The Reformed Pastor, Chapter 6 · Section 2
SECT, II.
II. HAving given you the firſt ſort of moving Reaſons, which were drawn from the Benefits of the preſent undertaken work. I come to the ſecond ſort, which are taken from the difficulties; which if they were taken alone, or in a needleſs buſineſs, I confeſs might be rather diſcouragements then motives: But taking theſe, with thoſe that go before and follow, and the caſe is otherwiſe. For difficulties muſt excite to greater diligence in a neceſſary work.
And difficulties we ſhall find many, both in our ſelves and in our people; which becauſe they are things ſo obvious that your experience will leave no room for doubting, I ſhall take leave to paſs them over in a few words.
1. In ourſelves there is much dulneſs and lazineſs, ſo that there will be much ado to get us to be faithful in ſo hard a work. Like a ſluggard in bed, that knows he ſhould riſe, and yet delayeth and would ſtay as long as he can; ſo do we by duties that our corrupt natures are againſt, and put us to the uſe of all our powers. More ſloath will tye the hands of many.
2. We have alſo a baſe man-pleaſing diſpoſition, which will make us let men periſh leſt we loſe their love, and let them go quietly to hell, leaſt we ſhould make them angry with us for ſeeking their ſalvation: and we are ready to venture on the diſpleaſure of God, and venture our people into everlaſting miſery, rather then get ill-will to ourſelves. This diſtemper muſt be diligently reſiſted,
3. We have ſome of us alſo a fooliſh baſhfulneſs, which makes us very backward to begin with them, and to ſpeak plainly to them: we are ſo modeſt forſooth, that we bluſh to ſpeak for Chriſt, or to contradict the Devil, or to ſave a ſoul: when ſhameful works we are leſs aſhamed of.
4. We are ſo carnal, that we are prone by our fleſhly intereſts, to be drawn to unfaithfulneſs in the work of Chriſt. Leſt we loſe our Tythes, or bring trouble upon ourſelves, or ſet people againſt us, and many ſuch like. All theſe require diligence for their reſiſtance.
5. The greateſt impediment of all is, that we are too weak in the faith: So that when we ſhould ſet upon a man for his converſion with all our might, if there be not the ſtirrings of unbelief within us, to raiſe up actual queſtionings of Heaven and Hell, whether the things that we ſhould earneſtly preſs be true, yet at leaſt the belief of them is ſo weak, that it will hardly excite in us ſo kindly, reſolute, and conſtant zeal: So that our whole motion will be but weak, becauſe the ſpring of faith is ſo weak. O what need therefore have all Miniſters for themſelves and their work, to look well to their faith, eſpecially that their Aſſent to the truth of Scripture, about the Joy and Torments of the life to come, be ſound and lively.
6. And laſtly, we have commonly a great deal of unskilfulneſs and unfitneſs for this work. Alas how few know how to deal with an ignorant worldly man for his ſalvation! To get within him, and win upon him, and ſuit all ſpeeches to mens ſeveral conditions and tempers, to chooſe the meeteſt ſubjects, and follow them with the holy mixture of ſeriouſneſs, and terrour, and love, and meekneſs, and evangelical allurements! O who is fit for ſuch a thing! I profeſs ſeriouſly, it ſeems to me (by experience) as hard a matter to confer aright with ſuch a carnal perſon in order to his change, as to preach ſuch Sermons as ordinarily we do, if not much more. All theſe Difficulties in our ſelves ſhould waken us to reſolutions, preparation and diligence, that we be not overcome by them, and hindred from, or in the work.
2. AND for our people, we have as many Difficulties to encounter with in them. 1. Too many of them will be obſtinately unwilling to be taught; and ſcorn to come at us, as being too good to be catechized, or too old to learn: unleſs we deal wiſely with them in publike and private, by the force of Reaſons, the power of Love to conquer their perverſneſs; which we muſt carefully endeavour.
2. And ſo great is the dulneſs of many that are willing, that they can ſcarce learn a leaf of a Catechiſm in a long time, and therefore will keep away, as aſhamed of their ignorance, unleſs we are wiſe and diligent to encourage them.
3. And when they do come, ſo great is their ignorance and unapprehenſiveneſs, that you will find it a wonderful hard matter to get them to underſtand you, ſo that if you have not the skill of making things plain, you will leave them as ſtrange to it, as before.
4. And yet harder will you find it to work things upon their hearts, and ſet them ſo cloſe to the quick, as to make that ſaving change which is our end, and without which our labour is almoſt loſt. Oh what a block, what a rock is a hardened carnal heart! How ſtiffly will it reſiſt the moſt powerful perſwaſions! and hear of everlaſting life or death as a thing of nothing! If you have not therefore great ſeriouſneſs, and fervency, and working matter, and fitneſs of expreſſion, what good can you expect? And when all is done, the ſpirit of Grace muſt do the work: But as God and men do uſe to chooſe inſtruments moſt ſuitable to the nature of the agent, work or end, ſo here the ſpirit of wiſdom, life, and holineſs, doth not uſe to work by fooliſh, dead or carnal inſtruments, but by ſuch perſwaſions of Light, and Life, and Purity, as are likeſt to it ſelf, and to the work that is to be wrought thereby.
5. And when you have made ſome deſirable Impreſſions on their hearts, if you look not after them, and have not a ſpecial care of them when they are gone, their hearts will ſoon return to their former hardneſs, and their old companions, and temptations will work off all again. I do but briefly hint theſe things which you ſo well know. All the difficulties of the work of converſion, which you uſe to acquaint the people with, are here before us in our preſent work; which I will forbear to enumerate, as ſuppoſing it unneceſſary.