consists. We have an over-apprehension of a profession, and
an undervaluing thought of practice. We overstretch some points of
knowledge, and truth of the least value;(436) and have less value for the
fundamental statutes of the gospel, faith and love, mercy and judgment.
This our Saviour reproved in the Pharisees. "I will have mercy (says God)
and not sacrifice." A ceremony of opinion in some particulars of the time
hath more necessity with us than the practice of true godliness: and this
is the root of the most part of these vain janglings, strifes of words,
and perverse disputings of men, whereof cometh envy, strife, malice, evil
surmisings, and no edification in faith and love, which were so frequent
in the primitive times, and so often hammered down by Paul. This is it, a
misapprehension of the value of them. Fancy imposes a worth and necessity
upon them. But Paul doth always oppose unto them true godliness (1 Tim.
vi. 3, chap. iv. 7), and prescribes that as the cure, that true godliness
in practice of what we know, and charity towards our brethren, may be
bigger in our apprehension, and higher in our affection. Would ye then
know, my brethren, wherein true religion consists, and wherein genuine
Christianity stands? It is in showing out of a good conversation, our
works with meekness and wisdom. I reduce it to these two words, in joining
practice to knowledge, and meekness to bo