The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 24
DIRECTION XXIV.
24. My next advice for the obtaining of a ſetled Peace and Comfort, is this: [Take heed that you content not your ſelf with a cheap courſe of Religion, and ſuch a ſerving of God as coſteth you little or nothing: But in your abſtaining from ſin, in your riſing out of ſin, and in your diſcharge of Duty, incline moſt to that way which is moſt ſelf-denying, and diſpleaſing to the fleſh (ſo you be ſure it be a lawful way.) And when you are called out to any work which will ſtand you in extraordinary labour and coſt, you muſt be ſo far from ſhrinking and drawing your neck out of the yoke, that you muſt look upon it as a ſpecial prize that is put into your hand, & a ſingular advantage & opportunity for the increaſe of your comforts.
THIS Rule is like the reſt of the Chriſtian Doctrine, which is not throughly underſtood by any way but experience. Libertines and ſenſual Profeſſors that never tryed it, did never well underſtand it. I could find in my heart to be large in explaining and applying it, but that I have been ſo large beyond my firſt intentions in the former Directions, that I will cut off the reſt as ſhort as … well can.
Let none be ſo wickedly injurious to me, as to ſay I ſpeak or think of any Merit, properly ſo called, in any the coſtlieſt work of man: Faſten not that on me which I both diſclaim, and deſire the Reader to take heed of. But I muſt tell you theſe two things:
1. That a cheap Religion is a far more uncertain evidence of ſincerity, then a dear. it will not diſcover ſo well to a mans own ſoul, whether he prefer Chriſt before the world, and whether he take him and his Benefits for his Portion and Treaſure.
2. That a cheap Religion is not uſually accompanied with any notable degree of Comforts, although the perſon be a ſincere-hearted Chriſtian.
Every Hypocrite can ſubmit to a Religion that will coſt him little: much more which will get Reputation with men of greateſt Wiſdom and Piety: Yea he may ſtick to it, ſo it will not undo him in the world▪ If a man have knowledge, and gifts of utterance, and ſtrength of body, it is no coſtly matter to ſpeak many good words, or to be earneſt in oppoſing the ſins of others, and to preach zealouſly and frequently (much more if he have double honour by it, Reverent Obedience, and Maintenance, as Miniſters of the Goſpel have, or ought to have.) It is hard to diſcern ſincerity in ſuch a courſe of Piety and Duty. Wo to thoſe Perſecutors that ſhall put us to the Trial, how far we can go in ſuffering for Chriſt: but it ſhould be a matter of Rejoycing to us, when we are put upon it. To be Patient in Tribulation is not enough: but to Rejoyce in it, is alſo the duty of a Saint. Let thoſe that think this draweth men to Rejoyce too much in themſelves, but hear what the Lord Jeſus himſelf ſaith, and his Spirit in his Apoſtles, Mat. 5 10, 11, 12. Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Bleſſed are ye when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſay all manner of evil ſayings againſt you falſly for my names ſake: Rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.] Iam. 1.2, 3, 12. My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (not inward temptations of the Devil and our Luſt, but trials by perſecution:) knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he ſhall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.] See Luk. 6.23. 1 Pet. 4.13. Act. 5.41. 2 Cor. 6.10. & 7.4. Col. 1.11. Heb. 10.34. 2 Cor. 13.9. & 12.15. Oh how gloriouſly doth a tried faith ſhine, to the comfort of the Believer, and the admiration of the Beholders? How eaſily may a Chriſtian try himſelf at ſuch a time when God is trying him? One hours experience, when we have found that our faith can endure the furnace, and that we can hazard or let go all for Chriſt, will more effectually reſolve all our doubtings of our ſincerity, then many a months trial by meer queſtioning of our own deceitful hearts.
Object. But (you may ſay) what if God call me not to ſuffering or hazards? muſt I caſt my ſelf upon it without a Call? or muſt I be therefore without Comfort?
Anſw. No; you ſhall not need to caſt your ſelf upon ſuffering; nor yet to be without Comfort for want of it. I know no man but may ſerve God at dearer rates to the fleſh then moſt of us do, without ſtepping out of the way of his duty: Nay he muſt do it, except he will avoyd his duty. Never had the Church yet ſuch times of proſperity, but that faithful duty would hazard men, and cauſe their trouble in the fleſh. Can you not▪ nay ought you not to put your ſelf to greater labour for mens ſouls? If you ſhould but go day after day among the poor ignorant people where you live, and inſtruct them in the knowledge of God, and bear with all their weakneſs and rudeneſs, and continue thus with Patience; this might coſt you ſome labour, and perhaps contempt from many of the unthankful: and yet you ſhould not do more then your duty, if you have opportunity for it, as moſt have, or may have, if they will. If you ſhould further hire them to learn Catechiſms; if you ſhould extend your liberality to the utmoſt for relief of the poor, this would coſt you ſomewhat. If you carry on every Juſt Cauſe with Reſolution, though never ſo many great friends would draw you to betray it: this may coſt you the loſs of thoſe friends. If you will but deal plainly with the ungodly, and againſt all ſin, as far as you have opportunity, eſpecially if it be the ſins of Rulers and Gentlemen of name and power in the world; it may coſt you ſomewhat. Nay though you were Embaſſadors of Chriſt, whoſe office is to deal plainly, and not to pleaſe men in evil upon pain of Chriſts diſpleaſure; you may perhaps turn your great friends to be your great enemies. Go to ſuch a Lord, or ſuch a Knight, or ſuch a Gentleman, and tell him freely, that God looketh for another manner of ſpending his time then in hunting and hawking, and ſporting and feaſting, and that this precious time muſt be dearly reckoned for: Tell him, that God looks he ſhould be the moſt eminent in Holineſs, and in a Heavenly life, and give an example thereof to all that are below him, as God hath made him more eminent in worldly dignity and poſſeſſions. Tell him, that where much is given, much is required; and that a low profeſſion, and dull approbation of that which is good, will ſerve no man, much leſs ſuch a man. Tell him, that his Riches muſt be expended to feed and cloath the poor, and promote good uſes, and not meerly for himſelf and family, or elſe he will make but a ſad account: and that he muſt freely engage his reputation, eſtate and life, and all for Chriſt and his Goſpel, when he cals him to it; yea and forſake all for him, if Chriſt put him to it, or elſe he can be no Diſciple of Chriſts: and then what good will his Honours and Riches do him, when his Soul ſhall be called for? Try this courſe with Great men, yea with Great men that ſeem religious, and that no further then faithfulneſs and compaſſion to mens ſouls doth bind you, and do it with all the wiſdom you can, that is not carnal; and then tell me what it doth coſt you. Let thoſe Miniſters that are near them, plainly and roundly tell both the Parliament-men, and Commanders of the Army, of their unqueſtionable tranſgreſſions, and that according to their nature, (and wo to them if they do not) and then let them tell me what it doth coſt them. Alas Sirs, how great a number of Profeſſors are baſe, daubing, ſelf-ſeeking Hypocrites, that cull out the ſafe, the cheap, the eaſy part of duty, and leave all the reſt! And ſo ordinarily is this done, that we have made us a new Chriſtianity by it; and the Religion of Chriſts own making, the ſelf-denying courſe preſcribed by our Maſter, is almoſt unknown; and he that ſhould practice it would be taken for a madman, or ſome ſelf-conceited Cynick, or ſome ſaucy, if not ſeditious fellow. It is not therefore becauſe Chriſt hath not preſcribed us a more ſelf-denying, hazardous, laborious way, that men ſo commonly take up in the Cheapeſt Religion: but it is through our falſe-heartedneſs to Chriſt▪ and the ſtrength of ſenſual carnal Intereſts in us, which make us put falſe Interpretations on the plaineſt precepts of Chriſt which charge any unpleaſing duty on us, and Familiſtically turn them into Allegories, or at leaſt we will not yield to obey him. And, truly, I think that our ſhifting off Chriſt in this unworthy manner, and even altering that very frame and nature of Chriſtian Religion (by turning that into a fleſh-pleaſing Religion, which is more againſt the fleſh then all the Religions elſe in the world) and dealing ſo reſervedly, ſuperficially and unfaithfully in all his work, is a great cauſe why Chriſt doth now appear no more openly for men, and pour out no larger a meaſure of his Spirit in Gifts and Conſolations. When men appeared ordinarily in the moſt open manner for Chriſt, in greateſt dangers and ſufferings: then Chriſt appeared more openly and eminently for them (yet is none more for meekneſs, humility and love, and againſt unmerciful or dividing zeal, then Chriſt.)
2. And as you ſee that a cheap Religiouſneſs doth not to diſcover ſincerity: ſo ſecondly, it is not accompanied with that ſpecial bleſſing of God. As God hath engaged himſelf in his Word, that they ſhall not loſe their Reward that give but a cup of water in his name: ſo he hath more fully engaged himſelf to thoſe that are moſt deeply engaged for him; even that they that forſake all for him, ſhall have manifold recompence in this life, and in the world to come eternal life. Let the experience of all the world of Chriſtians be produced, and all will atteſt the ſame truth, That it is Gods uſual courſe to give men larger Comforts in dearer duties, then in cheap: Nay ſeldom doth he give large Comforts in cheap duties: and ſeldom doth he deny them in dearer, ſobeit they are not made dear by our own ſin and fooliſh indiſcretion, but by his command, and our faithfulneſs in obeying him. Who knows not that the Conſolation of Martyrs is uſually above other mens, who hath read of their ſufferings and ſtrange ſuſtentations? Chriſtian, do but try this by thy own experiences, and tell me, when thou haſt moſt reſolutely followed Chriſt in a good Cauſe; when thou haſt ſtood againſt the faces of the greateſt for God; when thou haſt caſt thy life, thy family and eſtate upon Chriſt, and run thy ſelf into the moſt apparent hazards for his ſake: haſt not thou come off with more inward peace and comfort, then the cheaper part of thy Religion hath afforded thee? When thou haſt ſtood to the Truth and Goſpel, and haſt done Good through the greateſt oppoſition, and loſt thy greateſt and deareſt friends becauſe thou wouldſt not forſake Chriſt and his ſervice, or deal falſly in ſome Cauſe that he hath truſted thee in: haſt not thou come off with the bleſſing of Peace of Conſcience? Nay, when thou haſt denied thy moſt importunate Appetite, and moſt croſſed thy luſts, and moſt humbled and abaſed thy ſelf for God, and denied thy credit, and taken ſhame to thy ſelf in a free confeſſing of thy faults, or patiently put up the greateſt abuſes, or humbled and tamed thy fleſh by neceſſary abſtinence, or any way moſt diſpleaſed it, by croſſing its intereſt, by bountiful giving, laborious duty, dangers or ſufferings for the ſake of the Lord Jeſus, his Truth and People: hath it not been far better with thee in thy Peace and Comforts then before? I know ſome will be ready to ſay, That may be from Carnal Pride in our own doing or ſuffering. I anſwer; It may be ſo: And therefore let all watch againſt that. But I am certain that this is Gods ordinary dealing with his people, and therefore we may ordinarily expect it: It is for their encouragement in faithful duty; and I may truly ſay, for their Reward, when himſelf cals that a Reward which he gives for a cup of water. Lay well to heart that Example of Abraham for which he is ſo often extolled in the Scripture, viz. his readineſs to ſacrifice his only Son: This was a dear Obedience: And, ſaith God, Becauſe (mark Becauſe) thou haſt done this thing, in bleſſing I will bleſs thee, &c. David would not offer to God that which coſt him nothing , 2 Sam. 24.24. 1 Chron. 21.24. God will have the beſt of your hearts, the beſt of your labours, the beſt of your e…tates, the beſt of all, or he will not accept it. Abels ſacrifice was of the beſt, and it was accepted: And God ſaith to Cain, If thou do well, ſhalt not thou be accepted?
Seeing this is ſo, let me adviſe you; Take it not for a calamity, but for a precious advantage, when God cals thee to a hazardous coſtly ſervice, which is like to coſt thee much of thy eſtate, to coſt thee the loſs of thy chiefeſt friends, the loſs of thy credit, the indignation of Great ones, or the painfulleſt diligence and trouble of body: Shift it not off, but take this opportunity thankfully, leſt thou never have ſuch another for the clearing of thy ſincerity, and the obtaining of more then ordinary Conſolations from God: Thou haſt now a Prize in thy hand for ſpiritual riches, if thou have but a heart to improve it. I know all this is a paradox to the unbelieving world: But here is the very excellency of the Chriſtian Religion, and the Glory of Faith. It looks for its greateſt ſpoyls, and richeſt prizes from its Conqueſts of fleſhly Intereſts: It is not only able to do it, but it expecteth its advancement and conſolations by this way. It is engaged in a war with the world and fleſh▪ and in this war it plays not the vapouring fencer, that ſeems to do much, but never ſtrikes home, as Hypocrites and carnal worldly Profeſſors do: but he lays it home and ſpares not, as one that knows, That the fleſhes ruine muſt be his Riſing, and the fleſhes thriving would be his Ruine. In theſe things the true Chriſtian alone is in good ſadneſs, and all the reſt of the world but in jeſt. The Lord pity poor deluded ſouls! You may ſee by this one thing, how rare a thing true Chriſtianity is among the Multitude that take themſelves for Chriſtians! and how certain therefore it is that few ſhall be ſaved! Even this one point of true Mortification, and ſelf-denial, is a ſtranger among the moſt of Profeſſors. Oh how ſad a teſtimony of it are the actions of theſe late times, wherein ſo much hath been done for ſelf, and ſafety, and carnal intereſts, and ſo little for Chriſt! yea, and that after the deepeſt engagements of Mercies and Vows that ever lay on a people in the world: Inſomuch that through the juſt judgement of God, they are now given up to doubt, whether it be the duty of Rulers to do any thing as Rulers for Chriſt, or no? or whether they ſhould not let Chriſt alone to do it himſelf? Well, this which is ſuch a myſterie to the unregenerate world, is a thing that every genuine Chriſtian is acquainted with: for they that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh, with the affections and luſts thereof; and the world is dead to them, and they to the world, Gal. 6.11.
Take this counſel therefore in all the ſeveral caſes mentioned in the Direction:
1. In your preventing ſin, and maintaining your Innocency, if you cannot do it without denying your credit, and expoſing your ſelf to diſgrace; or without the loſs of friends, or a breach in your eſtate, do it nevertheleſs: Yea, if it would coſt you your utter ruine in the world, thank God that put ſuch an opportunity into your hand for extraordinary Conſolations: For ordinarily the Martyrs Comforts exceed other mens, as much as their burthen of duty and ſuffering doth. Cyprian is fain to write for the comfort of ſome Chriſtians in his times, that at death were troubled that they miſt of their hopes of Martyrdom. So alſo if you cannot mortifie any luſt without much pinching the fleſh, do it chearfully; for the dearer the victory coſteth you, the ſweeter will be the iſſue and review.
2. The ſame counſel I give you alſo in your riſing from ſin. It is the ſad condition of thoſe that yield to a Temptation, and once put their foot within the dores of Satan, that they enſnare themſelves ſo, that they muſt undergo thrice as great difficulties to draw back, as they needed to have done before-hand for prevention and forbearance. Sin unhappily engageth the ſinner to go on; and one ſin doth make another ſeem neceſſary. O how hard a thing is it for him that wrong'd another by ſtealing, deceit, over-reaching in bargaining, or the like, to confeſs his fault, and ask him forgiveneſs, and to the utmoſt of his ability to make reſtitution! What abundance of difficulties will be in the way? It will likely coſt him the loſs of his Credit, beſides the breach in his eſtate, and perhaps lay him open to the rage of him that he hath wronged. Rather he will be drawn to cover his ſin with a Lye, or at leaſt by Excuſes. And ſo it is in many other ſins. Now in any of theſe Caſes, when men indulge the fleſh, and cannot find in their hearts to take that loſs or ſhame to themſelves, which a through-Repentance doth require, they do but feed the troubles of their ſoul, and hide their wounds and ſores, and not eaſe them. Uſually ſuch perſons go on in a galled, unpeaceable condition, and reach not to ſolid Comfort: (I ſpeak only of thoſe to whom ſuch Confeſſion or Reſtitution is a duty.) And I cannot wonder at it: For they have great cauſe to queſtion the truth of that Repentance, and conſequently the ſoundneſs of that heart, which will not bring them to a ſelf-denying duty, nor to Gods way of riſing from their ſin. It ſeems at preſent the intereſt of the fleſh is actually predominant, when no Reaſon or Conviction will perſwade them to contradict it. As ever you would have ſound Comfort then in ſuch a Caſe as this, ſpare not the fleſh. When you have ſinned, you muſt riſe again or periſh. If you cannot riſe without faſting, without free confeſſing, without the utter ſhaming of your ſelves, without reſtitution; never ſtick at it. This is your hour of Trial: O yield not in the Conflict. The dearer the Victory coſteth you, the greater will be your Peace. Try it; and if you find it not ſo, I am miſtaken. Yet if you have ſinned ſo that the opening of it may more diſcredit the Goſpel, then your Confeſſion will honour it, and yet your Conſcience is unquiet, and urgeth you to confeſs; in ſuch a caſe be firſt well informed, and proceed warily and upon deliberation; and firſt open the caſe to ſome faithful Miniſter or able Chriſtian in ſecret, that you may have good advice.
3. The ſame counſel alſo would I give you in the performance of your duty. A Magiſtrate is convinced he muſt puniſh ſinners, and put down Ale-houſes, and be true to every Juſt Cauſe: but then he muſt ſteel his face againſt all mens reproaches, and the ſolicitations of all friends. A Miniſter is convinced that he muſt teach from houſe to houſe, as well as publickly, if he be able; and that he muſt deal plainly with ſinners according to their conditions; yea and require the Church to avoyd Communion with them, if they be obſtinate in evill after other ſufficient means: But then he ſhall loſe the Love of his People, and be accounted Proud, Preciſe, Rigid, Lordly, and perhaps loſe his maintenance. Obey God now; and the dearer it coſteth you, the more Peace and Protection, and the larger bleſſing may you expect from God: For you do (as it were) oblige God the more to ſtick to you; as you will take your ſelf obliged to own, and bear out, and reward thoſe that hazard ſtate, and credit, and life for you. And if you cannot obey God in ſuch a Trial, it is a ſad ſign of a falſe-hearted Hypocrite: except your fall be only in a temptation, from which you riſe with renewed Repentance and Reſolutions, which will conquer for the time to come. As Peter, who being left to himſelf for an example of humane frailty, and that Chriſt might have no friend to ſtick by him when he ſuffered for our ſin, yet preſently wept bitterly, and afterward ſpent his ſtrength and time in preaching Chriſt, and laid down his life in Martyrdom for him.
So perhaps many a poor ſervant, or hard labourer, hath ſcarce any time except the Lords day to Pray or Read. Let ſuch pinch the fleſh a little the more (ſo they do not overthrow their health) and either work the harder, or fare the harder, or be cloathed the more meanly, or eſpecially break a little of their ſleep, that they may find ſome time for theſe duties; and try whether the Peace and Comfort will not Recompence it. Never any man was a loſer for God! So private Chriſtians cannot conſcionably diſcharge the great plain duty of Reproof and Exhortation; lovingly, yet plainly telling their friends and neighbours of their ſins, and danger, and duty, but they will turn friends into foes, and poſſibly ſet all the Town on their heads. But is it a Duty, or is it not? If it be, then truſt God with the Iſſue, and do your work, and ſee whether he will ſuffer you to be loſers.
For my part I think, that if Chriſtians took Gods work before them, and ſpared the fleſh leſs, and truſted themſelves and all to Chriſt alone, and did not balk all the troubleſom coſtly part of Religion, and that which moſt croſſeth the intereſt of the fleſh; it would be more ordinary with them to be filled with the joys of the Holy Ghoſt, and walk in that Peace of Conſcience which is a Continual Feaſt; and to have ſuch full and frequent views both of the ſincerity of their Evidencing Graces, and of Gods Reconciled Face, as would baniſh their doubts and fears, and be a greater help to their certainty of ſalvation, then much other labour doth prove. If you flinch not the fiery furnace, you ſhall have the company of the Son of God in it. If you flinch not the Priſon and Stocks, you may be able to ſing as Paul and Silas did. If you refuſe not to be ſtoned with Stephen, you may perhaps ſee Heaven opened as he did. If you think theſe Comforts ſo dear bought, that you will rather venture without them; let me tell you, you may take your courſe, but the end will convince you to the very heart, of the folly of your choyce. Never then complain for want of Comfort; remember you might have had it, and would not. And let me give you this with you: You will ſhortly find, though worldly Pleaſures, Riches and Honours were ſome ſlight ſalves to your moleſted Conſcience here, yet there will no cure nor eaſe for it be found hereafter: Your merry hours will then all be gone, and your worldly Delights forſake you in Diſtreſs: but theſe ſolid Comforts which you judged too dear, would have ended in the Everlaſting Joys of Glory. When men do flinch God and his Truth in ſtraits, and juggle with their Conſciences, and will take out all the honourable, eaſy, cheap part of the work of Chriſt, and make a Religion of that by it ſelf, leaving out all the diſgraceful, difficult, chargeable, ſelf-denying part; and hereupon call themſelves Chriſtians, and make a great ſhew in the world with this kind of Religiouſneſs, and take themſelves injured if men queſtion their honeſty and uprightneſs in the faith: theſe men are notorious ſelf-deceivers, meer Hypocrites; and in plain truth, this is the very true deſcription by which damnable Hypocrites are known from ſound Chriſtians. The Lord open mens eyes to ſee it in time while it may be cured. Yea, and the nearer any true Chriſtian doth come to this ſin, the more doth he diſ-oblige God, and quench the Spirit of Comfort, and darken his own Evidences, and deſtroy his Peace of Conſcience, and create unavoydable Troubles to his Spirit, and eſtrangedneſs betwixt the Lord Jeſus and his own ſoul. Avoyd this therefore, if ever you will have Peace.