A Christian Directory
§. 19. And that you may see that the scandal forbidden in the New Testament, is always of this nature, let us take notice of the particular Texts where the word is used: And first to scandalize is used actively in these following Texts. In Matth. 5. before cited, and in the other Evangelists citing the same words, the sense is clear: That the offending of a hand or eye, is not displeasing, nor seeking of ill report; but hindering our salvation by drawing us to sin. So in Matth. 18. 8. & Mar. 9. 42, 43. where the sense is the s • m • . In Matth. 17. 27. [ Lest we should offend them, &c. ] is not only [ Lest we displease them ] but lest we give them occasion to dislike Religion, or think hardly of the Gospel, and so lay a stumbling blo • k to the danger of their souls. So Matth. 18. 6. & Mark 9. [ Who so shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, &c. ] that is, not who shall displease them, but who so by threats, persecutions, cruelties, or any other means, shall go about to turn them from the faith of Christ, or stop them in their way to Heaven, or hinder them in a holy life: Though these two Texts seem nearest to the denied sense, yet that is not indeed their meaning. So in Joh. 6. 6. Doth this offend you? that is, Doth this seem incredible to you, or hard to be believed, or digested? Doth it stop your faith, and make you distaste my doctrine? So 1 Cor. 8. 13. If meat scandalize my brother, our Translators have turned it, If meat make my brother to offend: So it was not displeasing him only, but tempting him to sin, which is the scandalizing here reproved.
§. 20. View also the places where the word [ Scandal ] is used: Mat. 13. 41. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all scandals, translated [ all things that offend ], doth not signify all that is displeasing; but all temptations to sin, and hindrances or stumbling blocks that would have stopped men in the way to Heaven. So in Matth. 16. 23. (a Text as like as any to be near the denied sense, yet indeed). [ Thou art a scandal to me ] (translated an offense, ) doth not only signify, Thou displeasest me, but Thou goest about to hinder me in my undertaken Office, from suffering for the redemption of the world: It was an Aptitudinal scandal, though not effectual. So Matth. 18. 7. It must be that scandals come (translated Offences ) that is, that there be many stumbling blocks set before men in their way to Heaven: So Luke 17. 1. to the same sense. And Rom. 9. 33. I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of scandal (translated [ of offense ]): that is, such as will not only be displeasing, but an occasion of utter ruin to the unbelieving persecuting Jews; according to that of Simeon, Luke 2. 34. This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel.] Rom. 11. 9. Let their table be made a snare, a trap and a stumbling block: The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth not signify a displeasure only, but an occasion of ruin. So Rom. 14. 13. expoundeth itself, [ That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way: ] The Greek word is [ or a scandal ]. This is the just exposition of the word in its ordinary use in the New Testament. So Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause divisions and scandals (translated offenses ); that is, which lay stumbling blocks in the way of Christians, and would trouble them in it, or turn them from it. So 1 Cor. 1. 23. To the Jews a stumbling block, that is, a scandal, (as the Greek word is) as before expounded. So Gal. 5. 11. The scandal of the Cross, translated the offense, doth signify not the bare reproach, but the reproach as it is the trial, and stumbling block of the world, that maketh believing difficult. So 1 John 2. 10. There is no scandal in him, translated No occasion of stumbling. These are all the places that I remember where the word is used.
§. 21. The passive Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to be scandalized, is used often. As Matth. 11. 6. Blessed is he that is not scandalized (translated [ offended ] in me: ) that is, who is not distasted with my person and doctrine through carnal prejudices: and so kept in unbelief: There were many things in the person, life and doctrine of Christ, which were unsuitable to carnal reason and expectation: These men thought to be hard and strange, and could not digest them, and so were hindered by them from believing: And this was being [ offended in Christ ]. So in Matth. 13. 57. & Mar. 6. 3. They were offended in or at him: that is, took a dislike or distaste to him for his words. And Matth. 13. 21. When persecution ariseth, by and by they are offended: that is, they stumble and fall away: And Matth. 15. 12. The Pharisees were offended (or scandalized ) that is, so offended as to be more in dislike of Christ. And Matth. 24. 10. Then shall many be offended, or scandalized, that is, shall draw back and fall away from Christ. And Mat. 26. 31, 33. Mar. 14. 27, 29. [ All ye shall be offended because of me, &c. Though all men shall be offended (or scandalized ) yet will I never be scandalized ] that is, brought to doubt of Christ, or to forsake him or deny him, or be hindered from owning their relation to him. So John 16. 1. These things have I spoken that ye should not be offended; that is, that when the time cometh, the unexpected trouble may not so surprise you, as to turn you from the faith, or stagger you in your obedience or hope. Rom. 14. 21. doth exactly expound it. It is good neither to eat flesh, or drink wine, or anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is scandalized (or offended, ) or made weak: It is a making weak. So 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended, that is, stumbled, or hindered, or ready to apostatize: So much for the nature and sorts of Scandal.
§. 22. IV. You are next to observe the Aggravations of this • in. Which briefly are such as these.
- 1. Scandal is a murdering of souls: It is a hindering of men's salvation, and an enticing or driving them towards Hell. And therefore in some respect worse than murder, as the soul is better than the body.
- 2. Ssandal is a fighting against Jesus Christ, in his work of man's salvation. He came to seek and to save that which was lost; and the scandalizer seeketh to lose and destroy that which Christ would seek and save.
- 3. Scandal robbeth God of the hearts and service of his creatures: For it is a raising in them a distaste of his people, and word, and ways, and of himself; and a turning from him the hearts of those that should adhere unto him.
- 4, Scandal is a serving of the Devil, in his proper work of enmity to Christ, and perdition of souls, Scandalizers do his work in the world, and propagate his Cause and Kingdom.
§. 23. V. The means of avoiding the guilt of Scandal are as followeth.
§. 23. Direct. 1. Mistake not ( with the vulgar ) the nature of scandal, as if it lay in that offending men, which is nothing but grieving or displeasing them; or in making yourselves to be of evil report: But remember that Scandal, is that offending men, which tempteth them into sin, from God and Godliliness, and maketh them stumble and fall, or occasioneth them to think evil of a holy life. It is a pi • i • ul thing to hear religious persons plead for the sin of man-pleasing, under the name of avoiding scandal: yea, to hear them set up a Usurped dominion over the lives of other men, and all by the advantage of the word [ scandal ] misunderstood! So that all men must avoid what ever a censorious person will call scandalous, when he meaneth nothing else himself by scandal, than a thing that is of evil report, with such as he: Yea, Pride itself is often pleaded for by this misunderstanding of Scandal; and men are taught to overvalue their reputations, and to strain their consciences to keep up their esteem, and all under pretence of avoiding scandal: And in the mean time they are really scandalous even in that action by which they think they are avoiding it. I need no other instance, than the case of unwarrantable separation. Some will hold communion with none but the re-baptized: Some think an imposed Liturgy is enough to prove communion with such a Church unlawful (at least in the use of it:) And almost every Sect do make their differences a reason for their separating from other Churches. And if any one would hold communion with those that they separate from, they presently say, that it is scandalous to do so, and to join in any worship which they think unlawful: and by scandal they mean no more, but that it is among them of evil report, and is offensive or displeasing to them! Whereas indeed the argument from scandal should move men to use such communion which erroneous, uncharitable, dividing men do hold unlawful. For else by avoiding that communion I shall lay a stumbling block in the way of the weak: I shall tempt him to think that a duty is a sin, and weaken his charity, and draw him into a sinful separation, or the neglect of some Ordinances of God, or opportunities of getting good: And it is this Temptation which is indeed the scandal. This is before proved in the instance of Peter, Gal. 2. who scandalized, or hardened the Jews, by yielding to a sinful separation from the Gentiles, and fearing the Censoriousness of the Jews whom he sought to please, and the offending of whom he was avoiding when he really offended them, that is, was a scandal or temptation to them.
§. 24. Direct. 2. He that will escape the guilt of Scandal, must be no contemner of the souls of others but must be truly charitable, and have a tender love to souls. That which a man highly valueth and dearly loveth, he will be careful to preserve, and loath to hurt. Such a man will easily part with his own rights, or submit to losses, injuries, or disgrace, to preserve his Neighbors soul from sin. Whereas a despiser of souls, will insist upon his own power, and right and honor, and will entrap and damn a hundred souls, rather than he will abate a word or a Ceremony which he thinks his interest requireth him to exact! Tell him that it will ensnare men's souls in sin, and he is ready to say as the Pharisee • s to Iud • s, What's that to us? See thou to that. A Dog hath as much pity on a Hare, or a Hawk on a Partridge, as a carnal worldly ambitious Diotrephes or an Elymas hath of souls. Tell him that it will occasion men to sin, to wound their Consciences, to offend their God, it moveth him no more than to tell him of the smallest incommodity to himself: He will do more to save a Horse or a Dog of his own, than to save another's soul from sin! To lay snares in their way, or to deprive them of the preaching of the Gospel, or other means of their salvation, is a thing which they may be induced to, by the smallest interest of their own; yea, though it be but a point of seeming honor. And therefore when carnal worldly men do become the disposers of matters of Religion, it is easy to see what measure and usage men must expect: Yea, though they assume the office and name of Pastors, who should have the most tender fatherly care of the souls of all the flocks, yet will their carnal inclinations and interests engage them in the work of Wolves, to entrap, or famish, or destroy Christ's Sheep.
§. 25. Direct. 3. Also you must be persons who value your own souls, and are diligently exercised in saving them from temptations: or else you are very like to be scandalizers and tempters of the souls of others. And therefore when such a man is made a Church Governor as is unacquainted with the renewing work of grace, and with the inward Government of Christ in the soul, what Devilish work is he like to make among the sheep of Christ, under the name of Government! What corrupting of the Doctrine, Worship or Discipline of Christ! What inventions of his own to ensnare men's Consciences? and driving them on by armed force to do that which at least to them is sin, and which can never countervail the loss, either of their souls, or of the Church by such disturbances! How merciless will he be when a poor member of Christ, shall beg of him but to have pity on his soul? and tell him, I cannot do this, or swear this, or subscribe this, without the guilt of a deliberate sin! and I cannot sin without displeasing God, and hindering my salvation. He that dare willfully sin himself, and make it his deliberate choice, and dare play away his own salvation, at the poorest game that the Devil will invite him to, and will sell his own soul at the basest price, even for a little pelf or pleasure or high titles for so short a time; certainly this man is unlike to be very tender of the souls of others, or to stick at scandalizing and ensnaring them, or to care anymore to murder souls, than a Butcher doth to kill a Hog: Judas 's heart, will make them sell their Lord or his flock at Judas 's price; and prepare themselves for Judas 's reward. And hence it is that the Carnal seed even within the Church, hath ordinarily persecuted the spiritual seed. For saith Paul, As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now, Gal. 4. 29.
§. 26. Direct. 4. To be well acquainted with the methods of Satan, and the way of particular temptations, is a great help against your scandalizing others. He that seeth the Devil as the principal in each temptation, and knoweth in what manner he engageth his instruments to carry on his work, and whither all this tendeth at the last, will scarce be willing to serve such a master in so bad a work. Remember that scandalizers and tempters of others, and hinderers of men's salvation, are the servants of the Devil, and are executing his malice for the damnation of their brethren's souls. And what reward can they expect for such a work from such a master? The Devil useth them but as men do Ferrets, whose mouths are sealed because they must not partake of the prey; but only bring it to their masters hand. Live in a constant watchful resistance of temptations yourselves, and you will have no mind to the drudgery of tempting others.
§. 27. Direct. 5. Set not yourselves upon any worldly ambitious design: For the Love of the Riches and Honors of the World, will not only engage you in a course of sinning, but also make it seem your interest, to make others as bad and miserable as yourselves, and to drive them on to serve your interests by their sin.
§. 28. Direct. 6. Take • heed lest a fleshly inclination do draw you to the Love of fleshly pleasures! and that your minds be not set upon the pleasing of your fancies sense or appetite; either in meat, or drink or clothes or dwellings, or recreations, or any such delights: If once the Love of these grow strong, it will conquer your reason, and seduce it into Libertinism, and make you think that a voluptuous flesh-pleasing life, (so it be not by gross disgraced sins) is but the lawful use of the Creature, which Christ hath purchased not only for our necessity, but for our delight; and that the contrary opinion is but the too much rigor of such as understand not their Christian liberty.
§. 29. Direct. 7. Be not rashly and ignorantly zealous in soliciting and importuning others to your private opinions, before you are certain that they are of God. O what abundance of zeal and labor hath many a man laid out, to make others of his mind, in the points of Antinomi • nism, A • abaptism, Separation, Popery, &c. thinking that the saving of their souls had lain upon it: And at last they find, that as they erred themselves, so all their labor was but to scandalize the weak, and lay a stumbling block in their way to Heaven?
§. 30. Direct. 8. Never persuade any man (much less compel him) to anything unnecessary which be taketh to be a sin (whatever you take it for yourselves). For if he judge it a sin, it is a sin to him! No man can innocently do that which he thinketh is forbidden him of God. And shall a thing unnecessary be preferred before the saving of a soul? (Yea before the souls of thousands, as by many merciless men it is.) Indeed if there be an Antecedent necessity (as well as a lawfulness in the thing, and such a necessity as is not in your power to take away, then the Doing it will be his sin, and the not doing it his greater sin; and the greater sin is greatliest to be avoided (but by convenient means.)
§. 31. Direct. 9. Remember the charge which you have of the souls of one another: Though you be not Magistrates or Pastors: (For their care of souls is so unquestionable and so great, that scandal in them is like Parents murdering their own Children:) Yet no private man must say as Cain, Am I my brothers keeper. Every man is bound to do his best for the saving of his Neighbor: Much more to forbear infecting, seducing, scandalizing and destroying him.
§. 32. Direct. 10. Keep up a special tenderness of the weak: So doth God himself, and so must we. He gathereth the Lambs with his arms, &c. Isa. 40. 11. If his Infants cry, he doth not therefore knock out their brains, or turn them out of doors! Nor doth he say, they are not his Children, for every ignorance or peevish passion which they are guilty of: Christ doth not turn men out of his School, because they want knowledge! For why then will he have little Children come? and what do they come for but to learn? He doth not hate his new born babes; but feedeth and nurseth them with a special tenderness: And he hath commanded and communicated the like tenderness to his Ministers; who must not be weak with the weak, and froward with the froward; but in meekness and patience must bear with the weak, and endure their bitterest censures and requitals: For the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach; patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, &c. 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. And if they are long learning before they come to the Knowledge of the truth, they are not therefore to be cast off: He that can read, Rom. 14. & 15. & 1 Cor. 12. 12. & 8. & Gal. 6. and yet can be so merciless and cruel, as to cast men out of the Ministry or Church, or to ruin them, for tolerable weakness, which God hath so earnestly charged us to bear with in our Brethren, either he doth not understand what he readeth, or not believe it, or hath somewhat else which he more regardeth at his heart, than the Authority or Love of God.
§. 33. Direct. 11. Do not censure every man to be willful or obstinate, who is not of your opinion, when he hath heard your reasons, how clear soever they may may seem to you. Alas, how many things are there besides willful obstinacy, to hinder one man from being as wi • e as another! If a few times repeating over the Reasons of an opinion, is enough to implant it in all the hearers, why do your Children go so long to School, and after that to the Universities? and why are you so long Preaching to all your Parishioners? Sure you preach not novelties to them as long as you live! And yet thirty or forty years painful preaching, even of the same fundamentals of Religion, shall leave many ignorant of them in the best Parishes in the Land. There must be a right and ripe disposition in the hearers, or else the clearest reasoning may be ineffectual! A disused or unfurnished mind, that hath not received all the truths, which are presupposed to those which you deliver, or hath not digested them into a clear understanding may long hear the truest reasons and never apprehend their weight: There is need of more ado than a bare unfolding of the truth, to make a man receive it in its proper evidence! Perhaps he hath been long pre-possessed with contrary opinions, which are not easily rooted out? Or if he be but confident of the truth of some one opinion, which is inconsistent with yours, no wonder if he cannot receive that which is contrary, to what he so verily believeth to be the truth. There is a marvelous variety of men's apprehensions, of the same opinions or reasons, as they are variously represented to men, and variously pondered, and as the natural capacity of men is various, and as the whole course of their lives, their education, company and conversation, have variously formed their minds. It is like the setting together all the parts of Watch when it is in pieces: If any one part of many be misplaced, it may necessitate the misplacing of those that follow, without any willful obstinacy in him that doth it. If in the whole frame of sacred Truth, there be but some one misunderstood, it may bring in other mistakes and keep out many truths, even from an honest willing mind! And who is there that can say, he is free from error? Have not you perceived in yourselves, that the truths which you heard an hundred times over to little purpose when you were Children, were received more convincingly and satisfyingly when you were men! And that you have found a delightful clearness in some points on a sudden, which before you either resisted, or held with little observation or regard? And yet it is common with the scandalizers of souls, to cry out against all that conform not to their opinions and will, as soon as they have heard their reasons, that they are, stubborn, and refractory, and willful and factious, and so turn from arguments to Clubs; as if they had never known themselves or others, nor how weak and dark the understandings of almost all men are! But they shall have judgment without mercy who show no mercy! And when their own errors shall all be opened to them by the Lord, they will be loath they should all be imputed to their willful obstinacy! And perhaps these very censorious men, may prove themselves to have beenonthe wrong side: For Pride and uncharitableness are usually erroneous.
§. 34. Direct. 12. Engage not yourselves in an evil cause: For if you do, it will engage you to draw in others: You will expect your friends should take your part, and think as you think, and say as you say; though it be never so much against truth or righteousness.
§. 35. Direct. 13. Speak not rashly against any cause or persons before you are acquainted with them; or have well considered what you say. Especially take heed how you believe what a man of any Sect in Religion, doth speak or write against his Adversaries of a contrary sect: If experience had not proved it in our days, beyond contradiction, it would seem incredible how little men are to be believed in this case, and how the falsest reports will run among the people of a Sect, against those whom the interest of their opinion and party engageth them to mis-represent! Think not that you are excusable for receiving or venting an ill report, because you can say, he was an honest man that spoke it: For many that are otherwise honest, do make it a part of their honesty to be dishonest in this: They think they are not zealous enough for those opinions which they call their Religion, unless they are easy in believing and speaking evil of those that are the Adversaries of it. When it may be upon a just trial, all proveth false: And then all the words which you ignorantly utter against the truth, or those that follow it, are scandals or stumbling blocks to the hearers, to turn them from it, and make them hate it. I am not speaking against a just credulity: There must be human belief, or else there can be no human converse! But ever suspect partiality in a party. For the interest of their Religion is a more powerful charm to the Consciences of evil speakers, than personal interest or bribes would be: How many Legends tell us this, how easily some men counted Godly, have been prevailed with to Lie for God?
§. 36. Direct. 14. Take heed of mocking at a Religious life; yea or of breaking any jeasts or scorns at the weaknesses of any in Religious exercises, which may possibly reflect upon the exercises themselves: Many a thousand souls have been kept from a holy life, by the scorns of the vulgar, that speak of it as a matter of derision or sport. Reading the Scriptures, and holy conference, and prayer, and instructing our families, and the holy observation of the Lord's day, and Church-discipline, are commonly the derision of ungodly persons, who can scorn that which they can neither confute, nor learn. And weak people are greatly moved by such senseless means: A mock or jear doth more with them than an argument: They cannot endure to be made a laughing-stock: Thus was the name of a Crucified God, the derision of the Heathens, and the scandal of the World, both Jews and Gentiles. And there is scarce a greater scandal or stumbling block at this day, which keepeth multitudes from Heaven, than when the Devil can make it either a matter of danger or of shame to be a Christian, or to live a holy mortified life. Persecution and Derision are the great successful scandals of the World. And therefore seeing men are so apt to be turned off from Christ and Godliness, never speak unreverently or disrespectfully of them! It is a profane and scandalous course of some, that if a Preacher have but an unhansome tone or gesture, they make a jest of it, and say, He whined, or he spoke through the nose, or some such scorn they cast upon him; which the hearers quickly apply to all others, and turn to a scorn of Preaching or Prayer or Religion itself. Or if men differ from each other in opinion in matters of Religion, they are presently inclined to deride them for something in their Worshipping of God! And while they deride a man as an Anabaptist, as an Independant, as a Presbyterian, as Prelatical, they little know what a malignant tincture it may leave upon the hearers mind, and teach carnal persons to make a jest of all alike.
§. 37. Direct. 15. Impute not the faults of men to Christ, and blame not Religion for the faults of them that sin against it. This is the malignant trick of Satan, and his blinded instruments: If an Hypocrite miscarry, or if a man that in all things else hath walked uprightly be overthrown by a temptation in some odious sin, they presently cry out, These are your Professors! your Religious people! that are so precise, and pure, and strict! Try them and they'll appear as bad as others! If a Noah be once drunk, or a Lot be overthrown thereby, or a David commit adultery and murder, or a Peter deny his Master, or a Judas betray him, they presently cry out, They are all alike! and turn it to the scorn of Godliness itself: Unworthy beasts! As if Christ's Laws were therefore to be scorned, because men break them? and Obedience to God were bad, because some are disobedient! Hath Christ forbidden the sins which you blame, or hath he not? If he have not, blame them not, for they are no sins: If he have, commend the justness and holiness of his Laws! Either the offenders you blame did well or ill! If they did well, why do you blame them? If they did ill, why do you not commend Religion and the Scripture which condemneth them? Either it is best for all men to live in such sins as those which these lapsed persons or hypocrites committed, or it is not: If it be, why are you offended with them for that which you allow? If it be not, why do you sooth up the wicked in their sins, and excuse an ungodly life, because of the falls of such as seem Religious. There is no common ingenuity in this, but malicious spite against God and holiness; (of which more in the next Chapter).
§. 38. Direct. 16. Make not use of Civil quarrels to lay an odium upon religion. It is ordinary with ungodly malicious men, to labor to turn the displeasure of Rulers, against men of integrity; and if there be any broils or Civil Wars, to snatch any pretence how false soever to call them Traitors and Enemies to Government. If it be but because they are against a Usurper, or because some Fanatick persons (whom they oppose,) have behaved themselves rebelliously or disobediently; a holy life (which is the greatest friend to Loyalty) must be blamed for all; And all is but to gratify the Devil in driving poor souls from God and holiness.
§. 39. Direct. 17. When you think it your duty to speak of the faults of men that profess a Godly life, lay the blame only on the person, but speak as much and more in commendations of Godliness itself; and commend that which is good in them, while you discommend that which is evil. Is their Praying bad? Is their instructing their families, and sanctifying the Lord's day bad? Is their fearing sin, and obeying God bad? If not, why do you not say as much to commend them for these, or at least to commend these in themselves, as you do to discommend them for their faults? Why do you not fear lest the hearers should be drawn to dislike a Godly life by your disgracing persons accounted Godly? and therefore warn them to think never the worse of Godliness for this? You that give the poison should in reason give an Antidote, if it be not your design to poison souls. Is it really your design by speaking against men accounted Godly, to draw the hearers to the hatred of Godliness, or is it not? If it be, you are incarnate Devils. If it be not, why do you endeavor it, by making odious the persons, under the name of Profess • urs and Godly men? And why do you not speak more to draw people to a Godly life? And to imitate them in that which is good, while they disclaim them in that which is evil?
§. 40. Direct. 18. Be especially tender of the reputations of those, that the souls of men have most dependence on: As the Preachers of the Gospel and the eminentest men for Knowledge and Religiousness. Not that I desire that sin should be the better thought of for being theirs, or that evil should be called good in any: But experience hath told the World, since God and the Devil had their several ways and servants upon earth, that it hath been the Devils most usual successful course, to wound Religion through the sides of the Religious, and to blame the persons, when he would turn men from the way! For he knoweth that Religious persons have their faults, and in them his malice may find somewhat to fasten on: but Religion hath no fault; and malice itself is seldom so impudent, as to speak directly against a Holy Heavenly life: But the way is to make those disgraceful and odious, who are noted to lead such a life; and then secretly to infer, [If those that seem Godly be no better, you need not be Godly, you are as well as you are: This Religion is but a fancy: a needless, if not a troublesome, hurtful thing]. Seeing therefore that the Devil hath no blow at Religion, so fair as by striking at the persons of the Preachers and professors of it, every friend of Christ must be acquainted with his design, and must not serve him in it, but counterwork him, and preserve the reputation even of the persons of the Religious: Not so much in Charity to them, but for the people's souls, and the honor of Christ.
§. 41. Direct. 19. Let all that preach and profess the Gospel, and a Godly life, be sure that they live according to their profession: That the name of God be not evil spoken of among the wicked through their misdoings, Rom. 2. It was the aggravation of David's sin which God would not quite forgive, that he made the enemies of the Lord blaspheme, 2 Sam. 12. 14. Servants must count their masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, 1 Tim. 6. 1. The duties of good women are particularly named by the Apostle, Tit. 2. 3, 4, 5. with this motive to the practice of them [ that the word of God be not blasphemed. ] Obedience to Government is commanded with this motive, 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing, you may put to silence, the ignorance of foolish men: And verse. 11, 12. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul: having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of Visitation. And it was the aggravation of the Heretics sin, that [ many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, ] 2 Pet. 2. 2. O then how carefully should Ministers and all that are Godly walk! The blind world cannot read the Gospel in itself, but only as it is exemplified by the lives of men: They judge not of the Actions of men by the Law, but of the Law of God by men's actions! Therefore the saving or damning of men's souls, doth lie much upon the lives of the Professors of Religion! because their liking or disliking a holy life doth depend upon them: Saith Paul of young Women [I will that— they give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully: for some are already turned aside after Satan. ] 1 Tim. 5. 14, 15. Hence it is that even the appearance of evil is so carefully to be avoided, by all that fear God, left others be drawn by it to speak evil of Godliness! Every scandal (truly so called) is a stab to the soul of him that is scandalized, and a reproachful blot to the Christian cause. I may say of the faults of Christians as Plutarch doth of the faults of Princes; A wart or blemish in the face, is more conspicuous and disgraceful than in other parts.
§ 42. Direct. 20. Let no pretence of the evil of Hypocrisy make you so contented with your secret innocence, as to neglect the edification and satisfaction of your neighbors. When it is only your own interest that is concerned in the business, then it is no matter whether any man be acquainted with any good that you do; And it is a very small matter how they judge, or what they say of you: The approbation of God alone is enough? No matter who condemneth you if he justify you. But when the vindication of your innocence, or the manifestation of your virtue, is necessary to the good of your neighbors souls, or to the honor of you Sacred profession; the neglect of it is not sincerity, but cruelty.
CHAP. XIII. Directions against Scandal-taken; or an aptness to receive hurt, by the words or deeds of others.
§. 1. IT was not only an admonition, but a prophesy of Christ, when he said, Woe to the world because of offenses! It must be that offense come: And Blessed is he that is not offended or scanlized in me. He foreknew that the errors and misdoings of some, would be the snare and ruin of many others: And that when damnable herefies arise, many will follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of: 2 Pet. 1. 2. Like men in the dark, where if one catch a fall, he that comes next him falls upon him.
There are four sorts of persons that use to be scandalized, or hurt by the sins of others.
§. 2. 1. Malignant enemies of Christ and Godliness, who are partly hardened in their malice, and partly rejoiced at the dishonor of Religion, and insult over those that give the offense, or take occasion by it to blaspheme or persecute.
2. Some that are more equal, and hopeful, and in greater possibility of conversion, who are stopped by it in their desires, and purposes, and attempts of a godly life.
3. Unsound Professors, or hypocrites, who are turned by scandals from the way of Godliness, which they seemed to walk in.
4. Weak Christians, who are troubled and hindered in their way of piety, or else drawn into some particular error or sin, though they fall not off.
§. 3. So that the effects of scandal may be reduced to these two: I. The perverting of men's judgments, to dislike Religion, and think hardly either of the doctrine or practice of Christianity. II. The emboldning of men to commit particular sins, or to omit particular duties; or at least the troubling and hindering them in the performance: Against which I shall first give you distinctly some Meditative Directions, and then some Practical Directions against them both together.
§. 4. I. Direct. 1. Consider what an evident sign it is, of a very blind or malicious soul, to be so apt to pick quarrels with God and godliness, because of the sins of other men.
Love thinketh not ill of those we love: Ill will and malice are still ready to impute what ever is amiss, to those whom they hate: Enmity is contentious and slanderous; and will make a crime of virtue itself, and from any Topic fetch matter of reproach: There is no witness seemeth incredible to it, who speaketh anything that is evil of those they hate. An argument a baculo ad verber • is sufficient: Thus did the Heathens by the primitive Christians. And will you do thus by God? Will you terrify your own consciences, when they shall awake, and find such an ugly Serpent in your bosom, as Malice and Enmity against your Maker and Redeemer? It is the nature of the Devil; even his principal sin. And will you not only wear his livery, but bear his image, to prove that he is your Father? and by community of natures, to prove that you must also have a communion with him in condemnation and punishment? And doth not so visible a mark of Devilisme upon your souls, affright you, and make you ready to run away from yourselves? Nothing but devilish malice can charge that upon God or godliness, which is done by sinners against his Laws. Would you use a friend thus? If a murder were done, or a slander raised of you, or your house were fired, or your goods stolen, would you suspect your friend of it? Or any one that you honored, loved or thought well of? You would not certainly, but rather your enemy, or some lewd and dissolute persons that were most likely to be guilty? You are blinded by malice, if you see not how evident a proof of your devilish malice this is, to be ready when men that profess Religion do anything amiss, to think the worse of Godliness or Religion for it! The cause of this suspicion is lodged in your own hearts.
§. 5. Direct. 2. Remember that this was the first Temptation by which the Devil overthrew mankind; to persuade them to think ill of God, as if he had been false of his word, and had envied them their felicity. Gen. 3. 4, 5. Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God's knowing good and evil. And will you not be warned by the calamity of all the world, to take heed of thinking ill of God and of his Word, and of believing the Devils reports against him?
§. 6 Direct. 3. Consider that to think ill of God, is to think him to be a Devil; and to think ill of godliness is to take it to be wickedness: And can man be guilty of a more devilish crime? N • y, is it not worse than the Devil that tempteth you to it can commit. To be God, is to be Good, even the Infinite, Eternal, perfect Good, in whom is no evil, nor none can be: To be a Devil, is to be Evil, even the chief that Do-evil, and would draw others so to do. It is not an ugly shape in which a Painter doth represent the Devil, which showeth us his ugliness indeed: An enemy of Godliness is liker to him than that picture: It is his sinfulness against God, which is his true deformity. Therefore to suspect God to be Evil, is to suspect him to be the Devil; so horrid a blasphemy doth this sin partake of. And if Godliness be bad, then He that is the Author and End of it cannot be Good.
§ 7. Direct. 4. Consider what horrible blindness it is to impute men's faults to God who is the greatest adversary to sin in all the world, and who will most severely punish it, and to Godliness which is perfectly its contrary. There is no Angel in Heaven so little to be suspected to be the friend of sin as God. Creatures are mutable in themselves: Angels have the innocent imperfection of creatures: Saints on earth have a culpable imperfection through the remainder of sin: If you had only suspected these, you might have had some pretence for it: But to quarrel with God or Godliness, is madder than to think that Light is the cause of darkness.
§. 8. Direct. 5. And think what extremity of injury and injustice this is to God, to blame him or his Laws for those sins of men which are committed against him and his Laws. Who is it that sin is committed against but God? Is it not he that made the Laws which it is the transgression of? Are not those Laws, think you, strict enough against it? Is it not their strictness which such as you dislike? Were they Laws that would give you leave to be worldly, sensual and proud, you would never quarrel with them: And yet you charge men's sins on these Laws, because they are so strict against them. Do you impute sin to God, because he will judge men for it to Hell fire, and cast them forever out of his glorious presence into misery? O cursed impudence! How righteous is God in condemning such malicious souls? Tell us if you can: Would you have had God to have forbidden sin more strictly? Or condemned it more severely? Or punished it more terribly? If you would, you pray for greater vengeance than Hell upon yourselves? Woe to you, when he executeth but so much as he hath already threatened? Shall the crime of Rebels be imputed to the King, against whom they rebel? If a Thief shall rob you, or a servant deceive you, or a Son despise you, is he just that will so much increase your injury, as to lay the blame of all upon yourselves? You will say, It is not God that we are offended with. But if it be at a Holy life, it is at God: For what is Godliness but the loving, and serving, and obeying God? If you say, that it is not Godliness neither; Why then do you distaste or speak against a godly life, on this occasion? If you say, It is these Hypocrites only that we dislike; What do you dislike them for? Is it for their Virtue or their Vices? If it be for their sins, Why then do you not speak and do more against sin, in yourselves and others? We will concur with you to the utmost in opposing sin where ever it be found? If it be their Hypocrisy that you blame, persuade yourselves and other men to be sincerely godly. How would you have Hypocrisy avoided? By an open profession to serve the Devil? Or by sincerity in serving God? If the latter, Why then do you think evil of the most serious obedience to God? Alas, all Christian Countries are too full of Hypocrites: Everyone that is Baptized, and professeth Christianity, is a Saint or an Hypocri • e? All drunken, covetous, ambitious, sensual, unclean Christians, are Hypocrites and not Christians indeed. And these Hypocrites can quietly live a worldly fleshly life, and never lament their own hypocrisy, nor their perfidious violating their Baptismal Vow: But if one that seemeth diligent for his soul prove an Hypocrite, or fall into any scandalous sin, here they presently make an ou • cry; not to call the man from his sin, but to make a godly diligent life seem odious to all, by telling men, These are your godly men? It is Godliness that they quarrel with, while they pretend only to find fault with sin. Why else do not you find fault with the same sin equally in all? Or at least persuade men by such examples to be less sinful, and more watchful, and not to be less religious and more loose. Tell me truly of any one that is more against sin than God, or anything more contrary to it than Godliness and true Religion, or any men that do more against it than the most Religious, and then I will join with you in preferring those. Till then remember how you condemn yourselves, when you condemn them that are better than yourselves.
§. 9. Direct. 6. Think what a foolish audacious thing it is, to set yourselves against your God and Judge. Will you accuse him of evil, because men do evil? Are you fit to judge him? Are guilty Worms either Wise or Just enough for such an attempt, or strong enough to bear it out? What do you but set your faces against Heaven, and profess Rebellion against God, when you blame his Laws and Government, and think the obeying and serving him to be evil?
§. 10. Direct. 7. Consider what cruelty it is to yourselves, to turn the saults of others to your ruin, which should be your warning to avoid the like. If another man sin, will you not only do so too, but be the more averse to Repentance and Reformation? Will you cut your throat, because another cut his finger, or did so before you? Why should you do yourselves such mischief?
§. 11. Direct. 8. Remember that this was the design of the Devil in tempting religious people to sin, not only to destroy them, but to undo you and others by their falls. If he can make you think the worse of Religion, he hath his design and will: He hath killed many at a blow. Ye • , perhaps the sinner may Repent and be forgiven, when you that are driven from Repentance and Godliness by the scandal may be damned. And will you so far gratify the Devil, in the willful destruction of yourselves? Sin is contagious: And this is your catching of the infection, if it prevail to drive you further from God? And thus this Plague devoureth multitudes.
§. 12. Direct. 9. He that will think ill of Godliness for men's sins, shall never want occasion of such offense, nor such temptations to fly from God. If you are so foolish or malignant as to pick quarrels with God and godliness for men's faults (which nothing but God and Godliness can reform) you may set up your standard of defiance against Heaven, and see what you will get by it in the end. For God will not remove all occasion of your scandal. There ever have been, and will be Hypocrites in the Church on earth. Noah's Ark had a Cham: Abraham's family had an Ishmael, and Isaac's an Esau, and David's an Absalom, and Christ's a Judas. The falls of good men are cited in Scripture, to admonish you to take heed. Noah, Lot, David, Joseph's Brethren, &c. have left a mark behind them where they fell, that you may take a safer way. If you will make all such the occasion of your malignity, you turn your medicine into your poison, and choose Hell because some others choose it, or because some stumbled in the way to Heaven.
§. 13. AND for those who are emboldened in sin because they see their superiors or religious men commit it, or read that David, Noah, Peter, &c. fell, let them consider,
Direct. 1. That it is Rule and not example that you must chiefly live by. Do the Laws of God by which you must be judged, allow of sin? If they do, then fear it not.
§. 14. Direct. 2. Is not the example of Christ much better than a sinners? If you will follow examples, follow the best, even that which was given you purposely to imitate. The greatest and most learned man is fallible, and the most religious is not wholly free from sin: Sincerity writeth after a perfect Copy, though it cannot reach it.
§. 15. Direct. 3. Consider that sin is not the better but the worse, for being committed by a Religious, a Gre • t or a Learned man. Their place, their knowledge and profession aggravateth it. And shall that embolden you which God most hateth?
§. 16. Direct. 4. And consider that when he that falleth by a surprise, doth rise again by Repentance and is pardoned, those that are hereby emboldened to sin deliberately and impenitently shall be condemned. You may sin with David or Peter when you will, but you cannot rise with them by true Repentance, without that Grace which you willfully resist and forfeit.
§. 17. Direct. 5. Lastly, Consider that the best men and the greatest are the most dangerous tempters, when they mislead us. A David was a stronger temptation to Bathsheba, than another man could have been. A Peter might sooner mislead Barnabas and others, into a sinful dissimulation and separation, than another could have done. Therefore do not think that where your danger is greatest, your venturousness should be most.
Practical Directions against Offence and burt by others.
§. 18. Direct. 1. Lay well your foundation, and understand the nature and reasons of Religion: and then you will be so far from disliking it for the errors and falls of others, that it will be written upon your minds, as with a beam of the Sun, that There can be no reason against obeying God, and against the careful securing of our salvation. This will be the first and undoubted Principle, which nothing in the world can make you question. What ever scandals, persecutions or sufferings, may attend a holy life, you will still be past doubt, that there is no other way? No other eligible, no other tolerable, no other rational, or that will lead to happiness. What ever falls out in the world, if the most great, or learned, or religious fall away, it will not make you question, Whether a man be a living creature, nor whether the Sun be light, nor whether two and two be four. No more should it make you question, Whether God be better than the Creature, Heaven than earth, or a life of Holiness than a life of sin. You will say as Peter, Lord whither should we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. John 6. What ever scandals are given, or what ever befall the Church, or if all the Disciples of Christ forsake him, this remaineth as sure as that the earth is under us, that there is no other way than Holiness, for a wise man once to take into his thoughts.
§. 19. Direct. 2. Get once a sincere Love to God and a holy life, and then no scandals will make you jealous of it, nor think of looking any other way. It is want of true and hearty Love, that maketh you so easily taken off.
§. 20. Direct. 3. To this end, know Religion by experience: and this will put you past all doubt of its goodness. He that never tasted Sugar, may be persuaded by argument that it is not sweet, or may think it bitter when he seeth another spit it out: And he that knoweth Godliness but by looking on, or hearsay, may thus be drawn to think it bad: But so will not he that hath truly tried it: I mean not only to try what it is to hear, and read, and pray; but what it is to be humble, holy and heavenly, both in heart and life.
§. 21. Direct. 4. When you see any man sin, be sure you do that duty which it calls you to. Every fall that you see of others doth call you to see the odiousness of sin (as you will do when you see a drunkard spewing, or a Thief at the Whipping-post.) And it calleth you to search for, and lament the root of such sin in yourselves; and to set your watch more strictly upon such a warning: And it calls you to compassionate the sinner, and if you have hope and opportunity, to endeavor his recovery. If you will conscionably do this duty which is your own, you will be the less in danger of hurt by scandal. Its Duty that must help to prevent infection.
§. 22. Direct. 5. Be watchful among all men, High and Low, Learned or unlearned, Good and Bad. Venture not blindly upon the singular opinion of any men whatsoever; nor into any new unproved way. Remember that all men are a temptation to others: And therefore be armed and watch against such temptation. Know well what it is that is the peculiar temptation, which the quality of those that you have to do with, layeth before you: Spend no day or hour in any company good or bad, without a wise and careful vigilancy.
§. 23. Direct. 6. Be as little as you can i • scandalous and tempting company. Presume not to touch pitch, and promise yourselves to scape defilement. Especially fly from two sorts of scandals: 1. The discourses and societies of Heretical or Schismatical men; who speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them, Acts 20. 30. Those that presume to run into such snares, and think their own understanding and stability, is sufficient to preserve them, do show by their pride that they are near a fall, 1 Cor. 10. 2. The company of sensual persons, at Stage-plays, Gaming, inordinate plays, and wanton dalliance: For this is to bring your Tinder and Gunpowder to the fire: And the less you fear it, the greater is your danger.
§. 24. Direct. 7. Look more at the good that is in others, than at their faults and falls. The Flye that will fall on none but the galled ulcerous place, doth feed accordingly. Is a professor of Religion, Covetous, Drunk, or other ways scandalous? Remember that it is his Covetousness or drunkenness that is bad; Reprove that and fly from it and spare not: But Religion is good: Let that therefore be commended and imitated. Leave the Carrion to Dogs and Crows to feast upon: But do you choose out the things that are commendable, and mind and mention and imitate those.
§. 25. Direct. 8. Lastly, Think and speak as much against the sin and danger of taking-scandal, as against the sin and danger of giving it. When others cry out, These are your religious people; Do you cry out as much against their malignity and madness, who will dislike or reproach Religion for men's sins? Which is to blame the the Law-makers or Laws, because they are broken; or to fall out with Health, because many that once were in health, fall sick: or to find fault with eating because some are lean, or with clothing, because some are cold. Open to yourselves and others, what a wicked and perilous thing this is, to fall out with Godliness, because some are ungodly, that seemed godly. Many cry out against Scandal, Scandal, that never think, what a heinous sin it is to be scandalized, or to suffer men's sins to be a scandal to you; and to be the worse because that others are so bad. No one must differ from them in an opinion, or a fashion of apparel, or in a mode or form of Worship, but some are presently scandalized: Not knowing that it is a greater sin in them to be scandalized, than in the other by such means (supposing them to be faulty,) to give them the occasion. Do you know what it is to be scandalized or offended in the Scripture sense? It is not merely to be displeased, or to dislike another's actions (as is before said). But it is to be drawn into some sin, or hindered from some duty, or stopped in the course of Religion, or to think the worse of truth, or duty, or a godly life, because of other men's words or actions. And do you think him a good Christian, and a faithful or constant friend to godliness, who is so easily brought to quarrel with it? Or is so easily turned from it, or hindered in it? Some peevish childish persons are like sick stomachs, that no meat can please; you cannot dress it so curiously, but they complain that it is naught, or this ayleth it, or that ayleth it; when the fault is in themselves: Or like children, or sick persons that can scarce be touched, but they are hurt: Do you think that this sickliness or curiosity in Religion is a credit to you? This is not the tenderness of Conscience which God requireth, to be easily hurt by other men's differences or faults: As it is the shame of many Ladies and Gentlewomen, to be so curious and troublesomely neat, that no servant knoweth how to please them; so is it in Religion, a sign of your childish folly and worse, to be guilty of such proud curiosity, that none can please you who are not exactly of your mind and way: All men must follow your humors in gestures, fashions, opinions, formalities and modes, or else you are troubled, and offended, and scandalized: As if all the world were made to please and humor you! Or you were wise enough, and great and good enough, to be the rule of all about you? Desire and spare not, that yourselves and all men should please God as exactly as is possible! But if the want of that exactness in doubtful things, or a difference in things disputable and doubtful among true Christians, do thereupon abate or hinder your Love or estimation of your brethren, or communion with them, or any other Christian duty, or tempt you into censoriousness or contempt of your brethren, or to Schism, Persecution or any other sin, it is you that are the great offenders, and you that are like to be the sufferers; and have cause to lament that sinful aptness to be thus scandalized.
Practical Directions against Offence and burt by others.
§. 18. Direct. 1. Lay well your foundation, and understand the nature and reasons of Religion: and then you will be so far from disliking it for the errors and falls of others, that it will be written upon your minds, as with a beam of the Sun, that There can be no reason against obeying God, and against the careful securing of our salvation. This will be the first and undoubted Principle, which nothing in the world can make you question. What ever scandals, persecutions or sufferings, may attend a holy life, you will still be past doubt, that there is no other way? No other eligible, no other tolerable, no other rational, or that will lead to happiness. What ever falls out in the world, if the most great, or learned, or religious fall away, it will not make you question, Whether a man be a living creature, nor whether the Sun be light, nor whether two and two be four. No more should it make you question, Whether God be better than the Creature, Heaven than earth, or a life of Holiness than a life of sin. You will say as Peter, Lord whither should we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. John 6. What ever scandals are given, or what ever befall the Church, or if all the Disciples of Christ forsake him, this remaineth as sure as that the earth is under us, that there is no other way than Holiness, for a wise man once to take into his thoughts.
§. 19. Direct. 2. Get once a sincere Love to God and a holy life, and then no scandals will make you jealous of it, nor think of looking any other way. It is want of true and hearty Love, that maketh you so easily taken off.
§. 20. Direct. 3. To this end, know Religion by experience: and this will put you past all doubt of its goodness. He that never tasted Sugar, may be persuaded by argument that it is not sweet, or may think it bitter when he seeth another spit it out: And he that knoweth Godliness but by looking on, or hearsay, may thus be drawn to think it bad: But so will not he that hath truly tried it: I mean not only to try what it is to hear, and read, and pray; but what it is to be humble, holy and heavenly, both in heart and life.
§. 21. Direct. 4. When you see any man sin, be sure you do that duty which it calls you to. Every fall that you see of others doth call you to see the odiousness of sin (as you will do when you see a drunkard spewing, or a Thief at the Whipping-post.) And it calleth you to search for, and lament the root of such sin in yourselves; and to set your watch more strictly upon such a warning: And it calls you to compassionate the sinner, and if you have hope and opportunity, to endeavor his recovery. If you will conscionably do this duty which is your own, you will be the less in danger of hurt by scandal. Its Duty that must help to prevent infection.
§. 22. Direct. 5. Be watchful among all men, High and Low, Learned or unlearned, Good and Bad. Venture not blindly upon the singular opinion of any men whatsoever; nor into any new unproved way. Remember that all men are a temptation to others: And therefore be armed and watch against such temptation. Know well what it is that is the peculiar temptation, which the quality of those that you have to do with, layeth before you: Spend no day or hour in any company good or bad, without a wise and careful vigilancy.
§. 23. Direct. 6. Be as little as you can i • scandalous and tempting company. Presume not to touch pitch, and promise yourselves to scape defilement. Especially fly from two sorts of scandals: 1. The discourses and societies of Heretical or Schismatical men; who speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them, Acts 20. 30. Those that presume to run into such snares, and think their own understanding and stability, is sufficient to preserve them, do show by their pride that they are near a fall, 1 Cor. 10. 2. The company of sensual persons, at Stage-plays, Gaming, inordinate plays, and wanton dalliance: For this is to bring your Tinder and Gunpowder to the fire: And the less you fear it, the greater is your danger.
§. 24. Direct. 7. Look more at the good that is in others, than at their faults and falls. The Flye that will fall on none but the galled ulcerous place, doth feed accordingly. Is a professor of Religion, Covetous, Drunk, or other ways scandalous? Remember that it is his Covetousness or drunkenness that is bad; Reprove that and fly from it and spare not: But Religion is good: Let that therefore be commended and imitated. Leave the Carrion to Dogs and Crows to feast upon: But do you choose out the things that are commendable, and mind and mention and imitate those.
§. 25. Direct. 8. Lastly, Think and speak as much against the sin and danger of taking-scandal, as against the sin and danger of giving it. When others cry out, These are your religious people; Do you cry out as much against their malignity and madness, who will dislike or reproach Religion for men's sins? Which is to blame the the Law-makers or Laws, because they are broken; or to fall out with Health, because many that once were in health, fall sick: or to find fault with eating because some are lean, or with clothing, because some are cold. Open to yourselves and others, what a wicked and perilous thing this is, to fall out with Godliness, because some are ungodly, that seemed godly. Many cry out against Scandal, Scandal, that never think, what a heinous sin it is to be scandalized, or to suffer men's sins to be a scandal to you; and to be the worse because that others are so bad. No one must differ from them in an opinion, or a fashion of apparel, or in a mode or form of Worship, but some are presently scandalized: Not knowing that it is a greater sin in them to be scandalized, than in the other by such means (supposing them to be faulty,) to give them the occasion. Do you know what it is to be scandalized or offended in the Scripture sense? It is not merely to be displeased, or to dislike another's actions (as is before said). But it is to be drawn into some sin, or hindered from some duty, or stopped in the course of Religion, or to think the worse of truth, or duty, or a godly life, because of other men's words or actions. And do you think him a good Christian, and a faithful or constant friend to godliness, who is so easily brought to quarrel with it? Or is so easily turned from it, or hindered in it? Some peevish childish persons are like sick stomachs, that no meat can please; you cannot dress it so curiously, but they complain that it is naught, or this ayleth it, or that ayleth it; when the fault is in themselves: Or like children, or sick persons that can scarce be touched, but they are hurt: Do you think that this sickliness or curiosity in Religion is a credit to you? This is not the tenderness of Conscience which God requireth, to be easily hurt by other men's differences or faults: As it is the shame of many Ladies and Gentlewomen, to be so curious and troublesomely neat, that no servant knoweth how to please them; so is it in Religion, a sign of your childish folly and worse, to be guilty of such proud curiosity, that none can please you who are not exactly of your mind and way: All men must follow your humors in gestures, fashions, opinions, formalities and modes, or else you are troubled, and offended, and scandalized: As if all the world were made to please and humor you! Or you were wise enough, and great and good enough, to be the rule of all about you? Desire and spare not, that yourselves and all men should please God as exactly as is possible! But if the want of that exactness in doubtful things, or a difference in things disputable and doubtful among true Christians, do thereupon abate or hinder your Love or estimation of your brethren, or communion with them, or any other Christian duty, or tempt you into censoriousness or contempt of your brethren, or to Schism, Persecution or any other sin, it is you that are the great offenders, and you that are like to be the sufferers; and have cause to lament that sinful aptness to be thus scandalized.
CHAP. XIV. Directions against soul-murder, and partaking of other men's sins.
THE special Directions given Part 3. Ch. 22. to Parents and Masters, will in this case, be of great use to all others; But because it is here seasonable to speak of it further, under the sixth Commandment, and the matter is of greatest consequence, I shall, 1. Tell you how men are guilty of soul-murder. 2. And then give you some General Directions for the furthering of men's salvation. 3. And next give you some special Directions for Christian Exhortation and Reproofs.
§. 1. 1. Men are guilty of soul-murder by all these ways: 1. By preaching false soul-murdering doctrine: such as denieth any necessary point of faith, or holy living: such as is opposite to a holy life, or to any particular necessary duty: such as maketh sin to be no sin; which call good evil, and evil good; wich putteth darkness for light, and light for darkness.
§. 2. 2. By false application of true doctrine, indirectly reflecting upon and disgracing that holiness of life, which in terms they preach for: By prevarication undermining that cause which their office is appointed to promote. As they do, who purposely so describe any vice, that the hearers may be drawn to think that strict and Godly practices, are either that sin itself, or but a Cloak to hide it.
§. 3. 3. By bringing the persons of the most religious into hatred, by such false applications, reflections, or secret insinuations, or open calumnies: Making men believe that they are all but Hypocrites, or Schismatics, or seditious, or fanatical self-conceited persons! Which is usually done either by impudent slanders raised against some particular men, and so reflected on the rest; or by the advantage of factions, controversies or Civil Wars; or by the falls of any professors, or the crimes of Hypocrites: whereupon they would make the World believe, that they are all alike; As if all Christ's family were to be judged of by Peters fall, or Judas falsehood. And the odious representation of Godly men doth greatly prevail to keep others from Godliness, and is one of the Devils most successful means, for the damnation of multitudes of souls.
§. 4. 4. The disgrace of the persons of the Preachers of the Gospel, doth greatly further men's damnation. For when the people think their Teachers to be Hypocrites, Covetous, Proud, and secretly as bad as others, they are very like to think accordingly of their doctrine, and that all strict Religion is but hypocrisy, or at least to refuse their help and counsels. Even Plutarch noted, that [ It so comes to pass, that we entertain not virtue, nor are • apt into a desire of imitating it, unless we highly honor and love the person in whom it is discerned. ] And if they see or think the Preacher to be himself of a loose and careless and licentious life, they will think that the like is very excusable in themselves; and that his doctrine is but a form of speech, which his office bindeth him to say; but is no more to be regarded by them, than by himself.
Two ways is men's damnation thus promoted: 1. By the ill lives of hypocritical ungodly preachers, who actually bring their own persons into disgrace, and thereby also the persons of others, and consequently their sacred work and function: 2. By wicked Preachers and people, who, through a malignant hatred of those that are abler, and better than themselves, and an envy of their reputation, do labor to make the most zealous and faithful Preachers of the Gospel, to be thought to be the most hypocritical, or erroneous, or factious and schismatical.
§. 5. 5. The neglect of Ministerial duties is a common cause of sin, and of men's damnation. When they that take the charge of souls are either unable or unwilling to do their office: when they teach them too seldom, or too unskilfully; in an unsuitable manner; not choosing that doctrine which they most need; or not opening it plainly and methodically in a fitness to their capacities: or not applying it with necessary seriousness and urgency to the hearers state: When men preach to the ungodly who are near to damnation, in a formal pase, like a School-boy saying his lesson, or in a drowsy reading tone, as if they came to preach them all asleep, or were afraid of wakening them: When they speak of sin and misery and Christ, of Heaven and Hell, as if by the manner they came to contradict the matter, and to persuade men that there are no such things.
The same mischief followeth the neglect of private personal inspection: When Ministers think that they have done all, when they have said a Sermon, and never make conscience of laboring personally to convince the ungodly, and reclaim offenders, and draw sinners to God, and confirm the weak. And the omission (much more the perversion and abuse) of sacred Discipline, hath the like effects. When the Keys of the Church are used to shut out the good, or not used when they ought, to rebuke or to shut out the impenitent wicked ones; nor to difference between the precious and the vile, it hardeneth multitudes in their ungodliness, and persuadeth them that they are really of the same family of Christ as the Godly are, and have their sins forgiven, because they are partakers of the same Holy Sacraments. (Not knowing the difference between the Church mystical and visible, nor between the judgment of ministers and of Christ himself. )
§. 6. 6. Parents neglect of instructing Children, and other parts of holy education, is one of the greatest causes of the perdition of mankind, in all the World: But of this elsewhere.
§. 7. 7. Magistrates persecution or opposition to Religion, or discountenancing those that preach it, or most seriously practice it, tendeth to deceive some, who over-reverence the judgment of superiors, and to affright others from the obedience of God.
§. 8. 8. Yea the negligence of Magistrates, Masters and other Superiors, omitting the due rebuke of sinners, and due correction of the offenders, and the due encouragement of the good, is a great cause of the wickedness and damnation of the World.
§. 9. 9. But above all, when they make Laws for sin, or for the contempt, or dishonor or suppression of Religion, or the serious practice of it, this buildeth up Satan's Kingdom most effectually, and turneth God's Ordinance against himself: Thousands under Infidel and ungodly Princes, are conducted by Obedience to damnation; and their Rulers damn them as honourably as the Physician killed his Patients, who boasted that he did it secundum artem, according to the rules of art.
§. 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly, is a great cause of men's impiety and damnation. They must be well resolved for God and holiness, who will not yield to the major Vote, nor be carried down the common stream, nor run with the rabble to excess of riot. When Christianity is a Sect which is everywhere spoken against, it proveth so narrow a way that few have a mind to walk in it. Men think that they are at least excusable, for not being wiser and better than the multitude. Singularity in honor or riches or strength or health, is accounted no crime; but singularity in godliness is, at least thought unnecessary. [What! will you be wiser, than all the Town, or than such and such superiors?] is thought a good reprehension of Godliness, where it is rare; Even by them who hereby conclude their superiors, or all the Town to be wiser than God.
§. 11. 11. Also the vulgars scorning and deriding Godliness, is a common cause of Murdering souls: Because the Devil knoweth, that there cannot one Word of solid Reason, be brought against the Reason of God, and so against a Holy life, he therefore teacheth men to use such weapons as they have! A Dog hath teeth, and an Adder hath a sting, though they have not the Weapons of a man: A fool can laugh, and jeer and rail; and there is no great wit or learning necessary, to smile, or grin, or call a man a Puritan, or precisian, or Heretic or Schismatic, or any name which the malice of the age shall newly coin. Mr. Robert Bolton largely showeth how much the malignity of his age, did vent itself against Godliness, by the reproachful use of the word, Puritan. When Reason can be bribed to take the Devils part (either natural or literate reason) he will hire it at any rate: But when it cannot, he will make use of such as he can get! Barking or hissing may serve turn, where talking and disputing cannot be procured. Drum and Trumpets in an Army, serve the turn instead of Oratory, to animate cowards, and drown the noise of dying men's complaints and groans. Thousands have been mocked out of their Religion and salvation at once, and jeered into Hell; who now know whether a scorn, or the fire of Hell, be the greater suffering. As Tyrants think that the Greatest and Ablest and wisest men, must either be drawn over to their party or destroyed; so the Tyrant of Hell who ruleth in the Children of disobedience, doth think that if Reason, Learning and wit cannot be hired to dispute for him against God, they are to be suppressed, silenced and disgraced; which the noise of rude clamours, and foolish jeers is fit enough to perform.
§. 12. 12. Also idle senseless prating against Religion as a needless thing, doth serve turn to deceive the simple: Ignorant people who converse with no wiser men, are ordinarily taken with the silly cavils of a drunken sot, who hath but a little more volubility or looseness of tongue than his companions. It would make ones head and heart to ache, to hear with what reverend non-sense, one of them will talk against the doctrines or practices of Godliness, and how submissively the tractable herd receiveth and consenteth to his documents!
§. 13. 13. Also it tendeth much to the helping of Satan, and mudering of souls, to keep up the reputation of the most ungodly, and to keep down the reputation of the good. The Devil knoweth that sin itself is such a thing as few men can love bare-faced, or commend: And that Goodness or Holiness is such a thing, as few men can hate, or at least condemn, in its proper name and colors. Therefore he seeketh to make the reputation of the Persons serve, to promote or hinder the Cause which he is for or against. He that is ashamed to say of Drunkenness or Whoredom, that they are good and honest practices, dare yet say of Drunkards and Whoremongers [ They are very honest men]: And by their reputation, take off some of the odiousness of the sin, and reconcile the hearers to it. And he that cannot for shame say, of the forbearing of sin, and living a holy life, in Heavenly contemplation, prayer and obedience, that [ These are hypocrisy, schism or sedition, covetousness, deceit and pride. ] Yet dare say of the person who practiseth them, that [He is as Covetous, deceitful, proud, hypocritical, schismatical or seditious, as any others who make no profession of religion.] And the Devil knoweth, that though good doctrine hath no mixture of Evil, nor Christ himself any blemish or spot, yet the best persons are so faulty or defectible, that an ill report of them, is less incredible, there being too much matter to raise a suspicion on. And through their sides, it is easiest to wound the doctrine or holiness which they profess.
§. 14. 14. Also persuading sinners to do evil, and dissuading them from a Godly life, is another way of murdering souls. The Devils Temptations are most by instruments. He hath his Preachers as well as Christ: And it were well if they did not overgoe us in earnestness, frequency and constancy. Where is there a poor soul, that is moved by God to Turn and Live, but the devil hath some at hand to drive them from it? by persuading them that it is needless, and that all is well with them, and telling them some dismal stories of a holy life.
§. 15. 15. Another way of soul murder, is by laying baits of deceit and sin, before the sinner: As men destroy Rats and Mice by baits and sweetened poison, or catch Fishes or Birds, by covering their death with something which they most love: So doth the Devil and his instruments destroy souls, the baits of a pleasant cup, or pleasant company, or pleasant meats, or pleasant sports, or Plays, or Games: A Feast, a Tavern, an Ale-house, a Whore, a Stage-play, a Romance, a pair of Cards or Dice, can do the deed. If he can possibly he will prove it a thing lawful; If he cannot he will prove it a venial sin: If that cannot be, he will drown consideration, and stop the mouth of Reason, and Conscience, and cry, Drive on. Some have yet higher baits than these; Lordships and Lands, Dominion and Honor, to choke their souls.
§. 16. 16. Also an honest name for sin, and a dishonest name for duty to God, doth serve the turn for many men's perdition. To call drunkenness [ good fellowship, or to take a Cup, ] and Gluttony [ good house keeping, ] and voluptuousness [ recreation or pastime; ] and pride [ the maintaining of their honor; ] and worldliness [ good husbandry; ] and prodigality [ liberality; ] and lust and whoredom, [ Love, and having a Mistress, ] and oppression [ the seeking of their due; ] and perfidious dissimulation [ Courtship; ] and jeering [ Wittiness; ] These and more such are traps for souls. And of the same use is the calling of duties by names of vice, which tend to make them odious or contemptible.
§. 17. 17. Also the flattering of sinners, and praising them in their sin, is a soul murdering encouragement to them in ill doing: And great sinners seldom want such enemies.
§. 18. 18 An obedient readiness to all that wicked Superiors command, is an encouragement to them to proceed in mischief. If Parents or Masters command their inferiors to spend the Lord's Day in dancing or other unlawful exercises; or bid them steal, or lie, or forbid them to worship God; those that obey them, do harden them in their sin: As Daniel and the three Witnesses had done the King, if they had obeyed him.
§. 19. 19. Also when those that have power to hinder sin, and further godliness, do not do it. When they either give men leave to sin, or forbear their duty when they should restrain it. He that stands by, and seeth his neighbor robbed or murdered, and doth not what he can to save him, is guilty of the sin, and the sufferers hurt.
§. 20. 20. Silence when we are obliged to reprove a sinner, or to instruct the ignorant, or exhort the obstinate, or any way speak for men's salvation, is injurious to their souls, and maketh us partakers of their sin. Soul murder may be done by bare omissions.
§. 21. 21. Opposing Magistrates, Ministers, or any others, in the discharge of their duty for godliness or against sin, is an act of hostility against God and men's salvation.
§. 22. 22. An unnecessary occasioning of sin, or doing that needlessly, which we may foresee that by accident another will destroy himself by, is to be guilty of his sin and destruction: As he is that would sell poison to him that he might forsee would kill himself with it; or lend fire to his neighbor, who he knoweth will burn his house with it. But of this before, in the Chapter of Scandal.
§. 23. 23. They that are guilty of Schisms or Church-divisions, or murderers of souls: By depriving them of that means (the concord and harmony of believers) which God hath appointed for men's conviction and salvation: and by setting up before them the greatest scandal, to bring Religion into contempt, and debilitate the godly.
§. 24. 24. Those also that mourn not for the sins of the times, and confess them not to God, and pray not against them, and pray not for the sinners when they ought, are thus guilty.
§. 25. 25. And so are they that secretly rejoice in sin, or consent to it, or approve it, when it is done: which if they manifest, it is pernicious to others also.
§. 26. 26. Lastly, A coldness or indifferency in the doing of our duty against sin, without just zeal, and pity to the sinner, and reverence to the truth, is a way of guilt, and hurteth others: To reprove sin as Eli did his sons; or to speak against it lightly, as between jest and earnest, is the way to make the sinner think, that it is a small or jesting matter. To persuade men to conversion or a godly life, without a melting love and pity to their souls, and without the reverence of God, and seriousness of mind, which the nature and weight of the thing requireth, is the way to harden them in their sin and misery. All these ways may a man be guilty, 1. Of the sin; and 2. The perdition of another.
§. 27. But here (on the Negative part) take notice of these things following.
1. That properly no man doth partake of the same formal numerical sin, which is another's: Noxa caput sequitur. The sin is individuated and informed by the individual will of the offender. It is not possible that another man's sin should be properly and formally mine, unless I were individually and formally that same man and not another. If two men set their hands to the same evil deed, they are distinct causes and subjects of the distinct formal guilt; though Con-causes, and partial causes of the effect: So that it is only by multiplication, that we make the sin or guilt of another, to become the matter of sin to us, the form resulting from ourselves.
§. 28. 2. All men that are guilty of the sin and damnation of other men, are not equally guilty: Not only as some are pardoned upon repentance, and some remain impenitent and unpardoned: But as some contribute willfully to the mischief, and with delight, and in a greater measure; and some only in a small degree, by an oversight, or small omission, or weak performance of a duty, by mere infirmity or surprise.
§. 29. 3. All that do not hinder sin, or reprove it, are not guilty of it: No more than all that do not punish it: But those only that have power and opportunity, and so are called by God to do it.
§. 30. 4. If another man will sin and destroy his soul, by the occasion of my necessary duty, I must not cease my duty to prevent such men's sin or hurt: Else one or other will by their perverseness, excuse me from almost all the duty which I should do: I must not cease praying, hearing, Sacraments, nor withdraw from Church-communion, because another will turn it to his sin. Else Satan should use the sin of others to frustrate all God's worship. Yet I must add, that many things cease to be a duty, when another will be so hurt by them.
§. 31. 5. I am not guilty of all men's sins, which are committed in my presence; no though I know before hand that they will sin. For my calling or duty may lead me into the presence of those that I may • ore know will sin: Wicked men sin in all that they do: And yet it followeth not that I must have nothing to do with them. Many a failing which is his sin, may a Minister or Church be guilty of, even in that public Worship of God, which yet I am bound to be present at.
But of all these somewhat is said before Chap. 12.
CHAP. XV. General Directions for the furthering of the salvation of others.
THE great Means which we must use for the salvation of our Neighbors are,
§. 1. Direct. 1. S • und Doctrine: Let those who are their instructors, inculcate the wholesome Principles of Godliness; which are, Self-denial, Mortification, the Love of God and man, the Hopes of Heaven, universal absolute obedience to God; and all this by faith in Jesus Christ, according to the Holy Scriptures.
Instead of Novelties or vain janglings, and perverse disputings, teach them these Principles here briefly named, over and over an hundred times: Open these plainly, till they are well understood: These are the necessary saving things: This is the doctrine which is according to godliness: which will make sound Christians, of sound judgments, sound hearts, sound conversations, and sound consciences! God sanctifieth his chosen ones by these Truths.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Therefore do your best to help others to the benefit of able and faithful Pastors and Instructers. A fruitful soil is not better for your seed; nor a good pasture for your Horse or Cattle, nor wholesome diet for yourselves, than such instructors are for your neighbors souls. If you love them, you should be more desirous, to help them to good Teachers, or plant them under a sound and powerful Ministry, than to procure them any worldly benefits. One time or other the Word may prevail with them: It is hopeful to be still in mercies way.
§. 3. Direct. 3. The concord of their Teachers among themselves is a great help to the saving of the flock: John 17. 21, 25. That they all may be One, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Concord much furthereth reverence and belief; and consequently men's salvation; (so it be a holy concord. )
§. 4. Direct. 4. The Concord also of godly private Christians hath the same effect: When the ignorant see here a Sect and there a Sect, and hear them condemning one another it teacheth them to contemn them all, and think contemptibly of piety itself: But concord layeth an awe upon them.
§. 5. Direct. 5. The blameless, humble, loving, heavenly lives of Christians, is a powerful means of winning souls. Preach therefore everyone of you, by such a conversation, to all your neighbors, whom you desire to save.
§. 6. Direct. 6. Keep those whom you would save, in a humble, patient, learning posture▪ and keep them from proud wranglings, and running after novelties and Sects. The humble Learner takes root downward, and silently groweth up to wisdom: But if once they grow self conceited, they turn to wranglings, and place their Religion in espoused singular Opinions, and in being on this or that side, or Church; and fall into divided Congregations, where the business is to build up souls by destroying Charity, and teaching Sectaries to overvalue themselves, and despise dissenters. Till at last they run themselves out of breath, and perhaps fall out with all true Religion.
§. 7. Direct. 7. Do what you can to place them in good families, and when they are to be ma •• ied to join them to such as are fit to be their helpers. In families and relations of that sort people are so near together, and in such constant converse, that it will be very much of the help or hindrance of their salvation.
§. 8. Direct. 8. Keep them also as much as is possible in good company, and out of bad seducing company: Especially those that are to be their familiars. The worlds experience telleth us what power Company hath, to make men better or worse. And what a great advantage it is, to work anything on men's minds, to have interest in them, and intimacy with them: Especially with those that are yet to receive their deepest impressions.
§. 9. Direct. 9. Keep them from the most dangerous baits, opportunities and temptations to sensuality. Withdraw the Tinder and Gunpowder from the fire. There is no curing a drunkard ordinarily in an Ale-house or Tavern, or a Fornicator while he is near the objects of his lust, nor a Glutton at a full enticing table: Set them at a farther distance from the danger, if you would have them safe. Nemo diu tutus periculo proximus. Senec.
§. 10. Direct. 10. Take the advantage of their personal afflictions, or any other notable warnings that are near them. Keep them oft in the house of mourning, where death may be as in their sight: And keep them out of the house of foolish mirth. The time of sickness is an awakening time, and powerfully openeth the ear to counsel. The fight of the dead or dying persons, the hearing of sick men's wishes and complaints, the sight of Graves and dead men's bones (if not too oft to make it customary) doth often force the most foolish and obstinate, to some man-like profitable thoughts. When the noise of foolish mirth and sports, at rabble meetings, and Stage-plays, and May-games, and ryotings, or immoderate, rude or tempting Plays, do kill all sober saving motions, and undispose the mind to all thats good. Though seasonable and useful delights are lawful, yet such as are unseasonable, immoderate, ensnaring, scandalous, or unprofitable, are pernicious and poison to the soul.
§. 11. Direct. 11. Engage them in the reading of the holy Scriptures, and of such Books of practical Divinity, as do at once most plainly acquaint them with the Principles of Religion, and piercingly set them home upon the conscience: that judgment and affection, head and heart may be edified at once. Such suitable Books may be daily their companions; and it is a great advantage to them, that they may have a powerful Sermon when they please, and read over the same things as oft as the frailty of their memories do require. Such private innocent companions have saved many a soul.
§. 12. Direct. 12. Engage them in a constant course of prayer (whether it be with a Book or form, or without, according to the parts and condition of the person). For the often approaching to God in so holy a work, will affright or shame a man from sin, and stir him up to serious thoughts of his salvation, and engage him to a godly life.
§. 13. Direct. 13. If you would have all these means effectual to men's conversion and salvation show them all hearty love and kindness, and do them all the good you can. Men are naturally more easily sensible of the good of their bodies than of their souls: And a kindness to the body is thankfully received, and may prepare them to receive a greater benefit. What you are unable to do for them yourselves, solicit those that are able to do: Or if you cannot do that neither, at least show your pity and good will: Love is the most powerful Preacher in the world.
§. 14. Direct. 14. Be sure that you have no fallings-out or quarrels with any that you would do good upon! And to that end, usually it is the best way, to have as little to do with them in buying and selling, or any worldly matters, where Mine and Thine may come into competition, as possibly as you can: Or if you cannot avoid it, you must be content to part with somewhat of your right, and suffer some wrongs for fear of hurt to your neighbors soul. Even godly persons, yea, Parents and Children, Brethren and Sisters usually fall out about Mine and Thine! And when self-interest hath bred the quarrel, they usually think ill of the person who is supposed to injure them: And then they are made uncapable of receiving any spiritual good by him: And if he seem Religious, they are oft alienated from Religion for his sake. And all unconverted persons are selfish, and usually look that you should fulfill their desires, and suit yourselves to their interest, without respect to right or wrong, or to your own sufferings! Yet such as these must be pitied and helped: And therefore it is usually best, to avoid all chaffering or worldly dealings with them, left you lose them. And when that cannot be, you must judge a little departing from your own right, to be a very cheap price to procure the good of a neighbors soul.
§. 15. Direct. 15. See that in matters of Religion you neither run too far from such men in things lawful, nor yet do anything sinful in compliance with them. By concurring with them in any sin, you will harden them, and hinder their conversion: And so you will by singular or violent opposition in things indifferent. Those persons are quite mistaken, who think that Godly men must go as far from the ungodly as ever they can, in lawful things: and say, The ungodly do thus, and therefore we must do otherwise! Paul was of another mind and practice, when he circumcised Timothy, and became all things to all men to save some. To place Religion in things indifferent, and to cry out against lawful things as sinful, or to fly from others by needless singularities, is a great cause of the hardening and perdition of multitudes, turning their hearts against Religion, and making them think that it is but unnecessary scruple, and that Religious persons are but self-conceited brainsick people, that make to themselves a duty of their superstition, and condemn all that be not as humorous as they. Lay not such stumbling blocks before any whose souls you desire to save.
CHAP. XVI. Special Directions for Christian Conference, Exhortation and Reproof.
Tit. 1. Motives to Christian Conference and Exhortation.
THE right use of Speech being a duty of so great importance, as I have before shown about the Government of the Tongue, and it being a way of Communication by which we are all obliged to exercise our Love to one another, even in the greatest matter, the saving of souls, I shall first endeavor to persuade them to this duty who make too little conscience of it: and that by these following considerations.
§. 1. Mot. 1. Consider that it is the exercise of our Humanity: Reason and Speech do difference us from Bruites. If by being Reasonable we are men, then by using Reason we live as men: And the first communicative use of Reason is by speech: By thinking, we exercise Reason for ourselves: By speaking, we exercise it (first) for others. Therefore if our Reason be given us for the highest uses to ourselves, (to know God and eternal life, and the Means thereto), then certainly our Speech is also given us, for the same highest uses, by way of Communication unto others. Use therefore your tongues to those nobles Ends, for which they were given you. Use them as the tongues of men, to the Ends which human nature is created for.
§. 2. Mot. 2. There is no subject so sublime and honorable, for the Tongue of man to be employed about, as the matters of God and life eternal. Children will talk of childish toys; and Countrymen talk of their Corn and Cattle, and Princes and Statesmen look down on these with contemptuous smiles, as much below them: But Crowns and Kingdoms are incomparably more below the business of a holy soul! The higher subjects Philosophers treat of, the more honorable (if well done,) are their discourses. But none is so high as God and glory.
§. 3. Mot. 3. It is the most profitable subject to the hearers: A discourse of Riches at the most can but direct them how to grow rich: A discourse of Honors usually puffeth up the minds of the ambitious: And if it could advance the auditors to Honor, the fruit would be a vanity little to be desired. But a discourse of God, and Heaven, and Holiness, doth tend to change the hearers minds, into the nature of the things discourst of: It hath been the means of converting and sanctifying many a thousand souls. As learned discourses tend to make men learned in the things discourst off; so holy discourses tend to make men holy: For as natural Generation begetteth not Gold or Kingdoms, but a Man; so speech is not made to communicate to others (directly) the wealth, or health, or honors, or any extrinsical things which the speaker hath; but to communicate those Mental Excellencies which he is possessed of. Prov. 16. 21, 22. The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning: Understanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it. Prov. 10. 13, 21. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found—The lips of the righteous feed many. Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; but the heart of the foolish doth not so. Prov. 20. 15. There is Gold and a multitude of Rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel. Prov. 10. 20. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
§. 4. Mot. 4. Holy discourse is also most profitable to the speaker himself. Grace increaseth by the exercise. Even in instructing others and opening truth, we are oft times more powerfully led up to further truth ourselves, than by solitary studies: For Speech doth awaken the intellectual faculty, and keepeth on the thoughts in order, and one truth oft inferreth others, to a thus excited and prepared mind. And the tongue hath a power of moving own our hearts: When we blow the fire to warm another, both the exercise and the fire warm ourselves: It kindleth the flames of holy love in us, to declare the praise of God to others: It increaseth a hatred of sin in us, to open its odiousness to others. We starve ourselves, when we starve the souls which we should cherish.
§. 5. Mot. 5. Holy and Heavenly discourse is the most delectable. I mean in its own aptitude, and to a mind that is not diseased by corruption. That which is most Great, and Good, and Necessary, is most delectable. What should best please us, but that which is best for us? And best for others? And best in itself? The excellency of the subject maketh it delightful! And so doth the exercise of our Graces upon it: And serious conference doth help down the truth into our hearts, where it is most sweet. Besides that Nature and Charity make it pleasant to do good to others. It can be nothing better than a subversion of the appetite by carnality and wickedness, that maketh any one think idle jeasts, or tales, or plays, to be more pleasant than spiritual Heavenly conference; and the talking of Riches, or Sports or Lusts, to be sweeter than to talk of God, and Christ and grace and glory. A holy mind hath a continual feast in itself in meditating on these things; and the communicating of such thoughts to others, is a more Common and so a more pleasant feast.
§. 6. Mot. 6. Our faithfulness to God obligeth us to speak his praise, and to promote his truth, •• d plead his cause against iniquity. Hath he given us tongues to magnify his name, and set before us the admirable frame of all the World, to declare his Glory in? And shall we be backward to so sweet and great a work? How precious and useful is all his holy word? What light and life and comfort may it cause? And shall we bury it in silence? What company can we come into almost, where either the bare-faced committing of sin, or the defending it, or the opposition of truth or Godliness or the frigidity of men's hearts towards God, and supine neglect of holy things, do not call to us, if we are the servants of God, to take his part; and if we are the Children of light, to bear our testimony against the darkness of the World, and if we love God and truth and the souls of men, to sh • w it by our prudent seasonable speech? Is he true to God and to his cause, that will not open his mouth to speak for him?
§ 7. Mot. 7. And how precious a thing is an immortal soul, and therefore not to be neglected. Did Christ think souls to be worth his Mediation, by such strange condescension, even to a shameful death? Did he think them worth his coming into flesh, to be their teacher? And will you not think them worth the speaking to?
§. 8. Mot. 8. See also the greatness of your sin, in the negligence of unfaithful Ministers. It is easy to see the odiousness of their sin, who preach not the Gospel, or do no more than by an hours dry and dead discourse, shift off the serious work which they should do; and think they may be excused from all personal oversight and helping of the people's souls, all the Week after. And why should you not perceive that a dumb private Christian is also to be condemned, as well as a dumb Minister? Is not profitable conference your duty, as well as profitable preaching is his? How many persons condemn themselves, while they speak against unfaithful Pastors? being themselves as unfaithful to Families and Neighbors, as the other are to the flock?
§. 9. Mot. 9. And consider how the cheapness of the means, doth aggravate the sin of your neglect? and show much unmercifulness to souls. Words cost you little. Indeed alone, without the company of good works, they are too cheap for God to accept of. But if an Hypocrite may bring so cheap a sacrifice, who is rejected, what doth he deserve that thinketh it too dear? What will that man do for God or for his Neighbors soul, who will not open his mouth to speak for them? He seemeth to have less love than that man in Hell, Luk. 16. who would so fain have had a messenger sent from another World, to have warned his brethren, and saved them from that place of torment.
§. 10. Mot. 10. Your fruitful conference is a needful help to the ministerial work. When the Preacher hath publicly delivered the Word of God to the Assembly, if you would so far second him, as in your daily converse, to set it home on the hearts of those that you have opportunity to discourse with, how great an assistance would it be to his success? Though he must teach them publicly and from house to house, yet is it not possible for him to be so frequent and familiar in daily conference with all the ignorant of the place, as those that are still with them may be. You are many and he is but one, and can be but in one place at once. Your business bringeth you into their company, when he cannot be there. Oh Happy is that Minister, who hath such a people, who will daily preach over the matter of his public Sermons, in their private conference with one another? Many hands make quick work. This would most effectually prevail against the powers of darkness, and cast out Satan from multitudes of miserable souls.
§. 11. Mot. 11. Yea when Ministers are wanting, through scarcity, persecution, or un • aithfulness and negligence, the people's holy profitable conference, would do much towards the supplying of that want. There have few places and ages of the World been so happy, but that learned, able, faithful Pastors have been so few, that we had need to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more: And it is nothing unusual to have those few silenced or hindered from the Preaching of the Gospel, by the factions or the malignity of the World! And it is yet more common to have ignorant or ungodly persons in that office, who betray the people's souls by their usurpation, impiety or slothfulness. But if in all such wants, the people that fear God, would do their part in private conference, it would be an excellent supply. Ministers may be silenced from public preaching, when you cannot be silenced from profitable discourse.
§. 12. Mot. 12. It is a duty that hath many great advantages for success. 1. You may choose your season: If one time be not fit you may take another. 2. You may choose the person, whom you find to have the greatest necessity or capacity, and where your labor is likeliest to take. 3. You may choose your subject, and speak of that which you find most suitable. There is no restraint nor imposition upon you, to hinder your liberty in this. 4. You may choose your arguments by which you would enforce it. 5. Interlocutory conference keepeth your auditors attentive, and carrieth them on along with you as you go. And it maketh the application much more easy, by their nearness and the familiarity of the discourse: when Sermons are usually heard but as an insignificant sound, or words of course. 6. You may at your pleasure go back and repeat those things which the hearer doth not understand or doth forget: which a Preacher in the Pulpit cannot do without the censure of the more curious auditors. 7. You may perceive by the answers of them whom you speak to, what particulars you need most to insist on, and what objections you should most carefully resolve: and when you have satisfied them, and may proceed: all which it is hard for a Minister to do in public Preaching. And is it not a great sin to neglect such an advantageous duty?
§. 13. Mot. 13. And it should somewhat encourage you to it, that it is an unquestionable duty, when many other are brought into Controversy. Ministers Preach under the regulation of human Laws and Canons, and it is a great Controversy with many, whether they should Preach when they are silenced or forbidden by their superiors: But whether you may speak for God and for men's salvation in your familiar conference, no man questioneth, nor doth any Law forbid it.
§. 14. Mot. 14. Hath not the fruitful conference of others in the days of your ignorance done good to you? Have you not been instructed, convinced, persuaded and comforted by it? What had become of you, if all men had let you alone, and past you by, and left you to yourselves? And doth not Justice require that you do good to others, as others have done to you; in the use of such a tried means?
§. 15. Mot. 15. Consider how forward the Devils servants are to plead his cause! How readily and fiercely will an ignorant drunken sot pour out his reproaches and scorns against Religion? and speak evil of the things which he never understood? How zealously will a Papist or Heretic or Schismatic promote the interest of his sect, and labor to proselyte others to his party? And shall we be less zealous and serviceable for Christ, than the Devils servants are for him? and do less to save souls, than they will do to damn them?
§. 16. Mot. 16. Nay in the time of your sin and ignorance, if you have not spoken against Religion, nor taught others to curse or swear or speak in ribbald filthy language, yet at least you have spent many an hour in idle fruitless talk? And doth not this now oblige you, to show your Repentance by more fruitful conference? Will you since your Conversion, speak as unprofitably as you did before?
§. 17. Mot. 17. Holy conference will prevent the guilt of foolish idle talk. Men will not be long silent, but will talk of somewhat: And if they have not profitable things to talk of, they will prate of vanity. All the foolish chat, and frothy jeasts, and scurrilous ribbaldry, and envious backbiting, which taketh up men's time, and poisoneth the hearers, is caused by their want of edifying discourse, which should keep it out. The rankest wits and tongues will have most weeds if they be not cultivated and taught to bear a better crop.
§. 18. Mot. 18. Your tongues will be instrumental to public good, or public hurt: When filthy vain and impious language is grown common, it will bring down common plagues and judgments? And if you cross not the custom, you seem to be consenters, and harden men in their sin. But holy conference may at least show that some partake not of the evil, and may free them from the Plague, if they prevail not with others so far as to prevent it. Mal. 3. 16, 17, 18. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written before him for them, that feared the Lord and thought upon his name. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him.
§. 19. Mot. 19. Consider what great necessity there is everywhere of fruitful edifying speech. 1. In the multitude of the ignorant: and the greatness of their ignorance. 2. The numbers of the sensual and obstinate. 3. The power of blindness, and of every sin: What root it hath taken in the most of men. 4. The multitude of baits which are everywhere before them. 5. The subtlety of Satan and his instruments in tempting. 6. The weakness and inconstancy of man, that hath need of constant solicitation. 7. The want of holy faithful Pastors, which maketh private men's diligence the more necessary. And in such necessity to shut up our mouths, is to shut up the bowels of our compassion, when we see our brothers need: And how then doth the Love of God dwell in us? 1 John. 3. 17. To withhold our exhortation, is as the withholding of Corn from the poor in a time of famine, which procureth a Curse, Prov. 11. 26. And though in this case men are insensible of their want, and take it not ill to be past by, yet Christ that died for them will take it ill.
§. 20. Mot. 20. Lastly consider how short a time you are like to speak; and how long you must be silent. Death will quickly stop your breath, and lay you in the dark, and tell you that all your opportunities are at an end. Speak now, for you have not long to speak. Your Neighbors lives are hasting to an end, and so are yours: They are dying and must hear no more, (till they hear their doom) and you are dying and must speak no more: And they will be lost forever if they have not help: Pity them then, and call on them to foresee the final day: Warm them now; for it must be now or never: There is no instructing or admonishing in the grave. Those sculls which you see cast up, had once tongues which should have praised their Creator and Redeemer, and have helped to save each others souls: but now they are tongueless. It is a great grief to us that are now here silenced, that we used not our Ministry more laboriously and zealously while we had time: And will it not be so with you, when death shall silence you, that you spake not for God while you had a tongue to speak?
Let all these Considerations stir up all that God hath taught a holy language, to use it for their Masters service while they may, and to repent of sinful silence.
Tit. 2. Directions for Christian Conference and Edifying speech.
§. 1. Direct. 1. THE most necessary direction, for a fruitful tongue, is to get a well-furnished mind and a holy heart, and to walk with God in holiness yourselves: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak: That which you are fullest of, is readiest to come forth: 1. Spare for no study or labor to get understanding in the things of God: It is a weariness to hear men talk foolishly of any thing: but nowhere so much as about Divine and Heavenly things. A wise Christian instructed to the Kingdom of God, hath a treasury in his mind, out of which he can bring forth things new and old: Mat. 13. 52. Prov. 14. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 2. Get all that holiness, in yourselves to which you would persuade another. There is a strange communicating power in the course of nature, for everything to produce its like. Learning and good utterance is very helpful: But it is holiness that is aptest to beget holiness in others. Words which proceed from the Love of God, and a truly Heavenly mind do most powerfully tend to breed in others, that Love of God and Heavenly-mindedness. 3. Live in the practice of that which you would draw your Neighbor to practice. A man that cometh warm from holy meditation, or fervent prayer, doth bring upon his heart, a fullness of matter, and an earnest desire, and a fitness to communicate that good to others, which he himself hath felt.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Especially see that you soundly Believe yourselves what you are to speak to others. He that hath secret infidelity at his heart, and is himself unsatisfied whether there be a Heaven and Hell, and whether sin be so bad, and holiness so necessary as the Scripture speaks, will speak but heartlessly of them to another. But if we believe these things as if we saw them with our eyes, how heartily shall we discourse of them?
§. 3. Direct. 3. Keep a compassionate sense of the misery, of ignorant ungodly impenitent souls. Think what a miserable bondage of darkness and sensuality they are in: and that it is light that must recover them: Think oft how quickly they must die, and what an appearance they must make before the Lord; and how miserable they must be forever, if now they be not convinced and sanctified? And sure this will stir up your bowels to pity them, and make you speak.
§. 4. Direct. 4. Subdue foolish shame or bashfulness, and get a holy fortitude of mind. Remember what a sin it is to be ashamed of such a master, and such a cause and work, which all would be glad to own at last? And that when the wicked are not ashamed of the service of the Devil, and the basest works. And remember that threatening, Mark. 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels.
§. 5. Direct. 5. Be always furnished with those particular truths which may be most useful in this service. Study to do your work (in your degree) as Ministers study to do theirs: Who are not contented with the habitual furniture of their minds, but they also make particular prepartions, for their particular work. If you are to go into the field to your labor, you will take those tools with you by which it must be done: so do when you go abroad among any that you may do good to, and be not unfurnished for edifying discourse.
§. 6. Direct. 6. Speak most of the greatest things, (the folly of sin, the vanity of the World, the certainty and nearness of death and judgment, the overwhelming weight of Eternity, the necessity of Holiness, the work of Redemption, &c. ); and choose not the smaller matters of Religion to spend your time upon, (unless upon some special reason.) Among good men that will not lose their time on vanity, the Devil too oft prevaileth, to make them lose it by such religious conference, as is little to edification, that greater matters may be thereby thrust out: such as Paul calleth vain janglings, and doting about questions which engender strife, and not Godly edifying: As about their several opinions, or parties, or comparing one Preacher or person with another, or such things as tend but little to make the hearers more wise or holy or Heavenly.
§. 7. Direct. 7. Suit all your discourse to the quality of your Auditors: That which is best in itself, may not be best for every hearer. You must vary both your subject and manner of discourse, 1. According to the variety of men's knowledge: The wise and the foolish must not be spoken to alike. 2. According to the variety of their moral qualities: One may be very pious, and another weak in grace, and another only teachable and tractable, and another wicked and impenitent, and another obstinate and scornful: These must not be talked to with the same manner of discourse. 3. According to the variety of particular sins which they are inclined to: which in some is pride, in some sensuality, lust or idleness, in some covetousness, and in some an erroneous zeal against the Church and cause of Christ! Every wise Physician will vary his remedies, not only according to the kind of the disease, but according to its various accidents, and the complexion also of the patient.
§. 8. Direct. 8. Be sure to do most where you have most authority and obligation: He that will neglect and slight his Family, Relations, Children and Servants who are under him and always with him, and yet be zealous for the Conversion of strangers, doth discover much hypocrisy, and showeth that it is something else than the love of souls or sense of duty, which carrieth him on.
§. 9. Direct. 9. Never speak of holy things but with the greatest reverence and seriousness you can: The manner as well as the matter is needful to the effect: To talk of sin, and conversion, of God and eternity, in a common, running, careless manner, as you speak of the men and the matters of the world, is much worse than silence, and tendeth but to debauch the hearers, and bring them to a contempt of God and holiness. I remember myself that when I was young, I had sometime the company of one ancient godly Minister, who was of weaker parts than many others, but yet did profit me more than most; because he would never in prayer or conference, speak of God or the life to come, but with such marvelous seriousness and reverence, as if he had seen the Majesty and Glory which he talked of.
§. 10. Direct. 10. Take heed of inconsiderate imprudent passages, which may mar all the rest, and give malignant auditors advantage of contempt and scorn. Many honest Christians through their ignorance, thus greatly wrong the cause they manage (I would I might not say, Many Ministers). Too few words is not so bad, as one such imprudent foolish word too much.
§. 11. Direct. 11. Condescend to the weak, and bear with their infirmity: If they give you foolish answers, be not angry and impatient with them: yea, or if they perversely cavil and contradict: For the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing opposers, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. He is a foolish Physician that cannot bear the words of a phrenetick or delirant Patient.
§. 12. Direct. 12. When you are among those that can teach you, be not so forward to teach as to learn. Be not eager to vent what you have to say, but desirous to hear what your betters have to say. Questions in such a case should be most of your part. It requireth great skill and diligence to draw that out of others which may profit you: And be not impatient if they cross your opinions, or open your ignorance. Yea, those that you can teach in other things, yet in some things may be able to add much to your knowledge.
Tit. 3. Special Directions for Reproof and Exhortation for the Good of Others.
THis duty is so great that Satan hindereth it with all his power, and so hard that most men quite omit it (unless an angry reproach may go for Christian Exhortation): And some spoil it in the management: And some proud censorious persons mistake the exercise of their pride and passion, for the exercise of a charitable Christian duty: and seem to be more sensible of their neighbors sin and misery, than of their own. Therefore that you miscarry not in so needful a work, I shall add these following Directions.
§. 1. Direct. 1. Be sure first that your reproof have a right end; and then let the manner be suited to that end. If it be to convince and convert a soul, it must be done in a manner likely to prevail: If it be only to bear down the arguments of a deceiver, to preserve the standers by, to vindicate the honor of God and godliness, and to dishonor sin, and to disgrace an obstinate factor for the Devil, then another course is fit. Therefore resolve first, by the quality of the cause and person, what must be your end.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Be sure that you reprove not that as a sin, which is no sin; either by mistaking the Law or the fact. To make duties and sins of our own opinions and inventions, and then to lay out our zeal on these, and censure or reprove all that think as hardly of such things as we; this is to make ourselves the objects of the hearers pity, and not to exercise just pity towards others! Such reproofs deserve reproof! For they discover great ignorance, and pride, and self-conceitedness, and very much harden sinners in their way; and make them think that all reproof is but the vanity of fantastical hypocrites: In some cases with a child, or servant, or private friend, or for prevention, we may speak of faults upon hearsay or suspicion: But it must be as of things uncertain: and as a warning rather than a reproof. In ordinary Reproof, you must understand the case before you speak. It is a shame to say after, I thought it had been otherwise: Such an erroneous reproof is worse than none.
§. 3. Direct. 3. Choose not the smallest sins to reprove, nor the smallest duties to exhort them to. For that will make them think that all your zeal is taken up with little matters, and that there is no great necessity of regarding you: and conscience will be but little moved by your speech: when greater things will greatly and more easily affect men.
§. 4. Direct. 4. Stop not ( with unregenerate men ) in the mention of particular sins or duties; but make use of particulars to convince them of a state of sin and misery. It is easy to convince a man that he is a sinner; and when that is done, he is never the more humbled or converted: For he will tell you, that All are sinners; and therefore he hopeth to speed as well as you. But you must make him discern his sinful state; and show him the difference between a penitent sinner and an impenitent; a converted sinner and an unconverted; a justified pardoned sinner, and an unjustified, unpardoned one: or else you will do him but little good.
§. 5. Direct. 5. Suit the manner of your reproof to the quality of the person: It is seldom that a Parent, Master, or Superior must be reproved by a private inferior: And when it is done, it must be done with great submission and respect. An angry peevish person must be dealt with tenderly, as you handle thorns: but a duller sottish person must be more earnestly and warmly dealt with. So also a greater sin must be roughly handled, or with greater detestation, than a less.
§. 6. Direct. 6. Take a fit season: Not when a man is in drink, or passion, or among others where the disgrace will vex and harden him: but in secret between him and you (if his conversion be your end).
§. 7. Direct. 7. Do all in love and tender pity: If you convince not the hearer that you do it in unfeigned love, you must (usually) expect to lose your labor; because you make not advantage of his self-love, to promote your exhortations: Therefore the exhorting way should be more frequent than the reproving way: For reproof disgraceth and exasperateth, when the same thing contrived into an exhortation may prevail.
§. 8. Direct. 8. Therefore be as much or more in showing the Good which you would draw them to, as the evil which you would turn them from. For they are never savingly converted till they are won to the Love of God and Holiness. Therefore the opening of the riches of the Gospel, and the Love of God, and the Joyes of Heaven, must be the greatest part of your treaty with a sinner.
§. 9. Direct. 9. And labor so to help him to a true understanding of the nature of Religion, that he may perceive that it is not only a necessary, but a pleasant thing. All love delights: It is the slander and misrepresentation of godliness by the Devil, the World and the Flesh, which maketh mistaken sinners shun it: The way to convert them, and win their hearts to it, is to make them know how good and pleasant it is: and to confute those calumnies.
§. 10. Direct. 10. Yet always insert the remembrance of death, and judgment, and of Hell. For the drowsy mind hath need to be awakened; and Love worketh best, when fear subserveth it. Its hard to procure a serious audience and consideration of things, from hardened hearts, if the sight of death and Hell do not help to make them serious. Danger which must be escaped, must be known and thought on. These things put weight and power into your speech.
§. 11. Direct. 11. Do all as with Divine authority: and therefore have ready some plain Texts of Scripture for the duty, and against the sin you speak of. Shew them where God himself hath said it.
§. 12. Direct. 12. Seasonable expostulations, putting themselves to judge themselves in their answer, hath a convincing and engaging force: As when you show them Scripture, ask them, [Is not this the Word of God? Do you not believe that its true? Do you think he that wrote this, knoweth not better than you or I? &c. ]
§. 13. Direct. 13. Put them on speedy practice, and prudently engage them to it by their promise. As if you speak to a drunkard, draw him to promise you to come no more (at least of so long time,) into an Ale-house? Or not drink Ale or Wine, but by the consent of his Wife, or some sober household friend who may watch over him: Engage the voluptuous, the unchaste, and gamester, to forsake the company which ensnareth them? Engage the ungodly to read the Scripture, to frequent good company, to pray morning and night (with a Book or without, as they are best able): Their promise may bring them to such a present change of practice, as may prepare for more.
§. 14. Direct. 14. If you know any near you who are much fitter than yourselves, and liker to prevail, procure them to attempt that which you cannot do succesifully. At least when sinners perceive that it is not only one man's opinion, it may somewhat move them to reverence the reproof.
§. 15. Direct. 15. Put some good Book into their hands, which is fittest to the work which you would have done: And get them to promise you seriously to read it over, and consider it: As if it be for the conversion of a careless sinner, Mr. Whateleys, or Mr. Swinnocks Treatise of Regeneration; or some other Treatise of Repentance and Conversion. If it be for one that is prejudiced against a strict Religious life, Mr. Allens Vindication of Godliness: If it be an idle voluptuous person, who wasteth precious Time in Plays or needless recreations, in gaming or an idle life, Mr. Whateleys Sermon, called The Redemption of Time: If it be a prayerless person, Dr. Prestons Saints Daily Exercise: If it be a drunkard, Mr. Harris Drunkards Cup: And for many reigning particular sins, a Book called, Solomon's Prescription against the Plague: For directions in the daily practice of Godliness, The Practice of Piety, or Mr. Thomas Gouges Directions, &c. Such Books may speak more pertinently than you can; and be as constant food to their sober thoughts; and so may further what you have begun.
§. 16. Direct. 16. When you cannot speak, or where your speaking prevaileth not, mourn for them, and earnestly pray for their recovery. A sad countenance of Nehemiah remembered Artaxerxes of his duty. A sigh or a tear for a miserable sinner, may move his heart, when exhortation will not. He hath a heart of stone, who will have no sense of his condition, when he seeth another weeping for him.
§. 17. Quest. But it is always a duty to reprove or exhort a sinner? How shall I know when it is my duty, and when it is not?
Answ. It is no duty in any of these cases following. 1. In general, When you have sufficient reason to judge, that it will do more harm than good, and will not attain its proper end: For God hath not appointed us to do hurt under pretence of duty: It is no Means, which doth cross the end which it should attain. As prayer and preaching may be a sin, when they are like to cross their proper end, so also may reproof be.
2. Therefore it must not be used when it apparently hindereth a greater good. As we may not pray or preach when we should be quenching a fire in the Town, or saving a man's life: So when reproof doth exclude some greater duty or benefit, it is unseasonable and no duty at that time. Christ alloweth us to forbear the casting of pearls before Swine, or giving that which is holy to Dogs, because of these two Reasons forementioned, It is no means to the contemptuous, and they will turn again and all to rend us. Much more, if it be some potent enemy of the Church, who will not only rend us, but the Church itself if he be so provoked; Reproving him then is not our duty.
3. Particularly, When a man is in a passion or drunk, usually it is no season to reprove him.
4. Nor when you are among others, who should not be witnesses of the fault or the reproof; or whose presence will shame him and offend him (except it be only the shaming of an incorrigible or malicious sinner which you intend).
5. Nor when you are uncertain of the fact which you would reprove, or uncertain whether it be a sin.
6. Or when you have no witness of it, (though you are privately certain,) with some that will take advantage against you as slanderers, a reproof may be omitted.
7. And when the offenders are so much your superiors, that you are like to have no better success than to be accounted arrogant: A groan or tears is then the best reproof.
8. When you are so utterly unable to manage a reproof, that imprudence or want of convincing reason, is like to make it a means of greater hurt than good.
9. When you foresee a more advantageous season if you delay.
10. When another may be procured to do it with much more advantage, which your doing it may rather hinder. In all these cases, that may be a sin, which at another time may be a duty.
§. 18. But still remember, 1. That pride, and passion, and slothfulness is wont to pretend such reasons falsely, upon some sleight conjectures, to put by a duty. 2. That no man must account another a Dog or Swine, to excuse him from this duty, without cogent evidence: And it is not every wrangling opposition, nor reproach and scorn, which will warrant us to give a man up as remediless, and speak to him no more: but only such, 1. As showeth a heart utterly obdurate after long means. 2. Or will procure more suffering to the reprover, than good to the offender. 3. That when the thing is ordinarily a duty, the reasons of our omission must be clear and sure, before they will excuse us.
§. 19. Quest. Must we reprove Infidels or Heathens? What have we to do to judge them that are without?
Answ. Not to the ends of excommunication; because they are not capable of it: which is meant 1 Cor. 5. But we must reprove them, 1. In common compassion to their souls: What were the Apostles and other Preachers sent for, but to call all men from their sins to God? 2. And for the defense of truth and godliness against their words or ill examples.
Tit. 1. Motives to Christian Conference and Exhortation.
THE right use of Speech being a duty of so great importance, as I have before shown about the Government of the Tongue, and it being a way of Communication by which we are all obliged to exercise our Love to one another, even in the greatest matter, the saving of souls, I shall first endeavor to persuade them to this duty who make too little conscience of it: and that by these following considerations.
§. 1. Mot. 1. Consider that it is the exercise of our Humanity: Reason and Speech do difference us from Bruites. If by being Reasonable we are men, then by using Reason we live as men: And the first communicative use of Reason is by speech: By thinking, we exercise Reason for ourselves: By speaking, we exercise it (first) for others. Therefore if our Reason be given us for the highest uses to ourselves, (to know God and eternal life, and the Means thereto), then certainly our Speech is also given us, for the same highest uses, by way of Communication unto others. Use therefore your tongues to those nobles Ends, for which they were given you. Use them as the tongues of men, to the Ends which human nature is created for.
§. 2. Mot. 2. There is no subject so sublime and honorable, for the Tongue of man to be employed about, as the matters of God and life eternal. Children will talk of childish toys; and Countrymen talk of their Corn and Cattle, and Princes and Statesmen look down on these with contemptuous smiles, as much below them: But Crowns and Kingdoms are incomparably more below the business of a holy soul! The higher subjects Philosophers treat of, the more honorable (if well done,) are their discourses. But none is so high as God and glory.
§. 3. Mot. 3. It is the most profitable subject to the hearers: A discourse of Riches at the most can but direct them how to grow rich: A discourse of Honors usually puffeth up the minds of the ambitious: And if it could advance the auditors to Honor, the fruit would be a vanity little to be desired. But a discourse of God, and Heaven, and Holiness, doth tend to change the hearers minds, into the nature of the things discourst of: It hath been the means of converting and sanctifying many a thousand souls. As learned discourses tend to make men learned in the things discourst off; so holy discourses tend to make men holy: For as natural Generation begetteth not Gold or Kingdoms, but a Man; so speech is not made to communicate to others (directly) the wealth, or health, or honors, or any extrinsical things which the speaker hath; but to communicate those Mental Excellencies which he is possessed of. Prov. 16. 21, 22. The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning: Understanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it. Prov. 10. 13, 21. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found—The lips of the righteous feed many. Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; but the heart of the foolish doth not so. Prov. 20. 15. There is Gold and a multitude of Rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel. Prov. 10. 20. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
§. 4. Mot. 4. Holy discourse is also most profitable to the speaker himself. Grace increaseth by the exercise. Even in instructing others and opening truth, we are oft times more powerfully led up to further truth ourselves, than by solitary studies: For Speech doth awaken the intellectual faculty, and keepeth on the thoughts in order, and one truth oft inferreth others, to a thus excited and prepared mind. And the tongue hath a power of moving own our hearts: When we blow the fire to warm another, both the exercise and the fire warm ourselves: It kindleth the flames of holy love in us, to declare the praise of God to others: It increaseth a hatred of sin in us, to open its odiousness to others. We starve ourselves, when we starve the souls which we should cherish.
§. 5. Mot. 5. Holy and Heavenly discourse is the most delectable. I mean in its own aptitude, and to a mind that is not diseased by corruption. That which is most Great, and Good, and Necessary, is most delectable. What should best please us, but that which is best for us? And best for others? And best in itself? The excellency of the subject maketh it delightful! And so doth the exercise of our Graces upon it: And serious conference doth help down the truth into our hearts, where it is most sweet. Besides that Nature and Charity make it pleasant to do good to others. It can be nothing better than a subversion of the appetite by carnality and wickedness, that maketh any one think idle jeasts, or tales, or plays, to be more pleasant than spiritual Heavenly conference; and the talking of Riches, or Sports or Lusts, to be sweeter than to talk of God, and Christ and grace and glory. A holy mind hath a continual feast in itself in meditating on these things; and the communicating of such thoughts to others, is a more Common and so a more pleasant feast.
§. 6. Mot. 6. Our faithfulness to God obligeth us to speak his praise, and to promote his truth, •• d plead his cause against iniquity. Hath he given us tongues to magnify his name, and set before us the admirable frame of all the World, to declare his Glory in? And shall we be backward to so sweet and great a work? How precious and useful is all his holy word? What light and life and comfort may it cause? And shall we bury it in silence? What company can we come into almost, where either the bare-faced committing of sin, or the defending it, or the opposition of truth or Godliness or the frigidity of men's hearts towards God, and supine neglect of holy things, do not call to us, if we are the servants of God, to take his part; and if we are the Children of light, to bear our testimony against the darkness of the World, and if we love God and truth and the souls of men, to sh • w it by our prudent seasonable speech? Is he true to God and to his cause, that will not open his mouth to speak for him?
§ 7. Mot. 7. And how precious a thing is an immortal soul, and therefore not to be neglected. Did Christ think souls to be worth his Mediation, by such strange condescension, even to a shameful death? Did he think them worth his coming into flesh, to be their teacher? And will you not think them worth the speaking to?
§. 8. Mot. 8. See also the greatness of your sin, in the negligence of unfaithful Ministers. It is easy to see the odiousness of their sin, who preach not the Gospel, or do no more than by an hours dry and dead discourse, shift off the serious work which they should do; and think they may be excused from all personal oversight and helping of the people's souls, all the Week after. And why should you not perceive that a dumb private Christian is also to be condemned, as well as a dumb Minister? Is not profitable conference your duty, as well as profitable preaching is his? How many persons condemn themselves, while they speak against unfaithful Pastors? being themselves as unfaithful to Families and Neighbors, as the other are to the flock?
§. 9. Mot. 9. And consider how the cheapness of the means, doth aggravate the sin of your neglect? and show much unmercifulness to souls. Words cost you little. Indeed alone, without the company of good works, they are too cheap for God to accept of. But if an Hypocrite may bring so cheap a sacrifice, who is rejected, what doth he deserve that thinketh it too dear? What will that man do for God or for his Neighbors soul, who will not open his mouth to speak for them? He seemeth to have less love than that man in Hell, Luk. 16. who would so fain have had a messenger sent from another World, to have warned his brethren, and saved them from that place of torment.
§. 10. Mot. 10. Your fruitful conference is a needful help to the ministerial work. When the Preacher hath publicly delivered the Word of God to the Assembly, if you would so far second him, as in your daily converse, to set it home on the hearts of those that you have opportunity to discourse with, how great an assistance would it be to his success? Though he must teach them publicly and from house to house, yet is it not possible for him to be so frequent and familiar in daily conference with all the ignorant of the place, as those that are still with them may be. You are many and he is but one, and can be but in one place at once. Your business bringeth you into their company, when he cannot be there. Oh Happy is that Minister, who hath such a people, who will daily preach over the matter of his public Sermons, in their private conference with one another? Many hands make quick work. This would most effectually prevail against the powers of darkness, and cast out Satan from multitudes of miserable souls.
§. 11. Mot. 11. Yea when Ministers are wanting, through scarcity, persecution, or un • aithfulness and negligence, the people's holy profitable conference, would do much towards the supplying of that want. There have few places and ages of the World been so happy, but that learned, able, faithful Pastors have been so few, that we had need to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more: And it is nothing unusual to have those few silenced or hindered from the Preaching of the Gospel, by the factions or the malignity of the World! And it is yet more common to have ignorant or ungodly persons in that office, who betray the people's souls by their usurpation, impiety or slothfulness. But if in all such wants, the people that fear God, would do their part in private conference, it would be an excellent supply. Ministers may be silenced from public preaching, when you cannot be silenced from profitable discourse.
§. 12. Mot. 12. It is a duty that hath many great advantages for success. 1. You may choose your season: If one time be not fit you may take another. 2. You may choose the person, whom you find to have the greatest necessity or capacity, and where your labor is likeliest to take. 3. You may choose your subject, and speak of that which you find most suitable. There is no restraint nor imposition upon you, to hinder your liberty in this. 4. You may choose your arguments by which you would enforce it. 5. Interlocutory conference keepeth your auditors attentive, and carrieth them on along with you as you go. And it maketh the application much more easy, by their nearness and the familiarity of the discourse: when Sermons are usually heard but as an insignificant sound, or words of course. 6. You may at your pleasure go back and repeat those things which the hearer doth not understand or doth forget: which a Preacher in the Pulpit cannot do without the censure of the more curious auditors. 7. You may perceive by the answers of them whom you speak to, what particulars you need most to insist on, and what objections you should most carefully resolve: and when you have satisfied them, and may proceed: all which it is hard for a Minister to do in public Preaching. And is it not a great sin to neglect such an advantageous duty?
§. 13. Mot. 13. And it should somewhat encourage you to it, that it is an unquestionable duty, when many other are brought into Controversy. Ministers Preach under the regulation of human Laws and Canons, and it is a great Controversy with many, whether they should Preach when they are silenced or forbidden by their superiors: But whether you may speak for God and for men's salvation in your familiar conference, no man questioneth, nor doth any Law forbid it.
§. 14. Mot. 14. Hath not the fruitful conference of others in the days of your ignorance done good to you? Have you not been instructed, convinced, persuaded and comforted by it? What had become of you, if all men had let you alone, and past you by, and left you to yourselves? And doth not Justice require that you do good to others, as others have done to you; in the use of such a tried means?
§. 15. Mot. 15. Consider how forward the Devils servants are to plead his cause! How readily and fiercely will an ignorant drunken sot pour out his reproaches and scorns against Religion? and speak evil of the things which he never understood? How zealously will a Papist or Heretic or Schismatic promote the interest of his sect, and labor to proselyte others to his party? And shall we be less zealous and serviceable for Christ, than the Devils servants are for him? and do less to save souls, than they will do to damn them?
§. 16. Mot. 16. Nay in the time of your sin and ignorance, if you have not spoken against Religion, nor taught others to curse or swear or speak in ribbald filthy language, yet at least you have spent many an hour in idle fruitless talk? And doth not this now oblige you, to show your Repentance by more fruitful conference? Will you since your Conversion, speak as unprofitably as you did before?
§. 17. Mot. 17. Holy conference will prevent the guilt of foolish idle talk. Men will not be long silent, but will talk of somewhat: And if they have not profitable things to talk of, they will prate of vanity. All the foolish chat, and frothy jeasts, and scurrilous ribbaldry, and envious backbiting, which taketh up men's time, and poisoneth the hearers, is caused by their want of edifying discourse, which should keep it out. The rankest wits and tongues will have most weeds if they be not cultivated and taught to bear a better crop.
§. 18. Mot. 18. Your tongues will be instrumental to public good, or public hurt: When filthy vain and impious language is grown common, it will bring down common plagues and judgments? And if you cross not the custom, you seem to be consenters, and harden men in their sin. But holy conference may at least show that some partake not of the evil, and may free them from the Plague, if they prevail not with others so far as to prevent it. Mal. 3. 16, 17, 18. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written before him for them, that feared the Lord and thought upon his name. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him.
§. 19. Mot. 19. Consider what great necessity there is everywhere of fruitful edifying speech. 1. In the multitude of the ignorant: and the greatness of their ignorance. 2. The numbers of the sensual and obstinate. 3. The power of blindness, and of every sin: What root it hath taken in the most of men. 4. The multitude of baits which are everywhere before them. 5. The subtlety of Satan and his instruments in tempting. 6. The weakness and inconstancy of man, that hath need of constant solicitation. 7. The want of holy faithful Pastors, which maketh private men's diligence the more necessary. And in such necessity to shut up our mouths, is to shut up the bowels of our compassion, when we see our brothers need: And how then doth the Love of God dwell in us? 1 John. 3. 17. To withhold our exhortation, is as the withholding of Corn from the poor in a time of famine, which procureth a Curse, Prov. 11. 26. And though in this case men are insensible of their want, and take it not ill to be past by, yet Christ that died for them will take it ill.
§. 20. Mot. 20. Lastly consider how short a time you are like to speak; and how long you must be silent. Death will quickly stop your breath, and lay you in the dark, and tell you that all your opportunities are at an end. Speak now, for you have not long to speak. Your Neighbors lives are hasting to an end, and so are yours: They are dying and must hear no more, (till they hear their doom) and you are dying and must speak no more: And they will be lost forever if they have not help: Pity them then, and call on them to foresee the final day: Warm them now; for it must be now or never: There is no instructing or admonishing in the grave. Those sculls which you see cast up, had once tongues which should have praised their Creator and Redeemer, and have helped to save each others souls: but now they are tongueless. It is a great grief to us that are now here silenced, that we used not our Ministry more laboriously and zealously while we had time: And will it not be so with you, when death shall silence you, that you spake not for God while you had a tongue to speak?
Let all these Considerations stir up all that God hath taught a holy language, to use it for their Masters service while they may, and to repent of sinful silence.
Tit. 2. Directions for Christian Conference and Edifying speech.
§. 1. Direct. 1. THE most necessary direction, for a fruitful tongue, is to get a well-furnished mind and a holy heart, and to walk with God in holiness yourselves: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak: That which you are fullest of, is readiest to come forth: 1. Spare for no study or labor to get understanding in the things of God: It is a weariness to hear men talk foolishly of any thing: but nowhere so much as about Divine and Heavenly things. A wise Christian instructed to the Kingdom of God, hath a treasury in his mind, out of which he can bring forth things new and old: Mat. 13. 52. Prov. 14. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 2. Get all that holiness, in yourselves to which you would persuade another. There is a strange communicating power in the course of nature, for everything to produce its like. Learning and good utterance is very helpful: But it is holiness that is aptest to beget holiness in others. Words which proceed from the Love of God, and a truly Heavenly mind do most powerfully tend to breed in others, that Love of God and Heavenly-mindedness. 3. Live in the practice of that which you would draw your Neighbor to practice. A man that cometh warm from holy meditation, or fervent prayer, doth bring upon his heart, a fullness of matter, and an earnest desire, and a fitness to communicate that good to others, which he himself hath felt.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Especially see that you soundly Believe yourselves what you are to speak to others. He that hath secret infidelity at his heart, and is himself unsatisfied whether there be a Heaven and Hell, and whether sin be so bad, and holiness so necessary as the Scripture speaks, will speak but heartlessly of them to another. But if we believe these things as if we saw them with our eyes, how heartily shall we discourse of them?
§. 3. Direct. 3. Keep a compassionate sense of the misery, of ignorant ungodly impenitent souls. Think what a miserable bondage of darkness and sensuality they are in: and that it is light that must recover them: Think oft how quickly they must die, and what an appearance they must make before the Lord; and how miserable they must be forever, if now they be not convinced and sanctified? And sure this will stir up your bowels to pity them, and make you speak.
§. 4. Direct. 4. Subdue foolish shame or bashfulness, and get a holy fortitude of mind. Remember what a sin it is to be ashamed of such a master, and such a cause and work, which all would be glad to own at last? And that when the wicked are not ashamed of the service of the Devil, and the basest works. And remember that threatening, Mark. 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels.
§. 5. Direct. 5. Be always furnished with those particular truths which may be most useful in this service. Study to do your work (in your degree) as Ministers study to do theirs: Who are not contented with the habitual furniture of their minds, but they also make particular prepartions, for their particular work. If you are to go into the field to your labor, you will take those tools with you by which it must be done: so do when you go abroad among any that you may do good to, and be not unfurnished for edifying discourse.
§. 6. Direct. 6. Speak most of the greatest things, (the folly of sin, the vanity of the World, the certainty and nearness of death and judgment, the overwhelming weight of Eternity, the necessity of Holiness, the work of Redemption, &c. ); and choose not the smaller matters of Religion to spend your time upon, (unless upon some special reason.) Among good men that will not lose their time on vanity, the Devil too oft prevaileth, to make them lose it by such religious conference, as is little to edification, that greater matters may be thereby thrust out: such as Paul calleth vain janglings, and doting about questions which engender strife, and not Godly edifying: As about their several opinions, or parties, or comparing one Preacher or person with another, or such things as tend but little to make the hearers more wise or holy or Heavenly.
§. 7. Direct. 7. Suit all your discourse to the quality of your Auditors: That which is best in itself, may not be best for every hearer. You must vary both your subject and manner of discourse, 1. According to the variety of men's knowledge: The wise and the foolish must not be spoken to alike. 2. According to the variety of their moral qualities: One may be very pious, and another weak in grace, and another only teachable and tractable, and another wicked and impenitent, and another obstinate and scornful: These must not be talked to with the same manner of discourse. 3. According to the variety of particular sins which they are inclined to: which in some is pride, in some sensuality, lust or idleness, in some covetousness, and in some an erroneous zeal against the Church and cause of Christ! Every wise Physician will vary his remedies, not only according to the kind of the disease, but according to its various accidents, and the complexion also of the patient.
§. 8. Direct. 8. Be sure to do most where you have most authority and obligation: He that will neglect and slight his Family, Relations, Children and Servants who are under him and always with him, and yet be zealous for the Conversion of strangers, doth discover much hypocrisy, and showeth that it is something else than the love of souls or sense of duty, which carrieth him on.
§. 9. Direct. 9. Never speak of holy things but with the greatest reverence and seriousness you can: The manner as well as the matter is needful to the effect: To talk of sin, and conversion, of God and eternity, in a common, running, careless manner, as you speak of the men and the matters of the world, is much worse than silence, and tendeth but to debauch the hearers, and bring them to a contempt of God and holiness. I remember myself that when I was young, I had sometime the company of one ancient godly Minister, who was of weaker parts than many others, but yet did profit me more than most; because he would never in prayer or conference, speak of God or the life to come, but with such marvelous seriousness and reverence, as if he had seen the Majesty and Glory which he talked of.
§. 10. Direct. 10. Take heed of inconsiderate imprudent passages, which may mar all the rest, and give malignant auditors advantage of contempt and scorn. Many honest Christians through their ignorance, thus greatly wrong the cause they manage (I would I might not say, Many Ministers). Too few words is not so bad, as one such imprudent foolish word too much.
§. 11. Direct. 11. Condescend to the weak, and bear with their infirmity: If they give you foolish answers, be not angry and impatient with them: yea, or if they perversely cavil and contradict: For the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing opposers, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. He is a foolish Physician that cannot bear the words of a phrenetick or delirant Patient.
§. 12. Direct. 12. When you are among those that can teach you, be not so forward to teach as to learn. Be not eager to vent what you have to say, but desirous to hear what your betters have to say. Questions in such a case should be most of your part. It requireth great skill and diligence to draw that out of others which may profit you: And be not impatient if they cross your opinions, or open your ignorance. Yea, those that you can teach in other things, yet in some things may be able to add much to your knowledge.
Tit. 3. Special Directions for Reproof and Exhortation for the Good of Others.
THis duty is so great that Satan hindereth it with all his power, and so hard that most men quite omit it (unless an angry reproach may go for Christian Exhortation): And some spoil it in the management: And some proud censorious persons mistake the exercise of their pride and passion, for the exercise of a charitable Christian duty: and seem to be more sensible of their neighbors sin and misery, than of their own. Therefore that you miscarry not in so needful a work, I shall add these following Directions.
§. 1. Direct. 1. Be sure first that your reproof have a right end; and then let the manner be suited to that end. If it be to convince and convert a soul, it must be done in a manner likely to prevail: If it be only to bear down the arguments of a deceiver, to preserve the standers by, to vindicate the honor of God and godliness, and to dishonor sin, and to disgrace an obstinate factor for the Devil, then another course is fit. Therefore resolve first, by the quality of the cause and person, what must be your end.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Be sure that you reprove not that as a sin, which is no sin; either by mistaking the Law or the fact. To make duties and sins of our own opinions and inventions, and then to lay out our zeal on these, and censure or reprove all that think as hardly of such things as we; this is to make ourselves the objects of the hearers pity, and not to exercise just pity towards others! Such reproofs deserve reproof! For they discover great ignorance, and pride, and self-conceitedness, and very much harden sinners in their way; and make them think that all reproof is but the vanity of fantastical hypocrites: In some cases with a child, or servant, or private friend, or for prevention, we may speak of faults upon hearsay or suspicion: But it must be as of things uncertain: and as a warning rather than a reproof. In ordinary Reproof, you must understand the case before you speak. It is a shame to say after, I thought it had been otherwise: Such an erroneous reproof is worse than none.
§. 3. Direct. 3. Choose not the smallest sins to reprove, nor the smallest duties to exhort them to. For that will make them think that all your zeal is taken up with little matters, and that there is no great necessity of regarding you: and conscience will be but little moved by your speech: when greater things will greatly and more easily affect men.
§. 4. Direct. 4. Stop not ( with unregenerate men ) in the mention of particular sins or duties; but make use of particulars to convince them of a state of sin and misery. It is easy to convince a man that he is a sinner; and when that is done, he is never the more humbled or converted: For he will tell you, that All are sinners; and therefore he hopeth to speed as well as you. But you must make him discern his sinful state; and show him the difference between a penitent sinner and an impenitent; a converted sinner and an unconverted; a justified pardoned sinner, and an unjustified, unpardoned one: or else you will do him but little good.
§. 5. Direct. 5. Suit the manner of your reproof to the quality of the person: It is seldom that a Parent, Master, or Superior must be reproved by a private inferior: And when it is done, it must be done with great submission and respect. An angry peevish person must be dealt with tenderly, as you handle thorns: but a duller sottish person must be more earnestly and warmly dealt with. So also a greater sin must be roughly handled, or with greater detestation, than a less.
§. 6. Direct. 6. Take a fit season: Not when a man is in drink, or passion, or among others where the disgrace will vex and harden him: but in secret between him and you (if his conversion be your end).
§. 7. Direct. 7. Do all in love and tender pity: If you convince not the hearer that you do it in unfeigned love, you must (usually) expect to lose your labor; because you make not advantage of his self-love, to promote your exhortations: Therefore the exhorting way should be more frequent than the reproving way: For reproof disgraceth and exasperateth, when the same thing contrived into an exhortation may prevail.
§. 8. Direct. 8. Therefore be as much or more in showing the Good which you would draw them to, as the evil which you would turn them from. For they are never savingly converted till they are won to the Love of God and Holiness. Therefore the opening of the riches of the Gospel, and the Love of God, and the Joyes of Heaven, must be the greatest part of your treaty with a sinner.
§. 9. Direct. 9. And labor so to help him to a true understanding of the nature of Religion, that he may perceive that it is not only a necessary, but a pleasant thing. All love delights: It is the slander and misrepresentation of godliness by the Devil, the World and the Flesh, which maketh mistaken sinners shun it: The way to convert them, and win their hearts to it, is to make them know how good and pleasant it is: and to confute those calumnies.
§. 10. Direct. 10. Yet always insert the remembrance of death, and judgment, and of Hell. For the drowsy mind hath need to be awakened; and Love worketh best, when fear subserveth it. Its hard to procure a serious audience and consideration of things, from hardened hearts, if the sight of death and Hell do not help to make them serious. Danger which must be escaped, must be known and thought on. These things put weight and power into your speech.
§. 11. Direct. 11. Do all as with Divine authority: and therefore have ready some plain Texts of Scripture for the duty, and against the sin you speak of. Shew them where God himself hath said it.
§. 12. Direct. 12. Seasonable expostulations, putting themselves to judge themselves in their answer, hath a convincing and engaging force: As when you show them Scripture, ask them, [Is not this the Word of God? Do you not believe that its true? Do you think he that wrote this, knoweth not better than you or I? &c. ]
§. 13. Direct. 13. Put them on speedy practice, and prudently engage them to it by their promise. As if you speak to a drunkard, draw him to promise you to come no more (at least of so long time,) into an Ale-house? Or not drink Ale or Wine, but by the consent of his Wife, or some sober household friend who may watch over him: Engage the voluptuous, the unchaste, and gamester, to forsake the company which ensnareth them? Engage the ungodly to read the Scripture, to frequent good company, to pray morning and night (with a Book or without, as they are best able): Their promise may bring them to such a present change of practice, as may prepare for more.
§. 14. Direct. 14. If you know any near you who are much fitter than yourselves, and liker to prevail, procure them to attempt that which you cannot do succesifully. At least when sinners perceive that it is not only one man's opinion, it may somewhat move them to reverence the reproof.
§. 15. Direct. 15. Put some good Book into their hands, which is fittest to the work which you would have done: And get them to promise you seriously to read it over, and consider it: As if it be for the conversion of a careless sinner, Mr. Whateleys, or Mr. Swinnocks Treatise of Regeneration; or some other Treatise of Repentance and Conversion. If it be for one that is prejudiced against a strict Religious life, Mr. Allens Vindication of Godliness: If it be an idle voluptuous person, who wasteth precious Time in Plays or needless recreations, in gaming or an idle life, Mr. Whateleys Sermon, called The Redemption of Time: If it be a prayerless person, Dr. Prestons Saints Daily Exercise: If it be a drunkard, Mr. Harris Drunkards Cup: And for many reigning particular sins, a Book called, Solomon's Prescription against the Plague: For directions in the daily practice of Godliness, The Practice of Piety, or Mr. Thomas Gouges Directions, &c. Such Books may speak more pertinently than you can; and be as constant food to their sober thoughts; and so may further what you have begun.
§. 16. Direct. 16. When you cannot speak, or where your speaking prevaileth not, mourn for them, and earnestly pray for their recovery. A sad countenance of Nehemiah remembered Artaxerxes of his duty. A sigh or a tear for a miserable sinner, may move his heart, when exhortation will not. He hath a heart of stone, who will have no sense of his condition, when he seeth another weeping for him.
§. 17. Quest. But it is always a duty to reprove or exhort a sinner? How shall I know when it is my duty, and when it is not?
Answ. It is no duty in any of these cases following. 1. In general, When you have sufficient reason to judge, that it will do more harm than good, and will not attain its proper end: For God hath not appointed us to do hurt under pretence of duty: It is no Means, which doth cross the end which it should attain. As prayer and preaching may be a sin, when they are like to cross their proper end, so also may reproof be.
2. Therefore it must not be used when it apparently hindereth a greater good. As we may not pray or preach when we should be quenching a fire in the Town, or saving a man's life: So when reproof doth exclude some greater duty or benefit, it is unseasonable and no duty at that time. Christ alloweth us to forbear the casting of pearls before Swine, or giving that which is holy to Dogs, because of these two Reasons forementioned, It is no means to the contemptuous, and they will turn again and all to rend us. Much more, if it be some potent enemy of the Church, who will not only rend us, but the Church itself if he be so provoked; Reproving him then is not our duty.
3. Particularly, When a man is in a passion or drunk, usually it is no season to reprove him.
4. Nor when you are among others, who should not be witnesses of the fault or the reproof; or whose presence will shame him and offend him (except it be only the shaming of an incorrigible or malicious sinner which you intend).
5. Nor when you are uncertain of the fact which you would reprove, or uncertain whether it be a sin.
6. Or when you have no witness of it, (though you are privately certain,) with some that will take advantage against you as slanderers, a reproof may be omitted.
7. And when the offenders are so much your superiors, that you are like to have no better success than to be accounted arrogant: A groan or tears is then the best reproof.
8. When you are so utterly unable to manage a reproof, that imprudence or want of convincing reason, is like to make it a means of greater hurt than good.
9. When you foresee a more advantageous season if you delay.
10. When another may be procured to do it with much more advantage, which your doing it may rather hinder. In all these cases, that may be a sin, which at another time may be a duty.
§. 18. But still remember, 1. That pride, and passion, and slothfulness is wont to pretend such reasons falsely, upon some sleight conjectures, to put by a duty. 2. That no man must account another a Dog or Swine, to excuse him from this duty, without cogent evidence: And it is not every wrangling opposition, nor reproach and scorn, which will warrant us to give a man up as remediless, and speak to him no more: but only such, 1. As showeth a heart utterly obdurate after long means. 2. Or will procure more suffering to the reprover, than good to the offender. 3. That when the thing is ordinarily a duty, the reasons of our omission must be clear and sure, before they will excuse us.
§. 19. Quest. Must we reprove Infidels or Heathens? What have we to do to judge them that are without?
Answ. Not to the ends of excommunication; because they are not capable of it: which is meant 1 Cor. 5. But we must reprove them, 1. In common compassion to their souls: What were the Apostles and other Preachers sent for, but to call all men from their sins to God? 2. And for the defense of truth and godliness against their words or ill examples.
CHAP. XVII. Directions for keeping Peace with all men.
§. 1. PEace is so amiable to Nature itself, that the greatest destroyers of it do commend it; and those persons in all times and places, who are the cause that the world cannot enjoy it, will yet speak well of it, and exclaim against others as the enemies of peace: as if there were no other name but their Own, sufficient to make their adversaries odious. As they desire salvation, so do the ungodly desire Peace; which is with a double error; one about the Nature of it, and another about the Conditions and other Means. By Peace they mean, the quiet undisturbed enjoyment of their honors, wealth and pleasures; that they may have their lusts and will without any contradiction: And the Conditions on which they would have it are, the compliance of all others with their opinions and wills, and humble submission to their domination, passions, or desires. But Peace is another thing, and otherwise to be desired and sought. Peace in the mind is the delightful effect of its internal harmony, as Peace in the body is nothing but its pleasant health, in the natural position, state, action and concord of all the parts, the humors and spirits: And Peace in Families, Neighbourhoods, Churches, Kingdoms, or other Societies, is the quietness, and pleasure of their order and harmony; and must be attained and preserved by these following means.
§. 2. Direct. 1. Get your own hearts into a humble frame; and abhor all the motions of Pride and self exalting. A humble man hath no high expectations from another; and therefore is easily pleased or quieted! He can bow and yield to the pride and violence of others, as the Willow to the impetuous winds. His language will be submissive; his patience great; he is content that others go before him! He is not offended that another is preferred. A low mind is pleased in a low condition. But Pride is the Gun-powder of the mind, the family, the Church and State: It maketh men ambitious, and setteth them on striving who shall be the greatest; A proud man's Opinion must always go for truth, and his will must be a Law to others, and to be slighted or crossed seemeth to him an unsufferable wrong. And he must be a man of wonderful compliance, or an excellent artificer in manpleasing and fl • ttery, that shall not be taken as an injurious undervaluer of him: He that overvalueth himself, will take it ill of all that do not also overvalue him. If you (forgetfully) go before him, or overlook him, or neglect a complement, or deny him something which he expected, or speak not honourably of him, much more if you reprove him, and tell him of his faults, you have put fire to the Gun-powder; you have broke his peace, and he will break yours if he can. Pride broke the Peace between God and the apostate Angels; but nothing unpeaceable must be in Heaven; and therefore by self-ex • lting they descended into darkness: And Christ by self-humbling ascended unto Glory. It is a matter of very great difficulty to live peaceably in family, Church or any society with any one that is very Proud. They expect so much of you, that you can never answer all their expectations, but will displease them by your omissions, though you never speak or do anything to displease them. What is it but the lust of Pride which causeth most of the wars and bloodshed, throughout the World. The Pride of two or three men, must cost many thousands of their subjects, the loss of their Peace, Estates and Lives. Delirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi. What were the Conquests of those Emperors, Alexander, Caesar, Tamerlane, Machumet, &c. but the pernicious effects of their infamous Pride? Which like Gun-powder taking fire in their breasts, did blow up so many Cities and Kingdoms, and call their Villanies by the name of Valour, and their Murders and Robberies by the name of War. If one man's Pride do swell so big, that his own Kingdom cannot contain it, the Peace of as much of the World as he can conquer, is taken to be but a reasonable sacrifice, to this infernal vice: The lives of thousands both Subjects and Neighbors (called enemies by this malignant spirit), must be cast away merely to make this one man the Ruler of the rest, and subdue the persons of others to his will. Who perhaps when he hath done, will say that he is no Tyrant, but maketh the Bonum publicum, his end; and is kind to men against their wills; and killeth and burneth and depopulateth Countries, for men's corporal well-fare; as the Papists poison and burn and butcher men for the saving of souls. Cuncta ferit dum cuncta timet, desaevit in omnes. They are the turbines, the Herricanes or Whirlwinds of the World, whose work is to overturn and ruin. Tantum ut noceat cupit esse potens —Whether they burn and kill by right or wrong, is little of their enquiry; but How many are killed? and how many have submitted to their pride and wills: As when Q. Flavius complained that he suffered innocently, Valerius answered him, Non sua re interesse, dummodo periret! That was nothing to his business or concernment so he did but perish. Which was plainer dealing than these glorious Conquerors used, but no whit worse. He that cannot command the putrid humors out of his Veins, nor the Worms out of his bowels, nor will be able shortly to forbid them to crawl or feed upon his face, will now damn his soul and shed men's blood, to obtain the predomination of his will. And when he hath conquered many, he hath but made him many enemies, and may find, that in tot populis vix una fides. A quiet man can scarce with all his wit tell how, to find a place where he may live in peace, where pride and cruelty will not pursue him, or the flames of War will not follow him and find him out: And perhaps he may be put to say as Cicero of Pompey and Caesar, Quem sugiam s • io; quem sequar nescio. And if they succeed by Conquest, they become to their Subjects almost as terrible as to their Enemies. So that he that would approach them with a petition for justice, must do it as Augustus spake to a fearful petitioner, as if he did assem dare Elephanto; Or as if they dwelt in the inaccessible light, and must be served as God with tear and trembling. And those that flatter them as glorious Conquerors, do but stir up the fire of their pride, to make more ruins and calamities in the Earth, and do the work of a raging Pestilence. As an Athenian Orator said to the men of Athens, when they would have numbered Alexander with the God's, Cavete ne dum Coelum liberaliter donetis, terram & domicilia propria amittatis: Take heed while you so liberally give him Heaven, lest he take away your part of Earth. And when their Pride hath consumed and banished Peace; What have they got by it? That which a Themist • cles after trial, would prefer a grave to, Si una via ad solium duceret, altera ad sepulchrum —That which Demosthenes preferred banishment before: That which the wisest Philosophers refused at Athens, The great trouble of Government. Inexpertus ambit; expertus odit. Cyneas asked Pyrrhus when he was preparing to invade the Romans, What shall we do when we have Conquered the Romans? He answered, We will go next to Sicily? And what shall when we do when Sicily is Conquered? said he: Pyrrhus said, We will go next to Africa: And what shall we do next, said the other? Why then said he, We will be quiet and merry and take our ease: And said Cyneas, If that be last and best, Why may we not do so now? It is for quietness and peace that such pretend to fight and break peace: But they usually die before they obtain it! (as Pyrrhus did): And might better have permitted Peace to stand, than pull it down to build it better. As one asked an old man at Athens, Why they called themselves Philosophers? who answered, Because we seek after Wisdom: Saith he, If you are but seeking it at this age, when do you think to find it? So I may say, to the proud Warriers of the World, If so many men must be killed, and so many Conquered in seeking peace, when will it, that way, be found? But perhaps they think that their wisdom and goodness is so great, that the World cannot be happy unless they govern it: But what could have persuaded them to think so, but their pride? Nihil magis aegris prodest, quam ab eo curari à quo voluerint, saith Seneca! Patients must choose their own Physicians. Men use to give them but little thanks, who drench them with such benefits, and bring them the potion of peace so hot, as that the touch of the Cup must burn their lips, and who in their goodness cut the throats of one part, that their Government may be a blessing to the survivers. In a word, it is Pride that is the great incendiary of the World, whether it be found in high or low. It will permit no Kingdom, family or Church to enjoy the pleasant fruits of peace.
§. 3. Direct. 2. If you would be Peaceable, be not covetous lovers of the World, but be contented with your daily bread. Hungry Dogs have seldom so great plenty of meat, as to content them all, and keep them from falling out about it. If you overlove the World, you will never want occasions of discord: Either your neighbor s • ll • th too dear, or buyeth too cheap of you, or over-reacheth you, or gets before you, or some way or other doth you wrong: as long as he hath anything which you desire, or doth not satisfy all your expectations. Ambitious and Covetous men must have so much room, that the World is not wide enough for many of them: And yet (alas) too many of them there are: And therefore they are still together by the ears, like Boys in the Winter nights, when the B • d clothes are too narrow to cover them: One pulleth, and another pulleth, and all complain: You must be sure that you trespass not in the smallest measure, not encroach on the least of his commodity, that you demand not your own, nor deny him anything which he desireth, nor get anything which he would have himself, no nor ever give over feeding his greedy expectations, and enduring his injustice and abuse, if you will live peaceably with a worldly-minded man.
§. 4. Direct. 3. If you will be Peaceable, Love your neighbors as yourselves. Love neither imagineth nor speaketh, nor worketh any hurt to others: It covereth infirmities: It hopeth all things: It endureth all things: 1 Cor. 13. Selfishness and want of Love to others, causeth all the contentions in the World. You can bear with great faults in yourselves, and never fall out with yourselves for them: But with your Neighbors you are quarrelling for those that are less! Do you fall out with another because he hath spoken dishonourably or slightly of you, or slandered you, or some way done you wrong? You have done a thousand times worse than all that against yourselves, and yet can bear too patiently with yourselves? If another speak evil of you, he doth not make you evil: It's worse to make you bad, than to call you so: And this you do against yourselves. Doth your Neighbor wrong you in your honor or Estate? But he endangereth not your soul: He doth not forfeit your salvation! He doth not deserve damnation for you, nor make your soul displeasing to God: But all this you do against yourselves (even more than all the Devils in Hell do,) and yet you are too little offended with yourselves: see here the power of blind self-love! If you loved your Neighbors as yourselves, you would agree as peaceably with your Neighbors almost as with yourselves. Love them more, and you will bear more with them, and provoke them less.
§. 5. Direct. 4. Compose your minds to Christian gentleness and meekness, and suffer not Passion to make you either turbulent and unquiet to others, or impatient and troublesome to yourselves. A gentle and quiet mind hath a gentle quiet tongue. It can bear as much wrong, as another can do (according to its measure): It is not in the power of Satan: He cannot at his pleasure send his Emissary, and by injuries or foul words, procure it to sin: But a Passionate person is frequently provoking or provoked. A little thing maketh him injurious to others; and a little injury from others, disquieteth himself. He is daily troubling others or himself, or both. Coals of fire go from his lips: It is his very desire to provoke and vex those that he is angry with: His Neighbors Peace and his own are the fuel of his anger, which he consumeth in a moment. To converse with him and not provoke him, is a task for such as are eminently meek and self-denying: He is as the leaves of the Asp tree, that never rest, unless the day be very calm. The smallest breath of an angry tongue, can shake him out of his tranquility, and turn him into an Ague of disquietness. The Sails of the Windmill are scarce more at the winds command, than his heart and tongue is at the command of Satan: He can move him almost when he please. Bid but a Neighbor speak some hard speeches of him, or one of his Family neglect or cross him, and he is presently like the raging Sea, whose waves cast up the mire and dirt. An impatient man hath no security of his own peace for an hour: Any enemy or angry person, can take it from him when they please. And being troubled, he is troublesome to all about him. If you do not in your patience possess your souls, they will be at the mercy of everyone that hath a mind to vex you. Remember then that no peace can be expected without Patience; nor patience without a meek and gentle mind: Remember that the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, is of great price in the sight of God, 1 Pet. 3. 4. And that the wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, Jam. 3. 17. And that the eternal wisdom from above, hath bid you learn of him to be meek and lowly in spirit as ever you would find rest to your souls, Matth. 11. 28, 29. And he that loseth his own peace, is likest to break the peace of others.
§. 6. Direct. 5. Be careful to maintain that order of Government and obedience, which is appointed of God for the preservation of Peace, in families, Churches and Common-wealths. If you will break this vessel, peace will flow out and be all quickly spilled. What peace in Schools but by the authority of the Schoolmaster? Or in Armies but by the authority of the General? If an unwise and ungodly Governor, do himself violate the foundations and boundaries of peace, and either weakly or willfully make dividing Laws, no wonder if such wounds do spend the vital blood and spirits of that society; It being more in the power of the Governors than of the Subject to destroy Peace or to preserve it. And if the Subjects make not conscience of their duty to their Superiors, the banks of peace will soon be broken down, and all will be overwhelmed in tumult and confusion. Take heed therefore of anything which tendeth to subvert or weaken Government: Disobedience or Rebellion seldom wanteth a fair pretence: but it more seldom answereth the agents expectation. It usually pretendeth, the weaknesses, miscarriages, or injurious dealings of superiors: But it as usually mendeth an inconvenience with a mischief. It setteth fire on the house to burn up the Rats and Mice that troubled it. It must be indeed a grievous malady, that shall need such a mischief for its remedy. Certainly it is no means of God's appointment. Take heed therefore of anything which would dissolve these bonds. Entertain not dishonorable thoughts of your Governors, and receive not, nor utter not any dishonorable words against them: If they be faulty, open not their shame: Their honor is their interest, and the people's too: Without it they will be disabled for effectual Government. When subjects, or servants, or children are saucily censorious of superiors, and make themselves Judges of all their actions, even those which they do not understand, and when they presume to defame them, and with petulant tongues to cast contempt upon them, the fire is begun, and the sacred bonds of peace are loosed. When superiors rule with Piety, Justice and true love to their subjects, and Inferiors keep their place and rank, and all conspire the public good, then Peace will fourish, and not till then.
§ 7. Direct. 6. Avoid all revengeful and provoking words. When the poison of Asps is under men's lips, ( Rom. 3. 13.) no wonder if the hearers minds that are not sufficiently antidoted against it, fester. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: Prov. 18. 21. When the tongue is as a Sword, yea, a sharp sword, ( Psal. 57. 4.) and when it is purposely whetted, ( Psal. 64. 3.) But no marvel if it pierce, and wound them that are unarmed. But by long forbearing a Prince is persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone, Prov. 25. 15. A railer is numbered with those that a Christian must not eat with, 1 Cor. 5. For Christianity is so much for Peace, that it abhorreth all that is against it. Our Lord when he was reviled, reviled not again, and in this was our example, 1 Pet. 2. 21, 23. A scorning, railing, reproachful tongue, is set (as James saith 3. 6.) on fire of Hell, and it setteth on fire the course of nature, even persons, families, Churches and Common-wealths. Many a a ruined society may say by experience, Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth. James 3. 5.
§ 8. Direct. 7. Engage not yourselves too forwardly or eagerly in disputes, nor at any time without necessity: And when necessity calleth you, set an extraordinary watch upon your passions. Though disputing is lawful, and sometime necessary, to defend the truth, yet it is seldom the way of doing good to those whom you dispute with: It engageth men in partiality and passionate provoking words before they are aware: And while they think they are only pleading for the truth, they are militating for the honor of their own understandings. They that will not stoop to hear you as learners, while you orderly open the truth in its coherent parts; will hardly ever profit by your contendings; when you engage a proud person, to bend all his wit and words against you. The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, &c. 2 Tim. 2. 24.
§. 9. Direct. 8. Have as little to do with men, in matters which their commodity is concerned in as you can: As in chaffering or any other thing where Mine and Thine is much concerned: For few men are so just, as not to expect that which others account unjust: And the nearest friends have been alienated hereby.
§. 10. Direct. 9. Buy peace at the price of anything which is not better than it. Not with the loss of the favor of God, or of our innocence, or true peace of conscience, or with the loss of the Gospel, or the ruin of men's souls: But you must often part with your Right for peace, and put up wrongs in word or deed. Money must not be thought too dear to buy it, when the loss of it will be worse than the loss of money, to yourselves or those that you contend with. If a soul be endangered by it, or societies ruined by it, it will be dear bought money, which is got or saved by such means. He is no true friend of Peace, that will not have it, except when it is cheap.
§. 11. Direct. 10. Avoid Censoriousness: which is the judging of men or matters that you have no call to meddle with, and the making of matters worse than sufficient proof will warrant you. Be neither busy-bodies, meddling with other men's matters, nor peevish aggravaters of all men's faults. Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again, Matth. 7. 1, 2. You shall be censured, if you will censure: And if Christ be a true discerner of minds, it is they that have beams in their own eyes, who are the quickest perceivers of the motes in others: Censorious persons are the great dividers of the Church, and everywhere adversaries to peace; while they open their mouths wide against their neighbor, to make the worst of all that they say and do, and thus sow the seeds of discord amongst all.
§. 12. Direct. 11. Neither talk against men behind their backs, nor patiently hearken to them that use it. Though the detecting of a dangerous enemy, or the prevention of another's hurt, may sometimes make it a duty to blame them that are absent; yet this case which is rare, is no excuse to the backbiters sin. If you have anything to say against your neighbor, tell it him in a friendly manner to his face, that he may be the better for it: If you tell it only to another, to make him odious, or hearken to backbiters that defame men secretly, you show that your business is not to do good, but to diminish love and peace.
§. 13. Direct. 12. Speak more of the good than of the evil, which is in others. There is none so bad, as to have no good in them: Why mention you not that? which is more useful to the hearer, than to hear of men's faults. But of this more afterward.
§. 14. Direct. 13. Be not strange, but lovingly familiar with your neighbors. Backbiters and slanders, and unjust suspicions, do make men seem that to one another, which when they are acquainted, they find is nothing so: Among any honest well meaning persons, familiarity greatly reconcileth. Though indeed there are some few so proud, and fiery, and bitter enemies to honest peace, that the way to peace with them, is to be far from them, where we may not be remembered by them: But it is not so with ordinary neighbors, nor friends that are fallen out, nor differing Christians: Its nearness that must make them friends.
§. 15. Direct. 14. Affect not a distance and sour singularity in lawful things. Come as near them as you can, as they are men and neighbors; and take it not for your duty to run as far from them, lest you run into the contrary extreme.
§. 16. Direct. 15. Be not over-stiff in your own opinions, as those that can yield in nothing to another. Nor yet • o facile and yielding as to betray or lose the truth. It greatly pleaseth a proud man's mind, when you seem to be convinced by him, and to change your mind upon his arguments, or to be much informed and edified by him: But when you deny this honor to his understanding, and contradict him, and stiffly maintain your opinion against him, you displease and lose him: And indeed a wise man should gladly learn of any that can teach him more; and should most easily of any man, let go an error, and be most thankful to any that will increase his knowledge: And not only in errors to change our minds, but in small and indifferent things to submit by silence, beseemeth a modest peaceable man.
§. 17. Direct. 16. Yet build not Peace on the foundation of impiety, injustice, cruelty or faction: for that will prove but the way to destroy it, in the end. Traitors, and Rebells, and Tyrants, and Persecutors, and ambitious covetous Clergy men, do all pretend peace for their iniquity: But what peace will Iezebels Whoredoms bring? Satan's Kingdom is supported by a Peace in sin: which Christ came to break that he might destroy it: while this strong man armed keepeth his house, his goods are in peace, till a stronger doth bind him, overcome him and cast him out. Deceitful sinful means of Peace, have been the grand Engine of Satan and the Papal Clergy, by which they have banished and kept out Peace, so many ages from most of the Christian world. Impiis mediis Ecclesiae paci consulere, was one of the three means which Luther foretold would cast out the Gospel. Where perjury, or false doctrine, or any sin, or any unjust, or inconsistent terms, are made the condition of Peace, men build upon stubble and briars, which God will set fire to, and soon consume, and all that peace will come to naught.
Directions for Church-peace I have laid down before; to which I must refer you.
CHAP. XVIII. Directions against all Theft and Fraud, or injurious getting and keeping that which is another's, or desiring it.
§. 1. HE that will know what Theft is, must know what Propriety is: And it is that plenary title to a thing, by which it is called Our Own; It is that right to anything as Mine, by which I may justly have it, possess it, use it, and dispose of it. This Dominion or Propriety is either Absolute, (and that belongeth to none but God) or subordinate, respective and limited (which is the only Propriety that any creature can have.) Which is such a Right which will hold good against the claim of any fellow creature, though not against God's. And among men there are Proprietors or Owners which are Principal, and some who are but dependant, subordinate and limited. The simple Propriety may remain in a Landlord or Father, who may convey to his Tenant or his child, a limited dependant propriety under him. Injuriously to deprive a man of this Propriety, or of the thing in which he hath propriety, is the sin which I speak of in this Chapter; which hath no one name, and therefore I express it here by many. Whether it be Theft, Robbery, Cousenage, Extortion, or any other way of depriving another injuriously of his own. These General Directions are needful to avoid it.
§. 2. Direct. 1. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world, 1 John 2. 15. Cure covetousness, and you will kill the root of fraud and theft. As a drunkard would easily be cured of his drunkenness, if you could cure him of his thirst and love to drink; so an extortioner, thief or deceiver would easily be cured of their outward sin, if their hearts were cured of the disease of worldiness. The love of money is the root of all this evil. Value these things no more than they deserve.
§ 3. Direct. 2. To this end, acquaint your hearts with the greater riches of the life to come: And then you will meet with true satisfaction. The true hopes of Heaven, will cure your greedy desires of earth. You durst not then forfeit your part in that perpetual Blessedness, for the temporal supply of some bodily want: You durst not with Adam part with Paradise for a forbidden bit; nor as Esau profanely sell your birthright for a morsel. It is the unbelief and contempt of Heaven, which maketh men venture it for the poor commodities of this world.
§. 4. Direct. 3. Be contented to stand to God's disposal; and suffer not any carking discontented thoughts to feed upon your hearts. When you suffer your minds to run all day long upon your necessities and straits, the Devil next tempteth you to think of unlawful courses to supply them. He will show you your neighbors money, or goods, or estates, and tell you, how well it would be with you if this were yours: He shown Achan the Golden Wedge: He told Gehazi how unreasonable it was that Naaman's money and Rayment should be refused: He told Balaam of the hopes of preferment which he might have with Balak: He told Judas how to get his thirty pieces: He persuaded Ananias and Sapphira, that it was but reasonable to retain part of that which was their own. Nay, commonly it is discontents and cares which prepareth poor wretches for those appearances of the Devil, which draweth them to Witchcraft, for the supplying of their wants. If you took God for your God, you would take him for the sufficient disposer of the world, and one that is fitter to measure out your part of earthly things, than you yourselves: And then you would rest in his wisdom, will, and fatherly providence; and not shift for yourselves by sinful means. Discontentedness of mind, and distrust of God, are the cause of all such frauds and injuries. Trust God, and you will have no need of these.
§. 5. Direct. 4. Remember what Promises God hath made, for the competent supply of all your wants. Godliness hath the promise of this life and of that to come: All other things shall be added to you, if you seek first God's Kingdom and the righteousness thereof▪ Matth. 6. 33. They that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good, Psal. 37. All things shall work together for good to them that love God? Rom. 8. 28. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5. Live by faith on these sufficient promises, and you need not steal.
§. 6. Direct. 5. Overvalue not the accommodation and pleasure of the flesh, and live not in the sins of gluttony, drunkenness, pride, gaming, or riotous courses, which may bring you into want, and so to seek unlawful maintenance. He that is a servant to his flesh cannot endure to displease it, nor can • ear the want of anything which it needeth. But he that hath mastered and mortified his flesh, can endure its labor and hunger, yea, and death too, if God will have it so. Large revenues will be too little for a fleshly minded person: But a little will serve him that hath brought it under the power of reason. Magna pars libertatis est been moratus venter, saith Seneca: A well nurtured, fair-conditioned belly, is a great part of a man's liberty, because an ill-taught and ill-conditioned belly, is one of the basest slaveries in the world. As a Philosopher said to Diogenes, If thou couldst flatter Dionysius, thou needest not eat herbs: But, saith Diogenes, If thou couldst eat herbs, thou needest not flatter Dionysius: He took this for the harder task: So the Thief and deceiver will say to the poor, If you could do as we do, you need not fare so hardly: But a contented poor man may better answer him, If you could fare hardly as I do, you need not deceive or steal as you do. A proud person, that cannot endure to dwell in a Cottage, or to be seen in poor or patched apparel, will be easily tempted to any unlawful way of getting, to keep him from disgrace, and serve his pride: A Glutton whose Heaven is in his throat, must needs fare well, how ever he come by it: A Tipler must needs have provision for his guggle, by right or by wrong. But a humble man, and a temperate man, can spare all this, and when he looketh on all the proud man's furniture, he can bless himself as Socrates did in a Fair, with Quam multa sunt quibus ipse non egeo: How many things be there, which I have no need of: And he can pity the sensual desires which others must needs fulfill; even as a sound man pitieth another that hath the itch, or the thirst of a sick man in a Feavor, that crieth out for drink. As Seneca saith, It is Vice and not Nature, which needeth much: Nature, and necessity, and duty are contented with a little. But he that must have the pleasure of his sin, must have provision to maintain that pleasure. Quench the fire of pride, sensuality and lust, and you may spare the cost of fuel, Rom. 13. 13, 14. & 8. 13.
§. 7. Direct. 6. Live not in Idleness or sloth: but be laborious in your Callings that you may escape that need or poverty which is the temptation to this sin of theft. Idleness is a crime which is not to be tolerated in Christian Societies. 2. Thess. 2. 6, 8, 10, 11, 12. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us: For you know how ye ought to follow us; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread for naught; but worked with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample to you to follow us: For when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat: For we hear that there are some among you which walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies: Now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. Eph. 4. 28. Let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. He that stealeth to maintain his Idleness, sinneth that he may sin; and by one sin getteth provision for another: You see here that you are bound not only to work to maintain yourselves, but to have to give to others in their need.
§. 8. Direct. 7. Keep a tender conscience, which will do its office, and not suffer you to sin without remorse. A feared senseless Conscience will permit you to lie and steal and deceive, and will make no great matter of it, till God awaken it by his grace or vengeance. Hence it is that servants can deceive their masters, or take that which is not allowed them, and buyers and sellers over-reach one another, because they have not tender Consciences to reprove them.