glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- lest thou art surprized by horrible confusion, when the Bridegroom comes "Fourthly, A fourth general ground, Why its better to minde Godliness then Disputes, is because at the day of Judgement, God will proceed according to our works we have done; not so much the knowledge and parts we have had: It will not be, what hast thou known? chiefly, but how hast thou lived? Thus the Scripture saith, We must be all manifested at the tribunal, to give an account for what hath been done in the flesh, 2 Cor. 5. 11. Oh then, how shouldest thou spend thy time most about that, where in the great question wil be at the day of Judgement: God will then make inquiry how fruitful thy life hath been, of Love, Humili∣ty, Temperance, Sobriety, and other good fruits of the Spirit. Would it not be a vain thing in a servant, who expects his Masters coming daily, that will call him to give an account of his Stewardship, and he should all the while imploy himself in bables, and unnecessary imployments, not at all tending to that work which his Master doth most expect, what stripes may he justly look for? Seeing then the end of thy calling is holiness, and thou art created to a godly life: Oh look to have this Oyl, besides the Lamp of knowledge, lest thou art surprized by horrible confusion, when the Bridegroom comes. Fifthly, In Knowledge and Parts there is not a true satisfying, and filling of the*heart with spiritual content; but Grace onely brings Christ into the heart, and makes God our portion and inheritance, in having of whom there is onely hap∣piness. He that drinks of me, saith Christ, shall never thirst more. John 4. 14. Eat∣ing and drinking of Christ, is more then to dispute about him, to make controver∣sies in Religion about him: Its by saving Grace to be incorporated into him, and to receive Vivifical influence from him. Solomon doth not onely discover vanity in riches, and temporal advantages, that they give no true content to the soul, but also in knowledge and learning, that hath a greater vexation with it; there∣fore he concludes, Of making Books there is no end: The sum or perfection of all is, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, Eccles. 12. 13. Of Controversies and Disputes there is no end, there comes jars and contentions endless about them, but the sum of all is, to get the fear of God in our hearts, and to keep our selves unspotted from the sins of the world: This hath made even some Papists who have imployed their whole time in Controversal Divinity, to cry out of it as an heavy burthen, thinking they have lost the sweetness of Religion thereby: As Suarez, who wrote so many Tomes of Disputes; yet said, He prized that time which was set apart for the searching and examination of his Conscience, in re∣lation towards God, above all the other time he spent. It was a witty allusion, of Isidorus Pelusiota, As the Israelites, who did gather Manna, were to go out of the Camp where war was, for the Manna did not fall within the Camp; so those that would gather the Manna and Sweetness of Religion, must go out of the Camp, where spiritual war is, by Religious Disputes. As in eating of the Pas∣chal Lambs, they took the flesh, and feasted on that, but threw away the bones; so thou art to take that in Religion, which will feed and nourish thy soul, but cast away hard, unprofitable Controversies." Anthony Burgess 'Spiritual Refining' Sermon LI 6:56 p.m. - 2020-10-13 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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