The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 25
DIRECTION XXV.
25. My next Advice ſhall be ſomewhat near of kin to the former. If you would learn the moſt expeditious way to Peace and ſetled Comfort, [Study well the Art of Doing Good: & let it be your every-days contrivance, care and buſineſs, how you may lay out all that God hath truſted you with, to the greateſt pleaſing of God, and to your moſt comfortable account.]
STill remember (leſt any Antinomian ſhould tell you that this ſavours of Popery, and truſting for Peace to our own Works.)
1. That you muſt not think of giving any of Chriſts honour or office to your beſt works. You muſt not dream that they can do any thing to the ſatisfaction of Gods Juſtice for your ſins: nor that they have any proper Merit in them, ſo as for their worth to oblige God to Reward you: nor that you muſt bring them as a Price to purchaſe Chriſt and Heaven: nor that you have any Righteouſneſs or Worthineſs in your ſelf and Works, which the Law of Works will ſo denominate or own. But onelyonly you muſt give Obedience its due under Chriſt; and ſo you honour Chriſt himſelf, when thoſe that detract from Obedience to him, do diſhonour him: and you muſt have an Evangelical Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs (ſo called many and many times over in the Goſpel) which partly conſiſteth in the ſincerity of your Obedience and Good Works; as the condition of continuing your ſtate of Juſtification, and right to eternal Life.
2. Remember I have given you many Arguments before, to prove that you may take Comfort from your Good Works, and Gracious Actions.
3. If any further Objections ſhould be made againſt this, read conſiderately and believingly Math. 25. and Math. 5. and 7. Chapters throughout, or the former onelyonly; and I doubt not but you will be fully reſolved. But to the work.
Thoſe men that ſtudy no other Obedience …hen onelyonly to do no (poſitive) harm, are ſo …ar from true Comfort, that they have yet no …rue Chriſtianity; I mean, ſuch as will be ſa…ing to them. Doing Good is a high part of a Chriſtians obedience, and muſt be the chief part of his life. The Heathen could tell him that askt him, How men might be like to God? That one way was, To do good to all. This is beyond our power, being proper to God the Univerſal Good, whoſe Mercy is over all his Works. But our Goodneſs muſt be Communicative, if we will be like God, and it muſt be extended and diffuſed as far as we can. The Apoſtles charge is plain, and we muſt obey it if we will have Peace. Gal. 6.10. VVhile you have time, Do good to all men, but eſpecially to them of the houſhold of faith. Iſa. 1.16, 17. Ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſeek judgement▪ relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſs, plead for the widow: Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord; though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be red like Crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.] Heb. 13.16. To Do Good, and to communicate, forget not; for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed.] 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. Charge them that be rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: That they Do Good, that they be rich in Good Works, ready to diſtribute▪ willing to communicate, laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.] See Luk. 6.33, 34, 35, Mar. 14.7. Math. 5.44. 1 Pet. 3.11. Jam. 4.17. Pſal. 34.14. & 37.27. & 36.3. & 37.3. Truſt in the Lord, and Do Good.] Gen▪ 4.7. If thou Do Well, ſhalt thou not be Accepted? but if thou do Evil, ſin lieth at the dore.] Act. 10.3, 4.34, 35. Cornelius, thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God.] 35. [In every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh Righteouſneſs, is Accepted of him.] Rom. 6.16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your ſelves ſervants to obey, his ſervants ye are to whom ye obey? whether of ſin unto death, or of Obedience unto Righteouſneſs?] 13. Yield your ſelves unto God as thoſe that are alive from the dead, and your members as Inſtruments of Righteouſneſs unto God.] Mat. 5.16. Act. 9.36. Eph. 2.10. We are created in Chriſt Jeſus to Good VVorks, which God hath ordained that we ſhould walk in them.] 1 Tim. 2.10. & 5.10. & 5.25. 2 Tim. 3.17. Tit. 2.7. & 3.8.14. & 2.14. He redeemed us from all iniquity, that he might purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of Good VVorks.] 1 Pet. 2.12. Heb. 10.24. Let us conſider one another, to Provoke to Love and to Good VVorks.] What a multitude of ſuch paſſages may you find in Scripture?
You ſee then how great a part of your Calling and Religion conſiſteth in Doing Good. Now it is not enough to make this your care now and then, or do Good when it fals in your way but you muſt ſtudy it, or it will not be well done. You muſt ſtudy which are Good Works; and which are they that you are called to: and which are the beſt Works, and to be preferred, that you chooſe not a leſs inſtead of a greater. God looks to be ſerved with the beſt. You muſt ſtudy for opportunities of Doing Good, and of the means of ſucceeding and accompliſhing it; and for the removing of Impediments; and for the overcoming of diſſwaſives, and withdrawing Temptations. You muſt know what Talents God hath entruſted you with, and thoſe you muſt ſtudy to do Good with. Whether it be Time, or Intereſt in men, or opportunity, or Riches, or Credit, or Authority, or Gifts of mind, or of body: If you have not one, you have another, and ſome have all.
This therefore is the thing that I would perſwade you to: Take your ſelf for Gods Steward: Remember the time when it will be ſaid to you [Give account of thy Stewardſhip; thou ſhalt be no longer Steward] Let it be your every-days contrivance, how to lay out your Gifts, Time, Strength, Riches or Intereſt, to your Maſters uſe. Think which way you may do moſt, firſt, to Promote the Goſpel, and the Publique Good of the Church: and then, which way you may help towards the ſaving of particular mens ſouls; and then which way you may better the Commonwealth; and how you may do good to mens bodies; beginning with your own, and thoſe of your family, but extending your help as much further as you are able. Ask your ſelf every morning, Which way may I this day moſt further my Maſters buſineſs, and the Good of men? Ask your ſelf every night, What Good have I done to day? And labour as much as may be, to be Inſtruments of ſome great and ſtanding Good, and of ſome Publick and Univerſal Good; that you may look behind you at the years end, and at your lives end, and ſee the Good that you have done. A piece of bread is ſoon eaten, and a peny or a ſhilling is ſoon ſpent: But if you could win a Soul to God from ſin, that would be a viſible everlaſting Good: If you could be Inſtruments of ſetting up a Godly Miniſter in a Congregation that want, the everlaſting Good of many Souls might in part be aſcribed to you: If you could help to heal and unite a Divided Church, you might more rejoyce to look back on the fruits of your labour, then any Phyſician may Rejoyce to ſee his poor Patient recovered to health. I have told Rich men in another Book, what opportunities they have to do Good if they had hearts: How eaſy were it with them to refreſh mens bodies, and to do very much for the ſaving of ſouls! To relieve the poor; to ſet their Children to trades; to eaſe the oppreſſed. How eaſy to maintain two or three poor Scholars at the Univerſities for the ſervice of the Church? But I hear but of few that do ever the more in it, except three or four of my friends in theſe parts. Let me further tell you, God doth not leave it to them as an indifferent thing. Math. 25. They muſt feed Chriſt in the poor, or elſe ſtarve in Hell themſelves: They muſt cloath naked Chriſt in the poor, or be laid naked to his fiery indignation for ever. How much more diligently then muſt they help mens ſouls, and the Church of Chriſt, as the need is greater, and the work better▪ Oh the blinding power of Riches! O the eaſineſs of mans heart to be deluded! Do Rich men never think to lie rotting in the duſt? do they never think that they muſt be accountable for all their Riches? and for all their Time, and Power, and Intereſts? Do they not know that it will comfort them more at Death & Judgement, to hear in their reckoning, Item ſo much given to ſuch & ſuch Poor? ſo much to promote the Goſpel? ſo much to maintain poor Scholars while they ſtudy to prepare themſelves for the Miniſtry? &c. then to hear, ſo much in ſuch a Feaſt? to entertain ſuch Gallants? to pleaſe ſuch Noble friends? ſo much at dice, at cards, at horſe-races, at cock-fights? ſo much in exceſs of Apparel? and the reſt to leave my Poſterity in the like pomp? Do they not know that it will comfort them more to hear then of their time ſpent in Reading Scripture, ſecret and open Prayer, Inſtructing and examining their Children and Servants; going to their poor Neighbours houſes to ſee what they want, and to perſwade them to godlineſs; and in being examples of eminent holineſs to all; and in ſuppreſſing Vice, and doing Juſtice; then to hear of ſo much time ſpent in Vain Recreations, Viſits, Luxuries and Idleneſs? O deep Unbelief and hardneſs of heart, that makes Gentlemen that they tremble not to think of this Reckoning: Well, let me tell both them and all men, that if they knew but either that undiſpenſable duty of Doing Good, that lieth on them, or how neceſſary and ſure a way (in ſubordination to Chriſt) this act of Doing Good is for the ſouls Peace and conſolation, they would ſtudy it better, and practice it more faithfully then now they do: They would then be glad of an opportunity to do Good, for their own Gain, as well as for Gods honour, and for the love of Good it ſelf. They would know that lending to the Lord is the onelyonly thriving Uſury; and that no part of all their Time, Riches, Intereſt in men, Power or Honours will be then comfortable to them, but that which was laid out for God; And they will one day find, that God will not take up with the ſcraps of their Time and Riches which their fleſh can ſpare; but he will be firſt ſerved, even before all comers, and that with the beſt, or he will take them for no ſervants of his. This is true, and you'l find it ſo, whether you will now believe it or no.
And becauſe it is poſſible theſe lines may fall into the hands of ſome of the Rulers of this Commonwealth, let me here mind them of two weighty things.
1. What opportunities of Doing very great Good hath been long in their hands? and how great an account of it they have to make. It hath been long in their power to have done much to the Reconciling of our Differences, and healing our Diviſions, by ſetting Divines a work of different Judgements to find out a temperament for Accommodation. It hath long been in their power to have done much towards the ſupply of all the dark Congregations in England and Wales, with competently able, ſound and faithful Teachers! We have many Congregations that do contain three thouſand, five thouſand, or ten thouſand ſouls, that have but one or two Miniſters, that cannot poſſibly do the tenth part of the Miniſterial work of Private overſight; and ſo poor ſouls muſt be neglected, let Miniſters be never ſo able or painful: We have divers Godly Private Chriſtians of ſo much underſtanding as to be capable of helping us as Officers in our Churches: but they are all ſo poor that they are not able to ſpare one hour in a day or two from their labour, much leſs to give up themſelves to the work: How many a Congregation is in the ſame Caſe? Nothing almoſt is wanting to us to have ſet our Congregations in the order of Chriſt, and done this great work of Reformation which there is ſo much talking of, ſo much as want of Maintenance for a Competent Number of Miniſters or Elders to attend the work. I am ſure in great Congregations this is the Caſe, and a ſore that no other means will remedy. Was it never in the power of our Rulers to have helpt us here? Was nothing ſold for other uſes, that was once Devoted and Dedicated to God, and might have helpt us in this our miſerable diſtreſs? Were our Churches able to maintain their own Officers, our Caſe were more tolerable: but when a Congregation that wants ſix, or ſeven, or ten, is not able to maintain one, it is hard.
2. The ſecond thing that I would mind our Rulers of, is, What mortal Enemies thoſe men are to their ſouls, that would perſwade them that they muſt not, as Rulers, Do Good to the ſouls of men, and to the Church as ſuch; nor further the Reformation, nor propagate the Goſpel, nor ſtabliſh Chriſts orders in the Churches of their Country, any otherwiſe then by a common maintaining the Peace and Liberties of all. What doctrine could more deſperately undo you if entertained? If you be once perſwaded that it belongs not to you to Do Good, and the Greateſt Good, to which all your ſucceſſes have but made way, then all the Comfort, the Bleſſing and Reward is loſt: And conſequently all the Glorious preparative ſucceſſes, as to you, are loſt: If once you take your ſelves to have nothing to do as Rulers for Chriſt, you cannot promiſe your ſelves that Chriſt will have any thing to do for you as Rulers in a way of Mercy: This Mr. Owen hath lately told you in his Sermon, Oct. 13. The God of Heaven forbid, that ever all the Devils in Hell, the Jeſuits at Rome, or the ſeduced ſouls in England, ſhould be able to perſwade the Rulers of this Land, who are ſo deeply bound to God by Vows, Mercies, Profeſſions, and high expences of treaſure and blood, to Reform his Church, and propagate his Goſpel; that now after all this it belongeth not to them, but they muſt as Rulers be no more for Chriſt the… for Mahomet: But if ever it ſhould prove the ſad caſe of England to have ſuch Rulers (which I ſtrongly hope will never be) if my Prognoſti…ks fail not, this will be their fate: The Lord Jeſus will forſake them, as they have forſaken him, & the Prayers of his Saints will be fully turned againſt them; and his Elect ſhall cry to him night and day, till he avenge them ſpeedily, by making theſe his enemies to l…ck the duſt, and daſhing them in pieces like a Potters veſſel, becauſe they would not that he ſhould reign over them: And then they ſhall know whether Chriſt be not King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Perhaps you may think I Digreſs from the matter in hand: But as long as I ſpeak but for my Lord Chriſt, and for Doing Good, I cannot think that I am quite out of my way. But to return nearer to thoſe for whoſe ſakes I chiefly write: This is that ſum of my advice: Study with all the underſtanding you have, how to do as much Good while you have time as poſſibly you can, and you ſhall find that (without any Popiſh or Phariſaical ſelf-confidence) to be the moſt excellent art for obtaining ſpiritual Peace, and a large meaſure of comfort from Chriſt.
To that end uſe ſeriouſly and daily to bethink your ſelf, What way of expending your Time and Wealth, and all your Talents, will be moſt comfortable for you to hear of, and review at Judgement? and take that as the way moſt comfortable now. OnelyOnly conſult not with fleſh and blood: make not your fleſh of your counſel in this work: but take it for your enemy: expect its violent unwearied oppoſition: But regard not any of its clamours or repinings: But know, as I ſaid before, that your trueſt ſpiritual comforts are a Prize that muſt be won upon the conqueſt of the fleſh. I will only add to this the words of Bleſſed Dr. Sibs (a man that was no enemy to Free Grace, nor unjuſt Patron of mans Works) in his Preface to his Souls Conflict; Chriſt is firſt a King of Righteouſneſs, and then of Peace: The Righteouſneſs that he works by his Spirit brings a Peace of ſanctification: whereby though we are not freed from ſin, yet we are enabled to combat with it, and to get the victory over it. Some Degree of Comfort follows every Good Action, as heat accompanies fire, and as beams and influences iſſue from the Sun: Which is ſo true, that very Heathens upon the diſcharge of a good Conſcience, have found Comfort and Peace anſwerable: this is a Reward before our Reward Again, In watchfulneſs and diligence we ſooner meet with Comfort then in idle Complaining. Again, Pag. 44, 45. An unimployed life is a burthen to it ſelf. God is a pure act: always Working: always Doing: and the nearer our ſoul comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from diſquiet. Men experimentally feel that Comfort in Doing that which belongs unto them, which before they longed for and went without. And in his Preface to the Bruiſed Reed; There is no more Comfort to be expected from Chriſt then there is Care to Pleaſe him. Otherwiſe to make him an A better of a lawleſs and a looſe life, is to transform him into a phancy; nay into the likeneſs of him whoſe works he came to deſtroy, which is the moſt deteſtable Idolatry of all. One way whereby the Spirit of Chriſt prevaileth in his, is to preſerve them from ſuch thoughts: Yet we ſee, People will frame a Divinity to themſelves, pleaſing to the fleſh, ſutable to their own ends, which being vain in the ſubſtance, will prove likewiſe vain in the fruit, and a building upon the ſands. So far Dr. Sibs. It ſeems there were Libertines and Antinomians then: and will be as long as there are any carnal unſanctified Profeſſors.