CHAP. IX.
QUESTION I. How may a man know that he is led, or acted by the Spirit of God?
BEfore I answer directly, I beg leave to lay down a few things, which I think may tend a little to clear the question, and to prevent Mistakes about it; As,
1. That there must be a principial of Spiritual Life infused into the Soul in the Work of Regeneration, before a Man can be said to be lead by the Spirit. By Nature we are all Men and Women of another Spirit, lead and acted by that contrary Spirit which works in the Children of Disobedience, Eph. 2.2. Rom. 8.14. For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit; There must be Spiritual Life before there can be any Spiritual Motion.
2. That they Regenerate themselves tho' they are renewed in every part, yet they are renewed but in part; They have in them while they are in this Life, Flesh as well as Spirit; and while we have Sin in us, it will be acting its Part, the flesh will be lusting against the Spirit; Rom. 7.21. I find then a Law that when I would do good, evil is present with me, Gal. 5.17. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the stesh; [Page 2]and these are contrary the one unto the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
3. That as men easily may, so they are very prone to mistake in this Point.
1. Bad Men; Saul when in his persecuting Course, before his Conversion, he verily thought that he was in the way of his duty, and so following the Motions of Gods Spirit, Act. 26.9. But we see how his Mind was changed afterwards; that which before he took for Holy Zeal, a Fruit of the Spirit, he then saw to be no better than exceeding madness.
2. Good Men; when they seriously consider what depends upon this Point; Rom. 8.9. Now if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his, v. 13. For if ye live after the Flesh, ye shall dye: And when they think of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, Jer. 17.9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it. And when they further consider how prevalent the remaining fleshly interest is in their hearts and lives, this makes many a gracious Soul tremble when it comes to decide the Point, and sometimes to bring in a false Judgment against it self, unless that blessed Spirit shine upon it.
4. That mistakes here are very dangerous and mischievous; That Man who thinks he hath, and is lead by the Spirit, and is not, woe to him, for he is a lost Man, if he find not out his mistake before Death and Judgment undeceive him.
And then a mistake on the other hand, will cause the poor Soul to drive on but heavily and uncomfortably in the way of its duty, tho' its Estate in the main may be safe? Have none of [Page 3]us cause to know the Heart of such in this matter? Now to the Case propounded I would answer in general thus.
I think that Man, and he alone is lead by the Spirit, the habitual and prevailing bent of whose Heart, the main Scope and drift of whose Life is Spiritual. As for particular marks, I shall content my self with a very few, which I take to be safe and scriptural; so,
1. Such as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are by him free from the ruling Power of the Flesh, Rom. 8.1, 2. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death. Gal. 5.16. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh; Walking after the Spirit, and walking after the Flesh are directly opposed in Scripture: such, they sin still; alas, that is a sad truth which cannot be denied, for there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not, Ecl. 7.20. yet he that is born of God, he doth not, he cannot commit Sin; Joh. 1.3, 9. He lives not in the ruling Love and practice of Sin; He can in some Measure say what the Apostle [For that which I do I allow not, for that which I would that do I not, but what I hate that do I, Rom. 7.15.
2. They are such as have solemnly taken the holy Spirit for their Guide, and given up themselves to his Conduct; They were baptized into his Name, Mat. 28.19. And every time they do renew the Covenant, they do sincerely and afresh renew their Obligations to obey and follow [Page 4]him. Before Conversion they rejected him, his Counsels and Ways, and were only for following the Inclinations of their own evil Hearts, and the Course of this World: But now they have made a better choice; They desire he would teach, lead and guide them; such Expressions are very frequent; And they have an Ear to hear, and an Heart to follow him; Joh. 10.3, 4.—And the Sheep hear his Voice, and he calleth his own Sheep by Name, and he leadeth them out; and when he putteth forth his own Sheep, he goeth before them, and the Sheep follow him, for they know his Voice; By the Spirit it is that great Shep-heard teacheth his Sheep to know his Voice, by him he calleth them both to, and after him.
3. They are such as have chosen the Word of God for their Rule; In the Word it is that the Spirit Speaketh to the Churches, Rev. 2.7. In the Word he hath chalked out the Paths of Holiness, wherein he leadeth such as he hath made willing to follow him.
And they pray with David, [Lord teach me thy Statutes, Psal. 119.12. Let me not wander from thy Commandments; Indeed the Flesh will be resisting and rebelling, endeavouring to stop them in, or to turn them out of the way, which will cause them to take many a false Step; But yet, as Rom. 7.22. They delight in the Law of God after the inward Man: In the bent of their renewed Mind and will they delight in it, and desire to obey it perfectly, and allow not themselves in the breach of any part thereof.
4. Such as are lead by the Spirit, their Motion is free and voluntary, not by force and [Page 5]constraint; They are lead, not haled or driven; Joh. 10.3, 4. He calleth them by Name, and leads them out, and goeth before them, and they follow him; They are a willing People, Psal. 110.3. 1 Cor. 4. Draw me, and we will run after thee; Indeed a Partical. Unwillingness will be found in the best while here; while we have Flesh in us, it will be drawing another way; But yet, Holiness is this Mans choice; And when he is in a holy Frame and Course, he is as in his Element: The habitual prevailing bent of his Heart is for a Course of Holiness, and this appears in the main Scope and drift of his Life; and this I think doth denominate us what we are, and that therefore by it we may safely judge of our selves.
QUESTION II. How may we come to find out and know what are our special sins, and what means are to be used for the Mortification of them?
The question before us Consists of two Parts.
- 1. How may we come to find out and know what are our special Sins?
- 2. What means are to be used for the Mortification of them?
As to the former of these, I shall give you my poor thoughts thus.
Tho' we have in our Hearts by Nature that which is the Seed and Principle of all Sin, and tho' the unregenerate are under the Power and the Dominion of every Lust, yet they, yea and the godly themselves, who sincerely desire and endeavour to disown and renounce all Sin, yet even they as well as the former have some one [Page 6]sin or more which may in a peculiar manner be called their iniquity, their special sin; And in order to the discovery what this sin, or sins are, I think,
1. Our work lieth with God; and,
2 With our own Hearts and Consciences; and so, 1. We must be very sincere and impornate with God in Prayer, that he would please to discover and make them known unto us; The heart is deep, the Deceitfulness and Wickedness of it exceeding great, who can know it? Jer. 17.9. We are naturally prone more easily to spy out Faults in others then in our selves, and the great Traitor (our special sin) lieth closest of all, and while the Devil and our Flesh can hinder it, we shall not find him out: And therefore we have need to pray with Job, 13. chap. 23. Make me to know my Transgression and my Sin.
2. When this is done, we must seriously endeavour to bring our Hearts to the test, by some such Questions as these.
1. What Sins are they that we are most strongly enclined unto, and of all others most loath to leave or part with, our right Eye, and right Hand sins, these are our spiritual Sins, Mat. 5.29, 30. The young Man that came to our Lord, Mat. 19. When he brought him to that trying Point about his Master Sin, which appears to be coveteousness or worldliness, the news of parting with that makes him go away sorrowful, he rather choosing to take his leave of an only Saviour.
2. What sins are they that we are most frequently and violently tempted to, the Temptations unto which we have least Power to resist, [Page 7]and so consequently are oftest foiled by? The Devil studies this Point more (I am afraid) then many of us do, I mean it mostly of my self; and when he hath by diligent Observation found out which way our Inclinations carry us most strongly, he suits his baits thereto; And if we observe, we shall find his strongest batteries and fiercest Assaults to be on this our blind, our weakest side; and so we may observe, that in these Assaults we ordinarily come off worst, many times halting, if sometimes we get not broken bones; methinks this head is clear in it self.
3. What Sins are they which we find our Hearts most prone to think of, even when outward Objects are not before us, to prompt us to such thoughts? What Sins are they that the thoughts that come most freely and immediately from our Hearts are employed about? Sometimes these Sins will appear at the Mouth (For out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh,) Mat. 12.34. And as one of Jobs Friends, chargeth him. [Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity.] But I think this is a more certain and constant Sign; [For as a man thinketh in his heart, even so is he.]
4. What Sins are they that we find our selves prone to entertain in our Thoughts, with greatest Pleasure and Delight?
What sin is it that we are apt to conceive the greatest Sweetness in? we may mark him out, or that's he; Tho' sin is an evil and bitter thing in it self, and in its Effects, and tho' it be so to the real apprehension of a Sincere Heart, yet in spite of it, the Flesh will be contradicting it herein, especially in relation to its great Master Lust.
5. What Sins are they that we are prone to make most Provision for, that we may fulfil the Desires and Lusts thereof? Tho' others will be craving, and e're while crying feed me, and feed me, yet if we observe, we shall find we have the most frequent, impetuous, imperious calls from our Master Sins; The Flesh will be from time to time prompting us most of all to plot and contrive and drudge for them; These will crave and expect the largest allowance, or Benjamins Mess, and will be most unwearied and impudent in it.
6. What Sins are they which Conscience is want to give us the severest Checks for, when it is at at any time soundly awakened either by the Ministry of the Word, or under some smart Affliction; Conscience will speak and strike home at such a time, and then it is most likely to hit upon the right vein; Act. 2.37. Gen. 42.21. And they said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not here: therefore is this distress come upon us.
Now to the second part of the question, which indeed contains in it the harder part of our work.
2. Having found out what are our special Sins, what means are to be used for the Mortification of them.
1. Prayer is one Special means to be improv'd here; whatever spiritual work we take in hand, one great End of it lieth with God; And a Christian will fight best upon his Knees; Hereby we may engage God and his sufficient grace on our side, and so we may groundedly hope for [Page 9]Victory; we have the Apostle Paul's course and success here, 1 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9.
But 1. We must see that in our Confessions here, we be particular, full, free and open hearted with God; we must open our wound if we would have cure; while we are for hiding and concealing them nothing will be done, as it thereby appears we have no mind it should.
2. We must see we lay the greatest load of Sorrow upon them, and thereby endeavour to get them more imbittered to us.
3. We must see we be very sincere and very fervent in our desires after that Grace which alone can enable us to do the work; they will not regard the biggest, the hardest Words that we can give them, and they would but make a mock at such striplings as we are, if we take the Field without our Captain; if ever we give them any killing blow, it must be by God's strengthning our Arm; and therefore we must not Pray as if we feared least the Lord should take us at our word, or least he should do it too soon, or like those that are indifferent in the Matter, seeing if they die not by our hands, our life must go for their life.
2. We should improve the Word of God here, which is the Sword of the Spirit, turning the Edge the Point of it against our special Sins; in some Sense we may allude to the King of Syria's Charge to his Officers, 1 King. 22.31. Fight neither with small nor great, save only with these princely Lusts; I mean, that we make it our particular Care both in the reading and hearing of the Word, especially to observe, lay up, and apply home to our selves those Commands, [Page 10]Reproofs, Promises and Threatnings which have a peculiar relation to our special Sins; could we but rightly manage this weapon, it would do great execution.
3. We should dilligently improve our covenant Transactions with God this way. And 1. Our Baptism; in that Ordinance by the Hands of our Parents we took the Lord's listing Money, whereby we were engaged to Fight against all his Enemies, but especially against these his chief Competitors and grand Rebels: And this Act of our Parents for us, we have since solemnly made our own, or at least ought to have done it. 2. Such of us as have been made partakers of that precious Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, we both may and ought especially to improve it this way; O the Blood of Christ, nothing like it for the killing of a Lust; we may say of it as David of Goliah's Sword, 1 Sam. 21.9. There is none like that, give it me; this is a proved tri'd weapon.
3. When we do at any time afresh renew our Covenant with God, either in that Ordinance, or upon other Occasions, we should do it with a special Eye to these our special Sins. And that,
1. By labouring here especially to lay hold on, plead and improve the Covenant on God's part; one main branch of the Covenant is, that he will subdue our iniquity, Mic. 7.19. Lord, let these epecially feel the Weight of thine Hand!
2. By laying our selves under particular fresh and strong Engagements against them; we shall find we need the most strong and twisted [Page 11]Cords, when we would bind these Sampson Lusts.
4. We must fix and set our Resolutions as against all Sin in General, so against these in special; as a good Souldier resolves either to win the Field, or lay his Bones there, so we should be at a Point with them; but while we are wavering and halting between two Opinions, there is no hope we should make any work of it.
5. We must be careful we make no provision for them, and so as much as possibly we can, avoid those things which we have found to be occasions of, or temptations to them; and by this means endeavour to ruine and starve them out; we must with-draw, with-hold the Fuel, if we would have the Fire out.
6. Here we must be most strict and constant in our watch; here it is that our greatest Danger lieth; here we are in most danger of being betrayed, here Satan is most likely to make his Breach: And if we be careless and secure here, we shall certainly be loosing ground; though we should be no where secure, because no where out of Danger, yet we should set the strongest Guard and strictest Watch at the weakest Part of our Wall.
7. We must labour to grow in all Grace, but above all in those that are most directly opposite unto our special Sins; we should desire and labour hard for some peculiar Eminency in those Graces, and could we but attain this, it would prove an excellent Means; for this is certain, as Grace gets up, Sin must down; as in Nature, contraries will expel each other, so it is here, the more we grow in humility, [Page 12]the more that Pride will be laid in the dust; the same we may say of any other Sin: Can none of us set to our Probatum est.
8. If ordinary Means fail, we must then betake our selves to extraordinary, I mean to solemn Fasting and Prayer; as our Lord said of that Devil the Disciples could not Cast-out, Math. 17.21. This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer, so (as some of our beloved Ministers have observed) there are some Lusts that will not otherwise be Cast-out.
Now could we but thus do, and after all, humbly and believingly depend upon the free and soveraign Grace of God in Christ; we might verily hope that these Goliah's (how much soever they may have defied us hitherto) should not be able to stand before us.
3. What Considerations should move us to endeavour the Mortification of them? Answ.
1. The Lord doth indispensibly require it, Col. 3.5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth—. This with other the like Scripture precepts are especially applicable here; not a limb of the old Man, that by the Lord's leave should be spared, but especially we should lay at his Heart, at those Parts and Members of him where his life and strength mainly lieth [put away (saith Samuel) the strange God's and Astaroth]; it is probable that was one of their chief and most provoking Idols, and therefore named in particular. And I think one may safely say, That Man who doth not sincerely desire and endeavour in Obedience to such Commands, the Mortification of his special Sins, the putting away of [Page 13]his Astaroth, he doth not, nor can he be said sincerely to obey them as to any of the rest.
2. Though a single Command from God, be enough to make this or any other thing our indispensible Duty, yet here we are under other as strong Ties and Obligations as can be imagined; we are the Lord's by manifold Right; how many things he hath to ground a most just and unquestionable claim to us and our service upon? And farther, we are his by our own (and I hope many of us may say sincere and hearty) Consent; we have sworn unto the Lord, and may not go back; now it is a thing in it self impossible that we should at the same time habitually and prevailingly love and serve God and Sin too; no Man can Serve two Master's so contrary; and therefore we must endeavour the Mortification of them, as we would not be guilty of the most horrid Perfidiousness, as well as Disloyalty and Rebellion, by siding with these Tyrannical Usurpers (which as such we have at least in pretence renounced) against him that is our most rightful, gracious and solemnly avowed Soveraign Lord.
3. Without this we can have no clear sound and comfortable Evidence of the sincerity and integrity of our Hearts; this seems clearly intimated, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity; and it is a thing very clear in it self, for that Opposition against Sin which is right, it is and must be against Sin as it is Sin, that is, as it is so directly contrary to the most holy Nature, Will and Law of God, and so directly opposite to his Glory; and so consequently it must be against [Page 14]all Sin, and especially against our special Sins: and therefore we must endeavour the Mortification of these, or in vain we hope for any well grounded Peace or comfortable assurance.
4. These are the main Obstructers of our growth and progress in Grace and Holiness; these are the Chief of those suckers and luxurious Branches we have been told of so frequently of late; as a prevailing ill Humour in our Bodies, so are these in our Souls; whatever else we do in Religion, all will prove but to little purpose, we must never think to be any body for Christians, while we suffer these to Lord it over us: The Devil knows this well enough, and so he will give us leave to do almost any thing else, while we will but keep far enough from these, but touch these; and we touch the Apple of his Eye, he cannot endure it, knowing that if we do it in good earnest, his Interest in us is then like to go down apace; as ever we desire to be thriving Christians, we must endeavour to get rid of these.
5. These Sins of ours slew our Lord Jesus Christ, and then surely if we let these go, if we let these live, we are not Jesus his Friends; this should be a very moving Consideration to us; the pardon of any one of our Sins could not have been obtained, but at the expence of that precious Blood of his; and if we may suppose that some of our Sins gave him our dearest Lord a deeper Wound, a Sore or Bruise, then others of them, they were these; and do they not deserve a Wound from us? Should we not endeavour to give them a deadly crush for this? Yea it was one special End of his [Page 15]Death to destroy these: And shall he die for us, and (as to us) loose his labour when he hath done?
6. We should be quicken'd to our Work here, especially at such a time as this is, for England's sake, and for the Ark of God amongst us; Matters seem to be at a very tickle trembling Point; what the Lord intends to do we know not, but really many things looks very threatning, and God's faithful Ministers, who are like to know most of his Mind, are often droping such hints as would make a sensible Heart tremble: Now this is the best way that we can take to prevent England's Ruine, nay if God save us not by his Prerogative Royal it is the only way; and it is unquestionably the duty of each of us to be fighting for our Country at home, and thus we may do it; and England hath not a worse Enemy then Sin, nor better Friends at this pinch then such as do heartily and vigorously ply their work here; and now shall England's Ruine ly at our doors; Or shall deliverance come, and we do nothing to set it forward on its way?
7. This work though it be hard and difficult, yet it is not impossible, nay if we do sincerely apply our selves to it in God's way and strength, the Victory is certain; it is very true, our Enemies are many and mighty, but its also as true, that they are all such as have been baffled and conquered; it must be confessed that we are poor weak things: But withal, it must be granted that our Captain is strong; we may venture to set one Lord Jesus against them all; this is a mighty encouragement to our work, but no argument for sloth, for he requires we [Page 16]should be active in it, though in a manner he doth the work to our hands; He hath overcome all the Enemies of our Souls, and hath purchased that Grace for us whereby we also shall be enabled to overcome; and how many Saints are there now triumphing in Heaven with Palms in their Hands, who were once as deeply engaged in the Conflict, and it may be under as discouraging Circumstances as we can be; we have the same Captain that they had, and what he hath done in and for them he is ready to do, yea and will certainly and shortly do for and in us if we belong to him, abide in him, and continue with him; so that difficulties should not be pleaded by us as discouragements in a Matter of this nature and necessity. For,
8. And lastly, There is no other way for us here, but we must either kill or die; Sin (as some of us lately heard) is such a tyrant, all whose Laws are written in the Blood of Souls: It is Sin that brought Death into this World, and that hath digged Hell in the next; nothing so deadly as Sin; and suppose but one Sin allowed and spared, that one would as infallably undo us for ever as a thousand: And farther, suppose our Hearts be sincere and so prevailingly for God and therefore safe in the main, yet if we neglect our Duty, here those Sins of ours will not only keep us short, both as to Grace and Peace here (as was hinted before), but (which is a necessary consequent) they will also cause us to fall short of those Degrees of glory, which otherwise we might hereafter have attained unto, the least degree of which should be of more account with us, then all our worldly Interests laid together, yea then all this [Page 17]whole World, and will be so to us if we are indeed such as have laid up our Treasure in Heaven where we are truly our selves.
QUESTION III. How is the Duty of giving and receiving reproof to be managed?
THAT it is the Duty not only of Ministers to reprove Sin in others, though to do it Ministerially is peculiar to them by Vertue of their Office and their Commission and Charge thereupon: But yet that it is also the Duty of private Christians is plain, Lev. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer Sin upon him.
Now in answer to the Question, how this Duty is to be managed, I shall give my thoughts:
- 1. By laying down some things which I take to be necessary Qualifications, in the Person that would be a right successful Reprover.
- 2. Some needful Cautions.
- 3. Some general Rules and Directions.
The Qualifications are as follows:
1. Wisdom and Prudence; these are necessary, because the right management of this Duty is a work of no small difficulty; and for want of these some well meaning Persons marr the Work, and instead of doing good do harm this way; light and heat should go together, otherwise the Motion will be irregular; we need these to direct us in suiting our Reproofs.
1. To the Persons we Reprove. And that,
1. With respect to their different Estates: For, though we must be Faithful to all, yet we [Page 18]may not use the like freedom of Expression with all, Job. 34.18. Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked? Or to Princes, ye are ungodly? 1 Tim. 5.1. Rebuke not an Elder, but entreat him as a Father.
2. With respect to their Disposition and Temper: For, some are naturally more stubborn and hard to work on, others more soft and tender, Jude, 22, 23. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; I know it, there are some of that temper, and especially where any of them are also under that distemper, which renders them more capable of impressions of this sort; take such ordinarily I say, and one shall wound them deeper with the softest Word, nay with a silent Reproof in a look, then some others with the most sharp and cutting Reproof.
2. We need these to direct us to suit our Reproof to the Nature of the Offence, according as it is either more open or secret, or as it is greater or smaller, either in its self, or in its circumstances, or in its probable consequents.
3. As to the Time: The Preacher saith, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven, Ecl. 3.1. And so a time to keep silence, and a time to speak, v. 7. And a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment, Chap. 8.5. Very much lieth in the right timeing of a Reproof; such a Word spoken in Season, how good is it? I know indeed in some Cases, the Matter may not admit of delay; and likewise that delays sometimes may endanger a neglect: But yet methinks where it may, we should take the fittest time, which in General I think is, 1. When we find our [Page 19]own Spirits in a temper in some measure fit to give the Reproof; if I find boistrous unruly Passions up, that is no fit time for me to Reprove another in. 2. When the Person to be reproved is fittest to receive it, and like to get most good by it; we may learn this from Abigall's prudent Carriage of the matter, 1 Sam. 25.36, 37. she would not Reprove Nabal till the Wine was gone out of him; so to reprove a Man in the heat of his Passion, it is like to do no good, but farther to enrage him.
2. Humility and Meekness, 2 Tim. 2.24, 25. I know this and some other Scriptures produced, were spoken directly to Ministers, yet in a Proportion they shew every one of us our Duty too; and what Sin is there that we Reprove in others, that in some respect, degree or other, we have not been guilty of our selves? However we need not look for into our Hearts to find the seed and root of it, and of all other Sins whatever; yea more, no thanks to the best of us, that we are not as bad as the vilest Wretch that breaths; and sure here is enough if duly considered, to humble and meeken our Spirits, when we have to do with others in the way of Reproof: And as this is fitting upon our own Account, so likewise needful upon the Account of the Party reproved, because ordinarily he will but too hardly be perswaded, but that we are Proud and take too much upon us, or that we bear him ill Will, and are for picking a quarrel with him; one may believe that Man hath more Grace than ordinary, that can take a Reproof well, which is given him in a ruff, proud, and lofty Manner.
3. Love, Pity and Compassion; that general Rule, 1 Cor. 16.14. (Let all your things be done with charity (or love), reacheth this Case; indeed we must hate the Sin we reprove in another, and we may and ought to express our hatred of it: But we may not hate his Person, nay we must see we love him; yea, though he be a wicked Man, yet we must love him as a Man, and so capable of Grace, and much more if he be one already made partaker of it; and we must endeavour by loving Expressions to wind in our Reproof as advantagiously as may be; and so also we must do it with much Pity and Compassion to his weakness and infirmity, considering our selves that we also are in the Body, and have in us the like body of Sin, and so are not yet out of the Tempters reach, or out of Danger by his Temptations.
4. Zeal and Courage; as God's Glory is struck at, and in some sense wounded and blemished by every Sin committed by our selves or others (though to speak strictly and properly God is impassible, quite out of the reach of Sin and Sinners, our wickedness may hurt a Man as we are, but not God, Job. 35.8. but no thanks to Sin or Sinners for that; he should not be, might they but have their Will) therefore lukewarmness and indifferency of Spirit here is a cursed thing; a holy heat become us well here, for which we have the highest Pattern in the World, even him who in other things was the most meek and lowly in Heart; so when we are called to reprove those that are above us (though I think it is not so ordinarily our Duty to reprove Superiors as others, they [Page 21]should rather be dealt with by others, or by us in another way, yet where it is plainly our Duty) we should not fear the Faces of any; so the Prophets of old, when they had God's Commission and Charge, they spared not crowned Heads any more then others; and New Testament instances might also be easily produced here.
5. Intergrity and Faithfulness, and that both to God and Man; but I fear I enlarge too much, and alass, which is worse but too impertinently.
6. Self-denial and Contempt of the World; this is a necessary Qualification, because if we will be Faithful to God and Souls, it may so fall out, that we may be called to reprove such as to outward things we may have most dependance on, whose Favour of all others we are most loath to loose, which may be hazarded by a faithful Reproof; this the Flesh knows how to improve; but here carnal Sinful-self must be denied, the World contemned when it stands in the way of our Duty; and if we would but be Faithful to God, we should find him so to us: Forthwith an upright Man, he will shew himself upright.
2. The Cautions are these:
1. That we reprove not that as Sin, which indeed is not so; we must take heed of that; for it would be Sin in us, and so justly deserve a Reproof from them; this was in some degree that good Man's Fault, 1 Sam. 1.14, 15. And so Peter's Fault, Math. 16.22. For which our Lord gave him as severe a Rebuke as most we meet with, v. 23.
2. That we reprove not other's for that Sin which we have not good ground to charge them with, and are not able some way to convince them of, though I think in this Case it may be a Duty to give some friendly Intimations of what we either suspect or hear, in a way as inoffensive as may be, and I dare say, this is far more Christian like, then hasty, rashjudging upon weak grounds, and its ten to one on such as are false; by which, how much some have suffered the Lord knows; which it is a dangerous thing I think, to give a downright Reproof upon meer surmise, or upon bare heresay, especially in this censorious detracting Age, when false Reports are so common in Men's mouth's, yea too often in the mouth's of those that are Wise and Good, though alass this is no part either of their wisdom or goodness.
3. We should beware we do not throw away our Reproofs upon such as are unworthy of them, such as would but abuse them, and us for them; I think this Caution is warranted by, and may be grounded upon such Scriptures as these, Math. 7.6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs, &c. Prov. 9.8. Reprove not a scorner, least he hate thee; though we must use this with Caution, and not falsly call and account others so, and then think our selves excused from our Duty.
3. The general Rules are as follow:
1. In the business of Reproof, we must not only have regard to the Matter and Manner of it, but we must likewise take notice what are our principle Motives and Ends, and see that they be right; in general it is the Glory of [Page 23]God, the Good of others with our selves that we should aim at, a desire of promoting which should set us on work, influence and guide us in the whole of it; should we reprove others from a proud, envious, unquiet or malicious Spirit, merely with an intent to provoke, disgrace them, or the like, this were to say the Commandment backward, which would be sad work; we must be very dilligent, watchful and careful to get rid of, or avoid as much as possibly we can, those things in our selves which we reprove in others; want of due Care here, we shall find exceedingly to damp our Spirits, and to be a very great obstruction to the discharge of our Duty; so it will also cause us and our Reproofs to be less regarded, if not dispised by others, they will not have that authority in them, but they will be ready in Heart at least, if not in words to retort that upon us [Physician Practice will be found another thing hereafter, then many I fear now take it for; but yet also heal thy self.] Or that, Math. 7.3, 4, 5. We must not forget our selves so as to leave Prayer out, or rather so as to leave God out of the business for want of engaging him by Prayer; it is by Prayer that this word of Reproof must be sanctified: When ever we are called to this Duty, we had need lift up a Prayer to God, that he would put suitable Affections into our Hearts, right Words which are forcible into our mouths, and that he would send the Arrow home to the Mark, and direct it to the White, and that he would so influence and wind about the Heart of the Party reproved, that our Reproof may not fail of attaining our forementioned desired end.
4. If we would be profitable and successful Reprover's our selves, we must then learn in like manner to receive a Reproof from others; but this brings us to the Second Part of the Case or Question, namely.
2. How we are to manage a Reproof when it is given us by others?
QUESTION IV. What must the People of God do when he is testifying against them?
AS the Carriage of God's People towards him, so his Dispensations towards them are very various; sometimes he smiles and lifts them up; sometimes he frowns and casts them down; a right and ready compliance with God in all his providential Dispensations towards us, is our plain and indiscensible Duty, and that wherein much of the Excellency of a Christian lieth: Now in answer to this seasonable Question (which I take as chiefly aiming at the Publick, God's testifying against us in his Judgments there, though withal, it with the answers to it, may be also applied unto a private Case) take my poor Thoughts in the following Particulars:
1. We must see and take notice of God's Hand, when it is either lifted up in his threatnings, or laid on in his Judgments; the great God expects (as well he may) to be heedfully noticed and observed by all, but more especially by his own People, as in what he saith, so also in what he doth, as in his Mercies, so in his Judgments; by the contrary we greatly affront and provoke him, as thereby we put a [Page 25]great and unworthy Slight upon him: This the Lord takes very ill, and by it we are like to bring more and greater Judgments upon our selves, Isa. 26.11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, but they shall see; if we will not see his Hand, we are like to feel more of it till we cannot but see and take notice of it, Psal. 28.5. Because they regard not the work of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. This is One Part of our Duty.
2. An holy awful fear and dread of our incensed God, and of his Judgments; the Name of the Lord is a glorious and fearful Name, Deut. 28.58. and as his Attributes so his Works also are part of his Name, and therefore grounds for our fear, and particularly his Works of Judgment: And so we read that Moses was afraid when God's displeasure was hot against the Children of Israel, Deut. 9.19. And so 2 Sam. 6.19. When Uzziah was smitten, it is said, that David was afraid of the Lord that day; and elsewhere its he that saith, Psal. 119 v. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, I am afraid of thy judgments. It is the duty of all Men to fear him, who doth but look upon the Earth and it trembleth; who can and shortly will with one angry Frown, make all the stout hearted Sinners in the World fear him and tremble before him; but especially he expects it from his own People who are better acquainted with him, and know better then others do what the Smiles and Frowns of a God mean, and that especially when he is meeting them in those ways of his, in which he is terrible unto the Children of Men.
3. We must justify God in his severest Dispensations towards us; The Lord is righteous in all his Ways, and holy in all his Works; there are great depths sometimes, but never any the least irregularities or excesses, in any of his Judgments; righteousness is the Habitation of his Throne, even when Clouds and Darkness are round about him; as it is the Duty, so it hath been the Practice of God's People, when his hand hath lain heaviest on them, yet to ascribe Righteousness to him, and it becomes us to look on them and do likewise, to say as, Ez. 9.15. O Lord God of Israel thou art righteous, Neh. 9 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for thou hast done right, Dan. 9.14. The Lord our God is righteous in all his works that he doth: Or as the Prophet Jeremiah in the Name of the Church, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his Compassions fail not.
4. We must dilligently search and try our Hearts and Ways; we are not now speaking of a matter that is forreign to us; alass, it is our own Case; the Lord hath certainly a Controversy with us, if ever he had one with any People on this side utter Ruine; and his Controversy hath seemed to be very much, if not mostly with his own People: Now methinks we should each of us be saying, Lord, is it I? Without doubt it is Sin that hath broached this quarrel between God and us, and there is none of us without that Achan in our Tents, our business is to search it out; this is one main Duty which both God's Word and his Rod points us too, Lam. 3.40. Let us search and try our ways.
5. Our next duty is a free and hearty Confession of, a judging our selves for, and deep humiliation under the sense of those sins we discover, whereby we have provoked him; This the Lord stands upon, Lev. 26.40. If they shall Confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their Fathers, with the Trespass wherewith they have trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; Jer. 3.13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God; Hos. 5.15. I will go and return unto my place, until they acknowledge their Offence; This way we are to give Glory unto him, Josh. 7.19. What large Confessions do we meet with in Scripture, made by the People of God, when his hand hath been upon them? When the Lord is testifying against us, and laying load upon us in his Judgments, we should take his part, and this way be laying load upon our selves, tho' indeed in another sense, this is the next way to ease our selves of the burden; I confessed, and thou forgavest, saith David; so, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my People shall humble themselves; 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your selves, under the mighty hand of God; When the Lord is laying us low by his Judgments, our work is not to struggle with him, but to fall at his Foot, to lay our Hearts low for our sins.
6. Our Sins thus discovered and confessed must be forsaken, we must turn from them unto him that smites us; Without this the former will neither please God nor any thing avail us; we must take things as God hath laid them together, If my People shall humble themselves and turn from their evil ways.
Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord; This is the great Errand his Judgments come to us upon; These things I think do not need so much to be proved, as to be urged and pressed home upon our hearts; O that we could but effectually do that? It is sin that hath bread the difference between God and us, by them we have been fighting against him, by them we have provoked this long suffering God of ours unto his strange work, and now that his terrible anger is thus kindled, there is but one way for us to take, that is to submit, to lay down our Arms, unless we are resolved to try it out with him; Nay, but let the Pot-sheards strive with the Potsheards of the Earth, but woe to us if thus we strive with our Maker; who ever hardned himself against God and prospered? We must therefore cast away our Transgressions from us, and with indignation say to our sins as Ephraim to his Idols, get ye hence.
7. We must seek unto God by Earnest extraordinary Prayer joyned with fasting; It is his will that we should thus by Prayer enquire of him at all times, and for all things that we need, and that he hath promised; But especially this is our Duty in such times as these; Call upon me in the Day of Trouble; This the Lord expects, Hos. 5.15. In their Affliction they will seek me early; And ordinary Prayer must not serve the turn; The Lord looks for early earnest Prayer; And so that we spend more time then ordinary in the Duty; Not that the Lord is wrought upon by the length of our Prayers, but the work that is to be done upon our own Hearts ordinarily requires it; And this joyned with fasting, [Page 29]which God's plain and pressing Commands, and the practice of his People thereupon in all Ages doth sufficiently prove, particular instances of either of which I think are needless here.
8. We must renew our Covenant with God, and by solemn vows bind our Hearts to their good behaviour for the future; we had need to take our Hearts at all the advantages we can, and at such times we have them at an advantage; We too frequently and sadly experience it how easily our Corruptions break through our strongest Purposes and Resolutions, they are but like Sampsons green withs to him. But now solemn Vows, and frequent renewing of our Covenants, provoided we be serious in it, these are observed to be good means to keep our treacherous Hearts from starting back; Tho' here we must be careful we do not ensnare Conscience in matters of indifferency or impossibility; This hath been and still is the practice of Gods People; Neh. 38. And because of all this we make a sure Covenant and write it, and our Princes, Levites and Priests seal unto it; which we have at large in the 10. Chapter.
And so we find David speaking of the Vows that he had made in his distress, Psal. 66.13, 14.
9. We must be careful to pay our Vows by a resolved cleaving to the Lord, whatever comes upon us; Vows and Covenants solemnly renewed lay us under further Obligations; Tho' its true, the Lord hath the highest Authority to command, and we are bound to obedience anticedently to any such acts of our own, by Vertue of his most Supream and Absolute right in us, and Sovereignty over us, resulting therefrom; yet it is as true, that we cannot after such solemn [Page 30]Transactions by sin depart from God at so cheap a rate as before, no our guilt and his displeasure will thereby be the greater; and herein if the wise man's judgment may pass, we act the part of egregious fools, Ecles. 5.4, 5. When thou hast vowed a Vow unto God, defer not to pay, for the Lord hath no pleasure in fools, pay that which thou hast vowed; better it is that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou should'st vow and not pay; Yea, we must thus cleave unto God, all his Judgments notwithstanding; They indeed yield us a good reason why we should leave sin, but none why we should leave him; but on the contrary, why we should cleave more closely to him; Come on us what will, it should be the care of our Souls, that we may be able to say with the Church, Psal. 44.17.18, 19. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee; neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the Shadow of Death.
10. We must steadfastly hope and trust in him according to his word; He is styled the hope of Israel in the time of trouble, Jer. 14.8. Thou art my hope in the day of evil, Jer. 17.17. We must hope and trust in him and in his Promises, even when his Providences seem in our shallow apprehensions to run never so cross to them; we must hold to it as an inviolable truth, in spite of all that sense or Satan may object against it, that if the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, his hand shall make it good; It is recorded of Abraham, that against hope he believed in hope, Rom. 4.18. And we find David oft [Page 31]professing his Resolution to trust in the Lord, whatsoever distress he was in; And so Job, Chap. 13.15. Tho' he kill me yet will I put my trust in him; This is part of that glory which we may not give unto another, when in distress we thus betake our selves to creature Refuges, our Hearts depart from the Lord and set up such creatures as Idols in his place, which thing the Lord hath cursed, but blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
11. We must wait patiently for the Lord and his Salvation; He that believeth maketh not haste; He was quite out in his argument, and shewed a wicked Spirit who said, 2 King. 6.33. Behold this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait on the Lord any longer; God's People should be and are of another mind: Tho' alass sometimes their Hearts are ready to grow sick, and their eyes ready to fail them when their hopes are long defer'd, but that is there infirmity; But ordinarly they are of another mind, Isa. 8 17. I will wait on the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and will look for him, Mic. 7.7. I will wait for the God of my Salvation, Lam. 3.26. It is good that a Man both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord; Once more,
12. And lastly, after all we must endeavour quietly to submit, and chearfully to resign up our selves to the Lords good pleasure; when he is testifying against us, we must with Aaron hold our peace, or say with Eli, it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good; A rare Example we have for this in the Man after Gods own Heart, in his sweet Frame and Carriage in that, which I think considering all the Circumstances of it, was the forest outward distress that [Page 32]ever he was in, when he fled from Absolon his Son, 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. And the King said unto Zadock, carry back the Ark of God into the City: If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in him, behold here am I, let him him do to me as seemeth good unto him; yea, which is yet higher still, here we have the example of David's Lord; when his holy and innocent nature began to give back with honour and amazement at the apprehension of those matchless Sorrows and Sufferings which were before him, he thus pray'd; O my Father, if it be possible let this Cup pass from me; but immediately he adds, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt, Matth. 26.39. Wherein he hath left us the highest instance and example of Submission and Resignation to the Divine Will that ever was, and in such things wherein he is (in our poor Measure) immitable by us, it is unquestionably our duty to tread in his Steps.
QUESTION V. How must we carry our selves towards our afflicted Brethren?
MY time allows me to say but little to this Question. But,
1. We must take heed we no way add to their Affliction; see we fall not under that heavy charge the Psalmist brings against his enemies, Psal. 69.26. which is ushered in and followed with very dreadful Propherical Imprecations; Afflicting work is God's work, and he cannot but be highly displeased when we [Page 33]are for taking this his Work out of his Hands And here,
- 1. We must take heed we do it not by our Words.
- 2. That we do it not by our Carriage.
1. We must take heed that we do it not by our Words; we must take heed we do not rashly and uncharitably Censure them, take heed of such Expressions, yea and of such Thoughts too; our bad Hearts have by Nature a wretched faculty this way; when Persons fall under Affliction, especially if their Affliction be somewhat singular, either for kind or degree, we are ready presently to conclude it must be for some extraordinary Guilt, whereas the Lord for wise and holy Ends best known to himself, many times culls out his dearest and choicest Servants as to the honest Work, so to the sorest Tryals, the greatest Susserings; as a wise Commander or General will deal with his Souldiers; but this is the common Opinion; If an holy upright Job who was a nonsuch in his Time, if he fall under an unusual Calamity, wise and good Men will not down with it but he must needs be an Hypocrite; if a venomous Creature fasten upon a Paul's Finger, the Barbarians will have it he is a Murtherer, or some such like Offender, whom Vengeance suffers not to live; this is very sinful, very dangerous and provoking; we have something for the Proof of this, Job, 42.7, 8. And the Lord said unto Eliphaz, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two Friends, for ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right as my servant Job hath, &c. Job's three Friends feem to have been pious good Men, yet alass, [Page 34]going upon some false Notions and Opinions they had got, rigid Censurers of poor Job in his sore Distress, and for this Sin of theirs had not he prayed for them and the Lord accepted him, some sore Judgment had been like to fall on them, as we may gather from the 8th verse, We must take heed of this.
2. We must take heed we do it not by our Carriage; we must take heed of a lofty proud and scornful Carriage towards them; it is highly-sinful and dangerous thus to trample upon those that are under God's feet already; yea, we must take heed of a strange Carriage towards them, of any thing that looks like unkindness or disrespect; this is one thing which is wont to add much to the grief of the afflicted, it cuts them to the Heart; when they see their Brethren standing at a distance from them in their Distress; we find God's People oft times complaining very heavily of this in Scripture, and such Complaints lifted up to God are not like to fall down again very light on those that justly fall under them; and if their Affliction come by the Oppression of Men, we must especially take heed we no way join or take part with their Oppressours; we must take heed we no way add to their Affliction.
2. We must do what we can, and in our places lawfully may, to ease them under, and to help them out of their Affliction. Here,
- 1. We must heartily Pity and Compassionate them.
- 2. We must do what we can to help them.
1. We must heartily Pity and Compassionate them, really Sympathize with them; to him that is afflicted pity should be shown of his [Page 35]Friend; as we have it (to that purpose at least) some where in the Book of Job. Principles of humanity call for this; yea, one may see somthing of this in and among Creatures of a lower Rank; but mere natural Pity is but the lesser part of that I here mean; our pity must be a gracious Pity, we must Sympathize with them as Brethren, we must do it for Jesus sake, if we would have him hereafter say, inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren (for so the King in all his Glory, out of his great Love and Condescention doth and will own them too, how poor, low and afflicted soever they may be at present) ye have done it unto me; thus we must pity them.
2. We must do what we can to help them. And,
- 1. We must endeavour to do it our selves.
- 2. We must endeavour to engage others to do that which we cannot.
1. We must endeavour to do it our selves. And so,
1. We must endeavour to inform our selves about the Nature of their Affliction, as it is either outward or inward, together with the Grounds and Causes of it, observing as near as we can where the Burthen pincheth sorest, and where their great weakness lieth, that so we may apply our selves to them most suitably, and so as may be with greatest probabillity of Success.
2. As we are able, and have opportunity, we should be ready to advise, counsel and direct them how they ought to Bear, how they may improve their Afflictions, and also how they [Page 36]may get holily and comfortably out of them in God's way and time, which is ever best.
3. We must endeavour to support, chear and comfort them, by pointing them to Scripture promises, those strong Pillars, and full Breasts of Consolation, especially to such of them as come nearest to their Case; first endeavouring to clear their Right and Interest in them, if that be a Matter in Question (as alass it is with the most), and then directing and assisting them in drawing those Breasts which are ever full, though continually emptying themselves; and we must also do this by imparting Experiences to them in a free but humble Manner, experiences of our own, and also those of others that we have met with, thus endeavouring to comfort them with the Comforts wherewith we and others have in the like Case been comforted of the Lord.
4. If their Case be outwardly necessitous, we must actually Relieve them as we have Abillity and Opportunity; not only draw out our Bowels to their Pity, but also our Purses to their Relief; not only give them good Words, but also such things as they need; thus we must endeavour to help them our selves.
2. We must endeavour to engage others to do that which we cannot.
- 1. Men.
- 2. God.
1. Men, our fellow Creatures and Brethren especially, such as either upon temporal or spiritual Accounts, have larger Abillities and fairer Opportunities to do it then ourselves; I can do little more then name things, and that in hast, but I doubt not these with other things [Page 37]will be more fully and pertinently insisted on by others, then alass I (had I more time) should be able to do.
2. We must especially endeavour by fervent and believing Prayer, to engage the great God their Father and our Father to their help; He that is the Comforter of those that are cast down; in a special manner the Orphan's God, such as are destitute, afflicted and helpless; he that can most easily, speedily and effectually reach both Persons and Cases which are quite out of our reach, or the reach of any one besides bimself.
QUESTION VI. How may a Christian come to bear the greatest worldly Losses graciously?
BY a Christian here we mean one that is so indeed; such a one is not so secured by the Promise, or so hedged in by the Providence of God, but that outward Losses as well as other Afflictions may sometimes break in upon him here, yea such as are very Great, any but such as would quite undo him as a Christian: From these indeed he is as secure and safe as Eternal Truth can make him, and shall be so while that endures; but yet he may loose his Staff, though he cannot loose his God.
I think it may not be amiss here to hint farther in a word or two, what we mean by his bearing these Losses graciously.
And in general I think it is, to bear them by the special help of God's holy Spirit, according to the Rule of his Word, aiming therin chiefly and ultimately at his Glory.
1. By the special help of God's holy Spirit; For, mere Nature when most highly refin'd and elevated, will not pass with God for Grace, though sometimes with Men it may; and all Grace flows from the Spirit, the immediate inspirer, actor and perfecter of it in the Soul.
2. According to the Rule of his Word; God's willing this or that shews sufficiently that it is Good or Gracious, yea, it makes it to be so; and in his Word it is that he hath most fully and plainly told us what his Mind and Will is; and in reference to the Case before us, the Seripture abounds with that which may direct us in the streight Line of our Duty, warning us we turn not aside to the right Hand or to the left: But I may not add more here.
3. Aiming herein chiefly and ultimately at his Glory; For, though we may also look at our own Benefit and Advantage, yet not solely, seperately, or supreamly, but as in Conjunction with and Subordination to the Glory of that God, of, through, and to whom are all things: But to do this (I should rather have said something like it), merely to get a Name by seeming to be that which in Truth we are not, this is very mean and low, base hypocrisy, and that big with several other grievous Sins.
I thought these hints not altogether impertinent to the Case, though alass, its like the account I have laid down is very lame and imperfect.
Now in Answer to the Question, I shall lay down my thoughts under these three general Heads.
- 1. We must endeavour to rid, and then keep our Hearts as clear as we can of those things which would hinder us.
- 2. We must seriously ply our Hearts with suitable moving Considerations.
- 3. We must diligently apply them to other seasonable Christian duties.
1. We must endeavour to rid and then keep our Hearts as clear as we can of those things which would hinder us, as they breed and nourish a contrary frame in us.
To name some of the chief of them.
1. Pride; an over high opinion of our selves, a fond conceit of some Worth or Defect in our selves; this is that which makes us so hard to be pleased when our condition is at best, and that which breeds and feeds in patience and discontent, when by Losses or other Afflictions our condition seems to be changing or changed for the worse; so we must endeavour to get and keep Pride low.
2. Unbelief; when we cannot trust God, take his word, lean upon a promise any farther then we have sensible props to support us; it is a very sad and dreadful Truth, that tho' we will trust any Man, even such a one as we know to be an unrighteous dishonest Man so far as we can see him, yet, we have much ado through unbelief to perswade our wretched Hearts to trust the most holy, righteous God, the God of Truth any farther; we must strive with might and main against this evil Heart of unbelief.
3. Worldliness; when we have too high an opinion of worldly things, when we fancy them to be that which they are not, to have that in [Page 40]them which in truth they have not; and so when our affections go out inordinately towards them, it is because our affections towards worldly things are so strong, this is one great reason why the Want or Loss of them is so strong and heavy an Affliction to us, and why we are so weak and unable to bear it; was the World (instead of being in our hearts) placed under our foot as it should be, our work would not be so difficult; we must labour hard that it may be so.
4. Mistakes about the nature and end of such Providences; we are very apt to misconstrue such Providences, ready to think the Lord is about to undo us, when he is but taking another, yea, and that to the wisest and best way to enrich us; ready to think he is about to kill us, when he is only letting us blood to save our life; the afflictions and consolations of the Saints (as one saith) differ only in their Countenances; and as we heard not long since, there is a vast difference between such Providences as they are dispensed to the wicked and to the godly; as to the former, the Rod is turned into a Serpent, but as to the latter, the Serpent is turned into a Rod: The Lord is still curiously working about his own eternal purpose in the Salvation of our Souls, but we misunderstand him, and that is one great hinderance of our bearing such dispensations as we ought.
5. An over hastiness of Spirit in passing a judgment concerning such Providences; this is one cause of our former misunderstanding of them; they are many times very dark and misterious, and our first Apprehensions about them are many times false and mistaken ones; [Page 41]If we have observed God and our selves, we may remember that many Providences of which we have had but dismal thoughts at first view, our thoughts have been mightily changed about them, when we have seen the beginning and end together, and so have read such Providences backward; but alass we are ordinarily too quick with the Lord, will not give him time, have not patience till he hath brought the whole wheel about; and this is another thing that makes our work here so hard as it is, which therefore must be corrected and amended.
6. The Temptations of Satan; its like he will be ready to take this opportunity of belying God to us, and after this or some such manner to suggest; is this the God that loves thee? Is he now fulfilling his Promises and answering thy Prayers? See what a kind Master thou servest, and what thou gettest by his Service: Thus its like he will be prompting us to distrust, impatience, discontent and the like; we must see we be not ignorant of his Devices, and as soon as we discover the Temptation, wich abhorrence we must reject it.
This to the first General.
2. We must seriously ply our hearts with suitable moving Considerations. And so,
1. We should consider that whatever we have lost, and by what means and instruments so ever we lost it, it is the Lord that hath taken it; there is certainly such a thing as Divine Providence, permiting, ordering and bringing about whatever doth befal us here; when Losses and other Afflictions befal us, the Lord takes it upon himself as his own doing, and God's People have been wont to see and acknowledge [Page 42]his hand, and this is that which hath stilled and calmed them, as we see in the recorded instance of Job, David and others.
2. We should consider, that whatever the Lord hath thus taken, he hath taken nothing but his own; The Earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; we have nothing for enjoyment but what he gave us, and we are not properly Lord's of what we have but Steward's; God's right in his Creatures is such, as cannot be alienated; we eat his Bread, wear his Wool and his Flax, carry his Silver in our purses and the like; and now, why may not the Lord do what he will with his own?
3. We should consider, the Lord hath taken nothing from us, but what we were unworthy of when he gave it, and have since forfeited by our Sins, and but a part of that neither; the Lord is free when he gives, and just when he takes; we deserve not the least morsel of food, or a ragg to cover our nakedness with; and by our Sins we have forfeited all he hath thus freely given us a thousand times over, yea, and our very beings too; and therefore we have great reason to be patient, yea, and thankful also under all our losses here.
4. We should consider the things of this World, they are other things then the most of Men, yea, and then we our selves ordinarily take them to be; we think they look bravely at a distance, beholding them with a vitiated eye, and through a false deceitful medium; but if indeed we will come near and know the truth of the matter, we have it from him who never mis-called either person or thing, that they are but vanity and vexation of Spirit, things that [Page 43]cannot profit, yea, things that are not: And is it not a vain thing for one extreamly to disquiet himself either about the gain or loss of a little Vanity? Children and Fool's indeed will take on mightily for the loss of a Toy, but Men of understanding know better.
5. Take these things at best, and yet there is danger of our having too much, as well as of our having too little of them, yea, I am apt to think more danger of the two; more danger of our surfeiting through abundance, then of our pineing through want; and now the Lord knows better then we do what is enough, too little or too much for us, and we have great reason to conside in his Wisdom, Love and Care herein, and by our Carriage should let him and others to see that we do so.
6. Be these things as good as they will, and do what we can, we cannot long enjoy them; Death at farthest will certainly part us and all our worldly Enjoyments at once, and that is upon its way, and coming as fast as ever time that flying post can bring it, and hath certainly taken some steps towards us even since we nam'd it: Now this consideration that the Time is short, should mightily moderate our affections towards these things both in the enjoyment, want or loss of them.
7. We should consider others of God's People have met with, as great, yea far greater Losses then our's are, and have born them graciously; Job what a loss had he, who of the richest Man in all the East, in one day became poor to a Proverb? David driven from a Kingdom, and forced to fly for his Life; yet, we see how sweetly they took it: These and such [Page 44]like examples should both encourage and quicken our endeavours here.
8. We should consider how good it is that we thus bear them; hereby we shall please and honour God; hereby we shall credit Religion, letting the World see that whatever they faney, yet we find something in it that is real, something that yields us real Support: Hereby we shall lay in for our own, both present and future sweet Peace and Satisfaction.
9. We should consider the Evil of the Contrary; as thereby we shall dishonour God, gratisy the Devil, discredit Religion, harden the World in their Mistakes about it, break our present Peace, and lay in for our future Sorrow, which is the best that can come of it.
10. We should consider if we are the Persons concerned in this Case, Christians indeed, then whatever we have lost, yet, our all is safe; the Lord is his Peoples portion, their All; and so all that he is, all that he hath, its all theirs as they need it, and as it would be for their Good; thus it is, and thus it shall be in spite of Sin, Earth and Hell, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, [I will be their God] and the Zeal of the Lord God of Host's shall perform this, shall make it good: O methinks there is life and soul in this consideration, if we know but how to draw it out!
Other things might be added, but I fear least before this, I should be thought tedious.
3. We must diligently apply our selves to other seasonable Christian Duties.
So 1. We must give diligence to clear up our special Covenant Interest in God; I cannot [Page 45]reasonably think to perswade my Heart to bear such Losses as it should, unless I can shew it something that I have, or at least may have, which is as good or better then that which I have lost; and to bare worldly Losses quietly because I have much more of these things left, this is not right; and the bear having an Interest in God, will not be sufficient for my Support, unless it be in some measure known to me; but if I know that this God whose Name is, I am, if I can make it out that he is my own God; I need not fear then at next word to say, all's my own, and then my Work here would be easy.
2. We must exercise our selves much in lively believing Meditations on him, and our unspeakable Happiness in him; there is certainly that in God which doth amply suit our case, and which would effectually do our work, but we must not expect this in the way of a Charm, or that God should work Miracles for us; though I have the best Food upon my Table, yet, it will not nourish or strengthen me unless I open my Mouth, take, chew and digest it; so it is here.
3. We must endeavour all we can to maintain constant Communion with God; while a Soul enjoys real Communion with God, its well with that Soul, and much at one to it, whether it enjoys more or less of the Creature; a gracious Soul tasts that sweetness in near and intimate Communion with God, that while this is enjoy'd, it takes little or no notice of what of the World it either hath or wants; O it finds Meat and Drink, House and Lands, Friènds, Earth, yea and Heaven too in Communion [Page 46]with God! Hereupon there are such ineffably swet Communications of God to the Soul, and such mutual endearing Embraces, as immediately fill the Soul in each corner of it, with unspeakable Satisfaction and Joy; but I must add, there is yet something in it, which is an unutterable Secret; such as experimentally know what it is for the Lord to deal familiarly with them this way, such will understand what I mean; and would not this do our business now? What think you?
4. We must endeavour to keep up every Grace in good Heart, but especially see we nourish and cherish the Grace of Faith, and keep that close to its work; every Grace hath its proper work and office in the Soul, but among all the rest Faith is the great doer, and not the least among the bearers of Burthens; and in reference to this present Case, it will be well or ill with us, as our Faith is either lively or languishing.
5. We must be much in the search and study of the holy Scriptures; the Word of God abounds with precepts, promises, examples, very Applicable to our present Case; some little hath been hinted; I had thoughts here to have added more, but must forbear, being sensible I have over done. Once more,
6. And lastly, We must give our selves unto Prayer; when we have done our best, Satan will be solliciting Evil, and distempered Frames will be creeping on us; when its thus, we must run to God by earnest and believing Prayer, there's no way like it; if ever we bear our Losses graciously, it must be by the special help of the Spirit, as hath been hinted, and [Page 47]though the Lord sometimes in the way of Prerogative, or of his soveraign Grace, is found of those that seek him not, yet, the promise is made unto those that ask.
QUESTION VII. How may a christian improve outward Prosperity to God's Glory, and to his own and others Good?
TO know how to abound is as high and rare an attainment of Grace, as to know how to want; but though few in comparison do, yet some have, and therefore we in our advantagious Circumstances may attain to it in the strength of the same Christ, Phil. 4.12, 13.
Now in answer to this Question, the scope and drift of which is (as I take it) to instruct us in this Lesson.
- 1. We must labour to discover, and then carefully to avoid those Sins and Temptations which this Estate doth especially expose us to.
- 2. We must labour to get acquainted with, and then dilligently and conscienciously to discharge those Duties, and exercise those Graces which this Estate doth especially call us to, and gives us an advantage for.
- 3. As we would do thus, we must carefully observe and follow some Rules and Directions.
1. We must labour to discover, and then carefully to avoid those Sins and Temptations which this Estate doth especially expose us to. And,
1. Those which do respect others. And so,
1. Those which more directly respect God himself; such as these, unmindfulness, forgetfulness of God, an alienation of our Hearts [Page 48]and Affections from him; a careless neglect of the Duties of his Worship, or a formal customary dead and heartless Performance of them; O that in these things and the like, we did not speak from so much sad experience as we do! Again, Disobedience and Rebellion; if Jesheron be waxed fat, the next news we hear of him is that he kicked; we must beware of these things and the like.
2. Those which do more directly respect our Brethren; and do we never in Prosperity meet with a Temptation, and find a Proneness in our Hearts, when we are as it were on the Top of the Hill to overlook, despise, contemn our poor Brethren that are below us in the Valley? Job saith [He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised of him that is at ease] if so, we must take heed of that: Again, Beware of unmercifulness towards them; have we a care they do not want our Bowels, but especially that we do not hurt their's; take we heed that when we are at ease our selves, we be not among them who are not greived for the Affliction of others, but especially that we add not to their Affliction; O beware we of any thing that looks like injury or oppression; and as we must thus labour to discover and carefully to avoid those Sins and Temptations which respect to others. So,
2. Those which do more directly respect our slves; and so take heed of Pride; this was the Devils Sin, and his Ruine, and he would have us like him in both; and do we not find our Spirits ready to be puffed up on this occasion; I dare say, they are no ordinary Christians with whom its otherwise: Again, [Page 49]Take we heed of Security; when our Mountain seems to stand strong, its well if our Hearts say not next, it shall never be moved; take heed of that: Again, Take we heed of Prodigality, an unlawful excessive wastful Spending, or spending Wastfulness of the Creature; I remember a choise Servant of God, one that hath laboured much amongst us, once when I was with him in a fit of Sickness taking a Medicine, he called for the Spoon back to lick it, saying, Jesus Christ would have nothing lost; in which (as I concluded), he had reference to his ordering the Fragments to be gathered up after that large and plentiful Feast upon a few Barly-loaves and two or three small Fishes: Again, Take we heed of Sensuality; our Lusts will expect our Prosperity should be a Feast for them; they will crave it, and the Devil will sollicite for them, but these Beggers must be denied; we must take heed of sensuality and of worldiness, take heed of sinful inordinate pantings after, love to, use of, or delights in the Creature; This as to the first General.
2. We must labour to get acquainted with, and then conscientiously and diligently to discharge those Duties, and exercise those Graces which this Estate gives us a special call to, and advangage for. And,
1. Those which more directly respect others. And so.
1. Those which more immediately respect God himself; and so we must own and acknowledge God as the free and gracious author, founder, and maintainer of our Prosperity; and then it naturally follows hence, that we be thankful to him for it; and here a true [Page 50]Christian hath far the Advantage of another Man, and is thereby laid under a stronger Obligation to this Duty, for he may see his outward Prosperity, his outward Mercies coming from that self same loving Hand and Heart that gave him his dear Christ; O how thankful should a Christian be! In a mercy that in it self may be but small, yet may he see and tast that which is of more worth then a World; this is no phanatical Dream, but a proved and experienced Truth: Again, Doth it not also follow that we should love him more dearly; Love would and should be paid in its own Coin; and by the way observe it, if we can but find this, that we love God more for our outward Prosperity, this would be an infallible sign that it comes from his Love, for as one saith, this is a certain Rule, that which causeth love, cometh from love; and then see that we grieve more ingenuously for our Sins against him; and the consideration of the cursed Ingratitude and Disingenuity that there is in our Sin's, sure this will when the Spirit strikes it home, open a Vein to purpose in a gracious Heart: Again, Let us see we learn to trust in him more stedfastly; we have promises and experiences too; see we trust him in our Prosperity; see we trust in him, and not in uncertain riches, friends or the like; and if he bring us into straits again, let us now learn to trust him then; trust him for these things if they be good for us, however that he will give us that in himself which is infinitely better; and so lets learn to trust him for better things; if from his Love he give us Earth, will he not much more give us Heaven, and all that we [Page 51]need in the way? And then lets see we make him the chief object of our delight and joy: Again, Let's see we be more abundant vigorous and chearful in his Service, in all acts of Obedience.
2. Those which more directly respect our Brethren; and so we must see we be humble, courtious and affable in our Carriage towards them; and that we do heartily pity and compassionate them in their Necessities and Troubles, and that we do actually relieve and help them, as we have abillity and opportunity, remembring that the Lord hath more backs to cloath, more bellies to fill, more hearts to chear with our Prosperity then our own; and as we must thus labour to get acquainted with, and then conscientiously and diligently to discharge those Duties, and exercise those Graces which a prosperous Estate calls to, and gives us advantage for, with respect to others. So,
2. Those which do more immediately respect our selves; such as self-denial, moderation, holy contentation, a grave and sober joy and rejoycing, weanedness from the World, heavenly mindedness and the like: But I fear I have enlarged too much, and would fain leave a little room for the last thing, and so as that I may not streighten others neither. So,
3. As we would thus improve our outward Prosperity as hath been confusedly hinted, we must carefully observe and follow some rules and directions. To name five or six.
1. We must labour to get throughly convinced of our own Impotency, and utter insufficiency to do this of our selves; and truly we know e'ne nothing of our selves, if we know [Page 52]not this, that of our selves without Christ we can do nothing; alass, we can't bare a Cross, no more can we handle a single Comfort as we ought; then what shall we do in a State of full Prosperity, especially if of any long continuance? How certainly it sinks us into security, sensuallity, worldliness, into a neglect of God, our Souls Eternity, and the like if left to our selves?
2. We must see to it that we be Christians indeed, that we have a thorough work of Grace wrought in our Hearts; there are many Natural carnal Men that know what it is to be in Prosperity, what it is to Abound, but not one of them knows how to Abound, nor can they know any thing of it while they so continue; in the right improving of Prosperity, there are many spiritual Acts and Motions required (as you have heard), but this cannot be without a spiritual Principle first infused into the Soul; without a gracious Habit, no gracious Act; without spiritual Life, no spiritual Motion; as we were lately instructed.
3. Having Grace we must see we keep it awake, stirring, and in a growing posture; a Man that hath Life, yet if he fall asleep, and much more if he fall into a Lethargy or into a Sound outward Motion ceaseth, even while his Life remains; now and then he breaths almost insensibly, and that's all; so it will be with us here; we had need if we would have any work done, keep Grace waking, stirring, yea and growing too; O a little Grace will be e'ne lost in a great heap of worldly stuff! Believe me, that Christian who hath a great share of outward Prosperity, needs more Grace then his Neighbours; and alass for us whose stock is [Page 53]so low, can we not bless God from our Souls, that our outward Prosperity riseth not so high as some others doth? I am fully perswaded some of us can, as I am sure there is reason we should.
4. We must labour to maintain and keep up a constant watchfulness; this is absolutely necessary both with respect to our Dangers and our Duties, so we must watch our Hearts, watch our Corruptions, watch our Thoughts, Affections, and our outward Senses; and so we must watch Satan and his Temptations; and so we must watch unto Duty; watch for Calls to seasons of, and advantages for it, that so we may take wind and tide when they offer: And so we must watch our Hearts in duty to see that Grace be in its lively and kindly exercise.
5. We must see we be not strangers to our Bibles; whatever our Condition be prosperous or adverse, the Word of God, that's our Polestar to direct us how to stear our course; this must be a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our paths, for it is not in Man that walketh to direct his steps; as some of us heard not long since; we must therefore study our Bibles, highly prize and diligently attend upon a Gospel Ministry, and improve that with other helps we have to get a thorough understanding of, and acquaintance with them.
6. And lastly, We must see the Lord find us much and often upon our Knees, and that in Prayer we be much in the actings and exercise of Faith; in this Estate, especially if we enjoy it for any time without, some considerable Interruptions, we must expect many Dangers and [Page 54]Difficulties; and upon this ground a kneeling (I mean a praying posture) is far more safe and advantagious then to stand upon our own Legs; and so we must be much in the lively exercise of Faith on Christ, and the promises for wisdom and strength to enable us to discover, avoid or crush those Temptations, and to mortify those Corruptions, which in this Estate we are most exposed to and endangered by, as also to discharge those duties and exercise those Graces, which it gives us special calls to opportunities and advantages. For,
All this is soon said, but to do it will cost us some pains; but I think it is not more then needs, and moreover this we can say, Religion is so sweet a thing, that it will more then pay its own cost and charges even here; O then what will a [well done good and faithful Servant] hereafter be? And this with such an & cetera as eternal Possession can only fully unfold, sure this will be a reward for all our pains (a reward I say, but of free Grace) heaped up and running over.
QUESTION VIII. What is the Duty which Persons joined together in a Christian Society, owe one unto another?
I Will not take upon me to say much to this Case or Question. But,
1. Mutual brotherly Love is one thing wherein our Duty lieth; indeed though I mention this as a particular, it is the Sum of all; if we would say all in one Word, it must be this of Love, for Love is the fulfilling of the Law.
There is a Love we owe to all Men as Men, even to our very Enemies: Again, There is a more special Love we owe to all the godly in general as such, and more especially to such as excel in godliness; and farther, I think there are some peculiarities in that we owe to such of them, as we are joined to by more near Cohibition, and in more fixed and constant Church Communion.
That Love amongst us is a Duty, it is a thing so obvious in it self as we are Brethren and Members one of another, and as it is the subject Matter of so great a Part of our Bibles, that I think I need not give particular Instanstances for Proof in so plain a case.
This Love must branch it self out into several streams, and discover it self several ways; to instance in a particular or two here. And
1. We must express and exercise our Love one to another, in a real hearty Simpathy one with another; weeping with them that weep, and rejoycing with them that rejoyce; as in the natural Body, if one Member suffer (be it but a Finger or a Toe) all the rest suffer with it, and so on the contrary if one Member be honoured the other Members rejoyce with it; so here we should be afflicted in the Afflictions of our Brethren, and rejoyce in their Welfare and Prosperity as our own; in this Sense, Afflictions and Mercies should as it were lie in common amongst us.
2. We must do it by denying our selves in many cases for their good, yea in some cases so far as to expose and actually lay down our Lives for them; as to preserve the Life of an eminently useful Minister or Christian, in some [Page 56]cases we should be ready to Sacrifice our own; this is that which some have done, and found great Satisfaction in; if a blow threaten my Head or Breast, which I know not how to avoid, my Hand is presently up to receive it.
2. Another thing wherein our Duty lies (which is indeed but another way of expressing our Love, and that is), mutual Christian watchfulness; that I mean by it is, a concerned eying, observing, taking notice of one anothers Estates, Conditions, Frames and Carriages; I do not mean a prying into these things to satisfy Curiosity, or to furnish us with Matter for our vain, idle, unprofitable and sinful Chat, much less to satisfy, feed and nourish a proud and censorious Humour; no, but an endeared brotherly Love must here set us on work, and manage the matter as a thing necessary, in order to our mutual helpfulness, one to another. And so,
3. Another thing wherein our Duty lies is, mutual helpfulness. And here,
1. We must beware we be at no time found acting the Part of Enemies or false Brethren, as to the outward Man and outward Concerns one of another, but especially we must beware of doing it as to one anothers Souls, which were to take Satan's part and become his Tools, a thing we were not long since awfully warned against; O let us take heed of doing any thing at any time to cool, chill and damp one anothers Graces and holy Affections, or of imitating and provoking one anothers Corruptions; and we must take heed of doing any thing that may justly grieve and sadden, or lay a stumbling-block [Page 57]before one another; and then on the other hand, it concerns us to take heed that we do not through ignorance, infirmity, mistakes, but above all that we do not through prejudice take offence where it is not justly given.
2. We must see we be positively helpful one to another; as in the natural Body the several Members are mutually helpful and serviceable one to another, so it should be amongst us; we must see we be so according to our abilities, opportunities and others necessities; look what Talents any of us have of estate, parts, gifts, graces, experiences, or whatever else is improvable for others good, we should endeavour to make it as a Common-stock so far as with prudence, without pride, self-ostentation, or stretching the line of our places we lawfully may. And,
1. We must endeavour to be mutually helpful one to another, with respect to the outward Man, the outward Conditions and Concerns one of another; we must be ready to advise, counsel, direct, assist one another with respect to these; Oh, base selfishness amongst us is an unnatural thing, for lo we be Brethren and Members one of another; and then we must also relieve such of them as are in Poverty and Want according to our Abilities and Opportunities; yea, we must give more freely more largely to such then to others.
2. We must especially endeavour to be mutually helpful to one anothers Souls; I will humbly adventure to lay down a few things here; I will do little more then name them. And,
1. Such as have a stock of knowledge and spiritual understanding, the word of Christ dwelling richly in them, should be ready to disperse it among those that want, should be ready to instruct such as are more ignorant and raw, Col. 3.16.
2. It is our duty to be often jogging, exciting, provoking one another to our Duty, when we are any of us growing dull, sleepy, careless and lukewarm, Heb. 10.24.
3. When any of us are steping aside, or are overtaken with a fault, it is our duty to admonish, reprove, restore such a one in the Spirit of Love and Meekness, Lev. 19.17. Gall. 6.1. such a poor distorted Member must be skilfully and tenderly set in joint again.
4. When any of our Brethren are sad, dejected, disconsolate, of a wounded and sorrowful Spirit, we should endeavour to comfort and strengthen such feeble minded ones in all their Troubles, with the Comforts wherewith we have been comforted of the Lord, 2 Cor. 1.4: 2 Thess. 4.18. Chap. 5.14.
5. It is our duty to be mutually helpful one to another in the way of Prayer, Jam. 5.16. And let the case be what it will, Prayer will reach it, because it is the way to engage him that can; and here none of us can reasonably frame an excuse who have found the way to Heaven for our selves.
Give me leave to say two Words more:
1. All this and more as to Particulars (as I doubt not you will hear) is our Duty, but yet the Lord will take in good Part, will graciously accept and reward a sincere desire and endeavour, to trade and improve our two Talents [Page 59]where we have no more; it is my own case, and its likely it may as well be some of yours; we may be ready under discouragement to complain, alass, we can do very little, we want Abilities, want Opportunities, we can do almost nothing; well, if there be but in us a willing Mind, witnessed by sincere Endeavours, I think we may take this home with us for our Comfort and Encourgement (I do not mean to be idle, sloathful and careless, but chearfully to fall to work as the Lord shall enable us) to wit, that we shall be accepted of the Lord according to that which we have, and not according to that which we have not; we unworthily bely our Lord and Master, if we say or think he is austeer; the poor Widows mite was not rejected.
2. As for such as have much riper Parts, every way larger Abilities and fairer Opportunities then we, they must improve them, but it must be their Care to see they keep within the compass of their Places and Callings, and that they no way encroach upon the Ministerial Office which the Lord hath paled in by it self; this was very dangerous, and the way to spoil all; a Person may be very useful in a civil Society in a Kingdom or Commonwealth while he keeps in his proper Post; but if he will needs be steping up into the Throne he spoils all: but I do think none of us may need this Caution: And then as Moses said to his Servant Joshua, Numb. 11.29. Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them; so this I dare say for our Men of God, that it would be no Eyesore to them, but on the contrary, the joy and [Page 60]rejoycing of their Hearts, to see any in their Flock striving, if by any means they might come to be as wise and knowing in the great Mysteries of Religion, and every way as Gracious as themselves, and then endeavouring to make what they have (according to the Rules of Christian Prudence and Sobriety) as a Common-stock to the glory of God, the benefit of their brethrens Souls, and the furtherance of their own Salvation in the day of the Lord Jesus.
QUESTION IX. How must we Carry towards them that are without?
BY them that are without, I here understand, such who though they are within the Pale of the visible Church, yet are out of Christ, and in their Hearts and Lives strangers to the life and power of that Christianity which they some way outwardly profess; and then I look upon the inward frame and temper of our Spirits, as comprehended in this Case, as well as our outward Carriage and Behaviour.
So 1. We must see that we do heartily, tenderly, pity and compassionate this their sad Case, a sadder then which I think I may say, is scarce to be found on this side Hell, though indeed the Case of some of them is much more sad then that of others; their Persons and Case call for pity at our hands; they are our fellow Creatures of Adam's race, and not of the tribe of Apostate Angels: Again, They are Men and Women upon Earth, and not among damned Spirits in Hell; their Case is very deplorable, [Page 61]and such as once was our own, and though it be not so now, yet also upon that account it may the rather be expected from us, because we now pretend at least to know better then others do, what God's Favour and his Wrath, what Heaven and Hell, what Salvation and Damnation mean; it is a thing both greatly sad and strange if we do not pity them; did we see any of them hanging by a small Thread over such a place as the mouth of burning Etna, would not our Bowels be moved, our Flesh tremble for them? Their real Case is sadder then so; meer Humanity would do much in such a Case, will not Grace do more?
2. We must take great heed to our selves, that we do nothing to harden them in this their sad and sinful Case, that we do nothing to keep them where they are; if we pretend to pity them as without, and yet care not wilfully to shut and bolt the Door upon them, this our pretended Pity is no better then a cruel wicked Lie; and therefore we must take heed that by our sinful Compliance with them, we do not confirm and strengthen them in that good Opinion which alass they falsly have concerning their own state and way: And so we must take heed of doing any thing that may justly prejudice them against Religion, against the good Ways of God; particular Instances are too many to be here inserted: But in General, every thing that is contrary to the Truth and Purity of Religion, every thing that is contrary to the Scripture Rules of Piety, Justice, Charity and Sobriety, is carefully to be avoided by us here.
3. We must see that we prudently, conscientiously, and diligently lay out our selves in our places, doing what we can to bring them in. And here,
1. We must endeavour to pray them in; the word is plain here that this is a thing according to God's will; the Lord hath a wonderful great respect for and delight in Prayer: And though he hath decreed to do this and that, and though his Providence may be big with it, yet ordinarily before it brings forth Prayer must come in, and as it were act the Midwifes part; and this would be much to our own benefit and advantage; Yea, though such and such we pray for should not be brought in, yet being sincere this our adventure should not be lost, no but should come richly home, our prayers certainly returning with a blessing into our own bosoms.
2. We must do what in us lieth that they may be furnished with, and brought unto the ordinary necessary means of Salvation; when Persons are distracted, or under any such raging Distempers as take away their Senses and the use of their rational Faculties, it is then peculiarly the Part of Friends and Relations to procure them a Physician and the necessary Means of their Recovery; why the poor Hearts in the case before us, they are besides themselves, have this and that Death token on them, and are not sensible of it, and so care not for to look after the Lord Jesus, his Ministers, the necessary Means of their Salvation, any more then a Man raging Mad in Bethlem cares for his Physician, or for his necessary Prescriptions; and then we should endeavour to bring by Perswasion such of them as are within our [Page 62]reach to the Means; and such as are under us as Children and Servants, we may and ought to use our Authority with them this way.
3. We should our selves endeavour to recommend Religion, its blessed Authors ways, means and end unto them. And that,
- 1. With our Mouth's.
- 2. In our Lives.
1. With our Mouth's; as we have a call and opportunity, let us be speaking a good Word for God and his good Ways; O they are worthy of it, and we carry it very unworthily if we do not; and when any of them dare let fly at God and Religion, we should with a holy warmth Vindicate them to the Faces of them against any their false Charges, their wicked and blasphemous Lies.
2. In our Lives; here one might be large, but I shall confine my Thoughts to five things, and that with all the Brevity I well may. And,
- 1. We should endeavour in our Lives to recommend Religion to them, as a true and real thing.
- 2. As a practicable and feasable thing.
- 3. As a gainful and profitable thing.
- 4. As an honourable laudable thing.
- 5. As a cheaful pleasant thing.
1. As a true and real thing; they are ready to look upon Serious Religion as a meer Fancy, a waking Dream of a few weak and superstitious People, others as a cunning Plot and Design of some self-seeking Men; tell them of Fellowship and Communion with God, they believe no such thing, though we are as sure of the reality of it from frequent, blessed, feeling, convincing, sweet experience, as of any thing [Page 64]that ever we saw with our Eyes; now let us labour to give them some convincing Evidences and Demonstrations of it, when Moses came down from the Mount with his Face shining, no doubt all the People that saw him, fully concluded that the Lord and he had been together; you will apply it; We speak of Heaven and of our great Hopes laid up there in their Hearts, they believe there is nothing in it, but are ready to pity, or it may be sometimes laugh at our weakness in laying so great stress upon these poor future unseen things; now let us endeavour by our Carriage in the general Tenour of our Lives, to strike their Hearts with this Conviction, that certainly they must be mistaken, that certainly there must be substance, reality and life in the business, we doing and suffering such things (when called to them) in the belief and hopes thereof, and at such a rate as they cannot. So,
2. Let us endeavour to recommend it to them as a practicable and feasable thing; be Religion true or false, yet however they think as these Preachers set it forth it is Impracticable, and so are ready to look on them and us as a company of Hypocrites for pretending to it; O that we did not give them so much occasion here as we do! But however be it known unto them, they charge Religion falsly, our Lord's yoak is another thing then they take it for, easy and sweet all over; and such of us as have had to do with his Cross have said, and can still say as much for that too, or the Fault hath been our own; yea, and they charge us falsly too, as they shall know hereafter at least, when they shall here our Lord say that for us, which [Page 65]at present we have no great Mind to be saying for our selves; but let us by taking out our Copy before their Eyes, endeavour to convince them while it will do them any good, that to mortify Lusts, repel Temptations, overcome the World, that to deny our Selves, forgive Enemies, bear the greatest Afflictions from the hand of God, the greatest Injuries, Reproaches and Sufferings from the hands or tongues of Men, that these things and the like, with the Strength which Religion offers and actually affords to those who do sincerely embrace it, are not such Matters of Impossibility as they take them to be.
3. That it is a gainful, profitable thing; they think many of them that to become seriously Religious, is the next way to poverty and ruine, the ready way to be undone; alass, that they should be so mistaken in Religion, the thing that makes us; Godliness bath the Promise of the Life that now is; whatever they think, it is certainly the surest and the next way to be Rich here, if the Lord see it good for one to be so; and God be thanked as he hath formerly, so he still doth honour Religion in the face of the World, by making some that are sincerely, yea exemplarily Good, very considerably Great in the World; but however it doth certainly bring the best Riches along with it; not the poorest Saint in the World, but he hath that which will more then weigh down all the Riches of an Empire; its true, he hath not so much lumber as many of them have, but for all that, he hath Riches which cannot be told in a pearless Pearl, in precious Jewels, in good Bonds; and be it so, that [Page 66]we are most of us as Poor as they would have or make us, and may live under much Obscurity, and be little taken Notice of in the World, unless it be in a way of Contempt and Reproach, yet let them know we scorn the Motion of changing Estates with the best Man of them all; but they will never give Credit to us, or think that we really believe our selves, if they see us as discontented and uneasy in and with our outward Conditions, as hot and eager in our pursuit after these little trifling Vanities, and as much dispirited, dejected and heart broken under any our outward Afflictions, at any our worldly Losses, Crosses and Disappointments, as they themselves in such like cases are.
4. As a creditable, honourable thing; they think that to be called Religious under those soul dirty Terms the World hath put upon it, is a real and an intollerable Reproach; if we go to hear these pious godly Ministers, and become serious, O then (say they), every one almost will despise, spite and trample on us; No; no, you are mistaken; what says wise King Solomon in this Case? [Exalt her (that is wisdom) and she shall promote thee: She shall bring thee to Honour, when thou dest embrace her; she shall give to thine Head an Ornament of Grace, a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee.] The Lord is an Honour unto such, as some render that, 1 Pet. 2.7. These are they whom the King will honour, and they are honoured by the wisest and best Men upon Earth, yea, by the highest principallities and powers in Heaven, nay, they have an honourable Testimony in the very Hearts and Consciences of the worst of Men, their greatest Enemies so far as [Page 67]they are Men and not turned into meer Bruits; and as for our parts, let them in our Life and Carriage see it clearly and abundantly, that we are not ashamed of our blessed Master, nor ashamed of Prayer, or of any Part of his Work, which is truly honourable, both considered in it self, and as it is his: But let them see we are of the old Apostles mind, who when they would make a high and holy Brag, what say they? I Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ, Peter a Servant of Jesus Christ; and so others of them.
5. And lastly, Let us invite them in, by endeavouring in our Lives to recommend Religion to them, as a chearful pleasant thing; if Religion be real and practicable, and some way profitable and creditable; yet, however for pleasure they think they are the Men, and us, they look upon as a company of poor sad and melancholly People, and so are afraid to cast in their Lot among us; now let us endeavour to rectify this great Mistake of theirs also, by letting them see, that wisdoms ways are Ways of Pleasantness; that it is no rare thing with us to find that sweet delight, satisfaction and joy, in the views and embraces of our Precious, though by them despised Jesus, which they never did or can find in any things whatsoever, which they account their topping Enjoyments; though truly where Persons are under those bodily Distempers, which much encline them to dulness and sadness, I think as the Lord doth so, we and others should give grains of allowance; but such should be especially afflicted with and strive against such Distempers upon this as one main account, as some may thence [Page 68]take occasion to think more frightfully of Religion; and such should be very desirous that others did but know what is many times at their Hearts, even when they may think there is a great deal of sorrow and heaviness in their Looks, but especially that they did but know what there is at the heart of Religion; and be it known unto them, even to the greatest pleasure Mungers of them all, that we have those delights, such pure, solid, satisfying, and lasting Delights and Joys as they have none; for the truth of which we are ready to pawn our Souls, and all that ever we are worth in the World; yea, and moreover to give them leave to be judges in the case themselves, if so be they will but come and make a serious tryal of Roligion as far as we have done, and yet there are far greater Matters still which many others have attained unto, which we are in the prospect and pursuit of.
QUESTION X. How are we to manage our Spiritual watch?
IN general I Answer, we must manage it after a godly Sort, that is in such a manner as that the great Ends of it may be best attained by us, Scil. God's glory, together with the safety, preservation and salvation of our own and others Souls. More particularly,
1. We must manage it obedientially; the Lord hath given us many express Commands for this Duty, Matth. 26.41. 1 Cor. 16.13. 2 Tim. 4.5. and in many other Places; now it is not enough barely to do the thing commanded, but we must do it in Obedience to the [Page 69]Divine Command, do it because commanded, we must also do it with respect to the Manner of it as it is commanded. So,
2. We must manage this Duty universally; watch in all things; so the Command runs in one place. And here,
1. God is in some sort the proper Object of our watch. And that,
- 1. In what he saith.
- 2. In what he doth.
- 3. Particularly in what Answers he is pleased at any time to give into our Prayers.
1. In what he saith; we should heedfully observe, take notice, what he speaketh to us in his Word, by the inward Motions of his Spirit, by his Ministers, or by any of our Christian Brethren, or by our Enemies, yea though they may be wicked Men; for sometimes the Lord may and doth speak to us by them though they think not so; whenever, or however the Lord speaks we should endeavour to watch, so as to have our Ears ready open, so as that whatever the Lord speaks we may have it presently; like a Person that's hearkning to one who is much his Superiour, when about to speak something that doth vastly concern him, whose mind doth as it were hang upon the Speakers lips, so that the Word is hardly got well out of his Mouth but he hath it.
2. In what he doth; we should watch and take great notice what the Lord is doing; observe gracious, merciful, so likewise more severe and afflictive Providences when they come, that so we may answerably receive, entertain, and improve them both; we should thus heedfully watch and observe such Providences whether [Page 70]dispensed to our selves, or to others; to our Persons, Families, Relations, or to other particular Persons, Families, Societies, Nations or Churches.
3. We should particularly watch and observe what Answers the Lord is pleased at any time to give into our Prayers; this the Lord requires of us and justly expects from us, both upon his own Account and ours too; whatever the Answer be, if we do not thus look up and watch after our Prayers, we provoke the Lord who justly looks upon himself as affronted hereby more ways then one, and we likewise wrong our own Souls, which are like by this means to suffer damage several ways; but the contrary would both please him, and be much to our own Advantage; this is one way whereby we may come to enjoy more in the Mercies we so get, and also to get more of them. I know a Person whose experimental Observation it is, that the more he doth with humility and thankfulness observe and take notice of God's gracious Answers of Prayer, the more sweet Matter of that kind the Lord is wont to give him in for his Observation.
2. Our watch must extend it self to others, to our Neighbours, but especially to our Christian Brethren, those especially that we are joined with in the same Christian Society; though Christianity doth not allow us to be busy bodies in other Men's matters, yet neither doth it allow us to be of that wicked Persons mind who said [am I my Brothers keeper.] But,
3. It must especialy be exercised towards our selves; we must see to keep our own Vineyard, [Page 71]and so we must watch over our Thoughts, Affections, our Words and Actions. Or thus, we must watch,
- 1. Over our inward Man.
- 2. Over our outward Man.
1. Over our inward Man. And that,
- 1. As depraved by Sin.
- 2. As renewed by Grace.
1. As depraved by Sin; and here a great part of our Work lieth; our worst, most mischeivous, dangerous and deadly Enemies ly in our own Bosoms, a hellish brood of filthy Lusts, which are ever ready to betray and ruine us; Satan indeed hath a great hand in undoing Souls, but the truth is, he might spare his Pains, did the Lord but stand by, our own Lusts would do the work effectually themselves; we have reason to conclude that we should go to Hell readily enough of our selves, did but the Lord suspend, withdraw his Spirit and Grace, and so let us go quietly; such Enemies as these sure need watching.
2. As renewed by Grace; alass, Grace in many of our Hearts (I am sure, I must my self subscribe for one), I say it is a poor, small, weak and tender thing, if it be not very sickly, declining and languishing; this poor thing meets with great Opposition, a world of enemies both within and without, that it is as strange a wonder that it should be kept alive in our Souls, as that a spark of Fire should be kept burning in a great quantity of Water; we have need to watch our Graces if we would have them kept alive, and much more if we would have them lively; we must watch to the feeding and nourishing, to the preserving [Page 72]and defending, to the acting and exercising, and so to the increasing and strengthening of them in our Souls; we must watch over our inward Man.
2. Over our outward Man; over our outward Senses; O how much Sin and Vanity is almost contiunally either coming in or going out that way unless streightly watched! We have need to set a strict watch, a strong guard upon each of them; and so we read of holy Job's making a Covenant with his Eyes, and of David's setting a watch at the door of his Lips. And so we have need to watch as to the whole of our outward Carriage and Behaviour, to see that it be such as becometh the Gospel.
4. We must watch over our two grand Enemies without us, Satan and the World; Satan in his Temptations; He is such a subtil, powerful, cruel and malicious Enemy, hath so many Snares for us, and is so good at the choosing and at the laying of them, that without extraordinary care and watchfulness, it is in an ordinary way impossible that our Souls should in any tollerable manner escape him. And so the World is a near, a present and very mischievous Enemy to our Souls; we have need to watch the Men of the World, and the Things of the World, both good and evil, for we are endangered by them all; thus we must manage our watch universally.
3. Diligently; so the Charge runs, Prov. 4.13. And the truth is our Case is such, that its absolutely necessary it should be so; without diligence in our watch we do nothing, however that which is next to it, a Town that is [Page 73]closely besieged by a potent Enemy, that hath also within its Walls a strong treacherous Party, ever watching for an opportunity to betray it to the Enemy without; sure such a Town had need to keep a diligent watch; the case stands thus with our poor Souls.
4. Wisely and Prudentially; one might instance here in many things, I will hint only in a few touching the Corruptions of our own Hearts, and the Temptations of Satan; we must watch Sin, so we must wisely observe and watch the first motions and stirrings of it to suppress them, watch the occasions of Sin to avoid them, watch to cut of that which feeds our Lusts; we see how vigilant and industrious Men are to cut of Supplies from an Enemy with whom they are engaged in War. This is a great piece of Spiritual Policy also; we must watch all Sin in general, but above all our special Sins; so we must watch Satan in all his Temptations, but especially in that which is as it were his Master-piece; we must watch at all times, but especially at such times as use to be most critical and dangerous ones with us, with respect to the Prevalency of Corruptions and Temptations, as such as are Persons of any tollerable Observation, may find that there are sometimes more critical and dangerous with them this way then others.
5. Prayer fully; the truth is, whatever Spiritual Work we take in hand, humble, fervent, believing Prayer, must come in at one End, or we are like to make but poor Work of it; and as to this of Watchfulness in particular; if we do not thus engage the Lord to watch over our watchings, all will be but labour in vain; [Page 74]our Lord knew full well what he did, when he linked these two together in his Charge [watch and pray.]
6. And to add no more, it must be constantly and perseveringly; while we are here we are in our enemies Country, and so are never out of danger, and therefore we should never let down our watch; but here lieth the misery of it which undoes us, though at sometimes we may make Conscience of this Duty, yet by and by, we grow careless and secure, let down our watch, and so we loose our selves extreamly, and let our vigilant Enemies get great advantage against us; and moreover some of us may find our bad Hearts most prone to this after the greatest enlargments in the exercise of Grace, or after the largest incomes of the spiritual Joy and Comfort; but alass this is perfect nonsense in Religion, for this is one time in which we are in the greatest Danger, and so a special Season for the strictest watch; at such a time the Devil hath the most aking Tooth at us, and bears us the greatest Malice and revengful Spite.
Thus we must endeavour to manage this Duty, obedientially, universally, diligently, prudently, prayerfully, constantly and perseveringly; this is easily said, but not so easily done; we must remember that serious Religion is a Labour and a Mistery, but withal for our encouragement, that it is the most Honourable, Pleasant and Profitable one, and that in it we have not to do with such a hard Task-master as Pharaoh was, who required full Tale of Brick, yet would not allow the People Straw.
CHAP. X. A Preparation for Parting with RELATIONS.
I Am convinced, that an entire, humble and chearful Resignation of my Will to the Will of God, manifested in the all-wise and gracious Disposals of his Providence towards me, is both my Duty and great Felicity: And that I am bound to labour after such a Frame, when under the sadest of his Dispensations. I have reason to conclude, that the loss of near and dear Relations will set me hard; indeed God hath hitherto wonderfully indulged me in this Matter, that I have not yet known by Experience what such Tryals are: But I cannot in the Course of Nature reasonably expect to be long exempted from them, therefore cannot but look upon it as a great piece of Wisdom to get armed and prepared for them; and here I think it may not prove an unprofitable fruitless Labour, to draw up some such weighty Considerations, as may tend to work up my Heart to the Frame forementioned, that so I may have them in readiness against that time when I shall find my self very unfit and indisposed for such a work; and here I am the more confirmed, when I reflect upon the late disturbance of my Mind, when the Lord was pleased to bring my dear Father exceeding low, even so low that I concluded it had been just at the parting pinch, whose Death I will here suppose; yet would I beware of the contrary Extream, a Stoical Frame and Disposition, being contrary [Page 76]both to the Principles of Piety and Humanity.
Here I would consider,
1st. The supream, full, and absolute Right and Propriety which God hath in me, and in all which I call mine; the Earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: The World, and all they that dwell therein; a little while since I was not, even till God made me: And every moment I should drop into my Primitive nothing, did he not powerfully and graciously Sustain me; besides, I am by Sin exposed to those Miseries which are more deplorable then Annihilation it self, from which he hath by a miracle of wisdom, condecension and love redeemed me; from hence its evident, that I am not my own, but his: So neither do I enjoy any thing, which I can strictly and properly call my own; no thing's so mine, but that he hath a clearer Right, and juster Claim unto it; I received all at the Hands of his Bounty, and am to possess only during his Pleasure; though he hath conferred many Favours upon me, yet I am to remember this, that he hath not given away his own Right: No, his Right in his Creatures is unalienable; hath the Lord now resumed one of my dearest Comforts, taken away my Father? Is not this one Consideration enough to justify him, and calm and quite me. May not the Lord do what he will with his own? And was he not his more then mine? His Creature, his Child, his Minister? O let me dread mutining against his Providence, but be in subjection to him the Father of Spirits, and live! Let me think with my self, it is the Lord, and let his Excellency make me afraid! Be still, and know that he is [Page 77]God, be dumb, not opening my Mouth because he hath done it! For who am I, that I should stubbernly contend with my Maker, who is the Lord of all?
2dly. The Righteousness of God in all his Dispensations towards me; though he sometimes doth Afflict, yet he doth not, he cannot wrong me; had he not freely engaged himself, he had been free from all Engagements to the most innocent Creatures, so that he might have annihilated them, or used them at his Pleasure without the least shew of wrong or injustice: Hath not the Potter power over the Clay? But alass, I am a sinful, guilty Wretch; as I received all at the Hands of his free Grace and Favour, so have I forfeited all into the Hands of his Justice; hath the Lord now taken the Forfeiture of this choice Mercy at my Hands? I ought surely to ascribe Righteousness to my Maker; doubtless Righteousness establisheth his Throne; the Justice and Equity of his Laws, and of his Providence are equally unquestionable: And therefore should I fear as by Disobedience to reflect upon the one, so by Impatience upon the other; would not Conscience presently step in, instead of a thousand Witnesses against me, should I once dare to think God Unrighteous in this sad Dispensation? Will not my Relative sins (besides an innumerable Multitude of others, together with the Corruption of my Nature which I brought with me into the World, from whence all proceedeth) be enough to stop my Mouth? O! Have I not rather cause humbly to admire at the abundance of Mercy that is mixed with the heaviest Afflictions, that [Page 78]at any time light upon me here? Cause to stand and wonder that I am not made as Miserable as Misery it self, as Hell it self can make me? Surely the Lord punisheth me far less then mine Iniquities have deserved, otherwise I had long since been in Hell amongst Devils and damned Spirits; as in point of Obedience, the Lord is now graciously pleased to accept of far less then is his dew, so in point of Suffering I have far less then is mine: And therefore should I patiently submit unto, humbly and thankfully accept of the present Punishment of mine Iniquities; it is my Duty to bear the Indignation of the Lord graciously (and good reason why I should) because I have sinned against him.
3dly. As his Right and Righteousness are unquestionable, so his Power is irresistible; He doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and Earth, and there is none that may stay his Hand, or say to him what dost thou? Sure then it were folly and madness with a witness, for me to enter a contest with him. Am I stronger then he? It is my wisdom to meddle with my Match, but wo unto me, if thus I strive with my Maker; Ah, how easily he who could make the World with a word of his Mouth, and doth but look upon the Earth and it trembleth, how easily he could crush me! I am but a little breathing dust, he would surely blow me away with a blast of his Nostrils; what would the combined Forces of the whole Creation be in the Hands of the omnipotent God, to whom Power belongs? He could frown all into a confused Chaos in a moment; how easy is it then for him to deal [Page 79]with me? Let me think soberly what the Event of the Matter will be; who ever hardened himself against God and prospered, what am I like to get by my impatient, unsubmissive Carriage? Nothing sure, unless it be redoubled and heavier strokes; what more like then this farther to insense him? Will he put up so vile an Affront? Rather will he not humble me to purpose before he hath done, and make me know who I am, a silly worm, yea sinful dust and ashes, and what it is for a Creature, yea a Hell deserving wretch to fly in the Face of Omnipotency it self? A principle of self Preservation, is common to the very Bruits; sure then the Rational Soul is not without it: Where is it then, am I utterly bereaft of it? If not, methinks that should effectually perswade me to submit, and humble my self under God's mighty Hand, as a course more eligible by far, then by my proud and stubborn Resistance, even to force him (as he tenders his own honour and loveth me,) to spend more Rods upon my Back; yea, to force him from Rods to Scorpions: Let sanctified Reason possess its Throne, and lay a law of silence both upon Heart and Mouth, that so (the disorderly Motions of my unruly Passions being regulated) I may instead of charging God foolishly with my Lips, in this and in every thing give thanks.
4thly. This Dispensation though sad yet is the product of infinite Wisdom; which should be a powerful Argument to move me with humble Submission to subscribe unto it: The King immortal, is also the only Wise God; none originally, essentially, and infinitely Wise but he: This attribute of his, he hath wonderfully [Page 80]displayed; have I not sometimes been filled with wonder and admiration, at the thoughts of his Wisdom manifested in the Creation of the World. Though I am such a poor shallow Creature, able to comprehend so little, so very little of it; O, what a wise, intelligent Being must he needs be, who hath created Heaven and Earth, with all the Creatures their inhabitants, in such variety, excellency and harmony! How great and marvellous are thy Works, O Lord! Thy infinite Wisdom is Engraven in plain and legible Characters, upon the face of the whole Creation, so that he that runs may read; and now I am to consider, that its the same God who at first made all things, that doth order and dispose of them in his Providence, and as he hath, so he doth, and ever will act like himself; all his Works are perfect, all his Ways are judgment; O, the Divine Misteries that are in the Works of Providence! Full little do I think what the all Wise God may now be doing with me; my thoughts of this sad Providence may be wonderfully altered, when the Lord shall please to open the Matter more fully to me; O what a day will that be, when the Lord will unriddle all his Providences to his Servants, and rectify all our Mistakes about them, clearly discovering their sweet harmonious Contribution to his own glory and our good? Thy thoughts are not our thoughts, nor thy ways are not our ways; O Lord, how little did Joseph think of his high Advancement, which the Lord was makeing way for, when he was sold as a Salve into Egypt, or when he was in Prison there? He hath a thousand ways to bring his own Glory, [Page 81]and his Peoples Good out of the heaviest Afflictions, and most dismal Dispensations that at any time they are under, and he not only can but will do it; its usual with him to bring light out of darkness, good out of evil, meat out of the devourer, sweetness out of the strong; O therefore let me stand still, and with silent Admiration, contemplate the Wisdom of God in the various Methods of his Providence: But let me not quarrel with him, or find fault with any of his doings! Can I mend them? I dare not speak such Blasphemy, as to say I can: But is not my Heart full of impatient, discontented, fretful, furious, or at least dejected Thoughts: If so, the Lord whose sole Prerogative it is to search and try the Heart, cannot but know it, and knowing, will certainly bring me to Judgment for them; he is as well acquainted with my most inward, deep and secret Thoughts, as others can be with my outward Expressions and Behaviour, being nearer to me then I am to my self: And he takes most Notice of them, they being the truest and most certain Indication of my Mind; one may best judge of the Spring, by the Water which doth immediately issue forth; and as a Man thinketh in his Heart, even so is he: O foolish wretch! Shall I in my Peevishnefs, enter a Dispute with Wisdom it self? Who am I, that dare thus to darken Counsel, with Words without Knowledge? For this thing let me abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes: And for the future be dumb and not open my Mouth because the All-wise God hath done it.
5thly. The consideration of that amiable Attribute of God, his Goodness, should work much upon me; God is Love, a most sweet Notification of the ever blessed Deity; he is not a being that sporteth himself with his Creatures Misery: He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men, much less his own Children; Judgment is his strange Work, but Mercy pleaseth him: His tender Mercies are over all his Works, and I have tasted abundantly of them; O how highly Injurious I am to so sweet and amiable a Being, if I entertain hard and black thoughts of him! He hath caused goodness and mercy to follow me, he hath done me good and not hurt all the days of my life, and shall I now bury the grateful Remembrance of all former Mercies in my Father's Grave? How many Mercies and Comforts he yet continues to afford me? More then I can easily reckon up: And shall I in my Frowardness cast away all (as it was), because he hath resumed Part? O let me beware of such foolish Ingratitude! Farther, If I take a serious and impartial view of this Affliction, I shall find this bitter Cup is allayed and sweetned with much Mercy; it is not a Cup of Vengance, the stroke not purely Vindictive; its not the Wound of an Enemy, nor the Chastizement of a Cruel one: No, the Rod is in a Father's hand; he is a God that changeth not, and so a Father when he strikes, as well as when he stroaks: What is his Design in this Affliction? Assuredly he intends me Good and not Evil; by this means he would set my Heart more against Sin, causing me to taste of its Bitterness: And wean me more from the Creature, shewing me its vanity and [Page 83]insufficiency for my Happiness, and so draw up my Affections more to himself, who is the only Soul-satisfying good; this is to mortisy, and spiritualize me; to make me place my Happiness in God, and fetch my Comfort from him, and those eternal Joys with him; in a word, to turn me from Sin to God, to raise me from Earth to Heaven: And is not all this Good? Is not that good Physick which is a means to cure such mortal Distempers, and he a good Physician who doth prescribe and give it, though in it self it be a bitter Potion? But farther, as his Design is Gracious in sending this Affliction, so his Providence exercised about it is very Compassionate; this stroke might have come with many more sad and aggravating Circumstances, he might have given me a larger Dose, but like a wise and merciful Phycian, he considereth my Strength; or, he might have left me to my self, to have sunk under this heavy Pressure: But behold, underneath is his supporting Arm; he helps to bear the Burthen himself lays on: And when is it so well with me, when have I so much of God, when do I enjoy such sweet incomes from the Spirit, as then, when all things look black and dark about me in the World? Its ordinarily God's use to know me, my felicity to enjoy him most, in the time of my greatest Adversity; O therefore let me kiss that Rod, which is bound up with so much love.
6thly. God, even my God is all sufficient; a few serious Thoughts of this, may tend much to my Satisfaction and Comfort; He who is the only self sufficient, independent Being, is his Peoples Potion and enough for them all: O how happy [Page 84]do ten thousand times ten thousand of his Saints justly deem themselves in him! And is he not enough for me? Why, what's the matter? Sure either I do not know him, or else my interest in him is doubtful, or I am inconsiderate, not truly weighing my Happiness in him: Ah, what a poor Creature should I be, had nothing but a God left me! Why, what would I have more? To have God, is as much as to have God and all the World; have I him? O then I have all in him! I am ready to cry out, wo is me, for I am broken with a grievous breach this day! Ah, my loss how great it is? I have lost a loving, tender hearted, careful Father; one that had not only the name and relation, but the heart and bowels of a Father as well: How solicitous he was for my Welfare? What care he took for my temporal Welfare, but especially, how concerned he was for my Soul? O! Methinks, I have sometimes seen even his very Heart in his Prayers, Counsels, Warnings, Reproofs, yea and Corrections too; but now I am at once deprived of all: O sad loss! Why true, my loss is very Great, it pincheth sore; it is my Duty to be sensible of it, and much affected with it: But hold, what is become of my God, of my heavenly Father? He is yet alive, and behold he lives for evermore: Let it be with me here, as it was with Jacob of Old; when he was convinced that his Son Joseph was alive, the good old Man, his Spirit revived within him, and so let mine upon this Consideration, and let me say with him it is enough: Is it not he that hath cared for me all this while, and may I not humbly and confidently rely upon him still? Is he not the same [Page 85]he was? Nay, is he not in a more especial manner the helper of the Fatherless? What, though this instrument and the other be removed out of the way? He never wants Instruments to do his Work; he can either make use of new Ones, or do his Work without them; when his People are in Distress, if he see it good, he can and will create Deliverance for them, and that's a Work done without a Tool: I, but what will become of that poor Family? What will become of poor Relations? Why, by Faith and Prayer let me commit them all to the same God, who will look after and provide for them too; I have great Incouragement thus to do, whether I look at him, or them; the little knowledge I have of him may assure me, that they cannot be in better Hands: He wants neither Wisdom, Power nor Will to do them good; under his Fatherly care and custody, they are sure to want no good Thing, which is consistent with his Love to bestow, and their real Benefit to enjoy; and are secured here from all real and destructive Evils: It seems on purpose to strengthen the Faith, and revive the Souls of his poor Creatures under such Tryals, that he hath taken upon him those sweet relative Titles, of a Father, a Husband.— Again, If I look at them, I have farther Incouragement, having a comfortable Assurance of the special covenant Interest that the most of them have in this God, and a good Hope concerning the rest; now let God alone, he loves and will take care of his Children: Let me not at once both grieve and dishonour him, and torment my self with my Distrust! But farther, the loss is Publick; O [Page 86]my Father, the Chariots of England, and the Horse men thereof! God's poor Church hath lost a judicious, faithful and painful Minister; how many poor Souls that may want him! How will that poor Place where he lived want him? Well, though here is a wide gap made, yet sure, such a God can fill and stop it up; which of the Prophets live for ever? God that sends his Servants appoints them their Work, and when they have done that, they must away and others come in their room: He will not have all his Work done by one Minister, or in one Generation, but by a Succession of such in his Church to the end of the World; so this precious Servant of his having acted his Part, is gone down, to make way for such as the Lord shall send; having dispatched the Work given him to do, he is gone to his Great Lord and Master to receive an ample Reward: And still God's Church while upheld (that is so long as the World stands) shall be provided for.
7thly. The inconceivable Happiness his Soul enjoyeth; the Soul of Man is a spiritual, immortal Substance, and Jesus Christ hath purchased eternal Life for all true Believers, and firmly entituled it upon them in the Gospel: So that their Souls no sooner depart this Life, but immediately they are with him; It is my great Sin and Misery both, that my belief of such great and comfortable Truths as these, is no more firm and stable: And what a shame it is, that I should be so wavering about them, who have so long enjoyed the glorious Light of the Gospel, wherein they are so fully and plainly revealed? O this evil Heart of Unbelief! Well, I now see a poor cold dead Carkase, but what's [Page 87]become of the Soul, which did a while since animate it? No doubt it is with Christ in Paradice; O thrice happy Soul indeed! Methinks while I am sadly lamenting my own Loss, I should also rejoyce in his Gain, which is inconceivably greater; he is now possessed of that State of Bliss, which he hath sometimes so sweetly described to us: But how shall I proceed here? My conceptions of this blessed State, how low, dark, imperfect and confused are they? But let not the Lord be angry; he is now perfectly freed from all those gross Evils and Miseries which poor we Mortals are encompassed with; he hath now at once bid farewel to Sin and Sorrow both for ever: What grievious complaints I have heard sometimes coming from his Mouth, by reason of his Corruptions and Imperfections, though he had comparatively so little Reason? But now I know his Note is changed; He crieth out of a naughty Heart no more, being received into the number of Just ones made perfect; He is no more afflicted with perplexing Doubts and Fears; His shaking Fits are all over; A sweet serenity of Mind he ordinarily enjoyed indeed while here, but now his Peace is perfect and uninterrupted; Possession hath put his Title quite out of doubt; He is no more cast down under a Sense of God's displeasure; He seeth a Frown in his blessed Face no more, he complains no more, the Lord is angry with me; He is no more annoyed and disquieted with Satan's Temptations, being got quite out of his Gunshot; That old Serpent is now troden under his Feet, so as never to hiss, or put forth his Sting at him more; For temptations he hath [Page 88]an everlasting triumph; He is now got above a vain, tempting and vexing World; How little he regards this worldly Trash, now he is got possessed of the heavenly Treasure? How he would disdain, yea abhor any Solicitations from the World, was he in their reach? Draw him away from his God with a toy, a shadow? O vile and vain Attempt! He knows better things then so; The rule of the greatest Empire upon Earth, is far below the meanest of his heavenly Companions, thrice happy Creatures be they all! And as for a raging, persecuting World, he fears it no more for ever; let his Enemies touch him now with their Scorns, Reproaches and Callumnies if they can: Which of them will imprison, impoverish or banish him now? Its a thing quite out of all their hands; in his Conflict here, he was exemplary for his Faith, Patience and other Graces: And now he hath obtained a full and final Conquest, and with it a Crown of Glory which fadeth not: He is now perfectly freed from all other sad effects and consequents of Sin; He is no more seen in Tears, and sad Complaints: Grief no more finds a passage into his blessed Soul; fears no more darken his Delights: He is no more consumed with Cares; He crieth out of a pained Head or Side, of a sick Stomack, or of weak and feeble Limbs no more for ever; He is no more heard complaining of languishing, unserviceable Weakness, which hath sometimes been so great a burden to him: All his dolourous Hours, all his weary Nights and Day's are over and past; the Lord hath wonderfully changed Chear with him: Behold, for paternal corrections, the highest expressions [Page 89]of fatherly Love and Affection! The rod having done its work is quite laid aside, and he is taken into the lap; and as all his personal Troubles both inward and outward are at an End, so all relative and publick ones, of which he was wont to have no small share, being one of a truly tender, compassionate and publick Spirit: He is now no more sadned and grieved with this Friends sinful Miscariage, or that Friends heavy Affliction; He is now got out of the sound of the Churches Sufferings: Many a sad sight he had seen, and many doleful tideings he hath heard concerning the Church of Christ, which have deeply affected him with Grief and Sorrow, the interest of a dear Redeemer lying very near his Heart; but now no more of this for ever: He is otherwise now taken up; having wept freely with those that wept here on Earth, he is now rejoycing much more abundantly with triumphant ones above; O happy Soul indeed! But this is not all, may I therefore proceed a little farther? And the good Lord pardon my great Sin, the wrong I do thee in disparaging thy magnificent Bounty, darkening rather then otherwise the Glory of thy heavenly Kingdom, and his Felicity therein with my inadaequate Conceptions, unsuitable Affections, and low Expressions! But what better can be expected from so sinful a Soul in Flesh? Lord, when thou admittest me to tast of the Tree of Life my self, I shall have other kind of thoughts, and be able to give another account of it? I am now thinking, what a sweet Story some Angel or glorified Saint could tell me concerning the heavenly State, who could thus speak from Experience! Well, he is [Page 90]now with them made perfect; He is not only freed from sinful Imperfections, but hath his Capacity inlarged for the Reception of the heavenly Glory; we are poor narrow-mouthed, shallow Creatures, little that we can take in or or hold: What would Heaven be to us in our present State? But its otherwise with him, being raised to as high a degree of Perfection as he is capable of; and according to his Receptivety are his Enjoyments: His large Vessels are filled brim full in the Ocean of eternal Bliss; He is got to the nearest enjoyment of God your chief Good: And what need I, or can I say more? O that I did but know, experimentally know what thus much meaneth! Blessed Soul he doth by sweet Experience, being got as near him as he can well desire; He now knoweth God indeed, the knowledge of whom in Christ is life-eternal: Indeed the estrangedness which Sin had created between God and his Soul, was hapily removed in a good-measure while here, so that he had much sweet entercourse with him; but alass! It was but in part, but this is done away, that which is perfect, being come; while he was here, he saw but through a glass darkly (as poor we do) but now Face to Face: And having this knowledge of God, what can he be ignorant of which is worth the knowing, or would any way augment his Happiness? And doubtless it would add much to his Joys, now he is got to the heavenly Canaan, to reflect, and look back upon the many weary turns and windings which he had in his Passage through the howling Wilderness of this World; but that which is sweeter still, indeed the kernel of all is, he now enjoyeth God in the perfect [Page 91]and constant actings of joyful Love; while we are forced to breath out many a sad complaint of the disaffection of our Souls towards God, he is breathing out nothing but love and joy and praise; now he had perfected Affections, and a perfect sight of his Aimableness, and continually enjoyeth the sweet embraces of his Love, its a thing impossible for him either not to love him, or to love him with such remisness, coldness and inconstancy as poor unworthy we do; and perfectly to love God, and to be beloved of him, this perfect, mutual and joyful Love (I think) is the highest happiness the Creature is capable of: O blessed Soul! How pure and perfect are his Joy's? What shall I say to these things? O that I could feel more! He hath changed his quarters indeed! Glorious Angels and Saints are now his Familiar's, his continual Associates, which when he beareth a part in those heavenly Songs of Praise to him that sits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever; O blessed Place, blessed Work and blessed Company! In a few words (as he defined it to us while here) he is now perfectly freed from all Sin and Misery, in the fruition of all good, being perfectly restor'd to God's Image, and admitted to the beatifical Vision and Fruition of him, in the most glorious Fellowship with Christ the head of our recovery, and all the holy Angels and blessed Saints in Heaven; O famous Description! And yet the one half is not told us; now shall I be so unkind as once to wish him back again with me? Should I not rather long to be with him, and in the mean time think well of the Rod, which is a blessed means to drive me forward in Heavens [Page 92]way? Should I not with humble Submission entertain this, and all other afflictive Providences, which may exceedingly befriend me in my Preparation for that blessed Place and State.
8thly. Death and the Grave, are quite vanquished and overcome by Jesus Christ, and surely this is a very staying, quieting Consideration; I am ready to think sadly of it, that his precious Soul and Body, that loving couple should be separated, their Union dissolved; that he in whom I have so delighted, whose company hath so oft refreshed me, that he should be laid in the dust, and have worms for his Companions, while I may see his Face no more in the land of the living; that he should consume and rot in the Grave, this goeth hardly down: But is there not somewhat of childish pity here? I am to consider that its only the Flesh that is the looser here, and that but for a time, which loss shall be made up with unspeakable advantage at the great Day of the Lord, which draws on; Death to his Soul, was his present inservicable Gain, as before: And why should I be so immoderately concerned for what the body suffers? Alass! What was it but a lump of Corruption? Indeed while that gracious Soul of his did animate it, it was very lovely, of much value: But now the Jewel is gone, what is the Cabinet worth? Good reason why I should take delight in that House though but of Clay, while the heavenly Inhabitant was there: But now its gone, and House is fallen in, why should I so value it? And farther, what was it to him, what an Enemy? How much care and labour, grief and sorrow it hath cost him? A log, a prison [Page 93]to his Soul; I may be sure he doth not grieve or grudge, that God hath now by Death thus disburdened, unfettered, and released him: But farther, I am to consider that Jesus Christ the Lord of Life, hath vanquished and overcome Death; if Death had swallowed him up, had made an end of him, this had been sad indeed, but God be thanked it is otherwise: He had a firm Belief of this great Truth, and the Comfort of it too, for in his late Sickness when he called me to Pray by him, he bid me bless God for a Mediator, through whom he could say, O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, a main part of the glad tidings which the Gospel brings, which is good assurance of the blessed Resurrection of all those that belong to him; let me think oft of those sweet Words of his [because I live, ye shall live also.] To be sure the Lord Jesus Christ the head of his Church, will not have a dead Body, no nor one dead Member, while it is in his Power to give it Life; as sure as he is risen from the Dead, and lives for ever more (which is as sure as that God is True, who hath declared it in his Word) so sure it is that whosoever believing his shall be raised by him at the last day, and live for ever with him: Now think, I have many a time chearfully bid him Goodnight, when he hath been going to take his Natural rest, and why? Because I hoped to see him again in the Morning, and that more refreshed: And why should I grieve immoderately now? His grave is but a bed wherein to rest his weary Bones for a while, and I may not only hope, but have a confident well [Page 94]grounded Assurance, that the Morning of the Resurrection will come, when the earth shall disclose him, and the dust cover him no more; this shall not be an everlasting Night, an endless Sleep; No, his Body shall be raised, and that a glorious, spiritual Body: That blessed Day will e're long dawn; and how sweet will be the Salutation between that lovely couple, his glorified Soul and Body, perfectly delighting in each other, without jarring in the least for ever more? And how happy a meeting it will be for me, when I shall so meet with him, as never to be parted from him more? O! I shall have enough of his company in Heaven, and it will be better to me there, then it was here; if it hath been so comfortable to spend Sabbath's, and Solemn-day's of Humiliation and Thanksgiving with him here? What will it then be to spend an everlasting Sabbath with him in Heaven, in singing forth the high Praises of God, and of the Lamb? Sure I should not be so dejected with the sad thoughts of parting here, as comforted with the joyful hopes of that blessed meeting? Well, the time is coming on a pace; the Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, the first Fruits of them that sleep, and by and by the Trumphet sounds, and that quickning Voice which will make dead and dry Bones live [Arise ye dead] will be heard all the World over! Then shall all the Faithful arise out of their Graves, with Bodies made like unto Christ's Glorious Body: Now what say I to these things? Believe I this? I have cause to be extream jealous of this naughty Heart of mine, which I have so often found tardy; and I may be sure of this, that [Page 95]my own immoderate fear of Death, and dejectedness at the death of Friends, if it prove not the absence of Faith, yet sadly bewrayeth the weakness of it: Did I so firmly believe this great Truth as I ought to do, it would infallibly help me, with more comfort and confidence to resign my own Soul, and the Souls of departing Friends, into the hands of a dear Redeemer, who though he was dead, yet is a live and lives for ever more; therefore let me frequently and seriously think of those firm, substantial Grounds which I have for my belief of this grand Article of the Christian Faith, and with abhorrence, reject any vain and trifling Cavils or Objections, which may by any means be raised in me about it, seeing the Power of the omnipotent God is here engaged by word of Promise; and having once sufficiently cleared up the Matter to my Judgment, let me bring it near and close unto my Heart, and take to my self the comfort of it: and let the thoughts hereof keep me from sinking under this heavy smarting Affliction; while with weeping Eyes I am peeping into his Grave, let Faith the Eye of the Soul, which can see afar off, have a clear and fixed view of the Resurrection.
9thly. My case is not singular; none other Affliction hath befallen me, then what is common unto Men; the daily Experience of the World testifieth, that its no rare thing for Children to see your dear Parents head's laid in the Dust: And this if soberly weighed, might do something towards the mitigation of my present Trouble, when any Affliction befals a Man which is strange, unheard of, this consideration [Page 96]puts a signal Acerbity into it, touches the very quick; as it may possibly point at some signal Guilt in the Person on whom it is inflicted, or may be a token of God's signal Displeasure against him; but God be thanked, this is not my Case; I am ready in a fit of peevish, unruly Passion to cry out, would God I had dwelt in perpetual silence! Or, would God I had never lived to see this sad and doleful day! Hath this Affliction of mine its paralel? Is there any Sorrow like unto mine? But hold a little; what meaneth this great Heat? Is not this strange Language to come from the Mouth of such a one as I profess my self to be? Would not sober Reason utterly condemn it? I am not the first by Millions that have been in this Case; how many if I consider, that in a short time I may reckon up, and such as upon sundry Accounts, might have promised themselves an exemption from this tryal of Affliction before me, and yet it came upon them, and yet with such aggravating Circumstances as mine doth not; many have been snatched away suddenly, and such as they had just cause to fear was in their natural, unregenerate Estate: But I have had a fair time of warning to prepare my self, and as to his good Estate God-ward, better assurance I could not well desire; and what sayest thou? How wouldest thou have escaped the stroke? Why I would have gone first: By the way, I doubt my desires after Heaven are not rightly grounded; I fear I do not truly desire Heaven, and so am not like to come there ever the sooner for such desires, if it be only or chiefly that I may be eased of, or escape and avoid Afflictions here; was I the most miserable [Page 97]Creature in the World, yet the thoughts of being rid of Corruption and Temptation, thus freed from Sin, this should make Heaven more desirable to me, then the being eased of all my miseries here: But to return; was not he more fit for Heaven by far than I, more ripe for Glory, more meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light? And is it not a thing very fitting and equal that he should go first? Since he hath been so hard at work, and so quick in the dispatch of it, why should I think much that the Lord should give this his laborious Servant a writ of ease, admitting him into his rest, before such an idle, lazay, loiterer as I? Your young Scholars who have made some good proficiency in Learning at your Country Schools, are sent to the University: But what should dull raw School boy's do there? They must be whipt and whipt again, before they will learn to say their Lessons; just so its here: The Lord Jesus Christ the great Doctor of his Church, hath kept him a considerable time at his School here on Earth, and very teachable he was, he had learnt to take out his Lesson exceeding well, few so good at it as he, he had learnt Christ indeed, and so being ripe, he is gone to take his Degrees in the University of Heaven: Whereas, such a dull, blockish, sot as I, such a loiterer, who love my ease and my play better then my book; am like to have many a frown and many a blow, many a whiping bout before I can follow him, or come where he is, if ever I come there; if I hold on this idle, lazy rate, Thousands will get the start of me, will get to Heaven before me, while I lie loitering behind, if I do not in the [Page 98]end fall short of it; why true, I must grant that he was more fit for Heaven then I, and that God's ways are equal in taking them first, who are most speedy in their Preparations: But O that he would have spared him a little longer! Would he but have lengthned out his Life one Year more! Yea, how thankful would I have been for one Month, or one Week more? But one Day, one Hour will not be granted; He is gone, so that I must never see his Face more here in the land of the living; the dark and silent Grave hath inclosed, and shut him in; and that he should be snatched away so hastily, and at a time when I could so ill have parted with him, is not this sad? Do I not well if not to be angry, yet to grieve to purpose? Is not this a sufficient Apology for me, was my Heart more imbittered with grief by many degrees then it is; let me here a little expostulate the case with my self: And I must needs say this, that fretful Anger and immoderate Grief, are each of them both highly sinful and unreasonable; I beg, nay I command a true and sober Answer to these few Queries; hath not the Lord indulged me with him a considerable time, and that since I was in a capacity to have improved him? Methinks so many years Mercy of this Nature should seem something to me, who would now be so glad of one Day; have I not had many and many an opportunity of geting good by him, which I have carelesly let slip? Such a time he was preaching to me, and such a time he was praying with me, and many a time he hath been privately at work for my good, reproving, exorting, directing and comforting me, both by [Page 99]word of mouth and writing; how fain would he have had me been some body for a Christian? But alass, I have not known the day of my visitation! O that I had been wise in time! I may well give my self leave to grieve for my folly here in bitterness of Spirit: And farther, had I not good reason to expect, and a fair time of warning to prepare for that which is now come upon me? The comman fate of Mankind, more by far dying before his Age then exceeding it, should not this have put me in mind of his approaching change? Again, the weakness of his Body, the many Distempers that have been almost continually preying upon him, was not this a fair item? Hath not his Body for several Years, been like a poor old, crazy building, that must be underpropt again and again, to keep it from falling in? How many supporters that poor tottering Cottage of his hath continually required, to make it a tollerable dwelling for his Soul? Is it not a wonder, that so tender, neat and delicate an inhabitant hath not forsaken it before now? Many a time he hath been at the Graves mouth, and seemed to have as good as one Foot in, when yet the Lord hath said return; and shall I yet have a face to say, he was snatched away hastily (as if the Lord had taken me at an advantage) and urge this as an excuse for my Impatience? This is shameful Impudence indeed: And farther, how many plain hints I have had from his own Mouth? How oft hath he been droping words of that nature, lest after all when the time of his departure came I should be surprized, and so taken unprovided? So that its evident the Lord hath been no way a-wanting [Page 100]to me here; and let me have a care how I reflect upon his Wisdom, in the ordering of this sad Providence, as to the circumstance of time; He doth all things well, and in their proper Season: To preposterate and act disorderly, belongs to such as I, but is below a Being so infinitely Perfect as God's is; speak out, is it a fitting thing that I should be his Counceller? That my Folly should correct his infinite Wisdom! Look back to hints of this nature given under the 5th Head, and if they be not sufficient, thou shalt have another Lecture and another after that, till thou be forced to yield up the cause, for God will, he must and shall have the day; and now seeing my Afflictions is rather singular for its alleviating then aggravating Circumstances, let it be my great care and endeavour, that my Carriage and Behaviour under it, be singularly Pious and Exemplary.
10thly. My time here is likely to be very short, with which all my Troubles and Sufferings will expire; if I be one to whom the Lord hath graciously forgiven the everlasting Punishment, a truly regenerate, sanctified Person, interested in the righteousness and satisfaction of Jesus Christ (as I hope I am), I may then easily see to an end of these temporal Afflictions, Death will put a final Period to them all; and why should these things grieve me much, which shall not grieve me long? The length and continuance of any Affliction, or Calamity doth hughly aggravate it: This consideration doth most amaze and torment the Damned, when they think on their intollerable, insupportable Miseries as endless; was but that one word [everlasting] out of their Sentence, [Page 101]though it was inconceiveably sad to be separated from God the fountain of bliss, and cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone though but for a short term, yet me-thinks it was not one half so terrifying; the hopes of approaching ease and rest, will make a Man go through present pain and labour with Patience; in the midst of my troubled thoughts within me, when I am poreing upon my Crosses and Afflictions here, let me think with seriousness and delight how short lived both they and I am like to be, and of those pure and eternal joy's that will abide me; I must expect a multitude of Calamities constantly to attend me here, Sin and Suffering being so linked together; it is a wonder of God's mercy that I am not afflicted only, and oppressed always! While I Sin I must expect to smart for it; if I reckon otherwise its fond and groundless, flat, contrary to what God in his Word, and in the constant methods of his Providence teacheth; what can the issue then be, but my most shameful Disappointment? Let me not therefore promise my self ease and rest and quiet here, as if this was Jerusalem, when alass it is the Wilderness; Yet for my comfort this, though the day's of my life here are evil, full of trouble, yet they are but few: What is my life but a vapor, which appeareth for a little time and then passeth away? My day's upon earth are a shadow, they are swifter then a Post, they fly away, they are spent as a tale that is told; what are a thousand Years to the eternal God, who knows neither beginning nor end of Day's? Alass they are as nothing! And what are they to future Eternity? A very small, inconsiderable [Page 102]thing; then why should short momentary Afflictions, make so deep an impression upon an immortal Spirit, that hath endless Felicity in its eye? Should not the lively Contemplations of those eternal Joy's, reserved for me in Heaven even swallow me up, and make me as it were forget my present Miseries? Though for the present I am confin'd to this poor Cottage, and kept in hold in this dark, sinful, dirty World, and am put upon many inconveniencies, and endure many hardships here: Yet I may look up and see a glorious Mansion prepared for me, and be surveying a very large and fair Estate indeed, Heaven a glorious Kingdom, which the Lord hath made over to me by deed of gift, sealed and ratified in his Son's blood, which I am at present Heir to (through the abundant riches of his Grace,) and shall be put into full possession of when once I come at Age; here is something for my thoughts to work upon indeed! A large and pleasant Field to walk in by holy Meditation; had I never so much time, was I as well acquainted with this spiritual Art as ever Saint on earth was, and should I spend never so many thoughts upon this most delightful Subject, and make use of the greatest helps that earth affords, yet I should never be able to reckon up my spiritual Riches here, able either to conceive or express what the Sum of all amounts to; all this World is not sufficient to contain it! I am not able to imagine, what happiness Angels and Saints enjoy in one single hours Communion with God and Jesus Christ in Heaven; O then what will Eternity be! Blessed eternity! Here I am quite lost; how comes it to pass, that I can so easily forget such [Page 103]things as these? How sad and shameful a thing it is, that I should have a Heart, and find time and leisure to think of almost any thing else, but not of God and Christ and Heaven? And why is my Heart no more filled with heavenly Joy in such divine Contemplations? Doth Earth out-ballance Heaven? Light momentary Afflictions, weigh down the crown of Life and Glory? Surely no; let it then be so seen in my looks, carriage and behaviour; let it appear, that I have other manner of Thoughts of future, invisible, eternal Things than the Men of the World have, that I do indeed look upon them as the greatest Realities, and am suitably affected towards them; let it now be manifested to the World, that I do practically believe the indubitable Certainty and unparalel'd Excellency of the Saint's happiness in the life to come; I should live with as much seriousness to day, as though I was to die to morrow: And why then may I not be as cheary to day, as though I was to go to Heaven to morrow, not knowing but I may? And what a pleasant Life might I thus lead, let my outward Circumstances in the World be what they will! I say, could I but live from day to day in the believeing views of near approaching Glory, what a comfortable Life might I lead! Why is it not thus with me? Where doth the hinderance lie? Is there any defect in the Object? No, no, its in my sight; its a carnal, unbelieving, a sloathful and negligent Heart that hinders me; away with such a Heart! And farther, let me think how great a part of my evil Day's are certainly already spent; now above twenty Years are gone, and for ought I know a twentieth Part [Page 104]doth not remain; Faith and Patience lengthen out a while; I cannot have long to suffer here, it may be not near so long as I think of; a few day's more and the Tables are turned, the Scene quite alter'd; let me lift up my Head and hold up my Heart under present Pressures, for the time of my full and compleat Redemption draws nigh; my Salvation is nearer then when I first believed, and every day its drawing on; yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry any longer; its but waiting a while and I am with him the loss of whom I am now lamenting, in the new Jerusalem the City of our God, where sorrow and sighing flee away, where God is all and in all to his Saints: To conclude, the time is short, therefore let me weep as though I wept not; let me have Life with all its Troubles in quiet, enduring Patience, and Death with its blissful Consequents, in lively Hope and earnest Desire.
The PREFACE to his CATALOGUE of some of his dear Christian Friends and Relations, whose Souls are now with GOD.
METHINKS the sensible decays I have found of late are a fair Item, that Death is not only upon its way towards me, but that it may be nearer in its approaches then possibly I am aware of, and so a loud call to me, in good earnest to be thinking of it, and of that eternal State I must immediately thereupon be fixed in.
Sometimes I cannot but verily hope, that the Lord hath cut me out for Heaven (though there is not, nor ever was there a wretch upon the Face of God's Earth that less deserved it, nor can I think there is a Saint in Heaven that will have more reason amazingly to adore such rich, free, distinguishing Grace and Mercy then my self.) But yet though I have this Hope, that when Death turns me out of this World, I have a better Place to go to, and though I can thereupon sometimes rejoyce and please my Self with the thoughts of its Approach, while I look upon it at some distance, yet when I come nearer to it, I find my thoughts and apprehensions concerning it, and concerning the separate State of my Soul thereupon, to have much strangness and terrour in them, which its like doth much arise from my Ignorance and Unbelief.
I should account it a blessed thing, could I but get to converse with these things in my Thoughts with that familiarity and delight as I wish; and there [Page 106]is one thing I have sometimes found a little to befriend me herein, which is to think how many of my dear Christian Friends, with whom I have here had delightful Converse and Communion, to think I say, how many of these are gone before me, and so ready to bid me welcome to that our blessed home.
Indeed was they not with my dearest Lord, this Argument would loose its Force; Heaven was not Heaven, was he not there; O let me live with Christ, let me ever behold the King in his Beauty; O let me but have my fill of Christ, and then I am content to spend my Eternity any where, was it in a Desert, in a Denn.
But yet there is methinks some additional sweetness in it, to think of enjoying Christ in the Fellowship and Communion of the blessed ones above; and under the present, low and languishing Circumstances of Faith and other Graces in my Soul, it hath methinks some particular sweetness in it, to think of my old Acquaintance who are got to Heaven.
I intend therefore to have in my view a Catalogue of some of them as they come to my Thoughts, that so I may now and then make them a Visit, and take a few turns with them in my serious Thoughts, and this in order to the End above mentioned.
CHAP. XI. Ten QƲERIES seriously Propounded to CARD-GAMESTERS: By one who much Questioneth the Lawfulness of that GAME.
Introduction.
I Doubt not but some Recreation is lawful, yea needful; and therefore a Duty to some Men: But among things that go under this Denomination, there are some utterly unlawful in their own Nature, and others which may be lawful in Themselves, are by the abuse of them rendred sinful, or at best very doubtful; among many other Games and Sports in common Practice amongst us, I fear upon serious Examination, this of Card's will be found extream Faulty; I shall give you some of my Thoughts, by Propounding the following Queries to you, hoping I may do it inoffensively; and if I may prevail with you so far, as to be at the Pains to Read, and entertain a few sober Thoughts about them, I shall leave it to your Selves to draw up a Conclusion, and pass Sentence according to the Merit of the Cause.
Query. 1. Is it not unlawful, or highly to be suspected as such, to use Lots in so vain and trivial a Matter as Gameing is? You will readily grant me this, that it is a Sin of no small Magnitude to take God's sacred Name in Vain; I mean, to do it needlesly, or but upon weighty Occasions, Exod. 20.7. You cannot deny but God's [Page 108]name is used in Lots, Prov. 16. 33. The disposing of the Lot is of the Lord. Not of Man, or of Fortune; it is an appealing to God's Sentence; and that this Game do much depend upon Lottery (if Persons play honestly,) is a thing notoriously Evident; I deny not, but Lot's have been, and may be lawfully used in some Cases: we We read of Divine Lot's which have been used upon a special Command, Josh. 7.14, 15. Acts 1.24, 26. There are also civil and political Lot's, used in dividing Land's, deciding Controversies, &c. see Acts 13.19. Neh. 11.1. And this is a proper means to prevent, or put an end to Contention, when Persons rest satisfied in God's Determination, Prov. 18.18. The lot causeth contention to cease; To say nothing of magical Lot's, which are certainly unlawful; our Question is about loosory Lot's used in Games, and such a one it is, as I think must be carried in the Negative: That is, whether you may lawfully appeal to the special Providence of God to determine, whether your Game shall go for or against you; hath this no appearance of Evil in it? Is it not a thing condemned, by the same Law which condemns vain Oath's? Some think it is so, whose Judgments you and I ought to Reverence; but suppose it should not be a taking God's Name in Vain (which yet I see no reason to grant,) I would enquire.
Q. 2. Can you seriously and heartily Pray to God, to bless your Card's to you? Do you, or dare you use any ejaculatory Prayer to God upon this Account, at your enterance upon, or in your Game? On the contrary, have you not some secret misgivings in your Mind's, as [Page 109]to God's Approbation of it? Which brings to my Thoughts a Story I have read of a Poor Man, who had stolen a Calf for the Necessity of his Family; He got part of it prepared for eating: But when he came to crave God's blessing on it (as his use was), his Conscience smote him so that he could not do it. Sure I am, there is no lawful Recreation, but one may warrantably and comfortably beg God's blessing upon it.
Q. 3. Doth this Game dispose and fit you for the better discharge of your Duty? The most innocent and harmless Recreation is sinful to me, if I use it meerly to delight and gratify my carnal Fancy. Without doubt, duty is the end of Recreation; well, I will suppose you to intend a right End; I ask now, have you found this to be a proper Means for the attainment of it? Or, on the contrary, doth not manifold and sad Experience tell you, that it hath much indisposed you for any holy, religious Exercise, as Prayer, Meditation, &c. And hath it not sometimes unfitted you, for the duties of your particular Callings?
Q. 4. Is it not a great Time waster? You know Time is a very precious thing; we must do great Matters in Time, or we are undon for ever; and we have but a very little of it; only this little inch in present Possession is our's, and that flies away from us too; while I am writing and you are reading, it is marching away with winged speed, to the great Creator of all things, to declare what usage it had with us: Now you know, when we have but a little of any thing of great Worth and Use to us, we take it very ill to be robbed of it; then why [Page 110]are we not more concerned about our Time, which is more precious then Gold? Now how many Hour's this Thief hath robbed you of? More then all the World could purchase for you, was it at your command; it should be a sad Reflection to you and me, that we should have so strangly squandered away so much of our Time, which can never be recalled; and now for our future Benefit, let us soberly debate the Case with our Selves, whether the great Concernments of our Souls, in order to another Life, doth not call for all the Time we can well spare from our necessary Employments here: And will you, the next time you are tempted to spend it at Card's, but ask Conscience this Question, is time of no more worth to me, who may be so near to Eternity, and must give so strict an Account of my Hour's?
Q. 5. Is not this Game made the Exercise of Covetousness? Do you not play with a design, and desire of gaining that from your Neighbour, which you give him nothing for? Is not this couching? And what think you by that?
Q. 6. Is it not an occasion of much idle, foolish Talk, of whole clusters of words about every Cast, and every Card almost? And doth it not frequently excite your Passions, and create unhappy Quarrels and Differences? I join these two together, because generally they are one at the heels of another; now what say you to this? What think you of idle Words, and sinful Passions; must we not give an Account for these things? Objection.
Object. But here you will (its like) be ready to object and say, you go all this while upon a mistake; we look upon it, and use it as a [Page 111]lawful Recreation; we do not spend so much time in it as you think of; and we play only for a Glass of Ale, which we are as willing to loose as win: And we are not for quarelling.
Answ. If it be indeed so as you say, I am glad of it, and so far you deserve Commendation in it; if you can clear your Selves from what I have been hinting at, I fear there are but few Gamesters that are your Fellows: But granting this, I have one Question in this Case to ask; that is,
Quest. Whether those you play with, be not guilty of some (if not of many) of those things, which makes the Game unlawful to them? Whether they may not justly be charged with Covetousness, sinful Pleasure or Passion, &c. And if so, whether you can clear your Selves, while you take part with, and encourage them by your Example?
Object. Are we bound to keep all other Men from sinning?
Answ. I answer, you are bound to do your best towards it, and to take great heed that you no way contribute to their Sin.
Object. But here you may farther object and say, must we forbear every thing that another will make an occasion of his Sin? At this rate, we must neglect a great part of our Duty.
Answ. To this I answer, though you may not neglect a Duty, to prevent anothers being scandalized or tempted to Sin; yet sure you may omit an idle Sport, and an unnecessary Pastime: You may guess what the Apostle Paul's Judgment would have been in this Matter from, 1 Cor. 8.13. If he would forbear eating Flesh so long as he lived, rather then cause [Page 112]his Brother to offend: Should not your Sports be subject to the like Charity?
Q. 7. Who are they that are fondest of, and most adicted to this Game? Are they not generally, the prophanest Sort of Men, or the looser Sort of Professors? Are not the most serious, strict and heavenly Christians generally very suspicious of, and much weaned from it? I deny not, but there may be serious Christians that use this Game; some that I have known, and do know: But how do they use it? Not at the ordinary rate sure; if they do, they are equally, yea in some Sense more culpable than others; and I would farther enquire here, whether the greater part of judicious and pious Ministers and Christians be not against it? I am perswaded upon Examination, it would be found so.
Q. 8. Can it be any good Sign, if you can recreate your Selves with that which is so great a grief and burthen to your Ministers, and many of your fellow Christians, because they look upon it as sinful? O! How tender should we be, in this Point? How fearful should we be of grieving or offending any of our Brethren, for whom Christ died? He is very tender of them, and so much the more, as he seeth them tender of his Honour, and grieved and offended at Sin, whether in themselves or others.
Q. 9. Tell me truly, how doth your Card's relish with you, when you are in the most serious Frame? When you find the great things of another World impressed upon your Spirits, in the most fresh and lively Manner? I verily think if I should fall to Card's, one serious Thought of Death and Judgment, one sober [Page 113]Glance at my eternalState, would spoile my Sport; how is it with you in this Matter? If you must needs play on, will you make trial the next time.
Q. 10. To add no more; whether will the remembrance of so many Hours spent at Card's, be pleasing or tormenting to you, when you come to die? And whether will it be a comfortable or a sad hearing from your Judge, when you come to give up your Accounts; we must account as strictly for our Time, as for any other Talent we are entrusted with; and the Day which God hath prefixed, for this solemn and weighty Affair is drawing nigh; Death may be upon us, before we are aware; and when we shall see our selves ready to be arrested, and summoned to appear without delay, before God's great Tribunal: Then (if ever) Conscience will be reflecting upon our State and Actions; and when it shall find so much precious Time, at best but lost and trifled away, which should have been spent in glorifying God, and working out our own Salvation, what chideing Language may we expect to hear from it? I am ready to tremble sometimes, when I think what my own Conscience may have upon this Score, then to charge me with! Alass, poor Creatures! We make a shift to stop its Mouth now, or to stop our Ears: But if the Lord awake it then, it will speak, and so loudly as shall make us hear, whether we will or no; O Fool's, or somewhat worse that we are, thus to lay in for our own tormenting Grief and Sorrow! Now shall we not be wiser for the future, and live more like to dying Men? O that we could bring our Hearts to this, before we venture upon any thing, to think seriously [Page 114]with our Selves, will this be comfortable to me at the reckoning? Shall I like to hear of this another day from my own Conscience, or from the supream Judge of quick and dead?
Now if there be any sense or weight in the Questions I have here Propounded, I hope you will not think it an unreasonable Request, if I again earnestly entreat for your serious Thoughts about them: And that you would not proceed farther, till you can answer them to God and your own Consciences; one thing more, with which I conclude.
You cannot deny but it is doubtful and disputable, whether this Game be lawful or no: Whereas I dare affirm, and could (if need was) sufficiently prove on the other hand, that without doubt it may lawfully be forborn; and this is a good Rule for your Observation here, In dubiis opportet sequi partem tatiorem. In doubtful Cases we must take that way which is safest.
Since the writing of this, I am satisfied that a Lot may be lawfully used in Games, as well as in any other ordinary Affair; and that your extraordinary Lot cannot be lawfully used in any Case how weighty soever, except Persons have a divine Warrant for it: But though I see, and am ready to acknowledge my mistake in this Point, yet am I of the same Mind I was before in reference to my own Practice here; and I could heartily wish that all Professors especially, would be very wary how they meddle with a Game so ordinarily abused, and that is so full of Snares and Temptations, that without extraordinary Caution, they may as easily touch Pitch and not be defiled, as make use of it, and not be some way or other insnared by it.