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Post by Admin on Jun 14, 2023 18:47:08 GMT -5
www.gutenberg.org/files/41633/41633-h/41633-h.htmRichard Baxter wrote several helpful things, but some believe he was a legalist. We will be able to examine them here. CHRISTIAN DIRECTORY: OR, A SUM OF PRACTICAL THEOLOGY, AND CASES OF CONSCIENCE. DIRECTING CHRISTIANS, HOW TO USE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH; HOW TO IMPROVE ALL HELPS AND MEANS, AND TO PERFORM ALL DUTIES; HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS, AND TO ESCAPE OR MORTIFY EVERY SIN. IN FOUR PARTS. I. CHRISTIAN ETHICS, (OR PRIVATE DUTIES.) II. CHRISTIAN ECONOMICS, (OR FAMILY DUTIES.) III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICS, (OR CHURCH DUTIES.) IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICS, (OR DUTIES TO OUR RULERS AND NEIGHBOURS.)
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Post by Admin on Jun 14, 2023 18:55:21 GMT -5
Readers,
The book is so big that I must make no longer preface, than to give you this necessary, short account, I. Of the quality; II. And the reasons of this work.
1. As to the method of this, it is partly natural, but principally moral; that is, partly suitable to the real order of the matter, but chiefly of usefulness,, where our reasons of each location are fetched from the end. Therefore unless I might be tedious in opening my reasons à fine for the order of every particular, I know not how to give you full satisfaction. But in this practical part I am the less solicitous about the accurateness of method, because it more belonged to the former part, (the theory,) where I do it as well as I am able.
1. The First Part is largest, because I thought that the heart must be kept with greatest diligence, and that if the tree be good the fruit will be good; and I remember Paul's counsel, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee," 1 Tim. iv. 16. Nothing is well done by him that beginneth not at home: as the man is, so is his strength, and work.
2. The two first chapters are too coarse and tedious for those of the higher form, who may pass them over. But the rest must be spoken to; to whom that is unprofitable which is most suitable and pleasant to more exercised and accurate wits. The grand directions are but the explications of the essentials of christianity, or of the baptismal covenant, even of our relation-duties to God the Father, Son, (in several parts of his relation,) and of the Holy Ghost. The doctrine of Temptations is handled with brevity, because they are so numerous; lest a due amplification should have swelled the book too much; when a small part of their number maketh up so much of Mr. John Downame's great and excellent treatise, called, "The Christian Warfare." The great radical sins are handled more largely than seemed proportionable to the rest, because all die when they are dead. And I am large about Redeeming Time, because therein the sum of a holy, obedient life is included.
4. If any say, Why call you that a Sum of Practical Theology which is but the directing part, and leaveth out the explication, reasons, various uses, marks, motives, &c.? I answer,
1. Had I intended sermonwise to say all that might well be said on each subject, it would have made many volumes as big as this.
2. Where I thought them needful, the explication of each duty and sin is added, with marks, contraries, counterfeits, motives, &c. And uses are easily added by an ordinary reader, without my naming them.
5. I do especially desire you to observe, that the resolving of practical cases of conscience, and the reducing of theoretical knowledge into serious christian practice, and promoting a skilful facility in the faithful exercise of universal obedience, and holiness of heart and life, is the great work of this treatise; and that where I thought it needful, the cases are reduced to express questions and answers. But had I done so by all, many such volumes would have been too little; and therefore I thought the directing way most brief and fit for christian practice; for if you mark them, you will find few directions in the book, which may not pass for the answer of an implied question or case of conscience; and when I have given you the answer in a direction, an ingenious reader can tell what question it is that is answered. And so, many hundred cases are here resolved, especially in the two first parts, which are not interrogatively named.
6. And I must do myself the right as to notify the reader, that this treatise was written when I was (for not subscribing, declaring, &c.) forbidden by the law to preach, and when I had been long separated far from my library and from all books, saving an inconsiderable parcel which wandered with me, where I went; by which means this book hath two defects:
1. It hath no cases of conscience, but what my bare memory brought to hand: and cases are so innumerable, that it is far harder, methinks, to remember them, than to answer them; whereby it came to pass that some of the ecclesiastical cases are put out of their proper place, because I could not seasonably remember them. For I had no one casuist but Amesius with me. But (after about twelve years' separation) having received my library, I find that the very sight of Sayrus, Fragoso, Roderiquez, Tolet, &c. might have helped my memory to a greater number. But perhaps these will be enough for those that I intend them for.
2. And by the same cause the margin is unfurnished of such citations as are accounted an ornament, and in some cases are very useful. The scraps inserted out of my few trivial books at hand being so mean, as that I am well content (except about Monarchy, Part IV.) that the reader pass them by as not worthy of his notice.
[Pg 4]
And it is like that the absence of books will appear to the reader's loss in the materials of the treatise; but I shall have this advantage by it, that he will not accuse me as a plagiary. And it may be some little advantage to him, that he hath no transcript of any man's books, which he had before; but the product of some experience, with a naked, unbiassed perception of the matter or things themselves.
7. Note also, that the Third and Fourth Parts are very much defective of what they should contain, about the power and government of God's officers in church and state; of which no readers will expect a reason but strangers, whose expectations I may not satisfy. But as I must profess, that I hope nothing here hath proceeded from disloyalty, or disrespect to authority, government, unity, concord, peace, or order; or from any opposition to faith, piety, love, or justice; so if, unknown to me, there be any thing found here that is contrary or injurious to any one of these, I do hereby renounce it, and desire it may be taken as non scriptum.
II. The ends and uses for which I wrote this book are these:
1. That when I could not preach the gospel as I would, I might do it as I could.
2. That three sorts might have the benefit, as followeth.
1. That the younger and more unfurnished and unexperienced sort of ministers, might have a promptuary at hand, for practical resolutions and directions on the subjects that they have need to deal in. And though Sayrus and Fragoso have done well, I would not have us under a necessity of going to the Romanists for our ordinary supplies. Long have our divines been wishing for some fuller casuistical tractate: Perkins began well; Bishop Sanderson hath done excellently de juramento; Amesius hath exceeded all, though briefly. Mr. David Dickson hath put more of our English cases about the state of sanctification, into Latin, than ever was done before him. Bishop Jeremy Taylor hath in two folios but begun the copious performance of the work. And still men are calling for more, which I have attempted: hoping that others will come after, and do better than we all.
If any call it my pride, to think that any ministers or students are so raw as to need any thing that I can add to them, let him but pardon me for saying that such demure pleadings for a feigned humility, shall not draw me to a confederacy with blindness, hypocrisy, and sloth, and I will pardon him for his charge of pride.
It is long ago since many foreign divines subscribed a request, that the English would give them in Latin a Sum of our Practical Theology, which Mr. Dury sent over, and twelve great divines of ours wrote to Bishop Usher, (as Dr. Bernard tells you in his Life,) to draw them up a form or method. But it was never done among them all. And it is said, that Bishop Downame at last undertaking it, died in the attempt. Had this been done, it is like my labour might have been spared. But being undone, I have thus made this essay. But I have been necessitated to leave out much, (about conversion, mortification, self-denial, self-acquaintance, faith, justification, judgment, glory, &c.) because I had written of them all before.
2. And I thought it not unuseful to the more judicious masters of families, who may choose and read such parcels to their families, as at any time the case requireth. And indeed I began it rudely, with an intention of that plainness and brevity which families require; but finding that it swelled to a bigger bulk than I intended, I was fain to write my "Life of Faith," as a breviate and substitute, for the families and persons that cannot have and use so large a volume: presupposing, my "Directions for sound Conversion," for "Weak Christians," and for "Peace of Conscience," printed long ago.
3. And to private christians I thought it not in vain, to have at hand so universal a directory and resolution of doubts; not expecting that they remember all, but may, on every occasion, turn to such particulars as they most need.
But I must expect to be assaulted with these objections: and it is not only profane deriders and malignant enemies, that are used by Satan to vilify and oppose our service of God.
Object. I. You have written too many books already. Who do you think hath so little to do as to read them all? Is it not pride and self-conceitedness to think that your scribblings are worthy to be read? and that the world hath need of so much of your instructions, as if there were no wise men but you? You have given offence already by your writings; you should write less, and preach more.
Answ. 1. I have seldom, if ever, in all my ministry, omitted one sermon for all my writings. I was not able to live in London, nor ride abroad; but through God's mercy I seldom omitted any opportunities at home.
2. And if I preach the same doctrine that I write, why should not men be as angry with me for preaching it, as for writing it? But if it be good and true, why is it not as good preach by the press, to many thousands, and for many years after I am dead, as to preach to a parlour full for a few hours? Or why is not both as good as one?
3. I will not take the reverend objector to be ignorant, that writing, and publishing the word of God by it, is preaching it, and the most public preaching; and hath the example of the apostles and evangelists, as well as speaking. And one is no more appropriate to them than the other: though the extraordinaries of both be proper to them. And do you not perceive what self-condemning contradiction it is, at the same time to cry out against those that dissuade you from preaching, or hinder you, and tell you it is needless, and you are proud to think that the world needeth your preaching, and yet you yourselves to say the very same against your brethren's preaching by the press? I know an ignorant, illiterate sectary might say, Writing is no preaching; and you are called to preach, and not to write. But I must reverence you more than to suppose you so absurd. Other men forbid you but less public preaching, and you reproach me for more public preaching: that is the difference. How hard is it to know what spirit we are of! Did you think that you had been patrons of idleness, and silencers of ministers, while you declaim so much against it? Your pretence that you would have me preach more, is feigned. Are you sure that you preach ofter than I do? When I persuaded ministers heretofore to catechise and instruct all their parishes personally, family by family, you said it was more toil than was our duty. And now you are against much writing too; and yet would be thought laborious ministers.
And as to the number and length of my writings, it is my own labour that maketh them so, and my own great trouble, that the world cannot be sufficiently instructed and edified in fewer words. But,
1. Would not all your sermons set together be as long? And why is not much and long preaching blamable, if long writings be?
2. Are not the works of Augustine, and Chrysostom, much longer? Who yet hath reproached[Pg 5] Aquinas or Suarez, Calvin or Zanchy, &c. for the number and greatness of the volumes they have written? Why do you contradict yourselves by affecting great libraries?
3. When did I ever persuade any one of you to buy or read any book of mine? What harm will they do those that let them alone? Or what harm can it do you for other men to read them? Let them be to you as if they had never been written; and it will be nothing to you how many they are. And if all others take not you for their tutors, to choose for them the books that they must read, that is not my doing, but their own. If they err in taking themselves to be fitter judges than you what tendeth most to their own edification, why do you not teach them better?
4. Either it is God's truth, or error, which I write. If error, why doth no one of you show so much charity, as by word or writing to instruct me better, nor evince it to my face, but do all to others by backbiting? If truth, what harm will it do? If men had not leisure to read our writings, the booksellers would silence us, and save you the labour; for none would print them.
5. But who can please all men? Whilst a few of you cry out of too much, what if twenty or a hundred for one be yet for more? How shall I know whether you or they be the wiser and the better men?
Readers, you see on what terms we must do the work of God. Our slothful flesh is backward, and weary of so much labour: malignant enemies of piety are against it all. Some slothful brethren think it necessary to cloak their fleshly ease by vilifying the diligence of others. Many sects whom we oppose, think it the interest of their cause, (which they call God's cause,) to make all that is said against them seem vain, contemptible, and odious; which because they cannot do by confutation, they will do by backbiting and confident chat. And one or two reverend brethren have, by the wisdom described exactly, James iii. 15, 16, arrived at the liberty of backbiting and magisterial sentencing the works of others, (which they confess they never read,) that their reputation of being most learned, orthodox, worthy divines, may keep the chair at easier rates, than the wasting of their flesh in unwearied labours to know the truth, and communicate it to the world. And some are angry, who are forward to write, that the booksellers and readers silence not others as well as them.
Object. II. Your writings differing from the common judgment, have already caused offence to the godly.
Answ.
1. To the godly that were of a contrary opinion only. Sores that will not be healed, use to be exasperated by the medicine.
2. It was none but healing, pacificatory writings, that have caused that offence.
3. Have not those dissenters' writings more offended the godly that were against them? They have but one trick, to honor their denial, which more dishonors it, even by Un sanctifying those that are not of their minds.
4. If God bless me with opportunity and help, I will offend such men much more, by endeavoring, further than ever I have done, the quenching of that fire which they are still blowing up; and detecting the folly and mischief of those logomachies by which they militate against love and concord, and inflame and tear the church of God. And let them know that I am about it. But some pastors, as well as people, have the weakness to think that all our preachings and writings must be brought under their dominion, and to their bar, by the bare saying that we offend the godly, that is, those of their opinion, which they falsely call by the name of scandal.
5. But I think they will find little controversy to offend them in this book.
Object. III. You shall take more leisure, and take other men's judgment of your writings before you thrust them out so hastily.
Answ. 1. I have but a little while to live, and therefore must work while it is day. Time will not stay.
2. I do show them to those that I take to be most judicious, and never refused any man's censure; but it is not many that have leisure to do me so great a kindness. But that I commit them not to the perusal of every objector, is a fault uncurable, by one that never had an amanuensis, and hath but one copy, usually.
3. And if I could do it, how should I be sure that they would not differ as much among themselves, as they do from me? And my writings would be like the picture which the great painter exposed to the censure of every passenger, and made it ridiculous to all, when he altered all that every one advised him to alter. And, to tell you the truth, I was never yet blamed by one side as not sufficiently pleasing them; but I was blamed also by the contrary side, for coming so near them: and I had not wit enough to know which party of the accusers was the wiser. And therefore am resolved to study to please God and conscience, and to take man-pleasing, when inconsistent, for an impossible and unprofitable work; and to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils, whose thoughts all perish as he passeth off the judicature of his stage to the judicature of God.
Object. IV. Your Ecclesiastical Cases are dangerously reconciling, tending to abate men's zeal against error.
Answ. The world hath long enough escaped the danger of peace and reconciliation. It had been well if they had as long escaped the danger of your conceited, orthodox strife, which hath brought in confusion and all evil works. I take it to be a zeal effectively against love, and against unity, and against Christ, which, with the preachers of extremes, goeth under the name of a zeal against error, and for truth.
Object. V. Are all these numerous directions to be found in Scripture? Show us them in Scripture, or you trouble the church with your own inventions.
Answ. 1. Are all your sermons in the Scripture? and all the good books of your library in the Scripture?
2. Will you have none but readers in the church, and put down preachers? Sure it is the reader that delivereth all and only the Scripture.
3. Are we not men before we are christians? And is not the light and law of nature divine? And was the Scripture written to be instead of reason, or of logic, or other subservient sciences? Or must they not all be sanctified and used for divinity?
4. But I think that as all good commentaries, and sermons, and systems of theology, are in Scripture, so is the Directory here given, and is proved by the evidence of the very thing discoursed of, or by the plainest texts.
Object. VI. You confound your reader by curiosity of distinctions.
Answ.
1. If they are vain or false, shame them by detecting it, or you shame yourselves by blaming them, when you cannot show the error. Expose not yourselves to laughter by avoiding just distinction to escape confusion: that is, avoiding knowledge to escape ignorance, or light to escape darkness.
2. It is ambiguity and confusion that breadth and feedeth almost all our pernicious controversies; and even those that bring in error by vain distinction, must be confuted by better distinguishers, and not by ignorant[Pg 6] confounders. I will believe the Holy Ghost, 2 Tim. ii. 14-16, that logomachy is the plague by which the hearers are subverted, and ungodliness increased; and that orthotomy, or right dividing the word of truth, is the cure. And, Heb. v. 15, discerning both good and evil, is the work of long and well exercised senses.
Object. VII. Is this your reducing our faith to the primitive simplicity, and to the creed? What a toilsome task do you make religion by overdoing? Is any man able to remember all these numberless directions?
Answ. 1. I pray mistake not all these for articles of faith. I am more zealous than ever I was for the reduction of the christian faith to the primitive simplicity; and more confident that the church will never have peace and concord, till it be so done, as to the rest of men's faith and communion. But he that will have no books but his creed and Bible, may follow that sectary, who, when he had burnt all his other books as human inventions, at last burnt the Bible, when he grew learned enough to understand, that the translation of that was human too.
2. If all the books in your libraries make your studies or religion toilsome, why do you keep them? and do not come to the vulgar religion, that would hear no more but, Think well, speak well, and do well, or, Love God and your neighbor, and do as you would be done by. He that doth this truly, shall be saved. But there goes more to the building of a house, than to say, Lay the foundation, and raise the superstructure: universals exist not but in individuals; and the whole consists of all the parts.
3. It is not expected that any man remember all these directions. Therefore I wrote them, because men cannot remember them, that they may, upon every necessary occasion, go to that which they have present use for, and cannot otherwise remember.
In sum, to my quarrelsome brethren I have two requests: 1. That instead of their unconscionable, and yet unreformed custom of backbiting, they would tell me to my face of my offences by convincing evidence, and not tempt the hearers to think them envious. And, 2. That what I do amiss they would do better: and not be such as will neither laboriously serve the church themselves, nor suffer others; and that they will not be guilty of idleness themselves, nor tempt me to be a slothful servant, who have so little time to spend; for I dare not stand before God under that guilt. And that they will not join with the enemies and resisters of the publication of the word of God.
And to the readers my request is,
1. That whatever for quantity or quality in this book is an impediment to their regular, universal obedience, and to a truly holy life, they would neglect and cast away.
2. But that which is truly instructing and helpful, they would diligently digest and practice; and I encourage them by my testimony, that by long experience I am assured, that this PRACTICAL RELIGION will afford both to church, state, and conscience, more certain and more solid peace, than contending disputers, with all their pretenses of orthodoxies and zeal against errors for the truth, will ever bring, or did ever attain to.
I crave your pardon for this long apology: it is an age where the objections are not feigned, and where our greatest and most costly services of God are charged on us as our greatest sins; and where at once I am accused of conscience for doing no more, and of men for doing so much. Being really
A most unworthy servant of so good a Master,
RICHARD BAXTER.
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Post by Admin on Jun 14, 2023 18:58:43 GMT -5
THE INTRODUCTION.[6]
The eternal God having made man an intellectual and free agent, able to understand and choose the good, and refuse the evil; to know, and love, and serve his Maker, and by adhering to him in this life of trial, to attain to the blessed sight and enjoyment of his glory in the life to come, hath not been wanting to furnish him with such necessaries, without which these ends could not successfully be sought. When we had lost our moral capacity of pleasing him, that we might enjoy him, he restoreth us to it by the wonderful work of our redemption.
In Christ he hath reconciled the world unto himself; and hath given them a general act of oblivion, contained in the covenant of grace, which nothing but men's obstinate and final unwillingness can deprive them of. To procure their consent to this gracious covenant, he hath "committed" to his ministers the "word of reconciliation;" commanding us "to beseech men, as in the stead of Christ, and as though God himself did beseech them by us, to be reconciled unto God," 2 Cor. v. 18-20; and to show them first their sin and misery, and proclaim and offer the true remedy, and to let them know, that all things are now ready, and by pleading their duty, their necessity, and their commodity, to compel them to come in, Matt. xxii. 4; Luke xi. 17, 23.
But so great is the blindness and obstinacy of men, that the greatest part refuse consent; being deceived by the pleasures, and profits, and honours of this present world; and make their pretended necessities or business the matter of their excuses, and the unreasonable reasons of their refusal, negligence, and delays, till death surprise them, and the door is shut; and they knock, and cry for mercy and admittance, when it is too late, Matt. xxv. 10-12.
Against this wilful negligence and presumption, which is the principal cause of the damnation of the ungodly world, I have written many books already.
7] But because there are many that profess themselves unfeignedly willing, not only to be saved, but also to be Christ's disciples; to learn of him, to imitate him, and be conformed to him, and to do the will of God, if they could but know it; I have determined, by God's assistance, to write this book for the use of such, and to give them from God's word those plain directions, which are suited to the several duties of their lives, and may guide them safely in their walk with God, to life eternal. Expect not here copious and earnest exhortations, for that work I have done already; and have now to do with such, as say they are made willing, and desire help against their ignorance, that skill and will may concur to their salvation. I shall labour to speak as plainly as I can, because I specially intend it for the ignorant; and yet to be competently exact in the directions, lest such readers lose the benefit by mistakes. And I must speak to many cases, because I speak to families,[Pg 8] where all are not in the same condition, and the same persons are not still the same. And therefore if I should not be brief in the particulars, I should be too long in the whole; and tediousness might deprive some readers of the benefit.
In families some are (too ordinarily) ungodly, in a carnal, unrenewed state; and some are godly, in a state of grace.[8] These are considerable as christians simply, with respect to God, or in their relations to others: these relations are either ecclesiastical, civil, or domestical (family relations).
Accordingly, my intended method is, 1. To direct ungodly, carnal minds, how to attain to a state of grace. 2. To direct those that have saving grace, how to use it; both in the contemplative and active parts of their lives; in their duties of religion, both private and public; in their duties to men, both in their ecclesiastical, civil, and family relations. And, by the way, to direct those that have grace, how to discern it, and take the comfort of it; and to direct them how to grow in grace, and persevere unto the end.
And if any reader should be discouraged at the number of duties and directions set before him, I entreat him to consider, 1. That it is God, and not I, that imposeth all these duties on you: and who will question his wisdom, goodness, or power to make laws for us and all the world? 2. That every duty and direction is a mercy to you; and therefore should not be matter of grief to you, but of thanks. They are but like the commands of parents to their children, when they bid them eat their meat, and wear their clothes, and go to bed, and eat not poison, and tumble not in the dirt; and cut not your fingers, and take heed of fire and water, &c. To leave out any such law or duty, were but to deprive you of an excellent mercy; you will not cut off or cast away any member of your body, any vein, or sinew, or artery, upon pretence that the number maketh them troublesome, when the diminishing of that number would kill or maim you. A student is not offended that he hath many books in his library; nor a tradesman that he hath store of tools; nor the rich at the number of his farms or flocks. Believe it, reader, if thou bring not a malignant quarrelsome mind, thou wilt find that God hath not burdened, but blessed thee with his holy precepts, and that he hath not appointed thee one unnecessary or unprofitable duty; but only such as tend to thy content, and joy, and happiness.[9]
O let it be the daily, earnest prayer of me and thee, that our hearts prove not false and unwilling to follow the directions which are given us, lest we condemn ourselves in the things which we allow. Your practice now will show, whether it be through want of will or skill, if henceforth you unfaithfully neglect your duty. If you are willing, obey now what is plainly taught you, and show by your diligence that you are willing.
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Post by Admin on Oct 30, 2023 18:22:24 GMT -5
Direct. V. 'Be very thankful for the great mercy of your conversion:
but yet overvalue not your first degrees of knowledge or holiness; but remember that you are yet but in your infancy, and must expect your growth and ripeness, as the consequent of time and diligence.'
You have great reason to be more glad and thankful, for the least measure of true grace, than if you had been made the rulers of the earth: it being of a far more excellent nature, and entitling you to more than all the kingdoms of the world. See my sermon called "Right Rejoicing,"on those words of Christ,"Rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Christ will warrant you to rejoice, though
enemies envy you, and repine both at your victory and triumph. If there be "joy in heaven in the presence of the angels" at your conversion, there is great reason you should be glad yourselves. If the prodigal's father will needs have the best robe and ring brought forth, and the fat calf killed, and the music to attend the feast, that they may eat and be merry, there is great reason that the prodigal son himself should not have the smallest share of joy: though his brother repine.
But yet, take heed lest you think the measure of your first endowments to be greater than it is. Grace imitateth nature, in beginning, usually, with small degrees, and growing up to maturity by leisurely proceeding. We are not new born in a state of manhood, as Adam was created. Though those texts that liken the kingdom of God to a grain of mustard-seed, and to a little leaven, be principally meant of the small beginnings, and great increase of the church or kingdom of Christ in the world; yet it is true also of his grace, or kingdom in the soul. Our first stature is but to be "new-born babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow by it." Note here, that the new birth bringeth forth but babes, but growth is by degrees, by feeding on the Word. The Word is received by the heart,
as seed into the ground. And seed useth not to bring forth the blade and fruit, to ripeness, in a day Yet I deny not, but that some men (as Paul) may have more grace at their first conversion, than many others have at their full growth. For God is free in the giving of his own, and may give more or less as pleaseth himself. But yet in Paul himself, that greater measure is but his smallest measure, and he himself is capable of increase to the last. And so great a measure at first is as rare, as his greater measure, at, last, in its full growth, is rare, and scarce to be expected now. And if God should give a great measure of holiness at first, to any now, as possibly he may, yet their measure of gifts is never great at first, unless they had acquired or received them before conversion. If grace find a man of great parts and understanding, which by study and other helps, he had attained before, no wonder if that man, when his parts are sanctified, be able in knowledge the first day: for he had it before, though he had not a heart to use it. But if grace find a man ignorant, unlearned, and of mean abilities, he must not expect to be suddenly lifted up to great understanding, and high degrees of knowledge by grace. For this knowledge is not given, now, by sudden infusion, as gifts were, extraordinarily, in the primitive church. You need no other proof of this but experience, to stop the mouth of any gainsayer. Look about you, and observe whether those that are men
of knowledge, did obtain it by infusion, in a moment? or whether they did not obtain it by diligent study, by slow degrees? though I know God blesseth some men's studies more than others. Name one man that ever was brought to great understanding, but by means and labour, and slow degrees; or that knoweth any truth, in nature, or Divinity, but what he read, or heard, or studied for, as the result of what he read or heard. The person that is proudest of his knowledge, must confess that he came to it in this way himself. But you will ask, 'What then is the illumination of the Spirit, and enlightening the mind, which the Scripture ascribeth to the Holy Ghost? Hath not our understanding need of the Spirit for light, as well as the heart of will for life?'
Answ. Yes, no doubt; and it is a great and wonderful mercy: and I will tell you what it is.
1. The Holy Spirit, by immediate inspiration, revealed to the apostles the doctrine of Christ, and caused them infallibly to indite the Scriptures. But this is not that way of ordinary illumination now.
2. The Holy Spirit assisteth us in our hearing,reading, and studying the Scriptures, that we may come, by diligence,
to the true understanding of it; but doth not give us that understanding, without hearing, reading, or study. "Faith cometh by hearing." It blesseth the use of means to us, but blesseth us not in the neglect of means.
3. The Holy Spirit doth open the eyes and heart of a sinner, who hath heard, and notionally understood the substance of the Gospel, that he may know that piercingly, and effectually, and practically, which before he knew but notionally, and ineffectually: so that the knowledge of the same truth, is now become powerful, and, as it were, of another kind. And this is the Spirit's sanctifying of the mind, and principal work of saving illumination: not by causing us to know any thing of God, or Christ, or heaven, without means; but by opening the heart, that, through the means, it may take in that knowledge deeply, which others have but notionally, and in a dead opinion: and, by making our knowledge clear, and quick, and powerful, to affect the heart, and rule the life.
4. The Holy Spirit sanctifieth all that notional knowledge which men had before their renovation. All their learning and parts are now made subservient to Christ, and to the right end, and turned into their proper channel.
5. And the Holy Ghost doth, by sanctifying the heart, possess it with such a love to God, and heaven, and holiness, and truth, as is a wonderful advantage to us, in our studies for the attaining of further knowledge. Experience telleth us, how great a help it is to knowledge,to have a constant love, delight and desire to the thing which we
would know. All these ways the Spirit is the enlightener of believers.The not observing this Direction, will have direful effects; which I will name, that you may see the necessity of avoiding them.
1.If you imagine that you are presently men of great understanding, and abilities, and holiness, while you are young beginners, and but new-born babes, you are entering into the snare and condemnation of the devil, even into the odious sin of pride; yea, a pride of those spiritual gifts which are most contrary to pride; yea, and a pride of
that which you have not, which is most foolish pride. Mark the words of Paul, when he forbids to choose a young beginner in religion to the ministry, "Not a novice; (that is, a young, raw Christian) "lest being lifted up," (or besotted) "with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil." Why are young beginners more in danger of this, than other Christians? One would think their infancy should be conscious of its own infirmity. But Paul knew what he said. It is
(1.) Partly because the suddenness of their change, coming out of darkness, in to a light which they never saw before, doth amaze them, and transport them, and make them think they are almost in heaven, and that there is not much more to be attained. Like the beggar that had an hundred pounds given him, having never seen the hundredth part
before, imagined that he had as much money as the king.
(2.) And it is partly because they have not knowledge enough to know, how many things there are, that yet they are ignorant of. They never heard of the Scripture-difficulties, and the knots in school divinity, nor the hard cases of conscience: whereas, one seven year's painful studies, will tell them of many hundred difficulties which they never saw:and forty or fifty year's study more, will clothe them with shame and humility, in the sense of their lamentable darkness.
(3.) And it is,also, because the devil doth with greatest industry, lay this net to entrap young converts, it being the way in which he hath the greatest hope.
2. Your hasty conceits of your own goodness, or ability, will make you presumptuous of your own strength, and so to venture upon dangerous temptations, which is the way to ruin. You will think you are not so ignorant, but you may venture into the company of Papists, or any heretics or deceivers, or read their books, or be present at their worship. And I confess you may escape; but it may be otherwise, and God may leave you, to "shew you all that was in your hearts," as it is said of Hezekiah.
3.And your overvaluing your first grace, will make you too secure, when your souls have need of holy awfulness and care, "to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," and to "serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, as knowing that he is a consuming fire," and security is the forerunner of a fall.
4.It will make you neglect the due labour and patience in the use of means for further knowledge and increase of grace, while you think you are so well already. And so you will be worse than those that are ever learning, and never come to any ripe knowledge; for you will think you are fit to be teachers, when you have need to be taught that which you will not submit to learn. And then "When for the time ye ought to have been teachers, you will have need to be catechized, or taught again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, as having need of milk, and not of strong meat." Mark here, how the Holy Ghost maketh time and exercise, necessary to such growth as must enable you to be teachers. Therefore he addeth, "But strong meat belonged to them that are of full age; those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Mark here, how wisdom and strength are to be expected.
5. This over-hasty conceit of your own ability, will tempt you to run into controversies, and matters that you are not fit for; and so divert you from necessary and seasonable studies.
6. It will make you over confident of all your own opinions, and stiff in all your own conceits: too like him, Prov. 14:16. "The fool rageth and is confident." How many, and many a time have I heard a man,that understood not what he talked of, and could scarce speak sense,to plead for his opinion so confidently, as to scorn or pity the wisest
contradictor, when his ignorance, and phrenetic confidence and rage, did make him a real object of pity, to men of ordinary understandings. There is a kind of madness in this disease, that will not leave you wit enough to know that you are mad.
7.It will make you also very censorious of others: this ignorant pride will make you think other men's knowledge to be ignorance, if they be not just of your fond opinions: and other men's graces to be none, if they be not of your mind and way. None are so ready as such, to censure those that are better than themselves, or that they have no
acquaintance with, as being but civil, moral men, or being erroneous or deluded. It is a very loathsome thing, to hear an ignorant, self conceited fellow to talk of those that are an hundred times wiser and much better than himself, as magisterially, with a proud compassion or contempt, as if he were indeed the wise man, that knoweth not
what he saith.
8.And it will make you rebellious against your governors and teachers, and utterly unteachable, as despising those that should instruct and rule you. You will think yourselves wiser than your teachers, while you are but in the lowest form. It is such that James speaks to, chap. 3:1. "My brethren, be not many masters (or teachers), knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation." And that whole chapter, well worth your studying, is spoke to such.
9. And thus it will entangle you in heretical opinions, to which there is no greater preparatory, than pride possessing half-witted, young beginners in religion.
10. And so it will make you troublers of the church, contending unpeaceably for that which you understand not.
11. And it tendeth to hypocrisy, making you give thanks for that which you never had, as puffed up with a knowledge that is not enough to keep you humble, and wanting the charity which would edify yourselves and others.
12. And it tendeth to delude you in point of assurance of salvation, come to greater strength.
13. Lastly, It tendeth to corrupt your apprehensions of the nature of Christianity itself; while you will judge of it in others, according to your own over-valued measure: when, if you knew it as it is, in the heart and practice of the sober, wise, humble, charitable, peaceable, mortified, heavenly believer, you would see that it hath a higher
glory,than any that is manifested by you.I have named to you all these sad effects of overvaluing your beginnings in religion, that as you love your souls, you may avoid them. I take it to be a matter of exceeding great moment, for your safety and perseverance, that while you are infants in grace, you know yourself to be such; that you may keep your form, and learn first, the lessons that must first be learned, and "walk humbly with your God, and obey those that are over you in the Lord," and may wait on the Spirit, in the use of means, and may not rejoice the tempter, by corrupting all that you have received, and imitating him,in falling from your state of hope
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Post by Admin on Oct 30, 2023 19:44:30 GMT -5
Direct. VI. 'Be not discouraged at the difficulties and oppositions
which will rise up before you, when you begin resolvedly to walk with God.'
As discouragements keep off multitudes from religion, so they are great temptations to many young beginners to turn back, and as the Israelites in the wilderness, ready to wish themselves again in Egypt.
Three sorts of discouragements arise before them.
1. Some from the nature of the work.
2. Some from God's trials.
3. And some from the malice of the devil and his instruments: or all these.
1. It cannot be expected but that infants and weaklings should think a little burden heavy, and an easy work or journey to be wearisome: young beginners are ordinarily puzzled, and at a loss, in every trade, or art, or science. Young scholars have a far harder task, than when they are once well entered.Learning is wondrous hard and unpleasant to them, at the first; but when they are once well entered,the knowledge of one thing helps another, and they go on with ease.So a young convert, that hath been bred up in ignorance, and never used to hear prayer, or to heavenly discourse; nor to hear, or join with any that did, will think it strange and hard at first. And those that were used to take their pleasure, and fulfil the desires of the flesh, and perhaps to swear, and talk filthily, or idly, or to lie, will find, at first, some difficulty to overcome their customs, and live a mortified, holy life: (yet grace will do it, and prevail.) Especially in point of knowledge, and ability of expression, be not too hasty in your expectation, but wait with patience, in a faithful, diligent use of the means, and that will be easy and delightful to you afterwards, which before discouraged you with its difficulties.
2. And God himself will have his servants, and his graces, tried and exercised by difficulties. He never intended us the reward for sitting still; nor the crown of victory, without a fight; nor a fight, without an enemy and opposition. Innocent Adam was unfit for his state of confirmation and reward, till he had been tried by temptation.
Therefore the martyrs have the most glorious crown, as having undergone the greatest trial. And shall we presume to murmur at the method of God?
3. And satan, having liberty to tempt and try us, will quickly raise up storms and waves before us, as soon as we are set to sea; which make young beginners often fear, that they shall never live to reach the haven. He will shew thee the greatness of thy former sins, to persuade thee that they shall not be pardoned. He will shew thee the
strength of thy passions and corruptions, to make thee think that they will never be overcome. He will shew thee the greatness of the opposition and suffering which thou art like to undergo, to make thee think thou shalt never persevere. He will do his worst to meet thee with poverty, losses, crosses, injuries, vexations, persecutions,
and cruelties, yea, and unkindness from thy dearest friends, as he did by Job, to make thee think ill of God, or of his service. If he can, he will make them thy enemies that are of thine own household. He will stir up thy own father, or mother, or husband, or wife, or brother, or sister, or children, against thee, to persuade or persecute thee from Christ: therefore Christ tells us, that if we hate not all these, that is, cannot forsake them, and use them as men do hated things; when they would turn us from him, we cannot be his disciples. Look for the worst that the devil can do against thee, if thou hast once lifted thyself against him, in the army of Christ, and resolvest, whatever it cost thee, to be saved. Read Heb. 11. But how little cause you have to be discouraged, though earth and hell should do their worst, you may perceive by these few considerations.
(1.) God is on your side, who hath all your enemies in his hand, and can rebuke them, or destroy them in a moment. O what is the breath or fury of dust or devils, against the Lord Almighty? "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Read often that chapter, Rom. 8. In the day when thou didst enter into covenant with God, and he with thee,thou didst enter into the most impregnable rock and fortress, and house thyself in that castle of defence, where thou mayst (modestly) defy all adverse powers of earth or hell. If God cannot save thee, he is not God. And if he will not save thee, he must break his covenant.
Indeed, he may resolve to save thee, not from affliction and persecution, but in it, and by it. But in all these sufferings you will "be more than conquerors, through Christ that loveth you:" that is, it is far more desirable and excellent,to conquer by patience, in suffering for Christ, than to conquer our persecutors in the field,by force of arms. O think on the saints' triumphant boastings in their God: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble:therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." When his"enemies were many" and "wrested his words daily," and "fought against him, and all their thoughts were against him,"yet he saith,"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto meq." Remember Christ's charge, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." If all the world were on thy side, thou might yet have cause to fear; but to have God on thy side, is infinitely more.
(2.) Jesus Christ is the Captain of thy salvation, and hath gone before thee this way himself, and hath conquered for thee; and now is engaged to make thee conqueror: and darest thou not go on where Christ doth lead the way? He was perfected through suffering himself, and will see that thou be not destroyed by it. Canst thou draw back, when thou seest his steps, and his blood?
(3.) Thou art not to conquer in thy own strength, but by the Spirit of God, and the power of that grace, which is sufficient for thee, and his strength, which appeareth most in our weakness. And you "can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth" you: "be of good cheer, he hath overcome the world."
(4.) All that are in heaven have gone this way, and overcome such oppositions and difficulties as these. They were tempted, troubled,scorned, opposed, as well as you; and yet they now triumph in glory "These are they that come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day andnight in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell
among them. And all that ever come to heaven, at age, are like to come this way. And doth not the company encourage you? and the success of those that have overcome before you? Will you have the
end, and yet refuse the way?
(5.) Consider how much greater difficulties ungodly men go through to hell. They have stronger enemies than you have: the devil and wicked men are your enemies; but God himself is theirs, and yet they will go on. Men threaten but death, to discourage you; and God threateneth damnation, to discourage them; and yet they go on, and are not discouraged. And will you be more afraid of man, than sinners are of God? and of death or scorns, than they are of hell?
(6.) Yea, and you yourselves must cast your souls on these greater evils, if by discouragement you turn from the way of godliness. You must run into hell, for fear of burning; and upon everlasting death, to escape a temporal death, or less: you will choose God for your enemy, to escape the enmity of man: and how wise a course this is,judge you; when, if you do but see that "your ways please God," he can "make your enemies be at peace with you," if he see it for your good. If you will fear, fear him that can damn the soul.
(7.) Lastly, Remember what abundance of mercies you have to sweeten your present life, and to make your burden easy to you: you have all that is good for you in this life, and the promise of everlasting joy: "for godliness" thus "is profitable to all things." What abundance of mercy, have you in your bodies, estates, friends, names, or souls,which are the greatest! What promises and experiences to refresh you! What liberty of access to God! A Christ to rejoice in! A heaven to rejoice in! and yet, shall a stony or dirty way, discourage you more, than these shall comfort you?
The sum of all is, your work will grow easier and sweeter to you, as your skill and strength increase. Your enemies are as grasshoppers before you: the power of the Almighty is engaged, by love and promise, for your help: and do you pretend to trust in God, and yet will fear the face of man? "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up." "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation." He is no soldier for Christ, that will turn back for fear of scorns, or of any thing that man can do against him. And consider, whether heaven should be more easily come to? They are things of unspeakable glory that you strive for: and they are unworthily despised, if any thing be thought too good to part with for them, or any labour, or difficulties, or sufferings too great to undergo to procure them
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 13:04:12 GMT -5
Direct. VII. Value, and use a powerful, faithful Ministry. Reasons. Objections answered
Direct. VII. 'If it be in your power, live under a judicious, faithful, serious, searching, powerful minister; and diligently attend his public teaching, and use his private counsel, for more particular directions and application, for the settling and managing the affairs of your souls; even as you take the advice of physicians for your health, and of lawyers for your estates, and tutors for your studies.'
I give this direction only to those that may enjoy so great a mercy, if they will. Some live where no such minister is.Some are children, or servants, or wives, that are bound, and cannot remove their habitations, or enjoy such liberty, by reason of the unwillingness and restraint of others. Some are so poor, that they cannot remove their dwelling, for such advantages. And some are so serviceable in their places, that they may be bound to stay under a very weak minister, that they may do good to others, where they have best opportunity.
But let him that can be free, and possess so great a mercy, accept it thankfully, though to his cost. As Christ said in another case, "Every man cannot receive the saying; but he that can receive it, let him."
There is abundance of difference between a weak, unskillful, inexperienced, dead-hearted, formal teacher, and such a one as is described in the
Direction. Some that are senseless or indifferent, in such matters as these, themselves, would persuade you to be so too, and look first in your settlement to your bodily conveniences, and be content with such a teacher as accidentally you are cast upon. And they will tell you, that the work of grace depended not on the preacher's gifts, but on the gift, and blessing of the Spirit of God. The Formalists and the Enthusiasts concur in this, though from different principles. But though God can frustrate the fittest means, and can work without means, or by that which is least fitted to the end, yet it is his ordinary way to work by means, and that for the soul, as well as for the body; and to work most by the aptest means. And, I am sure, it is the duty of every teacher, to preach in the fittest manner that he can, for the people's edification; and not to do God's work deceitfully, and inaptly, because God can bless the unfit means: and it is the people's duty to attend upon the best they can enjoy, though God can equally work by the weakest, or by none. As that pretense will not excuse the contemners of God's ordinances, that upon every little business stay at home, and attend upon no ministry at all; no more will it excuse them, that refuse that help that is most suited to their edification, and take up with a worse, when they might have a better.
We are not to neglect duty, upon a presumptuous expectation of miraculous or extraordinary works. When we can have no better, we may hope for the greater benefit from the weakest; but not when it is the choice of our own presumptuous, irreligious hearts. God can make Daniel and his companions to thrive better by eating pulse, than others that fed at the table of the king: and rather than sin against God, we must cast ourselves on him for unusual supplies, or leave all to his will. But few would therefore be persuaded causelessly to live on pulse, when they may have better. And one would think this truth, should have no contradiction, especially from those men, that are apt to obscure and extenuate the Spirit's operations on the
soul, and to confess no grace, but what consists in a congruous ordination of means and circumstances. When their doctrine lays all a man's hopes of salvation, upon this congruity of means and circumstances, should they afterwards teach men to undervalue, or neglect the fittest, and willfully cast their souls upon the most unfit and unlikely means? But ungodliness first resolves what to speak against, before it resolves what to say; and will contradict God's word, though it contradict its own; and will oppose holiness, though by a self-opposing.
But the spiritual relish and experience of the godly, is a very great preservative to them, against such deluding reasonings as these. It is
harder for a sophister, of greatest subtlety or authority, to persuade him that hath tasted them, that sugar is bitter, or wormwood sweet, than to persuade him to believe it, that never tasted them. And it is hard to make a healthful man believe, it is best for him to eat but once a week, or best to live on grass, or snow. I doubt not, but those that now I speak to, have such experience and perception of the benefit of a judicious and lively ministry, in comparison of the ignorant, cold, and lifeless, that no words will make them indifferent herein. Have you not found the ministry of one sort enlighten, and warm, and quicken, and comfort, and strengthen you, much more than of the other? I am sure I have the common sense and experience of the faithful on my side, in this, which were enough of itself, against more than can be said against it. Even new-born babes in Christ, have in their new natures, a desire, not to senseless or malicious pratings, but to the rational, sincere milk, (τὸ λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα,) that they may grow by it, and to perform to God a rational service.
And it must needs be a very proud and stupid heart, that can be so insensible of its own infirmity, sinfulness, and necessity, as to think the weakest, dullest Minister may serve their turns; and that they are able to keep up their life, and vigor, and watchfulness, and fruitfulness, with any little, ordinary help. I cannot but fear, such men know not what the power and efficacy of the Word upon the heart and conscience mean; nor what it is, to live a life of faith and holiness, and to watch the heart, and walk with God. If they did, they could not but find so much difficulty herein, and so much backwardness and unskillfulness in themselves, hereto, as would make them feel the necessity of the greatest helps; and, it could not
be but they must feel the difference, between a clear and quickening sermon, and an ignorant, heartless, dead discourse, that is spoken as if a man were talking in his sleep, or of a matter that he never understood, nor had experience of.
Alas! how apt are the best to cool, if they be not kept warm by a powerful ministry! How apt to lose the hatred of sin, the tenderness of conscience, the fervency in prayer, the zeal and fulness in edifying discourse, and the delights and power of heavenly meditations, which before we had! How apt is faith to stagger if it be not powerfully under-proped, by the helpers of our faith! How hardly do we keep up the heat of love, the confidence of hope, the resolution and fulness of obedience, without the help of a powerful ministry!
Nay, how hardly do we do our part in these, in any tolerable sort, even while we have the clearest, liveliest helps, that are ordinarily to be had! And can any, that are not blind, and proud, imagine that they are so holy and good, that they are above the necessity of such assistance; and that the weakest breath is enough to kindle the fire of holy love and zeal, and keep them in the fear and obedience of God?
Alas! we are under languishing weakness, and must be dieted with the best, or we shall soon decay; we are cripples, and cannot go or stand without our crutches. And there must be some savor of the Spirit in him, that will be fit to make us spiritual, and some savor of faith and love in him, that would kindle faith and love in us; and he must speak clearly and convincingly, that will be understood, and will prevail with such as we; and he must speak feelingly, that would make us feel, and speak seriously, that would be much regarded by us, and would make us serious.
And ministers are not set up only for public preaching, but for private counsel also, according to our particular needs. As physicians are not only to read you instructions for the dieting and curing of yourselves; but to be present in your sickness, to direct you in the particular application of remedies. And as lawyers are to assist you in your particular cases, to free your estates from encumbrances, and preserve or rescue them from contentious men. Choose, therefore, some able minister to be your ordinary counsellor in the matters of God. And let him be one that is humble, faithful, experienced, and skillful; that hath leisure, ability, and willingness to assist you.
As infants in a family are unable to help themselves, and need the continual help of others, and therefore God hath put into the hearts of parents a special love to them, to make them diligent and patient in helping them: so is it in the family of Christ; most Christians, by far, are young or weak in understanding and in grace. It is long before you will be past the need of others' help, if ever, in this life. If you feel not this your infirmity and need, it is so much the greater.
God will have no men to be self-sufficient: we shall all have need of one another, that we may be useful to one another; and God may use us as his messengers and instruments of conveying his mercies to each other; and that even self-love may help us to be sociable, and to love one another. And our souls must receive their part of mercy, by this way of communication, as well as our bodies: and therefore, as the poor, above all men, should not be against charity, and communicating, that need it most; so young Christians that are weak and unexperienced, above all others, should be most desirous of help, especially from an able, faithful guide.
But be sure you deal sincerely, and cheat not yourselves, by deceiving your counsellor, and hiding your case. To do so by your lawyer, is the way to lose your suit; and to do so by your physician is the way to lose your life; and to do so with your pastor, and soul-counsellor is the way to lose your souls. And let the judgment of your pastor or judicious friend about the state of your souls, be much regarded by you, though it be not infallible. How far such must be trusted, I am afterward to open to you, with other of your duties belonging to you in this relation, I now only proceed to general advice[/font][/font][/font][/font]
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 13:05:15 GMT -5
Direct. VIII.
For Charity, Unity, and Catholicism, against Schism. Pretences for Schism confuted
Direct. VIII. 'Keep right apprehensions of the excellency of charity and unity among believers, and receive nothing hastily that is against them; especially take heed lest under pretense of their authority, their number, their soundness, or their holiness, you too much addict yourselves to any sect or party, to the withdrawing of your special love and just communion from other Christians, and turning your zeal to the interest of your party, with a neglect of the common interest of the church: but love a Christian as a Christian, and promote the unity and welfare of them all.' Use often to read and well consider the meaning and reason of those many urgent passages in Scripture, which exhort all Christians to unity and love.
Such as John 11:52, 17:11, 21–23. 1 Cor. 3:10. 17, and 12 throughout: 2 Cor. 13:11. 1 Thess. 5:12, 13, Phil. 2:1–3. 1 Pet. 3:8. Rom. 16:17. 1 Cor. 1:10, 3:3, and 11:18. And John 13:35. Rom. 12:9,10, 13:10. 2 Cor. 13:11. Gal. 5:6, 13, 22. Col. 1:4. 1 Thess. 4:9. 1 John 3:14, 23, and 4:7, 11, 16, 19, 20, 21.
Surely, if the very life of godliness lay not much in unity and love, we should never have had such words spoken of it, as here you find. Love is to the soul, as our natural heat is to the body: whatever destroyed it destroyed life; and therefore cannot be for our good. Be certain, that opinion, course, or motion tends to death, that tends to abate your love to your brethren, much more which under pretense of zeal, provoked you to hate and hurt them. To divide the body is to kill it, or to maim it: dividing the essential, necessary parts is killing it: cutting off any integral part is maiming it. The first can never be an act of friendship, which is the worst that an enemy can do:
The second is never an act of friendship, but when the cutting off a member which may be spared is of absolute necessity to the saving of the whole man, from the worse division between soul and body. By this judge what friends dividers are to the church, and how well they are accepted of God. He that loveth any Christian aright must needs love all that appear to him as Christians. And when malice will not suffer men to see Christianity in its profession, and credible appearance in another, this is as well contrary to Christian love, as hating him when you know him to be a true Christian. Censoriousness (not constrained by just evidence) is contrary to love, as well as hatred is.
There is an union and communion with Christians as such: this consisted in having one God, one head, one spirit, one faith, one baptismal covenant, one rule of holy living, and in loving and praying for all, and doing good to as many as we can. This is an union and communion of mind, which we must hold with the catholic church through the world. And there is a bodily, local union and communion, which consisted in our joining in body, as well as mind, with particular congregations: and this, as we cannot hold it with all, nor with any congregation, but one at once; so we are not bound to hold it with any that will drive us from it, unless we will commit some sin: statedly we must hold it, with the church which regularly we are joined to and live with; and occasionally we must hold it with all others, where we have a call and opportunity, who in the substance worship God according to his Word, and force us not to sin in conformity to them. It is not schism to lament the sins of any church, or of all the churches in the world: the catholic church on earth consists of sinners. It is not schism to refuse to be partaker in any sin of the purest church in the world: obedience to God is not schism. It is not schism that you join not bodily with those
congregations where you dwell not, nor have any particular call to join with them; nor that you chuse the purest and most edifying society, rather than one that is less pure and profitable to you; supposing you are at liberty: nor that you hold not bodily communion with that church, that will not suffer you to do it,without sinning against God;nor that you join not with the purest church, when you are called to abide with one less pure.
But it is worse than schism to separate from the universal church: to separate from its faith is apostasy to infidelity. To separate from it in
some one or few essential articles, while you pretend to hold to Christ the head is heresy: to separate from it in spirit, by refusing holiness, and not loving such as are truly holy, is damning ungodliness or wickedness: to differ from it by any error of judgment or life, against the law of God, is sin. To magnify any one church or party, so as to deny due love and communion to the rest, is schism.
To limit all the church to your party, and deny all or any of the rest to be Christians, and parts of the universal church, is schism by a
dangerous breach of charity; and this is the principal schism that I here admonish you to avoid. It is schism also to condemn unjustly any particular church, as no church: and it is schism to withdraw your bodily communion from a church that you were bound to hold that communion with, upon a false supposition that it is no church, or is not lawfully to be communicated with. And it is schism to make divisions or parties in a church, though you divide not from that church. Thus I have (briefly) told you what is schism.
1. One pretense for schism is (usurped) authority, which some one church may claim to command others that owe them no subjection.
Thus pride, which is the spirit of hell, having crept into the church of Christ, and animated to usurpations of lordship and dominion, and
contending for superiority, hath caused the most dangerous schisms in the church, with which it was ever infested. The bishop of Rome
(advantaged by the seat and constitution of that empire) having claimed the government of all the Christian world, condemned all the churches that will not be his subjects; and so hath made himself the head of a sect, and of the most pernicious schism that ever did rend the church of Christ: and the bishop of Constantinople, and too many more, have followed the same method in a lower degree, exalting themselves above their brethren, and giving them laws, and then condemning and persecuting them that obey them not. And when they have imposed on other churches their own usurped authority and laws, they have laid the plot to call all men schismatics and sectaries, that own not their tyrannical usurpation, and that will not be schismatics and sectaries with them: and the cheat lieth in this, that they confound the churches' unity with their pretended authority, and schism with the refusal of subjection to them. If you will not take them for your lords, they cry out that you divide from the church: as if we could hold communion with no churches, but those whose bishops we obey? Communion with other churches is maintained by faith and charity, and agreement in things necessary, without subjection to them. As we may hold all just communion with the churches in Armenia, Arabia, Russia, without subjection to their bishops, so may we with any other church besides that of which we are members. Division or schism is contrary to unity and concord, and not to an usurped government: though disobedience to the pastors which God hath set over us is a sin, and dividing from them is a schism. Both the Pope and all the lower usurpers should do well first to shew their commission from God to be our rulers, before they call it schism to refuse their government. If they had not made better advantage of fire and sword, than of Scripture and argument, the world would not have laughed them to scorn, when they had heard them to say, 'All are schismatics that will not be our subjects: our dominion and will shall be necessary to the unity of the church.' The universal church indeed is one; united under one head and governor:
but it is only Jesus Christ who is that head, and not any usurping vicar or Vice-Christ. The bishops of particular churches are his officers; but he hath deputed no vicar to his own office, as the universal head. Above all sects, take heed of this pernicious sect; who pretend their usurped authority for their schism, and have no way to promote their sect, but by calling all sectaries that will not be sectaries and subjects unto them.
2. Another pretense for schism is the numbers of the party. This is another of the Papists' motives: as if it were lawful to divide the church of Christ, if they can but get the greater party? They say, 'We are the most, and therefore you should yield to us:' (and so do others, where by the sword they force the most to submit to them.) But we answer them, As many as they are, they are too few to be the universal church. The universal church, containing all true, professing Christians, is much more than they. The Papists are not a third part, if a fourth, of the whole church. Papists are a corrupted sect of Christians: I will be against dividing the body of Christ into any sects, rather than to be one of that sect or divided party, which is the greatest.
3. Another pretence for schism is the soundness or orthodoxies of a party. Almost all sects pretend that they are wiser and of sounder
judgment than all the Christian world besides: yea, those that most palpably contradict the Scriptures (as the Papists in their halfcommunion and unintelligible service), and have no better reasonwhy they so believe or do, but because others have so believed and done already.But
(1.) the greatest pretenders to orthodoxies are not the most orthodox:
(2.) and if they were, I can value them for that which they excel, without abating my due respect to the rest of the church.
(3.)For the whole church is orthodox in all the essentials of Christianity, or else they were not Christians: and I must love all that are
Christians with that special love that is due to the members of Christ, though I must superadd such esteem for those that are a little wiser
or better than others, as they deserve
4. The fourth pretense for schism, is the holiness of the party that men adhere to. But this must make but a gradual difference, in our esteem and love to some Christians above others: if really they are most holy, I must love them most, and labour to be as holy as they;
but I must not therefore unjustly deny communion, or due respect, to other Christians that are less holy; nor cleave to them as a sect or divided party, whom I esteem most holy. For the holiest are most charitable, and most against the divisions among Christians, and tenderest of their unity and peace. The sum of this direction is:
1.Highly value Christian love and unity:
2.Love those most that are most holy, and be most familiar with them, for your own edification: and if you have your choice, hold local personal communion, with the soundest, purest, and best qualified church.
3.But entertain not hastily any odd opinion of a divided party; or, if you do hold it as an opinion, lay not greater weight on it, than there is cause.
4. Own the best as best, but none as a divided sect; and espouse not their dividing interest.
5. Confine not your special love to a party; especially for agreeing in some opinions with you; but extend it to all the members of Christ.
6. Deny not local communion, when there is occasion for it, to any church that hath the substance of true worship, and forceth you not to sin.
7. Love them as true Christians and churches, even when they thus drive you from their communion.
It is a most dangerous thing to a young convert, to be ensnared in a sect: it will, before you are aware, possess you with a feverish, sinful
zeal, for the opinions and interest of that sect; it will make you bold in bitter invectives and censures, against those that differ from them;
it will corrupt your church-communion,and fill your very prayers with partiality and human passions; it will secretly bring malice, under the name of zeal, into your minds and words: in a word, it is a secret, but deadly enemy to Christian love and peace. Let them that are wiser, and more orthodox and godly than others, shew it, as the Holy Ghost directeth them: "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying (or zeal) and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion (or tumult), and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality (or wrangling), and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:17:51 GMT -5
Direct. IX.
Let not Sufferings make you sin by passion, or dishonouring
authority
Direct. IX. 'Take heed lest any persecution or wrong from others,
provoke you to any unwarrantable passions and practices, and
deprive you of the charity, meekness, and innocency of a Christian;
or make you go beyond your bounds, in censuring, reviling, or
resisting your rulers, who are the officers of God.'
Persecution and wrongs are called temptations in Scripture, because
they try you, whether you will hold your integrity. As many fall in
such trials, through the fear of men, and the love of the world, and
their prosperity; so when you seem most confirmed against any
sinful compliance, there is a snare laid for you on the other side, to
draw you into passions and practices, that are unwarrantable.
Those that are tainted with pride, uncharitableness, and schism, will
itch to be persecuting those that comply not with them in their way:
and yet, while they do it, they will most cry out against pride,
uncharitableness, and schism themselves. This is, and hath been,
and will be too ordinary in the world. You may think that schism
should be far from them, that seem to do all for order and unity. But
never look to see this generally cured, when you have said and done
the best you can: you must, therefore, resolve, not only to fly from
church-division yourselves, but also to undergo the persecutions or
wrongs of proud or zealous church-dividers. It is great weakness in
you, to think such usage strange: do you not know that enmity is put,
from the beginning, between the woman's and the serpent's seed?
And do you think the name, or dead profession of Christianity, doth
extinguish the enmity in the serpent's seed? Do you think to find
more kindness from proud, ungodly Christians, than Abel might
have expected from his brother Cain? Do you not know that the
Pharisees (by their zeal for their pre-eminence, and traditions, and
ceremonies, and the expectation of worldly dignity and rule from the
Messiah,) were more zealous enemies of Christ, than the heathens
were? and that the carnal members of the church, are oft the greatest
persecutors of the spiritual members? "As then he that was born
after the flesh, did persecute him that was born after the Spirit, even
so it is now" (and will be). It is enough for you, that you shall have
the inheritance, when the sons of the bondwoman shall be cast out. It
is your taking the ordinary case of the godly for a strange thing, that
makes you so disturbed and passionate, when you suffer: and reason
is down, when passion is up. It is by overwhelming reason with
passion and discontent, that "oppression maketh" some "wise men
madk:" for passion is a short, imperfect madness. You will think in
your passion, that you do well, when you do ill; and you will not
perceive the force of reason, when it is ever so plain and full against
you. Remember, therefore, that the great motive that causeth the
devil to persecute you is not to hurt your bodies, but to tempt your
souls to impatiency and sin: and if it may be said of you as of Job, "In
all this Job sinned not," you have got the victory, and are "more than
conquerorsm."
Doth it seem strange to you, that "few rich men are saved," when
Christ telleth you it is "so hard," as to be "impossible with men?" Or
is it strange, that rich men should be the ordinary rulers of the earth?
Or is it strange, that the wicked should hurt the godly, and the world
hate them that are "chosen out of the world?" What of all this should
seem strange? Expect it as the common lot of the faithful, and you
will be better prepared for it.
See therefore that you "resist not evil" (by any revengeful, irregular
violence): "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, and not
resist lest they receive damnationp." Imitate your Lord, that "when
he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened
not, but committed all to him that judgeth righteously; leaving us an
ensample, that we should follow his steps." An angry zeal against
those that cross and hurt us is so easily kindled and hardly
suppressed, that it appeareth there is more in it of corrupted nature
than of God. We are very ready to think that we may "call for fire
from heaven" upon the enemies of the Gospel: but "you know not
what manner of spirit ye are then ofr." But Christ saith unto you,
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute
you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."
You find no such prohibition against patient suffering wrong from
any. Take heed of giving way to secret wishes of hurt to your
adversaries, or to return reproachful words against them: take heed
of hurting yourself by passion or sin, because others hurt you by
slanders or persecutions. Keep you in the way of your duty, and leave
your names and lives to God. Be careful that you keep your
innocency, and in your patience possess your souls, and God will
keep you from any hurt from enemies, but what he will cause to work
for your good. Read Psalm 37. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust
also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy
righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day. Rest in
the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him
who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself
in anywise to do evil."
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:19:16 GMT -5
Direct. X.
Take heed of running from one extreme into another
Direct. X. 'When you are repenting of, or avoiding any extreme, do it not, without sufficient fear and caution of the contrary extreme.'
In the esteem and love of God, your ultimate end, you need not fear overdoing: nor any where, when impediments and backwardness or
impotency, do tell you that you can never do too much. But sin lieth on both sides the rule and way: and nothing is more common, than
to turn from one sin to another, under the name of duty or amendment. Especially this is common in matter of opinion:
some will first believe, that God is nothing else but mercy, and after, take notice of nothing but his justice.
First, they believe that almost all are saved, and afterwards, that almost none:
first, that every profession is credible, and next, that none is credible without some greater testimony:
first, that Christ satisfied for none at all that will not be saved, and next, that he died for all alike:
first, that none are now partakers of the Holy Spirit; and next, that all saints have the Spirit, not only to illuminate and sanctify them, by transcribing the written Word upon their hearts; but also to inspire them with new revelations, instead of Scripture. First, they think that all that Papists hold or do, must be avoided; and after, that there needed no reformation at all. Now, they are for legal bondage, and anon for
libertinism: to-day, for a liberty in religion to none, that agree not with them in every circumstance; and to-morrow, for a liberty to all:
this year, all things are lawful to them; and the next year, nothing is lawful, but they scruple all that they say or do. One while, they are all
for a worship of mere show and ceremony; and another while, against the determination of mere circumstances of order and decency, by man.
One while, they cry up nothing but free grace; and another while, nothing but free will.
One while, they are for a discipline stricter than the rule; and another while, for no discipline at all.
First, for timorous compliance with evil; and afterwards, for boisterous contempt of government. Abundance of such instances we might give you.
The remedy against this disease, is, to proceed deliberately, and receive nothing, and do nothing rashly and unadvisedly in religion.
For, when you have found out your first error, you will be affrighted from that, into the contrary error. See that you look round about you;
as well to the error that you may run into on the other side, as into that which you have run into already. Consult also with wise,experienced men: and mark their unhappiness, that have fallen on both sides; and stay not to know evil by sad experience. True mediocrity is the only way that is safe: though negligence and lukewarmness be odious, even when cloaked with that name.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:25:49 GMT -5
Direct. XI.
Be not too confident in your first apprehensions or opinions, but
modestly suspicious of them
Direct. XI. 'Let not your first opinions, about the controverted
difficulties in religion, where Scripture is not very plain, be too
peremptory, confident, or fixed; but hold them modestly, with a due
suspicion of your unripe understandings, and with room for further
information, supposing it possible, or probable, that upon better
instruction, evidence, and maturity, you may, in such things, change
your minds.'
I know, the factious, that take up their religion on the credit of their
party, are against this Direction: thinking that you must first hit on
the right church, and then hold, all that the church doth hold; and
therefore change your mind in nothing, which you this way receive. I
know, also, that some libertines and half believers, would corrupt
this Direction, by extending it to the most plain and necessary truths;
persuading you to hold Christianity itself, but as an uncertain,
probable opinion.
But, as God's foundation standeth sure, so we must be surely built on
his foundation. He that believeth not the essentials of Christianity, as
a certain, necessary revelation of God, is not a Christian, but an
infidel. And he that believeth not all that he understandeth in the
Word of God, believeth nothing on the credit of that Word. Indeed
faith hath its weakness, on those that are sincere; and they are fain to
lament the remnants of unbelief, and cry, "Lord increase our faith:
help thou our unbelief." But he that approveth of his doubting, and
would have it so, and thinks the revelation is uncertain, and such as
will warrant no firmer a belief, I should scarcely say, this man is a
Christian. Christianity must be received as of divine, infallible
revelation. But controversies about less necessary things, cannot be
determined peremptorily, by the ignorant or young beginners,
without hypocrisy, or a human faith going under the name of a
Divine. I am far from abating your Divine belief of all that you can
understand in Scripture, and implicitly of all the rest in general. And
I am far from diminishing the credit of any truth of God. But the
reasons of this Direction, are these,
1. When it is certain that you have but a dark, uncertain
apprehension of any point, to think it is clear and certain, is but to
deceive yourselves by pride. And, to cry out against all uncertainty,
as scepticism, which yet you cannot lay aside, is but to revile your
own infirmity, and the common infirmity of mankind, and foolishly
to suppose that every man can be as wise and certain, when he list, as
he should be. Now reason and experience will tell you, that a young,
unfurnished understanding, is not like to see the evidence of difficult
points, as, by nearer approach, and better advantage it may do.
2. If your conclusions be peremptory, upon mere self-conceitedness,
you may be in an error for aught you know: and so you are but
confident in an error. And then how far may you go in seducing
others, and censuring dissenters, and come back when you have
done, and confess that you were all this while mistaken yourselves.
3. For a man to be confident that he knoweth what he knoweth not, is
but the way to keep him ignorant, and shut the door against all
means of further information. When the opinion is fixed by prejudice
and conceit, there is no ready entrance for the light.
4. And, to be ungroundedly confident, so young, is not only to take
up with your teacher's word, instead of a faith and knowledge of your
own, but also to forestall all diligence to know more: and so you may
lay by all your studies, save only to know what those men hold,
whose judgments are your religion: too popish and easy a way to be
safe.
5. If you must never change your first opinions or apprehensions,
how will you grow in understanding? Will you be no wiser at age,
than you were at childhood, and after long study and experience,
than you were before? Nature and grace do tend to increase.
Indeed, if you should be never so peremptory in your opinions, you
cannot resolve to hold them to the end: for light is powerful, and may
change you whether you will or no: you cannot tell what that light
will do, which you never saw. But prejudice will make you resist the
light, and make it harder for you to understand.
I speak this upon much experience and observation. Our first, unripe
apprehensions of things, will certainly be greatly changed, if we are
studious, and of improved understandings. Study the controversies
about grace and freewill, or about other such points of difficulty,
when you are young, and it is two to one that ripeness will afterward
make them quite another thing to you. For my own part, my
judgment is altered from many of my youthful, confident
apprehensions: and where it holdeth the same conclusion, it
rejecteth abundance of the arguments, as vain, which once it rested
in. And where I keep to the same conclusions and arguments, my
apprehension of them is not the same, but I see more satisfying light
in many things, which I took but upon trust before. And if I had
resolved to hold to all my first opinions, I must have forborne most
of my studies, and lost much truth, which I have discovered, and not
made that my own, which I did hold: and I must have resolved to live
and die a child.
The sum is, Hold fast the substance of religion, and every clear and
certain truth, which you see in its own evidence: and also reverence
your teachers; especially the universal church, or the generality of
wise and godly men; and be not hasty to take up any private opinion:
and especially to contradict the opinion of your governors and
teachers, in small and controverted things. But yet, in such matters,
receive their opinions but with a human faith, till indeed you have
more, and therefore, with a supposition, that time and study is very
like to alter your apprehensions; and with a reserve, impartially to
study, and entertain the truth, and not to sit still just where you were
born.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:38:02 GMT -5
Direct. XII.
What to do when Controversies divide the Church. Of silencing Truth
Direct. XII. 'If controversies occasion any divisions where you live, be
sure to look first to the interest of common truth and good, and to
the exercise of charity. And become not passionate contenders for
any party in the division, or censurers of the peaceable, or of your
teachers, that will not over-run their own understandings, to obtain
with you the esteem of being orthodox or zealous men; but suspect
your own unripe understandings, and silence your opinions till you
are clear and certain; and join rather with the moderate and the
peacemakers, than with the contenders and dividers.'
You may easily be sure, that division tendeth to the ruin of the
church, and the hindrance of the Gospel, and the injury of the
common interest of religion. You know it is greatly condemned in the
Scriptures. You may know that it is usually the exercise, and the
increase of pride, uncharitableness, and passion; and that the devil is
best pleased with it, as being the greatest gainer by it. But, on the
other side, you are not easily certain which party is in the right: and
if you were, you are not sure that the matter will be worth the cost of
the contention: or if it be, it is to be considered, whether the truth is
not like to get more advantage by managing it in a more peaceful
way, that hath no contention, nor stirreth up other men so much
against it, as the way of controversy doth. And whatever it prove, you
may and should know, that young Christians, that want both parts,
and helps, and time, and experience to be thoroughly seen in
controversies, are very unfit to make themselves parties; and that
they are yet more unfit to be the hottest leaders of these parties, and
to spur on their teachers, that know more than they. If the work be fit
for another to do, that knoweth on what ground he goeth, and can
foresee the end, yet certainly it is not fit for you. And therefore
forbear it till you are more fit.
I know those that would draw you into such a contentious zeal, will
tell you, that their cause is the cause of God, and that you desert him
and betray it, if you be not zealous in it: and that it is but the counsel
of flesh and blood which maketh you pretend moderation and peace:
and that it is a sign that you are hypocrites, that are so lukewarm,
and carnally comply with error: and that the cause of God is to be
followed with the greatest zeal and self-denial. And all this is true, if
you be but sure that it is indeed the cause of God; and that the
greater works of God be not neglected on such pretences; and that
your zeal be much greater for faith, and charity, and unity, than for
your opinions. But upon great experience, I must tell you, that of the
zealous contenders in the world, that cry up 'The cause of God, and
Truth,' there is not one of very many, that understandeth what he
talks of; but some of them cry up the cause of God, when it is a brat
of a proud and ignorant brain, and such as a judicious person would
be ashamed of. And some of them are rashly zealous, before they
hare parts or time to come to any judicious trial. And some of them
are misguided by some person or party, that captivateth their minds.
And some of them are hurried away by passion and discontent. And
many of the ambitious and worldly are blinded by their carnal
interests. And many of them in mere pride, think highly of an
opinion, in which they are somewhat singular, and which they can,
with some glorying, call their own, as either invented by them, or
that, in which they think they know more than ordinary men do. And
abundance, after long experience, confess that to have been their
own erroneous cause, which they before entitled the cause of God.
Now when this is the case, and one crieth, 'Here is Christ,' and
another, 'There is Christ;' one saith, 'This is the cause of God,' and
another saith, 'That is it;' no man that hath any care of his
conscience, or of the honour of God and his profession, will leap
before he looketh where he shall alight; or run after every one, that
will whistle him with the name or pretence of truth or a good cause.
It is a sad thing to go on many years together in censuring, opposing,
and abusing those that are against you, and in seducing others, and
misemploying your zeal, and parts, and time, and poisoning all your
prayers and discourses, and in the end to see what mischief you have
done for want of knowledge, and with Paul to confess, that you were
mad in opposing the truth and servants of God, though you did it in a
zeal of God through ignorance. Were it not much better to stay till
you have tried the ground, and prevent so many years grievous sin,
than to escape by a sad repentance, and leave behind you stinking
and venomous fruits of your mistake? And worse, if you never repent
yourselves. Your own and your brethren's souls, are not so lightly to
be ventured upon dangerous, untried ways. It will not make the truth
and church amends, to say at last, 'I had thought I had done well.' Let
those go to the wars of disputing, and contending, and censuring,
and siding with a sect, that are riper, and better understand the
cause: wars are not for children. Do you suspend your judgment till
you can solidly and certainly inform it; and serve God in charity,
quietness, and peace, and it is two to one, but you will live to see the
day, that the contenders that would have led you into their wars, will
come off with so much loss themselves, as will teach them to approve
your peaceable course; or teach you to bless God that kept you in
your place and duty.
In all this, I deny not, but every truth of God is to be valued at a very
high rate: and that he that shall carry himself in a neutrality, when
faith or godliness is the matter in controversy, or shall do it merely
for his worldly ends, to save his stake by temporizing, is a false hearted hypocrite,
and at the heart, of no religion. But withal I tell
you, that all is not matter of faith or godliness, that the Autonomian Papist,
the Antinomian-Libertine, or other passionate parties shall
call so. And, that as we must avoid contempt of the smallest truth, so
we must much more avoid the most heinous sins, which we may
commit for the defending of an error. And, that some truths must be
silenced for a time, though not denied, when the contending for them
is unseasonable, and tendeth to the injury of the church. If you were
masters in the church, you must not teach your scholars to their hurt,
though it be truth you teach them. And if you were physicians, you
must not cram them, or medicate them to their hurt. Your power and
duty is not to destruction, but to edification. The good of the patient
is the end of your physic. All truth is not to be spoken, nor all good to
be done, by all men, nor at all times. He that will do contrary, and
take this for a carnal principle, doth but call folly and sin by the name
of zeal and duty, and set the house on fire to roast his egg, and with
the Pharisees, prefer the outward rest of their sabbath, before his
brother's life or health. Take heed what you do when God's honour,
and men's souls, and the church's peace are concerned in it.
And let me tell you my own observation. As far as my judgment hath
been able to reach, the men that have stood for pacification and
moderation, have been the most judicious, and those that have best
understood themselves, in most controversies that ever I heard
under debate among good Christians: and those that furiously
censured them as lukewarm or corrupted, have been men that had
least judgment, and most passion, pride, and foul mistakes in the
points in question.
Nay, I will tell you more of my observation, of which these times have
given us too much proof. Profane and formal enemies on the one
hand, and ignorant, self-conceited wranglers on the other hand, who
think they are champions for the truth, when they are venting their
passions and fond opinions, are the two thieves, between whom the
church hath suffered, from the beginning to this day. The first are the
persecutors, and the other the dividers and disturbers of the church.
Mark what the Holy Ghost saith in this case, "But foolish and
unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And
the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men."
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the
midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine,
as lights in the worldz." "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not
to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to
the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing
nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof
cometh envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, perverse disputings of
men of corrupt minds, &c.." "Neither give heed to fables and endless
genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying,
which is in faith: now the end of the commandment is charity, out of
a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeignedb."
Yet I must here profess, that if any false-hearted, worldly hypocrite,
that resolveth to be on the saving side, and to hold all to be lawful,
that seemeth necessary to his safety or preferments, shall take any
encouragement from what I have here said, to debauch his
conscience, and sell his soul, and then call all those furious zealots
that will not be as false to God as he; let that man know, that I have
given him no cloak for so odious a sin, nor will he find a cover for it
at the bar of God, though he may delude his conscience, and bear it
out by his carnal advantages before the world.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:41:07 GMT -5
Direct. XIII.
What Godliness is. The best life on earth. How Satan would make it seem troublesome and ungrateful.
Direct. XIII. 'Know that true godliness is the best life upon earth, and
the only way to perfect happiness. Still apprehend it therefore, and
use it as the best: and with great diligence resist those temptations
which would make it seem to you a confounding, grievous, or unpleasant thing.'
There are all things concurrent in a holy life, to make it the most
delectable life on earth, to a rational, purified mind, that is not
captivated to the flesh, and liveth not on air or dung. The object of it
is the eternal God himself; the infallible Truth, the only satisfactory
good; and all these condescending and appearing to us, in the
mysterious, but suitable glass of a Mediator; redeeming, reconciling,
teaching, governing, sanctifying, justifying and glorifying all that are
his own. The end of it is the pleasing and glorifying our Maker,
Redeemer and Sanctifier; and the everlasting happiness of ourselves
and others. The rule of it is the infallible Revelation of God, delivered
to the church by his Prophets, and his Son, and his Apostles, and
comprised in the Holy Scriptures, and sealed by the miracles and
operations of the Holy Ghost that did indite them. The work of
godliness is a living unto God, and preparing for everlasting life, by
foreseeing, foretasting, seeking, and rejoicing in that endless
happiness which we shall have with God; and by walking after the
Spirit, and avoiding the filthiness, delusions and vexations of the
world and the flesh. The nature of man is not capable of a more
noble, profitable and delectable life, than this which God hath called
us to by his Son. And if we did but rightly know it, we should follow it
with continual alacrity and delight. Be sure, therefore, to conceive of
godliness as it is, and not as it is misrepresented by the devil and the
ungodly. Read what I have written of this in my "A Saint or a Brute."
As long as a man conceiveth of religion as it is, even the most sweet
and delectable life, so long he will follow it willingly and with his
heart, and despise the temptations and avocations of fleshly gain and
pleasure. He will be sincere, as not being only drawn by other men,
or outward advantages, nor frightened into it by a passion of
fearfulness, but loving religion for itself, and for its excellent ends;
and then he will be cheerful in all the duties of it; and he will be most
likely to persevere unto the end. We cannot expect that the heart or
will should be any more for God and godliness, than the
understanding practically apprehendeth them as good. Nay, we must
always perceive in them a transcendant goodness, above all that is to
be found in a worldly life; or else the appearing goodness of the
creature, will divert us, and carry away our minds. We may see in the
very brutes, what a power apprehension hath upon their actions. If
your horse be but going to his home or pasture, how freely will he go
through thick and thin! But if he go unwillingly, his travel is
troublesome and slow, and you have much ado to get him on. It will
be so with you in your way to heaven.
It is therefore the principal design of the devil, to hide the goodness
and pleasantness of religion from you; and to make it appear to you
as a terrible or tedious life. By this means it is that he keeps men
from it: and by this means he is still endeavouring to draw you back
again, and frustrate your good beginnings and your hopes. If he can
thus misrepresent religion to your understandings, he will suddenly
alienate your will and corrupt your lives, and make you turn to the
world again, and seek for pleasure somewhere else, and only take up
with some heartless lip-service, to keep up some deceitful hope of
being saved. And the means which satan useth to these ends are such
as these:
1. He will do his worst to overwhelm you with appearing doubts and
difficulties, and bring you to a loss, and to make religion seem to you
a confounding, and not a satisfying thing. This is one of his most
dangerous assaults upon the weak and young beginners. Difficulties
and passions are the things which he makes use of to confound you,
and put you out of a regular, cheerful seeking of salvation. When you
read the Scriptures, he will mind you of abundance of difficulties in
all you read or hear. He will shew you seeming contradictions; and
tell you that you will never be able to understand these things. He
will cast in thoughts of unbelief and blasphemy, and cause you, if he
can, to roll them in your mind. If you cast them not out with
abhorrence, but dispute with the devil, he hopes to prove too hard, at
least, for such children and unprovided soldiers as you: and if you do
reject them, and refuse to dispute it with him, he will sometime tell
you that your cause is naught, or else you need not be afraid to think
of all that can be said against it; and this way he gets advantage of
you to draw you to unbelief: and if you escape better than so, at least
he will molest and terrify you with the hideousness of his
temptations; and make you think that you are forsaken of God,
because such blasphemous thoughts have been so often in your
minds: and thus he will one while tempt you to blasphemy, and
another while affright and torment you with the thoughts of such
temptations.
So, also, in the study of other good books, he will tempt you to fix
upon all that seems difficult to you, and there to confound and
perplex yourselves: and in your meditations, he will seek to make all
to tend, but to confound and overwhelm you; keeping still either
hard or fearful things before your eyes; or breaking and scattering
your thoughts in pieces, that you cannot reduce them to any order,
nor set them together, nor make any thing of them, nor drive them to
any desirable end. So in your prayers he would fain confound you,
either with fears, or with doubtful or distracting thoughts about God,
or your sins, or the matter or manner of your duty, or questioning
whether your prayers will be heard. And so in your self-examination,
he will still seek to puzzle you, and leave you more in darkness than
you began, and make you afraid of looking homeward, or conversing
with yourselves: like a man that is afraid to lie in his own house when
he thinks it haunted with some apparitions. And thus the devil would
make all your religion to be but like the unwinding of the bottom of
yarn, or a skein of silk that is ravelled; that you may cast it away in
weariness and despair.
Your remedy against this dangerous temptation is, to remember that
you are yet young in knowledge, and that ignorance is like darkness
that will cause doubts, and difficulties, and fears; and that all these
will vanish as your light increaseth: and therefore you must wait in
patience, till your riper knowledge fit you for satisfaction. And in the
mean time, be sure that you take up your hearts most with the great,
fundamental, necessary, plain and certain points, which your
salvation is laid upon, and which are more suited to your state and
strength. If you will be gnawing bones, when you should be sucking
milk, and have not patience to stay till you are past your childhood,
no marvel if you find them hard, and if they stick in your throats, or
break your teeth. See that you live upon God in Christ, and love and
practise what you know, and think of the excellency of so much as is
already revealed to you. You know already what is the end that you
must seek, and where your happiness consisteth; and what Christ
hath done to prepare it for you, and how you must be justified, and
sanctified, and walk with God. Have you God, and Christ, and heaven
to think on, and all the mercies of the Gospel to delight in; and will
you lay by these as common matters, or overlook them, and perplex
yourselves about every difficulty in your way? Make clean work
before you as you go, and live in the joyful acknowledgment of the
mercies which you have received, and in the practice of the things
you know, and then the difficulties will vanish as you go on.
2. Another of satan's wiles is, to confound you with the noise of
sectaries, and divers opinions in religion; while the Popish sect tells
you, that if you will be saved, you must be of their church; and others
say, you must be of theirs: and when you find that the sects are
many, and their reasonings such as you cannot answer, you will be in
danger either to take up some of their deceits, or to be confounded
among them all, not knowing which church and religion to choose.
But here consider, that there is but one universal church of
Christians in the world, of which Christ is the only king and head,
and every Christian is a member. You were sacramentally admitted
into this catholic church by baptism, and spiritually by being "born of
the Spirit." You have all the promises of the Gospel, that if you
believe in Christ you shall be saved; and that all the living members
of this church are loved by Christ as members of his body, and shall
be presented unspotted to the Father, by him who is the Saviour of
his body; "and that by one Spirit we are all baptized or entered into
this one bodyd." If then thou hast faith, and love, and the Spirit, thou
art certainly a Christian, and a member of Christ, and of this
universal church of Christians. And if there were any other church,
but what are the parts of this one, then this were not universal, and
Christ must have two bodies. Thou art not saved for being a member
of the church of Rome, or Corinth, or Ephesus, or Philippi, or
Thessalonica, or of any other such; but for being a member of the
universal church or body of Christ; that is, a Christian. And as thou
art a subject of the king, and a member of this kingdom, whatever
corporation thou be a member of (perhaps sometime of one, and
sometime of another); so thou art a subject of Christ, whatever
particular church thou be of: for it is no church if they be not
Christians, or subjects of Christ. For one sect then to say, Ours is the
true church, and another to say, Nay, but ours is the true church, is
as mad as to dispute whether your hall, or kitchen, or parlour, or
coal-house is your house; and for one to say, This is the house, and
another, Nay, but it is that: when a child can tell them, that the best
is but a part, and the house containeth them all. And for the Papists
that take on them to be the whole, and deny all others to be
Christians and saved, except the subjects of the Pope of Rome, it is so
irrational, antichristian a fiction and usurpation, and odious, cruel,
and groundless a damnation of the far greatest part of the body of
Christ, that it is fitter for detestation than dispute. And if such a
crack would frighten the world out of their wits, no doubt but other
bishops also would make use of it, and say, All are damned that will
not be subject to us. But if you would see the folly and mischief of
Popery, both in this and other points, I refer you to my "Treatise of
the Catholic Church;" my "Key for Catholics;" my "Safe Religion;" my
"Disputations against Johnson;" and my "Winding-Sheet for Popery."
3. Another temptation to confound you in your religion, is, by filling
your heads with practical scrupulosity; so that you cannot go on for
doubting every step whether you go right: and when you should
cheerfully serve your Master, you will do nothing but disquiet your
minds with scruples, whether this or that be right or wrong. Your
remedy here is, not by casting away all care of pleasing God, or fear
of sinning, or by debauching conscience; but by a cheerful and quiet
obedience to God, so far as you know his will, and an upright
willingness and endeavour to understand it better, and a thankful
receiving the Gospel pardon for your failings and infirmities. Be
faithful in your obedience; but live still upon Christ, and think not of
reaching to any such obedience, as shall set you above the need of his
merits, and a daily pardon of your sins. Do the best you can to know
the will of God and do it. But when you know the essentials of
religion, and obey sincerely, let no remaining wants deprive you of
the comfort of so great a mercy, as proves your right to life eternal. In
your seeking further for more knowledge and obedience, let your
care be such as tendeth to your profiting, and furthering you to your
end, and as doth not hinder your joy and thanks for what you have
received: but that which destroyeth your joy and thankfulness, and
doth but perplex you, and not further you in your way, is but hurtful
scrupulosity, and to be laid by. When you are right in the main,
thank God for that, and be further solicitous so far as to help you on,
but not to hinder you. If you send your servant on your message, you
had rather he went on his way as well as he can, than stand scrupling
every step whether he should set the right or left foot forward? and
whether he should step so far, or so far, at a time, &c. Hindering
scruples please not God.
4. Another way to confound you in your religion, is, by setting you
upon overdoing by inventions of your own: when a poor soul is most
desirous to please God, the devil will be religious, and set him upon
some task of voluntary humility or will-worship, as the apostle
speaks of, Col. 2:18, 20–23., or set him upon some ensnaring,
unnecessary vows or resolutions, or some Popish works of conceited
supererogation, which is that which Solomon calleth being
"righteous over-much." Thus many have made duties to themselves,
which God never made for them; and taken that for sin, which God
never forbad them. The Popish religion is very much made up of
such commandments of their own, and traditions of men. As if Christ
had not made us work enough, men are forward to make much more
for themselves. And some that should teach them the laws of Christ,
do think that their office is in vain, unless they may also prescribe
them laws of their own, and give them new principles of religion.
Yea, some that are the bitterest enemies to the strict observance of
the laws of God, as if it were a tedious, needless thing, must yet needs
load us with abundance of unnecessary precepts of their own. And
thus religion is made both wearisome and uncertain, and a door set
open for men to enlarge it, and increase the burden at their pleasure.
Indeed, Popery is fitted to delude and quiet sleepy consciences, and
to torment with uncertainties the consciences that are awaked
And there is something in the corrupted nature of man, that
inclineth him to some additions and voluntary service of his own
inventions, as an offering most acceptable unto God. Hence it is that
many poor Christians do rashly entangle their consciences with
vows, of circumstances and things unnecessary, as to give so much,
to observe such days or hours, in fasting and prayer; not to do such
or such a thing that in itself is lawful; with abundance of such things,
which perhaps some change of providence may make accidentally
their duty afterwards to do: or disable them to perform their vows:
and then these snares are fetters on their perplexed consciences,
perhaps, as long as they live. Yea, some of the Autonomians teach the
people, that these things indifferent are the fittest matter of a vow; as
to live single, to possess nothing, to live in solitude, and the like:
indeed all things lawful, when they are vowed, must be performed:
but it is unfit to be vowed if it be not first profitable and best, for
ourselves or others; and that which is best is not indifferent, it being
every man's duty to choose what is best. Vows are to bind us to the
performance of that which God had bound us to be by his laws
before: they are our expression of consent and resolution by a self obligation
to obey his will: and not to make new duties of religion to
ourselves, which else would never have been our duty.
To escape these snares, it is necessary that you take heed of
corrupting your religion by burdens and mixtures of your own
devising. You are called to obey God's laws, and not to make laws for
yourselves. You may be sure that his laws are just and good, but
your's may be bad and foolish. When you obey him, you may expect
your reward and encouragement from him: but when you will obey
yourselves, you must reward yourselves. You may find it enough for
you to keep his laws, without devising more work for yourselves; or
feigning duties which he commanded not, or sins which he forbad
not. Be not rash in making vows: let them reach but unto necessary
duties; and let them have their due exceptions when they are about
alterable things. Or, if you are entangled by them already, consult
with the most judicious, able, impartial men, that you may come
clearly off without a wound. There is a great deal of judgment and
sincerity necessary in your counsellors, and a great deal of
submission and self-denial in yourselves, to bring you safely out of
such a snare. Avoid sin whatever you do: for sinning is not the way to
your deliverance. And, for the time to come, be wiser, and lay no
more snares for yourselves; and clog not yourselves with your own
inventions, but cheerfully obey what God commandeth you, who
hath wisdom and authority sufficient to make you perfect laws.
Christ's "yoke is easy," and his "burden light," and "his
commandments are not grievous." But if your mixtures and self devised snares are grievous to you,
blame not God, but yourselves that made them.
5] Another of satan's ways to make religion burdensome and grievous
to you is, by overwhelming you with fear and sorrow. Partly, by
persuading that religion consisteth in excess of sorrow, and so
causing you to spend your time in striving to trouble and grieve
yourselves unprofitably, as if it were the course most acceptable to
God: and partly, by taking the advantage of a timorous, passionate
nature; and so making every thought of God, or serious exercise of
religion, to be a torment to you, by raising some overwhelming fears:
for "fear hath torment," In some feminine, weak and melancholy
persons, this temptation hath so much advantage in the body, that
the holiest soul can do but little in resisting it; so that though there
be in such a sincere love to God, his ways and servants, yet fear so
playeth the tyrant in them, that they perceive almost nothing else.
And it is no wonder if religion be grievous and unpleasant to such as
these.
But, alas! it is you yourselves that are the causes of this, and bring
the matter of your grievance with you. God hath commanded you a
sweeter work. It is a life of love, and joy, and cheerful progress to
eternal joy that he requireth of you; and no more fear or grief, than is
necessary to separate you from sin, and teach you to value and use
the remedy. The Gospel presenteth to you such abundant matter of
joy and peace, as would make these the very complexion and
temperature of your souls, if you received them as they are
propounded. Religious fears when they are inordinate and hurtful,
are sinful, and indeed against religion; and must be resisted as other
hurtful passions. Be better acquainted with Christ and his promises,
and you will find enough in him to pacify the soul, and give you
confidence and holy boldness in your access to God. The spirit which
he giveth is not the spirit of bondage, but the spirit of adoption, of
love, and confidence.
6. Another thing that maketh religion seem grievous is, retaining
unmortified, sensual desires. If you keep up your lusts, they will
strive against the Gospel, and all the works of the Spirit will strive
against them. And every duty will be so far unpleasant to you, as you
are carnal, because it is against your carnal inclination and desire.
Away, therefore, with your beloved sickness, and then both your food
and your physician will be less grievous to you. "Mortify the flesh,
and you will less disrelish the things of the Spirit. For the carnal
mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to his law, nor can
be."
7. Another cause of confounding and wearying is, the mixture of your
actual sins, dealing unfaithfully with God, and wounding your
consciences by renewed guilt, especially of sins against knowledge
and consideration. If you thus keep the bone out of joint, and the
wound unhealed, no marvel if you are loath to work or travel. But it
is your sin and folly that should be grievous to you, and not that
which is contrary to it, and would remove the cause of all your
troubles. Resolvedly forsake your wilful sinning, and come home by
"repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ,"
and then you will find, that when the thorn is out, your pain will
cease; and that the cause of your trouble was not in God or religion,
but in your sin.
8. Lastly, To make religion unpleasant to you, the tempter would
keep the substance of the Gospel unknown to, or unobserved by you.
He would hide the wonderful love of God revealed in our Redeemer,
and all the riches of saving grace, and the great deliverance and
privileges of believers, and the certain hopes of life eternal: and the
kingdom of God, which consisteth in righteousness, and peace, and
joy in the Holy Ghost, shall be represented to you as consisting in
errors only, or in trifles; in shadows and shews, and bodily exercise,
which profiteth little. If ever you would know the pleasures of faith
and holiness, you must labour above all to know God, as revealed in
his infinite love in the Mediator; and read the Gospel as God's act of
oblivion, and the New Testament and Covenant of Christ, in which
he giveth you life eternal. And in every duty draw near to God as a
reconciled Father, the object of your everlasting love and joy. Know
and use religion as it is, without mistaking or corrupting it, and it will
not appear to you as a grievous, tedious, or confounding thing.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:48:24 GMT -5
Direct. XIV.
Mortify the Flesh, and rule the Senses, and the Appetite
Direct. XIV. 'Be very diligent in mortifying the desires and pleasures
of the flesh; and keep a continual watch upon your senses, appetite,
and lusts; and cast not yourselves upon temptations, occasions, or
opportunities of sinning, remembering that your salvation lieth on
your success.'
The lusts of the flesh, and the pleasures of the world, are the
common enemies of God and souls, and the damnation of those souls
that perish. And there is no sort more liable to temptations of this
kind, than those that are in the flower of their youth and strength.
When all the senses are in their vigour, and lust and appetite are in
their strength and fury, how great is the danger! and how great must
your diligence be if you will escape! The appetite and lust of the weak
and sick, are weak and sick as well as they; and therefore they are no
great temptation or danger to them. The desire and pleasure of the
senses do abate, as natural strength and vigour doth abate. To such
there is much less need of watchfulness: and where nature hath
mortified the flesh, there is somewhat the less for grace to do. There
needs not much grace to keep the aged and weak from fornication,
uncleanness, excessive sports, and carnal mirth: and gluttony and
drunkenness also, are sins which youth is much more liable to.
Especially some bodies that are not only young and strong, but have,
in their temperature and complexion, a special inclination to some of
these, as lust, or sport, or foolish mirth; there needeth a great deal of
diligence, resolution, and watchfulness for their preservation. Lust is
not like a corrupt opinion, that surpriseth us through a defect of
reason, and vanisheth as soon as truth appeareth; but it is a brutish
inclination, which, though reason must subdue and govern, yet the
perfectest reason will not extirpate, but there it will still dwell. And,
as it is constantly with you, it will be stirring, when objects are
presented by the sense or fancy, to allure. And it is like a torrent or a
head-strong horse, that must be kept in at first, and is hardly
restrained if it once break loose and get the head. If you are bred up
in temperance and modesty, where there are no great temptations to
gluttony, drinking, sports, or wantonness, you may think awhile that
your natures have little or none of this concupiscence, and so may
walk without a guard; but when you come where baits of lust
abound, where women, and plays, and feasts, and drunkards are the
devil's snares, and tinder, and bellows, to inflame your lusts, you
may then find to your sorrow, that you had need of watchfulness, and
that all is not mortified that is asleep, or quiet in you. As a man that
goeth with a candle among gunpowder, or near thatch, should never
be careless, because he goeth in continual danger; so you that are
young, and have naturally eager appetites and lusts, should
remember, that you carry fire and gunpowder still about you, and are
never out of danger while you have such an enemy to watch.
And if once you suffer the fire to kindle, alas! what work may it make,
ere you are aware! "Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of
his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth
forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Little
knoweth the fish, when he is catching, or nibbling at the bait, that he
is swallowing the hook which will lay him presently on the bank.
When you are looking on the cup, or gazing on alluring beauty, or
wantonly dallying and pleasing your senses with things unsafe, you
little know how far beyond your intentions you may be drawn, and
how deep the wound may prove, how great the smart, or how long
and difficult the cure. As you love your souls, observe Paul's counsel,
"Flee youthful lustsq?" Keep at a full distance: come not near the
bait. If you get a wound in your consciences, by any wilful, heinous
sin, O what a case will you be in! How heartless unto secret duty!
afraid of God, that should be your joy; deprived of the comforts of his
presence, and all the pleasure of his ways! How miserably will you be
tormented, between the tyranny of your own concupiscence, the
sting of sin, the gripes of conscience, and the terrors of the Lord!
How much of the life of faith, and love, and heavenly zeal, will be
quenched in a moment! I am to speak more afterwards of this; and
therefore shall only say, at present, to all young converts that care for
their salvation; "Mortify the flesh," and "always watch, and avoid
temptations."
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:50:07 GMT -5
Direct. XV.
Be wary in choosing not only your Teachers, but your Company also.
Their characters
Direct. XV. 'Be exceeding wary, not only what teachers you commit
the guidance of your souls unto, but also with what company you
familiarly converse; that they be neither such as would corrupt your
minds with error, or your hearts with viciousness, profaneness,
lukewarmness, or with a feverish, factious zeal: but choose, if
possible, judicious, holy, heavenly, humble, unblamable, selfdenying persons,
to be your ordinary companions, and familiars; but
especially for your near relations.'
It is a matter of very great importance, what teachers you choose, in
order to your salvation. In this the free grace of God much
differenceth some from others: for, as poor heathens and infidels
have none that know more, than what the book of nature teacheth (if
so much); so in the several nations of Christians, it is hard for the
people to have any, but such as the sword of the magistrate forceth
on them, or the stream of their country's custom recommendeth to
them. And it is a wonder, if pure truth and holiness be countenanced
by either of these. But, when and where his mercy pleaseth, God
sendeth wise and holy teachers, with compassion and diligence to
seek the saving of men's souls; so that none but the malignant and
obstinate are deprived of their help.
Ambitious, proud, covetous, licentious, ungodly men, are not to be
chosen for your teachers, if you have your choice. In a nation where
true religion is in credit, and hath the magistrate's countenance, or
the major vote, some graceless men may join with better, in
preaching and defending the purity of doctrine, and holiness of life:
and they may be very serviceable to the church herein; especially in
expounding and disputing for the truth. But even there, more
experienced, spiritual teachers are much more desirable: they will
speak most feelingly, who feel what they speak: and they are fittest to
bring others to faith and love, who believe, and love God and
holiness themselves. They that have life, will speak more lively than
the dead. And in most places of the world, the ungodliness of such
teachers makes them enemies to the truth, which is according to
godliness: their natures are at enmity to the life and power of the
doctrine, which they should preach: and they will do their worst to
corrupt the magistrates, and make them of their mind: and, if they
can but get the sword to favour them, they are, usually, the cruellest
persecutors of the sincere. As it is notorious among the Papists, that
the baits of power, and honour, and wealth, have so vitiated the body
of their clergy, that they conspire to uphold a worldly government
and religion; and, in express contradiction to sense and reason, and
to antiquity, and the judgment of the church, and to the Holy
Scriptures, they captivate the ignorant and sensual, to their tyranny
and false worship, and use the seduced magistrates and multitude, to
the persecuting of those that will not follow them, to sin and to
perdition. Take heed of proud and worldly guides.
And yet it is not every one that pretendeth piety and zeal, that is to be
heard, or taken for a teacher. But
1. Such as preach, ordinarily, the
substantial truths which all Christians are agreed in.
2. Such as makeit the drift of their preaching, to raise your souls to the love of God,
and to a holy, heavenly life, and are zealous against confessed sins.
3.Such as contradict not the essential truths, by errors of their own:
nor the doctrine of godliness, by wicked, malicious applications.
4.Such as drive not on any ambitious, tyrannical designs of their own,
but deny themselves, and aim at your salvation.
5. Such as are not too not in proselyting you to any singular opinion of their own: it
being the prediction of Paul to the Ephesians, "of your ownselves
shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them."
6. Such as are judicious with holy zeal, and zealous with judgment.
7. Such as are of experience in the things of God, and not
young beginners, or novices in religion.
8. Such as bear reverence to
the judgments of the generality of wise and godly men, and are
tender of the unity of the church; and not such as would draw you
into a sect or party, to the contempt of other Christians; no, not to a
party that hath the favour of rulers and the people, to promote them.
9. Such as are gentle, peaceable, and charitable; and not such as burn
with hellish malice against their brethren, nor with an ungodly, or
cruel, consuming zeal.
10. Such as live not sensually and wickedly,
contrary to the doctrines which they preach; but shew by their lives,
that they believe what they say, and feel the power of the truths
which they preach.
And your familiar companions have great advantage to help or
hinder your salvation, as well as your teachers. The matter is not so
great, whom you meet by the way, or travel with, or trade, and buy
and sell with, as whom you make your intimate, or familiar friends.
For such have both the advantage of their interest in your affections,
and also the advantage of their nearness and familiarity; and, if they
have but also the advantage of higher abilities than you, they may be
powerful instruments of your good or hurt. If you have a familiar
friend, that will defend you from error, and help you against
temptations, and lovingly reprove your sin, and feelingly speak of
God, and the life to come, inditing his discourse from the inward
power of faith, and holy experience; the benefit of such a friend may
be more to you, than of the learnedest or greatest in the world. How
sweetly will their speeches relish of the Spirit from which they come!
How deeply may they pierce a careless heart! How powerfully may
they kindle in you, a love and zeal to God and his commandments!
How seasonably may they discover a temptation, prevent your fall,
reprove an error, and recover your souls! How faithfully will they
watch over you! How profitably will they provoke, and put you on;
and pray with you fervently when you are cold; and mind you of the
truth, and duty, and mercy, which you forget! It is a very great mercy
to have a judicious, solid, and faithful companion in the way to
heaven.
But if your ears are daily filled with froth and folly, with ribaldry, or
idle stories, with oaths and curses, with furious words, or scorns and
jeers against the godly, or with the sophistry of deceivers, is it likely
this should leave a pleasant, or wholesome relish on your minds? Is it
likely that the effect should not be seen, in your lean or leprous
hearts and lives, as well as the effects of an infected, or unwholesome
air or diet, will be seen upon your diseased bodies? He is ungodly,
that liketh such company best: and he is proud and presumptuous,
that will unnecessarily cast himself upon it, in confidence that he
shall receive no hurt: and he is careless of himself, that will not
cautiously avoid it: and few that long converse with such, come off
without some notable loss; except when we live with such, as Lot did
in Sodom, grieving for their sin and misery; or, as Christ conversed
with publicans and sinners, with a holy zeal and diligence to convert
and save them; or, as those that have not liberty, who bear that
which they have not power to avoid.
Among the rest, your danger is not least from them that are eager to
proselyte you to some party, or unsound opinion. That they think
they are in the right, and that they do it in love, and that they think it
necessary to your salvation, and that truth and godliness are the
things which they profess,—all this makes the danger much greater
to you, if it be not truth and godliness indeed, which they propose
and plead for. And none are in more danger than the ungrounded
and unexperienced, that yet are so wise in their own esteem, as to be
confident that they know truth from error, when they hear it, and are
not afraid of any deceit, nor much suspicious of their own
understandings. But of this before.
The like danger there is of the familiar company of lukewarm ones,
or the profane. At first, you may be troubled at their sinful or
unsavoury discourse, and make some resistance against the
infection; but, before you are aware, it may so cool and damp your
graces, as will make your decay discernible to others! First, you will
hear them with less offence; and then, you will grow indifferent what
company you are in; and then, you will laugh at their sin and folly;
and then, you will begin to speak as they; and then, you will grow
cold and seldomer in prayer, and other holy duties; and, if God
prevent it not, at last, your judgments will grow blind, and you will
think all this allowable.
But of all bad company, the nearest is the worst. If you choose such
into your families, or into your nearest, conjugal relations, you cast
water upon the fire; you imprison yourselves in such fetters, as will
gall and grieve you, if they do not stop you; you choose a life of
constant, close, and great temptations: whereas, your grace, and
comfort, and salvation, might be much promoted, by the society of
such as are wise, and gracious, and suitable to your state. To have a
constant companion to open your heart to, and join with in prayer,
and edifying conference, and faithfully help you against your sins,
and yet to be patient with you in your frailties, is a mercy, which
worldlings neither deserve nor value.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2023 14:55:25 GMT -5
Direct. XVI.
What Books to prefer and read, and what to reject
Direct. XVI. 'Make careful choice of the books which you read. Let
the Holy Scriptures ever have the pre-eminence, and next them, the
solid, lively, heavenly treatises, which best expound and apply the
Scriptures; and next those, the credible histories, especially of the
church, and tractates upon inferior sciences and arts: but take heed
of the poison of the writings of false teachers, which would corrupt
your understandings: and of vain romances, play-books, and false
stories, which may bewitch your fantasies, and corrupt your hearts.'
As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the
Holy Scriptures, than in any other book whatever, so it hath more
power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by
imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it
will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer him, and make
the reader more reverent, serious, and divine. Let Scripture be first
and most in your hearts and hands, and other books be used as
subservient to it. The endeavours of the devil and Papists to keep it
from you, doth shew that it is most necessary and desirable to you.
And when they tell you, that all heretics plead the Scripture, they do
but tell you, that it is the common rule or law of Christians, which,
therefore, all are fain to pretend: as all lawyers and wranglers plead
the laws of the land, be their cause never so bad, and yet the laws
must not be therefore concealed or cast aside: and they do but tell
you, that, in their concealment or dishonouring the Scriptures, they
are worse than any of those heretics. When they tell you, that the
Scriptures are misunderstood, and abused, and perverted to
maintain men's errors, they might also desire that the sun might be
obscured, because the purblind do mistake, and murderers and
robbers do wickedly by its light: and that the earth might be
subverted, because it bears all evil doers: and highways stopt up,
because men travel in them to do evil: and food prohibited, because
it nourisheth men's diseases. And when they have told you truly of a
law or rule (whether made by pope or council), which bad men
cannot misunderstand or break, or abuse and misapply, then
hearken to them, and prefer that law, as that which preventeth the
need of any judgment.
The writings of Divines are nothing else but a preaching the Gospel
to the eye, as the voice preacheth it to the ear. Vocal preaching hath
the pre-eminence in moving the affections, and being diversified
according to the state of the congregations which attend it: this way
the milk cometh warmest from the breast. But books have the
advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher,
when you have but a mean one to hear. Every congregation cannot
hear the most judicious or powerful preachers; but every single
person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious.
Preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand:
books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers: we may
choose books which treat of that very subject which we desire to hear
of; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat of.
Books we may have at hand every day and hour; when we can have
sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be forgotten, they
are gone. But a book we may read over and over until we remember
it; and, if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our
leisure. So that good books are a very great mercy to the world. The
Holy Ghost chose the way of writing, to preserve his doctrine and
laws to the church, as knowing how easy and sure a way it is of
keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of mere verbal
tradition, which might have made as many controversies about the
very terms, as there be memories or persons to be the preservers and
reporters.
Books are (if well chosen) domestic, present, constant, judicious,
pertinent, yea, and powerful sermons: and always of very great use to
your salvation: but especially when vocal preaching faileth, and
preachers are ignorant, ungodly, or dull, or when they are
persecuted, and forbid to preach.
You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what
books to use or to refuse. For among good books there are some very
good that are sound and lively: and some are good, but mean, and
weak, and somewhat dull: and some are very good in part, but have
mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious expressions, fitter
to puzzle than edify the weak. I am loath to name any of these latter
sorts (of which abundance have come forth of late): but to the young
beginner in religion, I may be bold to recommend (next to a sound
catechism) Mr. Rutherford's Letters;—Mr. Robert Bolton's Works;—
Mr. Perkins's;—Mr. Whateley's;—Mr. Ball, of Faith;—Dr. Preston's;—
Dr. Sibbs's;—Mr. Hildersham's:—Mr. Pink's Sermons;—Mr. Jos.
Rogers's;—Mr. Rich. Allen's;—Mr. Gurnall's;—Mr. Swinnock's;—Mr.
Jos. Simonds's. And to establish you against Popery, Dr. Challoner's
Codex Credo Eccles. Cathol.;—Dr. Field, of the Church;—Dr. White's
Way to the Church, with the Defence;—Bishop Usher's Answer to the
Jesuit; and Chillingworth, with Drelincourt's Summary. And for right
principles about Redemption, &c. Mr. Truman's Great Propitiation;
and of Natural and Moral Impotency;—and Mr. William Fenner, of
Wilful Impenitency;—Mr. Hotchkis, of Forgiveness of Sin. To pass by
many other excellent ones, that I may not name too many.
To a very judicious, able reader, who is fit to censure all he reads,
there is no great danger in reading the books of any seducers: it doth
but shew him how little and thin a cloak is used to cover a bad cause.
But, alas! young soldiers, not used to such wars, are startled at a very
sophism, or at a terrible threatening of damnation to dissenters
(which every censorious sect can use), or at every confident,
triumphant boast, or at every thing that hath a fair pretence of truth
or godliness. Injudicious persons can answer almost no deceiver
which they hear: and when they cannot answer them they think they
must yield, as if the fault were not in them but in the cause, and as if
Christ had no wiser followers, or better defenders of his truth than
they. Meddle not, therefore, with poison, till you better know how to
use it, and may do it with less danger, as long as you have no need.
As for play-books, and romances, and idle tales, I have already
shewed in my "Book of Self-Denial," how pernicious they are,
especially to youth, and to frothy, empty, idle wits, that know not
what a man is, nor what he hath to do in the world. They are
powerful baits of the devil, to keep more necessary things out of their
minds, and better books out of their hands, and to poison the mind
so much the more dangerously, as they are read with more delight
and pleasure: and to fill the minds of sensual people with such idle
fumes, and intoxicating fancies, as may divert them from the serious
thoughts of their salvation: and (which is no small loss) to rob them
of abundance of that precious time, which was given them for more
important business; and which they will wish and wish again at last
that they had spent more wisely. I know the fantastics will say, that
these things are innocent, and may teach men much good (like him
that must go to a whore-house to learn to hate uncleanness; and him
that would go out with robbers to learn to hate thievery): but I shall
now only ask them as in the presence of God,
1. Whether they should spend that time no better?
2. Whether better books and practices would not edify them more.
3. Whether the greatest lovers of romances and plays be the greatest lovers of the book of God, and of a holy life?
4. Whether they feel in themselves that the love of these
vanities, doth increase their love to the Word of God, and kill their
sin, and prepare them for the life to come? or clean contrary? And I
would desire men not to prate against their own experience and
reason, nor to dispute themselves into damnable impenitency, nor to
befool their souls by a few silly words, which any but a sensualist
may perceive to be mere deceit and falsehood. If this will not serve,
they shall be shortly convinced and answered in another manner.
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