A Saint or a Brute, Part 2 · Chapter 10 · Section 6
BUt I know you will ſay, [Alas, what need you exhort us to ſpiritual pleaſures and conſolations? Do you think there is any man in love with ſorrows? or unwilling to live a joyful life? O that you could tell us how we might attain it; and you ſhould quickly ſee that we are willing.]
Anſw. And if you are ſo willing to attain it, as to be alſo willing to uſe the means, you ſhall quicklyer ſee that I ſhall certainly inform you how you may attain it; and how you may come to find a life of Holineſs to be the moſt ſweet and pleaſant life. I therefore deſire and require you to practiſe theſe Directions following.
Direct. 1. Make it your firſt and principal buſineſs to attain the fulleſt fixed knowledge of God in his Attributes, and Covenant-Relations to you.]
1. Study him in his Attributes. If infinite Goodneſs take not up the ſoul with Love and with Delight, it is becauſe it is not known. Where there is all things that the ſoul of man deſires to its higheſt felicity and content, and yet contentment and delight is wanting, it muſt needs be ignorance and diſtance that is the cauſe. If the Sun ſeem not light to you, it is becauſe you have not eye-ſight, or look not on the light. If you find no pleaſure in the moſt pleaſant food, it is becauſe your appetites are diſeaſed, or you do not taſte it. If your moſt ſuitable and moſt affectionate friend ſeem not amiable to you, it is becauſe you know not his ſuitableneſs and love. So if the eternal God, that is infinitely powerful, wiſe and good, moſt perfect and moſt ſuitable to your higheſt affections, do not poſſeſs you with abundant Pleaſures and Delights of Love, it is becauſe you are unacquainted with him. Study then his infinite perfections: and be much with him in ſecret prayer and meditation, where the retired ſoul having feweſt avocations, is fitteſt for the moſt near familiar converſe. And ſtill remember that it is Love it ſelf that you have to do with. For God is Love. It is the fountain of all delights and pleaſures that you draw near to. It is a cold heart indeed that fire it ſelf cannot warm: and a dead heart indeed that life it ſelf cannot revive: Conceive of God as God, and you will delight in him: Abhort all unworthy diminutive thoughts of him: Set up his Love and Goodneſs in your eſtimation, as infinitely above all the creatures. Believe it, the Love of your deareſt friends, is an inconſiderable drop to the Ocean of his Love. Think not of him as cruel, or an enemy, if you would love him, or delight in him. Love and Delight are never forced by bare commands and threatnings, but drawn forth magnetically by attractive Goodneſs. Were not God moſt amiable, and friendly, and deſirable to us, it is not ſaying, [Love me, or I will damn thee,] that would ever have cauſed man to love him; but rather to fear, and hate, and fly from him. Think but of Gods Love, and Goodneſs, and Fidelity, as you do of his Power, and then you will find that there are rivers of pleaſure in his preſence, and fulneſs of joy at his right hand, the fore-taſtes whereof are the only delights that can quiet the troubled thirſty ſoul.
2. And if you ſay, [What is all this to me, any more then to the ungodly world, on whom the wrath of God abideth?] I anſwer, Thou art in Covenant with him, and he is thine in the Covenant Relations, even thy Reconciled Father, thy Saviour and thy Sanctifier. No husband is ſo inviolably bound to a wife, nor will ſo faithfully anſwer his Relation, as the bleſſed Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier unto thee. Didſt thou well know and conſider, what it is to have God himſelf to be thine in Covenant, to all theſe uſes, and to all the ends that thou canſt reaſonably deſire, it would fill up thy ſoul with ſatisfying delights.
There is nothing that thou wanteſt, but what belongs to God to give thee, in one of theſe three great relations. And ſooner ſhall the day be turned into night, and the frame of nature be diſſolved, then God will violate his Covenant of Grace. Jer. 33. 20, 21. [Thus ſaith the Lord, If you can break my Covenant of the day, and my Covenant of the night, and that there ſhould not be day and night in their ſeaſon: then may alſo my Covenant be broken, &c.] Iſa. 54. 4. 5, &c. [Fear not; for thou ſhalt not be aſhamed, &c. For thy Maker is thy Husband: (the Lord of Hoſts is his name) and thy Redeemer, the Holy one of Iſrael, the God of the whole earth ſhall he be called: For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forſaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when when thou waſt refuſed, ſaith thy God: For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: For as I have ſworn that the waters of Noah ſhould no more go over the earth: So have I ſworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee: For the mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.] And though yet we have our troubleſom imperfections, it belongeth to our God, through the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, to make us perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleaſing in his ſight through Jeſus Chriſt, that to him may be the glory for ever, Heb. 13. 20, 21. It is his work [to comfort all that mourn; to appoint to them that mourn in Zion, and to give them beauty for aſhes, the oyl of joy for mourning, the garment of praiſe, for the ſpirit of heavineſs, that they migh… be called trees of righteouſneſs, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified—They ſhall be named The Prieſts of the Lord; men ſhall call them The miniſters of our God—Everlaſting joy ſhall be unto them—For the Lord will direct their work in truth, and make an everlaſting Covenant with them—All that ſee them ſhall acknowledge them, that they are the ſeed whom the Lord hath bleſſed: Therefore ſhould we greatly rejoyce in the Lord; and our ſouls ſhould be joyful in our God: For he hath cloathed us with the garments of ſalvation; he hath covered us with the robes of righteouſneſs, as a Bridegroom decketh himſelf with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her ſelf with her Jewels.] Iſa. 61. [A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put into you, and I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh: and I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgements and do them—and I will ſave you from all your uncleanneſs, &c.] Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27, 29. [And they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them; and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me: Yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good, &c. Jer. 32. 38, 39, 40, 41. [Happy are the people that are in ſuch a caſe: yea happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144. 15.
Nature doth not give you ſuch ſecurity that the Sun ſhall ſhine, and that the ſtreams ſhall run, that the earth ſhall be fruitful, as the covenant of the Lord doth give you of all that is neceſſary to you Happineſs. Study therefore the mercies and riches of the Covenant.
Dir. 2. Underſtand and remember that it is your Covenant conſent, that it is the condition of your title to all the following bleſſings of the Covenant.]
I add this as ſuppoſing you will ſay [What are all theſe benefits to me, unleſs I were ſure that I were indeed in the Covenant?] It is not your merit, but your conſent that is required: God offereth himſelf to be your Reconciled Father, and Chriſt to be your ſaviour, and the Holy Spirit to be your ſanctifier. Do you conſent to this, or not? All the queſtion is whether you are willing? and whether your ſin be not ſo ſweet to you, that you will rather venture your ſouls on the wrath of God, then you will be ſaved from it. If you heartily conſent, aſſuredly you are in the Covenant, and the benefits are yours; and therefore the Joy and comfort ſhould be yours. If you do not conſent; inſtead of deſpairing, preſently conſent; and refuſe not your happineſs while you lament your miſery.
Object. But it is not only Covenant-making, but Covenantkeeping that muſt ſave us: and I have broak my Covenant, and therefore have no title to the benefits. Anſw. What Covenant have you broken? This Covenant in queſtion that engageth you to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt? If you have broken this, you have withdrawn your Conſent: For while you heartily conſent, you break it not in any eſſential part. As it is not every breach of the Laws, that makes a man a traytor or rebel, nor every fault or falling out between husband and wife that diſſolveth their relation; ſo is it not every ſin, nor any that is conſiſtent with true conſent to the terms of the Covenant, that is a Covenant-breaking forfeiture of the benefits. If you would not have God to be your Portion, your Father, your Saviour, and your Sanctifier, you are then Covenant-breakers; And if you be ſo, Conſent yet, and return to your fideli…y, and the comforts of the Covenant may yet be yours, for all your former violation.
Dir. 3. Moreover, if you would find the Pleaſure of a Holy life, ſee that the fleſh be fool you not into an over high eſtimation of any worldly thing: that ſo your appetites may not be corrupted with ſuch contrary unwholſome Pleaſures, nor your hearts be overwhelmed with worldly cares, or griefs or troubles. If you will glut your ſelves with other kind of pleaſures, you cannot expect that Holineſs ſhould be your pleaſure. You cannot find your delight in God, when you turn from him to ſeek it in the creature. If you …ought for leſs in friends, and health, and proſperity in the world, you might have more in God. How ſhould you find content in God, when you ſet ſo light by him, that the promiſe of beholding him in endleſs glory, will not pleaſe you, unleſs you may alſo have your fleſhly deſires, or ſelfiſh inclinations pleaſed here? This is it that perverteth your judgements and affections, and cauſeth you to injure God and your ſelves. You firſt fancie that it is an excellent thing to be Rich and Renowned and to rule over others, or to have plenty of all accommodations for your fleſh: and then becauſe God ſatisfieth not theſe carnal fancies, you think he neglecteth you, o… deals hardly with you! As if every perſon in the Town ſhould murmur becauſe they are not B…yliffs or Juſtices; when if they had the wit to know it, they are but kept from a double encumberance, and from a burden which perhaps would break their backs. When the people are thus befooled by the fleſh into brutiſh conceits of the nature of felicity, and into an over-valuing of theſe worldly things, they are then always eitheir tickled by deluding pleaſures, or troubled for the croſſing of their carnal wills, ſo that they grow out of reliſh and liking with the true and durable delights. Take heed therefore of this carnality.
Dir. 4. Study the greatneſs of the mercy which you have received: You abound with mercies; and yet undervalue them, and over look them, and ſweeten not your ſouls with the ſerious obſervation and remembrance of them: you ſtudy principally your afflictions and your wants: And thus when you live in a land that floweth with milke and honey, you will not feed on the prepared feaſt, but keep ſtill the gall and wormwood in your mouths; and how then ſhould you be acquainted with the pleaſures of a holy life.
Yea you muſt uſe to look more to the ſpiritual part of all your mercies; and ſee the love of God that appeareth in them; and taſte the blood of Chriſt in them; and loſe not the kernel: and take not up with the common carnal part, which every wicked man can value and enjoy. Conſider in all your mercies, what there is in them for the benefit of your ſouls, much rather then how they accommodate your fleſh. Could you do thus, you would find the benefit of afflictions; and that the denyal of what you have accounted your neceſſary mercies, is not the ſmalleſt of your mercies. And thus judging truly by the ſpirit, and not by the fleſh, there is no condition (except that of ſin) in which you might not find cauſe of joy.
Dir. 5. Take heed of ſinning: Keep ſtill upon your watch againſt temptation; ſin is the cauſe of all your ſufferings; when it promiſeth you delight, it is preparing for your ſorrow; when it flattereth you into preſumption, it is preparing for deſpair; when it promiſeth you ſecreſie and ſecurity, it prepareth for your ſhame: and be ſure your ſin will find you out, Numb. 32. 23. If therefore you have offended, delay not your Repentance; and ſpare not the fleſh in your return; but (unleſs the honour of God forbid it) take ſhame to your ſelves by free confeſſion, and make the fulleſt reparation of the injury that you can to God and man. If you would thus get out the thorn that vexeth you, the ways of God would be more pleaſant.
Dir. 6. Daily live in the exerciſe of faith, upon the everlaſting pleaſures: Dwell as at the gates of Heaven; as men that are waiting every hour when they are called in, and when death will draw aſide the vaile, and ſhew them the bleſſed face of God. And take heed that the enmity of interpoſing Death, prevail not againſt the Joys of faith. But look to Chriſt that hath conquered it, and will conquer it for you; And if thus you could live as ſtrangers here, and as the Citizens of Heaven, that are ready to ſtep into the immortal pleaſures, you would then taſte the Pleaſures of a holy life, in the firſt fruits and foretaſts thereof. It is your Treaſure that muſt Delight you; As your Heart muſt be there, ſo your pleaſure muſt be derived thence. Strangers to Heaven will be ſtrangers to the Believers Joys; As the pleaſure of the Carnal world, conſiſteth in the ſenſe of what they have in hand; ſo the pleaſure of Believers conſiſteth in the foreapprehenſions of what they ſhall enjoy with God for ever. If therefore you exerciſe not thoſe apprehenſions; if you look not frequently, ſeriouſly, and believingly into the world that you muſt live in for ever, how can the comforts of that world illuſtrate and refreſh you in this preſent world? The Light and Heat, which is the Beauty and Life of this lower world, proceedeth not from any thing in this world, but from the Sun which is ſo far above us, and ſends down hither its quickning influence and rays. They are not the genuine comforts of Chriſtianity, which are not fetcht from the world above.
Dir. 7. If you would have the experience of the Pleaſures of a life of Faith and Holineſs, neither deſire nor cheriſh any fears or ſorrows, but ſuch as as are ſubſervient to Faith, and Hope, and Love, and preparatory to Thankfulneſs and Joy. Think not Religion conſiſteth in any other kind of ſorrows. Nay if any other ſhould aſſault you, be ſo far from taking them for your duty or religion, as to reſiſt them, and lament them as your ſin. That is true and ſaving Humiliation, 1. which makes you vile in your own eyes, and loath your ſelves for ſin. 2. And maketh you more deſirous to be delivered and cleanſed from your ſin, than to live in it, how ſweet or gainful ſoever it may ſeem, and 3. which maketh you ſet more by a Saviour to deliver you, than by all the pleaſures, riches, and honours of the world. What ever want of Grief or tears you find, if you have theſe ſigns, your Repentance and humiliation is ſincere. Do not therefore refuſe your Peace becauſe you have not greater ſorrows; nor diſturb your ſouls by ſtrugling for exceſſive ſorrow: Take not part with them, but do your beſt to caſt them out, if they are ſuch as would deſtroy your Love and Joy, and drive you from Chriſt, and hinder your Thanſgivings. Know that the Life of your Religion conſiſteth in the Holy Love of God and of his Image and ſervants and holy ways. Love is your duty and your felicity and reward: Therefore let all tend to the exerciſe of Love, and value moſt thoſe means which moſt promote it; and think your ſelves beſt when you abound moſt in Love; and not when you are overwhelmed with thoſe Fears and Griefs which hinder Love. Study therefore above all, the Love of God revealed in Chriſt, which is the beſt attractive of your Love to him: and hate all ſuggeſtions which would repreſent God unlovely and undeſirable to you.
Dir. 8. Uſe cheerful company: Not carnal, but holy; not ſuch as waſte their time in unprofitable frothy ſpeeches, or filthy, or prophane or ſcornful jeaſtings: But ſuch as have moſt of the ſenſe of Love and mercy on their hearts; and are beſt acquainted with a Life of Faith, and whoſe ſpeeches and cheerful converſations, do moſt lively manifeſt their ſenſe of the Love of God, and of the Grace of Chriſt, and the eternal happineſs of the Saints. There is a delightful and encouraging virtue in the converſe of joyful, thankful, heavenly believers: Uſe it therefore if you can have it.
Dir. 9. In your addreſſes to God in holy worſhip, be ſure that Praiſe and Thanſgiving have its due proportion. They are the chief and moſt excellent and acceptable part, and therefore let them not have the ſmalleſt room. Though your ſins and wants be as great as you imagine in your complaints, it is yet your duty to Praiſe the Excellencies and Attributes and works of your Creator, and to be Thankful for the preparations made by Chriſt, and freely offered you, ſo that they ſhall certainly be yours, if you accept them. But much more Thankful ſhould you be that have but the evidence of Deſire and Conſent to prove your Intereſt in Chriſt and in his Covenant.
I would intreat poor troubled fearful ſouls to Reſolve upon this one thing, which is reaſonable, neceſſary and in their power, that when they are upon their knees with God, they will ſpend as much of their Time and words in confeſſing mercies and Praiſing God, as in confeſſing ſin, and condemning themſelves and lamenting their wants, and weakneſſes, and diſtreſs. Though they cannot do it cheerfully as they ſhould, let them do it as they can. And at laſt while they keep in the right way of duty, and uſe themſelves to the commemoration of that which is ſweet and grateful to the ſoul, Religion it ſelf will become ſweet and grateful; and chearfulneſs of heart will be promoted by our own conſiderations & expreſſions.
The ſame I deſire of them as to their Thoughts; that they will do their beſt to ſpend as many thoughts and as much time upon Mercy as upon ſin and miſery; and upon the Goodneſs, and Love of God in Chriſt, as upon his threatnings and terrous.
Dir. 10. If you would taſte the comforts of a holy life, be ſure that you give up your ſelves to Chriſt without reſerve, and follow him fully, and place all your hopes and confidence in his promiſed rewards: Serve him with your beſt, yea with your all; and not with ſome cheap and heartleſs ſervice. Comforts are the Rewards of faithfulneſs: They that do God the moſt ſincere and coſtly ſervice, and ſave nothing from him which he calleth them to loſe, are likeſt to be encouraged by his ſweeteſt comforts. It is ſluggiſh neglects, and unfruitfulneſs, doing no good in the world, but thinking to be ſaved by a dull profeſſion▪ that makes ſo many uncomfortable profeſſors as there be: Though I know that on the other extream, too many live in pining ſadneſs, by not underſtanding the Covenant of Grace, which accepteth of ſincerity, and ſecureth the weak and infants in the family of Chriſt. But yet the barren unprofitable. Chriſtians (I mean that comparatively are ſuch, though they be ſincere) ſhall find that God will not encourage any in ſloathfulneſs by his ſmiles and conſolations.
Direct. 11. If you would know the Reſt and Comfort of Believers, ſee that you Reſt in the Will of God in all Conditions, as the Center and only bottom for your ſouls. His will is not to be reduced to yours: ſtrive therefore to bring yours moſt fully and quietly to his. Gods Will is the Univerſal Original and End of all things, and there is no Felicity or Reſt for man, but in the fulfilling, and pleaſing and diſpoſals of his will. Be not too deſirous of the fulfilling of your own wills, and murmure not againſt the diſpoſals of the Will of God. It cannot but be Good which proceedeth from that will which is the Spring of good. The accompliſhment of Gods Will, is the perfection of all created beings, being that End for which they are all created. If you Reſt in your own wills, your Reſt will be imperfect, diſturbed and ſhort of duration; For your wills are the wills of weak and vicious men: They are frequently miſguided by an ignorant mind, and perverted by a corrupt and byaſſed heart: But Gods will is never miſguided; nor ever determined of any thing but for the beſt. If you Reſt here, you Reſt in ſafety; you may be ſure you ſhall never be deceived by him: You may Reſt in conſtant peace and quietneſs; for God is unchangeable, and will not be off and on with us, as we are with him, and with our ſelves. As you pray that his Will may be done, acquieſce in the doing of his Will; and whatever befall you, repoſe and ſatisfie your hearts in this.
Direct. 12. Laſtly, let me add, that when you have all the Directions that can be given, you truſt not too much to your own underſtanding and skill for the application of them to your ſelves, in any weighty difficult caſes. But as you will not think it enough for the health of your bodies, to have Phyſick Books and Phyſick Lectures, unleſs you have alſo a Phyſicion who knoweth more then you, to direct you in the application; ſo think it not enough that you have the beſt Books and Sermons, unleſs you have alſo a faithful and judicious Paſtor, whoſe advice you may crave in particular difficulties, and who may direct you in the diſcovery of your own diſeaſes, and applying the fitteſt remedies in their ſeaſons and meaſures, with ſuch Rules and Cautions as are neceſſary to the ſucceſs. If God had not known that there would ſtill be many children and weak ones in his family, that would ſtand in need of the inſtruction, ſupport and encouragement of the ſtrong, he would never have ſettled Paſtors in his Church to watch over all the flocks, and to be alwayes ready at hand, for the confirmation and encouragement of ſuch as need their help. There had been no Phyſicions, if there had been no diſeaſes. Tire not your Phyſicions with needleſs conſultations, for eaſie and ordinary caſes: but be not without them in your greater ſtraits, and wants, and doubts. And [bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God: For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the ſame ſufferings, which we alſo ſuffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation.] 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5, 6. While you are ſick or infants, the ſtronger muſt ſupport you. You cannot ſtand, or go, or ſuffer of your ſelves: And God is ſo tender of his weak and little ones, that he hath not only given ſtrength to others for their ſakes, and commanded the ſtrong to bear the burdens and infirmities of the weak, Gal. 6. 1, 2. Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4. but alſo eſtabliſhed the Miniſterial office much for this end. Mal. 2. 7. For the Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge, and they ſhould ſeek the Law at his mouth; for he is the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts. Not that we ſhould diſcloſe our Conſciences, and depend for guidance on every ignorant or ungodly man, that hath the name and place of a Prieſt; Even among the Papiſts, men have leave to chooſe ſuch Confeſſors as are fitteſt for them. If the Prieſts [depart ou… of the way, and cauſe many to ſtumble at the Law, and corrupt the Covenant of Levi, the Lord will make them contemptible and baſe before all the people, according as they have not kept his wayes, but been partial in the Law.] Mal. 2. 8, 9. But uſe thoſe that are qualified and ſent by the Spirit of God; who [in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by the Grace of God, have had their converſation in the world, eſpecially to youwards.] 2 Cor. 1. 12. Such as [you have acknowledged in part, that they are your rejoycing, as you alſo are theirs in the day of the Lord Jeſus. verſ. 14.] Not uſing them as ſuch as have dominion over your faith, but as thoſe that by office, qualification, and willingneſs and diſpoſition are Helpers of your Joy. verſ. 24.
In the ſaithful practice of theſe Directions, you will find that Holineſs is the moſt Pleaſant way; and that the Godly chooſe the better part; and that the ungodly ſenſualiſts do live as BRUTES, while they unreaſonably refuſe to live as SAINTS.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, A Saint or a Brute (1662)