Godly Fear, Application · Part 3
III. The Grounds and Reaſons why we ſhould Fear.
Theſe are ſuch as follow;
1. We have reaſon to Fear becauſe of our Ignorance. Mens Ignorance is the reaſon why they Fear not, (as before) and yet it's a great reaſon why they ſhould Fear. Who have ſo great reaſon to fear as the Blind? Every Buſh may be a Thief, every Sheep may be a Wolf, every Lamb may be a Lion; for ought he ſees to the contrary, every ſtep may be into the Ditch, or into the Fire, or into the Water; where-ever he ſtands, or ſits, or dwells, he knows not who or what may be near him; and have not ſuch Men reaſon to Fear? Particularly by reaſon of Ignorance.
1. We know not our way.
2. We know not the Dangers that are in our way.
1. We know not our way. John 12.35. He that walketh in darkneſs, knoweth not whither he goeth. Whither art thou bound Soul? Thou art a Traveller, but to what City, to what Countrey art thou travelling? O, I am going to Canaan, to the New Jeruſalem, I am travelling Heavenwards. But doſt thou know the way to that good Land? Some of the moſt ignorant will anſwer, as Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, Wither I go I know, and the way I know; when the truth is, they neither underſtand the one nor the other.
The way to God, though it be a ſtrait way, and leads directly on by a line, yet it's hard to hit upon. If I were to give but one general direction for finding the way to Heaven, this ſhould be it; Take your firſt turning upon the right hand, and then keep ſtrait on, without turning either to the right hand or to the left. The way that thou art now going is to Hell, but there is a turning on the right hand juſt before thee; Repentance, which is our turning out of the way of Death, into the way of Life; take that turning, and then turn no more, but keep ſtrait on to the end of thy Life.
But as ſtrait a way as the way of Life is, it is not ſo eaſie to keep us in it. There are many turnings out on either hand; and at every Turning ſtands a Deceiver, calling to Paſſengers as they go, Turn in hither, this is the way, walk in it. The Phariſee ſtands at one Turning, and ſayes, This is the way, The Law of Carnal Commandments, the formal and ſuperſtitious obſervation of the Externals of Religion. The Hypocritical Zealot ſtands at another, and ſayes, This is the way, The Spirituals of Religion, believe in Chriſt, love God, and then live to thy ſelf. The Sectary, of whatſoever Sect he be, ſayes, Here is Chriſt, this is the way of Life, turn in hither, be one of Us and thou ſhalt do well. The Fleſh ſtands and cries, Hearken to none of theſe, they are all blind Guides, and will lead thee into their own Ditch; come take this great and beaten Road in which thy Fore-fathers have gone before thee; Follow the Wiſe Men, and the Learned Men, and thoſe multitudes that thou ſeeſt going before thee; Truſt in the Mercy of God and trouble thy ſelf no farther. And the Devil ſtands at every one of theſe Turnings; and if he can but perſwade thee to take one of them, it comes much alike to him which it be.
Now what ſhall a poor ignorant Soul do in this caſe to hit the right, when there are ſo many falſe wayes? He does not know the way himſelf, and he is like to meet with ſo many falſe Guides, how can he but Fear he may be miſled and loſt?
It fares with theſe Ignorant Souls, as with the Hoſts of the Syrians, that were going to Dathan to ſlay Eliſha, 2 Kings 6.19. Eliſha ſmites them with blindneſs, and then leads them whitherſoever he pleaſes. Out he goes to them and tells them, This is not the way, neither is this the City, come along with me and I will bring you to the Man whom you ſeek, but he led them to Samaria. This blind Hoſt thought they had been right, and going to Dathan; but when their eyes were opened, they ſaw themſelves betrayed into Samaria, into the hands of their Enemies. Poor blind Soul, thy hope is Heaven, that's thy journeys end, thy Home to which thou ſayest thou art travelling; and thou perſwadeſt thy ſelf thou art in the way thither, but for all this thou mayeſt be miſtaken, thou mayeſt be going to Samaria, to Sodom, to Hell and not to Heaven, thou art in darkneſs, and knoweſt not whither thou goeſt; thou doſt not know thy way, how then canſt thou but fear whether thou art in the right way or the wrong?
2. By reaſon of Ignorance, we know not the dangers in our way. If we have ſome apprehenſion that the way is dangerous, yet we know not in particular where the danger lies, and ſo, ere we are aware, may fall into it. Some young Travellers, though they be told they be going a dangerous Road, yet know not the dangerous Places, nor the dangerous Perſons that they fall upon; a Thief ſtarts up out of a Buſh where they never ſuſpected him, and when he comes, by his fair Language and Carriage, they take him for a Friend, and ſuſpect not he comes upon any evil Intention, till their loſs too late teach them what he is.
What harm is there in ſuch a vain faſhion, in ſuch a queſtionable recreation, in Cardings, Dicings, Dancings? What harm is there in a little carnal Mirth, or in vain and merry Company? they be not Drunkards, nor Swearers, nor Adulterers; there's nothing amongſt them but honeſt mirth and pleaſantneſs, what hurt is there in that? why, what harm is there in falling among Thieves? what harm is there in being rob'd of all thou haſt? haſt thou never been a loſer by ſuch friendly Thieves? haſt thou loſt none of thy precious Time amongſt them, which thou couldſt ill ſpare? nay, have they not ſtollen away thy heart? It may be thou haſt found thou wert of a better Spirit, when thou cameſt amongſt them, thou hadſt ſome ſenſe and ſavour of God and Religion upon thine heart, and ſome holy ſeriouſneſs and tenderneſs; and when thou returneſt, thou ſeeſt it's loſt, thou haſt left all thy Religion behind thee. Is this no harm; when thou hadſt been ſerv'd ſo once, wouldſt thou be content to be ſerv'd ſo again?
If thou hadſt a cup of pleaſant Wine before thee, and one ſhould tell thee, Take heed, there's poiſon in the Cup, wouldſt thou ſay, what harm is it if there be? If one ſhould meet thee in a Wood or a Deſert, and ſhould offer thee Money, or Pleaſure, or what-ever thou wilt; if thou wilt be rul'd by him, and do what he would have thee; and a Friend ſhould tell thee, this may be the Devil that comes to truck with thee for thy Soul? wouldſt thou ſay, what harm is it if it be the Devil? what harm will it be to take his Money or his Pleaſure?
Why this may be the caſe; In all thoſe little things (as thou counteſt them) there may be poiſon in the Cup, there may be the Devil in the Company; the Pleaſures that are before thee, the Money that is before thee, theſe may be the price the Devil is offering thee for thy life. May it be ſo? I, but I do not think 'tis ſo, my Soul may be ſafe enough for all that; why therefore fear that there may be ſuch danger, and you never know or ſuſpect it.
Nay, this Devil lies ſtill in wait, not only in thoſe places and wayes, which look like ſuſpicious places and ſuſpicious ways; but he's every-where at hand, even where he is leaſt ſuſpected. When could Men think themſelves more ſecure from the Devil, than when they are with God in Duties and Ordinances? But doth he never meet them there? Hath the Devil never met thee in thy Cloſet, or in the Congregation of the Lord? How is it at this very hour? Now that we are come together before the Lord, now that the Lord is inſtructing us, and warning us of the danger we are in; Is there not one ſtanding behind, and out of ſight, either ſtealing away your hearts from minding the Warnings, or elſe contradicting the Word of the Lord? Come, ccme, theſe are but words and conceits, the Devil is far enough off, thou art in no ſuch danger of him; are there no ſuch whiſperings in none of your ears at this time? Why, whoſe Voice is this? you little think whoſe 'tis; 'Tis the Devil that thus ſpeaks, to the end you may loſe this Warning, and ſo he may have his advantage upon you. Lord open the eyes of theſe Men, (to uſe that Prayer for you, which the Man of God did for his Servant, 2 Kings 6.17.) So the Lord opened his eyes, and he ſaw all the Mountains full of Angels, Chariots of Fire, and Horſes of Fire. If God ſhould ſo open our eyes, I truſt we ſhould ſee this Houſe full of the Angels of God miniſtring to us, but withal we ſhould ſee this Houſe full of Devils attempting to miſchief us; a Devil at every Ear, a Devil at every Heart, trying his skill to ſtop the one and harden the other, from receiving this Word of the Lord. We are never an one of us more ſecure, than Joſhua the High-Prieſt, of whom we read, Zech. 3.1. That when he was ſtanding before the Lord, Satan ſtood at his right hand to reſist him. You'l ſay again, it may be, you do not think 'tis ſo, why therefore Fear, that the Devil ſhould be ſo near, and ſo buſie with you, and you neither underſtand, nor will believe it though it be told you. Such Ignorance is cauſe enough of Fear.
If any of you ſhould have been told, ten or twenty years ago, how the Devil would ſerve you, how he would hinder any word of Counſel or Inſtruction from proſpering with you, how he would hold you under this Ignorance of God, and hardneſs and impenitence of Heart; you would have been like enough to anſwer, I hope not, I hope to get more of the knowledg of God, I hope God will bring me to Repentance one time or other, I hope his Word will proſper with me. And yet you ſee how 'tis, he hath ſufficiently plaid the part of a Devil with you, you were not ſo blind, or ſo dead, or ſo hard in your hearts many years ago, but you are every way as bad or worſe at this day; and becauſe you had not this foreſight, to diſcern that thus it might be, had you not the more reaſon to Fear it would be ſo?
And what ſay you now as to the time to come? If it ſhould be ſaid unto you at this day, He that hath dealt thus by you hitherto, will be like enough to deal as bad or worſe by you, to the end of your dayes, ſo that you ſhall never be brought to Repentance, nor ever recover your ſelves out of the ſnares of the Devil; will you yet again ſay, I hope not, I fear it not? that very word is enough to make you tremble. If the God of this World had not blinded your Minds, he could never have thus hardned your Hearts.
If you that have known Chriſt, and have been in Chriſt, many years ago; If ſome of you ſhould have been told, that if you look'd not the better to it, the Devil would meet you at the very threſhold of Chriſtianity, and hold you there from making any farther entrance in, would keep you Babes and Infants in the Grace of God, that he would keep you all this time, ſo weak in the Faith, ſo cold in your Love, ſo barren in your Life, that all this while you ſhould have gotten no more victory over this World, and the fleſhlineſs of your Minds and Hearts, nor no more intimate acquaintance with God and your own Souls than ſome of you have at this day; If when you had been told, you were in danger of being ſerv'd thus; If you had then anſwered, I do not Fear it, I ſhould have made bold to tell you, You do not know what a Devil he is with whom you had to do; and now that you may know him better, by obſerving how he hath dealt by you hitherto, you will at length, I hope, learn to Fear.
What if the Devil ſhould now appear to you in ſome bodily monſtrous ſhape, would it not fright you? Why, you may ſee his foot, though you do not ſee his face; you may ſee him in what he hath done in his temptations of you, and the unhappy ſucceſs of them upon you, in that ruinous ſtate your Souls are hereby in; and ſurely, Friends, to thoſe that underſtand him, The Devil in a ſecret temptation, is more formidable than the Devil in an Apparition; the prints of his Hoofs, are a more dreadful ſight than the Horns of his Head.
2. Another reaſon why we ſhould Fear is, becauſe of the deceitfulneſs of our Hearts. What-ever our dangers are from without, what-ever deſigns or devices the Devil or the World have againſt us, yet if all were true within us, if our Hearts were true to us, our hazard were not ſo great; but, ſaith the Prophet, Jer. 17.9. The Heart of Man is deceitful above all things. So that we may not only ſay with the Prophet, Micah 7.5. Truſt ye not in a Friend, put not confidence in a Guide; but with Solomon alſo, Prov. 28.26. He that truſteth his own Heart is a Fool. The deceitfulneſs of the Heart ſtands;
1. In its Treachery.
2. In its Subtilty.
1. In its Treachery. The Heart of a Man is falſe to it ſelf, it is like the Devil, a lying Spirit, there is no believing it what-ever it ſpeaks. It's full of all guile, and will, if left to it ſelf, betray it ſelf into the hands of its Enemies.
2. In its Subtilty. It is a crafty Heart, it hath many plots and devices to deceive; Prov. 19.21. There are many devices in Man's Heart. It hath much of the Devil in it; not only of the falſhood of the Devil, (as before); It is a lying Spirit; nor only of the uncleanneſs of the Devil, this alſo is the wicked one; nor of the malice of the Devil, It is the Enemy; but of the cunning of the Devil, of the ſubtilty of the Serpent, This Serpent alſo is more ſubtile than all the Beaſts of the Field. It's true, it's alſo a ſilly Heart, eaſie to be beguiled; it is ſo ſubtil as to beguile, and yet ſo ſilly as eaſily to be beguiled; like thoſe falſe Teachers, 2 Tim. 3.13. Deceiving, and being deceived.
The great and moſt miſchievous deceits of the Heart, are its ſelf-deceivings, Jam. 1.22. deceiceiving your own ſelves; and verſ. 26. deceiveth his own heart. God cannot be deceived, and if Men be deceived in us, there is not ſo very much in that; but the moſt miſchievous deceits, and which are moſt to be feared, are its deceiving of it ſelf.
1. God cannot be deceived; He is the ſearcher of the Heart, Jer. 17.10. he knows what is in Man, better than the Spirit that is in him. God is greater than our Hearts, and knoweth all things. Our Hearts can tell us more of ourſelves, than all the World can tell us; but God can tell us more of us, than we of our ſelves. He hath a Key to every Chamber, a Window into every Corner, a Candle to ſearch into our inmoſt parts. All things are naked and open before him, with whom we have to do, Heb. 4.13. He ſees all that is lodging in us; all the Luſts of the Heart, yea, and all the Thoughts of the Heart are open to his Eye. Jer. 4.14. How long ſhall vain thoughts lodg within you? He ſees what there is a doing within us. What good the Heart is at any time a-doing; any good deſires that are a-working, any gracious deſigns that are going in the Heart; he ſees what evil there is a-doing; an evil Motion cannot wag, a Luſt cannot ſtir, but his eye is preſently upon it. Iſa. 1.16. Put away the evil of your doings [from before mine eyes], that is, put it quite away, ceaſe to do evil; if it do but continue, though never ſo much in the dark, yet it cannot be hid from mine eyes.
What are theſe hearts of ours often a-doing in ſecret, which no others, and it may be not our ſelves take notice of? When our eyes are cloſed, our hands are quiet, our tongues are ſilent, God knows what there may be doing within. There may be deviliſh devices contriving within, there may be dark counſels beneath; Heart may be Swearing, or Lying, or Stealing, or Coveting, or committing Adultery, whilſt there's no noiſe of any ſuch thing without. Yea, whilſt the Tongue is praying, the Ears are hearing, the Eye is lift up to Heaven, the Heart may be in Hell, or on Earth, in the Field, in the Shop, in the Market, or who knows where; but God's Eye is upon it.
Friends, Who knows where our hearts are, or what they are a-doing at this hour? It may be, now God is a-preaching to you the Doctrine of Holy Fear, of Holy Watchfulneſs and Circumſpection; ſome of your hearts may be un-preaching all that God ſpeaks; may be preaching Liberty, Licentiouſneſs, Slothfulneſs, Security to you, and telling you, there's no ſuch danger, and no ſuch need of Fear as hath been preached unto you.
Or if they do not contradict the Word that the Lord hath ſpoken, yet it may be they divert you from minding it, by telling you ſome impertinent Stories about other things; filling your heads with your buſineſs or pleaſure, cutting you out your Work for to morrow. Look inward, Friends, ſee if you can find your Hearts within, or whether they be not gone abroad you know not whither. But where-ever they are, or whatever they are doing, the Eye of the Lord is upon them; Men may diſſemble, and deal deceitfully with God, but they cannot deceive him.
2. If they deceive Men, it is not ſo greatly conſiderable. Though that may be our wickedneſs too. If we hide our ſelves from others, if we be better, or if we be worſt than they apprehend us to be, there is not ſo much in that. The Heart is cunning at this alſo in deceiving of Men; by palliating evil intentions, with fair and ſpecious pretences; by ſeeking them out corners to ſin in, waiting for the twilight, or the darkneſs to be a covering for them; by ſmooth words and fair ſpeeches, beguiling the Hearts of the ſimple, by a kiſs of the Mouth, when there is war in the Heart, by putting the beſt ſide outward, putting on the clothing of a Sheep upon a Wolf or a Bear, the face of a Saint to cover the Soul of a Devil.
What is the Hypocrites Praying, or Faſting, or Alms, or ſavoury Language and Diſcourſe? What is all this for? 'Tis but the Cloathing his Heart hath provided him, to advance and ſet him up in the opinion of others? 'tis to ſerve his pride or his covetouſneſs, and to hide the poverty and rottenneſs which is within, out of ſight. Beloved, are there none of us guilty upon this account? Whoſe Religion, and the Exerciſe thereof, are a meer carnal Deſign, whoſe Duties are a meer Device to beguile Men into a good Opinion of us, to raiſe up or keep up our Reputation amongſt them? Is it not thus with ſome of us?
Soul, what haſt thou been doing to day? O, I have been Praying, and Hearing, and Faſting, or keeping a Sabbath to the Lord. No, thou lyeſt, thou haſt been juggling, and cheating, and deceiving of Men. If theſe have been the Work of thy Tongue, or thine Ears, or thine Eyes, to pray, to hear, to praiſe the Lord; thine Heart hath found other work to do, it hath been making a Garment of theſe Prayers and Praiſes to dreſs up it ſelf in, thereby to commend and ſet it off before the Spectators; or it may be, to hide or carry on ſome treacherous or wicked Deſign, which needed ſuch a covering.
The Heart is thus buſie to deceive Men, but ſtill its greateſt and moſt miſchievous deceitfulneſs, lies here, in deceiving it ſelf. It is an horrid wickedneſs to deal deceitfully with the Lord, to diſſemble and lye unto God. It is folly to be falſe to him who we know will diſcover the cheat and its higheſt impiety. What is Iniquity, if Hypocriſie be not? And what Hypocriſie like mocking or lying unto God? It is Mens great ſin to deal deceitfully with Men; But that which I would now lay before you, as a ſpecial reaſon why we ſhould Fear our hearts, is their ſelf-deceivings; And how much Fear ſhould be upon us, upon this account, will appear when we have conſidered theſe three things.
1. About what Mens Hearts deceive them.
2. By what Mens Hearts deceive them.
3. Of what Mens Hearts deceive them.
1. About what do Mens Hearts deceive them? And that is about that they are moſt deeply concern'd to mind or regard. Particularly,
1. About Matters paſt, in their ſelf-reflections and reckonings.
2. About matters preſent, in their Judgments or Opinions of their preſent caſe.
3. About matters to come, or their Determinations and Reſolutions for the future.
1. Mens Hearts deceive them, about matters paſt, in their ſelf-reflections and reckonings. It may be ſometimes an eye may be caſt back upon what is paſt, and ſuch a word may be heard within, Soul, what haſt thou done? how haſt thou lived all thy time hitherto? what Evil haſt thou done, or what Good haſt thou done? The Heart preſently makes its return; and though it hath not the Conſcience, will make bold with the words of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by myſelf, I know no hurt that I have done; or it may be, like thoſe unfaithful Officers, who bring in their preſentment, Omnia bene, it will anſwer, I have done all things well, I have liv'd an harmleſs and an honeſt life. The little good that hath been done, looking on it by a falſe Glaſs, it ſees it double to what it is; every Mite is a Shekle, ever Shekle is a Talent; here it will be ſure to over-reckon: And all the Evils that have been done, for an hundred or a thouſand, it takes the Bill and writes down ten, or it may be but one, and that a little one; and perhaps it buries them all in the land of forgetfulneſs. As Sin had an Act for Toleration before, ſo it muſt now have an Act of Oblivion. And by this hiding of Sin it comes to paſs, that Repentance alſo is hid from Mens eyes; No Man repented, nor ſaid, what have I done? Jer. 8.6. The not-ſaying what have I done, much more the ſaying, I have done nothing amiſs, will be a Bar againſt Repentance; And that's the uſual iſſue of this falſhood of the Heart, about matters paſt, it holds under Impenitence.
2. Mens Hearts deceive them about Matters preſent, or in their judgment of their preſent ſtates. What art thou? a Child of God, or a Child of the Devil? a Believer, or an Unbeliever? a ſound Believer, or an Hypocrite? Mens hearts will be civil with them, and give them good language; A Child of the Devil, a Reprobate? Theſe are hard words that will not be born, and ſhall not be uttered; whether it ſpeaks true or no, it will be ſure to ſpeak good to them. O, a Child of God no doubt, an honeſt, and therefore an happy Man. Though perhaps it neither knows what God is, or what a Child of God means, nor what the difference is betwixt the Children of God and the Children of the Devil.
A faithful Heart will be (as I ſaid before) a ſelf-ſuſpecting Heart, and ſuch it ſhould be. The Word tells us, there's Chaff in the Floor as well as Wheat, there are Tares in the Field as well as good Corn. Now when the queſtion is put, which is the Chaff, who are the Tares? Mens Hearts ſhould anſwer, as the Diſciples did, when Chriſt told them there was a Traytor among them, Mat. 26.21. they all anſwered. Lord is it I? Lord is it I? Men and Brethren, there are Infidels among you, there are Hypocrites among you; If I ſhould ſpeak thus from the Lord to this Congregation, this Queſtion ſhould run even through the whole Company; Lord is it I? am not I an Hypocrite? am not I one of theſe Unbelievers? But what do your Hearts ſay to you? O, I thank God it is not I, I am none of them; Hypocrites there are, but my Soul is upright. If a whole Congregation ſhould be thus ſpoken to one by one, may be ſome of the beſt among them, that had leaſt reaſon to ſuſpect themſelves, would cry out, Lord, is it I? I doubt I may be an Hypocrite, I fear how it may be with me; but for the moſt, and poſſibly the very worſt among them, they would never ſtick to anſwer, I am none of them, I thank God I have an honeſt Heart, and am upright before God. Whence comes this now to paſs? Why, that Heart of thine hath plaid the Devil with thee, and deceived thee.
3. About Matters to come. If the caſe be ſo plain, that the naughtineſs of the Life paſt, and the unſoundneſs of the preſent ſtate cannot be hid, then the Heart promiſes better things de futuro. I'le look better to it hereafter, though I cannot at preſent, yet after a while I mean to become a new Man; ſtay but a while, and I will be ſober; ſtay but a while, and I mean to have done with this vain or worldly Life, and to live in all things as becometh a Chriſtian. Thus it promiſes, and its Promiſes muſt be taken. If I turn at laſt, 'twill be well enough, and turn I will ſhortly, I mean no other; and this muſt ſatisfie and be inſtead of preſent Repentance. How much credit there is to be given to ſuch a Promiſe, the experience of many ſufficiently tells. But though it hath been a known Deceiver, yet ſtill it's truſted.
You that profeſs Religion, that own Chriſt, and hold Communion with his Saints, and are viſibly walking in the way of Righteouſneſs; If you ſhould be ask'd, How long wilt thou hold this courſe, wilt thou hold out to the end? To day thou art with Chriſt, but where wilt thou be tomorrow? Now with the Diſciples, but wilt thou never go over to the Scribes and Phariſees? Thou mayeſt feel the ſmart of Chriſtianity, thou mayeſt become a Reproach and made a Prey. The Shepherds may be ſmitten, and the Flocks may be ſcattered; wilt thou not then forſake Chriſt, and run over to the Tents of the Uncircumciſed? God forbid, ſayes the heart preſently; Turn from the Holy Commandment, deny Chriſt? No, though I die with him, I will never deny him. I, but there was one ſpake as much before you, 'twas the word of Peter's Heart, Mat. 26.35. And yet you know what follow'd; Conſider him, and fear how it may be with you.
2. By what will our Hearts deceive us? By any thing in the World; there's nothing comes a-miſs to them, but ſome evil uſe or other they can make of it, either to intice to Sin, or to harden againſt Repentance, or to lay a-ſleep in Security, or to build us up in Preſumption. The Heart is ſuch an Adverſary, that can fight at any Weapon; ſuch a Mountebank, that can make its Compoſition of any Ingredients, that can make a Poiſon of any Medicine, ſome way or other it can make uſe of any thing, to ſerve it in its deceiving work.
By what did Eve's Heart deceive her? By an Apple. By what did Achan's Heart deceive him? By a Wedg of Gold.. By what did Sampſon's Heart deceive him? By a Whore. By what was Eſau deceived? By a Meſs of Pottage. By what do poor Mens Hearts deceive them? By their Want and Penury. By what do rich Mens Hearts deceive them? By their Abundance and Variety. By what do evil Mens Hearts deceive them? By their Luſts they are drawn aſide and inticed. By what do good Mens Hearts deceive them? Sometimes even by the Good that is in them. The Heart of Man can make a Snare of every Creature, Condition, Relation, or Comfort, can make a Net for Souls of the courſeſt or of the fineſt Thred; can undo them, by their Friends and by their Enemies, by their Proſperities and by their Adverſities, by their Sins and their Rigthouſneſs. Where-withal may this Man be enticed to Sin, to neglect Chriſt and his Soul? Some Mens Hearts find that a Harlot will do it; others, that a drunken Companion will do it; others, that nothing but Gold and Silver will do it; others, that applauſe will do it; ſome that Idleneſs, others that Buſineſs, ſome that Friends, others that Enemies; ſome that Proſperity, others that Affliction, will be the likelieſt Temptations; and accordingly it manages its deceiving work.
Our Hearts can deceive us by the beſt we have, by our Vertues, by our Duties, by our Priviledges; and this is often the moſt dangerous deceit. The more generous the Wine in which thou receiveſt thy Poiſon, the more deadly the Potion.
Some Hypocrites Hearts tell them they are ſincere; But how can they make them believe it? Why, if the Heart may not be believed for its own word, the Word of God muſt be brought to witneſs this lye. Doth not the Scriptures ſay, Rom. 10.9. If thou confeſs with thy Mouth the Lord Jeſus, and believe in thy Heart that God raiſed him from the Dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved? And do not I believe the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the Dead? Do not I confeſs and acknowledg it? I be ieve it with all mine Heart, I confeſs it before all the World; and therefore without doubt I am in a ſtate of Salvation.
If this will not do, but the Heart perceives there muſt be more in that belief than a notional Aſſent, there muſt be more in that Confeſſion than a verbal Acknowledgment, than its Virtues, and Duties, and Priviledges; its Prayers, and Hearings, and Alms; its Sobriety and Temperance; its keeping of Sabbaths, and attending upon Ordinances, muſt all be call'd forth to teſtifie: Am not I of God? Am not I in Chriſt? Let my Prayers ſpeak, let mine Alms ſpeak, let my Temperance, let my Patience, let my Sabbaths ſpeak whoſe I am. I keep the Sabbath, whilſt others pollute it; I hear, whilſt others forbear; I pray and faſt, whilſt others neglect both, and therefore ſure it muſt be well with me; when yet it may be, the Man is ignorant of the Spirit, and a ſecret Enemy againſt the Power and Purity of Religion all the while.
I might multiply Inſtances of the ſeveral ſorts of the Heart's deceivings, and ſhew that there is nothing, but in ſome way or other, may be made uſe of to beguile us.
3. Of what may our Hearts deceive us? Even of all we have. Of what did our firſt Parents Hearts deceive them? Of their Portion in God, and their place in Paradiſe. Of what did Eſau's Heart deceive him? Of his Birth-right and the Bleſſing. Of what did Sampſon's Heart deceive him? Of his Locks and of his Life. Of what did that Fool's Heart deceive him? Luke 12.20. Of his Soul. Iſa. 44.20. A deceived Heart hath turned him aſide, ſo that he cannot deliver his Soul.
You that believe your ſelves Saints, are apt to think, that what-ever you be deceived of, yet your Souls are ſafe, and therefore that you have no ſuch need to Fear as other Men. But it may be you may be deceived in this, and this very confidence, That thy Soul is ſafe, may prove its eternal loſs. But if you ſhould come off at laſt, with the Salvation of your Souls, yet how many deſperate hazards do you run of loſing them, by hearkning to theſe evil Hearts? How much of your time do they ſteal away, which was given you for the working out your Salvation? How many Duties have they loſt you? how many Ordinances have they loſt you, which the Intereſt of your Souls could ill have ſpar'd? What a dead, and dark, and carnal, and looſe Spirit haſt thou ſometimes been bewitched into, wherein God hath been laid by, Soul hath been forgotten, Conſcience hath been laid a-ſleep, and all care about the things of God, hath been ſwallowed up of the cares of this Life? Is it nothing to thee to be in ſuch a caſe? Doth it not grieve thee to think whither thou art fallen? and art thou not afraid what the iſſue may be? whether ever thy Soul may be lifted up out of this Pit, whereinto it is ſunk ſo deep in mud and mire? But if thou ſhould'ſt be ask'd now, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither? who hath led thee into this Dirt? who hath caſt thee into this Pit? May be thou wilt be ready to anſwer as Eve did, The Serpent beguiled me in; or as Adam did, The Woman deceived me in; thou wilt find ſome elſe to father thy Faults upon; the Devil deceived me into this caſe, the World deceived me in, evil Company deceived me in; Like enough they did, But what could they all have done, if thine Heart had not joyned with them? The hand of Joab is in all this; thine Heart is the Joab, that hath dealt this ſubtilly and deceitfully with thee.
1 Kings 22.20. Who will perſwade Ahab (ſaith the Lord that be may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? I will go (ſaith the Devil) I will perſwade him. But where-with wilt thou perſwade him? I will be a lying Spirit in the Mouth of his Prophets; Go up and proſper, go up and proſper, that ſhall be the word that ſhall do it. There's no fear of falling at Ramoth, thou ſhalt prevail againſt thine Enemies, and return a Conqueror. If it ſhall be ſaid in like manner, who ſhall perſwade this fooliſh Man to go on his evil wayes, that he may fall and periſh? I will go, ſayes his Heart, preſently, I'le be the Devil to perſwade him; But wherewith wilt thou perſwade him? O, I'le be a lying Spirit within him. I'le make him believe he ſhall proſper, and have peace in his way, he ſhall not fall, nor ſhall hurt come unto him.
Go, ſayes God, to the Devil, and take heed, he ſayes not ſo to that falſe Heart of thine; Go, thou ſhalt perſwade, and thou ſhalt prevail. Thou ſhalt intice this idle Perſon, thou ſhalt harden this vain or this careleſs Perſon, and he ſhall hearken to thee, he ſhall follow thee till he fall and periſh.
Chriſtians, we have every one of us ſuch an Heart as this, that is too ready to go upon ſuch a wretched Errand. Have we not ſuffered much by it's treachery? Hath it not often trip'd up our heels, or turned us out of our way? Hath it not betray'd us out of our Refuge, and led us aſide after lying vanities? Though Grace hath been ſome ſecurity to us againſt it, yet hath it not often been too hard for all the Grace we have? Who is there of us that dares ſtand forth and ſay, My Heart, I hope, is no ſuch heart; It is better than to deal thus with me; I dare truſt it, it is a plain and honeſt heart, there's no deceit or guile found in it? Is there ever a one of you that dare ſay thus? What complaints are there every-where heard againſt it, even amongſt the beſt of Chriſtians?] But O what do Sinners hearts deceive them of? What a price is there in Sinners hands, if they had an heart to it? There's the Bleſſed Goſpel before them, exhibiting Chriſt, and Pardon, and Life to them; they have the Scriptures before them; they have Sabbaths and Ordinances amongſt them; but behold, they can make nothing of them. The Goſpel is opened, and yet it is hid from them; Chriſt is preached, but 'tis not accepted by them; they can live ander the preaching of the Word, be converſant at Prayers, Faſts, Sacraments, a whole Age together, and get nothing by them; they can dwell by the Wells of Salvation, and get not one drop of Water; live by the richeſt Mines, and get not a duſt of Silver; walk in the Sun-beams, and ſee never a gleam of Light; come into the Store-houſes, and yet ſtarve for want of Bread; can get neither Grace nor Knowledg, but remain blind and dead, under all that Light that hath ſhined unto them.
But how is it, Sinner, that it's thus with thee? Whom haſt thou to blame but thine own Heart? This hath been telling thee, either that thou haſt no need of Chriſt, or his Grace, or that thou haſt time enough before thee; or elſe hath diverted thee from giving heed to the Word of Life, by finding thee ſo much other work to do; and hereby thou ſeeſt how it hath left thee; It hath hitherto loſt thee a Chriſt, loſt thee a Goſpel, loſt thee Sabbaths and Ordinances, and is juſt loſing thee thy Soul. This Heart is it that would not ſuffer thee, when thou haſt been commanded to accept of Chriſt, or deliver thy ſelf up to him. Any elſe that comes to demand it, thy Soul is preſently delivered up. Let Luſt come and require, Deliver up thy Soul to me; Let thy Companions come and demand, Deliver up thy ſelf to us; Let the World, or let the Devil demand, Deliver up thy Soul to me; let me have the rule and the government of it, and up thou reſigneſt it preſently; any but Chriſt may have thee for asking.
Will the Men of Keilah deliver me up? ſaid David once, 1 Sam. 23.11. Will they Lord? or may I truſt my ſelf with them? Truſt them not, ſayes God, they will deliver thee up. Doſt thou ask, will mine Heart deliver me up? deliver me up to Luſt, or to the World, or the ſnares of the Devil, or may I truſt it? Truſt it not, it will deliver thee up. But to Chriſt it will not deliver thee up.
It will be telling thee, that Chriſt is an auſtere Man, and thou ſhalt find him an hard Maſter; 'twill ſhew thee the Yoke and the Croſs; How ſevere is his Government? how ſhort his Allowance? how hard will be the uſage thou muſt expect of him, or for his ſake? And thereupon it will ſuggeſt, how much it doth befriend thee, in refuſing to deliver thee up to him. It will never tell thee of thy need of Chriſt, of the gain that will come in by him; thou muſt not be ſuffered ſo much as to think of that; if thou turn aſide at any time to commune with him, or to look within the Vail where his Treaſures lie, it calls thee off preſently, or throws in the World, its Cares or its pleaſures upon thee, to thruſt out and turn thee aſide from all ſuch thoughts, leſt he ſhould gain thy conſent and good liking. Thus thine Heart hath ſerv'd thee all thy dayes, ſo that hitherto thou wilt none of Chriſt; and thus 'tis like to ſerve thee to the end of thy dayes, till there be no Chriſt, nor Mercy, nor Salvation to be had for ever.
And thus have I given you a ſhort hint of the deceitfulneſs of the Heart; and is not ſuch an Heart to be feared? Is ſuch an Heart to be truſted? an Heart that will deceive you, about every thing that you are concern'd to mind; about matters paſt, preſent, and to come; that will neither let you conſider what you have done, nor know what you are, nor think whats like to become of you herafter? that will deceive you, by every thing you have to do withal; that can make every Relation, every Companion, every Condition, every Comfort, every Croſs, every Creature, a Gin and a Trap to take your Souls? that will deceive you of all that ever you have; that like thoſe Locuſts and Caterpillars (the Plagues of Egypt) will not leave any green thing in you? that will deceive you of your ſelves, of your lives; of that Chriſt, of that Goſpel, which is all you have for Eternity; that will lie at you every day, every hour, as Delilah at Sampſon, to betray you into the hands of the Philiſtines, and caſt you into the eternal Priſon? Have you ſuch an Heart? have every one of you ſuch an Heart? have you prov'd by ſo long experience, what miſchief it hath done you already, and yet not afraid?
O Chriſtians, let us get more acquaintance with theſe Hearts of ours; if we do not fear them, 'tis becauſe we know them no better. Let us obſerve them daily at their work, what colours and fair pretences they have to palliate and lead unto Sin, what ſhifts and excuſes they make for the neglect of Duty; what delayes and puttings off, from the minding our neceſſary and moſt weighty concerns; and what wiles and devices they have to lull us and hold us faſt aſleep, whilſt our opportunities of obtaining Mercy, ſteal by us and are loſt. Know this Heart of thine more thorowly, and then tell me if thou doſt not fear it?
If there be an Abſalom in the Court, a Sheba in the City, a Judas in the Company, a Thief in the Houſe, is there not cauſe of fear? Thou haſt a Judas in thy Breaſt, a Thief in thy Boſom, thou haſt not an Heart within thee, if thou haſt not a mortal Enemy that ſeeks thy life.
As I ſaid before, ſo I ſay again, Study and obſerve your Hearts more; believe the Truth of what hath been ſaid; or if you will not believe your Ears, believe your own Eyes, believe your Experiences and Obſervations, (if you have been ſo wiſe as to make any Obſervations upon your ſelves). Indeed that's the reaſon why we are ſo hard to believe, our Hearts are ſo bad, becauſe we have no more obſerved them: Have you obſerved, have you conſidered how they have dealt with you? Who is it that hath kept you back from Chriſt, and ſhort of the Grace of God? or at leaſt, Who is it that hath kept you ſo low and ſo barren, and ſuch aa ill Steward of that Grace which you have received, has not thine own Heart had the great hand in it? Be not deceived, it is the ſame Heart ſtill, and is like to take the ſame courſe.
That which hath hindred, doth hinder thee; that which hath deceived, doth deceive, and will deceive; thou canſt never be ſecure from it whilſt thou continueſt in this World. Wherefore, O my Soul, ſince I cannot be out of danger, let me never be out of fear. Let Fools be ſecure and at reſt, but as for me. Let me paſs the time of my Sojouring here in Fear.
3. Another reaſon why we ſhould Fear, is, becauſe of the weight and importance of that work which we have to do in the World. What is our Work here? wherefore are we born, and live upon this Earth? 'Tis to ſerve the Lord in the ſaving of our Souls. The Lord that made us, may and does require our whole Service; as there is none beſides him to whom we owe our Being, ſo is there none other to whom we owe our Service. Him only ſhalt thou ſerve, Mat. 4.10. And God hath ſo ordered the matter, that we cannot better ſerve our ſelves, than by ſerving of him; this is the Work of God, which he requires of us, to work out our own Salvation. Phil. 2.12. The beſt Men are the greateſt ſelf-ſeekers. 'Tis a piece of ſelf-denyal, which God never requires of any Man, To neglect his own Soul. God would have all Men to be ſaved, 1 Tim. 2.4.
There are two Lords that are ſerved in the World; God and the Devil. The great Service that the Devil hath to be done, is to deſtroy Souls; his Name is the Deſtroyer, Rev. 9.11. and his work is to deſtroy; and this is it which he impoſes upon all his Servants, to deſtroy every Man his own Soul. God is the Saviour, ſo call'd, Iſa. 45.15. and his whole work that he has to be done by his, is Salvation-work.
Friends, the firſt and great Service that God hath for every one of you to do, is to look well to thoſe Souls of yours, to recover your ſelves out of the Snares of the Devil, that you may obtain everlaſting Salvation; if you can but acquit your ſelves ſo in this World, that you get ſafe to Heaven when you die, God will ſay to you, Well done, good and faithful Servant. 'Tis true, we have every one of us more Souls than our own to look too; I not only Miniſters (whoſe ſpecial work it is) but every one ſhould do what he can to ſave the Souls of others; but our firſt Service is to look to our own Souls. Our Charity, and ſo our whole care, muſt begin at home. Deut. 4.9. Take heed to [thy ſelf] and keep thy Soul, [thine own Soul] diligently. As Chriſt ſayes, Luk. 16.12. He that will not be faithful in that which is anothers, who ſhall truſt him with that which is his own? May we not much more ſay here, he that is not faithful in that which is his own, will be much leſs faithtul in that which is anothers. He that ſerves the Devil in deſtroying his own Soul, is not like to ſerve God in the ſaving of others Souls.
Well, this is your work you have to do in the World, To ſerve the Lord; And this is the Service that God expects, That you ſave your own Souls. What-ever you are faithfully doing this way, you are therein ſerving God. You may be ſaving your Eſtates, and therein ſerve the Devil; you may ſave your Names, and ſave your Lives, and therein ſerve the Devil; but when you are ſaving your Souls, you are ſtill ſerving the Lord. The working out of our Salvation, is not only the buſineſs of our Religious Duties, but of all the Actions of our whole courſe. We are not only to Believe, and Repent, and Hear, and Faſt, and Pray for our Lives, but to be carrying on our Salvation-Work in every thing we do. As we may ſay, whether you Believe, or Repent, or Pray, or Hear; ſo alſo, whether you Eat, or Drink, or whatſoever elſe you do, do all to the Glory of God, and your own Salvation. Our future ſtate, whether we are for Life or for Death, is not to be determined by ſome few of our better Deeds, but by the tenour of our whole courſe; look what thy Life is in this World, ſo ſhall thy Judgment be.
We are here in this World, upon our good behaviour for the other World; and the ſhort time we have here, is all we have for Eternity; our Everlaſting Life or Death, will be determined by this little inch of time. Do in your day the Work you were ſent into the World for, and you live and are bleſſed for ever; ſpend your time in idleneſs, or impertinencies, live in the neglect of God or your Souls, let your great Work be left undone, or but half-done, and done deceitfully, and you die without remedy, die eternally.
And do you not yet ſee what cauſe you have to Fear? If you were doing any thing of this World's Buſineſs, and knew your Life lay upon it, 'twould make your hand ſhake. Pſal. 2.11. Serve the Lord with Fear. Phil. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling. Why ſhould we Fear? why ſhould we Trembie? Why, becauſe there is ſo great a Work lying upon our hands. What if this Work be done, and well done? Then you are made for ever. What if you neglect or miſcarry in this Work? Then you are loſt irrecoverably. 'Tis a matter of Life and Death that you are every day and hour upon; how can you think ſuch a thought without a trembling Heart?
What a mighty influence would this conſideration have upon your Duties? When you go to Pray, whether in the Cloſet, or in the Family, or in the Congregation, were you perſwaded that your eternal ſtate were ſo much concern'd in it, would you not fear how you trifled in ſo great a Duty? and would not this Fear command in all your Powers, to joyn in ſo important a Service? how would it ſtand at the door, and keep out all thoſe ſtragling thoughts, that at ſuch times uſe to be thruſting in? Would ſuch haſty and curſory Praying, ſuch a flat and formal Devotion, which you ordinarily take up with then ſuffice you? you would ſooner ſweat than ſleep at Prayer, your Hearts would burn within you, and not freeze, as they too often do; Tongue-Prayers, and Knee-Prayers, and Eye-Prayers, would be of as little account with you, as they are with God; all the Males in your Flock would be brought in, you would not dare to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing. You would take your beſt time, and time enough, you would put forth the utmoſt of your ſtrength, you would not make your Souls to wait the leiſure of your Fleſh, or to take its leavings. It muſt not then be what you can ſpare from the World, what you can ſpare from your buſineſs or your pleaſures that will do the turn; your eating time, your ſleeping time, your working time, muſt be taken up this way, rather than want time for God and your Souls. Doſt thou complain of ſleepineſs in Prayer, of wandrings in Prayer, of want of time for Prayer? Think, Man, what Prayer is for; how much there is depending on the faithful diſcharge of it; and ſee if this doth not work ſuch a Fear upon thine Heart, as will both find thee time, and keep thee waking.
When you go to hear the Word, if you conſidered, I am now hearing for my Life, the Lord God hath brought me before him, that he may tell me words whereby I may be ſaved; the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are now opening to me; the moſt High comes down to ſhew me the Path of Life; that Word that falls from the Preacher's Lips, is the Word by which I muſt be ſaved, and the Word by which I muſt be judged; 'tis the Everlaſting Goſpel I come now to hear, which is all I have for Eternity; I muſt ſtand or fall, live or die, according to the ſucceſs of this Word upon me. As this is the only Word of Life, ſo this may be the only time of Life; God knows whether this may not be the laſt Warning, the laſt Inſtruction, the laſt Tender of Grace and Mercy that I may have for ever; whether my hearkning to, or letting ſlip what I ſhall hear from the Lord this day, be not that which muſt give the final determination of mine Everlaſting State. What would ſuch thoughts, (did they ſit cloſe upon our Hearts, when we come to hear the Word) what would ſuch thoughts work? would they not command thee, take heed how thou heareſt, give heed to the things thou heareſt, fear how thou let them ſlip? Would a deaf Ear, a wandring Eye, a roving Imagination be then endured by thee? Wouldſt thou then ſuffer, as ordinarily thou doſt, thoſe wandring Birds to catch up the incorruptible Seed as it falls upon thee? would it not ſend thee home with a trembling Heart, at all ſuch times when thou haſt left all thou heardſt behind thee?
Conſider, Friends, where are you at this preſent? what makes you here this day? Let me reaſon with you a little before the Lord; How is it that all your Spirits are not ſtanding upon the Watch-Tower, whilſt the King of Glory paſſeth by? How is it that all your Ears, and Eyes, and Hearts, are not waiting for him? why ſit you here all the day idle? Do you not underſtand what Work 'tis you are upon? O take heed to your ſelves, Salvation and Damnation are before you, and one of the two you are certainly working out. Is it indifferent to you which of the two it be? is it all one to pleaſe God or to provoke him? to get you nearer, or to put you farther off from the Kingdom of God? What think you of ſuch praying, and ſuch hearing as you content your ſelves with? Will the living God be ſerv'd with ſuch ſpiritleſs Duties? Is Death your way to Life? Are theſe dead and heartleſs Duties? Is this dead praying, and dull hearing, that upon which you will venture your Souls? Will you pray your ſelves into Hell? While you have in your hands the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven, will you lock the Door with it, and ſhut your ſelves out? Whilſt others are ſwearing, and lying, and coveting, and curſing themſelves to Hell, will you be hearing and praying your ſelves thither? whither elſe will ſuch dead Duties carry you? certainly ſuch bleſſing is as curſing, ſuch hearing is as hardning the Ears, ſuch praying is as bleſſing an Idol. Will God regard Mockers? Will God be ſerved with Wind and Words? O tremble! fear leſt you not only loſe all your Duties, but be irrecoverably loſt by them.
Again, what an influence would this Conſideration have upon all the actions of your Life, if you underſtood and were ſenſible that all that ever you do, hath ſuch a reſpect to your eternal ſtate, that according to it, your final Sentence will be. Where-ever you are, what-ever you are doing, you are ſerving God or the Devil, you are working for Life or for Death. There are no indifferent actions (conſidered, in individuo, and with their Circumſtances) that make neither one way or other, all our motions are either upward or downward.
Our Life is our Race, and every Action of our Lives is a ſtep backward or forward, our going in or out of our way. Nay, onr very doing nothing is doing ſomething; if our eaſe or reſt be idleneſs, it's ſerving the Devil; if it be a refreſhing for our Work, it's ſerving God. We may be in a ſenſe ſerving God when we be a-ſleep, and we may alſo by our ſleep be ſerving the Fleſh and the Devil. We are ever either laying aſide our Weights, or laying on more Weight; we are making us Wings, or making us Chains; helping our ſelves on, or hindering us in our way. We are in this World as Merchants trading for Eternity. Our whole Life is a treaſuring up good or evil for our ſelves againſt the laſt day. We are alwayes either buying or ſelling, buying the Truth of ſelling our Souls; we are upon the Exchange every day, and hour, either changing better for worſe, or worſe for better; every inch of our time, is our Talent to trade withal, and we are ſtill laying it out to our gain or our loſs.
Our Lives are our Seed-time; we are ſtill ſowing to the Harveſt; what we ſow in Time, we muſt reap in Eternity. Our Eating and Drinking, our Working and Playing, our Talking and our Silence, will one way or other ſpring up to our hands hereafter.
Do you underſtand this, Friends? Do you conſider it? O what manner of Perſons ſhould we then be, what wary and circumſpect Lives ſhould we live? Would not this, if it were conſidered, dam up that ſtream of Iniquity that runs down through all our courſe? Would our covetous practices, our fraudulent and unrighteous dealings; would that lying and ſcoffing, that ſelf ſeeking and fleſh-pleaſing, which take up ſo much of our time; would this hold up the head againſt ſuch a ſenſe of the influence they muſt have upon our eternal State? Should we then ſpend ſo much of our time in doing wickedly, or doing nothing? would it not find us other Work, and work enough for our Time, our Tongues, and our Hands, and our Heads, and all our Powers? But we do not conſider or underſtand.
When you are walking in the vanity of your Minds, after the Luſts of this World; what do you uſe to think of this? or do you think nothing of it? I, ſo 'tis indeed, you will not then think what you are doing, but ſtand and pauſe awhile; when you are ſerving your fleſh, can you think now I am ſerving the Lord, now I am working out my Salvation, now I am providing for my Soul, and laying up againſt the time to come? Dare you ſay, now I am ſowing for Eternity, this is that which I would reap in the other World? This Mirth and this Jollity, this Pride and this Idleneſs, this Laughter and theſe Lyes; Let theſe and the Crop they will bring forth, be my Harveſt hereafter? Would not the thoughts of ſuch a Harveſt, make you dread ſuch a Seed-time.
Or elſe can you ſay, The time that I ſpend thus I can ſpare from my Soul, that care's taken already, Chriſt is ſure, Heaven is ſure to me; Now for the fleſh, and mine eaſe, and my pleaſure now for this preſent World, I have done enough for that to come? Or elſe will you ſay, Theſe dayes of my Vanity and Earthlineſs, will, I hope, be left out of my Reckoning; my Prayers and my Alms, the good that I have done is ſo much, that my evil Deeds and Dayes will be over look'd and paſt by?
But muſt not every Day, muſt not every Work be brought to Judgment? Doth not the Righteous and All-ſeeing God book down all? Is not the Sin of Judah written, as well as their Tears and Duties? Is not every thing noted in his Book? And muſt not all things that are written therein, be read in that day? Canſt thou look on this, and not fear continually every day? 1 Pet. 1.17. If ye call on the Father, who without reſpect of Perſons, judgeth according to every Man's Work, paſs the time of your ſojourning here in Fear. If you had to do with a God that would never call you to a Reckoning, whether you ſerv'd him or not, or how much or how little you ſerv'd him, or whom elſe you ſerv'd beſides him; if you had to do only with ſuch a God, the matter were not then ſo much how you liv'd and ſpent your time: But if ye call on the Father, if you ſerve ſuch a God, who will reckon with every one of you, and for every thing you have done, you had need look better to it; Paſs the time, the whole time, of your Sojourning here in Fear.
Beloved, if your own Souls were not ſo highly concern'd, yet this Conſideration, That the Work of your Lives is, to ſerve the Lord, would work you to Fear.
If you were upon ſome Service for a Prince, or a great Man of the Earth, ſuppoſe it were but to make him a Garment, would you not fear how you ſullied it, or bungled upon it? Or if it were but to keep his Garden, would you not fear how you let it run to ruine? What is this God whom you ſerve? Is he not a great God, the King of all the Earth? Is he not an Holy God, and a Jealous God, that looks to be ſanctified, and to be the Fear and the Dread of all thoſe that ſerve him? Iſa. 8.23. The Service of God is often expreſt in Scripture, by fearing of God. Cornelius, Acts 10.2. was ſaid to be a Man fearing God; that is, the ſame as a Man that ſerved the Lord: And the Apoſtle exhorts, Heb. 12.28. That we have Grace in our Hearts, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably, with reverence and Godly Fear. Thou ſerveſt the Lord, but wouldſt thou that thy Service be accepted with God? Then ſerve him with Fear.
Therefore, to the end to hold this Fear upon you, I ſhall add this Counſel.
Through your whole courſe, and all the parts of it, carry this expreſs Notion upon your Hearts, That you are ſerving the Lord in all that you do. Do all you do as the Servants of the Lord, and look on every Duty as the ſerving of him. What the Apoſtle requires of the Servants of Men, is the Duty of every one of the Servants of God; Col. 3.23, 24. What-ever you do, do it heartily [as] unto the Lord, for ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt.
When you go to pray, think with your ſelves, this is a Duty which I ow to God. I am going into my Cloſet, upon a Service I have to do for God there: When you give an Alms, or when you teach or inſtruct your Families, think with your ſelves, theſe are Services which I have to perform, not only to my poor Brethren, to my ignorant Family, but I ow them to the Lord, and to him I will perform them; I have a Service to do for God amongſt the Poor, I have a Service to do for God in my Family; God hath bid me Feed the one and Teach the other, and to whomſoever I do it, I'le do it as unto the Lord.
And in like manner, in all the matters of your Life, in the ordering of your whole Converſation, let this be ſtill in your Eye, and upon your Heart, God hath ſent me forth as his Servant into the World; I have no buſineſs here but for the moſt High; I am born for him, I am fed, I am clothed, I live for him; all that ever I have are the Talents of my Lotd, committed to me to uſe and improve for him. I am Debtor to no other, I am Servant to none elſe; what-ever goes out any other way, this is no leſs than unfaithfulneſs to him, whoſe I am; and now I go bound for him; for his pleaſure I was made, and to him I am devoted; this Life of mine, and every day of it, and every breath of it, I conſecrate to the Lord; his Servant I am, and 'tis no Work for me, that I cannot call ſerving the Lord.
What would ſuch a Sentiment upon the Heart bring forth? What care, yea, what watchfulneſs, yea, what fear would it produce? What, ſhall I ſerve the Lord with that which coſt me nothing? Shall cheap-Service, and eaſie-Service, and lazy-Service, and eye-Service, be all that the Lord God ſhall have of me? I dare not ſerve my Governour ſo, and how will my God take it? But what, ſhall I divide my Service betwixt the Lord and any other Maſter? ſhall my Fleſh be ſerv'd, ſhall my Pride be ſerv'd, ſhall my Covetouſneſs, ſhall Men be ſerv'd? ſhall this Heart, or this Time, or this Eſtate be divided betwixt the Lord and them? How if the Lord find me in another Field, in another Houſe, or upon other Work, than whither he ſent and appointed me? How if he find any of his Talents waſted, his Goods conveyed away to another Maſter? how will he bear it? Yea, how ſhall I bear it? Art thou not afraid, O my Soul, how this will be born, and what a Reckoning thou mayeſt be brought to for it? O, let me fear to be ſuch an evil Servant, that I may not fear the evil Servant's doom; let me continually fear, every day, that I may prevent the fear of the Reckoning-Day. Such a ſtanding Impreſſion, would this Notion of our being engaged in Service for God, kept conſtantly upon the Heart, produce.
This Notion, mingled with all our Thoughts, Duties, and Wayes, and the Holy Fear it will bring forth, will not only hold us to conſtant Service, but will put us upon the higheſt and beſt Service. What is the Lord whom I ſerve? Is he not one who looks for all I have, and is he not worthy of all I have? What an honour is it to be the Servant of God, and what a terror to be none of that number? He is the beſt Maſter, he is worthy, he is worthy of the very beſt I have. Fear, and be aſhamed, O my Soul, to put him off with any thing that is not worthy of him. What will an ingenious Spirit fear, more than to be baſe and unworthy.
Should you ask ſuch a Perſon, Why are you ſo exact, and ſo tender, and ſo circumſpect in your way? Why are you ſo buſie, and ſo ſtudious, and ſo laborious in your courſe? Why can you not, as well as others, take up with a lower and more remiſs way of Religion? O, I dare not be ſo unworthy; I am the Servant of God, and through his Grace, I will ſerve him the beſt I can. He that is moſt Holy, and moſt Circumſpect, that keeps the cloſeſt to his Work and his Rule, he is the beſt Servant to God; and as I am obliged, ſo I am reſolved, through the help of God, to do him the moſt Honour, and the beſt Service I can. I ſhould be a Wretch, a vile and unworthy Perſon, if I were otherwiſe minded.
The great God hath but few Servants in the World; hath he taken me into the number of thoſe few? O, what ſhall I render? how can I be ſufficiently thankful for that Grace? God hath but few Servants in the World, and the fewer the more ſerviceable have they need to be. The Devil hath many Servants, he hath thoſe that ſerve him in every Houſe, in every Town, there are whole Countries that are wholly peopled with the Servants of the Devil; and their Work is, to do all the diſ-ſervice and diſhonour they can to God; to cheriſh the Fleſh, and foment the Luſts thereof, to fill the World with wickedneſs, and to trample upon all that's left of God in it. What multitudes hath the Devil that ſerve him every-where, and how buſie are they at their Work? God hath but a few Servants, and ſince he hath made me one of them, I'le do him the beſt Service I can. Such a bleſſed and quickning influence, would ſuch abiding thoughts have upon all the People of God.
As 'twould be on the contrary, If Sinners would carry this thought upon their Hearts, I am every day ſerving the Devil, it would be a Bridle to hold them in; ſo if People kept up ſuch a thought, I am ſerving the Lord, 'twould be a Spur to quicken them on. Such a thought upon Sinners Hearts, I am ſerving the Devil, would ſtrike ſuch a fear, as would drive them quite backwards. The very ſame fear, which would animate Saints, would ſtrike Sinners dead in the Neſt.
If a Sinner that's going to the Ale-houſe, would ſeriouſly conſider, and ask himſelf, Whither am I going, and upon whoſe Errand? And his Heart ſhould anſwer, I am going to the Ale-houſe to ſerve the Devil; the Devil hath ſome Servants at work there for him, at their Drinking-work, Swearing-work, Scoffing-work, and I am going among them to help on the Devil's Work: And if others that are ſerving their Covetouſneſs, or their Pride, or their Envy, if their Hearts ſhould tell them, This alſo is ſerving the Devil; the Devil hath a great Work for thee to do, to damn that Soul of thine, and as many others as thou canſt; The Devil would have thee to Hell with him, and hang up that Soul of thine in Chains of Fire. This he cannot do, unleſs thou wilt put thine own hand to the Work, and now he hath brought thee to it; in the courſe thou art now taking, thou art doing the Devil's Work, to deſtroy thine own Soul. Such thoughts would put Sinners to a ſtand, or at leaſt ſlacken their pace.
If the Devil ſhould poſſeſs a whole Countrey of People, as he hath ſometimes poſſeſſed ſome particular Perſons, and ſhould ſet them a pulling down their own Houſes, a burning their Corn and their Cattel, a tearing their own fleſh, a pulling out their own Eyes, a butchering their Children, a pulling out one anothers Throats; who would no the afraid to go dwell in that Countrey, to be hired to that cruel Work? Why, Sinners, 'tis worſe work than this that the Devil hath ſet you upon, and you are now a-doing; He hath ſet you on work to ſtab every Man his own Soul, to ſtrike in Darts through our Livers, to kindle thoſe Fires that will burn to the bottom of Hell, and to caſt your ſelves headlong into thoſe Eternal Flames. Hadſt thou ſuch a thought as this upon thy Heart, didſt thou but conſider that this is it thou art doing, 'twould cool the heat of thy Luſt, and hold thee back, at leaſt from much of that wickedneſs thou art ruſhing upon.
And ſo it would be here, if Chriſtians did conſider what 'tis that they are a doing, in their following Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, that they are herein ſerving the Lord, and that in his recovering and ſaving Deſign; O how would it provoke them on! How is it that thou art ſuch a ſlow-belly, that thou art ſuch a drone, and ſuch a ſlug in thy Work? Is he whom thou ſerveſt worthy of no more than this? Pluck up thy Spirits Man, thou art upon Service for the God of the whole Earth, and upon the nobleſt Service that thou art capable of; thou art ſent forth upon the ſame Service, for which the Son of God was ſent into the World, to ſave Souls, and to deſtroy the Works of the Devil; Jam. 5.20. If God ſhould have employed thee but in thoſe lower Works, that Chriſt did for the Bodies of Men, to open the Eyes of the Blind, to unlooſe the Tongue of the Dumb, to caſt out Devils, to heal the Sick, and raiſe the Dead; wouldſt thou have been ſo unwilling, and ſo backward at ſuch Works? Thou art upon greater Works than theſe, to ſave thine own Soul, and thoſe that ſee and hear thee.
God hath made thee one of that Choſen Generation, that Royal Prieſthood, that Holy Nation, who are to ſerve him, by ſhewing forth the Vertues of him that hath called them, 1 Pet. 2.9. To bear his Name, and to ſet forth his Praiſes in the World; thou art ſet up as the Image of God, as the Epiſtle of Chriſt; thou art ſent forth as a Factor and Agitator for God, to negotiate for him in the Earth; to bear up his Name, to propagate his Goſpel, to enlarge his Kingdom; Art thou not afraid to trifle in ſuch noble Works?
Think, O my Soul, what 'tis thou art for, and for whom thou liveſt; Shall I be as the Ox that eateth Graſs, or as the Swine that lyeth in the Mud, and tell the World, behold your King? This is the Image of your God? Shall the Epiſtle of Chriſt be nothing elſe but a Blank or Blots? Shall the Factor for Heaven have ſo much of his Occupation for Earth? Shall I teach Men to deſpiſe, and pollute, and blaſpheme that worthy Name, which I am intruſted to advance and exalt? Shall any little that I do, ſuffice me in ſo great a Truſt? Come on, O my Soul, remember thou ſerveſt the Living God, and therefore let me do him the beſt Service I can. Canſt thou be too Holy? Canſt thou be too Circumſpect and too Active? I may be too ſluggiſh, and too ſilent, and too ſhie, and too ſhamefac'd; but can I be too buſie, a too zealous for the Living God? Can I ſay of my beſt, this is too much? Can I ſay of any thing leſs than my beſt, this is enough? 'Tis the Lord God whom thou ſerveſt, fear to be unworthy. This is the advantage of our carrying this thought upon our Hearts, I ſerve the Lord, it will put us upon the beſt and higheſt Service.
Give me leave to add another Advantage, (though not of ſo proper conſideration here); This thought, whilſt it provokes us to the higheſt, will yet comfort us, touching the leaſt and meaneſt of all our Services. Some poor weak Chriſtians, are apt to diſcourage themſelves in all they do, from this, that it is ſo very low and little that they do. I am a poor Creature, 'tis but little that I have to ſerve the Lord withal, I am ignorant and of weak underſtanding, I have not the Parts nor Gifts that others have; I might poſſibly ſerve the Lord better, were it not for this Fear which is upon me; I am afraid to ſpeak of God, or of the Things of God; I am of ſlow Speech, and rude Language, I cannot expreſs my ſelf to any purpoſe; I am aſhamed of my teaching my Family, of my praying in my Family; I do it ſo brokenly and confuſedly, that I fear I do more hurt than good in it.
I but, poor Man, as weak as thou art, and as weakly as thou doſt, what thou doſt, if thou do what thou canſt, This is ſerving the Lord; and whether it be little or much, if thou canſt but truly ſay, This is ſerving the Lord, thou mayſt be comforted in it.
If Sinners conſidered that their little Sins were ſerving the Devil, 'twould make them afraid of the very leaſt tranſgreſſion. Some Sinners are not ſo great Sinners as others, they are not guilty of thoſe higher and more notorious Crimes that ſome others are, and this quiets them and keeps off Fear from them.
Thou art no Drunkard, thou ſayeſt, nor no Adulterer, nor no Blaſphemer; I, but doſt thou not live a carnal, vain, careleſs, earthly Life? and is not this ſerving the Devil? Though thou doſt not ſerve the Devil in the Ale-houſe, or the Whore-houſe; though thou doſt not ſerve the Devil with Oaths, and Curſes, and Blaſphemies, yet is it not the Devil ſtill thou ſerveſt? Thou ſerveſt thy Covetouſneſs, thou ſerveſt thy Pride, and thy ſenſual Appetite; thou neglecteſt Chriſt and thy Soul, and is not this ſerving the Devil? Such a thought, upon the moſt harmleſs of Sinners Hearts, yet I ſerve the Devil, would make him afraid. Is it a light thing to ſerve the Devil? Though I be not numbred among the chief of Sinners, though there be others worſe than I, yet am not I under the ſame Maſter? Though I be among the hindermoſt of the Company, yet am not I one of them? This Life I live, is no ſerving God, and therefore 'tis doubtleſs the ſerving of the Devil. Take heed, O my Soul, If the Devil can but hold thee, 'twill be all one, whether it be by greater or ſmaller Cords; the Devil is dragging thee to Hell, and ſo he can but get the thither at laſt, it will be upon the matter all one to him whether it be by greater or leſſer Sins. Though he can't perſwade thee to ride poſt into the Pit, yet if he can but toll thee in, that ſhall ſuffice him, though it be but by a ſlower pace.
Now as ſuch a thought, I ſerve the Devil, would afright the leaſt of Sinners, ſo will ſuch a thought, I ſerve the Lord, comfort the leaſt of Saints. But this by the way.
4. Another Reaſon why we ſhould Fear, is, becauſe of the great Treaſure we carry about with us, whither-ever we go.
Chriſtians are Travellers, and they travel with charge about them. This World is a dangerous World, the Paſſengers through it are in danger of falling among Thieves, which will ſpoil and rob them of their Treaſure.
A Chriſtian carries more Riches about him than the whole World is worth. He hath the whole Goſpel within him, he hath the two Tables of the Covenant, his Heart is the Ark, in which they are laid up. He hath Chriſt in him, the Fruits of his Blood, his Pardon and Reconciliation; the graces and comforts of his Spirit, his evidences for Heaven; all the Records of the gracious Tranſactions betwixt God and his Soul, the Pawns and Pledges of Divine Love, the King's Broad-Seal, and the Earneſt for Glory; all the Income of his Faith, the Returns of his Prayers, all that he hath gotten, all the Manna he hath gathered, the Hidden Manna, the White Stone, with the New Name, he carries all his Riches up and down with him, whither-ever he travels.
Haſt thou any Divine Light in thine Heart? any love for Chriſt, any zeal for God and his Goſpel, any Tokens of his Love, or Tenderneſs of his Honour? Is there Peace, or Joy, or Hope within thee? All this thou art in danger of being rob'd and ſpoil'd of.
This is the Deſign that Satan hath upon thee, this is the Errand of every Worldly Luſt, of every Temptation, every Companion, every Carnal Relation, every Change of Condition, every Carnal Pleaſure, all thy Earthly Poſſeſſions; the Devil hath ſet them in ambuſh, and they lie in wait for thee, to rifle thee and ſpoil thee of all that ever thou art worth.
Haſt thou never fallen amongſt theſe Thieves, and ſuffered great loſs by them? Haſt thou been rob'd, and art thou not afraid thou mayeſt again? Will not thy loſs make thee more wiſe and wary?
How many Inſtances have there been of ſecure and unwary Chriſtians, who, whilſt they have been venturous upon Temptations, have truſted themſelves amongſt their vain Companions, indulged themſelves a more free, and jolly, and eaſie, a more remiſs, and fleſh pleaſing Life, or a more buſie drudgery for this VVorld, have, (as to their ſenſe at leaſt) loſt all they had for the other VVorld; VVho when they have come a little to themſelves, fall a mourning out Naomi's bitter Song; Ruth. 1.20. Call me no more Naomi, but call me Marah; I went out full, but I returned empty. Whilſt mine Heart was tender, and mine Eye jealous; whilſt I kept my watch, and kept my diſtance from this World and its Temptations; O, what Light, Love, Peace, Joy, did then ſhine upon and poſſeſs my Heart? then I had a God, whom I could call mine own; then I had a Jeſus, and could lean upon my Beloved; then I could believe, love, ſerve, delight in, enjoy, and praiſe the Lord.
But wo, wo to me, how is it now? Whilſt I allowed my ſelf a little more boldneſs, with this Fleſh and this World, I have even loſt all ere I was aware. I am fallen among Thieves, and what have they left me?
O mine Eaſe, my Pleaſures, my Money, my Lands, which I have turned aſide to, how have you ſerved me? Whilſt I have been loving, and following, and ſerving you, how have you rewarded me? Ah me, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. Grace is not, Peace is no more to me, a good Conſcience, where is it become? I can neither Believe, nor Love, nor Pray, nor Hope, nor any thing elſe, but Fear and Lament. O had I feared alway, this Fear had never come upon me.
Chriſtians, Are there no ſuch Inſtances, no ſuch Caſes in the World? And is there no fear that this may be any of your caſes? Do not [you] alſo travel with Charge? have you not a Treaſure within you? What, have you been Profeſſors ſo long, Believers ſo long; have you been Hearing, and Praying, and Faſting, and Labouring all this while, and have not gotten ſomething you would be loth to loſe? And is not the World ſtill as very a Thief as ever? Does not the Devil lye in wait for you as well as for others? Is not his Eye upon that Chain about thy Neck, that Jewel in thy Boſom, and thoſe Bracelets upon thy Hands, the Graces that appear upon thee? and hath he not a mind to beguile thee of them all? Are his Temptations ſo weak, or art thou ſo ſtrong, that thou needeſt not fear them? As I told thee once heretofore, ſo I now tell thee again, He that is ſo weak as not to fear Temptations, is certainly not ſo ſtrong as to reſiſt them. Look to thy ſelf, they are all ſtanding at the catch for thee; thy Companions are catching, thine Eſtate is catching, thy Buſineſe is catching, thy Pleaſures are all catching at thee, to ſpoil thee of all that ever thou haſt.
Objection.
But he that hath nothing, hath no need to fear the Thief: As for me (ſaith the Sinner) I have nothing to loſe, neither Grace nor Peace; it's for the Rich to fear, but I am ſo poor that I cannot be poorer; my Eſtate is ſo bad, that the Devil can hardly make it worſe than it is; I need not fear whither, or among whom I go, I cannot come amongst thoſe that are worſe than my ſelf; why then ſhould ſuch an one as I Fear?
Anſwer.
1. Haſt thou nothing to loſe? thou haſt the more to get. Art thou content to be thus poor for ever? Hitherto thou haſt no Grace, thou haſt no part in Chriſt, nor the Salvation of God; but what if thou ſhouldſt never have? That which hath kept thee from Chriſt hitherto, and ſo wholly void and empty of the Grace of God hitherto, is like to keep thee ſo for ever; and, O what if it ſhould do ſo? If the Devil and this evil World ſhould ſerve thee all thy days, as they have ſerv'd thee to this day? What if thou ſhouldſt continue thus blind, and thus hard, and in ſuch a poor and wretched ſtate of Soul to thy dying day? Dareſt thou go down thus to thy Grave? Dareſt thou ſtand thus in the Judgment? When it ſhall be then demanded of thee, What good haſt thou done, or what good haſt thou gotten, wouldſt thou ſtand ſpeechleſs? Conſider in time, the leſs thou haſt, the more thou haſt to get.
2. Thou haſt yet much to loſe. As poor as thou art, thou mayeſt be poorer; thy caſe is not ſo bad but it may be much worſe than 'tis. For,
1. Thou haſt a day of Grace to loſe. Though thou haſt no Grace, yet thou haſt a day of Grace; thou art yet under the means; thou art yet in a poſſibility of Grace, as wretched as thy ſtate is, it is not deſperate. The Word is nigh thee, the Door of Mercy is yet open; Behold the Lord ſtands at the Door and knocks; behold, he calleth thee, Come unto me and be ſaved; what is thy time for? Doth not the Lord ſay, as Rev. 2.21. I give this Sinner ſpace to repent? What are Sabbaths, Ordinances, Miniſtry for? Is not the Acceptable Day yet proclaimed? Is not the Word of Reconciliation yet preached unto thee? and do all theſe give thee no hope, no opportunity of obtaining Mercy? What if theſe were all loſt and gone? if it were ſaid unto thee, Time is paſt? What if thou ſhouldſt never hear a Sermon more, never keep a Sabbath more, never ſee the face of a Miniſter of Chriſt more? if thou ſhouldſt never again be inſtructed or invited to Chriſt, but ſhouldſt be irrevocably given up to a Reprobate Mind, and an Heart that cannot repent? Is it nothing to thee, that Repentance is yet preached to thee, in the Name of the Lord Jeſus? that the Ambaſſadours are ſtill before thy Door, beſeeching thee from the Lord, and praying thee in Chriſt's ſtead, Be thou reconciled to God? How would ſuch a Day be prized in Hell? If the Miniſters that are now ſent to thee, were ſent down amongſt thoſe damned Souls that are bound in Chains of Darkneſs, to carry down the Goſpel to them? O, if thoſe miſerable Souls might have one Sabbath more, one hour of Grace more, one Sermon more of Repentance and Reconciliation preached unto them, how would their ſhrieks and howlings be turned into ſhouts and acclamations of joy? Why, Sinner, thou haſt yet the Bleſſed Day before thee; when 'tis paſt and gone, then thou wilt know, too late, of what price it was.
2. Thou haſt a Soul to loſe. As poor as thou art, thou haſt yet that which is more worth than all the World; Matth. 16.26. Thou doſt not know the price of a Soul, who ſayeſt, Thou haſt nothing to loſe. Sinners value their Souls at a low rate, 'tis the cheapeſt pennyworth that the Devil can buy in the World; Men ſell them as cheap as Eſau ſold his Birth-right, for a Meſs of Pottage; as the Rich Men ſold the Poor, for a piece of Silver, or a pair of Shooes: a Soul for a Luſt, a Soul for a Whore, a Soul for a Name; the loweſt price the Devil bids, will hardly be refuſed.
But as low as Men rate it, a Soul is worth a Kingdom; all the Kingdoms in the World will not buy it from his hands, who knows it's worth. All the Crowns, and Scepters, and Thrones, and Dominions of all the Earth, put all together, one poor Soul will weigh them all down. And this is it, O Sinner, that thou haſt to loſe, and yet doſt thou ſay thou haſt nothing to loſe? How canſt thou alſo but live in Fear? Yea, who in the World hath greater reaſon to fear than thou? Is thy Soul ſo precious? Is thy Soul in danger of being loſt? Is it ſo near gone, almoſt paſt recovery, every day, every hour, ready to drop down into that Pit, from which is no Redemption; How is it that ſuch a thought ſhakes not thy Soul?