The Saints Everlasting Rest
SECT. II.
BUt as this duty lieth upon all in general, so upon some more especially, according as God hath called or qualified them thereto. To them therefore more particularly I will address my exhortation: Whether they be such as have more opportunity and advantages for this work, or such as have better abilities to perform it, or such as have both. And these are of several sorts.
1. All you that God hath given more learning and knowledge to, and endued with better parts for utterance, then your neighbors, God expecteth his duty especially at your hand. The strong are made to help the weak; and those that see must direct the blind. God looketh for this faithful improvement of your parts and gifts, which if you neglect, it were better for you that you never had received them, for they will but further your condemnation; and be as useless to your own Salvation, as they were to others.
SECT. III.
2. ALl those that have special familiarity with some ungodly men, and that have interest in them, God looks for this duty at their hands. Christ himself did eat and drink with Publicans and sinners, but it was only to be their Physician, and not their companion. Who knows but God gave you interest in them, to this end, that you might be means of their recovery. They that will not regard the words of another, will regard a brother, or sister, or husband, or wife, or near friend, Besides that the bond of friendship doth engage you to more kindness and compassion then ordinary.
SECT. IV.
3. PHysitians that are much about dying men, should in a special manner make conscience of this duty: They have a treble advantage. First, They are at hand. Secondly, They are with men in sickness and dangers, when the ear is more open, and the heart less stubborn then in time of health. He that made a scorn of godliness before, well then be of another mind, and hear counsel then, if ever he will hear it. Thirdly, Besides, they look upon their Physician as a man in whose hand is their life: or at least may do much to save them, and therefore they will the more regardfully hear his advice. O therefore you that are of this honorable profession, do not think this a work besides your calling, as if it belonged to none but Ministers; except you think it besides your calling to be compassionate, or to be Christians. O help therefore to fit your patients for heaven: and whether you see they are for Life or for Death, teach them both how to live and to die, and give them some Physic for their souls, as you do for their bodies. Blessed be God that very many of the chief Physicians of this Age have by their eminent piety vindicated their profession from the common imputation of Atheism and profaneness.
SECT. V.
4. ANother sort that have excellent advantages for this duty, is men that have wealth and authority, and are of great place and command in the world, especially that have many that live in dependence on them. O what a world of good might Gentlemen, and Knights, and Lord's do, that have a great many of Tenants, and that are the leaders of the Country, if they had but hearts to improve their interest and advantage. Little do you that are such think of the duty that lies upon you in this! Have you not all your honor and riches from God? and is it not evident then that you must employ them for the best advantage of his service? Do you not know who hath said, that to whom men commit much, from them they will expect the more? You have the greatest opportunities to do good of most men in the world; Your Tenants dare not contradict you, lest you dispossess them or their children, of their habitations; They fear you more then they do God himself; Your frown will do more with them, then the threatenings of the Scripture, They will sooner obey you, then God: If you speak to them for God and their souls, you may be regarded, when even a Minister that they fear not, shall be despised. If they do but see you favor the way of Godliness, they will lightly counterfeit it at least, to please you, especially if they live within the reach of your observation. O therefore, as you value the honor of God, your own comfort, and the Salvation of souls, improve your interest to the utmost for God. Go visit your Tenants and neighbors houses, and see whether they worship God in their families; and take all opportunities to press them to their duties. Do not despise them, because they are poor or simple: Remember, God is no respecter of persons, your flesh is of no better metal then theirs, nor will the worms spare your faces or hearts anymore then theirs; nor will your bones or dust bear the badge of your Gentility, you must all be equals when you stand in Judgment. And therefore help the soul of a poor man as well as if he were a Gentleman: And let men see that you excel others as much in piety, heavenliness, compassion, and diligence in God's work, as you do in riches and honor in the world.
I confess you are like to be singular if you take this course: but then remember, you shall be singular in glory, for few great and mighty, and noble are called.
SECT. VI.
5. ANother sort that have special opportunity to this work, of helping others to heaven, is, The Ministers of the Gospel: As they have, or should have more ability then others, so it is the very work of their calling; and everyone expecteth it at their hands, and will better submit to their teaching, then to other men's. I intend not these instructions so much to teachers, as to others, and therefore I shall say but little to them: and if all, or most Ministers among us were as faithful and diligent as some, I would say nothing. But because it is otherwise, let me give these two or three words of advice to my Brethren in this office.
1. Be sure that the recovering and saving of souls, be the main end of your studies & preaching. O do not propound any low and base ends to yourselves. This is the end of your calling, let it be also the end of your endeavors. God forbid that you should spend a weeks study to please the people; or to seek the advancing of you own reputations. Dare you appear in the Pulpit on such a business, and speak for yourselves, when you are sent, and pretend to speak for Christ? Dare you spend that time, and wit, and parts for yourselves? And wast the Lord's day in seeking applause, which God hath set apart for himself? O what notorious sacrilege is this! Set out the work of God as skillfully and adornedly as you can: But still let the winning of souls be your end, and let all your studies and labors be serviceable thereto. Let not the window be so painted, as to keep out the light; but always Judge that the best means, that most conduceth to the end. Do not think that God is best served by a neat, starched, laced Oration: But that he is the able, skillful Minister, that is best skilled in the art of instructing, convincing, persuading, and so winning of souls: and that is the best Sermon that is best in these. When you once grow otherwise minded, and seek not God, but yourselves, God will make you the basest and most contemptible of men, as you make yourselves the most sinful and wretched. Hath not this brought down the Ministry of England once already? It is true of your reputation, as Christ saith of your lives; They that will save them shall lose them. O let the vigor also of your persuasions show, that you are sensible on how weighty a business you are sent. O Preach with that seriousness, and fervor, as men that believe their own doctrine; and that know their hearers must either be prevailed with, or be damned. What you would do to save them from Everlasting burning, that do, while you have the opportunity, and price in your hand: that people may discern that you are in good sadness, and mean as you speak: and that you are not stageplayers, but preachers of the doctrine of Salvation. Remember what Cicero saith, that if the matter be never so combustible, yet if you put not fire to it, it will not burn: And what Erasmus saith, that a hot Iron will pierce when a cold one will not; And if the wise men of the world account you mad, say as Paul, If we are besides ourselves, it is to God: And remember that Christ was so busy in doing good, that his friends themselves begun to lay hands on him, thinking he had been besides himself, Mark. 3.
SECT. VII.
2. THe second and chief word of advice that I would give you, is this, Do not think that all your work is in your studies, and in the Pulpit. I confess that is great, but alas, it is but a small part of your task. You are Shepherds, and must know every sheep, and what is their disease, and mark their strayings, and help to cure them, and fetch them home. If the paucity of Ministers in great congregations (which is the great unobserved mischief in England, that cries for reformation) did not make it a thing impossible in many places, I should charge the Ministers of England with most notorious unfaithfulness, for neglecting so much the rest of their work, which calleth for their diligence as much as public Preaching. O learn of Paul, Act. 20.19, 20, 31. to preach publicly, and from house to house night and day with tears. Let there not be a soul in your charge that shall not be particularly instructed and watched over. Go from house to house daily, and inquire how they grow in knowledge, and holiness, and on what grounds they build their hopes of salvation: and whether they walk uprightly, and perform the duties of their several relations; and use the means to increase their abilities. See whether they daily worship God in their families, and set them in a way, and teach them how to do it: Confer with them about the doctrines and practice of Religion, and how they receive and profit by public teaching: and answer all their carnal objections; keep in familiarily with them, that you may maintain your interest in them, and improve all your interest for God. See that no seducers do creep in among them, or if they do, be diligent to countermine them, and preserve your people from infection of Heresies or Schisms: or if they be infected, be diligent to procure their recovery; Not with passion and lordliness, but with patience and condescension: As Musculus did by the Anabaptists, visiting them in Prison where the Magistrate had cast them, and there instructing and relieving them, and though they reviled him when he came, and called him a false prophet, and Antichristian seducer, that thirsted for their blood, yet he would not so leave them, till at last by his meekness and love he had overcome them, and recovered many to the truth and to unity with the Church.
Have a watchful eye upon each particular sheep in your flock: Do not do as the lazy separatists, that gather a few of the best together, and take then only for their charge, leaving the rest to sink or swim, and giving them over to the Devil and their lusts, and except it be by a Sermon in the Pulpit, scarce ever endeavoring their salvation, nor once looking what becomes of them. O let it not be so with you! If any be weak in the faith, receive him, but not to doubtful disputations. If any be too careless of their duties, and too little savor the things of the Spirit, let them be pitied, and not neglected; If any walk scandalously, and disorderly, deal with them for their recovery with all diligence, and patience; and set before them the heinousness and danger of their sin: If they prove obstinate after all, then avoid them and cast them off; But do not so cruelly as to unchurch them by hundreds & by thousands and separate from them as so many Pagans, and that before any such means hath been used for their recovery. If they are ignorant, it may be your fault as much as theirs; and however, they are fitter to be instructed then rejected; except they absolutely refuse to be taught. Christ will give you no thanks for keeping, or putting out such from his School, that are unlearned, when their desire or will is to be taught. I confess it is easier to shut out the ignorant, then to bestow our pains night and day in teaching them; but woe to such slothful, unfaithful servants! Who then is a faithful and a wise servant, whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his household, to give them their meat in due season, according to every ones age and capacity? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. O, be not asleep while the wolf is waking! Let your eye be quick in observing the dangers and strayings of your people. If jealousies, heart burnings, or contentions arise among them, quench them before they break out into raging, unresistible flames: As soon as you discern any turn worldly, or proud, or factious, or self-conceited, or disobedient, or cold, and slothful in his duty; delay not, but presently make out for his recovery: Remember how many are losers in the loss of a soul.
SECT. VIII.
DO not daub, or deal slightly with any; some will not tell their people plainly of their sins, because they are great men, and some because they are godly, as if none but the poor and the wicked should be plainly dealt with: Do not you so, but reprove them sharply (though differently, and with wisdom) that they may be sound in the Faith. When the Palsgrave chose Pitiscus for his Household Chaplain, he charged him, that without fear he should discharge his duty, and freely admonish him of his faults as the Scriptures do require; Such encouragement from great ones, would embolden Ministers, and free themselves from the unhappiness of sinning unreproved. If Gentlemen would give no more thanks to Doeg's and Accusers of the Ministers, then Wigandus his Prince did to that flattering Lawyer, who accused him for speaking to Princes too plainly, they would learn quickly to be silent; when they had been forced as Haman's themselves, to clothe Mordecai, and set him in honor. However, God doth sufficiently encourage us to deal plainly, He hath bid us speak and fear not; He promised to stand by us, and he will be our security; He may suffer us to be Anathema secundum dici (as Bueholtzer said) but not secundum esse ; He will keep us, as he did Hus's heart from the power of the fire, though they did beat it, when they found it among the ashes; they may burn our bones, as Bucer's and Phagius his, or they may raise lies of us when we are dead, as of Luther, Calvin, and Oecolampadius ; but the soul feeleth not this, that is rejoicing with his Lord: In the mean time let us be as well learned in the Art of Suffering (as Zenophon ) as they are in the Art of Reproaching: I had rather hear from the mouth of Balak [ God hath kept thee from honor, ] or from Ahab, [Feed him with the bread and water of affliction] or from Amaziah [Art thou made of the Kings Counsel? forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten,] then to hear Conscience say, [ Thou hast betrayed souls to damnation by thy cowardice and Silence ; ] or to hear God say [ Their blood will I require at thy hands, ] or to hear from Christ the Judge [ Cast the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, ] Yea, or to hear these Sinners cry out against me in eternal fire, and with implacable rage to charge me with their undoing.
And as you must be plain and serious, so labor to be skillful and discreet, that the manner may somewhat answer the excellency of the matter: How ought have I heard a stammering tongue, with ridiculous expressions, vain repetitions, tedious circumlocations, and unseemly pronunciation, to spoil most precious spiritual Doctrine, and make the Hearers either loath it, or laugh at it? How common are these extremes in the Ministers of England ? That while one spoils the food of Life by Affectation, and new-fashioned mincing, and pedantic toys, either setting forth a little and mean matter with a great deal of froth, and gaudy dressing, so that there's more of the shell or paring, then of the meat: or like children's Babies, that when you have taken away the dressing, you have taken away all, or else hiding excellent Truths in a heap of vain Rhetoric, and deforming its naked beauty with their paintings, so that no more seriousness can be perceived in their Sermons, then in a School-Boys Declamations; and our people are brought to hear Sermons as they do Stageplays, because Ministers behave themselves but as the Actors; On the other side, how many by their slovenly dressing, and the uncleanness of the dish that it is served up in, do make men loath and nauseate the food of Life, and even despise and cast up that which should nourish them? Such Novices are admitted into the Sacred Function, to the hardening of the wicked, the saddening of the godly, and the disgrace and wrong of the Work of the Lord; and those that are not able to speak Sense or Reason, are made the Ambassadors of the most High God.
I know our style must not be the same with different Auditories; Our language must not only be suited to our matter, but also to our hearers, or else the best Sermon may be worst; we must not read the highest Books to the lowest Form; Therefore was Luther wont to say, That Quipueriliter, populariter, trivialiter, & simplicissime docent, optimi ad vulgus sunt concionatores ; but yet it is a poor Sermon that hath nothing but words and noise. Every Reasonable soul hath both Judgment and Affection, and every Rational Spiritual Sermon must have both: A Discourse that hath Judgment without Affection, is dead, and ineffectual, and that which hath Affection without Judgment, is mad and transporting: Remember the Proverb, Non omnes qui habent citharam, sunt citharaedi, Every man is not a Musician that hath an Instrument, or that can jangle it and make an noise on it: And that other Proverb, Multi sunt qui Boves stimulant, pauci aratores, Many can prick the Oxen, but few can Plow; so many Preachers can talk loud and earnestly, but few can guide their Flock aright, or open to them solidly the mysteries of the Gospel, and show the true mean betwixt the extremes of contrary errors: I know both must be done; Holding the Plow without driving the Oxen, doth nothing and driving without holding, maketh mad work, and is worse then nothing: But yet remember, that every Plow-boy can drive, but to guide is more difficult, and therefore belongeth to the Master Workman; The violence of the Natural motion of the Winds can drive on the Ship; but there is necessary a Rational motion to guide and govern it, or else it will quickly be on the Rocks or Shelves, either broke or sunk, and had better lie still in the Harbor, or at Anchor: The horses that have no Reason can set the Coach or Cart a going, but if there be not some that have reason to guide them, it were better stand still. O therefore let me bespeak you, my brethren, in the Name of the Lord, especially those that are more young and weak, that you tremble at the greatness of this holy Employment, and run not up into a Pulpit as boldly as into the Market place; Study and Pray, and Pray and Study, till you are become Workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, that your people may not be ashamed, or aweary to hear you; But that besides your clear unfolding of the Doctrine of the Gospel, you may also be Masters of your people's Affections, and may be as potent in your divine Rhetoric, as Cicero in his Human, who, as it is is said, while he pleaded for Ligarius, Arma de imperatoris quantumvis irati manu excusserit, & misero supplici veniam impetrarit. Or as it said of excellent Bucholcer, that he never went up into the Pulpit, but he raised in men almost what affections he pleased; so raising the dejected, and comforting the afflicted, and strengthening the tempted, that though it were two hours before he had done, yet not any even of the common people were weary of hearing him. Set before your eyes such patterns as these; and labor with unwearied diligence to be like them. To this end take Demosthenes counsel, plus olei quam vini absumere. It is a work that requireth your most serious searching thoughts. Running, hasty, easy studies, bring forth blind births. When you are the most renowned Doctors in the Church of God, alas, how little is it that you know, in comparison of all that which you are ignorant of! Content not yourselves to know what is the Judgment of others, as if that were to know the truth in its evidence: Give not over your studies when you know what the Orthodox hold, and what is the opinion of the most esteemed Divines: Though I think while you are Novices, and learners yourselves, you may do well to take much upon trust from the more judicious; yet stop not there; but know, that such faith is more borrowed then your own: An implicit faith in matters not fundamental, and of great difficulty, is o • t times commendable, yea & necessary in your people, who are but Scholars; but in you that are Masters and Teachers it is a reproach.
SECT. IX.
4. BE sure that your conversation be teaching, as well as your doctrine. Do not contradict and confute your own doctrine by your practice. Be as forward in a Holy and Heavenly life, as you are in pressing on others to it. Let your discourse be as edifying and spiritual, as you teach them that theirs must be; go not to law with your people, nor quarrel with them, if you can possibly avoid it. If they wrong you, forgive them; For evil language, give them good; and blessing for their cursing; Let go your right, rather then let go your hopes and advantages for the winning of one soul. Suffer anything rather then the Gospel and men's souls should suffer. Become all things (lawful) to all men, if by any means you may win some. Let men see that you use not the Ministry only for a trade to live by; But that your very hearts are wholly set upon the welfare of their souls. Whatsoever meekness, humility, condescension, or self-denial you teach them from the Gospel, O teach it them also by your undissembled leading example. This is to be Guides, and Pilots, and Governors of the Church indeed. Be not like the Orators that Diogenes blamed, that studied been dicere, non been facere: Nor like the sign at the Inn door, that hangs out in the rain itself, while it shows others where they may have shelter and refreshing; Nor like a fencer that can offend, but not defend, as Cicero said of Caelius, that he was a good right hand-man, but an ill left-hand man. See that you be as well able to defend yourselves, when you are tempted by Satan, or accused by men to be proud, covetous, or negligent, as to tell others what they should be. O how many heavenly doctrines are in some people's ears, that never were in the preachers heart! Too true is that of Hilary, Sanctiores sunt aures plebis, quam corda sacerdotum. Alas, that ever pride, emulation, hypocrisy, or covetousness should come into a pulpit! They are hateful in the shops and streets, but more hateful in the Church; but in the Pulpit most of all. What an odious sight is it, to see pride and ambition stand up to preach humility! and hypocrisy to preach up sincerity! and an earthly minded man to preach for a heavenly conversation! Do I need to tell you that are Teachers of others, that we have but a little while longer to preach? and but a few breaths more to breath? and then we must come down, and be accountable for our work? Do I need to tell you, that we must die and be judged as well as our people? or that justice is most severe about the Sanctuary? and judgment beginneth at the house of God? and revenge is most implacable about the Altar? and jealousy hottest about the Ark? Have you not learned these lessons from Eli, Corah, Nadah and Abihu, Uzzah, and the Bethshemites, &c. though I had said nothing? Can you forget, that even some of our tribe shall say at judgment, Lord, we have taught in thy Name ? who yet must depart, with, I know you not ? Do you learn nothing by the afflictions that now lie upon you? You see what hath been done against the Ministry of England: how some have been laid hold on by the hand of justice; and some by the hand of violence and injustice, and how all are lashed and reproached by the wanton tongues of ignorant, insolent Sectaries; neither Prelatical, Presbyterian nor mere Independent now spared, it being the very calling itself that now they set against: How they rob the Church of her due maintenance, and make no more of it then Dionisius did of robbing Aesculapius of his golden beard, quia barbatus erat filius, at pater Apollo non ita ▪ or then the same Dionisius did of robbing Jupiter Olympius of the golden Coat that Hieron had given, saying, that a Coat of Gold was too heavy for Summer, and too cold for Winter, but cloth would be suitable to both; Or then he did of robbing the Images of the vessels of gold which they held in their hands, saying, he did but take what they offered, and held forth to him: Or then the same Dionisius did of robbing the temple of Proserpina, when afterwards his ships had a prosperous wind, Videtis, inquit, quam prospera navigatio a dijs immorta • ibus detur sacrilegis: Ex hoc colligens aut non esse deos, aus illis non esse molesta Sacrilegia. Sirs, doth God lay all this on the Church and Ministry for nothing? Doth not the world know what an ignorant, lazy, superstitious Ministry had lately possessed most Churches in the land? And how many such are yet remaining? and those that are better, alas, how far from what we should be, either in knowledge or practice! And yet how unwilling are they to learn what they know not? Even as unwilling as their people are to learn of them, if not much more. O see your errors by the glass of your Afflictions: And if the words of God will not serve the turn, let the tongues of enemies and Sectaries show you your transgressions: Of whom I may say to you, as Erasmus of Luther, Deus dedit huic postremae aetati propter morborum multitudinem acrem medi cum: And as the Emperor Charles of the same Luther, Si sacri ficuli frugi essent, nullo indigerent Luthero. Yet let not any Papist catch at this, as if our Ministry were unlearned and vicious in comparison of theirs: the contrary for the common sort is well known: And though the Jesuits of late have been so industrious and learned, yet I could tell them out of Erasmus, of some that proved heriticks must be killed, from Paul's Haereticum hominem devita, i. e. de vita tolle. And of Hen. Stephanus his priest of Artois, that would prove that it belonged to his parishoners to pave the Church, and not to him, from Jeremiah's Paveant illi, non paveam ego. Or if these seem partial witnesses, I could tell them what Bellarmine saith of the ninth Age: Seculo haec nullum extitit indoctius aut infaelicius, quo qui mathematicae aut Philosophiae operam dabat, magus vulgo putabatur : And as Espencae • s saith, ut Greece rosse suspectum fuerit, Haebraice prope haereticum. I could tell them also what a Clergy was found in Germany and in England at the Reformation, what barbarous ignorance, beastly uncleanness, and murders of the children begotten in whoredom was found among them. I could tell them who have been turned from their Church by a mere journey to Rome, there seeing the wickedness of their chiefest Clergy; And what Petrar • h, Mantuan, with multitudes more say of it. And (if the most horrid murders were not become virtues with them and did they not think they did God service by killing his servants) I should mind them of all the burnings in England, and of all the unparalleled bloody Massacres in France, and the inquisition of Spain, which their Clergy yet manage and promote. If any say that I speak this but upon reports, we have seen no such thing: I answer as Pausanias, when he was blamed for dispraising a Physician that he had never made trial of, Si periculum fecissem nequaquam viverem : If we had fallen into their hands it had been too late to complain. Quia me vestigia terrent▪ Omnia in adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. And some taste of the fruit of their projects we have lately had in England: by which paw we may sufficiently conjecture of the Lyon. So that as bad as we are, our adversaries have little cause to reproach us.
But yet, brethren, let us impartially judge ourselves; for God will shortly Judge us impartially. What is it that hath occasioned so many Novices to invade the Ministry, who being puffed up with pride, are fallen into the snare of the devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. and bring the work of God into contempt, by their ignorance? Hath not the ungodliness & ambition of those that are more learned, by bringing learning itself into contempt; been the cause of all this? Alas, who can be so blinded by his charity, as not to see the truth of this among us? How many of the greatest wits have the most graceless hearts? And relish Cicero, Demosthenes or Aristotle better then David, or Paul, or Christ ? And even loath those holy ways which customarily they preach for? That have no higher ends in entering upon the Ministry, then gain and preferment? And when the hopes of preferment are taken away, they think it but folly to choose such a toilsome and ungrateful work. And thus the ball of reproach is tossed between the well meaning ignorants, and the ungodly learned; and between these two, how miserable is the Church▪ The one cries out of unlearned Schismatics; The other cries out of proud, ungodly persecutors, and say, These are your learned men; that study for nothing but a benefice or a Bishopric, that are as strange to the Mysteries of Regeneration and a holy life, as any others! And O that these reproaches were not too true of many! God hath lessoned Ministers of late, one would think sufficiently, to beware of ambition, and secular avocations; But it is hard to hear God speak by the tongue of an enemy: or to see and acknowledge his hand where the Instrument doth miscarry. If English Examples have lost their force (as being so near your eyes that you cannot see them remember the end of Funcius that learned Chronologer, who might have lived longer as a Divine, but died as a Princes Counselor, and his Distich pronounced at his death, Disce meo exemplo mandato munere fungi, Et fuge ceu pestem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : and the like fate of Justus Jonas ( I.C. Son of that great Divine of the same name) the next year, whose last Verses were like the former Quid juvat innumeros scire at que evolvere casus, si facienda fugis, fi fugienda facis? Study not therefore the way of rising, but the way of righteousness; Honesty will hold out, when Honors will deceive you. If your hearts be once infected with the fermentation of this swelling humor, it will quickly rise up to your brain, and corrupt your intellectuals; and then you will be of that opinion which your Flesh thinks to be good▪ and not that which your judgment thought to be true; and you will fetch your Religion from the Statute Book, and not from the Bible; as the jest went of Agricola (who turned from a Protestant to an Antinomian, and being convinced of that error, turned Papist into the other extreme) and Pebugius and Sidonius Authors of the Interim; Chrysma ab eis & oleum pontificium inter alia defenduntur, ut ipsi discederent unctiores, (because they obtained Bishoprics by it.) O what a doleful case is it, to see so many brave wits, and men of profound Learning, to be made as useless and hurtful to the Church of God by their pride and ungodliness, as others are by their pride and Ignorance; were a clear, understanding conjoined with an holy heart and heavenly life, and were they as skillful in Spiritual as Human Learning, what a glory and blessing would they be to the Churches!
SECT. X.
5. LAstly, Be sure that you study and strive after Unity and Peace; if ever you would promote the Kingdom of Christ and your people's Salvation, do it in a way of Peace and Love; Public wars, and private quarrels do usually pretend to the Reformation of the Church, to the vindicating of the Truth, and the welfare of souls; but they as usually prove in the issue, the greatest means to the overthrow of all; It is as natural for both wars and private contentions to produce Errors, Schisms contempt of Magistra • y, Ministry, and Ordinances, as it is for a dead carrion to breed Worms and Vermin; Believe it from one that hath too many years experience of it both in Armies and Garrisons▪ It is as hard a thing to maintain even in your godly people, a sound understanding, a tender consciences, a lively, gracious, heavenly, frame of spirit, and an upright life in a way of war and contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest Storms, or under the waters: The like I may say of perverse and fierce Disputings about Baptism, and the Circumstantials of Discipline, or other Questions that are far from the foundation: they oftener lose the Truth then find it. A Synod is as likely and lawful a means as any for such decisions, and yet Nazianzen saith, Se hactenus non vidisse ullius Synodi utilem 〈…〉 aut in quâ res male se habentes, non magis exacerba •• quam 〈◊〉 fuerint: With the vulgar he seems to be the Conqueror that hath the last word, or at lest he that hath the most plausible deportment, the most affecting tone, the most earnest and confident expressions, the most probable arguments, rather then he that hath the most naked demonstrations: He takes with them most, that speaks for the Opinion which they like and are inclined to, though he speak Non-sense; and he that is most familiar with them, and hath the best opportunities and advantages to prevail, especially he that hath the greatest interest in their affections; so that a disputation before the vulgar even of the godly, is as likely a means to corrupt them as to cure them; usually the most erroneous seducers will carry out their Cause with as good a face, as fluent a tongue, as great contempt and reproach of their opposers, and as much confidence that the truth is on their side, as if it were so indeed. Pareus his Master taught him, that Certo certius in qualibet minutissima panis portion, vere & substantialiter integrum corpus Christi esset, item in, apud, cum, sub minutissima vini guttula adesset integer sanguis dominicus ; what confidence was here in a bad cause? And if you depend on the most reverend and best esteemed Teachers, and suffer the weight of their reputation to turn the Scales, you may in many things be never the nearer to the Truth: How many learned able men, hath the name and authority of Luther mislead, in the point of consubstantiation? Vrsine was carried away with it a while, till he was turned from it by the reading of Luther's own arguments, they were such Paralogismes: Yet was it Luther's charge to his followers, that none should call themselves after his name, because he died not for them, nor was his doctrine his own. The only way therefore to the prospering of your labors is, to quench all flames of contentions, to your power! If you would have the waters of verity and piety to be clear, the way is not to stir in them and trouble them, but to let them settle in peace, and run down into practice. Woe to those Ministers that make unnecessary divisions and parties among the people, that so they may get themselves a name, and be cried up by many followers! And as you should thus study the peace and unity of your congregations, so keep out all the occasions of divisions: especially the doctrine of separation▪ and popular Church government, the apparent Semnary of faction and perpetual contentions. If once your people be taught that it belongeth to them to govern themselves, and those that Scripture calleth their Guides and Rulers, you shall have mad work! When everyone is a Governor, who are the governed? When the multitude how unable soever, must hear and judge of every cause, both their Teachers and others, they need no other employment to follow; this will find them work enough, as it doth to Parliament men to sit and hear and speak and vote. Is it not strange that so learned a man as Pet. Ramus should be the advocate for the multitudes authority in Church-Government? But that God must use so sharp a cure for those contentions as that bloody French Massacre, me thinks should make Engalnd to tremble to consider it! Least the same disease here must have the like cure. If an Army had tried this popular Government but one year among themselves in their military affairs; and had attempted and managed all their designs by the Vote of the whole Army, I durst have valued their judgments the better ever after in this point. Woe to the patient that must have a mistaking Physician till he be grown skillful by making experiments upon his diseases. And woe to the people that are in such hands, as must learn their skill in Government from the common calamities only, and from their experience of the sufferings of the people! This kind of knowledge, I confess, is the throughest: but it is pity that so many others should pay so dear for it.
You therefore that are the Guides of this Charet of Christ take heed of losing the reins lest all be overthrown: It is but lately that the Prelates held them so hard, that we might not move on in the way of unquestionable duty, and we might not stir at all, for fear of stirring amiss, and godliness was shut out upon pretence of well-ordering it. Do not you run now into the contrary extreme, to think that all restraint is evil. Alas poor England! how are thy bowels torn out! and thy reformation and deliverance grown (as to man) impossible! because thy inhabitants, yea and Guides, run all into extremes! like a drunken man that reeleth from side to side, but cannot keep the middle way: nay they hate a man of peace that runs not out into their extremes. One party would pluck up the hedge of government, as if the vine-yard could not be fruitful, except it lie wast to the pleasure of all the beasts of of the Forest. They are like the pond that should grudge at the banks and dam, and think it injurious to be thus restrained of its liberty, and therefore combine with the winds to raise a tempest, and so assault and break down the banks in their rage▪ and now where is that peaceable association of waters? Me thinks the enemies of government are just in the case as I remember when I was a boy our School was in, when we had barred out our Master: We grudged at our yoke, we longed for liberty; because it was not given us we resolved to take it, when we had got out our Master and shut fast the doors, we grew bold, and talked to him at our pleasure▪ then no one was Master, and everyone was Master: we spend our time in playing and in quarrelling: we treat at last with our Master about coming in: but our liberty was so sweet, this we were loath to leave it, and we had run ourselves so deep in guilt that we durst not trust him; and therefore we resolve to let him in no more: But in the end when our play-days (which we called Holy days) were over, we are fain to give account of our boldness, and soundly to be whipt for it, and so to come under the yoke again. Lord, if this be the case of England, let us rather be whipt and whipt again, then turned out of thy School, and from under thy government. We feel now how those are mistaken, that think the way for the Churches unity, is to dig up the banks and let all loose, that every man in Religion may do what his list.
On the other side, some men to escape this Scylla do fall into the Charyb ••• of former violence and formality: They must have all men to walk in fetters, and they must be the makers of them; and Ministers must be taught to Preach, by such Jives as their horses are taught to pace. No man must be suffered to come into a Pulpit, that thinks not or speaks not as they would have him: Or if they cannot take away his liberty, they will do what they can to blast his reputation; Yet if he cannot have the repute of being Orthodox, it were well if they would leave him the reputation of a Christian. But having also a Christianity of their own making, and proper to themselves, they will presently unchristen him, and make him a Heretic by proclamation; as if they had so far the power of the Keys, as to lock up the doors of Heaven against him, and wipe out his name from the book of Life. It striketh me sometimes into an amazement with admiration, that it should be possible for such mountains of pride, to remain in the hearts of many godly, reverend Ministers! That they should no more be conscious of the weakness of their own understandings, but that even in disputable difficult things, they must be the Rule by which all others must be judged! So that every man's judgment must be cut meet to the standard of theirs; and whatsoever opinion is either shorter or longer, must be rejected with the scorn of an Heresy or an Error! Wonderful! That men that have ever studied Divinity, should no more discern the profundities and difficulties! and their own incapacities! More wonderful that any disciple of Christ should be such an enemy to knowledge, as to resolve they will know no more themselves then is commonly known, nor suffer any other to know more! So that when a man hath read once what is the opinion of the Divines that are most in credit, he dare search no further for fear of being counted a Novellist or Heretic; or lest he bear their curse for adding to, or taking from the common conceits! So that Divinity is become an easier study then heretofore: We are already at a Neplus ultra It seemeth vain when we know the opinions in credit, to search any further: We have then nothing to do, but easily to study for popular Sermons, nor is it safe so much as to make them our own by looking into and examining their grounds, lest in so doing we should be forced to a dissent▪ So that Scholars may easily be drawn to think, that it is better to be at a venture of the common belief, which may be with ease, then to weary and spend themselves in tedious studies, when they are sure beforehand of no better reward from men, then the reputation of Heretics▪ Which is the lot of all that go out of the common rode. So that who will hereafter look after anymore truth then is known and in credit, except it be someone that is so taken with admiration of it, as to cast all his reputation overboard rather then make shipwreck of his self-prized Merchandize! Yet most wonderful is it, that my Christian, especially so many godly Ministers should arrogate to themselves the high prerogatives of God! viz. to be the Rule and Standard of Truth! I know they will say that Scripture is the Rule; but when they must be the peremtory Judges of the sense of that Scripture, so that in the hardest controversies none must swerve from their sense, upon pain of being branded with Heresy or error, what is this but to be the Judges themselves, and Scripture but their servant? The final, full, decisive interpretation of Laws, belongeth to none but the Lawmakers themselves. For who can know another man's meaning, beyond his expressions, but himself?
And yet it increaseth my wondering, that these Divines have not forgotten the late arrogancy of the prelates in the same kind; under which some few of themselves did suffer! Nor yet how constantly our Divines that write against the Papists, do disclaim any such living, final, decisive Judge of controvesies, but make Scripture the only Judge▪ O what mischief hath the Church of Christ suffered by the enlarging of her Creed! While it contained but twelve Articles, believers were plain and peaceable and honest. But a Christian now is not the sam • thing as then: Our heads shall swell so big (like children that have the rickets) that all the body fares the worse for it. Every new Article that was added to the Creed, was a new engine to stretch the brains of believers, and in the issue to • end out the bowels of the Church. It never went so well with the Church▪ since it begun (as Erasmus saith of the times of the Nicene counsel) re • ing • niosam fore Christianum esse, to be a matter of so much wit and cunning to be a Christian. Not but that all our wit should be here employed, and controversies of difficulty may be debated; but when the decision of these must be put into our Creed, and a man must be of the faith that the Church is of, it goes hard. Me thinks I could read Aquinas, or Scotus, or Bellarmine with profit, ut Philosophiam, et Theologiam liberam ; but when I most make them all parts of my Creed, and subscribe to all they say, or else be no Catholic, this is hard dealing. I know now we have no Spanish inquisition to fire us from the truth: But as Cryn • us was wont to say, Fontifici Romano Erasmum plus, nocuiss • 〈◊〉 , quam Lutherum stomachando ; so some men's reproaches may do more then other men's persecutions.
And it is not the least aggravation of these men's arrogancy, that they are most violent in the points that they have least studied, or which they are most ignorant in: Yea and that their cruel reproaches are usually so incessant, that where they once fasten, they scarce • ver loose again; having learned the old lesson, to be sure to accuse boldly, for the scar will remain when the wound is healed. Yea some will not spare the same of the dead, but when their souls have the happiness of Saints with God, their names must have the stain of Heresy with men. More ingenuity had Charles the Emperor, when the Spanish soldiers would have digged up the bones of Luther: Sinite ipsum, inquit, quiescere ad diem resurrectionis, et judicium omnium, &c. Let him rest, saith he, till the resurrection and the final Judgment: if he were a Heretic he shall have as severe a Judge as you can desire.
〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉These are the extremes which poor England groaneth under; And is there no remedy? Besides the God of Peace▪ there is no remedy. Peace is fled from men's Principles and Judgments, and therefore it is a stranger to their Affections and practices: no wonder then if it be a stranger in the Land, both in Church and State,
If either of the forementioned extremes be the way to Peace, we may have it: or else where is the man that seeketh after it? But I remember Luther's Oracle, and fear it is now to be verified. H • c perdent Religionem Christianam: 1. Oblivio beneficiorum ab Evangelio acceptorum : 2. Securitas, quae jam passim & ubique regnat: 3. Sapientia mundi, quae vult omnia redigere in ordinem, & impiis mediis Ecclesiae paci consulere. Three things will destroy the Christian Religion. First, Forgetfulness of the benefits we received by the Gospel: Secondly, Security: Thirdly, The wisdom of the world which will needs reduce all into Order, and look to the Churches peace by ungodly means.
The zeal of my spirit after Peace, hath made me digress here further then I intended: But the sum and scope of all my speech is this; Let every conscionable Minister study equally for Peace and Truth, as knowing that they dwell both together in the golden mean, and not at such a distance as most Hotspurs do imagine; and let them believe that they are like to see no more success of their labors, then they are so studious of Peace; and that all wounds will let out both blood and spirits, and both Truth and Godliness is ready to run out at every breach that shall be made among the people or themselves; and that the time for the Pastures of Profession to be green, and for the Field of true Godliness to grow ripe for the Harvest, and for the Rose of Devotion and Heavenliness to be fragrant and flourish; it is not in the blustering stormy tempestuous Winter, but in the calm delightful Summer of Peace. O what abundance of excellent hopeful fruits of Godliness have I seen blown down before they were ripe, by the impetuous winds of wars, and other contentions, and so have lain trodden underfoot by Libertinism, and sensuality, as meat for Swine, who else might have been their Masters deligh! In a word, I never yet saw the Work of the Gospel go on well in Wars, nor the business of men's salvation succeed among dissensions; but if one have in such times proved a gainer▪ multitudes have been losers: The same God is the God both of Truth and Peace: the same Christ is the Prince of Peace, and Author of Salvation; the same Word is the Gospel of Peace and Salvation: both have the same causes, both are wrought and carried on by the same Spirit, the same Persons are the Sons of Peace and Salvation: so inseparably do they go hand in hand together. O therefore let us be the Ministers, and helpers of our people's peace, as ever we desire to be helpers of their Salvation.
And how impossible is it for Ministers to maintain peace among their people, if they maintain not peace among themselves? O what a staggering is it to the faith of the weak, when they see their Teachers and Leaders at such odds? It makes them ready to throw away all Religion, when they see scarce two or three of the most learned and godly Divines of one mind, but like the bitterest enemies, disgracing and vilifying one another, and all because the Articles of our faith must be so unlimited, voluminous, and almost infinite, so that no man well knows when he may call himself an Orthodox Christian. When our Creed is swelled to the bigness of a National Confession, one would think that he that subscribeth to that Confession should be Orthodox, and yet if he jump not just with the Times in expounding every Article of that Confession, and run not with the stream in every other Point that is in question amongst them, though he had subscribed to the whole Harmony of Confessions, he is never the nearer the estimation of Orthodox; Were we all bound together by a Confession or Subscription of the true Fundamentals, and those other Points that are next to Fundamentals only, and there took up our Christianity and Unity, yielding each other a freedom of differing in smaller or more difficult Points, or in expressing ourselves in different terms, and so did live peaceably and lovingly together, notwithstanding such differences, as men that all knew the mysteriousness of Divinity, and the imperfection of their own understandings, and that here we know but in part, and therefore shall most certainly err and d • ffer in part: what a world of mischiefs might this course prevent? I oft think on the examples of Luther and Melancthon: It was not a few things that they differed in, nor such as would now be accounted small; besides, the imperious harshness of Luther's disposition (as Carolostadius could witness,) and yet how sweetly and p • aceably, and lovingly did they live together without any breach or disagreement considerable: As Mel. Adamus saith of them, Et si tempora fuerunt ad distractiones proclivia, hominumque levitas dissidiorum cupida, tamen cum alter alterius vitia nosset, nunquam inter eos simultas extitit, ex qua animorum alienatio subsecuta sit ; so that their agreement arose not hence, that either was free from faults or errors, but knowing each others faults, they did more easily bear them: Certainly if every difference in Judgment in matters of Religion should seem intolerable, or make a breach in affection, then no two men on earth must live together or tolerate each other, but every man must resolve to live by himself: for no two on earth but differ in one thing or other, except such as take all their faith upon trust, and explicitly believe nothing at all; God hath not made our Judgments all of a complexion no more then our faces, nor our Knowledge all of a size, anymore then our bodies; and methinks men that be not resolved to be anything in Religion, should be afraid of making the Articles of their Faith so numerous, lest they should shortly become Heretics themselves, by disagreeing from themselves, and they should be afraid of making too strict Laws for those that differ in Judgment in controvertible Points, lest they should shortly change their Judgments, and so make a Rod for their own Backs; for how know they in difficult disputable Cases, but within this twelve months themselves may be of another mind? except they are resolved never to change, for fear of incurring the reproach of Novelty and Mutability, and then they were best resolve to study no more, nor ever to be wiser: I would we knew just as what Age a man must receive this principle against changing his Judgment; I am afraid lest at last they should teach it their children, and lest many Divines did learn it too young, and if any besides besides Christ and his Apostles must be the Standard and Foundation of our faith, I would we could certainly tell who they are, for I have heard yet none but the Pope or his General Council expressly lay claim to the Prerogative of infallibility, and I think there is few that have appeared more fallible; for my own part I admire the gifts of God in our first Reformers, Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, &c. And I know no man since the Apostles days whom I value and honor more then Calvin, and whose Judgment in all things (one with another) I more esteem and come nearer too; (Though I may speed as Amiraldus, to be thought to defend him but for a defense to his own errors;) but yet if I thought we must needs be in all things of his mind, and know no more in any one Point then he did, I should heartily wish that he had lived one fifty years longer, that he might have increased and multiplied his knowledge before he died, and then succeeding Ages might have had leave to have grown wiser, till they had attained to know as much as he. Some men can tell what to say in point of Ceremonies, Common Prayer, &c. when they are pressed with the Examples and Judgments of our first Reformers,; but in matters of Doctrine they forget their own Answers, as if they had been perfect here, and not in the other, or as if Doctrinals were not much fuller of Mysteries and difficulties, then Worship! So far am I from speaking all this for the security of myself in my differing from others, that if God would dispense with me for my Ministerial Services without any loss to his people, I should leap as lightly as Bishop Ridley when he was stripped of his Pontificalia, and say as Paedaretus the Laconian when he was not chosen. In numerum trecentorum, Gratias habeo tibi, O Deus, quod tot homines meliores me huic Civitati dedisti.
But I must stop, and again apologize for this tediousness; though it be true▪ as Zeno saith, Verbis multis non eget veritas ; yet, Respiciendum etiam quibus egent lectores ; And as Plato to Antisthenes, Orationis modus est non penes dicentem sed penes audientem. I conclude not with a Laconism, but a Christianism, as hoping my Brethren will at lest hear their Master, Mark 9.50. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another: and Calvin's Exposition which is the sum of all I have said. q. d. Danda est vobis opera, non tantum ut salsi intus sitis, sed etiam ut saliatis alios: Quia tamen sal acrimoniâ suâ mordet, ideo statim admonet, sic temperandam esse condituram, ut pax interim salva maneat.
SECT. XI.
6. THe last whom I would persuade to this great Work of helping others to the Heavenly Rest, is Parents, and Masters of Families: All you that God hath entrusted with Children or Servants, O consider what Duty lieth on you for the furthering of their Salvation. That this Exhortation may be the more effectual with you, I will lay down these several Considerations for you seriously to think on.
1. What plain and pressing commands of God are there that require this great Duty at your hands. Deut. 6.6, 7, 8. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. So Deut. 11. And how well is God pleased with this in Abraham, Gen. 18.19. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? For I know him, that he will command his Children, and his Household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, &c. And it is Joshuaes Resolution, That he and his Household will serve the Lord. Prov. 22.6. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Ephes▪ 6.4. Bring up (your children) in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Many the like Precepts, especially in the Book of Proverbs, you may find: So that you see it is a Work that the Lord of heaven and earth hath laid upon you; and how then dare you neglect it and cast it off?
2. It is a duty that you ow, your children in point of Justice; from you they received the defilement and misery of their natures; and therefore you ow them all possible help for their recovery▪ If you had but hurt a stranger, yea, though against your will, you would think it duty to help to cure him.
3. Consider how near your children are to you, and then you will perceive, that from this Natural Relation also, they have interest in your utmost help: your children are, as it were, parts of yourselves; If they prosper when you are dead, you take it almost as if you lived and prospered in them. If you labor never so much, you think it not ill bestowed, nor your buildings, or purchases too dear, so that they may enjoy them when you are dead: and should you not be of the same mind for their everlasting Rest?
4. You will else be witnesses against your own souls: your great care▪ and pains, and cost for their bodies, will condemn you for; your neglect of their precious souls; you can spend yourselves in toiling and caring for their bodies, and even neglect your own souls, and venture them sometimes upon unwarrantable courses, and all to provide for your Posterity; and have you not as much reason to provide for their souls? Do you not believe that your children must be everlastingly happy or miserable when this life is ended? and should not that be fore-thought of in the first place?
5. Yea, All the very brute creatures may condemn you; Which of them is not tender of their young? How long will the Hen sit to hatch her Chickens? and how busily scrape for them? and how carefully shelter and defend them? and so will even the most vile and venomous Serpent; and will you be more unnatural and hard-hearted then all these? will you suffer your children to be ungodly and profane, and run on in the undoubted way to damnation, and let them alone to destroy themselves without control?
6. Consider, God hath made your children to be your charge; yea, and your servants too: Everyone will confess they are the Ministers charge, and what a dreadful thing it is for them to neglect them, when God hath told them, That if they tell not the wicked of their sin and danger, their blood shall be required at that Ministers hands; and is not your charge as great and as dreadful as theirs? Have not you a greater charge of your own Families then any Minister hath? Yea doubtless▪ and your duty, it is to reach, and admonish, and reprove them, and watch over them, and at your hands else will God require the blood of their souls: The greatest charge it is that ever you were entrusted with, and we to you if you prove unfaithful and betray your trust, and suffer them to be ignorant for want of your teaching, or wicked for want of your admonition or correction! O • ad account that many parents will make!
7. Look into the dispositions and lives of your children, and see what a work there is for you to do. First, It is not one sin that you must help them against, but thousands; their name is Legion, for they are many; It is not one weed that must be pulled up, but the field is overspread with them. Secondly, And how hard is it to prevail against any one of them? They are Hereditary diseases, bred in their Natures. Naturam expel • s furea, &c. They are a • near them as the very heart, and how tenacious are all things of that which is natural? how hard to teach a Hare not to be fearful? or a Lyon or Tiger not to be fierce? Besides, the things you must teach them are quite above them, yea, & clean contrary to the interest and desires of their Flesh; how hard is it to teach a man to be willing to be poor, and despised, and destroyed here for Christ! to deny themselves, and displease the flesh, to forgive an Enemy, to love those that hate us, to watch against temptations, to avoid occasions and appearance of evil, to believe in a crucified Savior, to rejoice in tribulation, to trust upon a bare word of Promise, and let go all in hand (if called to it) for something in hope that they never saw, nor ever spake with man that did see; to make God their chief delight and love, and to have their hearts in heaven while they live on earth; I think none of this is easy; they think otherwise let them try and Judge; yet all this must be learned, or they are undone forever. If you help them not to some Trade, they cannot live in the world, but if they be destitute of these things, they shall not live in heaven; If the Mariner be not skillful he may be drowned, and if the Soldier be not skillful he may be slain; but they that cannot do the things above mentioned will perish forever; For without holiness none shall see God, Heb. 12.14. O that the Lord would make all you that are Parents sensible what a work and charge doth lie upon you! You that neglect this important work, and talk to your Families of nothing but the world, I tell you, the blood of souls lies on you, make as light of it as you will, if you repent not and amend, the Lord will shortly call you to an account for your guiltiness of your children's everlasting undoing; and then you that could find in your hearts to neglect the souls of your own children, will be judged more barbarous then the Irish or Turks, that kill the children of others.
8. Consider also what a world of sorrows do you prepare for yourselves by the neglect of your children: First, You can expect no other but that they should be thorns in your very eyes, and you may thank yourselves if they prove so, seeing they are thorns of your own planting. Secondly, If you should repent of this your negligence, and be saved yourselves, yet is it nothing to you to think of the damnation of your children? You know, God hath said, That except they be born again they shall not enter into the Kingdom of God. Methinks then it should be a heart-breaking to all you that have unregenerate children; Methinks you should weep over them every time you look them in the face, to remember that they are in the way to eternal fire! Some people would lament the fate of their children, if but a Wizard should foretell them some ill fortune to befall them; and do you not regard it, when the Living God shall tell you, That the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God? Psal. 9.17. Thirdly, Yet all this were not so doleful to you, if it were a thing that you had no hand in, or could do nothing to help; but to think that all this is much long of you! that ever your negligence should bring your child to these everlasting torments, which the very damned man ( Luke 16.) would have had his brethren been warned to escape; if this seem light to thee, thou hast the heart of a hellish Fiend in thee, and not of a man. Fourthly, But yet worse then all this will it prove to you, if you die in this sin; for then you shall be miserable as well as they; and O what a greeting will there be then between ungodly Parents and children! what a hearing will it be to your tormented souls, to hear your children cry out against you, All this that we suffer was long of you, you should have taught us better, and did not; you should have restrained us from sin, and corrected us, but you did not; what an addition will such out-cries be to your misery?
9. On the other side, do but think with yourselves; what a world of comfort you may have if you be faithful in this duty: First, If you should not succeed, yet you have freed your own souls, and though it be sad, yet not so sad, for you may have peace in your own consciences, Secondly, But if you do succeed, the comfort is inexpressible. For first, Godly children will be truly loving to yourselves that are their Parents; when a little riches or matters of this world, will oft make ungodly children to cast off their very natural affection: secondly, Godly children will be most obedient to you; They dare not disobey and provoke you, because of the command of God, except you should command them that which is unlawful, and then they must obey God rather then men: thirdly, And if you should fall into want, they would be most faithful in relieving you, as knowing they are tied by a double bond, of Nature, and of Grace: fourthly, And they will also be helpers to your souls, and to your spiritual comforts; they will be delighting you with the mention of heaven, and with all holy conference and actions; when wicked children will be grieving you with cursing, and swearing, or drunkenness, or disobedience: fifthly, Yea, when you are in trouble, or sickness, and at death▪ your godly children will be at hand to advise and to support you; they will strive with God in prayers for you; O what a comfort is it to a Parent, to have a child that hath the Spirit of Prayer, and interest in God? how much good may they do you by their importunity with God? And what a sadness is it to have children, that when you lie sick, can do no more but ask you how you do, and look on you in your misery? sixthly, Yea, all your Family may fare the better, for one child or servant that feareth God; (yea perhaps all the Town where he liveth:) As Josephs case proveth, and Jacob's, and many the like; when one wicked child may bring a Judgment o • your house: seventhly, And if God make you instruments of your children's conversion, you will have a share in all the good that they do through their lives; all the good they do to their brethren, or to the Church of God, and all the honor they bring to God, will redound to your happiness, as having been instruments of it: eighthly, And what a comfort may it be to you all your lives, to think that you shall live with them forever with God? ninthly, But the greatest joy will be, when you come to the possession of this, and you shall say, Here am I, and the children thou hast given me ; And are not all these comforts enough to persuade you to this duty?
10. Consider further, That the very welfare of Church and State lieth mainly on this duty, of well educating children; and without this, all other means are like to be far less successful. I seriously profess to you, that I verily think all the sins and miseries of the Land, may acknowledge this sin for their great Nurse and Propagator. O what happy Churches might we have, if Parents did their duties to their children! then we need not exclude so many for ignorance or scandal, nor have our Churches composed of members so rude! then might we spare most of the quarrels about Discipline, Reformation, Toleration, and Separation; any reasonable government would do better with a well-taught people, then the best will do with the ungodly. It is not good Laws and Orders that will reform us, if the men be not good, and Reformation begin not at home; when children go wicked from the hands of their Parents, thence some come such to the Universities, and so we come to have an ungodly Ministry; and in every profession they bring this fruit of their Education with them; when Gentlemen teach their children only to Hunt, and Hawk, and game, and deride the godly, what Magistrates, and what Parliaments, and so what Government, and what a Commonwealth are we like to have? when all must be guided by such as these? some perverse inconsiderate persons, lay the blame of all this on the Ministers, that people of all sorts are so ignorant and profane, as if one man can do the work of many hundreds! I beseech you that are Masters and Parents, do your own duties, and free Ministers from these unjust aspersions, and the Church from her reproach and confusion; Have not Ministers work enough of their own to do? O that you knew what it is that lieth on them! And if besides this, you will cast upon them the work of every Master and Parent in the Parish, it is like indeed to be well done: How many sorts of Workmen must there be to the building of an house? and if all of them should cast it upon one, and themselves do nothing, you may judge how much were like to be done! If there be three or four Schoolmasters in a School, amongst three or four hundred Scholars; & all the lower that should fit them for the higher Schools, should do nothing at all, but send all these Scholars to the highest Schoolmaster as ignorant as they received them, would not his life be a burden to him, and all the work be frustrate and spoiled? Why so it is here: The first work towards the reforming and making happy of Church and Commonwealth lies in the good education of your children; the most of this is your work; and if this be left undone, and then they come to Ministers raw and ignorant, and hardened in their sins; alas what can a Minister do! whereas if they came trained up in the Principles of Religion, and the practice of godliness, and were taught the fear of God in their youth; O what an encouragement would it be to Ministers! and how would the work go on in their hands! I tell you seriously, this is the cause of all our miseries and unreformedness in Church and State; even the want of a holy education of children! Many lay the blame, on this neglect, and that but there is none hath so great a hand in it as this: what a School must there needs be where all are brought raw, as I said, to the highest School? what a house must there needs be built, when Clay is brought to the Masons hands instead of Bricks? What a Commonwealth may be expected, if all the Constables and Justices should do nothing but cast all upon King and Parliament? And so, what a Church may we expect, when all the Parents and Masters in the Parish shall cast all their duty on their Ministers? Alas, how long may we Catechize them, and preath to them, before we can get them to understand the very Principles of the Faith? This, this is the cause of our Churches deformities, and this is the cause of the present difficulty of Reformation. Its in vain to contend about Orders and Disci • pline, if the persons that live under it be not prepared. Perhaps you will say, the Apostles had not their hearers thus prepared to their hands: Is not the word the first means of conversion?
Answ. 1. The Apostles preached to none at first but Infidels and Pagans: And are you no better? Will you do no more for your children then they?
2. All the success of their labors, was to gather here and there a Church from among the world of unbelievers: but now the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ.
3. And yet the Apostles were extraordinarily qualified for the work, and seconded it by Miracles, for the convincing of their hearers.
4. I do verily believe that if Parents did their duty as they ought▪ the word publicly preached would not be the ordinary means of Regeneration in the Church, but only without the Church, among Infidels. Not that I believe Doctor Burgess, and Master Bedford's doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration: But God would pour out his grace so upon the children of his people, and hear prayers for them, and bless such endeavors for their holy education, that we should see the promises made good to our seed; and the unthankful Anabaptists, that will not confess that the children of the Saints are any nearer God, or more beholden to him then Pagans, so much as for the favor to be visible Church-members, should by sweet experience be convinced of their error, and be taught better how to understand, that our children are holy.
II. I entreat you that are parents also to consider, what excellent advantages you have above all others for the saving of your children.
1. They are under your hands while they are young and tender and flexible; But they come to Ministers when they are grown elder, and stiffer, and settled in their ways, and think themselves too good to be catechised, and too old to be taught. You have a twigg to bend, and we an oak. You have the young plants of sin to pluck up, and we the deep rooted vices. The consciences of children are not so seared with a custom of sinning and long resisting grace, as others. You have the soft and tender earth to plow in, and we have the hard and stony ways, that have been trodden on by many years practice of evil. When they are young' their understandings are like a sheet of white paper, that hath nothing written on; and so you have opportunity to write what you will. But when they are grown up in sin, they are like the same paper written over with falsehoods; which must all be bloted out again, and truth written in the place: and how hard is that? We have a double task, first to unteach them, and then to teach them better; but you have but one. We must unteach them all that the world, and flesh, and wicked company, and the devil have been diligently teaching them in many years time. We have hardened hearts to beat on, like a Smiths Anvil, that will not feel us: We may tell them of death and Judgment, heaven and hell, and they hear us as if they were asleep or dead; you have the soft clay to mold, and we the hardened burned bricks. You have them before they are possessed with prejudice, and false conceits against the truth: but we have them to teach, when they have many years lived among those that have scorned at godliness, and taught them to think God's ways to be foolish preciseness. Custom hath not en • nared and engaged your little ones to contrary ways: But of old sinners, the Lord himself hath said, that if the Ethiopian can change his skin, and the Leopard his spots; then may those that are acc • stomed to do evil, learn to do well, Jer. 13.23. Doth not the experience of all the world show you the power of education? What else makes all the Children of the Jews to be Jews? and all the Children of the Turks to be Mohammedans ? and of Christians, to be in profession Christians? and of each Sect or party in Religion to follow their parents, and the custom of the place? Why now what an advantage have you, to use all this for the furtherance of their happiness? and possess them as strongly beforehand against sin, as else Satan would do for it; and so Satan should come to them upon some of those disadvantages that now Christ comes on.
2. Consider also, that you have the affections of your Children more then any others: None in the world hath that interest in their hearts as you. You will receive that counsel from an undoubted friend, that you would not do from an enemy, or a stranger. Why now, your children cannot choose but know that you are their friends, and advise them in love: and they cannot choose but love you again. Their love is loose and arbitrary to others: but to you it is determinate and fast; nature hath almost necessitated them to love you. O therefore improve this your interest in them for their good.
3. You have also the greatest authority over them. You may command them, and they dare not disobey you; or else it is your own fault, for the most part; for you can make them obey you in your business in the world. Yea you may correct them to enforce obedience. Your authority also is the most unquestioned authority in the world. The authority of Kings and Parliaments, hath been disputed, but yours is past dispute. And therefore if you use it not to constrain them to the works of God, you are without excuse,
4. Besides, their whole dependence is on you for their maintenance and livelihood. They know you can either give them, or deny them what you have; and so punish or reward them at your pleasure. But on Ministers or neighbors they have no such dependence.
5. Moreover, you that are parents, know the temper, and inclinations of your children, what vices they are most inclined to, and what instruction or reproof they most need; But Ministers that live more strange to them, cannot know this.
6. Above all you are ever with them, and so have opportunity as to know their faults, so to apply the remedy, You may be still talking to them of the word of God, and minding them of their state and duty; and may follow and set home every word of advice: as they are in the house with you, or in the shop, or in the field at work; O what an excellent advantage is this, if God do but give you hearts to use it. Especially you mothers, remember this: you are more with your children while they are little ones then their fathers; be you therefore still teaching them as soon as ever they are capable of learning. You cannot do God such eminent service yourselves, as men, but you may train up children that may do it, and then you will have part of the comfort and honor. Bathsheba had part of the honor of Solomon's wisdom Pro. 31.1. for she taught him. And Timothy's mother and grandmother, of his piety. Plutrach speaks of a Spartan woman, that when her neighbors were showing their apparel and jewels, she brought out her children virtuous and well taught, and said, These are my ornaments and Jewels. O how much more would this adorn you, then your bravery? What a deal of pains are you at with the bodies of your children more then the fathers? And what do you suffer to bring them into the world? and will not you be at as much pains for the saving of their souls? You are naturally of more tender affections then men: and will it not move you to think that your children, should perish forever? O therefore I beseech you for the sake of the children of your bowels, teach them, admonish them, watch over them, and give them no rest till you have brought them over to Christ.
And thus I have shown you reason enough to make you diligent in teaching your children, if reason will serve, as me thinks among reasonable creatures it should do.
SECT. XII.
LEt us next hear what is usually objected against this by negligent men.
Object. 1. We do not see but those children prove as bad as others, that are taught the Scriptures and brought up so holily: And those prove as honest men and good neighbors, that have none of this ado with them.
Answ. 1. O who art thou man that disputest against God? Hath God charged you to teach your children diligently his word, speaking of it as you sit at home, and as you walk abroad, as you lie down and as you rise up, Deut. 6.6, 7, 8. and dare you reply that it is as good let it alone? Why this is to set God at defiance; and as it were to spit in his face, and give him the lie. Will you take it well at your servants, if when you command them to do a thing, they should return you such an answer, that they do not see but it were as good let it alone? Wretched worm! darest thou thus lift up thy head against the Lord that made thee and must judge thee? Is it not he that commandeth thee? If thou dost not believe that this Scripture is his word, thou dost not believe in Jesus Christ: for thou hast nothing else to tell thee that there is a Christ. And if thou do believe that this is the word of God, how darest thou say, It is as good disobey it? This is devilish pride indeed, when such sottish sinful dust shall think themselves wiser then the living God, & take upon them to reprove and cancel his word.
2. But alas, you know not what honesty is, when you say, that the ignorant are as honest as others: You think those are the honestest men, that best please you: But I know those are the most honest, that best please God. Christ saith in Luk 8.15. that an honest heart is that which keepeth the word of God; and you say, they are as honest that reject it. God made men to please himself, and not to please you: And you may know by his Laws who please him best. The Commandments have two Tables; and the first is, Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart: and the second, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. First seek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Mat. 6.33.
3. And what if some prove naught that are well brought up? It is not the generality of them: will you say that Noah's family was no better then the drowned world, because there was one Chaus in it? Nor David's, because there was one Absalom ? Nor Christ's, because there was one Judas ?
4. But what if it were so? Have men need of the less teaching, or the more? you have more wit in the matters of this world: you will not say, I see many labor hard, and yet are poor, and therefore it is as good never labor at all; you will not say, Many that go to School learn nothing, and therefore they may learn as much though they never go. Or, many that are great tradesmen break, and therefore it is as good never trade at all. Or many great eaters are as lean as others, and many sick men recover no strength, though they eat; and therefore it is as good for men never to eat more. Or, many plow and sow, and have nothing comes up; and therefore it is as go 〈…〉 to plow more. What a fool were he that should reaso • thus? And is not he a thousand times worse, that shall reason thus for men's souls? Peter reasons the clean contrary way, If the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Pet. 4.18. And so doth Christ, Luk. 13.24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter, and not be able. Other men's miscarriages should quicken our diligence; and not make us cast away all. What would you think of that man, that should look over into his neighbors garden, and because he sees here and there a nettle or weed among much better stuff should say; Why, you may see, these men that bestow so much pains in digging and weeding, have weeds in their garden as well as I that do nothing, and therefore who would be at so much pains? Just thus doth the mad world talk. You may see now, those that pray, and read, and follow Sermons, have their faults as well as we, and have wicked persons among them as well as we; Yea, but that is not the whole garden, as yours is, it is but here and there a weed, and as soon as they spy it, they pluck it up, and cast it away.
4. But however, if such men be as wicked as you imagine, can you for shame lay the fault upon the Scripture, or Ordinances of God? Do they find anything in the Scriptures to encourage them to sin? You may far better say, It is long of the Judge and the Law which hangs them, that there are so many Thieves. Did you ever read a word for sin in the Scripture? Or ever hear a Minister, or godly man persuade people to sin, or from it rather? (I speak not of Sectaries, who usually grow to be enemies to Scripture) Lord, what horrible impudence is in the faces of ungodly men? When a Minister hath spent himself in studying and persuading his people from sin; or when Parents have done all they can to reform their children, yet people will say, it is long of this that they are so bad. What? will reproving and correcting for sin bring them soonest to it? I dare challenge any man breathing, to name any one Ruler that ever was in the world, that was so severe against sin as Jesus Christ, or to show me any Law that ever was made in the world so severe against sin as the Laws of God! And yet must it be long of Christ and Scripture that men are evil? When he threateneth damnation against impenitent sinners, is it yet long of him? Yea, see how these wicked men contradict themselves? What is it that they hate the Scripture for, but that it is so strict and precise, and forbids them their pleasures and fleshly liberties? that is, their sins. And yet if any fall into sin, they will blame the Scripture, that forbids it. I know in these late years of licenciousness and Apostasy, many that talk much of Religion, prove guilty of grievous crimes: But then they turn away so far from Christ and Scripture. As bad as the godly are, I dare yet challenge you to show me any society under Heaven like them that most study and delight in the Scriptures: or any School like the Scholars of Christ. Because parents cannot by all their diligence get their children to be as good as they should be, shall they therefore leave them to be as bad as they will? Because they cannot get them to be perfect Saints, shall they therefore leave them to be as incarnate devils? Certainly your children untaught, will be little better.
SECT. XIII.
2. SOme will further object, and say, It is the Work of Ministers to teach both us and our children, and therefore we may be excused.
Answ. 1. It is first your duty, and then the Ministers; It will be no excuse for you, because it is their Work, except you could prove it were only theirs: Magistrates must govern both you and your children, doth it therefore follow that you must not govern them? It belongs to the Schoolmaster to correct them, and doth it not belong also to you? There must go many hands to this great Work, as to the building of a house there must be many Workmen, one to one part, and another to another; and as your corn must go through many hands before it be bread; the Reapers, the Threshers, the Millers, the Bakers, and one must not leave their part, and say it belongs to the other: so it it is here in the instructing of your children: first, you must do your work, and then the Minister must do his; you must be doing it privately night and day; the Minister must do it publicly, and privately as oft as he can.
2. But as the case now stands with the Ministers of England, they are disabled from doing that which belongs to their Office, and therefore you cannot now cast your work on them. I will instance but in two things. First, It belongs to their Office to govern the Church, and to teach with authority, and great and small are commanded to obey them, Heb. 3.7.17. &c. But now this is unknown, and Hearers look on themselves as free men, that may obey or not, at their own pleasure: A Parents teaching which is with authority, will take more, then ones that is taken to have none; People think we have authority to speak to them when they please to hear, and no more. Nay, few of the godly themselves do understand the authority that their Teachers have over them from Christ: They know how to value a Ministers gifts, but not how they are bound to learn of him and obey him, because of his Office. Not that they should obey him in evil, nor that he should be a final decider of all controversies, nor should exercise his authority in things of no moment: But as a Schoolmaster may command his Scholars when to come to School, and what Book to read, and what form to be of; and as they ought to obey him, and to learn of him, and not to set their wits against his, but to take his word, and believe him as their Teacher, till they understand as well as he, and are ready to leave his School: Just so are people bound to obey and learn of their Teachers, and to take their words, while they are learners, in that which is beyond their present capacity, till they are able to see things in their proper evidence. Now this Ministerial Authority is unknown, and so Ministers are the less capable of doing their Work, which comes to pass, first, From the pride of man's nature, especially Novices, which makes men impatient of the Reins of Guidance and Command; secondly, From the Popish error of implicit Faith; to avoid which we are driven as far into the contrary extreme: thirdly, From the usurpation of the late Prelates, who took almost all the Government from the Ministers, and thereby overthrew the very essence of the Office, by robbing it of that part which is as essential, at least, as preaching; fourthly▪ And from the modesty of Ministers, that are loath to show their Commission, and make known their Authority, lest they should be thought proud: As if a Schoolmaster should let his Scholars do what their list; or a Pilot let the Seamen run the Ship whither they will, for fear of being thought proud in exercising their authority. Secondly, But a far greater clog then this yet, doth lie upon the Ministers, which • ew take notice of; and that is, The fewness of Ministers, and the greatness of Congregations. In the Apostles times every Church had a multitude of Ministers (and so it must be again, or we shall never come near that Primitive pattern;) and then they could preach publicly, and from house to house: But now, when there is but one or two Ministers to many thousand souls, we cannot so much as know them, much less teach them one by one: It is as much as we can do to discharge the public Work. So that you see, you have little reason to cast your Work on the Ministers, but should the more help them by your diligence, in your several families, because they are already so over burdened.
SECT. XIV.
3. BUt some will say, We are poor men, and must labor for our living, and so must our children, and cannot have while to teach them the Scriptures; we have somewhat else for them to do. Answ. And are not poor men subject to God, as well as rich? and are they not Christians? and must they not give account of their ways? and have not your children souls to save or lose, as well as the rich? cannot you have while to speak to them as they are at their work? have you not time to instruct them on the Lord's day? you can find time to talk idly, as poor as you are; and you can find no time to talk of the way to Life! you can find time on the Lord's day for your children to play, or walk or talk in the streets, but no time to mind the life to come. Me thinks you should rather say to your children, I have no Lands or Lordships to leave you; nothing but hard labor and poverty in the world; you have no hope of great matters here; be sure therefore to make the Lord your portion, and to get interest in Christ, that you may be happy hereafter; if you could get riches, they would shortly leave you, but the riches of Grace and Glory will be everlasting. Me thinks, you should say as Peter, Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have, I give you. The Kingdoms of the world cannot be had by beggars, but the Kingdom of Heaven may. O what a terrible reckoning will many poor men have, when Christ shall plead his cause, and judge them! May not he say, I made the way to worldly honors unaccessible to you, that you might not look after it for yourselves, or your children; but Heaven I set open, that you might have nothing to discourage you: I confined riches and honors to a few, but my Blood and Salvation I offered to all, that none might say, I was not invited: I tendered Heaven to the poor, as well as the rich; I made no exception against the meanest beggar, that did not willfully shut out themselves: Why then did you not come yourselves, and bring your children, and teach them the way to the eternal Inheritance? Do you say you were poor? Why, I did not set Heaven to sale for money, but I called those that had nothing, to take it freely; only on condition they would take me for their Savior and Lord, and give up themselves unfeignedly to me, in obedience and love. What can you answer Christ, when he shall thus convince you? Is it not enough, that your children are poor and miserable here, but you would have them be worse for everlasting too? If your children were beggars, yet if they were such beggars as Lazarus, they may be conveyed by Angels into the presence of God. But believe it, as God will save no man, because he is a Gentleman, so will be save no man because he is a beggar. God hath so ordered it in his providence, that riches are exceeding occasions of men's damnation, and will you think poverty a sufficient excuse? The hardest point in all our work, is to be weaned from the world, and in love with heaven: and if you will not be weaned from it, that have nothing in it but labor and sorrow, you have no excuse. The poor cannot have while, and the rich will not have while, or they are ashamed to be so forward, the young think it too soon, and the old too late: and thus most men instead of being saved, have somewhat to say against their salvation: and when Christ sendeth to invite them, they say▪ I pray thee have me excused; O unworthy guests of such a blessed feast! and most worthy to be turned into the everlasting burnings.
SECT. XV.
4. BUt some will object: We have been brought up in ignorance ourselves, and therefore we are unable to teach your children. Answer. Indeed this is the very sore of the Land. But is it not pity, that men should so receive their destruction by tradition? would you have this course to go on thus still? 〈◊〉 parents did not teach you; and therefore you cannot teach your children; and therefore they cannot teach theirs; By this course the knowledge of God should be banished out of the world, and never be recovered. But if your parents did not teach you, why did not you learn when you came to age? The truth is, you had no hearts to it; for he that hath not knowledge, cannot value it or love it. But yet, though you have greatly sinned, it is not too late, if you will but follow my faithful advice in these 4. points.
1. Get your hearts deeply sensible of your own sin and misery, because of this long time which you have spent in ignorance and neglect. Bethink yourselves sometime when you are alone; Did not God make you, and sustain you for his service? should not he have had the youth and strength of your spirits? Did you live all this while at the door of Eternity? What if you had died in ignorance? Where had you been then? What a deal of time have you spent to little purpose? Your life is near done, and your work all undone. You are ready to die, before you have learned to live. Should not God have had a better share of your lives? and your souls been more sadly regarded and provided for? In the midst of these thoughts, cast down yourselves in sorrow, as at the feet of Christ, bewa •• your folly, & beg pardon, & recovering grace.
2. Then think as sadly how you have wronged your children: If an unthrift that hath sold all his lands, will lament it for his children's sake as well as his own; much more should you.
3. Next, set presently to work, and learn yourselves. If you can read, do: if you cannot, get some that can: and be much among those that will instruct and help you; be not ashamed to be seen among learners, though it be to be Catechized: but be ashamed that you had not learned soon • . God forbid you should be so mad, as to say, I am now too old to learn: Except you be too old to serve God, and be saved; how can you be too old to learn to be saved? Why not rather; I am too old to serve the Devil and the world? I have tried them too long to trust them anymore? What if your parents had not taught you any trade to live by? or what if they had never taught you to speak? would not you have set yourselves to learn when you had come to age? Remember that you have souls to care for, as well as your children: and therefore first begin with yourselves.
4. In the mean time while you are learn • ng yourselves, teach your children what do you know: and what you cannot teach them yourselves, put them on to learn it of others that can: persuade them into the company of the godly, who will be glad to instruct them. If French men, or Welsh men lived in the Town among us, that could not understand our language; would they not converse with those that do understand it? and would they not daily send their children to learn it by being in the company of those that speak it? so do you, that you may learn the heavenly language: Get among those that use it; and encourage your children to do so to: Have you no godly neighbors that will be helpful to you herein? O do not keep yourselves strange to them; but go among them and desire their help; and be thankful to them, that they will entertain you into their company. God forbid you should be like those that Christ speaks of Luke 11.52. that would neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves, nor suffer those that would to enter. God forbid you should be such cruel barbarous wretches, as to hinder your children from being godly, and to teach them to to be wicked! And yet alas, how many such are there swarming everywhere among us? If God do but touch the hearts of their children or servants, and cause them to hear and read the Word, and call upon him, and accompany with the godly, who will sooner scorn them and revile them and discourage them, then an ungodly parent? What, say they, you will now be one of the holy brethren! You will be wiser then your parents! &c. Just such as Pharaoh was to the Israelites, such are these wicked wretches to their own children, Exod. 5.3, 8, 9. When Moses said, Let us go sacrif • ce to the Lord, lest • e fall upon us with pestilence or sword, &c, Pharaoh answers▪ They are idle, therefore they say, let us go sacrifice: lay more work upon them &c. Just so do these people say to their children! You know, Pharaoh was the representer of the devil, and yet let me tell you, These ungodly parents are far worse then Pharaoh. For the children of Israel were many thousands, and were to go three days journey out of the land: but these men hinder their children from serving God at home: Pharaoh was not their father, but their King; but these men are enemies to the children of their bodies; Nay more; let me te • l you, I know none on earth that play the part of the devil himself more truly then these men. And if anything that walks in flesh may be called a devil, I think it is a parent that thus hinderech his children from salvation. I solemnly profess I do not speak one jot worse of these men, then I do think and verily believe in my soul: Nay, take it how you will, I will say, thus much more: I verily think that in this they are far worse then the devil. God is a righteous Judge, and will not make the Devil himself worse then he is: I pray you • e patient while you consider it, and then judge yourselves, They are the parents of their children, and so is not the devil: Do you think then that it is as great a fault in him to seek their destruction, as in them? Is it as great a fault for the Woolf to kill the Lambs, as for their own dams to do it? Is it so horrid a fault for an enemy in war to kill a child? Or for a bear, or a mad dog to kill it, as for the mother to dash i • b • ains against the wall? You know it is not: Do not you think then, that it is so hateful a thing in Satan to entice your children to sin and hell, and to discourage and dissuade them from holiness and from heaven, as it is in you. You are bound to love them by nature, more then Satan is. O then what people are those that will teach their children instead of holiness, to curse and swear, and rail and backbite, to be proud and revengeful, to break the Lord's day, and to despise his ways, to speak wantonly, and filthily, to scorn at holiness, and glory in sin! O when God shall ask these children, Where learned you this language and practice? and they shall say, I learned it of my father or mother; I would not be in the case of those parents for all the world! Alas, is it a work that's worth the teaching, to undo themselves forever? Or can they not without teaching learn it too easily of themselves? Do you need to teach a Serpent to sting, or a Lyon to be fierce? Do you need to sow weeds in your garden? will they not grow of themselves? To build a house requires skill and teaching: but a little may serve to set a town on fire. To heal the wounded, or the sick, requireth skill: but to make a man sick, or to kill him, requireth but little. You may sooner teach your children to swear then to pray; and to mock at godliness, then to be true godly. If these parents were sworn enemies to their children, and should study seven years how to do them the greatest mischief; they could not possibly find out a surer way, then by drawing them to sin, and withdrawing them from God.
SECT. XVI.
I Shall therefore conclude with this earnest request to all Christian parents that read these lines; that they would have compassion on the souls of their poor children, and be faithful to the great trust that God hath put on them. O Sirs, if you cannot do what you would do for them; yet do what you can. Both Church and State, Cities and Country, do groan under the neglect of this weighty duty: your children know not God nor his Laws, but take his name in vain, and slieght his worship, and you do neither instruct them nor correct them: and therefore doth God correct both them and you. You are so tender of them, that God is the le •• tender both of them and you. Wonder not if God make you smart for your children's sins: for you are guilty of all they commit, by your neglect of doing your duty to reform them, even as he that maketh a man drunk, is guilty of all the sin that he committeth in his drunkenness. Will you resolve therefore to set upon this duty, and neglect it no longer? Remember Eli ; your children are like Moses in the basket in the water, ready to perish if they have not help. As ever you would not be charged before God for murderers of their souls, and as ever you would not have them cry out against you in everlasting fire, see that you teach them how to escape it, and bring them up in holiness and the fear of God. You have heard that the God of heaven doth flatly command it you: I charge everyone of you therefore, upon your allegiance to him, and as you will very shortly answer the contrary at your peril, that you neither refuse nor neglect this most necessary work. If you are not willing now you know it to be so plain and so great a duty, you are flat Rebels, and no true subjects of Christ. If you are willing to do it, but know not how, I will add a few words of direction to help you. 1. Teach them by your own example, as well as by your words. Be yourselves such as you would have them be; practice is the most effectual teaching of children, who are addicted to imitation, especially of their parents. Lead them the way to prayer, and reading, and other duties. Be not like base Commanders, that will put on their Soldiers, but not go on themselves. Can you expect your children should be wiser or better then you? Let them not hear those words out of your mouths, nor see those practices in your lives, which you reprove in them. No man shall be saved because his children are godly, if he be ungodly himself: Who should lead the way in holiness, but the father and master of the family? It is a sad time when he must be accounted a good master or father, that will not hinder his family from serving God, but will give them leave to go to heaven without him.
I will but name the rest for your direct duty for your Family. 1. You must help to inform their understandings. 2. To store their memories. 3. To rectify their wills. 4. To quicken their affections. 5. To keep tender their consciences. 6. To restrain their tongues, and help them to skill in gracious Speech. 7. And to reform and watch over their outward conversation.
To these ends: First, Be sure to keep them, at least, so long at School, till they can read English. It is a thousand pities that a reasonable Creature should look upon a Bible, as upon a Stone, or a piece of Wood. Secondly, Get them Bibles and good Books, and see that they read them. Thirdly▪ Examine them often what they learn. Fourthly, Especially bestow the Lord's day in this work; and see that they spend it not in sports or idleness. Fifthly, Shew them the meaning of what they read and learn, Josh. 4 6, 21, 22. Psal. 78.4, 5, 6▪ & 34.11. Sixthly, Acquaint them with the godly, and keep them in good company, where they may learn good; and keep them out of that company that would teach them evil. Seventhly, Be sure to cause them to learn some Catechism, containing the chief Heads of Divinity; as those made by the Assembly of Divines, or Master Balls.
SECT. XVII.
THe Heads of Divinity which you must teach them first, are these. 1. That there is one only God, who is a Spirit, invisible, infinite, eternal, Almighty, good, merciful, true, just, holy &c. 2. That this God is one in three, Father, Son, and holy Ghost. 3. That he is the Maker, Maintainer, and Lord of all 4. That man's happiness consisteth in the enjoying of this God, and not in fleshly pleasure, profits, or honors. 5. That God made the first man upright and happy, and gave him a Law to keep, with Conditions, that if he kept it perfectly, he should live happy forever; but if he broke it, he should die. 6. That man broke this Law, and so forfeited his welfare, and became guilty of death, as to himself, and all his Posterity. 7 That Christ, the Son of God, did here interpose, and prevent the full execution, undertaking to die instead of man, and so to Redeem him: whereupon all things were delivered into his hands as the Redeemer, and he is under that relation the Lord of all. 8. That Christ hereupon did make with man a better Covenant or Law, which proclaimed pardon of sin to all that did but repent and believe & obey sincerely. 9. That he revealed this Covenant and Mercy to the world by degrees, first, in darker Promises, Prophecies, and Sacrifices; then in many Ceremonious Types, and then by more plain foretellings by the Prophet • . 10. That in the fullness of time Christ came, and took our Nature into Union with his Godhead, being conceived by the holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. 11. That while he was on earth, he lived a life of sorrows, was crowned with Thorns▪ and bore the pains that our sins deserved; at last being Crucified to death, and buried, and so satisfied the Justice of God. 12. That he also Preached himself to the Jews, and by constant Miracles did prove the truth of his Doctrine and Mediatorship, before thousands of Witnesses: That he revealed more fully his New Law or Covenant, That whosoever will believe in him, and accept him for Savior, and Lord, shall be pardoned and saved, and have a far greater glory then they lost, and they that will not, shall lie under the curse and guilt, and be condemned to the everlasting fire of hell. 13. That he rose again from the dead, having conquered death, and took fuller possession of his Dominion over all, and so ascended up into heaven, and there reigneth in glory. 14. That before his Ascension he gave charge to his Apostles, to go Preach the foresaid Gospel to all Nations and persons, and to offer Christ and Mercy, and Life, to everyone without exception, and to entreat, and persuade them to receive him; and that he gave them authority to send forth others on the same Message, and to Baptise, and to gather Churches, and confirm and order them, and to settle a course for a succe ••• on of Ministers and Ordinances to the end of the world. 15. That he also gave them power to work frequent and evident Miracles for the confirmation of their Doctrine, and the convincing of the world; and to annex their writings to the rest of the Scriptures, and so to finish and seal them up, and deliver them to the world as his infallible Word and Laws, which none must dare to alter, and which all must observe. 16. That for all this free Grace is offered to the world, yet the heart is by Nature so desperately wicked, that no man will believe and entertain Christ sincerely, except by an Almighty power he be changed and born again; and therefore doth Christ send forth his Spir • t with his Word, which secretly and effectually worketh holiness in the hearts of the Elect, drawing them to God, and the Redeemer. 17. That the means by which Christ worketh and preserveth this Grace, is the Word Read and Preached, together with frequent • ervent Prayer, Meditation, Sacraments, gracious Conference; and it is much furthered also by special Providences, keeping us from temptations, fitting Occurrences to our advantage, drawing us by Mercies, and driving us by Afflictions; and therefore it must be the great and daily care of every Christian to use faithfully all the said Ordinaces, and improve the said providences. 18. That though the new Law or Covenant be an easy yoke, and there is nothing to be grievous in Christ's Commands, yet so bad are our hearts, and so strong our temptations, and so diligent our enemies, that whosoever will be saved, he must strive, and watch, and bestow his utmost care and pains, and deny his flesh, and forsake all that would draw him from Christ, and herein continue to the end, and overcome. And because this cannot be done without continual supplies of Grace, whereof Christ is the only Fountain, therefore we must live in continual dependence on him, by Faith, and know, That our life is hid with God in him. 19. That Christ will thus by his Word and Spirit gather him a Church of all the elect out of the world, which is his body and spouse, and he their head and husband, and will be tender of the • as the apple of his eye, and preserve them from dangers; and continue among them his presence and ordinances, And that the members of this Church must live together in most entire Love and Peace, delighting themselves in God and his worship, and the fore-thoughts and mention of their everlasting happiness; forbearing and forgiving one another, and ••• ieving each other in need, as if that which they have were their brothers. And all men ought to strive to be of this society. Yet will the visible Churches be still mixed of good and bad. 20. That when the fall number of these elect are called home, Christ will come down from heaven again, and raise all the dead, and set them before him to be judged: And all that have loved God above all, and believed in Christ, and been willing that he should reign over them, and have improved their mercies in the day of grace, them he will Justify, and sentence them to inherit the Everlasting Kingdom of Glory, and those that were not such, he will condemn to Everlasting fire; Both which sentences shall be then executed accordingly.
This is the Creed, or brief sum of the doctrine which you 〈◊〉 teach your children.
SECT. XVIII.
THen for matter of practice, teach them the meaning of the Commandments, especially of the great Commands of the Gospel, show them what is commanded and forbidden▪ in the first table and in the second, toward God and men, in regard of the inward and the outward man. And here show them. 1. The Authority commanding, that is, the Almighty God, by Christ the Redeemer. They are not now to look at command, as coming from God immediately, merely as God, or the Creator, but as coming from God by Christ the Mediator, who is now the Lord of all, and only Lawgiver; seeing the father now Judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, John 5.22, 23, 24. 2. Shew them the terms on which duty is required, and the ends of it. 3. And the nature and duties, and the way to perform them aright. 4. And the right order, that they first love God above all, and then their neighbor: first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. 5. Shew them the excellencies and delights of God's service. 6. And the flat necessity. 7. Especially labor to get all their hearts, and teach them not only to speak the words.
And for sin, show them its evil and danger, and watch over them against it. Especially 1. The sins that youth is commonly addicted to. 2. And which their nature and constitution most leads them to. 3. And which the time and place do most strongly tempt to, 4. But specially be sure to kill their killing sins: those that all are prone to, and are of all most deadly; as Pride, Worldliness, Ignorance, Profaneness, and Flesh-pleasing.
And for the manner, you must do all this. 1. Betime, before sin get rooting. 2. Frequently. 3. Seasonably. 4. Seriously and diligently. 5. Affectionatly and tenderly. 6. And with authority; compelling, where commanding will not serve, and adding correction where instruction is frustrate,
And thus I have done with this Use of exhortation, to do our • tmost for the Salvation of others. The Lord give men compassionate hearts, that it may be practiced, and then I doubt not but he will succeed it to the increase of his Church.
THE SAINTS Everlasting REST.
The Fourth Part.
Containing a Directory for the getting and keeping of the Heart in Heaven: By the diligent practice of that Excellent unknown Duty of Heavenly Meditation.
Being the main thing intended by the Author, in the writing of this Book; and to which all the rest is but subservient.
Gen. 24 63.
Psal. 94.19.
Psal. 139 18.
Phil. 3.20, 21.
Matth. 6.21.
Mark 9.5.
London Printed by Rob. White, for T. Underhill, and F. Tyton, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in great Woodstreet, and at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet. 1649.
TO MY Dearly beloved friends in the Lord, The Inhabitants of the Town of SHREWSBVRY, Both Magistrates, Ministers, and People, As also Of the Neighbouring Parts. Rich. Baxter Devoteth this Practical Part of this Treatise, As a Testimony of his Love to his Native Soyl, And to his many Godly and Faithful Friends there living.
H Eartily praying the Lord and Head of the Church, to keep them in Unity, Peace, Humility, Vigilancy, and Stedfastness in the Truth; and to cause them to contribute their utmost endeavors for the setting up of able faithful Teachers, and building up the House of God, which hath so long been neglected, and which hath now so many hands employed to divide and demolish it: And that the Lord would save them in this hour of Temptation, that they may be approved in this trial, and not be found Light when God shall weigh them. And that he would acquaint them with the daily serious exercise of this most precious, spiritual, soul-exalting work of HEAVENLY MEDITATION, and that when the Lord shall come, he may find them so doing.
The Introduction.
I N the former Part, I have chiefly pressed those Duties, which must be used for the attainment of this Everlasting Rest. In this, I shall chiefly handle those, which are necessary to raise the heart to God, and to our Heavenly and comfortable life on Earth. It is a Truth too evident, which an inconsiderate Zealot reprehended in Master CULVERWELL as an Error, That many of God's Children do not enjoy that sweet Life, and blessed Estate in this World, which God their Father hath provided for them: That is, Which he offereth them in his Promises, and chargeth upon them as their duty in his Precepts, and bringeth even to their hands in all his Means and Mercies. God hath set open Heaven to us in his Word, and told every humble sincere Christian, That they shall shortly there live with himself, in inconceivable Glory; and yet where is the person that is affected with this Promise? whose heart leaps for joy, at the hearing of the news? or that is willing, in hopes of Heaven, to leave this World? But even the godly have as strange unsavory thoughts of it, as if God did but delude us, and there were no such Glory? and are almost as loath to die, as men without hope. The consideration of this strange disagreement, between our Professions and Affections, caused me to suspect, that there was some secret lurking unbelief in all our hearts; and therefore I wrote those Arguments in the second Part, for the Divine Authority of the Scripture. And because I find another cause to be the carelessness, forgetfulness, and idleness of the Soul, and not keeping in action that Faith which we have: I have here attempted the removal of that cause, by prescribing a course for the daily acting of those Graces, which must fetch in the Celestial Delights into the heart. O the Princely, joyful, blessed Life, that the godly lose through mere idleness? As the Papists have wronged the merits of Christ, by their ascribing too much to our own Works; so it is almost incredible, how much they on the other extreme, have wronged the safety and consolation of men's Souls, by telling them, that their own endeavors are only for Obedience and Gratitude, but are not so much as Conditions of their Salvation, or Means of their increased Sanctification or Consolation. And while some tell them, That they must look at nothing in themselves, for Acceptation with God, or Comfort, (and so make that Acceptance and Comfort to be equally belonging to a Christian, and a Turk:) And others tell them, That they must look at nothing in themselves, but only as signs of their good Estate: This hath caused some to expect only Enthusiastic Cons • lations; and others to spend their days in enquiring after signs of their sincerity: Had these poor Souls well understood, that God's way to persuade their wills, and to excite and actuate their Affections, is by the Discourse, Reasoning, or Consideration of their Vnderstandings, upon the Nature and Qualifications of the Objects which are presented to them: And had they bestowed but that time, in exercising holy Affections, and in serious Thoughts of the promised Happiness, which they have spent in enquiring only after Signs; I am confident, according to the ordinary Workings of God, they would have been better provided, both with Assurance, and with Joyes. How should the Heir of a Kingdom, have the comfort of his Title, but by fore-thinking on it? Its true, God must give us our Comforts by his Spirit: But how? by quickening up our souls to believe and consider of the promised Glory; and not, by comforting us we know not how, nor why; or by giving men the foretastes of Heaven, when they never think of it.
I have here prescribed thee, Reader, the delightfullest task to the Spirit, and the most ted • ous to the Flesh, that ever men on Earth were employed in. I did it first only for myself, but am loath to conceal the means that I have found so consola • ory. If thou be one that wilt not be persuaded to a course so laborious, but wilt only go on in thy task of common formal duties: thou mayest let it alone, and so be destitute of delights, except such as the World, and thy Forms can afford thee; but then do not for shame complain for want of comfort, when thou dost willfully reject it: And be not such an Hypocrite as to pray for it, while thou dost refuse to labor for it. If thou say, Thy comfort is all in Christ; I must tell thee, it is a Christ remembered and loved, and not a Christ forgotten, or only talked of, that will solidly comfort. Though the Directory for Contemplation was only intended for this Part, yet I have now premised two other Uses. The heart must be taken off from Resting on Earth, before it will be fit to converse above. The first Part of saving Religion, is the taking God only for our End and Rest.
CHAP. I. USE. VI. Reproving our Expectations of Rest on Earth.
SECT. I.
D Oth this Rest remain? How great then is our sin and folly, to seek and expect it here? Where shall we find the Christian that deserves not this Reproof? Surely we may all cry guilty to this accusation. We know not how to enjoy convenient Houses, Goods, Lands and Revenues; but we seek Rest in these enjoyments. We seldom, I fear, have such sweet and heart contenting thoughts of God, and Glory, as we have of our earthly delights. How much Rest do the voluptuous seek, in Buildings Walks, Apparel, Ease, Recreations, Sleep, pleasing Meats and Drinks, merry Company, Health and Strength, and long Life? Nay, we can scarce enjoy the necessary Means that God hath appointed for our Spiritual good, but we are seeking Rest in them. Do we want Minister, Godly Society, or the like helps? O, think we, if it were but thus and thus with us, we were well. Do we enjoy them? O, how we settle upon them, and bless ourselves in them, as the rich fool in his wealth? Our Books, our Preachers, Sermons, Friends, Abilities for Duty? do not our hearts hug them, and quiet themselves in them, even more then in God? Indeed, in words we disclaim it, and God hath usually the preeminence in our tongues, and professions; but its too apparent, that its otherwise in our hearts, by these Discoveries. First, Do we not desire these more violently, when we want them, then we do the Lord himself? Do we not cry out more sensibly, O, my Friend, my Goods, my Health! then, O my God! Do we not miss Ministry, and Means more passionately, then we miss our God? Do we not bestir ourselves more to obtain and enjoy these, then we do to recover our communion with God? Secondly, Do we not delight more in the Possession of these, then we do in the fruition of God himself? Nay, be not those mercies and duties, most pleasant to us, wherein we stand at greatest distance from God? We can read, and study, and confer, preach and hear, day after day, without much weariness, because in these we have to do with Instruments and Creatures; but in secret Prayer, and conversing with God immediately, where no Creature interposeth; how dull? how heartless and weary are we? Thirdly, And if we lose Creatures or Means, doth it not trouble us more then our loss of God? If we lose but a friend, or health, &c. all the Town will hear of it; but we can miss our God, and scarce bemoan our misery. Thus its apparent, we exceedingly make the Creature our Rest. Is it not enough, that they are sweet delights, and refreshing helps in our way to Heaven; but they must also be made our Heaven itself? Christian Reader, I would as willingly make thee sensible of this sin, as of any sin in the world, if I could tell how to do it: For the Lord's greatest quarrel with us, is in this point. Therefore I most earnestly beseech thee, to press upon thine own Conscience, these following Considerations.
SECT. II.
1. IT is gross Idolatry to make any Creature or Means, our Rest. To • ettle the Soul upon it, and say, Now I am well, upon the bare enjoyment of the Creature; what is this, but to make it our god? Certainly, to be the Souls Rest, is God's own Prerogative. And as it is palpable Idolatry to place our Rest in Riches and Honors; so it is but a more spiritual and refined Idolatry, to take up our Rest in excellent Means, in the Churches prosperity, and in its Reformation. When we would have all that out of God, which is to be had only in God; what is this but to turn away from him to the Creature, and in our hearts to deny him? when we fetch more of our comfort, and delight from the thoughts of prosperity, and those mercies which here we have at a distance from God, then from the fore-thoughts of our everlasting Blessedness in him. Nay, when the thoughts of that day, when we must come to God, is our greatest trouble, and we would do anything in the world to escape it; but our enjoyment of Creatures, though absent from him, is the very thing our souls desire. When we had rather talk of him, then come to enjoy him; and had rather go many miles to hear a powerful Sermon of Christ and Heaven, then to enter and possess it. O, what vile Idolatry is this? when we dispute against Epicures, Academics, and all Pagans, how earnestly do we contend; That God is the chief Good, and the fruition of him our chief Happiness? what clear Arguments do we bring to evince it? but do we believe ourselves? or are we Christians in judgment, and Pagans in affection? or do we give our senses leave to be the choosers of our Happiness, while Reason and Faith stand by? O Christians, how ill must our dear Lord needs take it, when we give him cause to complain, as sometime he did of our fellow Idolaters. Jer. 50.6. That we have been lost sheep, and have forgotten our Resting place. When we give him cause to say, Why my people can find rest in anything, rather then in me! They can find delight in one another, but none in me; they can rejoice in my Creatures and Ordinances, but not in me: yea, in their very labors and duty, they seek for rest, and not in me; they had rather be anywhere, then be with me: Are these their gods? have these delivered, and redeemed them? will these be better to them, then I have been, or then I would be? If yourselves have but a wife, a husband, a son, that had rather be anywhere, then in your company, and is never so merry, as when furthest from you, would you not take it ill yourselves? Why so must our God needs do. For what do we but lay these things in one end of the balance, and God in the other, and foolishly in our choice, prefer them before him? As Elkanah said to Hannah, Am not I better to thee, then ten sons? So when we are longing after Creatures, we may hear God say, Am not I better then all the Creatures to thee?
SECT. III.
2. COnsider how thou contradictest the end of God, in giving these things. He gave them to help thee to him, and dost thou take up with them in his stead? He gave them that they might be comfortable refreshments in thy journey; and wouldst thou now dwell in thy Inn, and go no further? Thou dost not only contradict God herein, but losest that benefit which thou mightest receive by them, yea, and makest them thy great hurt and hindrance. Surely, it may be said of all our Comforts and all Ordinances, and the blessedst enjoyments in the Church on Earth, as God said to the Israelites of his Ark, Numb. 10.33. The Ark of the Covenant went before them, to search out for them a Resting place. So do all God's mercies here. They are not that Rest (as John professeth he was not the Christ) but they are voices crying in this Wilderness, to bid us prepare; for the Kingdom of God, our true Rest, is at hand. Therefore to Rest here, were to turn all Mercies clean contrary to their own ends, and our own advantages, and to destroy ourselves with that which should help us.
SECT. IV.
3. COnsider whether it be not the most probable way to cause God; either, first, to deny these Mercies which we desire; or secondly, to take from us those which we do enjoy; or thirdly, to embitter them at least, or curse them to us. Certainly, God is nowhere so jealous as here: If you had a servant, whom your own wife loved better then she did yourself, would you not both take it ill of such a wife, and rid your house of such a servant? You will not suffer your child to use a knife, till he have wit to do it without hurting him. Why so, if the Lord see you begin to settle in the world, and say, Here I will rest; no wonder if he soon in his jealously unsettle you. If he love you, no wonder if he take that from you, wherewith he sees you about to destroy yourselves. It hath been my long observation of many, That when they have attempted great works, and have just finished them, or have aimed at great things in the world, and have just obtained them, or have lived in much trouble and unsettlement, and have just overcome them, and begin with some content to look upon their condition, and rest in it; they are usually near to death or ruin. You know the story of the fool in the Gospel: When a man is once at this language, Soul take thy ease, or rest; the next news usually is, Thou fool, this night, or this month, or this year, shall they require thy soul, and then whose shall these things be? O, what house is there, where this fool dwelleth not? Dear Christian friends, you to whom I have especially relation, Let you and I consider, whether this be not our own case. Have not I after such an unsettled life, and after almost five years living in the weary condition of war, and the unpleasing life of a Soldier, and after so many years groaning under the Churches unreformedness, and the great fears that lay upon us, and after so many longings, and prayers for these days: Have I not thought of them with too much content? and been ready to say, Soul take thy rest? Have not I comforted myself more, in the fore-thoughts of enjoying these, then of coming to Heaven, and enjoying God? What wonder then, if God cut me off, when I am just sitting down in this supposed Rest? and hath not the like been your condition? Many of you have been Soldiers, driven from house and home, endured a life of trouble and blood, been deprived of Ministry and Means, longing to see the Churches settling: Did you not reckon up all the Comforts you should have at your return? and glad your hearts with such thoughts, more then with the thoughts of your coming to Heaven? Why what wonder if God now somewhat cross you, and turn some of your joy into sadness? Many a servant of God hath been destroyed from the Earth, by being overvalued and overloved. I pray God you may take warning for the time to come, that you rob not yourselves of all your mercies. I am persuaded, our discontents, and murmurings with an unpleasing condition, and our covetous desires after more, are not so provoking to God, nor so destructive to the sinner, as our too sweet enjoying, and Rest of Spirit in a pleasing State. If God have crossed any of you, in Wife, Children, Goods, Friends, &c. either by taking them from you, or the comfort of them, or the benefit and blessing, Try whether this above all other, be not the cause; for wheresoever your desires stop, and you say, Now I am well; that condition you make your god, and engage the jealousy of God against it. Whether you be friends to God, or enemies, you can never expect that God should wink at such Idolatry, or suffer you quietlie to enjoy your Idols.
SECT. V.
4. COnsider, if God should suffer thee thus to take up thy Rest here, it were one of the forest plagues, and greatest curses that could possibly befall thee: It were better for thee, if thou never hadst a day of ease, or content in the world; for then weariness might make thee seek after the true Rest: But if he should suffer thee to sit down and rest here, where were thy rest when this deceives thee? A restless wretch thou wouldst be through all eternity. To have their portion in this life, and their good things on the Earth, is the lot of the most miserable perishing sinners. And doth it become Christians then to expect so much here? Our Rest is our Heaven; and where we take our Rest, there we make our Heaven: And wouldst thou have but such a Heaven as this? Certainly, as Saul's Messengers found but Michols man of Straw, when they expected David: So wilt thou find but • Rest of Straw, of Wind, of Vanity, when thou most needest Rest. It will be but as a handful of water to a man that's drowning, which will help to destroy, but not to save him. But that is the next.
SECT. VI.
5. COnsider, thou seekest Rest where it is not to be found; and so wilt lose all thy labor; and (if thou proceed) thy souls eternal Rest too. I think I shall easily evince this, by these clear demonstrations following.
First, Our Rest is only in the full obtaining of our ultimate end: But that is not to be expected in this life; therefore, neither is rest to be here expected. Is God to be enjoyed in the best Reformed Church, in the purest and powerfullest Ordinances here, as he is in Heaven? I know you will all confess, he is not: How little of God (not only the multitude of the blind world, but sometimes) the Saints themselves do enjoy, even under the most excellent Means; let their own frequent complainings testify. And how poor comforters are the best Ordinances and Enjoyments, without God, the truly Spiritual Christian knows. Will a stone rest in the Air in the midst of its fall, before it comes to the Earth? No, because its center is its end. Should a Traveler take up his rest in the way? No, because his home is his journeys end. When you have all that Creatures and Means can afford, have you that you sought for? Have you that you believed, pray, suffer for? I think you dare not say so. Why then do we once dream of resting here? We are like little Children strayed from home; and God is now fetching us home; and we are ready to turn into any house, stay, and play with everything in our way, and sit down on every green bank; and much ado there is to get us home.
Secondly, As we have not yet obtained our end, so are we in the midst of labors and dangers; and is there any resting here? What painful work doth lie upon our hands? Look to our Brethren, to godly, to ungodly, to the Church, to our souls, to God; and what a deal of work in respect of each of these, doth lie before us? and can we rest in the midst of all our labors? Indeed, we may take some refreshing, and ease ourselves sometimes in our troubles; if you will call that Rest: But thats not the settling Rest we now are speaking of; we may rest on Earth, as the Ark is said to have rested in the midst of Jordan, Josh. 3.13. A short and small Rest, no question; or as the Angels of Heaven are desired to turn in, and rest them on Earth, Gen. 18.4. They would have been loath to have taken up their dwelling there. Should Israel have settled his Rest in the Wilderness, among Serpents, and enemies, and weariness, and famine? Should Noah have made the Ark his home, and have been loath to come forth when the waters were fallen? Should the Mariner choose his dwelling on the Sea? and settle his rest in the midst of Rocks and Sands, and raging Tempests? though he may adventure through all these, for a Commodity of worth; yet I think he takes it not for his rest. Should a Soldier rest in the midst of fight? when he is in the very thickest of his enemies? and the instruments of death compass him about? I think he cares not how soon the battle is over: And though he may adventure upon war for the obtaining of peace, yet I hope he is not so mad, as to take that instead of Peace. And are not Christians such Travelers, such Mariners, such Soldiers? Have we not fears within, and troubles without? are we not in the thickest of continual dangers? we cannot eat, drink, sleep, labor, pray, hear, confer, &c. but in the midst of snares and perils? and shall we sit down and rest here? O Christian, follow thy work, look to thy dangers, hold on to the end, win the field, and come off the ground, before thou think of a settling rest. I read indeed that Peter on the mount, when he had seen a glimpse of Glory, said, Its good for us to be here. But sure when he was on the Sea, in the midst of waves, he doth not then say, Its good to be here▪ No, then he hath other language, Save Master, we perish. And even his desires to rest on the Mount, are noted in Scripture to come from hence, He knew not what he said: It was on Earth, though with Christ in his transfiguration. And I dare say the like of thee, when ever thou talkest of resting on Earth, Thou knowest not what thou sayest. I read that Christ when he was on the Cross, comforted the converted thief with this, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: But if he had only comforted him with telling him, That he should rest there on that Cross, would he not have taken it for a derision? Me thinks it should be ill resting in the midst of sicknesses and pains, persecution and distresses: One would think it should be no contentful dwelling for Lambs among Wolves. The wicked have some slender pretence for their sin in this kind; they are among their friends, in the midst of their portion, enjoying all the Happiness that they are like to enjoy: But is it so with the godly? Surely, the world is at best, but a stepmother to them; nay, an open enemy. But if nothing else would convince us; yet sure the remainders of sin which doth so easily beset us, should quickly satisfy a believer, That here is not his rest. What, a Christian, and Rest in a state of sinning? it cannot be: Or do they hope for a perfect freedom here? that's impossible. I say therefore to everyone that thinketh of rest on Earth, as Micah, chapter 2. verse 10. Arise ye, depart, this is not your Rest▪ because it is polluted.
Thirdly, The nature of all these things may convince you, That they cannot be a Christians true rest. They are too poor to make us such; and too low to raise us to happiness; and too empty to fill our souls; and too base to make us blessed; and of too short continuance, to be our eternal contents. They cannot subsist themselves, without support from Heaven; how then can they give subsistence to our souls? Sure if prosperity, or whatsoever we can here desire, be too base to make us gods of, then are they too base to be our rest.
Fourthly, That which is the Souls true rest, must be sufficient to afford it perpetual satisfaction: But all things below do delight us only with fresh variety. The content which any Creature affordeth, doth wax old and abate after a short enjoyment: We pine away for them, as Amnon for his sister; and when we have satisfied our desire, we are weary of them, and loath them. If God should rain down Angels food, after a while our souls would loath that dry Manna. The most dainty fare, the most costly clothing would not please us, were we tied to them alone. The most sumptuous house, the softest bed, were we confined to them, would be but a prison. One recreation pleaseth not long; we must have supply of new, or our delights will languish, nay, our delight in our society and friendship, especially if carnal, is strongest while fresh. And in the Ordinances of God themselves, (so far as we delight in them for themselves and not for God) if novelty support not, our delight grows dull. If we hear still the same Minister; or if in Preaching and Praying, he use oft the same expressions; or if he Preach oft the same Sermon? how dull grows our devotion, though the matter be never so good, and at first did never so highly please us? If we read the most excellent and pleasing Books, the third or fourth reading is usually more heartless, then the first or second▪ Nay, in our general way of Christianity, our first godly acquaintance, our first Preachers, our first Books, our first Duties, have too commonly our strongest affections. All Creatures are to us, as the flowers to the Be. There is but little of that matter which affords them honey on any flower; and therefore they must have supply of fresh variety, and take of each a superficial taste, and so to the next yea, some having gone through variety of States, and • asted of the pleasures of their own Country, do travel for fresh variety abroad; and when they come home, they usually betake themselves to some solitary corner, and sit down, and cry with Solomon, Vanity and Vexation ▪ And with David, I have seen an end of all perfection: And can this be a place of Rest for the soul?
Fifthly, Those that know the creature least, do affect it most; the more its known▪ the less • t satisfieth: Those only are taken with it, who can see no further then its outward beauty, not beholding its inward vanity; Its like a comely Picture, if you stand too near it, it appears less beautiful; we are prone to over-admire the persons of men, places of Honor, and other men's happy condition, but it is only while we do but half know them▪ stay but a while till we know them thoroughly, and have discovered the evil as well as the good, and the defects, as well as the perfections, and then do we cease our admiration.
SECT. VII.
6. TO have creatures and means without God, who is their end, is so far from being our happiness, that its an aggravation of our misery▪ even as to have food without strength▪ and starve in the midst of plenty, and as Pharaoh's Kine, to devour all, and be fear still▪ What the better were you, if you had the best Minister on Earth▪ the best Society, the purest Church, and therewithal the most plentiful Estate, but nothing of God? If God should say, Take my Creatures, my Word, my Servants, my Ordinances, but not my Self; would you take this for a happiness? If you had the Word of God, and not the Word which is God▪ Or the Bread of the Lord, and not the Lord, which is the true Bread? or could cry with the Jews, The Temple of the Lord, and had not the Lord of the Temple? This were a poor happiness. Was Capernaum the more happy, or the more miserable, for seeing the mighty works which they had seen, and hearing the words of Christ which they did hear? Surely, that which aggravates our sin and misery, cannot be our Rest.
7. If all this be nothing, do but consult with Experience, both other men's and your own, too many thousands and millions have made trial, but did ever one of these find a sufficient Rest for his soul on this earth? Delights I deny not but they have found, and imperfect temporary content, but Rest and Satisfaction they never found: And shall we think to find that which never man could find before us? Ahab's Kingdom is nothing to him, except he had also Naboaths Vineyard; and did that satisfy him, think you, when he obtained it? If we had conquered to ourselves the whole world, we should perhaps do as Alexander is Fabled to have done, Sit down and weep because there is never another world to Conquer. If I should send you forth as Noah's Dove, to go through the earth, to look for a Resting place, you would return with a confession, that you can find none: Go ask Honor, Is there Rest here? Why, you may as well rest on the top of the tempestuous Mountains, or in Etnaes flames, or on the Pinnacle of the Temple. If you ask Riches, Is there Rest here? Even such as is in a bed of Thorns; or were it a bed of Down, yet must you arise in the morning, and leave it to the next Guest that shall succeed you: Or if you inquire of worldly Pleasure and ease, can they give you any tidings of true Rest? Even such as the fish or bird hath in the Net, or in swallowing down the deceitful bait; when the pleasure is at the sweetest, death is the nearest: It is just such a content and happiness, as the exhilarating vapors of the wind do give to a man that is drunk; it causeth a merry and cheerful heart, it makes him forget his wants and miseries, and conceive himself the happiest man in the world, till his sick vomitings have freed him of his disease, or sleep have asswaged and subdued those vapors which deluded his fantasie, and perverted his Understanding, and then he awakes a more unhappy man then ever he was before. Such is the Rest and Happiness that all worldly pleasures doth afford. As the Fantasy may be delighted in a pleasant dream, when all the senses are captivated by sleep; so may the flesh or sensitive appetite, when the reasonable soul is captivated by security, but when the morning comes, the delusion vanisheth; and where is the pleasure and happiness then? Or if you should go to Learning, to purest, plentifullest, powerfullest Ordinances, or compass sea and land to find out the perfectest Church, and holiest Saints, and inquire whether there your soul may rest: You might haply receive from these indeed an Olive-branch of Hope, as they are means to your Rest, and have relation to eternity; but in regard of any satisfaction in themselves, you would remain as restless as ever before. O how well might all these answer many of us, with that indignation, as Jacob did Rachel, Am I instead of God? Or as the King of Israel said of the Messengers of the King of Assyria, when he required him to restore Naaman to health, Am I God, to kill, and to make alive, that this man sends to me to recover a man of his Leprosy? So may the highest perfections on earth say, Are we God, or instead of God, that this man comes to us to give a soul Rest? Go take a view of all estates of men in the world, and see whether any of them have found this Rest. Go to the Husbandman, and demand of him, behold his circular endless labors, his continual care and toil, and weariness, and you will easily see, that there is no Rest; Go to the Tradesman, and you shall find the like: If I should send you lower, you would judge your labor lost: Or go to the conscionable painful Minister, and there you will yet more easily be satisfied, for though his spending, killing, endless labors are exceeding sweet, yet is it not because they are his Rest, but in reference to his people's, and his own eternal Rest, at which he aims, and to which they may conduce. If you should ascend to Magistracy, and inquire at the Throne, you would find there's no condition so restless, and your hearts would even pity poor Princes and Kings. Doubtless, neither Court, nor Country, Towns, or Cities, Shops, or Fields, Treasuries, Libraries, Soli • a • iness, Society, Studies, or Pulpits can afford any such thing as this Rest: If you could inquire of the dead of all Generations; or if you could ask the living through all Dominions, they would all tell you, here's no Rest; and all Mankind may say, All our days are sorrow, and our labor is grief, and our hearts take not rest, Eccles. 2.23. Go to Geneva, go to New England, find out the Church which you think most hapyy, and we may say of it, as lamenting Jeremy of the Church of the Jews, Lam. 1.3. She dwelleth among the Heathen, she findeth no rest, all her Persecutors overtake her. The holiest Prophet, the blessedst Apostle would say▪ as one of the most blessed did, 2 Cor. 7.5. Our flesh had no rest, without were fightings, within were fears : If neither Christ nor his Apostles, to whom was given the earth and the fullness thereof, had rest here, why should we expect it?
Or if other men's experiences move you not, do but take a view of your own: Can you remember the estate than did fully satisfy you? Or if you could, will it prove a lasting state? For my own part, I have run through seve • all places and states of life, and though I never had the necessities which might occasion discontent, yet did I never find a settlement for my soul; and I believe we may all say of our Rest, as Paul of our Hopes, If it were in this life only, we were of all men most miserable. Or if you will not credit your past experience, you may try in your present or future wants: when Conscience is wounded, God offended, your bodies weakened, your friends afflicted, see if these can yield you Rest. If then either Scripture, or Reason, or the Experience of yourselves and all the world will satisfy us, we may see there is no resting here. And yet how guilty are the generality of Professors of this sin! How many halts and stops do we make, before we will make the Lord our Rest! How must God even drive us, and fire us out of every condition, lest we should sit down and Rest there! If he give us Prosperity, Riches, or Honor, we do in our hearts dance before them, as the Israelites before their Calf, and say, These are thy God's, and conclude it is good being here. If he embitter all these to us by Crosses, how do we strive to have the Cross removed, and the bitterness taken away, and are restless till our condition be sweetened to us, that we may sit down again, and rest where we were? If the Lord, seeing our perverseness, shall now proceed in the cure, and take the creature quite away, then how do we labor, and care, and cry, and pray, that God would restore it, that if it may be, we may make it our Rest again? And while we are deprived of its actual enjoyment, and have not our former Idol to delight in, yet rather then come to God, we delight ourselves in our hopes of recovering our former state, and as long as there is the least likelihood of obtaining it, we make those very hopes our Rest: if the poor by laboring all their days, have but hopes of a fuller estate when they are old (though a hundred to one they die before they have obtained i • , or certainly at least immediately after) yet do they labor with patience, and rest themselves on these Expectations. Or if God do take away both present enjoyments, and all hopes of ever recovering them, how do we search about, from creature to creature, to find out something to supply the room, and to settle upon instead thereof? Yea, if we can find no supply, but are sure we shall live in poverty, in sickness, in disgrace, while we are on earth, yet will we rather settle in this misery, and make a Rest of a wretched Being, then we will leave all and come to God. A man would think, that a multitude of poor people, who beg their bread, or can scarce with their hardest labor have sustenance for their lives, should easily be driven from Resting here, and willingly look to heaven for Rest; and the sick who have not a day of ease, nor any hope of recovery le • t them: But O the cursed averseness of these souls from God▪ We will rather account our misery our happiness, yea that which we daily groan under as intolerable, then we will take up our happiness in God. If any place in hell were tolerable, the soul would rather take up its Rest there, then come to God. Yea when he is bringing us over to him, and hath convinced us of the worth of his ways and service, the last deceit of all is here; we will rather settle upon those ways that lead to him, and those ordinances which speak of him, and those gifts which flow from him, then we will come clean over to himself. Christian, marvel not that I speak so much of Resting in these: Beware least it should prove thy own case; I suppose thou art so far convinced of the vanity of Riches, and Honor, and carnal pleasure, that thou canst more easily disclaim these (and its well if it be so) but for thy more spiritual mercies in thy way of profession, thou lookest on these with less suspicion, and thinkest they are so near to God, that thou canst not delight in them too much, especially seeing most of the world despise them▪ or delight in them too little. But do not the increase of these mercies dull thy longings after heaven? If all were according to thy desire in the Church, wouldst thou not sit down and say, I am well; Soul, take thy Rest, and think it a judgment to be removed to heaven? Surely if thy delight in these excel not thy delight in God, or if thou wouldst gladly leave the most happy condition on earth, to be with God, then art thou a rare man, a Christian indeed. Many a one of us were more willing to go to heaven in the former days of persecution, when we had no hopes of seeing the Church reformed, and the Kingdom delivered: But now we are in hopes to have all things almost as we desire, the case is altered, and we begin to look at heaven as strangely and sadly, as if it would be to our loss to be removed to it. Is this the right use of Reformation? Or is this the way to have it continued or perfected? should our deliverances draw our hearts from God? O, how much better were it, in every trouble▪ to fetch our chief arguments of comfort, from the place where our chiefest Rest remains; and when others comfort the poor with hopes of wealth, or the sick with hopes of health and life, let us comfort ourselves with the hopes of heaven. So far rejoice in the creature, as it comes from God, or leads to him, or brings thee some report of his love; So far let thy soul take comfort in ordinances, as God doth accompany them with quickening or comfort, or gives in himself unto thy soul by them. Still remembering, when thou hast even what thou dost desire, yet this is not Heaven; yet these are but the first fruits. Is it not enough that God alloweth us all the comforts of travellers, and accordingly to rejoice in all his mercies, but we must set up our staff, as if we were at home? While we are present in the body, we are absent from the Lord; and while we absent from him, we are absent from our Rest. If God were as willing to be absent from us, as we from him, and if he were as loath to be our Rest, as we are loath to Rest in him, we should be left to an Eternal Restless separation. In a word, as you are sensible of the sinfulness of your earthly discontents, so be you also of your irregular contents, and pray God to pardon them much more. And above all the plagues and judgments of God on this side hell, see that you watch and pray against this [ Of settling anywhere short of Heaven, or reposing your souls to Rest on anything below God. ] Or else, when the bough which you tread on breaks, and the things which you Rest upon deceive you, you will perceive your labor all lost, and your sweetest contents to be preparatives to your w • , and your highest hopes will make you ashamed. Try, if you can persuade Satan to lea • e tempting, and the world to cease both troubling and seducing, and sin to cease inhabiting and acting, if you can bring the Glory of God from above, or remove the Court from Heaven to earth, and secure the continuance of this through Eternity▪ then settle yourselves below, and say, Soul take thy rest here: But till then admit not such a thought.
CHAP. II. USE. VII. Reproving our unwillingness to Dye.
SECT. I.
I S there a Rest remaining for the people of God? Why are we then so loath to die, and to depart from hence that we may possess this Rest? If I may judge of others hearts by my own, we are exceeding guilty in this point. We linger, as Lot in Sodom, till God being merciful to us, doth pluck us away against our wills. How rare is it to meet with a Christian, though of strongest parts and longest profession, that can die with an unfeigned willingness! Especially if worldly calamity constrain them not to be willing! Indeed, we sometime set a good face on it, and pretend a willingness when we see there is no remedy; and that our unwillingness is only a disgrace to us, but will not help to prolong our lives: But if God had enacted such a law for the continuance of our lives on earth, as is enacted for the continuance of the Parliament, that we should not be dissolved till our own pleasure; and that no man should die till he were truly willing; I fear Heaven might be empty for the most of us, and if our worldly prosperity did not fade, our lives on earth would be very long, if not eternal. We pretend desires of being better pre • a • e • and of doing God some greater service, and to that end we beg on year more, and another, and another, but still our promised preparation and service is as far to seek as ever before, and we remain as unwilling to die, as we were when we begged our first R • p •• vall. If God were not more willing of our company, then we are of his, how long should we remain thus distant from him? And as we had never been sanctified if God had stayed till we were willing; so if he should refer it wholly to ourselves, it would at least be long before we should be glorified. I confess that Death of itself is not desirable; but the souls Rest with God is, to which death is the common passage. And because we are apt to make light of this sin, and to plead our common nature for to patronize it; let me here set before you its aggravations, and also propound some further considerations which may be useful to you and myself against it.
SECT. II.
ANd first consider, What a deal of gross infidelity doth lurk in the bowels of this sin? Either paganish unbelief of the truth of that eternal blessedness, and of the truth of the Scripture which doth promise it to us; or at least a doubting of our own interest, or most usually somewhat of both these. And though Christians are usually most sensible of the latter, and therefore complain most against it; yet I am apt to suspect the former to be the main radical master sin, and of greatest force in this business. O, if we did but verily believe, that the promise of this glory is the word of God, and that God doth truly mean as he speaks, and is fully resolved to make it good; if we did verily believe, that there is indeed such blessedness prepared for believers▪ as the Scripture mentioneth; sure we should be as impatient of living, as we are now fearful of dying and should think every day a year till our last day should come: We should as hardly refrain from laying violent hands on our selves, or from the neglecting of the means of our health and life, as we do now from overmuch carefulness and seeking of life by unlawful means. If the eloquent oration of a Philosopher concerning the souls immortality and the life to come could make his affected hearer, presently to cast himself head long from the rock, as impatient of any longer delay; what would a serious Christians belief do, if God's Law against self murder did not restrain? Is it possible that we can truly believe, that death will remove us from misery to such glory, and yet be loath to die? If it were the doubts of our own interest, which did fear us; yet a true belief of the certainty and excellency of this Rest, would make us restless till our interest be cleared. If a man that is desperately sick today, did believe he should arise sound the next morning; or a man today in despicable poverty, had assurance that he should tomorrow arise a prince; would they be afraid to go to bed? Or rather think it the longest day of their lives, till that desired night and morning come? The truth is, though there is much faith and Christianity in our mouths, yet there is much infidelity and paganism in our hearts, which is the main cause, that we are so loath to die.
SECT. III
3. ANd as the weakness of our Faith, so also the coldness of our Love is exceedingly discovered by our unwillingness to die. Love doth desire the nearest conjunction, the fullest fruition, and closest communion; Where these desires are absent, there is only a naked pretence of Love: He that ever felt such a thing as Love working in his breast, hath also felt these desires attending it. If we love our friend, we love his company: his presence is comfortable; his absence is troublesome: when he goes from us, we desire his return: when he comes to us, we entertain him with welcome, and gladness: when he dies, we mourn, and usually over-mourn: to be separated from a faithful friend, is to us as the renting of a member from our bodies; And would not our desires after God be such, if we really loved him? Nay should it not be much more then such, as he is above all friends most lovely? The Lord teach us to look closely to our hearts, and take heed of self-deceit in this point: For certainly what ever we pretend or conceit, if we love either Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Child, Friend, Wealth, or life more then Christ, we are yet none of his sincere Disciples. When it comes to the trial, the question will not be, Who hath preached most, or heard most, or talked most? but who hath loved most? when our account is given in, Christ will not take Sermons, Prayers, Fastings, no, nor the giving of our goods, nor the burning of our bodies instead of love, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13. & 16.22. Ephes. 6.24. And do we love him, and yet care not how long we are from him? If I be deprived of my bosom friend, me thinks I am as a man in a wilderness, solitary, and disconsolate: And is my absence from God, no part of my trouble? and yet can I take him for my chiefest friend? If I delight but in some Garden, or Walk, or Gallery, I would be much in it: If I love my Books, I am much with them, and almost unweariedly pouring on them. The food which I love▪ I would often feed on; the clothes that I love, I would often wear; the recreations which I love, I would often use them; the business which I love, I would be much employed in: And can I love God, and that above all these; and yet have no desires to be with him? Is it not a far likelier sign of hatred then of love; when the thoughts of our appearing before God, are our most grievous thoughts; and when we take ourselves as undone, because we must die and come unto him? Surely, I should scarce take him for an unfeigned friend, who were as well contented to be absent from me, as we ordinarily are to be absent from God. Was it such a joy to Jacob to see the face of Joseph in Egypt? and shall we so dread the sight of Christ in glory? and yet say we love him? I dare not conclude, that we have no love at all, when we are so loath to die. But I dare say, were our love more, we should die more willingly. Yea, I dare say, Did we love God, but as strongly, as a worldling loves his wealth, or an ambitious man his honor, or a voluptuous man his pleasure; yea, as a drunkard loves his swinish delight, or an unclean person his brutish lust: We should not then be so exceeding loath to leave the world, and go to God. O, if this holy flame of love were thoroughly kindled in our breasts, instead of our pressing fears, our dolorous complaints, and earnest prayers against death, we should join in David's Wilderness-lamentations, Psal. 42.1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? The truth is, As our knowledge of God, is exceeding dark, and our faith in him, exceeding feeble; so is our love to him but little, and therefore are our desires after him so dull.
SECT. IV.
3. IT appears we are little weary of sinning, when we are so unwilling to be freed by dying. Did we take sin for the greatest evil, we should not be willing of its company so long; did we look on sin as our cruellest enemy, and on a sinful life, as the most miserable life; sure we should then be more willing of a change. But O, how far are our hearts from our doctrinal profession, in this point also! We preach and write, and talk against sin and call it all that naught is; and when we are called to leave it, we are loath to depart: We brand it with the most odious names that we can imagine, (and all far short of expressing its vileness;) but when the approach of death puts us to the trial, we choose a continuance with these abominations, before the presence and fruition of God. But as Nemon smote his Soldier for railing against Alexander his enemy, saying, I hired thee to fight against him, and not to rail against him: So may God smite us also, when he shall hear our tongues reviling that sin, which we resist so slothfully, and part with so unwillingly. Christians, seeing we are conscious that our hearts deserve a smiting for this, let us join together, to chide and smite our own hearts, before God do judge and smite them. O foolish sinful heart! Hast thou been so long a sink of sin, a cage of all unclean lusts, a fountain incessantly streaming forth the bitter and deadly waters of transgression? and art thou not yet aweary? Wretched Soul! hast thou been so long wounded in all thy faculties? so grievously languishing in all thy performances? so fruitful a soil for all iniquities? and art thou not yet more weary? Hast thou not yet transgressed long enough? nor long enough provoked thy Lord? nor long enough abused love? wouldst thou yet grieve the Spirit more? and sin against thy Savior's blood? and more increase thine own wounds? and still lie under thy grievous imperfections? Hath thy sin proved so profit able a commodity? so necessary a companion? such a delightful employment? that thou dost so much dread the parting day? Hath thy Lord deserved this at thy hands? that thou shouldst choose to continue in the Suburbs of • ell, rather then live with him in light? and rather stay and drudg in sin, and abide with his and thy own professed enemy, then come away and dwell with God? May not God justly grant thee thy wishes, and seal thee a lease of thy desired distance, and nail thy ear to these doors of misery, and exclude thee eternally from his glory? Foolish sinner! who hath wronged thee? God, or sin? who hath wounded thee, and caused thy groans? who hath made thy life so woeful? and caused thee to spend thy days in dolor? is it Christ, or is it thy corruption? and art thou yet so loath to think of parting? shall God be willing to dwell with man? and the Spirit to abide in thy peevish heart? and that where sin doth straiten his room, and a cursed inmate inhabit with him, which is ever quarrelling and contriving against him? and shall man be loath to come to God, where is nothing but perfect Blessedness and Glory? Is not this to judge ourselves unworthy of everlasting Life? If they in Acts 13.46. who put the Gospel from them, did judge themselves unworthy; do not we who fly from life and glory?
SECT. V.
4. IT shows that we are insensible of the vanity of the Creature, and of the vexation accompanying our residence here, when we are so loath to hear, or think of a removal. What ever we say against the world, or how grievous soever our complaints may seem; we either believe not, or feel not what we say, or else we should be answerably affected to it. We call the world our enemy, and cry out of the oppression of our Task-masters, and groan under our sore bondage; but either we speak not as we think, or else we imagine some singular happiness, to consist in the possession of worldly things; for which, all this should be endured. Is any man loath to leave his prison? or to remove his dwelling from cruel enemies? or to scape the hands of murderous robbers? Do we take the world indeed for our prison? our cruel, spoiling▪ murderous foe? and yet are we loath to leave it? Do we take this flesh for the clog of our spirits? and a veil thats drawn betwixt us and God ? and a continual in dwelling traitor to our souls? and yet are we loath to lay it down? Indeed Peter was smitten by the Angel, before he arose and left his prison; but it was more from his ignorance of his intended deliverance, then any unwillingness to leave the place. I have read of Josephs long imprisonment; and Daniel's casting into the Den of Lions; and Jeremiah's sticking fast in the Dungeon; and Jonahs lying in the belly of the Whale; and David from the deep crying to God ; but I remember not that any were loath to be delivered. I have read indeed, That they suffered cheerfully, and rejoiced in being afflicted, destitute and tormented; yea, and that some of them would not accept of deliverance: But not from any love to the suffering, or any unwillingness to change their condition; but because of the hard terms of their deliverance, and from the hope they had of a better resurrection. Though Paul and Silas could sing in the stocks, and comfortably bear their cruel scourgings; yet I do not believe they were unwilling to go forth; nor took it ill when God relieved them. At foolish wretched soul! Doth every prisoner groan for freedom? and every Slave desire his Jubilee? and every sick man long for health? and every hungry man for food? and dost thou alone abhor deliverance? Doth the Seamen long to see the Land? doth the Husbandman desire the Harvest? and the laboring man to receive his pay? doth the traveler long to be at home? and the runner long to win the prize? and the Soldier long to win the field? And art thou loath to see thy labors finished? and to receive the end of thy Faith, and sufferings? and to obtain the thing, for which thou livest? Are all thy sufferings only seeming? have thy gripes, thy griefs and groans, been only dreams? if they were, yet methinks we should not be afraid of waking: Fearful dreams are not delightful. Or is it not rather the worlds delights, that are all mere dreams and shadows? Is not all its glory, as the light of a Glow-worm, a wandering fire, yielding but small directing light, and as little comforting heat in all our doubtful, and sorrowful darkness? or hath the world In these its latter days, laid aside its ancient enmity? Is it become of late more kind? hath it left its thorny renting nature? who hath wrought this great change? and who hath made this reconciliation? Surely, not the great Reconciler: He hath told us, in the world we shall have trouble, and in him only, we shall have peace. We may reconcile ourselves to the world (at our peril) but it will never reconcile itself to us. O foolish unworthy soul! who hadst rather dwell in this land of darkness, and rather wander in this barren wilderness, then be at rest with Jesus Christ! who hadst rather stay among the Wolves, and daily suffer the Scorpions stings, then to praise the Lord with the Hosts of Heaven! If thou didst well know what Heaven is, and what Earth is, it would not be so.
SECT. VI.
5. THis unwillingness to die, doth actually impeach us of high Treason against the Lord: Is it not a choosing of Earth before him? and taking these present things for our happiness? and consequently making them our very God? If we did indeed make God our God, that is, our End, our Rest, our Portion, our Treasure; how is it possible but we should desire to enjoy him? It behooves us the rather to be fearful of this, it being utterly inconsistent with saving Grace to value anything before God, or to make the Creature our highest End: Many other sins foul and great may possibly yet consist with sincerity, but so, I am certain, cannot that. But concerning this I have spoke before.
SECT. VII.
6. ANd all these defects being thus discovered, what a deal of dissembling doth it more over show? We take on us to believe undoubtedly, the exceeding eternal weight of Glory: We call God our chiefest Good, and say, we love Him above all, and for all this we fly from Him, as if it were from Hell itself; would you have any man believe you, when you call the Lord your only Hope, and speak of Christ as All in All, and talk of the Joy that is in Presence, and yet would endure the hardest life, rather then die and come unto him? What self-contradiction is this, to talk so hardly of the world and flesh, to groan and complain of sin and suffering, and yet fear no day more then that which we expect should bring our final freedom? what shameless gross dissembling is this, to spend so many hours, and days, in hearing Sermons, reading Books, conferring with others, and all to learn the way to a place which we are loath to come to? To take on us all our life-time, to walk towards Heaven, to run, to strive, to fight for Heaven, which we are loath to come to? What apparent palpable hypocrysie is this, to lie upon our knees in public and private, and spend one hour after another in prayer, for that which we would not have? If one should over-hear thee in thy daily devotions, crying out, Lord deliver me from this body of death, from this sin, this sickness, this poverty, these cares and fears, how long Lord shall I suffer these? and withal should hear thee praying against death; can he believe thy tongue agrees with thy heart? except thou have so far lost thy reason, as to expect all this here; or except the Papists Doctrine were true, that we are able to fulfil the Law of God; or our late Perfectionists are truly enlightened, who think they can live and not sin: but if thou know these to be undoubtedly false, how canst thou deny thy gross dissembling?
SECT. VIII.
7. COnsider, how do we wrong the Lord and his Promises, and disgrace his ways in the eyes of the world? As if we would actually persuade, them to question, whether God be true of his Word or no? whether there be any such glory as Scripture mentions? when they see those who have professed to live by Faith, and have boasted of their hopes in another world, and persuaded others to let go all for these hopes, and spoken disgracefully of all things below, in comparison of these unexpressable things above; I say, when they see these very men so loath to leave their hold of present things, and to go to that glory which they talked and boasted of; how doth it make the weak to stagger? and confirm the world in their unbelief and sensuality? and make them conclude, sure if these Professors did expect so much glory, and make so light of the world as they seem, they would not themselves be so loath of a change. O how are we ever able to repai • the wrong which we do to God and poor souls by this scandal? And what an honor to God? what a strengthening to Believers? what a conviction to Unbelievers would it be, if Christians in this did answer their professions, and cheerfully welcome the news of Rest?
SECT. IX.
8. IT evidently discovers that we have been careless loiterers, that we have spent much time to little purpose, and that we have neglected and lost a great many of warnings. Have we not had all our life time to prepare to die? So many years to make ready for one hour? and are we so unready and unwilling yet? What have we done? why have we lived? that the business of our lives is so much undone? Had we any greater matters to mind? Have we not foolishly wronged our souls in this? would we have wished more frequent warnings? How oft hath death entered the habitations of our neighbors? how oft hath it knocked at our own doors? we have first heard that such a one is dead, and then such a one, and such a one, till our Towns have changed most of their Inhabitants; And was not all this a sufficient warning, to tell us that we were also Mortals, and our own turn would shortly come? Nay, we have seen death raging in Towns and Fields, so many hundred a day dead of the Pestilence, so many thousands slam of the Sword and did we not know it would reach to us at last? How many distempers have vexed our bodies? frequent Languishings, consuming Weaknesses, wasting Fevers, here pain, and there trouble, that we have been forced to receive the sentence of death; and what were all these but so many Messengers, sent from God to tell us we must shortly die, as if we had heard a lively voice, bidding us, Delay no more, but make you ready: And are we unready and unwilling after all this? O careless dead hearted Sinners! unworthy neglecters of God's Warnings! faithless betrayers of our own souls.
All these heinous aggravations do lie upon this sin of unwillingness to die, which I have laid down to make it hateful to my own soul (which is too much guilty of it) as well as yours: And for a further help to our prevailing against it, I shall adjoin these following Considerations.
SECT. X.
1. COnsider, [not to die] were [never to be happy.] To escape death, were to miss of blessedness: Except God should translate us as Enoch and Elias, which he never did before or since▪ If our hopeth in Christ were in this life only, we were then of all men most miserable. The Epicure hath more pleasure to his Flesh then the Christian; the Drunkard the Whoremaster, and the jovial Lads, do swagger it out with gallantry and mirth, when a poor Saint is mourning in a corner: yea, the very beasts of the field do eat and drink, and skip, & play, and care for nothing, when many a Christian dwells with sorrows: So that if you would not die, and go to heaven, what would you have more then an Epicure, or a beast? What doth it avail us to fight with beasts, as men, if it were not for our hopes of a life to come? Why do we pray, and fast, and mourn? why do we suffer the contempt of the world? why are we the scorn and hatred of all? if it were not for our hopes after we are dead? why are we Christians and not Pagans and Infidels, if we do not desire a life to come? why, Christian, wouldst thou lose thy faith? and lose thy labor, in all thy duties, and all thy sufferings? wouldst thou lose thy hope? and lose all the end of thy life? and lose all the blood of Christ? and be contented with the portion of a worldling or a brute? If thou say No, to this, how canst thou then be loath to die? As good old Milius said when he lay a dying, and was asked whether he were willing to die or no; Illius est nolle mori, qui nolit ire ad Christum. A saying of Austin's which he oft repeated, Let him be loath to die, who is loath to be with Christ.
SECT. XI.
2. COnsider, Is God willing by death to Glorify us? and are we unwilling to die that we may be glorified? would God freely give us heaven? and are we unwilling to receive it? As the Prince who would have taken the lame beggar into his Coach, and he refused, said to him, Opitime mereris qui in luto haereas. Thou well deservest to stick in the dirt, So may God to the refusers of Rest; You well deserve to live in trouble. Me thinks if a Prince were willing to make you his heir, you should scarce be unwilling to accept it. Sure the refusing of such a kindness, must needs discover ingratitude and unworthiness. As God hath resolved against them, who make excuses when they should come to Christ, Verily none of these that were bidden shall taste of my supper : So is it just with him to resolve against us, who frame excuses when we should come to Glory.
SECT. XII.
3. THe Lord Jesus was willing to come from heaven to earth for us; and shall be unwilling to remove from earth to heaven for ourselves and him? Sure if we had been once possessed of Heaven, and God should have sent • s to earth again, as he did his Son for our sakes, we should then have been loath to remove indeed: It was another kind of change then ours is, which Christ did freely submit unto; to clothe himself with the garments of flesh, and to take upon him the form of a servant, to come from the bosom of the Fathers Love, to bear his wrath which we should have borne. Shall he come down to our hell? from the height of glory to the depth of misery? to bring us up to his Eternal Rest? and shall we be after this unwilling? Sure Christ had more cause to be unwilling, he might have said, What is it to me if these sinners suffer? If they value their flesh above their spirits, and their lusts above my Fathers Love, if they needs will sell their souls for naught; who is it fit should be the loser? and who should bear the blame and curse? Should I whom they have wronged? must they willfully transgress my Law? and I undergo their deserved pain? Is it not enough that I bear the trespass from them, but I must also bear my Fathers wrath? and satisfy the Justice which they have wronged? Must I come down from Heaven to Earth, and cloth myself with human flesh? be spit upon and scorned by man? and fast, and weep, and sweat, and suffer? and bleed and die a cursed death? and all this for wretched worms, who would rather hazard all they had, and venture their souls and God's favor, then they would forbear but one forbidden morsel? Do they cast away themselves so slightly? and must I redeem them again so dearly? Thus we see that Christ had much to have pleaded against his coming down for man; and yet he pleaded none of this: He had reason enough to have made him unwilling; and yet did he voluntarily condescend. But we have no reason against our coming to him: except we will reason against our hopes, and plead for a perpetuity of our own calamities. Christ came down to fetch us up: and would we have him loose his blood and labor, and go away again without us? Hath he bought our Rest at so dear a rate? Is our inheritance purchased with the blood 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of God? And are we after all this loath to enter? Ah Sirs, it was Christ and not we, that had cause to be loath. The Lord forgive and heal this foolish ingratitude.
SECT. XIII.
4. COnsider; do we not combine with our most cruel, mortal foes? and jump with them in their most malicious design, while we are loath to die and go to heaven? where is the height of all their malice? and whats the scope of all temptations? and whats the devils daily business? Is it not to keep our souls from God? And shall we be well content with this, and join with Satan in our desires? what though it be not those eternal torments? yet its the one half of Hell, which we wish to ourselves, while we desire to be absent from Heaven and God. If thou shouldest take counsel of all thine enemies? If thou shouldest beat thy brains both night and day, in studying to do thyself a mischief? What greater then 〈◊〉 , could it possibly be, To continue here on earth from God? Excepting only hell itself O what sport is this to Satan? that his desires and thine should so concur? That when he sees he cannot get thee to Hell, he can so long keep thee out of Heaven, and make thee the earnest petitioner for it thyself? O gratify not the Devil so much to thy own displeasure.
SECT. XIV.
5. DO not our daily fears of death, make our lives a continual torment? The fears of death (as Erasmus saith) being a sorer evil then death itself. And thus, as Paul did die daily in regard of preparation, and in regard of the necessary sufferings of his life: so do we in regard of the torments, and the useless sufferings which we make ourselves. Those lives which might be full of Joyes, in the daily contemplation of the life to come, and the sweet delightful thoughts of bliss; how do we fill them up with terrors, through all these causeless thoughts and fears? Thus do we consume our own comforts, and prey upon our true • st pleasures. When we might lie down, and rise up, and walk abroad with our hearts full of the Joyes of God; we continually fill them with perplexing fears. For he that fears dying, must be always fearing, because he hath always cause to expect it. And how can that man's life be comfortable, who lives in continuul fear, of loosing his comforts?
SECT. XV.
5. MOreover, all these are self-created sufferings: As if it were not enough to be the deservers, but we must also be the executioners of our own calamities! As if God had not inflicted enough upon us, but we must inflict more upon ourselves▪ Is not death bitter enough to the flesh of itself, but we must double and treble and multiply its bitterness? Do we complain so much of the burden of our troubles, and yet daily add unto the weight? Sure the state of poor mortals is sufficiently calamitous; they need not make it so much worse. The sufferings laid upon us by God, do all lead to happy issues: the progress is, from suffering to patience, from thence to experience, and so to Hope, and at last to Glory. But the sufferings which we do make ourselves, have usually issues answerable to their causes: The motion is Circular and endless, from sin to suffering, from suffering to sin, and so to suffering again, and so in infinitum. And not only so, but they multiply in their course: every sin is greater then the former, and so every suffering also greater. This is the natural progress of them, which if mercy do intercept, no thanks to us. So that except we think that God hath made us to be our own tormentors, we have small reason to nourish our fears of death.
SECT. XVI.
7. COnsider further; they are all but useless unprofitable fears. As all our care cannot make one hair white or black, nor add one cubit to our stature, so neither can our fear prevent our sufferings, nor delay our dying time an hour: Willing or unwilling we must away. Many a man's fears have hastened his end, but no man's ever did avert it. Its true, a cau • e • one fear or care concerning the danger after death, hath profited many; and is very useful to the preventing of that danger▪ But for a member of Christ, and an heir of Heaven, to be afraid of entering his own inheritance; this is a sinful useless fear.
SECT. XVII.
8. BUt though it be useless in respect of good, yet to Satan is it very serviceable. Our • ears of dying ensnare our souls and add strength to many temptations. Nay when we are called to die for Christ, and put to it in a day of trial, it may draw us to deny the known truth, and forsake the Lord God himself. You look upon it now as a small sin, a common frailty of human nature: But if you look to the dangerous consequents of it, me thinks it should move you to other thoughts. What made Peter deny his Lord? what makes Apostates in suffering times forsake the truth? and the green blade of unrooted faith, to wither before the heat of persecution? Fear of imprisoment and poverty may do much, but fear of death will do much more. When you see the Gibbet, or hear the sentence, if this fear of dying prevail in you, you will strait begin to say as Peter, I know not the man. When you see the fagots set, and fire ready, you will say as that Apostate to the Martyr, O the fire is hot, and nature's frail, forgeting that the fire of hell is hotter. Sirs, as light as you make of it, you know not of what force these fears are to separate your souls from Jesus Christ. Have we not lately had frequent experience of it? How many thousand have fled in fight, and turned their back on a good cause, where they knew the honor of God was concerned, and their countries welfare was the prize for which they fought, and the hopes of their posterity did lie at the sta • e, and all through unworthy fear of dying? Have we not known those, who lying under a wounded conscience, and living in the practice of some known sin, durst scarce look the enemy in the face, because they durst not look death in the face? but have trembled and drawn back, and cried, alas I dare not die, If I were in the case of such or such, I durst die. He that dare not die, dare scarce fight valiantly. Therefore we have seen in our late wars, that there is none more valiant then these two sorts.
1. Those who have conquered the fear of death by the power of Faith.
2. And those who have extinguished it by desperate prophanness, and cast it away through stupid security. So much fear as we have of death, usually so much cowardice in the cause of God: However its an evident temptation and snare. Beside the multitude of unbelieving contrivances, and discontents at the wise disposals of God, and hard thoughts of most of his providences, which this sin doth make us guilty of: Besides also it looseth us much precious time, and that for the most part near our end. When time should be most precious of all to us; and when it should be employed to better purpose, then do we vainly and sinfully wast it, in the fruitless issues of these distracting fears: So that you see how dangerous a snare these fears are, and how fruitful a parent of many evils.
SECT. XVIII.
9. COnsider, what a competent time the most of us have had: Some thirty, some forty, some fifty or sixty years. How many come to the grave younger, for one that lives to the shortest of these? Christ himself, as is generally thought, lived but thirty three years on earth. If it were to come, as it is past, you would think thirty years a long time. Did you not long ago in your threatening sickness, think with yourselves, O, if I might enjoy but one seven years more, or ten years more! And now you have enjoyed perhaps more then you then begged; and are you nevertheless unwilling yet? Except you would not die at all, but desire an immortality here on Earth; which is a sin inconsistent with the truth of Grace. If your sorrow be merely this, That you are mortal; you might as well have lamented it all your lives: For sure you could never be ignorant of this. Why should not a man that would die at all, be as well willing at thirty or forty, if God see it meet, as at seventy or eighty? nay, usually when the longest day is come, men are as loath to depart as ever. He that looseth so many years, hath more cause to bewail his own neglect, then to complain of the shortness of his time; and were better lament the wickedness of his life, then the brevity. Length of time doth not conquer corruption; it never withers, nor decays through age. Except we receive an addition of Grace, as well as Time, we naturally grow the older the worse. Let us then be contented with our allotted proportion: And as we are convinced, that we should not murmur, against our assigned degree of wealth▪ of health, of honor, and other things here; so let us not be discontented with our allowed proportion of time. O, my Soul, depart in peace! Hast thou not here enjoyed a competent share? As thou wouldst not desire an unlimited state, in wealth and honor, so desire it not in point of time. Is it fit, that God or thou should be the sharer? If thou wert sensible how little thou deservest an hour of that patience which thou hast enjoyed, thou wouldst think thou hast had a large part. Wouldst thou have thy age called back again? • a • st thou eat thy bread, and have it too? Is it not Divine Wisdom that sets the bounds? God will not let one have all the work, nor all the suffering, nor all the honor of the work: He will honor himself by variety of instruments; by various persons, and several ages, and not by one person or age: Seeing thou hast acted thine own part, and finished thine appointed course, come down contentedly, that others may succeed; who must have their turns as well as thou. As of all other outward things, so also of thy time and life; thou mayest as well have too much, as too little: Only of God, and eternal life, thou canst never enjoy too much, nor too long. Great receivings, will have great accounts: where the lease is longer, the fine and rent must be the greater. Much time hath much duty. Is it not as easy to answer for the receivings and the duties, of thirty years, as of an hundred? Beg therefore for Grace to improve it better; but be content with thy share of time.
SECT. XIX.
10. COnsider, thou hast had a competency of the comforts of life, and not of naked time alone. God might have made thy life a misery; till thou hadst been as weary of possessing it, as thou art now afraid of loosing it. If he had denied thee the benefits and ends of living, thy life would have been but a slender comfort. They in Hell have life as well as we, and longer far then they desire: God might have suffered thee to have consumed thy days in ignorance, or to have spent thy life to the last hour, before he brought thee home to himself, and given thee the saving Knowledge of Christ; and then thy life had been short, though thy time long. But he hath opened thine eyes in the morning of thy days, and acquainted thee betimes with the trade of thy life. I know the best are but negligent loiterers, and spend not their time according to its worth; but yet he that hath an hundred years time, and looseth it all, lives not so long as he that hath but twenty, and bestows it well. Its too soon to go to Hell at an hundred years old, and not too soon to go to Heaven at twenty. The means are to be valued in reference to their end: That's the best means, which speediliest and surest obtaineth the end. He that hath enjoyed most of the ends of life, hath had the best life, and not he that hath lived longest. You that are acquainted with the life of Grace▪ what if you live but twenty or thirty years? would you change it for a thousand years of wickedness? God might have let you have lived like the ungodly world, and then you would have had cause to be afraid of dying. We have lived in a place and time of light; in Europe, not in Asia, Africa or America ; in England, not in Spain or Italy ; in the Age when Knowledge doth most abound, and not in our forefathers days of darkness; we have lived among Bibles, Sermons, Books, and Christians. As one Ac • e of fruitful soil, is better then many of barren Commons; as the possession of a Kingdom for one year, is better then a lease of a Cottage for twenty; so twenty or thirty years living in such a place, or age, as we, is better then Methuselahs age, in the case of most of the world besides. And shall we not then be contented with our proportion? If we who are Ministers of the Gospel, have seen abundant fruit of our labors; if God hath blessed our labors in seven years▪ more then some others in twenty or thirty; if God have made us the happy, (though unworthy) means, of converting and saving more souls at a Sermon, then some better men in all their lives; what cause have we to complain of the shortness of our time in the work of God? would unprofitable, unsuccessful preaching have been comfortable? will it do us good to labor to little purpose, so we may but labor long? If our desires of living, are for the service of the Church, as our deceitful hearts are still pretending, then 〈◊〉 if God honor us to do the more service, though in the lesser time, we have our desire. God will have each to have his share; when we have had ours, let us rest contented. Perswade then thy backward soul to its duty, and argue down these dreadful thoughts: Unworthy wretch! Hath thy Father allowed thee so large a part, and caused thy lot to fall so well? and given thee thine abode in pleasant places? and filled up all thy life with mercies? and dost thou now think thy share too small? is not that which thy life doth want in length, made up in breadth, and weight, and sweetness? Lay all together, and look about thee, and tell me; how many of thy neighbors have more? how many in all the Town or Country, have had a better share then thou? why mightest not thou have been one of the thousands, whose carcasses thou hast seen scattered as Dung on the Earth? or why mightest not thou have been one thats useless in the Church? and an unprofitable burden to the place thou livest in? What a multitude of hours of consolation? of delightful Sabbaths? of pleasant studies? of precious companions? of wondrous deliverances? of excellent opportunities? of fruitful labors? of joyful tidings? of sweet experiences? of astonishing providences hath thy life partaked of? so that many a hundred who have each of them lived an hundred years, have not altogether enjoyed so much. And yet art thou not satisfied with thy lot? Hath thy life been so sweet, that thou art loath to leave it? is that the thanks thou returnest to him, who sweetened it to draw thee to his own sweetness? Indeed, if this had been all thy portion, I could not blame thee to be discontented: And yet let me tell thee too, That of all these poor souls, who have no other portion, but receive all their good things in this life, there is few or none even of them, whoever had so full a share as thyself. And hast thou not then had a fair proportion, for one that must shortly have Heaven besides? O foolish Soul! would thou wert as covetous after eternity, as thou art for a fading perishing life! and after the blessed presence of God, as thou art for continuance with Earth and Sin! Then thou wouldst rather look through the windows, and cry through the lattises, Why is his chariot so long a coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? How long Lord! How long!
SECT. XX.
11. COnsider, what if God should grant thy desire, and let thee live yet many years? but withal should strip thee of the comforts of life, and deny thee the mercies which thou hast hitherto enjoyed? Would this be a blessing worth the begging for? Might not God in judgment give thee life, as he gave the murmuring Israelites Quails? or as he oft times gives men riches and honor, when he sees them over-earnest for it? Might he not justly say to thee, Seeing thou hadst rather linger on earth, then come away and enjoy my presence; seeing thou art so greedy of life, take it, and a curse with it; never let fruit grow on it more, nor the Sun of comfort shine upon it, nor the dew of my blessing ever water it: Let thy table be a snare, let thy friends be thy sorrow; let thy riches be corrupted, and the rust of thy silver eat thy flesh. Go hear Sermons as long as thou wilt, but let never Sermon do thee good more; let all thou hearest make against thee, and increase the smart of thy wounded spirit: If thou love Preaching better then Heaven, go and preach till thou be aweary, but never profit soul more. Sirs, what if God should thus chastise our inordinate desires of living, were it not just? and what good would our lives then do us? Seest thou not some that spend their days on their cowch in groaning? and some in begging by the high-way sides? and others in seeking bread from door to door? and most of the world in laboring for food and raiment, and living only that they may live, and loosing the ends and benefits of life? Why, what good would such a life do thee, were it never so long? when thy soul shall serve thee only instead of Salt, to keep thy body from stinking? God might give thee life, till thou art weary of living; and as glad to be rid of it, as Judas or Ahithophel ; and make thee like many miserable Creatures in the world, who can hardly forbear laying violent hands on themselves. Be not therefore so importunate for life; which may prove a judgment, instead of a blessing.
SECT. XXI.
12. COnsider, how many of the precious Saints of God, of all ages and places, have gone before thee? Thou art not to enter an untrodden path, nor appointed first to break the Ice. Except only Enoch and Elias, which of the Saints have scaped death? And art thou better then they? There are many millions of Saints dead, more then do now remain on Earth. What a number of thine own bosom friends, and intimate acquaintance, and companions in duty, are now there? and why shouldst thou be so loath to follow? Nay, hath not Jesus Christ himself gone this way? hath he not sanctified the grave to us? and perfumed the dust with his own body? And art thou loath to follow him too? O rather let us say as Thomas, Let us also go, and die with him ; or rather, let us suffer with him, that we may be glorified together with him.
Many such like Considerations might be added, as that Christ hath taken out the sting: How light the Saints have made of it; how cheerfully the very Pagans have entertained it, &c. But because all thats hitherto spoken, is also conducible to the same purpose, I pass them by. If what hath been said, will not persuade, Scripture and Reason have little force.
I have said the more on this subject, finding it so needful to myself and others; finding that among so many Christians, who could do and suffer much for Christ, there's yet so few that can willingly die; and of many who have somewhat subdued other corruptions; so few have got the conquest of this. This caused me to drawforth these Arrows from the quiver of Scripture, and spend them against it.
SECT. XXII.
I Will only yet Answer some Objections, and so conclude this Use.
1. Object. O, If I were but certain of Heaven, I should then never stick at dying.
Answ. 1. Search, for all that, whether some of the forementioned c • uses may not be in fault, as well as this.
2. Didst thou not say so long ago? Have you not been in this song this many years? if you are yet uncertain, whose fault is it? you have had nothing else to do with your lives, nor no greater matter then this to mind. Were you not better presently fall to the trial; till you have put the Question out of doubt? Must God stay while you trifle? and must his patience be continued to cherish your negligence? If thou have played the loyterer, do so no longer. Go search thy soul, and follow the search close, till the • come to a clear discovery. Begin to night, stay not till the next morning. Certainty comes not by length of time, but by the blessing of the Spirit upon wise and faithful trial. You may linger out thus twenty years more, and be still as uncertain as now you are.
3. A perfect certainty may not be expected: we shall still be deficient in that as well as in other things: They who think the Apostle speaks absolutely, and not comparatively, of a perfect assurance in the very degree, when he mentions a Plerophory or Full assurance. I know no reason, but they may expect perfection in all things else, as well as this. When you have done all, you will know this but in part. If your belief of that Scripture, which saith, Believe, and be saved, be imperfect; and if your knowledge, whether your own deceitful hearts do sincerely believe or not, be imperfect; or if but one of these two be imperfect: the result or conclusion must needs be so too. If you would then stay till you are perfectly certain, you may stay forever: if you have obtained assurance but in some degree, or got but the grounds for assurance said; it is then the speediest, and surest way, to desire rather to be quickly in Rest: For then, and never till then, will both the grounds and assurance be fully perfect.
4. Both your assurance, and the comfort thereof, is the gift of the Spirit, who is a free bestower: And God's usual time to be largest in mercy, is when his people are deepest in necessity. A mercy in season, is the sweetest mercy. I could give you here abundance of late examples, of those who have languished for assurance and comfort; some all their sickness, and some most of their lives; and when they have been near to death, they have received in abundance. Never fear death then through imperfections of assurance; for thats the most usual time of all, when God most fully and sweetly bestows it.
SECT. XXIII.
OBject. 2. O, but the Churches necessities are great, and God hath made me useful in my place; so that the loss will be to many, or else, me thinks, I could willingly die.
Answ. This may be the case of some; but yet remember, the heart is deceitful: God is oft pretended, when ourselves are in • ended. But if this be it that sticks with thee indeed, consider, Wilt thou pretend to be wiser then God? doth not he know how • o provide for his Church? Cannot he do his work without thee? or find out instruments enough besides thee? Think not too highly of thyself, because God hath made thee useful. Must the Church needs fall when thou art gone? Art thou the foundation on which its built? Could God take away a Moses, an Aaron, David, Elias, &c. and find supply for all their places? and cannot he also find supply for thine? This is to derogate from God too much, and to arrogate too much unto thyself. Neither art thou so merciful as God; nor canst love the Church so well as he: As his interest is infinitely beyond thine, so is his tender care and bounty. But of this before.
Yet mistake me not in all that I have said: I deny not but that it is lawful and necessary for a Christian upon both the forementioned grounds, to desire God to delay his death; both for a further opportunity of gaining assurance, and also to be further serviceable to the Church. But first, This is nothing to their case who are still delaying, and never willing; whose true discontents are at death itself, more then at the unseasonableness of dying. Secondly, Though such desires are sometimes lawful, yet must they be carefully bounded and moderated; to which end are the former considerations. We must not be too absolute and peremptory in our desires; but cheerfully yield to God's disposal. The rightest temper is that of Paul's, to be in a straight between two; desiring to depart, and be with Christ, and yet to stay while God will have us, to do the Church the utmost service. But alas, we are seldom in this straight: Our desires run out all one way, and that for the flesh, and not the Church: Our straits are only for fear of dying; and not betwixt the earnest desires of dying, and of living.
SECT. XXIV.
OBject. But is not death a punishment of God for sin? Doth not Scripture call it the King of fears? And Nature above all other evils abhor it?
Answ. I will not meddle with that which is controversial in this: Whether Death be properly a punishment, or not: But grant that in itself considered, it may be called Evil, as being naturally the dissolution of the Creature. Yet being sanctified to us by Christ, and being the season, and occasion of so great a Good, as is the present possession of God in Christ; it may be welcomed with a glad submission, if not with desire. Christ affords us grounds enough to comfort us against this natural Evil: And therefore endues us with the principle of Grace, to raise us above the reach of nature.
For all those low and poor Objections, as leaving House, Goods, and Friends, leaving our children unprovided, &c. I pass them over as of lesser moment, then to take much with men of Grace.
SECT. XXV.
LAstly, Understand me in this also, That I have spoke all this to the faithful soul. I persuade not the ungodly from fearing death: Its a wonder rather, that they fear it no more; and spend not their days in continual horror, as is said before. Truly, but that we know a stone is insensible, and a hard heart is dead and stupid, or else a man would admire how poor souls can live in ease and quietness, that must be turned out of these bodies into everlasting flames! Or that be not sure, at least, if they should die this night, whether they shall lodge in Heaven or Hell the next; especially when so many are called, and so few chosen; and the Righteous themselves are scarcely saved? One would think such men should eat their bread with trembling; and the thoughts of their danger should keep them waking in the night; and they should fall presently a searching themselves; and enquiring of others, and crying to God, That if it were possible they might quickly be out of this danger, and so their hearts be freed from horror! For a man to quake at the thoughts of death, that looks by it to be dispossessed of his happiness, and knoweth not whether he is next to go; this is no wonder. But for the Saints to fear their passage by Death to Rest, this is an unreasonable hurtful Fear.
CHAP. III. Motives to a Heavenly Life.
SECT. I.
W E have now by the guidance of the Word of the Lord, and by the assistance of his Spirit, shown you the nature of the Rest of the Saints; and acquainted you with some duties in relation thereto: We come now to the close of all, to press you to the great duty, which I chiefly intended, when I begun this subject; and have here reserved it to the last place, because I know hearers are usually of slippery memories; yet apt to retain the last that is spoken, though they forget all that went before. Dear friends, its pity that either you or I, should forget anything of that which doth so nearly concern us, as this Eternal Rest of the Saints doth. But if you must needs forget something; let it be anything else, rather then this; let it be rather all that I have hitherto said (though I hope of better) then this one ensuing Use.
Is there a Rest, and such a Rest remaining for us? Why then are our thoughts no more upon it? why are not our hearts continually there? why dwell we not there, in constant contemplation? Sirs, Ask your hearts in good earnest, what is the cause of this neglect? are we reasonable in this? or, are we not? Hath the Eternal God provided us such a Glory, and promised to take us up, to dwell with himself? and is not this worth the thinking on? Should not the strongest desires of our hearts be after it? and the daily delights of our souls be there? Do we believe this? and can we yet forget and neglect it? Whats the matter? will not God give us leave to approach this light? or will he not suffer our souls to taste and see? Why then, what means all his earnest invitations? why doth he so condemn our earthly-mindedness? and command us to set our affections above? Ah vile hearts! If God were against it, we were likelier to be for it. When he would have us to keep our station, then we are aspiring to be like God, and are ready to invade the Divine Prerogatives: But when he commands our hearts to Heaven, then they will not stir an inch; like our Predecessors, the sinful Israelites: When God would have them march for Canaan, then they mutiny, and will not stir; either they fear the Giants, or the walled Cities, or want necessaries, or something hinders them▪ but when God bids them not to go▪ then will they needs be presently marching, and fight they will, though it be to their overthrow. If the fore-thoughts of glory were forbidden fruit, perhaps we should be sooner drawn unto them; and we should itch (as the Bethshemites ) to be looking into this Ark. Sure I am, where God hath forbidden us to place our thoughts, and our delights, thither it is ease • y enough to draw them. If he say (Love not the World, nor the things of the World) we dote upon it never the less. We have love enough, if the world require it; and thoughts enough to pursue our profits. How delightfully and unweariedly, can we think of vanity? and day after day employ our minds about the Creature? And have we no thoughts of this our Rest? How freely, and how frequently can we think of our pleasures, our friends, our labors, our flesh, our lusts, our common studies, or news? yea, our very miseries, our wrongs, our sufferings, and our seats? But where is the Christian, whose heart is on his Rest? Why Sirs, what is the matter? why are we not taken up with the views of Glory? and our souls more accustomed to these delightful Meditations? Are we so full of joy, that we need no more? or is there no matter in Heaven, for our joyous thoughts? or rather are not our hearts carnal and blockish? Earth will to Earth▪ Had we more Spirit, it would be otherwise with us. As the Jews use to cast to the ground the Book of Esther, before they read it, because the Name of God is not in it. And as Austin cast by Ciceroes writings, because they contained not the Name of Jesus: So let us humble and cast down these sensual hearts that have in them no more of Christ and Glory: As we should not own our duties any further then somewhat of Christ is in them, so should we no further own our hearts: And as we should delight in the creatures no further then they have reference to Christ and Eternity; so should we no further approve of our own hearts. If there were little of Christ and Heaven in our mouths, but the world were the only subject of our speeches, then all would account us to be ungodly; why then may we not call our hearts ungodly, that have so little delight in Christ and Heaven? A holy tongue will not excuse or secure a profane heart. Why did Christ pronounce his Disciples eyes and ears so blessed, but as they were the doors to let in Christ by his Works and Words into their hearts? O blessed are the eyes that so see, and the ears that so hear, that the heart is thereby raised to this blessed heavenly frame. Sirs, so much of your hearts as is empty of Christ and heaven, let it befilled with shame and sorrow, and not with ease.
SECT. II.
BUt let me turn my Reprehension to Exhortation, That you would turn this Conviction into Reformation. And I have the more hope, because I here address myself to men of Conscience, that dare not willfully disobey God, and to men whose Relations to God are many and near, and therefore methinks there should need the fewer words to persuade their hearts to him: Yea, because I speak to no other men, but only them whose portion is there, whose hopes are there, and who have forsaken, all that they may enjoy this glory; and shall I be discouraged from persuading such to be heavenly-minded? why, fellow Christians; if you will not hear and obey, who will? well may we be discouraged to exhort, the poor, blind, ungodly world, and may say, as Moses, Exod. 6.12. Behold the Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear me ? Who ever thou art therefore that readest these lines, I require thee, as thou tendrest thine Allegiance to the God of Heaven, as ever thou hopest for a part in this glory, that thou presently take thy heart to task: chide it for its willful strangeness to God; turn thy thoughts from the pursuit of Vanity, bend thy soul to study Eternity, busy it about the life to come; habituate thyself to such contemplations, and let not those thoughts be seldom and cursory, but settle upon them, dwell here, bathe thy soul in heavens Delights, drench thine affections in these rivers of pleasure, or rather in this sea of Consolation; and if thy backward soul begin to flag, and thy loose thoughts to fly abroad, call them back, hold them to their work, put them on, bear not with their lasiness, do not connive at one neglect; and when thou hast once in obedience to God tried this work, and followed on till thou hast got acquainted with it, and kept a close guard upon thy thoughts till they are accustomed to obey, and till thou hast got some mastery over them, thou wilt then find thyself in the suburbs of Heaven, and as it were in a new world, thou wilt then find indeed, that there is sweetness in the work and way of God, and that the life of Christianity is a life of Joy; Thou wilt meet with those abundant consolations, which thou hast prayed, and panted, and groaned after, and which so few Christians do ever here obtain, because they know not this way to them, or else make not conscience of walking in it.
You see the work now before you: This, this is it that I would fain persuade your souls to practice: Beloved friends and Christian neighbors, who hear me this day, let me bespeak your consciences in the name of Christ, and command you by the Authority I have received from Christ, that you faithfully set upon this weighty duty, and fix your eye more steadfastly on your Rest, and daily delight in the fore-thoughts thereof. I have persuaded you to many other duties, and (I bless God) many of you have obeyed, and I hope never to find you at that pass, as to say when you perceive the command of the Lord, that you will not be persuaded, nor obey; if I should, it were high time to bewail your misery: Why, you may almost as well say, we will not obey, as sit still and not obey. Christians, I beseech you, as you take me for your Teacher, and have called me thereto, so hearken to this Doctrine; if ever I shall prevail with you in anything, let me prevail with you in this, to set your heart where you expect a Rest and Treasure. Do you not remember, that when you called me to be your Teacher, you promised me under your hands, that you would faithfully and conscionably endeavor the receiving every truth, and obeying every command, which I should from the Word of God manifest to you? I now charge your promise upon you; I never delivered to you a more apparent Truth, nor pressed upon you a more apparent duty, then this? If I knew you would not obey, what should I do here preaching? Not that I desire you to receive it chiefly as from me, but as from Christ, on whose Message I come. Me thinks, if a child should show you Scripture, and speak to you the Word of God, you should not dare to disobey it. Do not wonder that I persuade you so earnestly; though indeed if we were truly reasonable in spiritual things, as we are in common, it would be a real wonder that men should need so much persuasion, to so sweet and plain a duty; but I know the emplyment is high, the heart is earthly, and will still draw back, the temptations and hindrances will be many and great, and therefore I fear, before we have done, and laid open more fully the nature of the Duty, that you will confess all these persuasions little enough; The Lord grant they prove not so too little, as to fail of success, and leave you as they find you: Say not, we are unable to set our own hearts on heaven, this must be the work of God only, and therefore all your Exhortation is in vain; for I tell you, though God be the chief disposer of your hearts, yet next under him you have the greatest command of them yourselves, and a great power in the ordering of your own thoughts, and for determining your own wills in their choice; though without Christ you can do nothing, yet under him you may do much, and must do much, or else it will be undone, and you undone through your neglect; Do your own parts, and you have no cause to distrust whether Christ will do his: Do not your own consciences tell you, when your thoughts fly abroad, that you might do more then you do to restrain them? and when your hearts lie flat, and neglect Eternity, and seldom mind the Joys before you that most of this neglect is willful? If you be to study a set Speech, you can force your thoughts to the intended Subject; if a Minister be to study a Sermon, he can force his thoughts to the most saving Truths, and that without any special grace: might not a true Christian there mind more the things of the life to come, if he did not neglect to exerci • e that authority over his own thoughts, which God hath given him? especially in such a work as this, where he may more confidently expect the assistance of Christ, who useth not to forsake his people in the work he sets them on. If a carnal Minister can make it his work, to study about Christ and heaven, through all his life time, and all because it is the trade he lives by, and knows not how to subsist without it; why then, me thinks a spiritual Christian should study as constantly the Joys of heaven, because it is the very business he lives for, and that the place he must be in forever: If the Cook can find in his heart to labor and sweat about your meat, because it is the trade that maintains him, though perhaps he taste it not himself: Me thinks then, you for whom it is prepared, should willingly bestow that daily pains, to taste its sweetness, and feed upon it; and if it were about your bodily food, you would think it no great pains neither; a good stomach takes it for no great labor to eat and drink of the best till it be satisfied, nor needs it any great invitation thereto: Christians, if your souls were sound and right, they would perceive incomparably more delight and sweetness, in Knowing, Thinking, Believing, Loving, and Rejoicing in your future Blessedness in the fruition of God, then the soundest stomach finds in its food, or the strongest senses in the enjoyment of their objects; so little painful would this work be to you, and so little should I need to press you to it: its no great pains to you to think of a friend, or anything else that you dearly love, and as little would it be to think of Glory, if your love and delight were truly there: if you do but see some Jewel, or Treasure, you need not long exhortations to stir up your desires, the very sight of it is motive enough; if you see the fire when you are cold, or see a house in a stormy day, or see a safe harbor from the tempestuous seas, you need not be told what use to make of it: the sight doth presently direct your thoughts: you think, you look, you long, till you do obtain it. Why should it not be so in the present case? Sirs, one would think, to show you this Crown and Glory of the Saints, should be motive enough to make you desire it; to show you that Harbor where you may be safe from all dangers, should soon teach you what use to make of it, and should bend your daily studies towards it; but because I know while we have fl • sh about us, and any remnants of that carnal mind, which is enmity to God, and to this noble work, that all motives are little enough; And because my own, and others sad experiences tell me how hardly the best are drawn to a constancy and faithfulness in this duty; I will here lay down some moving Considerations, which if you will but vouchsafe to ponder thoroughly, and deliberately weigh with an impartial judgment, I doubt not but they will prove effectual with your hearts, and make you resolve upon this excellent duty. I pray you friends, let them not fall to the ground, but take them up, and try them, and if you find they concern you, make much of them, and obey them accordingly.
SECT. III.
1. COnsider, a heart set upon heaven, will be one of the most unquestionable evidences of thy sincerity, and a clear discovery of a true work of saving grace upon thy soul. You are much in enquiring after Marks of sincerity, and I blame you not, its dangerous mistaking when a man's salvation lies upon it: You are oft asking, How shall I know that I am truly sanctified? Why, here is a mark that will not deceive you, if you can truly say that you are possessed of it; Even, a heart set upon Heaven. Would you have a sign infall • ble, not from me, or from the mouth of any man, but from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself, which all the enemies of the use of Marks, can lay no exception against? Why here is such a one, Mat. 6.21. Where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also. Know once assuredly where your heart is, and you may easily know that your treasure is there: God is the Saints Treasure and happiness: Heaven is the place where they must fully enjoy him: A heart therefore set upon heaven, is no more, but a heart set upon God, desiring after this full enjoyment: And surely a heart set upon God through Christ, is the truest evidence of saving grace. External actions are easiest discovered; but those of the heart are the surest evidences. When thy learning will be no good proof of thy grace; when thy knowledge, thy duties and thy gifts will fail thee, when Arguments from thy tongue and thy hand may be confuted; yet then will this Argument from the bent of thy heart prove thee sincere. Take a poor Christian that can scarce speak true English about Religion, that hath a weak understanding, a failing memory, a stammering tongue; yet his heart is set on God, he hath chosen him for his Portion, his thoughts are on Eternity, his desires there, his dwelling there; he cries out, O that I were there; he takes that day for a time of imprisonment, wherein he hath not taken one refreshing view of Eternity: I had rather die in this man's condition, and have my soul in his souls case; then in the case of him that hath the most eminent gifts, and is most admired for parts and duty, whose heart is not thus taken up with God. The man that Christ will find out at the last day, and condemn, for want of a wedding Garment, will be he that wants this frame of heart: The question will not then be, How much you have known, or professed, or talked? but, How much have you loved, and where was your heart? Why then, Christians, as you would have a sure testimony of the love of God, and a sure proof of your title to Glory, labor to get your hearts above. God will acknowledge that you really love him, and take you for faithful friends indeed, when he sees your hearts are set upon him. Get but your hearts once truly in Heaven, and without all question yourselves will follow. If sin and Satan keep not thence your affections, they will never be able to keep away your persons.
SECT. IIII.
2. COnsider, A heart in Heaven is the highest excellency of your spirits here, and the noblest part of your Christian disposition: As there is not only a difference between men and beasts, but also among men, between the Noble and the Base: so there is not only a common excellency, whereby a Christian differs from the world, but also a peculiar nobleness of spirit, whereby the more excellent differ from the rest: And this lies especially in a higher and more heavenly frame of spirit. Only man of all inferior creatures, is made with a face directed heavenward: but other creatures have their faces to the earth. As the Noblest of Creatures, so the Noblest of Christians, are they that are set most direct for Heaven. As Saul is called a choice and goodly man, higher by the head then all the company: so is he the most choice and goodly Christian, whose head and heart is thus the highest. Men of noble birth and spirits, do mind high and great affairs, and not the smaller things of low poverty: Their discourse is, of the councils and matters of State, of the Government of the Common-wealth, and public things; and not of the Country-man's petty employments. O, to hear such an heavenly Saint, who hath fetched a journey into heaven by faith, and hath been wrapped up to God in his contemplations, and is newly come down from the veiws of Christ, what discoveries he will make of those Superior regions! What ravishing expressions drop from his lips! How high and sacred is his discourse! Enough to 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 make the ignorant world astonished, and say, Much study hath made them mad: And enough to convince an understanding hearer, that have seen the Lord; and to make one say, No man could speak such words as these, except he had been with God▪ this, This is the noble Christian. As Bucholcers hearers concluded, when he had preached his last Sermon, being carried between two into the Church, because of his weakness, and there most admirably discoursed of the Blessedness of souls departed this life, Caeteros concio naetores a Bucholcero semper omnes, illo autem die etiam ipsum a sese superatum, That Bucholcer did ever excel other preachers, but that day he excelled himself: so may I conclude of the heavenly Christian, He ever excelleth the Rest of men, but when he is nearest Heaven he excelleth himself. As those are the most famous mountains that are highest; and those the fairest trees that are talest, and those the most glorious Pyramids and buildings whose tops do reach nearest to Heaven: so is he the choicest Christian, whose heart is most frequently, and most delightfully there. If a man have lived near the King, or have travelled to see the Sultan of Persia, or the great Turk ; he will make this a matter of boasting, and thinks himself one step higher then his private neighbors that live at home. What shall we then judge of him that daily travels as far as Heaven, and there hath seen the King of Kings? That hath frequent admittance into the Divine presence, and feasteth his soul upon the tree of life? For my part, I value this man before the ablest, the richest, the most learned in the world.
SECT. V.
3. COnsider, A heavenly mind is a joyful mind: This is the nearest and the truest way to live a life of comfort: And without this you must needs be uncomfortable. Can a man be at the fire, and not be warm? or in the Sun-shine, and not have light? Can your heart be in Heaven, and not have comfort? The countries of Norway, Island, and all the Northward, are cold and frozen, because they are farther from the power of the Sun: But in Egypt, Arabia, and the Southern parts, it is far otherwise, where they live more near its powerful rays. What could make such frozen uncomfortable Christians, but living so far as they do from heaven? And what makes some few others so warm in comforts, but their living higher then others do? and their frequent access so near to God? When the Sun in the Spring draws near our part of the earth, how do all things congratulate its approach? The earth looks green & casteth off her mourning habit: the trees shoot forth; the plants revive, the pretty birds, how sweetly sing they? the face of all things smile upon us, and all the creatures below rejoice. Beloved friends, if we would but try this life with God, and would but keep these hearts above, what a Spring of joy would be within us? and all our graces be fresh and green? How would the face of our souls be changed? and all that is within us rejoice? How should we forget our winter sorrows? and withdraw our souls from our sad retirements? How early should we rise (as those birds in the spring) to sing the praise of our Great Creator. O Christian, get above: Believe it, that Region is warmer then this below. Those that have been there, have found it so, and those that have come thence have told us so: And I doubt not but that thou hast sometime tried it thyself. I dare appeal to thy own experience, or to the experience of any soul that knows what the true Joys of a Christian are: When is it that you have largest comforts? Is it not after such an exercise as this, when thou hast got up thy heart, and conversed with God, and talked with the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed the mansions of the Saints and Angels, and filled thy soul with the forethoughts of Glory? If thou know by experience what this practice is, I dare say thou knowest what spiritual Joy is. David professeth that the light of God's countenance would make his heart more glad then theirs that have Corn, and Wine, and Oil, Psal. 4.6, 7. & Act. 2.28. out of Psal. 16. Thou shalt fill me full of Joy with thy countenance. If it be the countenance of God that fills us with Joy; then sure they that draw nearest, and most behold it, must needs be fullest of these Joyes. Sirs, if you never tried this Art, nor lived this life of heavenly contemplation, I never wonder that you walk uncomfortably, that you are all complaining, and live in sorrows, & know not what the Joy of the Saints means: Can you have comfort from God, and never think of him? Can Heaven rejoice you, when you do not re • member it? Doth anything in the world glad you, when you think not on it? Must not everything first enter your judgment and consideration, before it can delight your heart and affection? If you were possessed of all the treasure of the earth; if you had title to the highest dignities and dominions, and never think on it, sure it would never rejoice you. Whom should we blame then, that we are so void of consolation, but our own negligent unskillful hearts? God hath provided us a Crown of Glory, and promised to set it shortly on our heads and we will so much as think on it: He holdeth it out in the Gospel to us, and biddeth us, Behold and Rejoice; & we will not so much as look at it: And yet we complain for want of Comfort. What a perverse course is this, both against God and our own Joyes? I confess, though in fleshly things, the presenting of a comforting object, is sufficient to produce an answerable delight, yet in spirituals we are more disabled: God must give the Joy itself, as well as afford us matter for Joy: But yet withal, it must be remembered, that God doth work upon us as men, and in a rational way doth raise our comforts: He enableth and exciteth us to mind and study these delightful objects, and from thence to gather our own comforts, as the Be doth gather her honey from the flowers: Therefore he that is most skillful and painful in this gathering Act, is usually the fullest of this spiritual sweetness. Where is the man that can tell me from experience, that he hath had solid and usual Joy, in any other way but this? and that God worketh it immediately on his affections, without the means of his understanding and considering? It is by believing that we are filled with Joy & Peace, Rom. 15.13. and no longer then we continue our believing. It is in hope that the Saints Rejoice, yea, in this hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2. and no longer then they continue hoping. And here let me warn you of a dangerous snare, an opinion which will rob you of all your comfort: some think, if they should thus fetch in their own comfort by believing and hoping, and work it out of Scripture promises, and extract it by their own thinking and studying, that then it would be a comfort only of their own hammering out (as they say) and not the genuine Joy of the Holy Ghost. A desperate mistake, raised upon a ground that would overthrow almost all duty, as well as this: which is, their setting the workings of God's Spirit, and their own spirits in opposition, when their spirits must stand in subordination to God's: They are conjunct causes, cooperating to the producing of one and the same effect. God's Spirit worketh our comforts, by setting our own spirits awork upon the promises, and raising our thoughts to the place of our comforts. As you would delight a covetous man by showing him gold, or a voluptuous man with fleshly delights; so God useth to delight his people, by taking them, as it were, by the hand, and leading them into Heaven, and showing them himself, and their Rest with him. God useth not to cast in our Joys while we are idle, or taken up with other things. It is true, he sometime doth it suddenly, but yet usually in the foresaid order, leading it into our hearts by our judgment and thoughts: And his sometime sudden extraordinary casting of comforting thoughts into our hearts, should be so far from hindering our endeavors in a meditateing way, that it should be a singular motive to quicken us to it; even as a taste given us of some cordial or choiser food, will make us desire and seek the Rest. God feedeth not Saints as birds do their young, bringing it to them, and putting it into their mouths, while they lie still in the nest, and only gape to receive it. But as he giveth to man the fruits of the earth, the increase of their land in Corn and wine, while we plow, and sow, and weed, and water, and dung, and dress, and then with patience expect his blessing: so doth he give the joys of the soul. Yet I deny not, that if any should so think to work out his own comforts by meditation, as to attempt the work in his own strength, and not do all in subordination to God; nor perceive a necessity of the Spirits assistance; the work would prove to be like the workman, and the comfort he would gather would be like both, even mere vanity: Even as the husband man's labor without the sun, and rain, and blessing of God.
So then you may easily see, that close meditation on the matter and cause of our Joy, is God's way to procure solid Joy. For my part, if I should find my joy of another kind, I should be very prone to doubt of its sincerity. If I find a great deal of comfort in my heart, and know not how it came thither, nor upon what rational ground it was raised, nor what considerations do feed and continue it, I should be ready to question, how I know whether this be from God? And though, as the Cup in Benjamins sack, it might come from Love, yet it would leave me but in fears and amazement, because of the uncertainty. As I think our love to God, should not be like that of fond lovers, who love violently, but they know not why: so I think a Christians Joy, should be a grounded rational Joy, & not to rejoice & know not why. Though perhaps in some extraordinary case, God may cast in such an extraordinary kind of joy, yet I think its not his usual way. And if you observe the spirits of most forlorn, uncomfortable, despairing Christians, you shall find the Reason to be, their ungrounded expectation of such unusual kind of joys: and accordingly are their spirits variously tossed, and most unconstantly tempered: Sometime when they meet with such Joys (or at least think so,) then they are cheerful and lifted up, but because these are usually short-lived Joys, therefore they are strait as low as hell; and ordinarily that is their more lasting temper. And thus they are tossed as a vessel at sea, up and down, but still in extreme: whereas, alas, God is most constant, Christ the same, Heaven the same, and the Promise the same, and if we took the right course for fetching in our comfort from these, sure our comforts would be more settled and constant, though not always the same. Whoever thou art therefore that Readest these lines, I entreat thee in the name of the Lord, and as thou valuest the life of constant Joy, and that good conscience, which is a continual feast; that thou wouldest but seriously set upon this work, and learn this Art of Heavenly-mindedness, and thou shalt find the increase a hundred fold, and the benefit abundantly exceed thy labor. But this is the misery of man's Nature; Though every man naturally abhorreth sorrow, and loves the most merry and joyful life, yet few do love the way to Joy, or will endure the pains by which it is obtained; they will take the next that comes to hand, and content themselves with earthly pleasures, rather then they will ascend to heaven to seek it, and yet when all is done, they must have it there, or be without it.
SECT. VI.
4. COnsider, A heart in heaven will be a most excellent preservative against temptations, a powerful means to kill thy corruptions, and to save thy conscience from the wounds of sin: God can prevent our sinning, though we be careless, and keep off the temptation which we would draw upon ourselves; and sometime doth so; but this is not his usual course, nor is this our safest way to escape. When the mind is either idle, or ill employed, the devil needs not a greater advantage; when he finds the thoughts let out on Lust, Revenge, Ambition, or Deceit, what an opportunity hath he to move for Execution, and to put on the Sinner to practice what he thinks on? Nay, if he find the mind but empty, there's room for anything that he will bring in; but when he finds the heart in heaven, what hope that any of his motions should take? Let him entice to any forbidden course, or show us the bait of any pleasure, the soul will return Nehemiaes Answer, I am doing a great work, and cannot come, Neh. 6.3. Several ways will this preserve us against Temptations. First, By keeping the heart employed. Secondly, By clearing the Understanding, and so confirming the Will. Thirdly, By prepossessing the Affections with these highest delights. Fourthly, And by keeping us in the way of God's blessing.
First, By keeping the heart employed; when we are idle, we tempt the devil to tempt us; as it is an encouragement to a Thief, to see your doors open, and nobody within; and as we use to say, Careless persons make Thieves: or as it will encourage an Highway Robber, to see you unweaponed; so may it encourage Satan, to find your hearts idle; but when the heart is taken up with God, it cannot have while to hearken to Temptations, it cannot have while to be lustful and wanton, ambitious or worldly: If a poor man have a suit to any of you, he will not come when you are taken up in some great man's company or discourse, thats but an ill time to speed.
If you were but busied in your lawful Callings, you would not be so ready to hearken to Temptations, much less if you were busied above with God: Will you leave your Plow and Harvest in the Field? or leave the quenching of a fire in your houses, to run with children a hunting of Butterflies? would a Judge be persuaded to rise from the Bench, when he is sitting upon life and death, to go and play among the Boys in the streets? No more will a Christian when he is busy with God, and taking a survey of his eternal Rest, give ear to the alluring charms of Satan, Non vacat exiguis, &c. is a Character of the truly prudent man; the children of that Kingdom should never have while for trifles; but especially when they are employed in the affairs of the Kingdom; and this employment is one of the Saints chief preservatives against temptations: For as Gregory saith, Nunquam Dei amor otiosus est; operatur enim magna, si est: Si vero operari renuit, non est amor ; The Love of God is never idle; it worketh great things when it truly is; and when it will not work, it is not love. Therefore being still thus working, it is still preserving.
Secondly, A heavenly mind is the freest from sin, because it is of clearest understanding in spiritual matters of greatest concernment. A man that is much in conversing above, hath truer and livelyer apprehensions of things concerning God and his soul, then any reading or learning can beget: Though perhaps he may be ignorant in divers controversies, and matters that less concern salvation, yet those truths which must stablish his soul, and preserve him from temptation, he knows far better then the greatest Scholars; he hath so deep an insight into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the brutishness of fleshly sensual delights, that temptations have little power on him, for these earthly vanities are Satan's baits, which though they may take much with the undiscerning world, yet with the clear-sighted, they have lost their force. In vain, saith Solomon, the net is spread in the sight of any bird, Pro. 1.17. And usually in vain doth Satan lay his snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them; when a man is on high, he may see the further; we use to set our discovering Sentinels on the highest place that's near unto us, that he may discern all the motions of the Enemy; In vain doth the Enemy lay his Ambuscado's when we stand over him on some high Mountain, and clearly discover all he doth: When the heavenly-mind is above with God, he may far easier from thence discern every danger that lies below, and the whole method of the devil in deceiving; Nay, if he did not discover the snare, yet were he likelier far to escape it then any others that converse below: A net or bait that's laid on the ground, is unlikely to catch the bird that flies in the Air: while she keeps above, she's out 〈◊〉 of the danger, and the higher the safer; so is it with us; Satan's temptations are laid on the earth, earth is the place, and earth the ordinary bait: How shall these ensnare the Christian, who hath left the earth, and walks with God? But alas, we keep not long so high, but down we must to the earth again, and then we are taken.