A Serious and Seasonable Caveat to All the Saints in this Hour of Temptation

John Flavel, 1628-1691

 

THE PREFACE

READER,
AS God has stretched out the skies over the natural world, so has he stretched out his word over the rational world; and as in that he has placed the stars and luminaries to enlighten the earth, and to be for signs and seasons, Genesis 1:14 so has he placed a constellation of scriptures in this also, by which they that are skillful in the word of righteousness may discern very much the designs and issues of these rolling and amazing providences that are over our heads.

And doubtless, nothing more settles and supports the hearts of saints under terrible and tempestuous providences, than to view them in their reference and relation to the world: for of these we may say, as David does, Psalm 148:8 of the stormy winds, that they fulfill his word, and are the undoubted accomplishments of its predictions and prophecies.

Now to those that heedfully observe the Scripture-prophecies, relating to the ruin and destruction of antichrist, it cannot but appear that their accomplishment is near, and that glorious design come even to the birth. But then, as the darkest part of the night, is that which immediately precedes the dawning of the day, so before the vial of the Lord's indignation be poured out upon the throne of the beast, it will be a time of trouble to the saints, such as never was since man was upon the earth, Daniel 12:1, Revelation 11:7, 8. The witnesses of Jesus must first be slain, and their dead bodies for a time lie in the streets of the great city: And as the naturalists observe, that a beast never bites more furiously and deadly, than when dying, even so it is with this beast also which has iron teeth, and is terrible above all that were before it, Daniel 7:7. And when the strong God arises to judge Babylon, she shall be found quite drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, Revelation 17:6. So that we whose lots are fallen into such a day as this, wherein the fiercest rage of the last and most furious of all the beasts, is falling in a dreadful storm upon all the reformed churches of Christ, had need of a more than ordinary degree of faith and patience, to establish us in the truth, and enable us to bear a glorious testimony for the Lord Jesus.

If any man's heart now shall fail him, and to avoid the fury of antichrist, shall basely betray the truth, and forsake the camp of Christ, and receive the mark of the beast, though not in his forehead, yet in his hand, by a politic and secret compliance with his worship, that man is adjudged, by the dreadful sentence of the great God, to drink the cup of his pure and unmixed wrath and indignation, Revelation 14:10 even such as the devils and damned drink: For we may say of that wrath, which is ordinarily poured out upon sinners in this life, as they say of darkness, Non dantur puræ tenabræ; there is no pure or perfect darkness here; so neither is there any pure unmixed wrath here, it has in this life an allay of sparing mercy in it; but this is pure.

To prevent this sad issue, and preserve you from this terrible wrath of the Lamb, are the following counsels and cautions designed and intended: And Oh! that they might be blessed to establish the sliding feet of tempted saints; for I cannot without trembling observe, how many forward professors begin to give ground already and fall into a compliance with anti-Christian abominations; surely this is the worst time that ever they could have chosen for it, now that the day of vengeance is in the heart of Christ against her, and the year of his redeemed even come; his righteousness so near at hand, and his salvation ready to be revealed.

I shall detain you no longer, but entreat you to weigh these things, brought to your hand by providence, and with the spirit of love, to cover the weaknesses of the author, who is sensible of his own infirmities, and continual need of divine assistance, to enable him to stand; and to that end earnestly begs a remembrance in your prayers, when your heart is most warmed, enlarged, and raised in communion with your God.

 

DEAR CHRISTIANS,
WHEN our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, beheld the multitude, he had compassion on them, because they fainted, and were as sheep having no shepherd, Matthew 9:36.

After the pattern of those tender affections of Christ, the chief shepherd, do the affections of compassion infused by him into his ministers, the under-shepherds, work and move towards the flock, in like cases and exigencies. God is my record (says that great apostle) how greatly I long after you all [in] or after the manner of the affections of Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:8.

And truly, considering the deep distresses, and languishing conditions, to which many thousands of the Lord's flock are at this day exposed, how many among you are wandering from mountain to hill, seeking pasture, but finding none; and like those troops of Tema, Job 6:19 return ashamed, and disappointed, from those places where you were accustomed to be refreshed, enlarged, quickened: And how your pretended shepherds have taken to themselves the instruments of a foolish shepherd, ruling you with force and rigor, Ezekiel 34:4 "not sparing the flock," it makes my heart melt within me, and my compassions for you flow together.

And further, apprehending what a deep and desperate design your adversary the devil has upon you, in this hour of temptation, to overthrow your faith, quench your love, and undermine the very foundation of your profession; and what singular and extraordinary advantages he has now upon you, engaging you singly and apart; your faithful teachers being removed into corners, your societies broken, dangers threatening on every side, carnal neighbors and relations, by persuasions, examples, and dangerous insinuations, digging about, and loosening your root, and so preparing for your utter subversion, by the next gust of temptation: I thought it high time to come into your assistance and relief, with a word of counsel and support, though I venture for you, as David's worthies did, to bring him the waters of the well of Bethlehem through the host of the Philistines.

And may I but preserve the peace of my own conscience, by discharging faithfully a duty to which it impels me, and have the blessing of some poor soul ready to perish come upon me, I shall little regard the pains or hazard of this enterprise for you.

The plain design of these few sheets, is to countermine the enemy of your souls in his present grand designs against you; either in point of stability, by unsettling you; or of duty, by affrighting you; or of comfort, by discouraging you.

To prevent the success of the tempter, in all, or either of these, I shall offer you my best assistance under these eight ensuing heads of advice and counsel; beseeching you, by all the dear regard you have to the dreadful and glorious name of God, which is called upon you, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10, 11. 2 Timothy 2:19 or to your own precious and immortal souls, whose eternal happiness is not a little engaged in these things, Matthew 10:33, Galatians 6:9 or to the comfort and encouragement of your suffering and afflicted ministers and brethren abroad, a great part of whose joy, yes, life, lies at your mercy, 1 Thessalonians 3:8, Colossians 2:5 and is, as it were, bound up in your stability, that you will heedfully observe and embrace these admonitions, according to the weight and evidence that are in them, and let not any fleshly interest in the world carry you against the convictions that may, hereby, be left upon your consciences.

And the first advice to counsel is this:

 

Counsel I

Cleave fast to Christ, and the profession you have formerly made of him, what aspect so ever the times have upon you.

Psalm 44:18, 19, 20, 21. "Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from your way, though you have sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of the Lord, or stretched out our hands to a strange God: shall not God search this out? for he knows the secrets of the heart." Hence those new converts, who were turned to the Lord in a time of great temptation and persecution, were so earnestly persuaded, Acts 11:23. "That with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord;" that is as they had made a good choice, so now to stick to their choice, and not repent of it, whatever afterward they should meet with. O take heed, lest after you have lifted up your hand to God, you should lift up your heel against him. Though the hypocrite will not pray always, yet the upright soul abhors to flinch from his duty, let come on him what will. It is now autumn with many flourishing professors, but if you be a tree planted by the river-side, your leaf shall not wither, Psalm 1. You look for happiness as long as God is in Heaven, and be sure God looks for holiness as long as you be on earth. What duty is more importunately urged upon you by every part of the gospel than stability? The preceptive part peremptorily requires it. See Revelation 2:10, Hebrews 4:14, Revelation 3:11 these be commands flowing from sovereignty, clothed with the highest authority. The minority part urges us: See Hebrews 10:38, Matthew 10:33, Revelation 21:8 and these dreadful threats are discharged against the soul, and leveled at the very breast of the apostate.

The promissory part marvelously encourages it, a sweet voice seems to come down from Heaven in these promises, saying, Good souls, hold fast, if ever you hope to possess the glory that is here, hold fast, Galatians 6:9, Matthew 10:22, Revelation 3:12, 21, Revelation 21:7.

Now, lest all this should leave but a floating and ineffectual conviction upon you, give me leave to follow it a little farther, and endeavor to work it in by a few warming considerations upon your hearts.

1. Consider, God has hanged the whole weight of eternal happiness upon this wire: so that the deepest, dearest, and everlasting interest of your soul is bound up in your perseverance, Romans 2:7, Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 3:14 and if so, methinks this should make you cling fast, despise dangers, face the storm, and make a stand for Christ: let come on you what will: for, consider soul, what comparison between a moment's suffering, and this eternal glory? Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16, 17, 18. O that vast eternity! that amazing word! which none but he who was from eternity, and is to eternity, comprehensively understands: When a soul is swallowed up in it, yes, or when it sits in a dying hour trembling upon the brink of it, how are its apprehensions of present things altered!

2. Consider how constant and faithful Jesus Christ was to you, when he conflicted in the days of his flesh, with sufferings, dangers, and difficulties infinitely beyond your; and what a motive that should be to persuade you to a bold and constant owning of him in this day of your trial? 1 Timothy 6:12, 13, 14. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give you charge in the sight of God, who quickens all things, and before Jesus Christ, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that you keep this commandment without spot." He flinched not when the terrors of death and Hell beset him round: He was faithful to the trust committed to him, until death beat the last breath out of his breast. If you now start from him, may not he say to you as that Roman soldier said to his general, who refused his petition after the war was ended, 'Well (says he) I did not serve you so at the battle of Actium.'

3. Never imagine to be owned and acknowledged by him in that great day, if you desert his cause and interest now, Matthew 10:33. "He who is ashamed of me before men, of him will I be ashamed," when I come in my Father's glory, and my own glory, and the glory of the holy angels. Oh, sirs, one of these days the Lord will break put of Heaven with a shout, accompanied with myriads of angels, and ten thousands of his saints, those glistening courtiers of Heaven, the heavens and earth in a dreadful conflagration round about him; the graves shall open, the sea and the earth give up their dead: You shall see him ascend the awful seat of judgment,¶his faithful ones sitting on the bench as assessors with him; all flesh gathered before him, even multitudes, multitudes in that valley of decision; and then to be publicly disowned by him in the face of that great assembly, and proclaimed a traitor and delinquent to him that fearedst not to deny him, and betray his truths into his enemies hands, because of the frowns of a poor worm that shall die, and be made as grass: O what confusion and everlasting shame shall cover you! This, this is the portion of all I such from the hand of the Lord, 2 Timothy 2:12. "If we deny him, "he also will deny us."

4. Consider, e'er you let go your profession, how remarkably I the righteous hand of Heaven has met with, and paid home the I apostates, even in this life; which nevertheless, is but as a few drops upon them before the cloud dissolve, and the whole storm I falls; but as the parboiling of them, before they be roasted in the eternal flames. See what is become of Judas, Matthew 27:3, 4, 5 compared with Acts 1:18. Poor Spira, though I determine not of his final state, yet what a living monument of wrath was he while he lived; I feel (says he) 'the very torments of Hell in my soul.' Lucian and Julian, two scoffing apostates, the one torn to pieces by dogs; the other, when mortally wounded by a dart, flings up his blood towards Heaven in a way of revenge, and cries, 'You have overcome me, O Galilean.'

5. Suppose you escape such a stroke, yet never expect a comfortable hour in this world any more, unless the Lord give you sincere repentance to life, which, in such cases, is but seldom: You may have as much comfort in your enjoyments here, for which you have sold Christ, as Judas had in his thirty pieces, or Spira in his wife and children; Mark 8:35. "Whoever will save his life, shall lose it," (that is) at least its comfort.

 

Counsel II

Touch not idolatry and superstition; under whatever name or notion it be presented to you.

1 John 5:21. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." Here you had need be exceeding cautelous, and circumspect, (1.) Because it is a creeping thing which works in itself by plausible pretenses and insinuations, 2 Peter 2:1, Ephesians 4:14, Colossians 2:23. In which respect [mystery] is written in the whore's forehead, Revelation 17:5. For as Dr. Usher well observes, 'The Roman apostasy stole into the church disguised, and by degrees.' It is a mystery of iniquity (says the apostle) and a working mystery, 2 Thessalonians 2:7. That is iniquity, but a mystical iniquity, because palliated and cloaked under the name and pretense of piety and fidelity. Idolatrous practices have a show of wisdom, Colossians 2:23 (that is says Davenant on the place) 'They are more modest than to pretend an immediate revelation of the Spirit:' Yet lest their inventions should lack a pretext of Divine wisdom, they are accustomed to say, that their doctrines and traditions are not indeed consigned to writing by the apostles, but delivered by lively voice, according to that, We speak wisdom among them that are perfect: And by the name of this wisdom, every one calls his own fictions. Says Irenæus, lib. 3. cap. 3. 'Thus sometimes under the pretext of wisdom, order, decency, apostolic traditions, antiquity, the power of the church, etc. it steals upon men insensibly, especially being so advantaged by the proneness of corrupt nature to it.' To this purpose it is observable, that Babylon, the mother of harlots, is said, Revelation 17:4 to give the wine of her fornication in a golden cup. Wine in itself is temptingly pleasant, but more so when presented in a golden cup; the brims whereof are sugared and sweetened to make it the more grateful. Therefore, little children, I mean you simple, plain, credulous souls, apt to be taken with fine glittering things, look to yourselves; (2.) Because nothing more provokes and inflames the fiery wrath of the Lord, who is a jealous God, than this does; it makes his anger come up in his face, as that expression is, Ezekiel 38:18 and kindles consuming wrath, Ezekiel 43:7, 8, 9. Upon this account the blessed God complains, after the manner of men, as if his heart were broken, Ezekiel 6:9. "I am [broken] with their whorish heart, and with their [eyes] which go a whoring after their idols." If it be but an unchaste glance upon an idol, it goes to the very heart of God: When he sees his people yielding to the temptations of it, he shrieks, as it were, and cries out, Oh! do not this abominable thing that I hate: Oh! if there be in you the hearts of children, do not that which does, as it were, break the heart of your father.

QUESTION But what mean you by idolatry and superstition? We hope there are no such things practiced among us; Pagans and Papists may be guilty of it?

Sol. Give me leave here to open these things unto you, and then, perhaps, you may see them nearer to you, than you are aware of; and that this caution is a word in season.

Idolatry then, according to the true and generally received definition of it, is a religious worship, given either to that which is not the true God, or to the true God himself, but otherwise than he has prescribed in his word. From hence we plainly see that worship may be idolatrous two ways; (1.) In respect of the object: if it have anything besides the true God for its object, it is gross idolatry; such as the first commandment condemns. Pagan idolatry, which the light of the gospel has long since profligated and expelled out of these parts of the world. Or, (2.) In respect of the manner, when we worship the true God, but in a way and manner which he has not prescribed in his word, but is invented and devised by ourselves; and this is condemned as idolatry in the second commandment; You shall not [make to youself,] that is out of your own brain, or of your own head, any [graven image;] under which title all human inventions, corrupting the pure and simple worship of God, are prohibited as idolatrous; for images are here, by a synecdoche, put for all false ways of worshiping God, as the best expositors tell us. This inventing or making to ourselves, is that which makes it idolatry, Amos 5:26, Numbers 15:39. Hence the molten calf became an idol to the Israelites, not because it was the object of their worship; for it is plain, it was Jehovah, the true God, they intended to worship by it; appears from Exodus 32:4, 5. "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord." And, as Dr. Willet observes, it had been impossible, that so good a man as Aaron, would have yielded to them, if they had intended to worship it as a God: But yet it being a way or manner of worshiping the true God, which was of their own devising, it became idolatry. And this worship of God, in ways of our own invention becomes idolatrous upon a double ground: (1.) As it is will worship; that is such worship as has no other ground or warrant but the will of man, Colossians 2:23 and so dethrones God, by setting up the will of the creature above his, and bestowing the peculiar honor, and incommunicable sovereignty and glory of the blessed God upon the creatures; for the absolute sovereignty of God, which is his glory, 1 Timothy 6:15 is manifested in two things especially; in his decrees, Romans 9:20 and in his laws, Isaiah 33:22. James 4:12. The Lord is our King, and Lawgiver; and there is one Lawgiverse Now, by prescribing anything by our own authority in the worship of God, the commands of God are made void, Matthew 15:6 his royal law is slighted, the throne of God invaded by the creatures, who will be a lawgiver too, which can no more be borne, than the heavens can bear two suns; and God is hereby forgotten, as Hosea 8:14. "Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built temples;" that is by building [temples] when God had appointed but one temple. This is, as Melancton observes: To strive with God, by instituting something of our own. And Chrysostom notes, From. 2 in Romans That it is a greater sin, in God's worship, to do what we should not, than to omit what we should: For (says he) by the one we show the difficulty of the law; but by the other, we charge the law and lawgiver with folly; make ourselves wiser than God: in the one we show our weakness, in not doing the will of God; but in the other, our impudence to control the wisdom of God. And it is, as Lactantius phrases it: The highest arrogance, to challenge that to ourselves, which the condition of a creature is not capable of. And upon this account it is, that the indignation and wrath of God smoke so dreadfully against such usurpers, as in the sad story of Nadab and Abihu, you see, because God is a jealous God; and jealousy is the rage of a man which can endure no rival. This God looks upon as the greatest and most daring wickedness that a creature can lightly commit, Hosea 9:15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal; that is the height of their wickedness is there, because there they worshiped him according to their own devices; which was such an affront to the wisdom and sovereignty of God, that he could by no means bear it. This is called, a setting our threshold besides the Lord's threshold, Ezekiel 43:8 and the nearer this comes to him, the more it provokes him. Therefore it is said in the same text, "There was a wall between me and them;" that is either it caused a wall of separation between me and them, as it is generally expounded; or else it notes, how God is provoked, by bringing their own inventions so near him: For in the Hebrew it is, "There was but a wall between me and them." And hence it is evident that doctrinal, symbolical ceremonies, I mean such rites and ceremonies as are brought into the worship of God, with a spiritual signification, merely upon the authority of man, are idolatrous mixtures and additions, and such by which the Lord is dreadfully provoked. It is true, men pretend order and decency, and the power of the church in such cases: but, as learned Amesius well notes, "Those things which pertain to order and decency, are not so left to the will of man, that they may, under that name, obtrude what they please upon the churches." All the liberty that scripture, 1 Corinthians 14:40 gives us, is but this, to observe and perform those things which God has instituted, in an orderly and lovely manner; and not to innovate new things, what, and as many as we please. And then, (2.) It becomes idolatrous upon this ground also, because this daring impudence of men, in worshiping God in their own way, argues gross and carnal notions and conceptions of God. When we devise a carnal, pompous way of worship for him, it is an argument we have set up an idol God first in our imaginations, one like ourselves, and utterly unlike the true God; who is a most simple, pure, spiritual Being; and, as such, will be worshiped, John 4:24. But by devising such a fleshly way of worship, I say it is manifest, we have imagined to ourselves another God, altogether different from that God revealed to us in the word. Hence it was that Joshua told the people, Joshua 24:19. "You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a jealous God, and will not forgive your sins." You cannot serve the true God, until you have gotten right apprehensions of him: You fancy to yourselves a God made up of all mercy, as if he had no justice nor righteousness to call you to an account for your sins; and so do but worship an idol, formed in your own imagination, instead of the true God. And if the thing be duly weighed, it will appear as well idolatry to submit to, and acknowledge the sovereign authority of a creature, in appointing laws for worship, or falling down before an imaginary God, or idol, formed in our own imaginations, as to bow to, and worship a graven image, or the stock of a tree.

Now, hence you may come to see at once, both the nature of this second sort of idolatry, and also the rise and original of it; which is nothing else but the proud and carnal heart of man, which not willing to contain itself within the limits of the word, wherein a plain, simple, and spiritual way of worship is ruled out, invents to itself new rites, ceremonies, and ways of worshiping God, more suitable and pleasing to the flesh. And hence it is, that idolatry is in scripture reckoned a work of the flesh, Galatians 5:20 because man naturally having a proud heart, and a working imagination, which depending upon sense, and not elevated and rectified by faith, first forms to itself carnal conceptions and notions of God; and then devises a way of worship suitable to those notions of him. So that as one well observes; "This is the fountain and principle of all error, that men think that those which please them, must needs please God; and what displeases them must also displease him." So that this brat, idolatry, is begotten between a proud, carnal heart and the devil; who, since he cannot draw men to the former sort of idolatry, endeavors all he can to entangle and defile them with this, and that partly out of malice to God, knowing what a dear thing his worship is to him, and partly out of a design of ruining such as he can entice to it: For he knows their sorrows shall be multiplied Psalm 16:4 and God seldom lets it escape without some remarkable stroke.

Upon the whole then, you plainly see, worship may be right as to its object, and yet idolatrous in respect of the manner; because the assuming of a despotic power in this case, is not only a slighting of that, that royal law, but as high a piece of treason against Jesus Christ, as can lightly be committed by a creature. I will shut up this with two worthy and full testimonies to the truth of the point in hand. The first is Melancton. His words are these, and they are grave and weighty: 'The bishops arrogate to themselves a power of making traditions, which the gospel has not given them. It is no small crime to tempt God, for this is not to slide by infirmity, but by contempt of God, his word being set before them, as it were to contend with it, by instituting another thing, and overcome it. This is to prefer our wisdom to his.'

And a little after (having given some instances of it,) he proceeds thus: 'Such have been, and are the fountain of the worship of idols. These are secret evils, which political wisdom cannot judge. But we in the church ought to consider these things, that being warned, we may submit ourselves to the word of God, and not be willing to be ruled by our own opinions,' etc.

To this I shall add the most worthy testimony of the right honorable Lord Brook.

A bishop's wearing a surplice, cope, mitre, using the cross, bowing to the altar, etc. (although they may be errors) yet all, or one of these make him not a Pope, or popeling, or properly anti-Christian; but receiving these from the Pope's dictates, doing them, because he commands acknowledging him in commanding them, pressing them on others with such a despotic power, makes a true Pope, a real Antichrist! Nor may our bishops evade by this, which I easily see will be answered, that though indeed they do, and command these things, yet they neither do them from the Pope's command, nor command them in the Pope's power.'

'Though I should grant this, which yet many wise men will not grant (for our bishop's first power came from the Pope; and of late also we have found letters, advice, commands, dictates from the Pope to some of our bishops, and that in matters of greatest consequence, both for the church and state:) But grant all this they say, yet they may be Anti-Christian, and so such (in re) as the Pope is; though not literally Romanists, except they do or command in the power of Rome. This I shall be bold to affirm and maintain, until I see better reason that he (whoever he be) that commands the least tittle of doctrine or discipline, merely in his own power and authority, without license or warrant from scripture, or right reason, (where the scripture has been silent) though the thing he so commands, should happen to be good in itself, yet he, in his so commanding, is not only tyrannical, but anti-Christian, properly anti-Christian, encroaching on the royal office of Christ; which is truly high-treason against God, and most properly anti-christianism.'

By all which, you see where the idolatry of worship lies. The instituting of any, though the smallest part of worship, in and by our own authority, without scripture-warrant, makes it idolatrous, as well as if we worshiped an idol. And hence it is, that God gives his people the same call from this latter sort of Romish idolatry; See Revelation 18:4 as he does from the more gross pagan idolatry, 2 Corinthians 6:17. So that if that worship you perform to God, be corrupted by a mixture of mere human, doctrinal, symbolical, rites and ceremonies, which God has not appointed in his worship by the word; though your worship be right for the object, yet it is idolatrous in the manner. Here you had need to be advised, and careful, for you are upon a ticklish point.

And for superstition, that is nothing else, but an excess in religion, For the better understanding whereof, consider three things.

1. That all, and every part of God's instituted worship, depends entirely upon his own sovereign will and pleasure: So that no man can appoint any part of it, but God alone, forasmuch as no man knows what will be acceptable to God, but God himself; that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination to God: Besides, none can give efficacy to a creature, as bread, wine, water, or raise them up to such high supernatural ends and uses, but God.

2. The will of God, which is the foundation and rule of his worship, is only revealed to us in the scriptures; whence it is manifest, that in worship all men are bound to keep close to the word; and besides the reason that is in the thing itself, the command is express, Exodus 23:13, Deuteronomy 4:2. Galatians 6:10 [ôù êáíïíé ôïõôù] according to this canon, or rule: This is true canonical obedience. So Romans 12:7 [ëïãéêç ëáôñåéá] is properly word-service; (that is) such as the word prescribes.

3. Hence then you may see the door at which superstition enters, even addition of new and uncommanded things. When we invent new rites and ceremonies, and bring them into the worship of God, with a spiritual signification and use, this is superstition; being something above and beyond what God appoints and requires. And as all the water in the Tyber cannot wash the Papists from the filth of their idolatry and superstition, in their mass, altars, surplice, cross, etc. So neither can anything I besides the blood of Jesus, cleanse us from the same, if we do like them.

Having thus opened the nature of idolatry and superstition to you. I shall reinforce that apostolic caution upon you; "Little children, keep yourselves from idols;" I beseech you, get senses exercised, Hebrews 5:14 and suffer not yourselves to be abused by an easy credulity: "the simple believes every word," Proverbs 14:15. There is no idolatry or superstition in Rome so gross, but is glossed over with plausible pretenses, and many subtle distinctions invented to defend it. But take not you anything upon trust in God's worship; be like those well-bred Bereans, Acts 17:11 examine the grounds of your practice. It was a good saying of Sir Thomas More, 'I will pin my faith (says he) upon no man's sleeve, because I know not whether he will carry it.' See that you be provided with an answer, if God should speak to you, when you are at your divine service, as he did to Elijah, 1 Kings 19:9 when he was hidden in the cave at Horeb, "What do you here, Elijah?" Or as to the Jews, Isaiah 1:12. "Who has required this at your hands?" See that you be able by the word, to justify your practice: And as you love your souls, defile them not with idolatry and superstition. And the rather,

ARGUMENTS

Argument 1. Because, should you be found in a false way of worship, you betray a special trust committed to you by the Lord.

Christians, unto you has the Lord committed his precious gospel truths and appointments, as precious treasure to defend and keep for him, Revelation 3:10. Jude 3. Philippians 1:7, 17 and one special means of its preservation, is by witnessing against all those errors and innovations, that corrupt and endanger it: O see that none of Christ's jewels be embezzled, if you can help it. You your selves have committed a trust to Jesus Christ, 2 Timothy 1:12 and expect he should be faithful in what you have committed to him; and he expects the same from you. O consider what precious things the pure institutions of Christ are: All the good in this world cannot compensate the loss of one of them. "Let Heaven rush (said Luther) rather than one crumb of truth should perish." O what hard things have the saints in all generations suffered, to preserve and transmit it to us: And shall we now betray it? Would not the generations to come curse us, and abhor our remembrance? And then to speak nothing of any solemn bond or engagement under which you have put your souls to the contrary.

Argument 2. Shall we not hereby oppose and cross the great design which God is carrying on in the world, by his present providences? O it will be sad to be found opposing God's design. Now what is that but, by shaking Heaven and earth, to remove the things that are [made] namely, by man invented in his worship, Hebrews 12:27. To pluck up by the roots, every plant; (that is) ceremony and tradition, not of his planting, Matthew 15:13. Are not all these things appointed to perdition? Colossians 2:22 and dare you then by your presence, or pleading for them, go about to support and establish them, and so strive against God! O consider it seriously.

Argument 3. Is it not dangerous to be found among idolaters? Does not judgment sometimes sweep away the whole community and neighborhood, of such sinners? Read 1 Samuel 6:19, 20, 1 Chronicles 15:13. And has not God given you timely warning of the danger before it come? Revelation 18:4. And is it not more than ordinary dangerous, to be found among them now, when God is preparing his troops to invade Babylon; I mean ready to pour forth the vials of his wrath upon her?

Argument 4. And may not your example have a mischievous influence upon others? May it not harden sinners in their ways? And even compel and draw away the weak Christian? Galatians 2:13, 14 and so draw the guilt of their sins upon your own soul? And what a dreadful thing is that: ' actors and consenters are alike guilty and punishable:' O you have too much personal guilt of your own; add not the guilt of others sins to it: Nay, by this means you may be sinning in another, when you lie in the dust.

Lastly, Consider how careful God has always been to keep his people off at the greatest distance from idolatry. Compare these scriptures, 2 Kings 17:15. Ezekiel 44:20. Numbers 32:38, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, Hebrews 4:1. O let these arguments be impartially weighed, and let not any low fleshly interest be set up to oppose them.

 

COUNSEL III

Beware of such persons as are factors and agents for antichrist, and keep off from such a ministry, the tendency and scope of which, is to entice and draw you to idolatry, Matthew 7:15 and 10:17, Philippians 3:2, Colossians 2:8.

There is a generation of men now abroad, skillful to destroy souls, who would make merchandise of you, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple, such as mean well, but lack prudence to discern such as mean ill. These are of two sorts; the generality of them are, by the righteous hand of God, given over to such dissoluteness and debauchery, that their folly and madness is made manifest to all men, 2 Timothy 3:9. And others that have gifts and parts, how few are there of them, but employ them in defending abominable superstitions, and persuading their congregations to submit to them: So that you have your choice, whether you will drink poison, mixed with water, or infused into brisk and generous wine, which will give it a speedier access to the spirits. These are wells without water, deceiving the hope of weary and thirsty souls: Clouds they are without rain, that send not forth one gracious shower to refresh the inheritance of the Lord: The best of them is a brier, and the most upright of them sharper than a thorn-hedge, Micah 7:4.

I believe there be many among you that are sharp set, and by this time have felt the misery of a spiritual famine. It is bread you come for, but your Father has shut up house, and is gone for a time, the glory is departed; they are become wells without water, breasts without milk: Is there not a vanity in these, as well as in the creatures, when God is withdrawn from them? We may say concerning them, as Isaac did to his father, Genesis 22:7. "Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the sacrifice?" Here you may see the skin and shadow of an ordinance, but where is the power? Where is the life, quickening, and soul-refreshment, that was accustomed to accompany them? Ah poor England! what have you lost! what a ministry have you sinned away! Were you not renowned among the nations for the power and purity of ordinances? Were not your ministers as sheep coming up from the washing, whereof every one bare twins, and none was barren among them? How was the Lord Jesus lifted up in your ministry, that all might see the necessity, beauty, and excellency of him! and did not the pangs of the new-birth frequently come upon souls in your assemblies? But alas, those days are over, they are gone, they are gone; ah Woe us, that we must say, so it was! Well then, what will you do in this case? Will you seek the living among the dead? Will you suck empty breasts, whence you can draw nothing but wind or blood? O no, but rather say, as Canticles 1:7. "Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your flock to rest at noon, for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?" These companions of Christ, must be none of yours.

ARGUMENTS

Argument 1. Because it is the manifest drift and design of their ministry, to unteach and beguile you of those precious gospel-truths which you have formerly received and learned: this some of them have not shunned to declare in the face of their congregations; and nothing is more apparent, than that it is the design they all manage. I appeal to your own observations, what is more common with them, than to tell you, you have been misguided by your teachers these twenty years, and now must return to the good old way, which themselves are utterly unacquainted with?

Now what do you, by attendance on such a ministry, but run your souls upon a temptation to unsettlement and apostasy, and dig a grave (as I may say) to bury all the precious truths you have learned under your former faithful ministers? who may sigh over you, and say as Peter Martyr did, when he was in Oxford, at the coming in of queen Mary. He heard a college-bell ring to mass, and looking out at his study-window, saw the scholars flocking apace to it; being struck to the heart with this sight, he broke out into this expression: This bell rings a passing-peal to all my doctrine. And upon serious consideration, this will appear to be no small evil. For you cannot but be convinced, that it is your duty to be immovably fixed in the truths of the gospel, which you have received, and to suffer no man to spoil you of them: If you doubt that, read 2 Peter 3:17, 18, Colossians 1:23, Ephesians 3:17, Colossians 2:6, 7, 1 Corinthians 15:58.

And if this be your sin, to be moved away from it, then it must needs be your duty, to avoid the temptations, means and occasions of such unsettlement. And this is that which is intended in all those cautions given in the word, and but lately recited.

I am against the prophets that steal the word, every man from his neighbor, Jeremiah 23:30. He means the false prophets that enticed the people from those truths, which the true prophets had taught them. There be spiritual cut purses abroad, pray look to yourselves: Men more zealous and hot than ordinary, for their superstitious traditions; inflamed with desires to draw you to it. Which the apostle englishes, Galatians 6:13 that they may glory in your flesh: And therefore beware of men.

Argument 2. Does not your attendance upon, and following of such a ministry, help to midwife and bring forth all those evils with which their ministry travails, and is in pain to be delivered of? Could they do any hurt, if they were generally declined and avoided? Their strength lies in you: As a great commander once said to his soldiers, 'That he flew upon their wings.' Hence it was the Pharisees were so often disappointed in their attempts to lay hands upon Christ; they had a strong design to do it, but the text says, "They could not because of the people," Mark 14:2, Acts 4:21. So the false teachers in Jeroboam's time, Hosea 7:6, 7 were as hot as an oven, with desires and designs to draw the people to false worship, but the people were a great lump, and could not presently be leavened; and therefore in the mean time, until that were done, the baker slept, and ceased from rising. This for a time, obstructed the design; but here is the misery, the people are  matter fit for them to work into any form, if they give them but a heat or two in a plausible sermon, they are malleable, and fit to be hammered into any shape, Jeremiah 5: ult. "The people love to have it so:" And Amos 4:5. This likes you, O house of Israel. Fear of persecution makes them comply with anything, Galatians 6:12.

Argument 3. Can you attend lawfully and comfortably upon such a ministry, upon which you cannot pray for, or expect a blessing? Doubtless, you will readily confess you may not. And can you pray for, or expect a blessing, where you have no promise in all the book of God to warrant or encourage you so to do? It is clear you cannot. Now produce but one promise to the labors of such as God has not sent. A curse upon their labors you may find, Jeremiah 23:32 and upon their gifts and parts. And a prohibition of hearing them, you may find, Jeremiah 23:16. But no promise of a blessing; that only attends a ministry of Christ's own sending, Matthew 28:19, 20.

Objection: But has not Christ sent them? How shall we be satisfied in that?

Sol. Consider what is requisite and necessary in the sending, or due call of a minister. (1.) Whether it be personal qualifications, described, 1 Timothy 3:7, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, 1 Timothy 3:2, 2 Timothy 2:2, John 21:15, 16, 17. (2.) Or free election by the church, to which the ministry is given: See Acts 1:23, 24 and 6:5. (3.) Or (according to true Presbyterian principles) ordination, by fasting, prayer, and imposition of hands, Acts 6:6 and 13:3 and 14:23, 1 Timothy 5:22 and 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6.

If the sending or call of a minister, consists in all or either of these, then judge yourselves whether these men are sent. For their gifts and qualifications necessary to fit them for such a work, let their congregation witness, who are fed upon husks, and starved under them.

For their election by the church, let the godly in their respective parishes witness, whether they were elected by them, or obtruded upon them, and so stand upon the ruins of their own lawful and godly pastors.

And for their ordination, their own canons may inform you: Wherein it is ordered, (1.) That they be made deacons: (2.) Then after a year's space, they must be presented to the bishop, or his suffragan, by an archdeacon or his deputy, saying, 'Reverend father in God, I present these persons to be admitted to the order of priesthood.' (3.) Then after the Litany and some collects, the prelate asks them, 'Do you think in your hearts, that you be truly called according to the will of Christ, and the (order of this church of England, to the ministry of priesthood?' And every one of them answers, I think it. (4.) Then they promise reverently to obey their ordinary, and other chief ministers of the church. (5.) And then kneeling down at the prelate's feet, he, with the priests present, lay their hands on their heads, saying, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you do forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins you do retain they are retained: and be a faithful dispenser of the word of God, and of his holy sacraments, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.' (6.) Then delivering to each of them a Bible, he says, 'Take your authority to preach the word of God, and to administer the holy sacraments, in the congregation where you shall be so appointed.' (7.) And after all this, by the canons of 1603, none of them are to be admitted to any ecclesiastical living, or suffered to preach, except he be licensed so to do, by the archbishop, or bishop of the diocese, and shall subscribe, 'That the book of common prayer, and of ordering bishops priests, and deacons, contains in it nothing contrary to the word of God, and that it may be lawfully used, and that he himself will use the same; and that he allows the book of articles of religion.' (8.) And then lastly, having abjured the covenant, etc. he is a complete priest to all intents and purposes.

Judge now what a fair and regular call here is to the ministry. I remember Acquinas tells us, that 'if the artificer's hand were his rule, he could never work amiss.' And if so, if the prelate's hand be the rule of ordination, they cannot but be well ordained; but if the scriptures be indeed the rule, I am at a loss where to find a text parallel to this practice, unless it be that in 2 Chronicles 13:9 which, I confess, suits it to an hair's breadth.

Objection: But this will invalidate and nullify the call of our former ancient and godly ministers, for they came in the same way: yet God has owned them, and they have made full proof of their ministry.

Sol. Not at all. For, (1.) Though it must be confessed (and themselves will not deny) but there were many grand irregularities in their ordination; yet it was (comparatively) a time of ignorance and darkness; and in such cases, God is more indulgent, and the sin receives not such aggravations, Acts 17:30, Hebrews 5:2, Hebrews 6:5, 6, 7, James 4:17. (2.) As hard as the terms then were, they are harder now by far; several things since that have intervened, which are considerable. (3.) They were holy men, qualified with graces and gifts, able and apt to teach, which is mainly considerable in a minister's call. (4.) Lastly, They generally came into their places at the desire, and upon the call of the most godly persons in the places where they lived. And this, if they had no more, makes them true ministers (in the judgment of many judicious divines) although their Episcopal ordination should be a nullity. Let us hear what is said in this case by others. Amesius's words are these, speaking to this question; in whom is this right of calling the ministers? He answers: (1.) The chief right of calling, is the power of Christ alone, who is the head of the church, author of the ministry, and Lord of ministers. (2.) The delegated right cannot properly be either of diocesan, bishops, or patrons, or magistrates, (as such) because Christ, who instituted the ministry, prescribed nothing singular concerning those orders, communicated nothing of any new right to them, and left his church well ordered without them. (3.) The delegated right is in the power of that whole church, to which the minister that is to be called, ought to serve, etc. which he proves by many weighty arguments. To this I shall join the testimony of that blessed man, now with God, Mr. Jer, Burroughs, his words are these: 'For their calling, I make no question, but there are many ministers in England, as they were, and as they are, that are the true ministers of Jesus Christ, and have a true call from Christ.'

'Objection: But how can that be? They hold their standing from the bishops, and so from antichrist.'

Answer. Take it for granted, that their authority from the bishops was wholly naught and sinful, yet that does not follow, but that many ministers, that had their ordination from them, are true ministers of Christ: Why? Not because of that they had from them, but they had their calling likewise from the people of God, as well as in a seeming way from them: For we will take that for granted, that that they had from them, there was such corruption in it, that they sinned against God; but yet mark, that does not nullify their call, because they had somewhat superadded, wherein they sinned against God.' This he farther illustrates, in the same place, by this similitude, If a man have two deeds or evidences for a piece of land, and one be naught, yet if the other be good and sound, he has a true title. Mr. Collings also, answering this objection, Ministers had their ordination from bishops, and they from Rome, Rome is no true church, and has no true ministry: and those that were not ministers themselves, could not make others. Having inferred several absurdities from the objection, gives this answer; 'Suppose the reformers had no ordination but the call of the people, it was a plain case of necessity; and they had power, doubtless, to restore that ordinance to the church again.'

So that as long as they were holy men, so eminently qualified, and fairly called by good people, far be it from me to question the validity of their call. But the case before us differs Heaven wide from this.

Objection: But they are not worse than the Scribes and Pharisees were? Yet Christ commands his disciples to hear them, Matthew 23:2, 3.

Sol. Because this is the Archillean argument, I shall endeavor to satisfy you in this scripture, and destroy the argument commonly drawn from this place, by these plain and (as I judge) satisfactory replies to it.

1. Those that infer from this text a duty, or a liberty of attending on, or joining with a profane or corrupt ministry, do thereby (though perhaps unawares) gratify the popish cause and interest; for from this very text, they draw many of their arguments to condemn our separation from them, and also to convince us of the necessity of obeying the mandates of their prelates, and hearing their Jesuits and monks, notwithstanding their corruptions in worship, and filthy sodomite lives. Says Calvin, To this sense they wrest the words of Christ. And to the same sense as the pope and the bishops cry out at this day, all things, all things they bid you do, observe and do. So that by taking the words in such a large unlimited sense, we do the cause of Christ more disservice than we are aware of.

2. It is further considerable, that the arguments drawn from this text, are commonly fallacious, taking it for granted, that religious hearing, as an act of worship, is here enjoined; whereas there is not a syllable of any such thing in the text: Indeed Christ bids them observe and do whatever they bid them; but it does not thence follow, they should religiously attend on their ministry. (1.) Because it is evident, these Scribes and Pharisees sustained a double capacity; they were expositors of the law, that we allow; and they were also of the Sanhedrin, in a civil capacity, as rulers; that appears from John 3:1, 10, Acts 5:34. In this civil capacity, they are most properly said, to sit in Moses' seat: For the 70 elders which made up this Sanhedrin, came in upon a civil score at first, as appears from Numbers 11:16, 17 and so were joined with Moses in the government. Now then this command seems most properly to respect them as rulers; who in that capacity both opened the judicious laws of Moses, and enjoined the people to obey them. (2.) Because Christ had before warned them, to take heed of their leaven, that is their doctrine, Matthew 16:6, 12 and told them they were blind guides, and what the fatal issue of them, and their disciples that followed them, would be, Matthew 15:14 both should fall into the ditch; and that their worship was vain, Matthew 15:9 and it is not like he would afterwards encourage them to attend on it.

3. But admit it were so, that Christ gives them liberty to hear them as ministers, though they were corrupt, yet it is no good consequence, that therefore we may hear any ministers, though never so corrupt in principles and practice now. And the reason which destroys this consequence, is this, because there is a vast difference between the infant-state of the gospel-church in the days of Christ on earth, and its more perfect state after his death; we know the first tabernacle was then standing, the veil of the temple not then rent in twain, the gospel-ministry not then instituted: and therefore during that state, as Christ himself submitted to the ordinances of the law, (for it became him to fulfill all righteousness,) so did his disciples submit to them also; yes, and he exhorts others also to observe the rites appointed by it; as Matthew 8:4 bids him that was cleansed, to go and show himself to the priest, and offer his gift which the law of Moses required. But since the death of Christ, and the taking down of that first tabernacle, and the institution of the gospel-ministry, none of these precepts bind: for as judicious Paræus, on the place, notes, this was but a temporal command; which ceased to oblige upon the commissioning and full instruction of the new gospel-ministry: 'And then it is manifest (says he) they made a separation from the Pharisees, and the Jewish synagogue.'

Now we are to attend upon no ministry but of Christ's institution; for to that only has he promised his presence, Matthew 28: ult. and none can preach, that is lawfully, except he be sent, Romans 10. And I have proved before, these are not his ministers, nor sent by him.

 

COUNSEL IV

Give your utmost diligence to promote religion, and the power of godliness, in your respective families, and neighborhoods; and the rather do this with all your might, because the ordinary and more public means of their conversion and edification is cut off.

This counsel consists of two branches; the first concerns your families, the second your neighbors: a word distinctly to each.

1. As to your families, O shine as lights there; lay out your talents as many ways as they may possibly be improvable for the good of all about you, especially those under your guardianship and charge, Exodus 20:10. By this the power of godliness must be discovered in you, and begotten and kept alive in them. The Jews have a tradition, that the fire of the altar was miraculously preserved under-ground, during the Babylonish captivity. I am sure this is the way to preserve religion alive, now the public ordinary means are ceased. Precepts are not wanting to enforce this duty upon you; Deuteronomy 4:9, 10–6:6, 7. Exodus 12:24, 26, 27, Joshua 4:6, 7, 21, 22, Psalm 78:5, 6, Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4 nor yet worthy examples to encourage to it; Genesis 18:19, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Proverbs 31:20, 2 Timothy 3:15, 2 John 1, 4. Aquila and Priscilla had a church in their house, 1 Corinthians 16:19. Nymphas and Philemon in theirs, Colossians 4:15, Philem. 2. "Hence it is, says Davenant on the place, that the apostle sends a special salutation to them, by name; because of their singular piety which manifested itself in their family government." And indeed, how fresh and glorious a remembrance in the scriptures have those worthy saints unto this day, and so shall have, where-ever the gospel is preached, unto the end of the world, who have burned with a holy zeal, not only to offer up themselves, but their families also unto God! David well understood how near this duty lay to the heart of religion, when he puts his soul under the bond of such a solemn engagement to the Lord, Psalm 101:2. It does not a little affect me to read what a learned man observes of the Jews; 'Although religion be miserably deformed among them, yet it seems there are some prints of their ancient family-discipline to this day, remaining among them; for (says he) they are so careful to teach their children in their tender years, the law, and books of Moses, and after that their Talmudica traditions, as that their skill in Judaism at 17, exceeds the knowledge of many among us in Christianity at 70.' Nay, the very Jesuits boast themselves, the grand conservators of the Romish religion, in that they are catechizers. Oh let this provoke Christians! we see how light breaks out more and more in every age; as Luther said, 'I see more than blessed Augustine saw; and they that come after me will see more than I see.' And we have great hopes and expectations of the young generation, that they may enter into the good land, though we should die in this wilderness, O then let us labor to prepare and make them ready for the Lord; and that not only by instructing them in the principles of religion in a catechistical way, (though that be an ordinance of God, and of singular use in its kind) but by endeavoring to the utmost, by counsels, persuasions, prayers for, and with them, to have the power of godliness wrought in their hearts, to travail with them, again in pain, until Christ be formed in them. And to this duty, these arguments among many others, may persuade.

ARGUMENTS

Argument 1. From the relation itself, which is between you and them; look but into your own affections, and you shall find arguments enough to provoke your utmost care and industry for their good: what is a child but a piece of yourself (as one says) enrapt up in another skin? What an inestimable value does nature itself teach you to set upon them? The life of Jacob is said to be bound up in Benjamin's, Genesis 44:30. This dear and ardent affection to them, we use to express by our earnest desires of them, until we have them, Genesis 15:2. "What will you give me, seeing I go childless," said Abraham," Genesis 30:1. "Give me children, or else I die," said Rachel. 1 Samuel 1:10, 11. How earnestly did Hannah pray, in the bitterness of her soul, for a child. Also by the singular contentment we take in them, when we have them, John 16:21 and the wonderful tenderness of our affections to them, and earnest desires to keep them, no value can be set upon a child, Genesis 42:36, 38, Luke 8:41, 42, John 7:47, 49. Also by our sympathizing with them in all conditions; their comfort is ours, Genesis 45:27, 28 and their misery is ours, Mark 9:21. And lastly, by our extreme grief when we lose them, Genesis 37:33, 34, 35, Matthew 2:18.

Now are they such near and dear things to you? O then how many motives does this dear and tender relation wrap up in it, to endeavor the eternal salvation of their poor souls! It is the soul of the child that is the child; and if that perish for want of knowledge, where is the mercy of having children? Surely an untimely birth is better than they: ah! when you shall see them enemies to God, those that came out of your affections to be in rebellion against him; will it not make you take up Job's wish, Job 3:1, 5 and apply it to them, Let the day perish wherein they were born, and the night in which it was said they are conceived; let the darkness and shadow of death stain it: let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it; why died they not from the womb? why did they not give up the Spirit when they came out of the belly why? did the knees not prevent them? or why the breasts that they should suck?—Ah! if you have the hearts of parents in you, think how sad a consideration this will be to you, that those who are so dear to you, should be the objects of Gods wrath: those you have been so tender over, and have so often put into your bosoms, must lie under eternal torments, and their bed be made in Hell? If you have any good thing yourselves, you cannot withhold it from them; if you be feasted abroad, and they pining at home, the greatest dainties do you no good. Why now unless they be taught the knowledge of Christ, and a saving change pass upon them, when you shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God, abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house, and drinking of the rivers of his pleasure, they shall be shut out: nature teaches you to feel the pains of their bodies, and cannot grace teach you to sympathize with the misery of their poor wretched souls? Well the day is coming, if they die Christless, that they will wish they had been the generation of tygers, or off-spring of dragons, rather than your children: and when you can have them no more, you know who must and will.

Argument 2. From that exceeding joy, it must needs be to a godly parent to see his children and relations gracious. May not every godly parent say as John did of the children of the elect lady, "I have no greater joy, than to see them walk in the truth," 2 John 1. 4. Is it pleasing to you to see your own image in them? And will it not much more delight you to see the image of Christ in them? Grace doubles the relation, and so must needs exceedingly increase your joy in them. This is the true way to build up the felicity of our issue. How many anxious thoughts and solicitous cares will this discharge your heart of! O if you leave them in the covenant of grace, your heart may be at rest concerning them; if you leave them not a groat, they shall not want a father to care for them, when you are in the dust. Besides, grace will effectually teach them the duties of their relation to you, while you live; hereby you will provide, not only for their eternal good, but your own joy also.

Argument 3. The work now lies upon your hand more than ever, as I hinted before; and truly you have many singular advantages above all others to do the work. (1.) You are continually with them, and so may take the fittest seasons to drop your admonitions upon them, Deuteronomy 6:6, 7. (2.) You best know their tempers and dispositions, and so can apply yourselves with more advantage to them. (3.) You have the deepest interest in their hearts and affections, which is a great matter; this will make your words (especially if dropped upon them with much affection) sink deep. Oh what child can chose but relent, while a parent is speaking with a melting heart to him about his eternal concernments. I remember Augustine writes of his mother Monica, that she planted the precepts of life in his mind by her words, watered them with her tears, and nourished them with her example. A precious pattern for all mothers.

Methinks these arguments should excite you to your duty; O if you have in you the affections of parents, let them impel you to it; you cannot plead danger here as in other duties; against such there is [yet] no law.

2. As to your neighborhood. You should study to be useful in your generation; are there any poor carnal neighbors about you? O visit them, and be ever dropping some serious words of counsel upon them: how do you know but there may be some sleeping conviction left upon them by the ministry they once sat under, which you may be instrumental to awaken? And are there any that fear the Lord near you? O be often together, strengthen the hands that hang down. The Jews have a proverb, that one dry stick will set two green ones on fire. A lively Christian may be of singular use in such a day as this. In Malachi 3:16 we find what the practice of Christians was in an evil day, as it appears that was by the 15th verse, "They that work wickedness are set up, yes, they that tempt God are even delivered." And yet, Then "they that feared the Lord, spoke often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.—And they shall be mine," etc. Oh how well does God take it when his people will not be terrified from their duty by the fear of men! "The Lord hearkened and heard it:" 'They did not whisper so in one another's ear (says a modern divine) but God over-heard them,' the Lord listened, as it were at the key-hole, he was under the window, and kept it upon record; a book of remembrance was written. O how pleasant is it to God to see his secret ones making hard shifts to get together to worship him! Canticles 2:14. "O my dove you are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice; for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is lovely." What are these clefts of rocks and secret places of the stairs, but those secret retiring places where the people of God get together in difficult times to seek their God? There they poured out their souls together in broken-hearted confessions of sin. 'The primitive Christians (says Hilary) were not to be sought in palaces and outward pomp, but rather in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth;' as Hebrews 11:38. 'In Queen Mary's time, (says Mr. Fox) there were sometimes forty, sometimes an hundred, sometimes two hundred, came together as they could, in private places in London, for mutual edification.'

And though men call this by hard names, and load it with reproach, as if it were faction and sedition, yet it undergoes another censure in Heaven. I remember Tertullian, about 1400 years ago, in his apology vindicates this practice of theirs against the calumnies of the heathen; "When good men meet together, (says he) it is not to be called a faction, but a court. And on the contrary, the name of faction is to be applied to them who conspire in hatred against good and honest men. And what place is accounted so honorable, and abounds with such delight as the courts of princes?" Yes, let us hear what a bishop of our own speaks of such meetings; 'Sometimes (says he) the rage of persecution suffers not the church to meet in the public sight of all, but forces them as it were to creep into private holes;' as Revelation 12:6 as Athanasius and other orthodox Christians, were gladly to seek hiding places from the Arians.

"Every meeting of the faithful, although for their fewness they may be included within the walls of a private house, although by the fury of the enemies they keep their meeting by night, yet it is a true church." Thus bishop Davenant. And truly if the saints had nothing else but the gracious presence of Christ, (which is by promise engaged to be among them) it were enough to oppose to all the difficulties and dangers attending on such a duty. What a sweet promise is that, Matthew 18:20. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them;" that is, says Cameron, not only with them, but as a president among them; Christ will be there to defend, teach, and bless them. How often has this promise been made good to the experiences of the saints? John 20:19. "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst of them, and says unto them, Peace be unto you." Oh if Jesus be in the midst of you, no matter how many enemies combine against you: if he speak peace to you, no matter who prepares war against you: it is worth the venturing far to meet with Jesus Christ, and enjoy fellowship with him in such duties.

And besides, this is the way to prevent the decay and cooling of your affections: in times of abounding iniquity, the love of many will wax cold; "but he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved." Lo it is but an [he] (says one upon the text) a single man, a very few, that hold out in comparison with the apostates. The whole world went wondering after the beast, Revelation 13:3, 4. Such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arian times, that Basil cries out: Has the Lord utterly forsaken his churches? The ship of the church was then almost overwhelmed, says Hierom; when the storm is at its height, you shall see professors fall like the leaves in autumn, or as rotten fruit in a windy day. The dragon's tail shall sweep down the third part of the stars. Now to fix you in such a day, the communion of saints is of singular use, they do wedge in and fasten one another; all the enemy's rage could not sever them; in the primitive times, Acts 4:23 being let go, they went to their company: "Two (says Solomon) are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will help up his fellow: but Woe to him that is alone," Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10. "If two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?" Communion with spiritual Christians affords this double benefit; if one stumble, yes, fall, another will recover him; if one's affections grow chill, another's zeal will warm them again: the benefit of such society is unspeakable, and truly the nearer you keep to God, the closer you will cleave to one another, as lines are nearer at the center.

 

COUNSEL V

Study to keep yourselves pure from the corruptions of the present world.

It is not only a great sin, but an ill sign, to be carried away with the streams of the times. A sin, because directly opposite to the command, Romans 12:2. "Be not conformed to this world," or to this age; the meaning is, Do not get into the garb of the times. And an ill sign, because the scripture makes it the character of a wicked man, Ephesians 2:2. "They walk according to the course of this world." In the original: according to the age, as the manner of the times went. It is as dangerous living in ill company, as breathing in an infectious air; for as one observes well, "No pest does sooner infect the air than sin infects and defiles the mind:" It is as hard a matter to preserve yourselves from guilt among wicked men, as it is to keep yourselves clean, where many dirty dogs are leaping and fawning upon you: The diseases of the soul are very catching. How great a commendation was it to Noah, that he was upright, and walked with God, when all flesh had corrupted their ways! And how beautiful a sight is it to see Christians shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation! Philippians 2:15 to continue a lily among thorns. The world is a sea, and every particular person in it a drop: Now to see a drop of water in the sea carried in a counter-motion to the tide, is marvelous. Christians are a distinct company of themselves, Acts 4:23. "You are of another world," John 17:14 and your converses should be in Heaven, Colossians 3:1, 2 and with heavenly spirits, Psalm 16:3. O how hard is it to escape partnership with them in sin, if we converse unnecessarily among them! If fine bread be in the same oven with coarse, the finer partakers of that which is coarse, but the coarse seldom partakes of the fine: If you lay bright and clear armor among that which is rusty, the rusty armor communicates its rust to the clean, but the bright communicates not its brightness to the rusty. There are more ways than one by which you may be involved into guilt by them. Suppose you consent not with them, much less instigates them to sin, yet may you be defiled by their sin, if it be but by silence when you ought to reprove them, Leviticus 5:1 or by not being so grieved, and tenderly affected with their sins as you ought, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 2. Thus did David, Psalm 119:136 and Lot, 2 Peter 2:7, 8 that they might free their own souls. From this I might dissuade you by many arguments: As,

ARGUMENTS

Argument 1. The express command of God laid upon you; he has forbidden you to follow a multitude to do evil, Exodus 23:2 it may be understood either of multitude or magnitude, many men, or great men, (for the will of God is not revealed to men with respect either to their numbers or greatness, but his secret is with them that fear him;) to go in the way of evil men, Proverbs 4:14 to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, Ephesians 5:11 to save yourselves from this untoward generation, Acts 2:40 with many of like importance. And this is reason enough to make you cautious, seeing God has given such express prohibitions in this case.

Argument 2. The special eye of favor with God has always been cast upon such as have been upright in their generation, and kept themselves pure from the corruptions of the times they lived in. Noah walked with God when the earth was over-spread with an inundation of wickedness, Genesis 6:9. And Noah is saved by the Lord, when the earth is overwhelmed with an inundation of water, Genesis 5:8. Lot's righteous soul is vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites, and he is graciously exempted from the desolation that came upon them, Genesis 19:16 he would not join hands with sinners, and God will take him by the hand, as a friend, to rescue him out of the danger. Elijah will walk with and appear for God, when he could see none to stand by him, when idolatry had over-spread the face of the whole country; and what miraculous and wonderful providences did he experience in his protections and sustentations! Either the Lord will hide him in the grave, from the troubles that shall be among the living, Isaiah 57:1 (so Augustine was taken away a little before the sacking of Hippo; Paræus a little before the taking of Heidelburg; Luther before the wars brake forth in Germany; Methuselah just before the flood) or else he sets some special mark upon them, that they may be distinguished in the general calamity, Ezekiel 9:4, 5. "Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the fore-heads of them that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." And to the other he said, "Go after him, and smite, let not your eye spare, neither have you pity." So Revelation 7 before the vials come to be poured out upon the earth, the servants of God are sealed; even such as had kept themselves pure from anti-Christian pollutions.

Argument 3. The danger we run ourselves into thereby, dangers I say, not only of destruction) for "a companion of fools shall be destroyed," Proverbs 13:20) but of defilement also; the devil has his agents and factors in every corner to entice you to sin, and you have corrupt hearts as apt to receive impressions from the examples and persuasions of sinners, as tinder is to receive fire; and it is no wisdom, you know, for him that carries gun-powder about him, to come too near the fire where the sparks fly.

Now, to prevent this danger of being infected with the sins and evils of the times, I shall lay down a few directions.

1. If you would prevent infection in these evil days, begin every day with God: season your hearts every morning by communion with the Lord. This was David's practice, Psalm 139:18. "When I awake, I am still with you." It was blessed counsel which a worthy person gives in this case; 'Before earthly things (says he) break in upon us, and we receive impressions from abroad, it is good to season the heart with thoughts of God, and to consecrate the early and virgin operations of the mind, before they are prostituted to baser objects. When the world gets the start of religion in the morning, it can hardly overtake it all the day; and so the heart is habituated to vanity all the day long: but when we begin with God, we take him along with us to all the businesses and comforts of the day; which being seasoned with his love and fear, are the more sweet and savory to us.'

2. Be choice in your company. Christ indeed conversed frequently with publicans and sinners, but it was still in order to their good, and there was no danger of receiving any evil from them, there was nothing in him to fasten a temptation upon, but we can seldom get off without a taint.

3. Quicken up your zeal for God; this will be a spur to the discharge of your duty in all places, times, and companies. 'Love (says Mr. Gurnall) ever goes armed with zeal, that is her dagger she draws against all opposers of truth.' Qui non zelat non amat. Many times we hear the name of God profaned, and dare not take as much liberty and boldness to reprove sin, as they do to commit it: whence is this but from the want of zeal? O it would make you, as it did Jonathan, to cast a kingdom at your heels, to appear against sin: And methinks your interest in God should provoke your zeal. We must not neglect the duty of a friend, for fear of incurring the suspicion of an enemy: It is better to lose the smiles than the souls of men: If you discharge your duty, the sin is his; if not, it is your too.

4. Furnish your hearts with such principles, as are antidotes and preservatives against infections. As physicians advise in times of infection, to carry some preservatives still about you. Of this sort I shall commend four or five, and shut up this head.

1. Nothing must lie nearer your heart, if you be a Christian, than the glory of your God; all ends, interests, and designs, must be subjected to that; and whatever cannot be subordinated, must be rejected. If this principle were but settled upon the heart, what brave spirits would it breed and raise in your breast! It would untie your tongue, like Crœsus' dumb son, to plead for your father. It was a brave speech of Hierom, in an evil day, when the rage of the enemy was great against the name and people of God; 'O that they would turn their weapons upon me, and be satisfied with my blood.' And a sweet one is that of Bernard to the same purpose, Malo in nos murmur hominum, quam in Deum; Rather let their reproach fall on us, than on God. Bonum est mihi si dignetur Deus, me uti pro clypeo; I should account it a mercy, if God would grant to use me as a shield. Much like that of David, "The reproaches of them that reproached you, are fallen on me." If God's glory be your principal end, thus it will subject all other ends and interest to it, and then it will open your mouth to plead for him, and appear in all the concernments of his name.

2. The peace of your own conscience, is to be preferred to the favor of any man, and will abundantly recompense the frowns of men. "This is our rejoicing, even the testimony of our conscience." This is the sweetest friend, sacrifice it not to any man's lust or will.

3. The greatest expression of love to another, is to hate his sin, Proverbs 27:6. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend;" and the greatest injury to another, is to connive at his wickedness, Leviticus 19:17.

4. No man shall be a loser at last, by being faithful to God, and to his duty; if you have no reward from men, yet be sure you shall from God: And yet God so orders it oftentimes, that men shall love you better for your faithfulness; Proverbs 28:23. "He that rebukes a man, afterwards shall find more favor than he who flatters with his lips."

5. A Christian should do that, and nothing but that now, which he judges will be comfortable to him in a calm review at death and judgment: This would make you accurate Christians indeed. O treasure up these principles, and live in the daily exercise of them.

 

COUNSEL VI

Prepare for fiery trials, while the Lord gives you such a gracious season of peace and liberty.

Ecclesiastes 8:5. "A wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment." And indeed it is a special point of wisdom, to apprehend and improve seasons aright. Christian, you must use your foreseeing faculties, to discover danger at a distance, and so prevent surprizals; "A prudent man foresees the evil," Proverbs 22:3. Yes, sense itself teaches the brute beasts to get to the hedge, when a storm is coming; and can you not foresee a storm in the clouds, do they not gather blacker and blacker over your head? O prepare for it; get your suffering graces, your winter garments on. "Put them in mind (says the apostle) to be ready to every good work," Titus 3:1 it active or passive obedience, you must be ready for it. Blessed Paul had fitted and provided himself, Acts 21:13. "I am [ready] not only to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus:" He had, as I may say, laid his neck on the block before hand, 2 Timothy 4:6. "I am ready (says he) to be offered up." Thus Christ was ready for his sufferings, "Lo, I come, (says he) upon the Father's call," Psalm 40:7. And as this is an argument of an heart truly gracious, so it is a singular advantage to the Christian when troubles come; it is as the shoe, Ephesians 6:15. "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Ah! when you come off these plains of peace and liberty, into the hard, rugged paths of suffering, you will find what a benefit it will be to you, to be well shod with this preparation of the gospel of peace. Habakkuk had it, chapter 3:16. "I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: And when difficulties and straits came, he could go away singing under them", verse 17. "Though the fig-tree," etc. yes, he could walk securely through the thickets of trouble, and over the craggy rocks and precipices of danger, as is intimated, verse 19. "The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet," that is to pass with ease, in such ways of difficulty as would distract others: "And he will set me upon my high places;" that is he will enable me to go without fear over mountains of trouble. O Christian, how soon a storm may rise you know not, Genesis 22:2, Acts 12:1 to be sure it will not be long, the heavens are black, and some drops already fallen: Prepare therefore for it, and have your suffering graces ready.

QUESTION But what are they? And how must they he prepared?

Sol. Though every grace is necessary in its place, and in the course of a Christian's conversation, comes to take his turn; as every spoke in a wheel bears a stress, and is of use in the whole turn and round thereof; yet as those spokes which are undermost at present, do present service, so those graces which are now exercised, and are to bear the present burden of this day, are such as these;

1. Faith. This has a precedence given it to all other graces; as in point of justification, so of sustentation in a suffering hour; Ephesians 6:16. "Above all, taking the shield of faith:" This is like the liver-vein, this goes to Christ, and conveys blood and life to the soul from him; now "the just shall live by faith," Hebrews 10:38. It was by faith those renowned worthies, Hebrews 11 performed such glorious actions. By faith it is that a poor Christian gets a glimpse of the invisible God and glory, which marvelously supports him under distresses, Hebrews 11:27, 2 Corinthians 4:18. By this the soul is filled with peace, and inward tranquility, Romans 5:1, 2. And that is a singular preparation for suffering, Ephesians 6:15. Smite, Lord, smite, (said Luther) for my sins are forgiven me." By faith a poor soul rolls itself and its burden upon God, 2 Timothy 1:12 and so quits and discharges itself of all that anxiety and perplexity of spirit, which puts the sinking weight into affliction. Oh then look to your faith, see it be not only alive, but lively; keep that grace in your heart, and you shall do well.

2. Patience: A grace fitted for the purpose: it is not only a grace itself, but the conservatory of other graces. As God has placed temperance on the right hand of godliness, to defend it from injury by the flatteries and allurements of the world, so has he placed patience on the left, to defend it from the wrong it might receive by adversity, 2 Peter 1:5, 6 a grace so necessary in an evil day, that the Spirit has set it in equipage with faith itself, Hebrews 6:12 and the crown promised to it, Romans 2:7. It is an hardy grace, bred by tribulation, Romans 5:3 will make a Christian long-winded in his race to glory. Oh then beg that you may be strengthened with all might in the inner-man, unto all patience; if not, though you may be set out with much seeming gallantry of resolution, yet you must needs faint in the way, and fall short at last.

3. Holy courage and magnanimity. This grace must now say in your heart, as Elijah once did, "As the Lord lives, I will show my self." How conspicuous has this grace been in those worthy heroes that are past on before us! See Daniel 3:16, 17, Hebrews 11 per tot. Acts 20:24 and 21:13. When Valens the emperor endeavored to draw Basil from the faith, he first offers him great preferments, but his spirit was raised above that; 'Offer these things (said he) to children:' then he tries him by threatenings of grievous torments, but his spirit was above that also; 'threaten these things (said he) to your purple gallants, that give themselves to pleasure.' The same Basil relates the answer of the forty martyrs, (whose story he writes;) when the persecutors, says he, offered them great preferments to draw them from Christ, this was their answer; 'Why offer you to us these small things of the world, when you know the whole world is contemned by us?' One of the nobles of Julian present at the tormenting of Marcus, bishop of Arethusa, was forced to say, 'We are ashamed, O Emperor, the Christians laugh at your cruelty, and grow the more resolute.' Our very women and children, not to speak of men, (says Lactantius) do overcome their tormentors, and the fire cannot fetch so much as a sigh from them.' The same glorious spirit of courage for the Lord Jesus rested also upon Luther, Zuinglius, and those blessed souls that freely offered themselves to the Lord in queen Mary's time. And truly, Christian, not only necessity which lies upon you, should provoke courage, for there is no retreating, unless you resolve to perish, Hebrews 10:38 but methinks the infinite excellency of Christ, in whose cause and quarrel you are engaged, exacts it of you, and should make you lay down all at his feet, not by constraint, but willingly, looking upon it as your privilege, Philippians 1:29.

4. Lastly, To name no more, self-denial must now be promoted. "If any man will come after me, he must deny himself," Mark 8:34. Both sinful self, which must absolutely and universally be denied; and natural, yes, religious self, which must respectively, and in some cases, be denied also. The want of this, has been the downfall and ruin of many an eminent professor. The most dangerous nick and opportunity of temptation, is, when a man is tried in his darling lust; now he falls by the root, if that be not mortified. This was the ruin of Judas; covetousness was his predominant lust; and when he was tried there, he falls immediately, Matthew 26:16. "What will you give me, and I will betray him?" This overturned Demas also. O consider these things.

 

COUNSEL VII

Get your hearts deeply affected with Zion's misery, and strive earnestly with the Lord on its behalf.

Psalm 137:5. "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." The pouring out of this spirit of compassion, will be a token for good to us; Psalm 102:13. "You will arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, yes, the set time is come." But how knew he who? "For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof." Upon which words one glosses thus; 'It is as if he should say, Would you have me give an account of my hope and confidence, that God will arise and have mercy upon Zion; why (says he) do you not see the servants of God everywhere troubled for Zion, and bemoan Zion, and weep over her, crying out over her ruins, O is this Zion! What, the city of our solemnities? What, she that was the praise and beauty of the whole earth! Ah, Lord, who can hold his peace at such a sight as this? Oh, who can look upon Zion with dry eyes? Are these her stones that lie thus scattered in the dust? Oh it is a thousand pities to see Zion in such a sad and mournful condition! Oh that our heads were waters, and our eyes rivers of tears? Come, Sirs, what shall we do for Zion? Is there nothing we can do by our counsels, our prayers, for repairing of these breaches?' O thus it should be with us at this day: as Mr. Perkins said of his day. These are not times of striving, but praying; it is no time now to strive with one another, but to unite our strength, and like the true generation of Jacob, to be striving with our God. To be minding the world, and seeking of great things for ourselves now, is no small evil: God expects his saints should now be clothed in black, and walk as true mourners under the great and sore rebukes of their Father: should we now make mirth? Ezekiel 21:10. "It despises the rod of my son, as every tree." God brings it in as an heavy charge upon the people, Amos 6:6 that they "are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph;" or as the Hebrew, over the rentings and tearings in pieces of Joseph, that is, the church. It is a lively allusion to the sad lamentation that old Jacob made over the supposed renting of his dear Joseph, Genesis 42:21. Joseph is not, I will go down to the grave to my son mourning: but his brethren saw the anguish of his soul, and pitied him not. And may not many of the Lord's own people charge the same thing upon their hearts at this day, that they did upon themselves, "We are truly guilty (say they) concerning our brother Joseph." Ah! have we not heard of the anguish of Zion, and the sore distress upon many of her children at this day, and yet have not been so tenderly touched with the due sense of it? Oh write that man heartless, that has no compassion in his spirit now for Zion: you may promise to yourself immunity from the common calamity, but God has said, Amos 6:7. "You shall go captive with the first that go captive." Ah! is this a time, as God said to Baruch, Jeremiah 45 to seek great things for yourselves; it is enough if you have your life for a prey: are you now building and feathering your nests, when the ax of judgment lies at the root of that tree you build in, to cut it down? Surely we may say of such designs now, as Hushai did of the counsel of Ahithophel, "It is not good at this time." In that day did the Lord call to mourning; and is there not as loud a call at this day? "The voice of the rod cries to the city," Micah 6:9. Oh! be not deaf to that cry," now go to the Lord with a holy importunity, under a quick sense of Zion's misery, and give him no rest until he arise and have mercy on her. And among many other, these arguments may persuade to it.

ARGUMENTS

Argument 1. The gracious nature of that God to whom you go for help and mercy; Oh remember you lie down at the feet of a tender-hearted Father, willing to be overcome by you: Amos 6:12. "Therefore thus will I do unto you, and because I will do this, prepare to meet your God, O Israel," that is in a way of humiliation to prevent him: So Luke 18:7. And shall not God avenge his [own elect] that cry unto him day and night, though he bear long with them? Mark the motive [his own] Can a father shut up the affections of mercy from his own flesh? How much less God, to whose compassions the most dear and tender affections of all the parents in the world, is but as a drop to the ocean. This Jonah well understood, Jonah 4:2. "Was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repent you of the evil:" Yes, Lord, I knew before-hand what it would come to; I must go to Nineveh, and denounce your judgments against it, and then if they do but humble themselves a little, your mercies and compassions are so tender and abundant, that you can not smite them; if they do but come upon the knee, the rod falls out of your hand: I knew it would be so, I was persuaded before-hand, that free-grace would make me appear as a liar to them, therefore I fled to Tarshish. O what a motive is this to bring you upon the knee before God at this day!

Argument 2. Consider how dear an interest it is that you espouse and plead for, dear to God, and therefore the greater probability of success; you may say to God, as Mary and Martha did to Christ concerning their brother Lazarus, "Lord, he whom you love is sick." Ah! the interest of his Son, which I persuade you to plead with him, lies near his heart, and dear to you, if you be real saints: for, alas! what joy can you have to survive Zion's prosperity? Would you not in such a case say as the prophet, 1 Kings 19:4. "Ah Lord God, it is enough, take away my life also." O therefore strive with God for it.

Argument 3. Consider how much you have contributed to the provoking and procuring cause of its present misery; it is Zion's own sons and daughters that have procured this unto her; and shall there be none among all the sons she has brought up to take her by the hand, and comfort her! It is our contests and wranglings one with another, our barrenness under the gospel, our abuse of deliverances, and most precious gospel-enjoyments that have procured all this. Ah sirs! will you not strive to pray back the mercies you have helped to sin away?

Argument 4. Those that are most deeply humbled, and do most fervently intercede for Zion now, shall have a peculiar share in her joy when the Lord restores it: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dreamed, then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." Psalm 126:1, 2. But who were these that laugh and rejoice at Zion's mercy? Were they not such as had mourned for her; yes, yes, they that thus reap in joy, are such as had before sown in tears, verse 5, 6 to such indeed the promise is made, Isaiah 57:18 and 65:10. Rejoice for joy with her all you that mourn for her. Let these things affect your souls.

 

COUNSEL VIII

That seeing a day of great trouble is approaching, and all outward comforts ready to take their farewell of you, you should now give all diligence to clear up your title to Christ, and interest in that kingdom which cannot be shaken.

If ever we had need to make all honest haste to Heaven, and to clear up our interest in it, this is the time; what have we be-sides this to oppose to all our troubles here? what will you do when all earthly comforts are fled? And are they not upon the wing? When it comes to resisting to blood, and giving up all, can you fadge with such work as this, while your spirits are dubious and cloudy in this point? O my friends believe it, it is nothing but this that can make a saint triumph and glory in abuses and tribulations, 2 Corinthians 4:16, 17, 18, Hebrews 10:34. Romans 5:1, 2, 3. And little do you imagine how insupportable troubles are, when the spirit is low and dubious in point of interest. The devil, like a true coward, falls upon a poor saint, when he is prostrate in his spirit, and under trouble, then he pours in discouragements from all hands; he loves to fall upon them, as Simeon and Levi did upon the Shechemites when they were sore, Genesis 34:25. Satan knows men will hardly part with their present sensible comforts until they be assured of better: it is easier, without doubt, for an assured Christian to lay down his neck for Christ, than for another to part with a piece of his estate, or bear a reproach for him: and truly whether we consult safety or comfort, whether we consider the ineffable sweetness of that peace and joy begotten by assurance; or the misery of being subjected in a day of trouble to the misgivings, doubts, and fears of a perplexed spirit, you will find that all these considerations do put a necessity, a solemnity, a glory upon this work: but O the difficulties and dangers attending it! what judgment, faithfulness, resolution, watchfulness does it require! such is the darkness, deceitfulness, inconstancy of the heart; and such the malice, policy, and diligence of Satan to improve these, that he who attempts this work, had need both to watch his seasons for it, frequently to look up to God for guidance and illumination; and to spend many sad and serious thoughts before he determine this business.

To the end therefore, that this most weighty and important work may not miscarry in your hands, I entreat you carefully to observe these six Directions following.

 

Direction 1

Be sure you try yourself by sound, approved marks of sincerity, and not by such as are only probable, and common to hypocrites, for these will fail when any stress is laid upon them, and, like the reeds of Egypt, pierce into your hand.

To help you therein, I have collected the best scripture-marks illustrated and prepared for your use, by the labors of some of our most skillful heart anatomists: The substance of which I shall here transcribe, lest you should not have the books at hand.

Four signs of a sincere heart, by Mr. Gurnall, in the second part of his treatise on Ephesians 6:

Marks

1 Mark. A sincere heart is a new heart, Ezekiel 11:19 whereas it was formerly divided among the creatures, now it is gathered unto God: it has but one design, which above all it pursues; and that is to approve itself to God; as one that having many pieces of old silver lying by him, which he intends to put into one bowl; he first resolves to cast it anew, and to that end throws it into the fire to melt, and so at last shuts up all in one piece.

2 Mark. A sincere heart is a simple plain heart; 2 Corinthians 1:12 and this simplicity appears in three things. (1.) In ransacking itself, in which it is exceeding diligent, and fearful of a mistake, willing to know the worst of himself; in judging itself, when the sin is found, he proceeds to sentence a lust, as well as to search diligently for it. (2.) In plain-dealing with God, as well as with itself: an hypocrite asks what he would not thank God to give him, but a sincere soul is deeply affected when his prayers are not answered, and uses the means to obtain his desires. (3.) In plain dealing with men, he will not subject his conscience to fleshly interest, nor shape his course to the times.

3 Mark. The sincere Christian is uniform; and that, (1.) As to the object; (2.) The subject; (3.) The circumstances of his obedience. For the first, his heart lies close to the whole law of God, Psalm 26:11 has respect to all the commands: as for the subject, the whole man (so far as renewed) moves one way: judgment, will, affections, move uniformly: as to circumstances, he is holy in all times, places, etc.

4 Mark. The sincere Christian is progressive, is not content with any measure of grace, Philippians 3:13, 15 never at his journey's end, until he get to Heaven, Psalm 17:15.

Five marks of uprightness, by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick, in his anatomy of uprightness:

1 Mark. If a man be upright, he will mostly strive for an inward reformation of his heart, Psalm 119:10, James 4:8, Romans 1:9. It is not sufficient his outward actions look well, unless his heart were better: Oh, says he, that this heart were better, more holy, more humble, more believing; the principal regard of the hypocrite is to externals.

2 Mark. If a man be upright, a little holiness will not serve his turn, Philippians 3:12, 13, 14, 15.

3 Mark. A person may know his uprightness by the conscionable disposition of his heart about all sins, Psalm 18:23, Job 1:1. Hypocrites have still some way of wickedness. Such a soul as is upright, will make conscience of secret, as well as open sins, Job 31:26, 27, etc. Proverbs 12:5 yes, of the least sins; David's heart smote him for cutting off the skirt of Saul's garment; yes, of sins which are in a sort more connatural to him, Psalm 18:23. In a word, uprightness appears in nine things about sins. (1.) It will endure trial, Psalm 139:23. (2.) It will often try itself. (3.) It scares itself, and is suspicious. (4.) It will bless God for being kept from sin; as David did for Abigail's counsel. (5.) It is more severe against its own sins than another's. (6.) It condemns sin in all; in parents, as Jonathan in Saul; in children, as Jacob in Simeon and Levi: in great ones, as John Baptist in Herod. (7.) It grieves for its own sins, and the sins of others also. Rivers of water ran down David's eyes upon that account. (8.) It is more moved for sins against God, than injuries done to itself; as David cannot bear Goliath's blasphemies, yet can bear Shimei's railings. (9.) Abstinence suffices not without hatred; and hatred suffices not without mortification.

4 Mark. Uprightness is known by a man's disposition about holy duties, and in holy duties. Five things manifest the uprightness of the heart.

1. Universality, Psalm 119:6, Acts 24:16, Hebrews 13:18. An hypocrite's obedience cannot be universal, because his grounds and motives are but particular.

2. By its Constancy, Job 2:3 still he holds fast his integrity. There are three things in which an hypocrite may express great forwardness; (1.) When straits of conscience are on him, Isaiah 26:16. (2.) When duties are not dangerous, Matthew 13:5, 6, 20. (3.) In the presence of others; as Joash while Jehoiadah lived.

3. By simplicity of obedience, when a man looks not at himself, but at God's command, 2 Corinthians 1:12 and 5:14.

4. By the spirituality of obedience, when the very heart and soul, the spirit and affections act themselves, and co-operate with our services, 1 Corinthians 14:15, Romans 1:9, Ephesians 6:5, 6.

5. By the humility of obedience, hypocrites are proud of their work. When God enlarges the heart, a saint may rejoice; but the hypocrite will boast. A saint gives all to God, 1 Chronicles 29:13, 14.

5 Mark. A fifth trial of uprightness is, if the bent and purpose of the heart be unto God, Psalm 119:5, Psalm 90:8, 1 Chronicles 19:11, Acts 11:23. And this bent or purpose of the heart implies three things. (1.) An inward desire, joined with love, Psalm 119:5. (2.) An habitual inclination, not a sudden pang, Psalm 119:20. (3.) An active purpose, Acts 24:16.

Six trials of sincerity, such as no hypocrite in the world can have, by Mr. Sydenham, in his treatise of hypocrisy:

Trials

Trial 1. To hate sin as sin, to hate it in its whole nature, in its first motions, not because it troubles the conscience, or brings me to Hell, or renders me unsuitable to my designs and relations in the world, but as it is sin.

Trial 2. No hypocrite can delight to be made ashamed by God in its duties, to be made purely nothing in its own eyes, and the eyes of others. This a sincere soul can do; he can take pleasure in the Lord's humbling of him. An hypocrite cannot endure to be outshone; the principle that acts him is self-love: but a saint loves to be laid low before God.

Trial 3. No hypocrite can bless God, and love him from his heart, when God smites him in his dearest enjoyments or nearest lusts; strike him in anything that the eye or heart of him is upon, and he secretly hates Christ. Now a saint, in such a case, will cling to Christ; he cannot but love him for all that.

Trial 4. No hypocrite can love the person of Christ, nor a saint as a saint; he only loves to be pardoned by him, and have some comfort from him; but never finds his heart to work in love to Christ, and have union with him, as the ground of all his comforts. And so, for a saint, loves him not as such, but as so and so tempered and qualified.

Trial 5. No hypocrite can go on in any spiritual work or service for Christ with any contentment, without sensible comforts or outward respects, the wind of men fills his sails: but a saint can take pleasure in the poorest work of Christ, wherein he is least seen.

Trial 6. No hypocrite in the world can long to be like Christ, as to be respected by Christ; he cannot love the holiness of Christ, as the good things he gets by Christ: but a sincere heart, if he have never so much comfort, yet if he be not like Christ, is not pleased. And this is the first direction, try, by sound evidences, sincerity.

Direction 2. Make choice of the fittest seasons for this great work, and set about this when you find your hearts in the most quiet and serious frame; for as he who will see his face in a glass must be fixed, and not in motion; or in the water, must not disturb or make any commotion in it; so is it in this case, Psalm 4:4. "Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still".

Direction 3. Endeavor to cast out and watch against self-love, lest your heart being prepossessed thereby, your judgment be blinded, and become partial in passing sentence upon your estate: labor to bring your heart to be willing to know the worst of itself: yes, and if you have all this while been deceived, to bless the Lord, that now, at last, your mistake is discovered, and to be willing to lay the foundation new again. This you must do, for he who will put on the person of a judge, must put off the person of a friend.

Direction 4. Labor to keep upon your heart a deep and lively sense of the approaching judgment, throughout this work, knowing what a potent influence this has upon the conscience to make it deliberate, serious, and faithful in its work; and therefore demand of your own conscience, upon the resolution of each question. Whether it will own and stand to that it now speaks in the great day, when the counsels of all hearts shall be made manifest.

Direction 5. Go to the Lord by prayer when you are going about this work, and earnestly beg guidance and assistance from him therein: it is the work of the Spirit to seal and assure you: and he has promised him to that purpose to such as seek him, Luke 11:13, John 14:26.

Direction 6. Condemn not yourself presently for an hypocrite, upon the discoveries of your many weaknesses and imperfections in obedience; these should humble, but not discourage you; it is not your inevitable weaknesses, your sensible dullness, your lamented rovings, your opposed distractions, your mistaken unbelief (as one well notes) that argues you christless, or excludes you from the promises, Numbers 15:27, 28, 29, 30, Hebrews 5:2. These break not the bond of the covenant: the Lord expects no angelical perfection from you in this estate, but looks at your sincerity, and knows, as a father, how to pity your lamented infirmities, Psalm 103:11, 12, 13, 14.

 

CONCLUSION

And now I have given you my best advice and counsel, to preserve you from the snares and evils that are, and are coming upon the world; what use you will make of it, I know not. I doubt not but it will find a welcome reception among humble and hungry souls, though the full and wanton soul despise it. "He who hearkens unto counsel (says Solomon) is wise," Proverbs 12:15. And if your heart be shut by pride or interest against it, it is an ominous sign to your soul, 2 Chronicles 25:16 and presages ruin. Which sad event, I shall beg the Lord in mercy to avert.