Two Treatises on Death and Judgment, Title page – Dedication
Two Treatiſes: The firſt of DEATH, On 1 Cor. 15. 26. The Second of JUDGMENT, On 2 Cor. 5. 10, 11.
By Rich. Baxter.
LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons, at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1672.
A Treatiſe of DEATH, The laſt ENEMY to be deſtroyed.
Shewing wherein its enmity conſiſteth, and how it is deſtroyed.
Part of it was Preached at the Funerals of Elizabeth the late Wife of Mr. Joſeph Baker, Paſtor of the Church at Saint Andrews in Worceſter.
By Rich. Baxter.
With ſome few paſſages of the life of the ſaid Mrs. Baker, obſerved.
Pſal. 15. 4. In whoſe eyes a vile perſon is contemned: but he honoureth them that fear the Lord.
1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. O death, where is thy ſting! O grave, where is thy victory? The ſting of death is ſin; and the ſtrength of ſin is the Law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons, at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1672.
To the Worſhipfull the Major, Aldermen and Sheriff of the City of Worceſter, with the reſt of the Inhabitants; eſpecially thoſe of the Pariſhes of Andrews and Hellens.
Worſhipfull and the reſt Beloved,
THE chief part of this following Diſcourſe, being preached among you, and that upon an occaſion which you are obliged to conſider, (Iſa. 57. 1.) being called to publiſh it, I thought it meet to direct it firſt to your hands, and to take this opportunity, plainly and ſeriouſly to exhort you in ſome matters that your preſent and everlaſting peace is much concerned in.
Credible fame reporteth you to be a people not all of one mind, or temper in the matters of God: but that 1. Some of you are Godly, Sobe, and Peaceable: 2. Some well-meaning and zealous, but addicted to diviſions. 3. Some Papiſts. 4. Some Hiders, ſeduced by your late deceaſed neighbour Clement Writer, (to whom the Quakers do approach in many opinions,). 5. And too many prophane and obſtinate perſons, that are heartily and ſeriouſly of no Religion, but take occaſion from the diviſions of the reſt, to deſpiſe or neglect the Ordinances of God, and join themſelves to no Aſſemblies.
1. To the firſt ſort (having leaſt need of my exhortation,) I ſay no more, but, As you have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and ſtabliſhed in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving: and beware leſt any man ſpoil you by deceit, &c.] Col. 2. 6, 7, 8. Walk as a choſen generation, a royal Prieſt-hood, a holy Nation, a peculiar people, to ſhew forth the praiſes of him that hath called you out of darkneſs into his marvellous light; having your converſation honeſt among the ungodly, that whereas they are apt to ſpeak againſt you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they ſhall behold, glorifie God in the day of viſitation; For ſo is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men, 1 Pet. 2. 9, 11, 12, 15. Your labour and patience is known to the Lord; and how ye cannot bear them which are evill, but have tried them which ſay they ſpeak from the Lord, and are Apoſtles, and are not, and have found them lyars; even the woman Jezabel, that is ſuffered to teach and ſeduce the people, calling her ſelf a Propheteſs, who ſhall be caſt into a bed of tribulation, and all that commit adultery with her, except they repent; and her children ſhall be killed with death; and all the Churches ſhall know that Chriſt is he which ſearcheth the reines and hearts; and will give to every one according to their work. As for your ſelves, we put upon you no other burden, but that which you have already; Hold faſt till the Lord come, Rev. 2. Be watchfull, that ye fall not from your firſt Love: and if any have declined and grown remiſs, remember how you have received and heard, and hold faſt, and repent, and ſtrengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die, leſt your Candleſtick ſhould be removed, Rev. 3. 2, 3, &c.] And beware leſt ye alſo being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſs; but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 3. 17, 18. And I beſeech you brethren, do all things without murmurings and diſputings, that ye may be blameleſs, and harmleſs, the Sons of God without rebuke in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Nation, among whom you (and your brethren) ſhine as lights in the world, Phil. 2. 14, 15. And if in well doing you ſuffer, think it not ſtrange, but rejoyce that ye are partakers of the ſufferings of Chriſt, that when his glory ſhall be revealed, ye may be glad alſo with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Chriſt, ye are happy, for the Spirit of glory and of God reſteth upon you, being glorified on your part, while he is evil ſpoken of on theirs, 1 Pet. 4. 12, 13, 14.
2. To the ſecond ſort (inclinable to diviſions) let me tender the Counſel of the Holy Ghoſt, Jam. 3. 1. My brethren be not many Maſters (or Teachers) knowing that ye ſhall receive the greater condemnation.] The wiſdom that is from above, is firſt pure, and then Peaceable, gentle and eaſie to be intreated, full of mercy & good fruits, without partiality, and without hipocriſie: And the fruit of Righteouſneſs is ſown in peace, of them that make peace. Who then is the wiſe and knowing man amongſt you? Let him ſhew out of a good converſation, his works with meekneſs of wiſdom. But if ye have bitter envying and ſtrife in your hearts, glory not, and lye not againſt the truth: This wiſdom deſcendeth not from above, but is earthly, ſenſuall, deviliſh: For where envying and ſtrife is, there is confuſion, and every evil work.] Look on thoſe Aſſemblies, where the people profeſſing the fear of God are of one heart and mind, and walk together in Love and holy Order, and people give due honour and obedience to their faithful Guides; and compare them with the Congregations where profeſſors are ſelfconceited, unruly, proud, and addicted to oſtentation of themſelves, and to diviſions: and ſee which is likeſt to the Primitive pattern, and in which it is that the power of godlineſs proſpereth beſt, and the beauty of Religion moſt appears, and Chriſtians walk as Chriſtians indeed. If pride had not brought the heavy judgment of infatuation or inſenſibility on many; the too clear diſcoveries of the fruits of diviſions in the numerous and ſad experiences of this age, would have cauſed them to be abhorred as odious and deſtructive, by thoſe that now think they do but tranſcend their lower brethren in holineſs and zeal. [I beſeech you therefore brethren, by the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you all ſpeak the ſame thing and that there be no diviſions among you, but that you be perfectly joyned together in the ſame mind, and in the ſame judgment, 1 Cor. 1. 10.] The God of patience and conſolation grant you to be like minded one towards another, acording to Chriſt Jeſus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God,] Rom. 15. 5, 6. And I beſeech you brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admoniſh you: And eſteem them very highly in love for their works ſake, and be at peace among your ſelves, 1 Theſ. 5. 12, 13. And mark thoſe that cauſe diviſions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, & avoid them Rom. 16. 17. And if there be any conſolaton in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye our joy, that ye may be like minded having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one mind: Let nothing be done through ſtrife or vain glory, but in lowlineſs of mind, let each eſteemother better then themſelves. Look not every man on his own things (his own gifts and graces) but every man alſo on the things (the graces and gifts) of others; Let this mind be in you which was in Chriſt Jeſus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himſelf of no reputation (or, emptied himſelf of all worldly glory, Iſa. 53. 2, 3, 4. As if he had had no form or comlineſs, and no beauty to the eye, for which we ſhould deſire him: but was deſpiſed & rejected of men, & not eſteemed,) Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. It is not (as you imagine) your extraordinary Knowledg, Zeal, and Holineſs, that inclineth you to diviſions, and to cenſuring of your brethren; but it is Pride, and Ignorance, and want of Love: and if you grow to any ripeneſs in Knowledg, Humility, Self-denial, and Charity, you will bewail your divideing inclinations and courſes; and reckon them among the greater and grievous of your ſins, and cry out againſt them as much as your more charitable and experienced brethren do.
3. To the third ſort, (the Papiſts) I ſhall ſay nothing here, becauſe I cannot expect they ſhould read it and conſider it: and becauſe we are ſo far diſagreed in our Principles that we cannot treat with them on thoſe rational terms as we may do with the reſt of the inhabitants of the world, whether Chriſtians, Infidels or Heathens. As long as they build their faith and ſalvation on this ſuppoſition that the eyes, and taſte, and feeling of all the ſound men in the world, are deceived in judging of Bread and Wine; and as long as they deny the certaine experience of true believers (telling us that we are void of Charity and unjuſtified becauſe we are not of their Church;) and as long as they fly from the judgment and Tradition of the ancient and preſent Church (unleſs their ſmall part may be taken for the whole, or the major Vote;) and as long as they reject our appeal to the holy Scriptures: I know not well what we can ſay to them which we can expect they ſhould regard, any more than muſick is regarded by the deaf, or light by the blind, or argument by the diſtracted. If they had the moderation and charity impartially to peruſe our writings, I durſt confidently promiſe the recovery of multitudes of them, by the three Writings which I have already publiſhed, and the more that others have ſaid againſt them.
4. And for the fourth ſort (the Hiders, and the Quakers) I have ſaid enough to them already (in my Book againſt Infidelity and thoſe againſt Popery and Quakers,) but in vain to thoſe that have ſinned unto death.
5. It is the fifth ſort therefore that I ſhall cheifly addreſs my ſpeech to; who, I fear are not the ſmalleſt part. It is an aſtoniſhing conſideration to men that are awake, to obſerve the unreaſonableneſs and ſtupidity of the ignorant, careleſs, ſenſual part of men; How little they Love or Fear the God whom their tongues confeſs; How little they value, or mind, or ſeek the everlaſting glory, which they take on them to believe; How little they fear and ſhun thoſe flames which muſt feed for ever on the impenitent and unholy; How little they care or labour for their immortal ſoules, as if they were of the Religion of their beaſts: How bitterly many of them hate the holy wayes commanded by the Lord: while yet they pretend to be themſelves his Servants, and to take the Scriptures to be his word: How ſottiſhly and contemptuouſly they neglect and ſleight the Holineſs without which there is no ſalvation; Heb. 12. 14. How eagerly they deſire and ſeek the pleaſing of their fleſh, and the matters of this tranſitory life, while they call them vanity and vexation; How madly they will fall out with their own ſalvation; and from the errours and ſins of Hypocrites or others, will pick quarrels againſt the Doctrine, and Ordinances, and waies of God; as if other mens faults ſhould be exceeded by you, while you pretend to loath them. If it be a ſin to crack our faith by ſome particular error, what is it to daſh it all to peices? If it be odious in your eyes, to denie ſome particular Ordinance of God, what is it to neglect or Prophane them all? If it be their ſin that quarrel in the way to Heaven, and walk not in companie as love requireth them; what is it in you to run towards hell, and turn your backs on the holie Laws and waies of God? If it be ſo lamentable to the Nation and themſelves, that ſo many have faln into ſchiſm and diſorder; what is it then that ſo many are ungodlie, ſenſual, and worldlie, and have no true Religion at all, in ſincerity, and life, and power? Ungodlineſs is all Hereſie tranſcendently in the lump, and that in Practice. A man that is ſo fooliſh as to plead that Arſnick is better then bread, may yet live himſelf if he do not take it: but ſo cannot he that eateth it inſtead of bread. Hereticks only in ſpeculation may be ſaved: but practical hereticks cannot. You think it hainous to denie with the mouth that there is a God, who made us, and is our only Lord and Happineſs (and ſo it is.) And is it not hainous then to denie him with the heart and life; and to denie him the love and obedience that is Properly due to God? It is odious idolatrie to bow to a creature as to God; and is it not odious to love, and honour, and obey a creature before him, and to ſeek it more eagerly, and mind it more ſeriouſly then God? If it be damnable Infidelity to denie Chriſt to be the Redeemer, it is not much leſs to turn away from him, and make light of him and refuſe his grace, while you ſeem to honour him. If it be damnable blaſphemy to deny the Holy Ghoſt; what is it to reſiſt and refuſe him when he would ſanctifie you, and perhaps to make a ſcorn of holineſs? If it be Hereſie to denie the holy Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints; what is it to hate the Holy members of the Church, and to avoid, if not deride, the Communion of Saints? Be not deceived, God is not mocked: A mock-Religion, and the name of Chriſtianity will never ſave you. Do you know how near you are to judgement, and will you fearleſly thus heap up wrath, and lay in fewel for the everlaſting flames? Do you know how ſpeedily you ſhall wiſh in the bitterneſs of your ſouls, that you had heard, and prayed, and laboured as for your lives, and redeemed your time, and obeyed your Teachers? and yet will you now ſtand loitering; and quarrelling, and jeſting, and dallying in the matters of ſalvation? and will you live as if you had nothing but the world to mind, when you are even readie to ſtep into the endleſs world? O Sirs, do you know what you are doing? You are abuſing the living God, and wronging the Lord Jeſus, and trampling upon that mercy which would comfort you in your extremity, a drop of which you would then be glad of: You are grieving your poor Friends, and Teachers, and preparing for your endleſs grief. Alas, what ſhould a faithfull Miniſter do, for the ſaving of your ſouls? He ſeeth you befooled in your ſecurity, and careleſly paſſing on towards Hell, and cannot help it: He ſees you poſting to your miſery, where you will be out of the reach of all our exhortations, and where merciemercy will not follow you to be accepted or rejected: and though he ſee you almoſt paſt remedie, he cannot help you. He knoweth not, when he ſpeaks to you, whether ever he ſhall ſpeak unto you more, and whether ever you ſhall have another call and offer; and therefore he would fain ſpeak effectually if he could; but it is not in his power. He knows, that the matter ſticks all at your own wills, and that if he could but procure your own conſent, to the moſt reaſonable and neceſſary buſineſs in the world, the work were done, and you might ſcape the everlaſting flames: And yet this is it that he cannot procure! O wonderful, that any man ſhould be damned; Yea that many men, and moſt men ſhould be damned, when they might be ſaved if they would, and will not! Yea that no ſaying will ſerve to procure their conſent, and make them willing! That we muſt look on our poor miſerable neighbours in Hell, and ſay, they might have been ſaved once, but would not! they had time, and leave to turn to God, and to be holy and happy as well as others, but we could never prevaile with them to conſent, and know the day of their viſitation! O what ſhould we do for the ſaving if careleſs, ſenſeleſs ſouls? Muſt we let them go? Is there no remedie? Shall Miniſters ſtudy to meet with their neceſſities, and tell them with all poſſible plainneſs and compaſſion, of the evil that is a little before them, & teach them how they may eſcape it? Why, this they do from day to day, and ſome will not hear them, but are tipling, or idleing or making a jeaſt of the Preacher at home, and others are hearing with prejudice and contempt, and moſt are hardned into a ſenſeleſs deadneſs, and all ſeems to them but as an emptie ſound: and they are ſo uſed to hear of Heaven and Hell, that they make as light of them as if there were no ſuch States! Alas, that while millions are weeping and wailing in utter deſperation, for the neglecting of their day of grace, and turning away from him that called them, our poor hearers at the ſame time ſhould wilfully follow them, when they are told from God what others ſuffer! Alas, that you ſhould beſleepy & dead under thoſe means, that ſhould waken you to prevent eternal death! and that ever you ſhould make merry ſo near damnation, and be ſporting your ſelves with the ſame kind of ſins that others at the ſame hour are tormented for? And is ſuch madneſs as this remedileſs, in people that ſeem as wiſe as others for worldly things! Alas, for any thing that we can do, experience tells us that with the moſt it is remedileſs! Could we remedie it, our poor people ſhould not wilfully run from Chriſt, and lie in the flames of Hell for ever. Could our perſwaſions and entreaties help it, they ſhould not for ever be ſhut out of Heaven, when its offered to them as well as others. We bewail it from our hearts before the Lord, that we can entreat them no more earneſtly, and beg not of them as for our lives to look before them, and hearken to the voice of grace that they may be ſaved. And a thouſand times in ſecret we call our ſelves hard-hearted, unmerciful, and unfaithful, (in too great a meaſure) that ſpeak no more importunatelie for the ſaving of mens ſouls, when we know not whether we ſhall ever ſpeak to them any more. Is this all that we can ſay or do in ſo terrible a caſe, and in a matter of ſuch weight as mens ſalvation! The Lord forgive our great inſenſibilitie, & awaken us, that we may be fit to waken others; But yet for all this, with grief we muſt complain, that our people feel not when we feel, and that they are ſenſeleſs or aſleep when we ſpeak to them as ſeriouſly as we can, and that tears and moans do not prevail, but they go home and live as ſtupidlie in an unconverted ſtate, as if all were well with them, and they were not the men we ſpeak to.
O that you knew what a fearful judgment it is, to be forſaken of God, becauſe you would have none of him; and to be given up to your hearts luſts, to walk in your own Counſells, becauſe you would not hearken to his voice, Pſa. 81. 11, 12, 13. and to have God ſay, Let thoſe wretches be ignorant, and careleſs, and fleſhly, and worldly, and filthy ſtill, Rev. 22. 11. O that you knew (but not by experience) what a heavie plague it is to be ſo forſaken, as to have eyes that ſee not, or ſeeing do not percieve; and to have ears that hear not, or to hear and not underſtand, and ſo to be unconverted and unhealed, Mark 4. 12. and to be hardned and condemned by the word, and patience, and mercies that do ſoften and ſave others, and ſhould have ſaved you! Take heed leſt Chriſt ſay, [I have ſent them my meſſenger, long enough in vaine; From henceforth never fruit grow on them: Becauſe they would not be converted, they ſhall not.] Take heed leſt he take you away from means, and quickly put an end to your opportunities. You ſee how faſt men paſs away, but little do you know how manie are lamenting that they made no better uſe of time, and helps, and mercies while they had them. O hear while you may hear, for it will not be long: Read while you may read, and pray while you may pray, and turn while you may turn, and go to your Chriſtian friends & teachers, and enquire of them, what you muſt do to be ſaved, before enquiring be too late. Spend the Lords Day, and what other time you can redeem, in holy preparations for your endleſs Reſt, while you have ſuch a happie day to ſpend. O ſleep no longer in your ſins, while God ſtands over you, leſt before you are aware you awake in Hell. Patience and MercieMercy have their appointed time, and will not alway wait and be deſpiſed. O let not your Teachers be forced to ſay, [We would have taught them publikelie and privatelie, but they would not: We would have Catechized the ignorant, and exhorted the negligent, but ſome of them would not come near us, and others of them gave us but the hearing, and went away ſuch as they came.] If once by forfeiting the Goſpel the Teachers whom you ſlight be taken from you, you may then ſin on and take your courſe, till time, and help, and hope are paſt.
The providence that called me to this work, was ſome warning to you. Though it was not the calling away your Teacher, it was a removing of his helper, a pattern of meekneſs, and godlineſs, and charitie; and he is left the more diſconſolate in the proſecution of his work. God hath made him faithful to your ſouls, and careful for your happineſs: He walks before you in humilitie and ſelf-denial, and Patience, and peaceableneſs, and in an upright inoffenſive life: He is willing to teach you publicklie and privatelie, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon: He manageth the work of God with prudence & moderation, and yet with Zeal, carefullie avoiding both ungodlineſs and ſchiſm, or the countenancing of either of them: Were he not of eminent wiſdom and integritie, his name would not be ſo unſpotted in a place where Dividers, and Diſputers, Papiſts, and Quakers, and ſo manie bitter enemies of godlineſs, do watch for matter of accuſation and reproach againſt the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt. As you love the ſafetie and happineſs of your City, and of your ſouls, undervalue not ſuch mercies, nor think it enough to put them off with your commendations and good word: It is not that which they live, and preach, and labour for; but for the Converſion, Edification, and Salvation of your ſouls. Let them have this, or they have nothing, if you ſhould give them all you have. The enemies of the Goſpel have no wiſer Cavil againſt the painful Labourers of the Lord, then to call them Hirelings, and blame them for looking after Tithes, and great matters in the world. But as among all the faithful Miniſters of this Countrie, through the great merciemercy of God theſe adverſaries are now almoſt aſhamed to open their mouths with an accuſation of Covetouſneſs: So this your Reverend, faithful Teacher, hath ſtopt the mouth of all ſuch calumnie, as to him. When I invited him from a place of leſs work, and a competent maintenance, to accept of leſs then half that maintenance, with a far greater burden of work among you, he never ſtuck at it, as thinking he might be more ſerviceable to God, and win that which is better then the riches of this world. And if now you will fruſtrate his expectations, and diſappoint his labours and hopes of your ſalvation, it will be eaſier for Sodom in the day of judgment then for you. Alas how ſad is it to ſee a faithful Miniſter longing and labouring for mens ſalvation, and manie of them neglecting him, and others picking groundleſs quarrels; and the proud unrulie ſelfiſh part, rebelling and turning their backs upon their Teachers when ever they will not humour them in their own wayes, or when they deal but faithfullie with their ſouls! Some (even of thoſe that ſpeak againſt diſobedience, conventicles, and ſchiſm,) turn away in diſdain, if their Children may not be needleſlie baptized in private houſes, and if that ſolemn Ordinance may not be celebrated in a Parlour-Conventicle. How manie refuſe to come to the Miniſter in private to be inſtructed or Catechiſed, or to confer with him about their neceſarie preparation for death and Judgement! Is not this the caſe of manie among you? Muſt not your Teachers ſay, He ſent to you, and was willing to have done his part, and you refuſed? Little will ye now believe how heavie this will lie upon you one day, and how dear you ſhall pay for the cauſleſs grieving and diſappointment of your guides. It is not your ſurlineſs and paſſions that will then ſerve turn to anſwer God. Nor ſhall it ſave you to ſay, that Miniſters were of ſo manie minds and wayes, that you knew not which of them to regard: For it was but one way, that God in the holy Scripture did preſcribe you: and all faithful Miniſters were agreed in the things which you reject, and in which you practicallie differ from them all. What? are we not all agreed, that God is to be preferred before the world? and that you muſt firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God & his Righteouſneſs? & that no man can be ſaved except he be converted and born again? and that he that hath not the Spirit of Chriſt is none of his, Mat. 6. 33 John 3. 3, 5. Mat. 18. 3. Rom. 8. 9. and that you and your houſholds ſhould ſerve the Lord, Joſh. 24. 15. Are we not all agreed that the Law of the Lord muſt be your delight and that you muſt meditate in it day and night? Pſal. 1. 2, 3. and that you muſt be conſtant and fervent in Prayer? 1 Theſ. 5. 17. Luke 18. 1. &c. and that all that name the name of Chriſt, muſt depart from iniquitie? and that if you live after the fleſh ye ſhall die? 2 Tim. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 13. You ſhall find one day, that it was you only, & ſuch as you, that practicallie differed from us in theſe points; but we differed not in theſe, or ſuch as theſe, among our ſelves. I never read that a man ſhall not ſee God, becauſe he is Epiſcopal, Presbyterian, Independant, no nor Anabaptiſt: or becauſe he readeth not his Prayers, or ſuch like: But I read that no man ſhall ſee God without holineſs, Hebrews 12. 14.
It will not ſerve your turn in judgement, to ſay that you were for this ſide, or that ſide, and therefore you hearkened not to the other ſide; as long as all thoſe ſides agree in the neceſſitie of holineſs which you neglect. Why did you not learn of your own ſide, at leaſt to forſake your tipling, and ſwearing, and worldly-mindedneſs, and to make it the daily trade of your lives to provide for life everlaſting, and make ſure work in the matter of your ſalvation? If you had learnt but this much of any ſide, you would caſt away your ſiding more, and have loved and honoured them that fear the Lord, of what ſide ſoever, Pſal. 15. 4. and have contemned the ungodlie as vile perſons, though they had been of your ſide. The Catholick Church is One, and containeth all that heartilie and practicallie believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, and live a holy heavenlie life. Leave off your ſiding, & keep this bleſſed ſimple Unity▪ & you will then be wiſer then in a paſſion to caſt your ſelves into Hell, becauſe ſome fall out in the way to Heaven.
Nor will it ſerve your turn at the bar of God, to talk of the miſcarriages or ſcandalls of ſome, that took on them to be godly, no more then to run out of the Ark for the ſake of Cham, on out of Chriſts familie for the ſake of Judas. What ever men are, God is Juſt, and will do you no wrong; and you are called to Believe in God, and to ſerve him, and not to believe in men. Nothing but wickedneſs could ſo far blind men, as to make them think they may caſt off their love & ſervice to the Lord, becauſe ſome others have diſhonoured him: Or that they may caſt away their ſouls by careleſneſs, becauſe ſome others have wounded their ſouls by particular ſins. Do you diſlike the ſins of Profeſſors of Godlineſs? So much the better: We deſire you not to agree with them in ſinning: Joyn with them in a Holy life, and imitate them ſo far as they obey the Lord; & go as far beyond them in avoiding the ſins that you are offended at, as you can, and this is it that we deſire. Supoſe they were Covetous, or Liars, or Schiſmatical: Imitate them in holy duties, and fly as far from Covetouſneſs, Lying, and Schiſm, as you will.
You have had Learned and Godly Biſhops of this City: Search the writings of thoſe of them that have left any of their labours to poſterity, and ſee whether they ſpeak not for the ſame ſubſtantials of faith and godlineſs, which are now Preacht to you, by thoſe that you ſet ſo light by. Biſhop Laitmer, Parrey, Babington, &c. while they were Biſhops; and Rob. Abbot, Hall, &c. before they were Biſhops, all Excellent, Learned, Godly men, have here been Preachers to your Anceſtors: Read their Books, and you will find that they call men to that ſtrictneſs and holineſs of life which you cannot abide. Read your Biſhop Babington on the Commandments, and ſee there how zealouſly he condemneth the Prophaners of the Lords Day, and thoſe that make it a day of idleneſs or ſports. And what if one man think that one Biſhop ſhould have hundreds of Churches under his ſole juriſdiction, and another man think that every full Pariſh-Church ſhould have a Biſhop of their own, and that one Pariſh will find him work enough, be he what he will be, (which is the difference now amongſt us) is this ſo heinous a diſagreement, as ſhould frighten you from a holy life which all agree for?
To conclude, remember this is the day of your ſalvation: Miniſters are your Helpers: Chriſt and Holineſs are your way: Scripture is your Rule: the Godly muſt be your company, and the Communion of Saints muſt be your deſire: If now any ſcandals, diviſions, diſpleaſures, or any ſeducements of ſecret or open adverſaries of the truth, or temptations of Satan, the world, or fleſh whatſoever, ſhall prevaile with you to loſe your day, to refuſe your mercies, and to neglect Chriſt and your immortal ſouls, you are conquered and undone; and your enemy hath his will; and the more confidently and fearleſly you brave it out, the more is your miſery; for the harder are your hearts; and the harder is your cure; and the ſurer and ſorer will be your damnation. I have purpoſely avoided the enticing words of worldly wiſdom, and a ſtile that tends to claw your ears, and gain applauſe with aery wits; and have choſen theſe familiar words, and dealt thus plainly and freely with you, becauſe the greatneſs of the cauſe perſwaded me, I could not be too ſerious. Whether many of you will read it, & what ſucceſs it ſhall have upon them, or how thoſe that read it will take it, I cannot tell: But I know that I intended it for your good; and that whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, the Miniſters of Chriſt muſt not forbear to do their duty, nor be rebellious themſelves: but our Labours ſhall be acceptable with our Lord, and you ſhall know, that his Miniſters were among you, Ezek. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. [Yet a little while is the Lightwith you: Walk while ye have the Light, leſt darkneſs come upon you; for he that walketh in darkneſs, knoweth not whither he goeth.] Joh. 12. 35. O take this warning from Chriſt, and from
An earneſt deſirer of your everlaſting Peace, Rich. Baxter.