Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

hopes, and make us lose so much of the labour | Alas! what is that to the message which we of our lives! And if all others did as some do come about to thee; what is that to the business by us, alas, how sad an employment should we that we are preaching of? The question I am have! and how little would it trouble us to be putting to you, is not whether you will be for silenced and laid aside! If we were sick of the this form of church-government, or for that, for ambitious, or covetous thirst, we should then a ceremony or against it; but it is, whether you say, that it is they that deny us wealth and hon- will hearken in time to God and conscience, and our that disappoint us. But if we are Chris- be as busy to provide for heaven, as ever you tians, this is not our case, but it is the thirst have been to provide for earth; whether you will after your conversion and salvation which affects set yourselves to do the work that you are creaus therefore it is you, even you that linger in ted and redeemed for? This is the business that your sins and delay repentance, forget your home, I am sent to call you to; what say you; will and neglect your souls; it is you that disappoint, you do it, and do it seriously without delay; and you that occasion our affliction; and as you shall not be able to say that I called you to much as you think you befriend us when you a party, a faction, or some opinion of my own, plead our cause against men of violence and or laid your salvation upon some doubtful conrage, it is you that shall answer for the loss of troversy. No, sinner, thy conscience shall have our time, labour, and hope, and for the grieving no such shift for its deceit : it is godliness, seri of your teachers' hearts. ous and practical godliness that thou art called Sinners, whatever the devil and raging pas-|to. It is nothing but what all Christians in the sion may say against a holy life, God and your | world, both papists, Greeks, protestants, and all own consciences shall be our witnesses, that we the parties among those that are true Christians, desired nothing unreasonable or unnecessary at are agreed in the profession of. That I may your hands. I know it is the master-piece of not leave thee in any darkness which I can dethe devil's craft, when he cannot keep all reli- | liver thee from, I will tell thee distinctly, though gion in contempt, to raise up a dust of contro- succinctly, what it is that thou art thus imporversy in the world about names, forms, and cir- tuned to; and tell me then, whether it be that cumstances in religion, that he may keep men which any Christian can make doubt of. Dusily striving about these, while religion itself 1. That which I intreat of thee, is but to live is neglected or unknown; and that he may make as one that verily believes there is a God, and men believe that they have some religion, be- that this God is the Creator, the Lord, and cause they are for one side or other in these con- Ruler of the world: that it is incomparably more troversies; especially that he may entice men of our business to understand and obey his laws, to number the substantials of religion itself and as faithful subjects to be conformed to them, among these lesser doubtful points, and make than to observe or be conformed to the laws of sinners believe that it is but the precise opinion man: to live as men that believe, that this God of one party that they reject, while they reject is almighty, and that the greatest of men are the serious practice of all true religion. So the less than worms to him; that he is infinitely devil gets more by these petty quarrels and con-wise, and the wisdom of man is foolishness to troversies, occasioned by contentious empty men, him; that he is infinitely good and amiable; that than he could have done by the open opposition the best of creatures is dung in comparison of of infidels, heathens, or the profane: so that | him; that his love is the only felicity of man; neither I nor any man, that opinionative men that none are happy but those that do enjoy it; have a mind to quarrel with, can tell how to exhort you to the very practice of Christianity itself, but you are presently casting your thoughts upon some points wherein we are reported to differ from you, or remembering some clamours of malicious men, that prejudice against the person of the speaker, may keep your souls from pro- | fiting salvation by the doctrine which even yourselves profess.

that none that enjoy it can be miserable; and that riches, honour, and fleshly delights are brutish vanities in comparison of the eternal love of God. Live but as men that heartily believe all this, and I have that I come for. Is any of this matter of controversy or doubt? Not among Christians, I am sure; not among wise men. It is no doubt to those in heaven, nor to those in hell, nor to those that have not lost their understandings upon earth. Live then according to these truths.

If this be the case of any one of you, I do not mean your consciences shall so escape the power or evidence of the truth. Dost thou talk of 2. Live as men that verily believe that manour differences about forms and ceremonies? I kind is fallen into sin and misery; and that all

men are corrupted, and under the condemnation the hearing of the word of God, and must be of the law of God, till they are delivered, par- prayed for, obeyed, and not resisted, quenched doned, reconciled to God, and made new crea- and grieved. Is there any controversy among tures by a renewing, restoring, sanctifying Christians in any of this? Ask those that make change. Live but as men that believe that this a mock at holiness, sanctification and the Spirit, cure must be wrought, and this great restor- whether they be not baptized into the name of ing change must be made upon ourselves, if the Holy Ghost, and profess to believe in him it be not done already. Live as men that have as their sanctifier, as well as in the Son their Reso great a work to look after. Is this a matter deemer? And then ask them whether it be not of any doubt or controversy? Surely it is not a thing that should make even a devil to tremto a Christian: and methinks it should not be ble, to come so near the blasphemy against the to any man else that knows himself, any more Holy Ghost, as to mock at his office and sanctithan to a man in a dropsy, whether he be diseas-fying work, and at the holiness without which no ed, when he feels the thirst, and sees the swell- man shall see the Lord; and this after they are ing. Did you but know what cures and changes baptized and profess to believe in the Holy Ghost are necessarily to be made upon your diseased, as their sanctifier. miserable souls, if you care what becomes of them, you would soon see cause to look about

you.

5. Live but as men that believe that sin is the greatest evil, the thing which the Holy God abhors. And then you will never make a mock of it, as Solomon saith the foolish do, nor say, what harm is in it.

6. Live but as men that believe no sin is pardoned without repentance: and that repentance is the lothing and forsaking of sin; and that if it be true, it will not suffer you to live wilfully in any gross sin, nor to desire to keep the least infirmity, nor to be loth to know your unknown sins.

3. Live but as men that verily believe that you are redeemed by the Son of God, who hath suffered for your sins, and brought you the tidings of pardon and salvation, which you may have if you will give up yourselves to him who is the physician of souls, to be healed by him: live as men that believe that the infinite love of God, revealed to lost mankind in the Redeemer, doth bind us to love him with all our hearts, serve him with all our restored faculties, and 7. Live as those that believe that you are to to work as those that have the greatest thank- be members of the holy catholic church, and fulness to show, as well as the greatest mercies therein to hold the communion of saints. Then to receive, and misery to escape; and as those you will know that it is not as a member that believe that if sinners that without Christ of any sect or party, but as a holy member of had no hope, shall now love their sins and refuse this holy church, that you must be saved; and to leave them, to repent, or be converted, and un- that it is the name of a Christian which is more thankfully reject the mercy of salvation so dearly honourable than the name of any division or bought, and so freely offered them, their dam-subdivision among Christians, whether Greek, or nation will be doubled as their sin is doubled. Papists, or Protestant, or Prelates, or PresbyLive but as men that have such redemption to terian, or Independent, or Baptist. It is easy admire, such mercy to entertain, and such a sal- to be of any one of these parties; but to be a vation to attain, and that are sure they can never Christian, which all pretend to, is not so easy. escape if they continue to neglect so great sal- It is easy to have a burning zeal for any divation; and is there any controversy among vided party or cause; but the zeal for the ChrisChristians in any of this? There is not, cer- tian religion is not so easy to be kindled or kept tainly. alive; but requires as much diligence to maintain it, as dividing zeal requires to quench it. It is easy to love a party as a party : but to keep up catholic charity to all Christians, and to live in that holy love and converse which is requisite to a communion of saints, is not so easy. Satan and corrupted nature befriend the love and zeal of faction, which is confined to a party on a controverted cause; but they are enemies to the love of saints, to the zeal for holiness, and to the catholic charity which is from the spirit of Christ. You see I call you not to division,

[ocr errors]

4. Live but as men that believe that the Holy Ghost is given by Jesus Christ to convert, to quicken, to sanctify all that he will save; that except you be born again of the Spirit, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven; that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his,' and that without this no patching or mending of your lives by any common principles, will serve the purpose for your salvation, or make you acceptable to God. Live as men that believe that this Spirit is given by

nor to side with sects; but to live as members | left undone must be undone for ever! Alas, of a holy catholic church, which consists of all that are holy in the world; and to live as those that believe the communion of saints.

|

how many questions of exceeding weight have you yet to be resolved in; whether you are truly sanctified; whether your sins be pardoned; 8. Live as those that believe that there is a life whether you shall be saved when you die; wheeverlasting, where the sanctified shall live in end-ther you are ready to leave this world, and enless joy, and the unsanctified in endless punishment ter upon another? I tell you, the answering of and woe: live but as men that verily believe a hea- these, and many more such questions, is a matter ven, a hell, and a day of judgment, in which all the of no small difficulty or concern. And all these actions of this life must be revised, and all men must be done in this little and uncertain time. judged to their endless state. Believe these things It must be now or never. Live but as men that heartily, and then think a holy diligence need- believe and consider these certain, unquestionless if you can : then be of the mind of the de- | able things. riders and enemies of godliness if you can! If one sight of heaven or hell would serve, without any more ado, instead of other arguments, to confute all the cavils of the distracted world, and to justify the most diligent saints in the judgment of those that now abhor them, why should not a sound belief of the same thing in its measure do the same?

10. Lastly, Will you but live as men that believe that the world and the flesh are the deadly enemies of your salvation: that believe that if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' As men that believe, that if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if, by the Spirit, ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live;' that those who are in Christ Jesus, and are freed from condemnation, are such as 'walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' That we must make no provision for the flesh to satisfy the will or lusts thereof; we must not walk in gluttony and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, in strife and envying, but must have hearts where our treasure is, and our converse in heaven, that being risen with Christ, we must seek the things that are above, set our affections on them, and not on the things that are on the earth.

Will you say that any of this is our singular opinion, or matter of controversy and doubt; are not all Christians agreed in it; do you not, your own selves profess that you believe it? Live then but as those that believe it, and condemn not yourselves in the things that you confess?

9. Live but as those that believe this life is given us as the only time to make preparation for eternal life, and that all ever shall be done for your salvation must be now, just now, before your time is ended. Live as those that know, and need not faith to tell them, that this time is short and almost at an end already, and stays for no man, but as a post doth haste away. It will not stay while you are trimming you, or sporting you: it will not stay while you are taking up the stageplays, in compliments, in idle visits, or any impertinent, needless things: it will not tarry while you spend yet the other year, or month, or day, in your worldliness, or ambition, or in your lusts and sensual delights, and put off your repentance to another time. For the Lord's sake, do but live as men that must shortly be buried in the grave, and their souls appear before the Lord, and as men that have but this little time to do I tell thee, if now thou wilt refuse to live acall for their everlasting life, that ever must be cording to these common acknowledged truths, done. Live as men that are sure to die, and thou shalt never be able to say before the Lord, are not sure to live till morrow: and let not the that men's controversy about a ceremony, or noise of pleasure or worldly business, or the church government, or the manner of worship, chat or scorns of miserable fools, bear down your were the things that hindered thee. But all reason, and make you live as if you knew not what sorts and sects shall be witnesses against thee, you know, or as if there were any doubt about and condemn thee; for they are all agreed in these things. Who is the man, and what is his these things; even the bloodiest sects, that imname, that dares contradict them, and can make prison, torment, and kill others for their differit good? Do not sin against your knowledge: ences in smaller matters, are yet agreed, with do not stand still and see your glass running, those that they persecute and murder, about and time making such haste, yet make no more these things: papists are agreed in them, and haste yourselves, than if you were not concerned protestants are agreed in them: all the sects that in it : do not, O do not slumber, when time and are now quarreling among us, and in the world, judgment never slumber, nor sit still when you are agreed in them, who are but meet for the have so much to do, and know all that is now name of Christians. All these will be ready to

bear witness against the profane, the sensual, the | works of darkness, nor be companions with them,
slothful neglecter of God and his salvation, and
to say, we all confessed, notwithstanding our
other differences, that all these things were cer-
tain truths, and that men's lives should be or-
dered according unto these.

But if yet you pretend controversy to cover your malignity or ungodliness, I will go a little further, and tell you that in the matter, as well as in the principles, it is things that we are all agreed in, which I call you to, and which the ungodly do refuse: I will briefly name them.

but reprove them, and mourn for the unclean and
wicked conversation of the world. This is it
that we intreat of you; is there any matter of
controversy in all this?

6. Another part of the work which we call you
to, is, to redeem this little time that is allotted
you: to make the best of it, and improve it to
the greatest furtherance of your salvation: to
lose none of it upon unprofitable things: to spend
it in those works which will comfort you most
when time is gone. If it will be more comfort-
able to you in the day of judgment, that you
have spent your time in plays, sports, idleness,

1. One part of your work which we urge you to do with all your might, is seriously and soberly to consider often of all these truths before men-worldly cares, and pleasures, than in serving God, tioned, which you say you believe: is it any and preparing for another life, then hold on, and controversy with reasonable men whether they do so to the end: but if it will not, then do what should use their reason; or with believers, whe- you would hear of, seeing you must hear of it: ther they should consider and lay to heart the spend none of your time in idleness and unfruitweight and use of the things which they believe? ful things, till you have no better and more ne2. Another part of your work, is to love God cessary things to spend it in, and till you have with all your soul and might; to make him your time to spare from more important work. This delight, to seek first his kingdom, and the righte- is our request to you, that you would not lose ousness thereof; to set your affections on the one hour of your precious time, but spend it as things above, and to live on earth as the heirs of those that have lost too much, and have but a heaven: is there any controversy among protes- little more to spend in preparation for eternity. tants, papists, or any, about this? Is this any schismatical or factious notion? Is there any thing controvertible, or which any Christian can speak against, in any of this?

3. Another part of your work is, to see the honouring of God in the world, the promoting of his kingdom and government in yourselves and others, the doing of his will, and the obeying of his laws is there any controversy in this?

7. Another part of your work is, to search the scriptures, as that which contains your directions for eternal life. To love the word of God more 4. Another part of your work is, to mortify than thousands of gold and silver, and prefer it the flesh, reject its conceits, desires, and lusts, before your necessary food, to meditate on it day which resist the aforesaid obedience to God; and night, as that which is your pleasure and and to cast out the inordinate love and care of delight; and as that which is able to make you worldly things: to refuse the counsels, the com-wise unto salvation, to build you up, and give you mands, the will, the enticements and persuasions an inheritance among the sanctified. That you of men, which contradict the commands and will of God; to forsake all that you have in the world rather than forsake your dear Redeemer, and hazard your salvation by any wilful sin: to take up your cross and follow Christ through a life of suffering to glory. I know there is difficulty enough in all this, and that flesh will repine against it and abhor it: but is there any controversy about it among any true believers? Is not all this the express command of God, and necessary to salvation?

5. Another part of your work is to avoid temptations, and fly from the occasions and appearances of evil; not only to avoid that which is directly evil itself, but that also which would draw you into evil, as far as you can, to keep as far as may be from the brink of hell and danger, and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful

lay up the word of God in your hearts, teach
them diligently to your children, talk of them
when you sit in your houses, when you walk by
the way, when you lie down and when you
rise up, that so you and your households may
serve the Lord. This is the work that we call
you to: is there any thing that a Christian can
make a controversy of in all this? Is there any
thing here that protestants are not agreed in?

[ocr errors]

8. Another part of your work is, that you guard your tongues, take not the name of God in vain, and speak no reproaches or slanders against your brethren; that no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to the use of edifying, and that it may minister grace unto the hearers;—that fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness be not once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthi

[ocr errors]

ness nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.' Is there any thing of doubt or controversy in this?

of your impiety. Will you also, in the manner of your obedience, but go so far as all Christians are agreed in? I will briefly then give you some particular instances.

1. The work of God must be done with reverence, in his fear; not like the common works of men, with a common, careless frame of mind, God will be sanctified of all that draw near

9. Another part of the work which we persuade you to, is to pray continually, and not to wax faint, to be fervent and importunate with God, as those that know the greatness of their necessity, that you pray with all prayer | him,' he will be served as God, and not as man : and supplication in the Spirit, and 'in every thing, by prayer and supplication, to make known your requests unto God; that you pray for kings and all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.' Is there any thing in all this that any Christian can deny ?

he will not be prayed to with a regardless mind, as those do that can divide their tongues from their hearts, and say over some customary words while they think of something else. It is a dreadful thing for dust to speak to God Almighty : and a dangerous thing to speak to him as slightly and regardlessly, as if we were talking to one of our companions. It beseems a believer to have more of the fear of God upon his heart, in his ordinary converse in the world, than hypocrites and formalists have in their most solemn prayers. Knowest thou the difference between God and man? Put then such a difference between God and man in thy addresses, as his majesty requires. And see also that thy family

when they join with thee in the worshipping of
God. What have you to say now against this
reverent manner of behaviour?
Is there any
think controvertible in this?

10. Lastly, the work we call you to is, 'to love your neighbour as yourselves, and to do to others, as you would have them do to you.' To scorn, deride, molest, imprison, slander, or hurt no man, till you would be so used yourselves on the like occasion; to rejoice in other men's profit and reputation as your own; to envy none, to hate no man, to wrong none in their persons, estates, or names; to preserve the chas-compose themselves to a reverent behaviour, tity, honour, and estate of your neighbour as your own; to love your enemies, forgive them that wrong, pray for them that hate, hurt, and persecute you. This is your work: and is there any thing of faction, schism, or controversy in this? No, you shall shortly be convinced, that the differences and controversies of believers, and the many opinions about religion, were a wretched hypocritical pretence for your neglect and contempt of the substance of religion, about which there was no difference, but all parties were agreed in the confession of the truth, how-be beyond your reach, though else there is reaever hypocrites would not live according to their own professions.

But perhaps you will say, that there is such difference in the manner yet among them that agree in the principles and the matter, that you know not which way God is to be worshipped.

I answer, first, do you practise as aforesaid, according to the principles and matter agreed on, or not? If you do not, it is but gross hypocrisy to pretend disagreements in the manner, as an excuse for your contempt or omission of the matter, which all agree in. Forsooth, your families shall be prayerless, and you will make a jest of serious prayer, because some pray on a book, and some without, and some that are wisest, think that either way is lawful. Will God be deceived by such silly reasonings as these? Second, But this shall not hide the nakedness

2. It is also requisite that you be serious and sober in all the service you perform to God. Do it not ludicrously, and with half a heart. Be as much more fervent and serious in seeking God and your salvation, than you are in seeking worldly things, as God and your salvation is better than any thing in the world: or if that

son for it, at least let the greatest things have the greatest power upon your hearts. You cannot pray more fervently for heaven than heaven deserves. O let but the excellency and greatness of your work appear in the serious manner of your performance. I hope you cannot say that this is any point of controversy, unless it be a controversy whether a man should be an hypocrite, or be serious in the religion which he professes.

3. It is requisite that your service of God be performed understandingly. God delights not in the blind devotion of men that know not what they do. Prayers not understood are indeed no prayers: for no man's desire goes further than his knowledge. And he expresses not his desires that knows not what he expresses himself. Nor can he expect the concurrence of another man's desires, that speaks what another

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »