The Progress of Saints to Full Holiness, To the reader
To the Christian Reader.
HArd it is to perswade the wisedome of flesh that which the wisedome of God hath so expresly affirmed,Luke 12.42. that One thing is necessary. And the reason is, because it neither discerneth what this one thing is; nor what is the necessitie of it. This one thing is not one dish as Theophilact: Nor Vnity as Augustine: Nor one grace, whether faith, … hope, or charitie, as some others. But this one thing is that Christian care which every one ought to have of his owne salvation. For 1. Mary and Marthaes care are here opposed. 2. Our Saviour calleth it the good part chosen by Mary, whilest shee carefully used the meanes of her owne salvation. 3 To this is promised the grace of perseverance, that it shall never be taken away. For as salvation is the happy part of the elect, which shall never be taken away; so neither shall this care to atteine that end in the meanes, whereby the Lord preserveth it. And it is said to be the one thing necessary; not because many other things are not necessary: But 1. It is in order before, and aboue all things necessary. Math. 6.33. First seeke the kingdome of God, that is, to get into the state of grace. First in time, and in the first place: as Israel must goe forth to gather Mannah the first thing they doe in the morning. 2. This one thing is simply necessary for it selfe: and all other things only so farre as they conduce unto it. 3. It is most transcendently necessary, farre beyond all other things in the world, for this alone is sufficient to make a man truely happy, and to state him in salvation: all they are insufficient. 4. It is constantly necessary, and perpetually while wee live; lest begining in the spirit we end in the flesh: and so loose the crowne which is set on the head of perseverance. But is it not necessary to follow our callings, to provide for our families, and intend our civill businesse and occasions? Answ. Yes. And every one must abide in the calling in which he is called. Yea Religion binds a man to be a good husband, and to guide his affaires with diligence and discretion, that he may both mainteine his owne, and be helpfull to others. But he must know, that he must first be a good husband for his soule. 2 That in thy most earnest, and vrgent affaires of this life, he must never forget that there is one thing more necessary than they all. 3 That Christ commandeth the care of salvation in the meanes to take place of the care of enterteining his owne person; and commendeth it in Mary. 4. That these two callings are not contrary but subordinate, for a man may have great imployments in the world, and not remitt his service to the Lord Christ; neither hath any man any allowance in any earthly businesse to be earthly minded. 5. That this one thing being neglected, all other things are unprofitable. For what would the gaine of the whole world profite him that hath lost his owne soule? Yea, they be vile and lossefull. How doth the holy Apostle esteeme of all things losse and dung, in comparison of Christ in the meanes? All without a mans selfe, authoritie, wealth, favour, honor: all within himselfe, as knowledge, wisedome, memory, discourse, profession, revelation, and the most excellent gifts which the Apostle had had in abundance: all is lossfull that helpeth vsus not towards heaven. And indeed the glorious excellency of Christ in the Gospell is such, as should draw all eyes from off these shadowes and vanishing contentments, to the surpassing brightnes of it selfe. The greater will prove their sinne and shame, that shall set the Moone aboue the Sunne of grace; or preferre pottage before the blessing; the Swine before Christ, and very husks before the bread in our Fathers house.
Now whereas many are convinced more easily, that this care of this one thing is necessary on the Sabboth day; but there be not a few that put it off with their holy-day clothes, and are so farre from the vse of any publicke meanes in the weeke day, as that they are ready to say of such as preach or heare a weekes Lecture, as Pharoah of Moses, and the Isralites, desiring to goe into the wildernesse to worship.Exod. 5.4. Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their worke: get you to your worke, to your callings: much people are in the land, and ye make them idle. Therefore partly to stoppe such prophane mouthes, and partly to satisfie the inquisition of others, I shall not thinke much to give a word of direction in this particular; onelyonly ayming to advance this holy care which ought never to be laid aside, but must runne through and quicken all the actions of our lives, one day as well as another; as the blood runnes in all the veines of the body to mainteine the life and vitall spirits in every member. And first, that we may make no more sins then God hath made; nor by men, where God hath left them free: wee make it not a case of necessity, either for a Minister to preach, or for a people to heare a weekes Lecture: for which we have no such expresse commandement, as for frequenting the publicke exercises on the Sabboth day. Yea we affirme that all men must ordinarily abide, in their ordinary callings in the six dayes: according to that commandement, Six dayes shalt thou labour: and that some men are more straitly tyed to sticke close to their callings, as who can very hardly afford the time for a publicke exercise, without disabling thēselves & wronging their families. But yet as the commandement on one side, doth not so enjoine rest on the Sabboth, as that on no occasion we may labour: So on the other, doth it not straitely enioyne labour on the six dayes, as that on no occasion we may rest and refresh our selves. Nay it was never the Lords intention, to allow us the six dayes for our owne worke; so as in any of them his owne worship (at least private) should be neglected. Neither are we freed from the service of God on any of the sixe dayes, no more than on the Sabboth; because we must serve him on the Sabboth in duties of Religion and mercy onelyonly. So as when God is pleased to offer the opportunitie; as where a willing Pastor calleth his people, or a willing people (ready to redeeme sometime in the weeke day) calleth their Pastour to bestowe his paines for an houre or two in the weeke, to so good a purpose as to heare Gods word, and invocate his name in prayer and prayses. I conceive it not onelyonly lawfull, but commendable, and in some cases necessary for the people to heare.
For 1. That it is lawfull for the preacher to preach on the weeke day, is not onelyonly warranted by that vehement charge enjoyning him to preach the word, to be instant in season, and out of season, 2 Tim. 4.2.but also by the practise of Christ himselfe,Luke 19.47. who taught daily in the Temple. Had it been unlawfull for us, Christ would not have given us such an example:foreign. which although it be not a law to bind us, yet it is allowance upon just occasion. Agreeable to whose example was the practise of his Apostles: Yea, of the Auncient Fathers themselves. Chrysostome usually begins his Homilies with foreign, Yesterday we handled, &c. Bernard often concludes with his cras, to morrow we will goe forward: And most worthy Calvin ordinarily beginnes with his heri, yesterday, &c. And how can wee grace their persons so much, if we disgrace their practise.
2. That it is lawfull for a people to heare on the weeke day is manifest, in that all the people hanged on Christ daily teaching in the Temple, Luke 19.48.and a great number continued with him three dayes together, and spent some good time in comming and going. It is plaine also that it was not the Sabboth,Math: 15, 32. when Mary satt downe to heare Christs gracious words, being as is observed by Divines the sixt day before his death.
2. If this practise was commendable in auncient beleevers, how can it be but praise-worthy in us? But the beleevers in the Primitive Church were commended,Acts 2, 46 for that they continued with one accord daily in the Temple. Why? Had they nothing else to doe? Had they no callings, no families, no businesse to intend? Certainely the spirit of God askes no such questions; but speakes to their singular praise and approbation. It is also recorded to the high prayse of the Gentiles, Acts 13, 42. In tempore sabbatis interiecto. Pisc. Vt intra proxime sequens sabbatum exponerentur sibi haec verba. Beza.that they besought Paul and Barnabas, who had taught them the Sabboth day, that they would preach the same wordes unto them: foreign: That is, betwixt that and the Sabboth following. And that the Apostles did so, according to their desire appeares in the next verse 43. Now who dare blame this desire in them which the spirit of God commendeth? Or whence is it, that what was praise worthy in them, should be blame worthy and scorned amongst us?
3. In some cases it may become so necessary, as it shall proue a fearefull sinne to neglect this publike help on the weeke day. As where a people are unprovided of an able and preaching Ministry on the Sabboth day, I suppose none so unreasonable as to deny it necessary for them to seeke out, and enioy at home or abroad the meanes on the weeke day, unlesse we will wholly deny them the meanes of salvation. And besides for such as have opportunitie and leisure from their callings, it must needs be an unanswerable sinne to neglect or contemne the offer of the meanes of their owne good; while they can spend that, or more time idly, or sottishly; or in gaming, sporting, vaine companionship, complement or the like. For here is not only a vaine & sinfull expence of precious time; but a prophane despising of the most sacred ordinance of God, which is now as a prize in the hand of a fool, but he wanteth heart. Were there a true knowledge of Christ offered in the means, he would be thankefully received at any time. Were there any true love of Christ, it would alwayes enioy him whom the soule loveth, and delight at any time to beholde him through these grates: but he loves him not on the Sabboth, that hates him on the weeke-day. Were there any hunger after Christ, it would find the need of this bread of life on the week-day, as hunger findeth need of foode for the body on the Saboth day: hunger after Christ wold force him out of his tent to gather this Mannah in the due season of gathering, if it were every day to be had. Were there a true taste of Christ, he would be as sweete to the soule one day as another: Did ever man that truly tasted Christ on the Sabboth day, preferre earthly things before him in the weeke-day? or did ever man prosper by the meanes on the Sabboth, that desp…sed them in the weeke-day? Were there true sence of a mans selfe, it would not suffer him to bee lesse holy any day than the Sabboth; onelyonly it must be more publikely expressed: it would not suffer him at any time, in the middest of his earthly businesse to be earthly-minded; and much lesse to bee so wedged, and rivited into earthly distractions, as not to bestow an houre in a weeke, when God offers a publike helpe to the winding up of his heart towards heaven.
The objections are idle, and of idle men:Object. Answ. As that there is too much preaching. If it be made by Preachers themselves, I should marvaile the more; because I never heard men of any other trade complaine of too much trading: If of private men, a man might waite to wearinesse before he should heare them complaine of too much money, too much land, too much gaine: Which plainly evidenceth, that Gods word is undervalued, and rejected below base profits; whereby men pull the brand of Esaus profanesse upon themselves, preferring every measse of broth before the birth-right, and exchanging with the Prodigall for very huskes the bread of their Fathers house.
Object.But so much preaching bringeth preaching into contempt, say some. Yea but what infant contemnes the milke,Answ. because it sucketh often every day? or who contemnes his meate, because hee eateth every day? who falls out with his apparell, because he puts it on every day? or who despiseth his wealth, because he increaseth it every day? and is not Christ in his word propounded our foode, our wealth, our apparell, and all in all unto us? Let them also make us beleeve, that the light of the Sunne is made contemptible, because it shineth every day: Or that Daniel brought prayer into contempt,Dan. 6.10. when he prayed thrice every day: Or David, Psal. 119.164.when hee prayed seaven times a day. Why may they not as well perswade us, that the publicke prayers appointed foure dayes in a weeke, brings publicke prayer into contempt, as well as preaching once in a weeke?
But I have no leisure, saith the rich man, I have many weighty occasions and employments,Object. it is for poorer men, who have no such distractions, to runne after Sermons.Answ. To whom our Saviour makes a full answer; That one thing is more necessary than they all; in comparison of which Mary neglects all other things: and who dare say that Mary did more than she was bound to doe? or that shee did heare onelyonly because shee had nothing else to doe? or that shee was blame-worthy, whom our Lord commendeth, in that for the love of the word shee did neglect all other things.
2. It is not indeede want of leisure, but want of love, and taste of the word that makes this objection, for love of any thing will finde time and leisure to enjoy it.
3. It is not want of time, for no man but hath much more time than he useth well; and none but hath much time which he spendeth worse: but want of judgement, to give priority to things of greatest weight, and worth. Is any worldly businesse of greater importance than the seeking of Gods favour, and the assurance of a mans owne salvation? Would any employment, never so weighty, make a man wholly neglect for a weeke together all meanes of preserving his body? and is any so necessary as to make us neglect the health and welfare of our precious soules? or canst thou with reason be straiter to thy owne soule on the weeke day, than the Lord is to thy body on the Sabboth day? He allowes thee to consult with a Physitian for thy body in case of necessity even upon his sabboth; and doest not thou allow thy selfe an houre among so many houres in a weeke to consult with thy spirituall Physitian for the helpe of thy soule? Might a Iew make a journey on the Sabboth to consult with a Prophet, and may not a Christian steppe out of his doores for counsell in the week-day? Nay more, may a Iew performe a worke of mercy to a beast on the Sabboth day, as to helpe it out of a pit, or to drive it to water:Luke 14.5. Matth. 12.11. and must not a Christian doe so much for his soule on the week-day, as they for the body of a beast on the Sabboth?
4. It is not want of time, but want of well husbanding the time, that gives rise to this objection; for he that employeth his time wisely, shall never need to complaine for want of time, especially for the maine businesse of his life. A good husband will be sure to set out time for the chiefe points of husbandry, and so will a good husband for his soule: but hee that trifles out his time in unnecessaries, must needes want it in necessaries. And indeede they be not such necessary duties as they are pretended, which engrosse and eate out mens time: but for the most part, unnecessary and lombersome employments, (such as Christ reproves in Martha,) which for a great part of them might be pared off and parted with; were men so wise as to lighten the overburdened ship for the safety of the passengers. But if men will grapple and pull upon themselves all the employments they can any way reach, and then complaine that they are so distracted with many things, as that they have no time left for the one thing necessary: It is all one as if a man should roule and moyle himselfe in the clay, and then complaine that hee cannot get out his feete.
5. Canst thou finde no time for the Lords worke? what time hopest thou to finde for his wages? hast thou leisure for every thing but to be saved? what time wilt thou attaine the end, that hast no time for use of the meanes? or art thou all body without an immortall soule? or is there is no further use of thy soule, but to be as salt a while to keepe thy body sweete? Is all thy care for a ruinous house, and never mindest the tenant within? I marvell not to heare our Lord say, that it is a very hard thing for a rich man to enter into heaven; but I never heard him say, that it is impossible for a man to be rich and religious too.
Object. And I, saith the poore man, can spare no time as the rich may doe, I am oppressed with a great charge, and must intend my family, &c? But art thou poore and wantest many necessaries? there cannot be a stronger motive to attaine this one thing necessary. Art thou poore in earthly blessings, and wilt thou not therefore be rich in heavenly and spirituall graces? Hast thou no house, land nor inheritance to rejoyce in? Thou shouldst so much the more make Gods testimonies thine heritage for ever, and the joy of thy heart. 2. It is true, men of meaner estates had need be good husbands of their times and estates; but yet they must conceive, that piety and seeking of God is an enemy to thrift, and good husbandry. Mary was no bad houswife in sitting downe at the feete of Christ; and it was the blot of Marthaes houswifrie, that she did not so too. Is godlines great gain: & fearest thou it wil only bring want & poverty? Must onelyonly that hinder our thrift and prosperitie, that hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come? and which onelyonly gets blessing on our labours from him who onelyonly gives power to get substance? How farre is this from trusting God on his word; who hath assured us that whosoever feare him (rich or poore) they shall want nothing that is good for them? By all which that hath been said,Psal. 34.1… ▪ Psal. 84.11. we may conclude, that it is not the strength of any argument made against this holy care; but strength of corruption that removes unsetled and unstable mindes from the practise of it.
This I have set downe for the use and direction of such as heartily desire to be led in the right way, and for the incouragement of such as seeke the Lord constantly in his ordinances on all good occasions: hoping that it may somewhat confirme them, that no blast or objection of prophane persons may either blow them away, or weaken their frequent and reverent use of Gods most sacred ordinances. And now Christian Reader, I commend thee unto God, this booke to thy godly use, and my selfe unto thy godly prayers.
Aldermanbury, London. Novemb. 17. 1630. Thine in Christ, THO: TAYLOR.