A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 3 · Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III.
Of the Pollution of the Memory.
SECT. I.
2 PET. 1. 12.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of theſe things, though ye know them, and be eſtabliſhed in the preſent Truth.
THe original pollution of the Mind and Conſcience hath at large been declared; We proceed now to the Memory, which belongeth alſo to the intellectual part of a man: And as Philoſophy informeth us, That it is the treaſurer which conſerveth the ſpecies, ſo Divinity will inform us, That it is an evil treaſure, or ſhop, wherein are ſtored up all kinds of evil.
The Text mentioned will ſuppeditate fit matter for this Doctrine. And Firſt, We muſt diligently explain the words, wherein we may take notice,
1. Of the illative particle, or note of inference, [Wherefore.] He had exhorted them, To give all diligence to make their calling and election ſure, A neceſſary duty. We ſtrive to make our outward eſtate, and the evidences of that ſure; but make ſure of Heaven, make ſure of an intereſt in Chriſt; for this aſſurance will be a cordial to thee in thy greateſt extremities, it will make thee above the love of life, and the fear of death. This duty he encourageth unto by the conſequent benefit thereof, Hereby an entrance ſhall be abundantly miniſtred unto you, into the everlaſting kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt; And having laid this foundation, he brings in the infere…e in my Text, Wherefore I will alwayes put you in remembrance of theſe things. Theſe truths are ſo neceſſary, ſo excellent, that you are to have them alwayes in your mind; and withall, your memories though regenerate are ſo weak and ſinfull, that you need perpetual Monitors and prompters to poſſeſſe your ſouls with theſe things.
In the ſecond place, we have the Apoſtle Peter's care, purpoſe and diligence expreſſed, foreign, I will not be negligent; The Vulgar Latine renders it, Incipiam, I will begin Eſtius thinketh it did read foreign for foreign, but that word is never uſed, and therefore Eſtius doth from the Latine go to the Greek Copies, which is a practice contrary to the Tridentine Doctrine. The word foreign, is uſed for to neglect, to have no regard, to ſlight and make no matter of a thing, Heb. 2. 3. only when the Apoſtle expreſſeth his care negatively, I will not, we muſt remember that rule given by Interpreters, that Adverbs of denying do often expreſs the contrary with the greater Emphaſis, I will not be negligent, that is, I will be very diligent and induſtrious.
Thirdly, You have the Object matter about which this diligence is exerciſed, and that is foreign; The word ſignifieth to bring to mind, to cauſe to remember, foreign ſignifieth any ſhort writing, whereby any thing is brought to our mind: The word is uſed in other places, which will be improved in purſuing the Doctrine. This is enough for the preſent that the holy Apoſtle doth not diſdain to become a Monitor and Remembrancer unto them, being in this an inſtrument of the holy Ghoſt, whoſe work it is to bring things to our mind, which are forgotten.
Fourthly, You have the aggravation of this from the time, He will put them in remembrance alwayes; He will be the good Prophet that will lift up his voice and not ceaſe; They muſt not think his importunity and frequent admonitions needleſſe and uncivil; They need this duty alwayes from him, and therefore in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, he will ſuggeſt it to them.
Laſtly, There is a further aggravation from the qualification of thoſe he will thus remind, Though ye know and be eſtabliſhed is the truth; This is conſiderable, they had the true knowledge of theſe things, if they had been ignorant, if they had not yet underſtood theſe things none would wonder at this diligence, but though they know theſe things, yet he dare not omit this importunity. Again, though they did know, yet they might be wavering and ſtaggering, ready to apoſtatize from this they did know; No, they are foreign, eſtabliſhed, firmly ſetled and fixed, and yet their minds and memories need many divine helps to excite and ſtirre them up, yea this duty upon their memories is ſo great and neceſſary, that the Apoſtle further amplifieth himſelf herein, as if enough could not be ſaid about it; For at the next verſe, he giveth us a reaſon of this faithfulneſſe and diligence, foreign, I think it fit, or juſt and righteous; It did belong to him as an Apoſtle, he could not do what was his duty, if he did fail herein, and that not for once, but continually, as long as he was in this Tabernacle, he calleth his body a Tabernacle, that is, Nomen paſtorale, and militare, it denoteth the ſhortneſs and brevity of his abode in the world, and then the great hardſhip and difficulty he was to conflict with; It implieth, he was but a ſtranger here, as all the godly are; and therefore whereas the Cretians called thoſe places they had on purpoſe to receive and lodge ſtrangers in foreign, the ſame word did the Church uſe and apply to the Burial places of believers, ſignifying hereby, that they were pilgrims and ſtrangers: He uſeth alſo a ſignificant word for his death, foreign, which is applied to the people of Iſrael, when they came out of Egypt, a place of bondage, and the Ironſornace. ſo is this world to the godly, therefore death is an foreign. Now in this expreſſion alſo is couched a reaſon, why he will not ceaſe to put them in mind of theſe truths, for he ſhall not be long with them, he will work while he hath day; he remembers that command of our Saviour, Negotiamini, work be diligent merchants to increaſe ſpiritual gain, while I come.
Again, There is another latent reaſon of this duty in the word foreign, to ſtirre up; It is uſed of thoſe who awaken any out of ſleep, Luke 8. 24. So that this ſuppoſeth even the memories of the moſt godly to be, as it were, dull and ſleepy, very heavy and negligent about what they ought to be diligently exerciſed with But yet the Apoſtle hath not ſaid all his mind herein, for verſ. 15. he profeſſeth this care of his for the good of their memories ſhall extend even after his death, I will endeavour that after my deceaſe, you may have theſe things alwayes in remembrance. Now that would be done by theſe very Epiſtles, they would be as continual memento's to them. See then here the godly zeal and faithfull diligence of a godly Paſtor, it extends to the future as well as the preſent, he is afraid after his deceaſe, all he had preached ſhould be forgotten; And doth not experience ſadly confirm this? After the death of a godly Miniſter, How quickly are all his labours, all whoſe precious truths he had made known forgotten, as if they never had ſuch a Preacher amongſt them? However, if theſe ſoul-ſaving truths be forgotten, Peter will take care that the ſinne ſhould not lie at his door, he will be faithfull to do his duty. And Chap. 3. 1. take notice how again he taketh up this profeſſion of his care and zeal to help their memories. He wrote both theſe Epiſtles to ſtirre up their pure minds by way of remembrance. Their pure minds foreign, ſuch as are diſcovered and tried (as it were) by the Sunnebeams, the leaſt more, any vain thoughts or ſinfull motions are diſcovered and abandoned, yet though they have ſuch pure minds, he writeth Epiſtle upon Epiſtle to ſtirre them up by remembrance; and as if all this were not enough to quicken up their memory, the Apoſtle Jude writing to the ſame perſons doth almoſt write the ſame things verbatim, which the Apoſtle Peter had written in this ſecond Epiſtle, and verſ. 4. he proclaimeth this to be his end, To put them in remembrance, though once they knew this; It was for their memories ſake by way of exhortation, not for their underſtandings by way of inſtruction. Now from all this we may gather,
That ſuch is the weakneſſe and ſinfulneſſe of the memory, and that even in the regenerate, that they need daily divine helps to provoke it to its duty. And whereas the ſinfulneſs of our memory may be two wayes, either actually by a wilfull forgetting of holy things, and a careleſſe neglect of them; or original, whereby the memory through Adam's fall, as well as the other parts of the ſoul, are become all over unſanctified, and hath no ſutableneſſe or proportion to divine objects and holy duties. I ſhall ſpeak of this later, though as expreſſing and emptying it ſelf into actual and wilfull forgetfulneſſe, for of this original and native pollution of the memory, muſt we underſtand this Text in a great meaſure, which the Apoſtle by frequent filing would get off, as ſo much ruſt, ſeeing he writeth to thoſe that are ſanctified, and as alſo he ſpeaketh of this as a permanent and an abiding weakneſſe in them; Now in the regenerate all contracted habits of ſinne, are expelled by vertue of the new birth; And as for actual ſinnes, they are tranſient, ſo that there remaineth no other defilement, but original, and the reliques or immediate products thereof: If then the moſt holy do need quickning helps to their memory, becauſe of the dulneſſe and ſlowneſſe in it about holy things; It is plain, the memory, as well as the other faculties of the ſoul, is depraved by original ſinne; and if in the ſanctified perſon the memory hath this partial and gradual ſinfulneſſe in the unregenerate, and natural man, it muſt be all over polluted and made unſavoury about any good thing. Obſerve,
That the memory of every man by nature is wholly polluted by original ſinne. It cannot perform thoſe offices and acts for theſe holy ends, as it was at firſt inabled to do in the ſtate of integrity. It will be very uſefull and profitable to anatomize the ſinfulneſſe of the memory, as we have done of the other intellectual powers, for it is from the pollution of this part that all wickedneſſe is committed. The Scripture makes this the character of all wicked men, That they forget God. Pſal. 9. 17. implying, That if we did remember God, his Greatneſſe, his Power, his holy Will, we ſhould not fall into any ſinne: Inſomuch that we may in ſome ſenſe ſay, All they evil is committed, becauſe of thy evil and ſinfull memory, hadſt thou remembred ſuch and ſuch threatnings, ſuch and ſuch places of Scripture, they would have preſerved thee from this impiety.
SECT. II.
What we mean by Memory.
TWo things muſt be premiſed before we enter into the main matter:
Firſt, What we mean by the memory. Ariſtotle wrote a little Book about Memory and Remembrance (De Memoriâ & Reminiſcentiâ) and from him many have taken up large and uſeleſſe Diſputes herein. It is not my purpoſe to teach you with theſe thorns, it is enough that there is acknowledged a ſenſitive memory, which is common to men with beaſts, and an intellective, though that be queſtioned, but againſt all reaſon, for the ſoul ſeparated doth remember, as appeareth in that Parable, where Abraham ſaid to Dives, Sonne, remember thou haſt received the good things of this life, Luk. 16. 25. Angels alſo muſt neceſſarily remember, becauſe all things are not preſent to them, therefore paſt things they cannot know, but by way of memory: God is ſaid in the Scripture often to remember, but that cannot be properly, becauſe to him all things paſt and future are as preſent, ſo that he cannot be ſaid to remember properly, no more then to fore-know onelyonly ſuch expreſſions are uſed by condeſcenſion to our capacity. Ariſtotle diſtinguiſheth between Memory and Remembrance, foreign, and this (he ſaith, as farre as is yet obſerved) no creature can do but man. When therefore I ſhall ſpeak of the Memory, I ſhall underſtand it as it is Remembrance, and as it is Intellectual; for in man we may ſay his memory is in a great part the underſtanding, knowing things as they are paſt. Therefore Auſtin, and the Maſter of Sentences following him (though this be diſclaimed by many that came after) make three powers or faculties in the rational part of a man, his Vnderſtanding, his will and Memory, which they call the created Trinity, and by it, (they ſay) is reſembled the bleſſed and increated Trinity; But I ſhall not diſpute this, for I ſhall ſpeak of Memory as the ſame with the underſtanding onelyonly in this particular, as it is carried out to things that are paſt, for that is the neceſſary object of Memory, that it muſt be paſt, we do not remember a thing preſent, or a thing future.
SECT. III.
A two-fold weakneſſe of Memory.
IN the ſecond place, While we ſpeak of the weakneſſe of the Memory about good things, we muſt take notice of a two-fold weakneſſe, a Natural weakneſſe, and a ſinfull weakneſſe; a Natural weakneſſe is that which ariſeth from the conſtitution of the body, and unfit temperature of the brain, for though the actions of the underſtanding be immaterial, to know and to remember, yet they require the body as the Organ and the Inſtrument; So that as the moſt artificial Muſician cannot diſcover his skill upon an Inſtrument whoſe ſtrings are out of order, ſo neither can the underſtanding of a man put forth its noble actions, when the body is out of order; Hence we read that ſome diſeaſes, or other events have deprived men of their memory, ſo that they have forgot their own name. By this we ſee, That the ſoul doth act dependently upon the body, being the form informing of a man, and giving his being and operations to him. Now it's uſefull to know this diſtinction; for many good people, eſpecially when grown in year, do much complain that their memory is gone; They cannot carry away ſo much of a Sermon, or from good Books, as once they did, and this doth much grieve them, they look upon themſelves as drones, and not Bees, that carry home honey from every flower, but this may ſupport them, that this is a natural affect in the memory, not a ſinfull one; For as Ariſtotle obſerveth (Lib. de Memoriâ & Reminiſcentiâ.) neither in children, or in old men, is there ſuch a capacity for memory, in children, becauſe of the too much moiſture; And therefore it is (ſaith he) as if a man ſhould imprint a Seal in the water, which becauſe of its fluid nature would receive no impreſſion, nor in old men is there ſuch a capacity of memory, becauſe of their drineſſe and ſiccity, as if a man ſhould imprint a ſeal upon a dry peice of wood, it would not receive any forme or character. If then in thy old age, thy memory faileth, know this is a natural imbecillity, as ſickneſs and pain is not a ſinne. Others again they abuſe this diſtinction, for when they are urged to holy duties, called upon to remember what hath been preached, then they excuſe themſelvs with their bad memory, God help them they have an ill memory; but if thou haſt a memory for other things, jeſts and merry tales, or buſineſſes of profit, and no memory for holy things; This is thy ſinne, thou haſt no memory in the theſe good things, becauſe thou haſt no heart, no delight about them, as is more to be ſhewed: Yea, I muſt adde, that though a natural weakneſſe in the memory be not a ſinne, yet it is the fruit of ſinne, and ſo ought deeply to humble thee, for thy memory would have had no ſuch defects and weakneſſes, if Adam had not fallen: As therefore diſeaſes and death, though they be not ſinne, yet are the effects of ſinne, and therefore we are to humble our ſelves under them, ſo thou art to do under thy imperfect memory, though ſickneſſe or old-age hath much impaired it.
SECT. IV.
OUr work is to diſcover the ſad and univerſal pollution of the Memory. And by the Memory we mean only the mind, as it extends its actions to things that are paſt; And thus the Scripture ſpeaketh, 2 Pet. 3. 1. To ſtirre up your pure minds by remembrance. Tit. 3. 1. Put them in mind to be ſubject, &c. Mind is there for memory: Thus Auſtin alſo maketh memory in a man, to be either the ſoul, or the power and faculty of the ſoul: Thus the Latine Etymologers make Memini reminiſcere, to come of Mens, yea Minerva made the goddeſſe of learning, is, Quaſi Mineriva, à memini. And common ſpeech amongſt us maketh mind and memory all one, as when we ſay, It was quite out of my mind. &c. So that both the Scripture and the judgement of the learned, yea and the uſe of the vulgar will allow us to ſpeak of the memory, as nothing elſe but the mind conſidering of things as paſt.
SECT. V.
The great Uſefulneſſe of the Memory.
BUt before we ſpeak to the diſcovery of this Memory, it is good to take notice of what uſe and conſequence it is, that ſo when we ſhall conſider the dignity and ſerviceableneſſe of the memory, we may then bewail the ſinfulneſſe thereof, for when that is made ſinfull, it is as if a fountain were poiſoned, of which all muſt drink: or as the air peſtilential, which all muſt receive in their noſtrils: if the memory be corrupted then all is corrupted; Hence (as you heard) all wicked men are ſaid to forget God. Memory is of ſo great uſe, as the Heathens made a goddeſſe of it, yea they make it to be the mother of the Muſes of all Arts, of all Wiſdome and Prudence; No tongue can either expreſſe the ſerviceableneſſe of it, or the nature of it, not the ſerviceableneſſe of it; For if there were no memory, there could be no diſcourſe, no civil ſociety; if there were no memory, a man could not take heed of any danger, or prevent any miſchief; hence they attribute it to the forgetfulneſſe and ſtupidity of the Flie, that when it is flapt off from the meat, and was in danger of death, yet it will immediately flie to it again: Thus would man without memory plunge himſelf into all miſery; If there were no memory, there could be no learning, no humane ſciences, for memory is made the mother of them; Yea, if there were no memory, there would be no Religion, no Worſhip of God, or ſervice of him: Thus both the natural, civil and religious life of a man would be deſtroyed were there not a memory; So that we are infinitely bound to praiſe God for this power left in us, and as deeply to humble our ſelves, that it is ſo corrupted, that it cannot do its proper acts in a ſpiritual way at laſt, thereby to promote our happineſſe, our memory helpeth to damn us, not to ſave us.
SECT. VI.
Of the Nature of it.
ANd as for the Nature of memory, though Ariſtotle and others after him, have undertaken to ſay much about it, yet Auſtin doth much bewail the ignorance and weakneſſe of a man in this thing, (l. 10. conf.) calling it, the unſearchable receſſes and vaſt concavities of the memory, ſaying, It is in vain for a man to think to underſtand the nature of the Heavens, when he cannot know what his memory is: Under this difficulty (he ſaith) he did labour and toil, and yet could not come to any ſure knowledge. This is certain, that the things we remember are not in our ſouls themſelves; when we remember ſuch a tree or ſtone, the tree or ſtone is not really in us: Hence (ſaith Auſtin) we may Doloris laeti reminiſci, and Laetitiae dolentes reminiſci, Remember with joy former ſorrow, or with ſorrow former joy: Yea (he ſaith) we may Oblivionis reminiſci, we may remember our forgetfulneſſe; Now if theſe things were really in us, it could not be but that ſorrow remembred would make us ſorrowfull, or forgetfulneſſe remembred make us forgetfull. The objects then remembred are in us by way of Species or Images, the Phantaſmata are there conſerved, and when by them we come to remember, then they are foreign; Hence (they ſay) that ſometimes a man thinketh he remembreth, when he doth not, yea he cannot tell whether he remembreth ſuch a thing or no, becauſe (ſay they) the Phantaſma is thus abſolutely preſented, and not as foreign; Even as a man may look upon a picture, either abſolutely, as having ſuch lineaments and colour, or relatively, as an Image, whereby we come to remember ſuch an one. But theſe Philoſophical notions about Phantaſmata and Species are ſo obſcure, that it is better with Auſtin, to acknowledge our ignorance of this noble and admirable power in the ſoul, whereby it doth remember things; whatſoever it be, though given us as an admirable and uſefull gift, yet now it is groſly polluted, and is the conſerver of all evil and vanity.
SECT. VII.
Demonſtrations of the Pollution of the Memory.
THat the memory is thus polluted will appear,
1. By ſeveral diſcoveries thereof. And
2. By the particulars wherein.
In the former way, herein we have a full demonſtration of the depraved nature of our memory, In that we need the Spirit of God to ſanctifie and help it; So that one work or office of the Spirit of God is to be a remembrancer unto us about holy things; It's the gift of Gods Spirit to give thee a good memory, to make thee able to remember holy things: This is clearly and unqueſtionably affirmed, John 14. 26. The comforter which is the holy Ghoſt, I will ſend in my name, and he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. Here we ſee the Spirit of God hath a twofold office or work to do:
1. To teach us holy things: We are blind and unbelieving, not knowing ſpiritual objects, till Gods Spirit doth teach us; But this is not all, ſuppoſe we be taught and inſtructed, is all done then? Do we need the Spirit of God no more? Yea. Therefore
2. The Spirit of God putteth it ſelf forth in a further work, which is to bring the things thus taught to our remembrance. As then the mind in reſpect of underſtanding and knowing cannot do any thing about what is ſpiritual without the Spirit of God, ſo neither can the mind about remembring: Certainly if the memory of it ſelf could do theſe things, the Spirit of God would be in vain: If the Moon and Starres could give ſo much light as to make a day, the Sun would be in vain: Hence the children of God do evidently find and feel the work of Gods Spirit upon their memories, as well as their underſtandings, for in their temptations, how ready to be overwhelmed? how ready to be ſwallowed up with ſuch thoughts? and then the Spirit of God doth ſeaſonably re-mind the ſoul of ſuch Promiſes, of ſuch comfortable Arguments; So alſo upon the temptation to any ſinne, the Spirit of God doth interpoſe and prevent it by making them to remember ſuch a threatning, ſuch a place of Scripture, and this ſtoppeth them from the evil they were ready to do, for they are the Diſciples themſelves, though ſanctified and made ſo eminent to whom this Spirit of remembrancing is promiſed as uſefull and neceſſary; If then the Spirits preſence and aſſiſtance be thus neceſſary even to a regenerate mans memory, this argueth the natural defilement and impotency of it to any good thing, for where nature is able, there the Spirit of God is not neceſſarily required.
A ſecond Diſcovery of the pollution of the memory may be from the end of the Scripture, why God would have it written, ſo as to be a perpetual monument to his Church. Among other ends this is one, to be a memorial to us, to put us in continual mind of the duties required of us: Thus the Apoſtle Peter indeavoureth to make believers alwaies remembring of the Goſpel by thoſe Epiſtles he did write to them. It is true, the Orthodox do juſtly refuſe that of Bellarmine, who will make the Scripture to be onelyonly utile communitorium, as if that were the chief end, why the Scriptures were written, viz. to ſerve for our memory only, and not to be a rule of our faith, for he himſelf doth acknowledge it to be a partial rule: But the principal and chief end, why the Scriptures are delivered to the Church is to be a Canon and Rule to it, ſo that the Church muſt not believe, worſhip or live, otherwiſe then the Scripture commands: This is not a partial but a total Rule, neither may any thing be added to it, or detracted from it. But yet we grant alſo, That the Scripture may have other ſecondary and ſubſervient ends, whereof this is not the meaneſt, to be uſefull to our memory; And certainly, one great cauſe of ſo much evil committed by thee, is forgetfulneſſe of the Scripture; The Apoſtle James, Chap. 1. 25. doth notably inſtance to this purpoſe, for he compareth a forgetfull hearer of the Word, to one that looketh in the glaſſe, and going away ſtraightway forgetteth what manner of man he was; If therefore we did abide and continue looking in this glaſſe, take notice what we are by the direction of the Word, how quickly would we reform? He that doth make a practical uſe of remembring the Scripture, ſo as to regulate and order his life accordingly can never miſcarry. To have the word of God in thy memory againſt ſuch and ſuch a temptation, would prevent all the evil thou falleſt into, John 15. 20. when our Saviour would encourage his Diſciples againſt the hatred of the world, he ſaith, Remember the Word that I ſaid unto you, the ſervant is not greater then his maſter; Remember this truth, and that will make thee ſuffer more willingly: So John 16 4. Theſe things have I told you, that when the time ſhall come, ye may remember that I told you of them; To remember Scripture in the ſeaſon, to have the Word of God in thy mind, when a temptation like Joſeph's Miſtreſs is ſoliciting of thee, this will cauſe, that no deadly thing ſhall hurt thee; for the word of God is a two edged ſword. it's an hammer, it's fire, it's the ſword of the Spirit, by it both the Devil, and all temptations are ſubdued, Chriſt overcame the Devil by Scripture. Now if that be not in thy memory, then it cannot be any waies ſerviceable to thee in the time of need. Exerciſe your memories therefore in the Scripture, and that not for memories ſake, much leſſe for oſtentation, to ſhew what a good memory you have above others, but for a practical and holy uſe; Treaſure up ſuch a place againſt thy drunkenneſſe, thy whoredoms; Treaſure up ſuch a place againſt pride, earthlineſſe and covetous deſires; What a precious and excellent memory is that which is like a mine of gold, or an Apothecaries ſhop, that can from the Scripture preſently fetch what Antidotes againſt ſinne, or cordials to revive that he pleaſeth? And truly our memory ſhould be filled up only with Scripture conſiderations. This is the cabinet and choice cloſet of thy ſoul; If a man ſhould take his cabinet that was for jewels and precious ſtones, and fill it only with mud and dirt, would it not be exceeding great folly? No leſſe is it, when thy memory is full of ſtories and merry tales, and in the mean while remembereſt not what God ſaith in his Word, which would be ſo uſefull to thee for thy ſouls good, acknowledge then the goodneſſe of God to thee in providing the Scriptures as an help to thy memory, and withall know that ſeeing the Spirit thought it neceſſary to commit them to writing, hereby is fully declared the pollution and ſinfulneſſe of thy memory; For in Heaven, when the memory will be fully ſanctified and perfected, then there will be no more uſe of the Bible, we ſhall not then need to read the Scriptures to quicken up our minds, for all imperfection will then be done away.
Thirdly, The ſinfulneſſe and weakneſſe of the memory is manifeſted not only by the end of the Scriptures in general, but alſo ſeveral parts of the word of God are peculiarly ſo ordered, that they might be the more eaſily conſerved in our memory. Thus when any great deliverances were vouchſafed to the Church, thoſe mercies were made into Pſalms and Songs, that for the meters ſake, and the pleaſantneſs of the matter, all might have them in remembrance: This method did ſignifie how dull and ſtupid our memories are, and how apt to forget the benefits and mercies of God, and therefore our memories are to be helped therein: Thus the 119th Pſalm, is put into an alphabetical order, thereby to further our memory about it, yea there are two Pſalms, Pſal. 8. 1. and Pſal. 70. 1. which have this Title, To bring to remembrance; And the matter of thoſe two Pſalms containeth a complaint under afflictions and earneſt importunity with God for deliverance. The Spirit of God by inſtruments made them to be compoſed for this end, that afflicted and troubled ſoules ſhould have them in remembrance; and indeed we may ſay of every Chapter, as well as of thoſe Pſalmes, A Chapter to bring to remembrance; yea, of many Verſes, A Verſe to bring to remembrance; And becauſe the memory is ſo ſlow and dull about holy things, you may read of a peculiar command to the Jews in this caſe; and although the ſame obligation doth not belong to us, yet it teacheth us all, what forgetfullneſs and oblivion is ready to ſeize upon us about holy things, Numb. 15. 39, 40. God doth there command Moſes, to ſpeak to the children of Iſrael, that they make fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations. It was a perpetual Ordinance; And why muſt this be done, To remember all the Commandments of God: This was Gods ſpecial command? The Church under the Goſpel may not in imitation hereof preſcribe Ceremonies, or appoint Images to ſtirre up the dull memory of man. The Popiſh-Church commendeth their Crucifixes and their Images upon this account, becauſe ſo helpfull to the memory, being the Lay-mens Books; But (though the memory be greatly polluted, yet) it belongs not to man, but to God as part of his regality, to appoint what he pleaſeth, to ſtirre up and excite the memory in holy things; God hath appointed other things, the Word, and Miniſtery, and Sacraments for our memory (as is to be ſhewed,) and therefore this is a devotion which God will reject, becauſe not having his ſuperſcription upon it.
Fourthly, That the memory of man is naturally polluted is plain, By the Miniſtry appointed in the Church of God by Chriſt himſelf, for one end of that is, to bring us to remembrance. Thus you heard the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaking, he thought it meet foreign, juſt and righteous while he was in the fleſh, to put them alwayes in remembrance of theſe things: ſo Jude alſo: Thus Paul injoyneth Timothy, 2 Tim. 2. 14. Of theſe things put them in remembrance: ſo 1 Tim. 4. 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of theſe things, thou ſhalt be a good Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt. He is not a good or faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt, tha is not diligent to put you in mind of Scripture-things: The Miniſtery is not only to inſtruct the ignorant, to convert the prophane, but alſo to put int mind thoſe that do know, and are converted. They are like Peter's Cock, upon his crowing, Peter was brought to remembrance, and he went out, and wept bitterly. Every Sermon we preach ſhould bring thy ſinnes and thy duties to remembrance. The Spirit of God (you heard) had this office to bring things to your remembrance, and the Miniſtery is the inſtrument by which he doth it. Alexander would have a monitor to be alwayes prompting this mementote eſſe hominem; And the Romans, when riding in glorious triumph, would have ſome to remember them of their mortality. But Chriſt hath provided a more conſtant help for thee, to have ſpiritual watchmen and remembrancers, who are never to ceaſe minding of thee; Say not then, what ſhould I go to hear a Sermon for, I know already as much as can be ſaid? For though that be falſe, yet if it were granted, you muſt know, the Miniſtery is for your memory as well as judgement, and who needeth not to have that often quickned to its duty?
Fifthly, In that Chriſt hath appointed Sacraments in the Church, which among other ends are to quicken up and excite our memory; it is plain, that they are polluted, that we are prone to forget all the benefits of God, though never ſo precious; Sacraments have for their generical nature a ſign; They are ſigns, and that not only obſignatives and in ſome ſenſe exhibitive, but alſo commemorative; hence in the very Inſtitution of the Lords-Supper, we have this injunction, Do this in remembrance of me, 1 Cor. 11. 24. Not that the commemoration of Chriſts death with thankfullneſs and joy, is the total and adequate end of the Lords-Supper, as the Socinians affirme, making us to receive no new ſpecial influences of Gods grace thereby upon our ſoules, or any renewed exhibitive Communion of Chriſt with his benefits to us, but meerly a commemoration, of what benefit is paſt: As (ſay they) the Iſraelites, when they celebrated that publick mercy of deliverance out of Egypt, had not thereby a new deliverance, but only there was a celebration of the old: Thus they would have it in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper. But the principall and chief end of the Lords-Supper, is to conveigh further degrees of grace and comfort to the true receivers, yet we acknowledge it alſo a ſpeciall and great end in the Sacrament to be commemorative, and that Chriſt hereby would have our memories quickned about that infinite love ſhewed to us in dying for us, Now what can be more demonſtrating the naughtineſs and ſinfullneſs of the memory then this very thing? For, who would not think that Chriſts voluntary giving up of himſelf to ſuch an accurſed and ignominious death for us, would alwayes be in our minds? Such ſignal and tranſcendent expreſſions of love would be with us riſing, and waking, and going to bed, That though the Devil and the world did never ſo importunately crowd in with their ſuggeſtions, yet this ſhould alwayes be uppermoſt in our hearts and affections; but Chriſt by this very inſtitution, doth hereby manifeſt, what dull and ſtupid memories we have, and that about the greateſt mercies that we are capable of: Would it not be ſtrange if a malefactor ſhould forget his pardon, or Rahab forget the ſcarlet threed in the window, that was to be the preſervative of her life? yet our forgetfullneſs is greater, when we do not remember our Saviour, and his ſufferings for us. And for the other Sacrament of Baptiſm; how greatly is our obligation by it forgotten? how groſly we do forget that covenant with God, and the dedication of us unto God, renouncing the Devil and his luſts? That was appointed to be a commemorative ſign; But how ſinfull is our memory? for we do (as it were) need another ſign to put us in mind of that, and ſo in infinitum, what little power hath the memory of theſe Sacraments upon us? Yea, how little do they come in our mind, thereby to improve our duties and conſolations?
Laſtly, That our memories are naturally ſinfull will appear, If we conſider, how it was with Adam in the ſtate of integrity, he was made right, Eccl. 7. which doth extend to the ſpiritual perfection of all the parts of his ſoul; As his mind was indowed with all neceſſary light and knowledge, ſo his memory alſo with all ſtrength and vigor; ſo that forgetfullneſs of any thing that was his duty, was no more incident unto him, then any other ſinne; It was not, becauſe naturally he had a bad or a forgetfull memory, that made him break the Law of God; for if God had created him found and perfect, in all other parts of his ſoul, only left him to a weak and frail memory, he could not have been happy, either in temporal or ſpiritual conſiderations: As his ſoul was thus perfected, ſo his body was in a found and well tempered conſtitution, having no redundancy of humors thereby to hinder the operations of the ſoul by memory, he was not ſubject to diſeaſes or old age, or any thing elſe, that doth empair the memory of man, but now our ſun is become a dunghill, and our gold droſs: As original ſinne hath peſtilentially inſected all parts of the ſoul, ſo the memory hath not eſcaped this pollution; for where it is naturally able, there it is ſpiritually impotent; when it might remember, if improved and put upon, there is it negligent, and careleſs: how many ſay, They cannot remember any good thing delivered to them? preſs them about the Scripture, and the good truths of God preached to them, and they will juſtify themſelves by pleading the badneſs of their memory, whereas it is for want of a good heart, and a good will; if thy affections were ardent and burning about theſe things, thy memory would be more retentive of good things then they are. Beſides, little do you know, what your memory would do, if you did put it upon frequent exerciſe, few know what their memories could do, if exerciſed about holy things, becauſe few are induſtrious and active to put it on work. Auſtin (lib. 4to de origine animae.) relateth of his friend Simplicius, how he was deſired to repeat verſes out of Virgil backwards and forwards, and alſo the Proſe of Tully, with an inverſed order, and this he did to their great admiration, yet Auſtin ſaith, That Simplicius did ſolemnly proteſt, that he never did ſo before, neither had he ever tried, whether his memory were able for ſuch an exerciſe or no. By this example. we ſee, that none know what their memories would do, if they did more carefully and diligently put them upon it. But grant that the memory be naturally impotent, though this you heard be not formally a ſinne, yet it is the fruit of it, and ſo matter of humiliation. Learned men ſay, That what fit conſtitution and temperature is required in the brain for a ſound and ſolid judgement, the contrary is for a good and ſtrong memory, and therefore (they ſay) it is, that a ſtrong judgement, and a ſtrong memory, ſeldom go together; As (ſaith Eraſmus) the beaſt Lynx hath a moſt acute ſight, but is a moſt ſtupid and forgetfull creature: Now if this be ſo, then this ariſeth from Adam's fall, for no doubt Adam had both a perfect judgement, and a perfect memory, and it cometh through original ſinne, that the body is ſo diſtempered, that what helpeth for one faculty of the ſoul, impedeth and hindreth the other. The Summe of this particular is, That wherein our memories do now come ſhort of that, which Adam's memory while perfect was able to do, that is either expreſly and formally a ſinne, or the immediate iſſue and puniſhment of ſinne.
SECT. VIII.
Wherein the memory of man is polluted.
THis ſure foundation then being ſaid, Let us proceed to ſhew, Wherein the memory of man is ſo greatly polluted; And that will appear,
Firſt, Very remarkably, If you conſider all the ſeveral objects which by the Scripture we are daily to have in our memory, and we are naturally in a conſtant and daily forgetfulneſſe of them. OnelyOnly it is good to take notice of a diſtinction which Voſſius (De Origine Idolat. lib. 1. cap. 11.) obſerveth out of Bonaventure, That there is a two-fold forgetfulneſſe, 1. When the very Species or Images of things are quite obliterated and deleted, this may be called a natural forgetfulneſſe. 2. When though the Species be reteined, and we do remember, yet through careleſneſſe and negligence, we do not attend to that duty, which ſhould flow from our memory, and this may be called a moral forgetfulneſſe: And indeed we have too much experience of this later kind of forgetfulneſſe, for how many are there that do remember Sermons, that do carry in their minds ſeveral Texts of Scripture, and that againſt thoſe very ſinnes they do commit daily? Now in the Scripture language this is forgetfulneſſe, ſuch are ſaid not to remember, becauſe they do not what they ought to do upon their memory. In both theſe conſiderations I ſhall ſpeak of the pollution of the memory.
The firſt and moſt ſignal object of our memory, which the Scripture ſpeaketh of,Superiour. objects. is God himſelf; God is not only the object of our faith, and of our love, of our minds and wils, but alſo of our memory; We ſhould alwaies keep up the remembrance of God in our thoughts,1. God. and this would be a moſt potent Antidote againſt all kind of ſinne; Therefore is all evil committed, becauſe we do not remember God at that time, Deut. 8. 18. Moſes doth there command the people of Iſrael to take heed of truſting in their own righteouſneſſe and goodneſſe, or of attributing their wealth and riches to their own power. But (ſaith he) thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, implying, That the Sunne and the night can no more ſtand together, then the remembring of God, and carnal confidence can; the ambitious man, the voluptuous man, remembring God, would find it to be like thunder and lightning upon the ſoul; This would immediately ſtop him in his waies of iniquities: Thus 2 Sam. 14 11. that ſuborned woman of Tekoah in her diſguiſed Parable to David, complaining of ſome that would riſe up againſt her, to deſtroy her ſonne, ſhe deſireth the King to ſtop the revengers wrath by this Argument, Let the King remember the Lord thy God: Thus when thou art ſollicited, inticed to any evil, way, Remember thou God, the infinite God, the juſt God, the omniſcient God, the dreadfull and terrible God in all his wayes of anger. Nehemiah alſo maketh uſe of this Argument to quicken up the Jews againſt ſinfull fear and cowardiſe in Gods work, Nehem. 4. 14. 1 ſaid to the Nobles and Rulers of the people, be ye not afraid of them, but remember the Lord which is great and terrible. This God complaineth of, Iſa. 57. 11. Thou haſt not remembred me, nor laid it to thy heart, and therefore were they ſo propenſe to all their abominations. Theſe Texts may ſuffice to inform, that our memories ought conſtantly to be fixed upon God, and no ſooner do we let him out of our mind, but immediately ſome ſinne or other is committed. But how unſpeakably is the memory of every man naturally polluted herein? When is God in their thoughts? Amongſt thoſe millions and millions of objects which thou doſt remember, when is the great God, the juſt God, the holy God thought on? May you not ſee it by the bold impiety and undaunted wickedneſſe of all unregenerate men, that they remember not God? Yea the godly themſelves finde in part this pollution upon their memory. Whence ariſe thoſe carnal feares, thoſe dejected thoughts, Is it not becauſe you forget the greatneſſe and goodneſſe of God? Bewail thy memory-ſinfulneſſe, as well as other ſins.
2. As the Scripture preſcribes the object of our memory (viz) God himſelf, ſo it doth inſtance in one time more then at another; Though at all times God is to be remembred, yet in one time of our age, though there be greateſt cauſe, yet our luſts and deſire after other things do greatly hebetate our memory; We have the injunction from Solomon himſelf, Eccl 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth; Here you ſee who is to be remembred, & when he is to be remembred, God is to be remembred, and that in the time of our youth, But do not the ſtrong effects of original ſin heightned alſo by actual ſins diſcover herein moſt palpable impiety in young perſons, they remember their luſts, their pleaſures in the dayes of their youth, and God is never in all their thoughts: Oh where may we find a young Timothy, that was acquainted with the Scripturee from his infancy! Where an Obadiah, That feared God from the youth? Do not moſt young perſons live ſo negligently about holy things, as if they were allowed to be diſſolute, as if the things of Heaven and eternity did not belong to them, as if Solomon had ſaid the contrary, Do not remember God in the dayes of thy youth, be not ſo ſtrict and preciſe, but follow thy paſtimes and pleaſures? Thus the very memory of God and holy things is a burden to young perſons; They think Solimon ſpake farre better, Chap. 11. 9. when he ſaith, Rejoyce, O young man in thy youth, let thy heart cheer thee, and walk in the wayes of thy heart, remove ſorrow and evil away; They like this well; This is good, but there is a ſting in that which followeth, Know thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee to judgement; This will quickly damp all thy youthfull jollities. Let then young perſons eſpecially bewail the ſinfulneſſe and forgetfulneſſe of their memory herein; This is the beſt and moſt flouriſhing time for your memory, now it is put upon to learn either Mechanical Trades, or the Liberal Arts, your memories are moſt drawn out in inferiour things, but take the advantage to imploy it more about holy things; You hear old perſons complain, they have loſt their memory, they grow forgetfull, therefore fix your memories upon good things while you may.
3. The Scripture commends the Word of God likewiſe as the object of our memory. 3. The Scripture.Timothy had learnt the Scripture from his Infancy: The word of God was for this end (amongſt others, as you heard) committed to writing, that ſo we might the more readily have it in our memories, Mal. 4. 4. the Prophet commands them to remember the Law of Moſes with the ſtatutes and judgments, yea they were to have ſuch a ready and familiar knowledge of the Word of God, that when they were riſing or walking, they were to be ſpeaking of them, Deut. 6. 7, 8, 9. we may there ſee what care is taken that the Law of God ſhould be alwayes in their mind; but do we not evidently behold the curſed and wretched pollution of mans memory in this particular; Why is it that little children will remember any Songs ſooner then the principles of Religion? Why is it that many perſons who are not able to remember any thing of the Scripture, or the Sermons they have heard, yet can remember Ballads and Songs, they can remember their youthfull pranks, and talk of them with delight, but they cannot give any account of the good truths that in their younger years were preached to them? When do ye hear ſuch ſay, Such a Sermon wounded me at heart, it ſticketh ſtill upon me, I ſhall never forget it? Now is not the ſinfulneſſe of the memory greatly to be bewailed in this particular? If it were holy and ſanctified it would take more delight and joy to remember Scripture-truths then any thing elſe, whereas now thy memory is like a ſieve that lets the corn and weighty grain fall through, but the light refuſe ſtuff that it retaineth: Thus what is ſolid and would do thy ſoul good, that quickly paſſeth away: Oh that we could not fay, our Sermons paſſe away as a tale that is told, for thoſe you do remember, and you will carry a long while in your mind, empty, frothy things thoſe abide long with you! Would you not judge it madneſſe in the Husbandman, if he ſhould pluck up and hinder the growth of his corn, and let cockle and tare, with other weeds flouriſh? Thus thou doſt about thy memory, throw away the flours and keep the weeds, whereas thy memory ſhould be like the holieſt of holies, nothing but what is ſelect and ſanctified ſhould enter therein.
4. That I may not be too long in theſe inſtances, The works of God, whether in his mercy, 4. The works of God.or in his wrath, they are to be the object of our memory. Thus the Scripture ſpeaketh often of remembring his marvellous works. Matth. 16. 19. Chriſt reproveth his Diſciples, becauſe they did not remember the miracle of the loaves; All the great mercies to his Church, all the ſevere judgements of God upon thoſe that hate him, ſhould be kept in conſtant remembrance from generation to generation: But who ſeeth not the ſinfulneſſe of our memory in this particular? What liar remembreth Ananias and Saphira's judgement? What unclean perſon Zimri and Cosbi? What drunkard Belſhazzar's hand-writing on the wall?
SECT. IX.
Inferiour Objects of Memory.
WE are diſcovering the particulars, Wherein the memory of man is ſo greatly polluted; we have inſtanced in the Object of it, which is God, and the things immediately relating to God; Theſe things we conſtantly forget, though God gave us a memory chiefly for theſe things. In the next place, there are Objects in the inferiour region (as it were) which the Scripture commendeth to our memory, and about that alſo we ſhall finde our minds never exerciſed therein. That I may not be infinite, I ſhall ſelect ſome few of thoſe Inferiour Objects. And
Firſt,1. Sinne paſt. It is a duty often urged in Scripture, To exerciſe cur memory about our ſins paſt, to bring them to mind, and accordingly to humble our ſelves and repent. But is not every mans memory naturally polluted herein? How many ſinnes are there committed many years ago? How many youth ſinnes which thou never haſt a bitter remembrance of? It is not wormwood and gall to thee to think of thy former vanities: Thus the memory well exerciſed is the introduction to repentance. A man can never repent that doth not firſt remember; Can he humble himſelf for that which he hath forgotten? Ezek. 16. 61, 63 God there makes a gracious Covenant and promiſe of pardon and forgiveneſſe to the Iſraelites; and then he ſheweth, that this fire of his love ſhall melt and thaw their hearts, though like iron, they ſhall be aſhamed and confounded, but how is all this done? by remembring. Then thou ſhalt remember thy waies, and be aſhamed, ſo that it is impoſſible to ſet upon the work of repentance and converſion to God, unleſſe firſt thy memory be excited up, unleſſe thou look upon thy former life, and remember this have I done, and thus I have lived, ſuch ſinnes and follies come into my mind, yea in true repentance thy ſinnes will alwayes be in thy memory, when eating, or drinking, or walking, thou wilt be thinking, Oh the wretch that I have been! Oh the beaſt and fool that I was in ſuch and ſuch impieties! Thus Joh and David remembred the ſinnes of their youth, Pſa. 51. 3. David acknowledging that murder and adultery which he had committed a year before, yet he ſaith, My ſinne is ever before me. Thus you ſee in repentance, the memory is wonderfully quickned, bringeth thoſe ſinnes to mind that have been committed many years ago, and therefore you have the expreſſion, 1 King. 8. 47. of a people repenting, If they ſhall bring back to their heart, ſo it is in the original, we render it, If they ſhall bethink themſelves; By this we ſee, that in true converſion there is a bringing back again of our ſinnes to our hearts, that whereas we had forgot this and that ſinne which might be charged upon us; Now we begin to arraign our ſelves, and bring in a ſevere indictment againſt our own ſouls, for ſuch and ſuch tranſgreſſions: Oh then, mourn bitterly for thy evil and wicked memory herein! How many ſinnes, how many iniquities even like the ſand on the ſea-ſhore might come into thy mind and amaze thee, giving thee no reſt, till thou hadſt obtained the pardon of them? But thou art ſo farre from this, that rather thou ſtriveſt and laboureſt to put them out of thy memory; If thy ſinnes come to thy mind, preſently thou diverteſt thy thoughts, turneſt thy memory to other things; and thus as the noiſe of the Cart-wheel, becauſe nearer to us, maketh us not bear the noiſe of thunder at that time, ſo other things more delightſome and pleaſing, being next in our memory, we wholly forget what might turn to our ſalvation: Hence it is that natural men love no good conference, no reproof, no powerfull preaching that may bring their ſinnes to remembrance, but ſay as the woman to Eliſha, 1 King. 17. 18. What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come unto me to call my ſinne to remembrance? So that herein our deſperate pollution is ſeen, that we bring not our ſinnes to our remembrance, yea we voluntarily forget them, uſe all the means we can, that we may never have them in our minds.
Secondly,2. Examples of others▪ The bad or good examples of others we ſhould remember, and accordingly imitate or avoid them: All the examples of wicked and godly men, ſhould be ſo many Monuments, ſo many Memorials to us: The Inſcription upon Senacherib his Tomb was, foreign, Whoſoever looks on me, let him be godly, by remembring the wrath of God upon me for my evil wayes. Our Saviour (Luke 17. 32.) commands us to Remember Lot's wife; In her we have ſuch an inſtance of Gods wrath, that it ought never to be forgotten, and therefore, ſaith Auſtin, turned into a pillar of falt, that ſhe might ſeaſon us; God had delivered her out of Sodom from the fire and brimſtone ready to have conſumed her, and withall he chargeth her not to look back, but ſhe either out of curioſity, or out of a worldly affection and deſire to her goods that were left behind looketh back, upon which God doth immediately puniſh her in this wonderfull and unheard manner; Now our Saviour applieth this to every one who taketh upon him the profeſſion of Chriſt, leaveth off his former converſation, but afterwards returneth to it again: And is not this the condition of too many, that do not onelyonly with Lot's wife look back to Sodome, but even go back into Sodome again? How terrible will the later end of ſuch be? Remember this dreadfull inſtance, you who for a while give over your prophaneneſſe and impiety, but afterwards fall to it again, ſuch are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven: Thus alſo we ſhould take notice of all the good examples we meet with in the holy Scripture, what good men there were, how they lived, and how God bleſſed them; Our memories ſhould be a good treaſury, whereby we ſhould be abundantly furniſhed to do the good and avoid the evil, Lege Hiſtoriam ne fias Hiſtoria, but rather remember Hiſtories and examples, leſt God make thee an example: Thus Heb. 13. 7. they are commanded to remember ſuch who had been guides to them, and to follow their faith, conſidering the end of their converſation; How holy, bleſſed and comfortable it was, the godly Miniſters and holy Paſtors God hath given to his Church, you ſhould diligently remember, taking notice how God was with them in their Doctrine, in their lives, in their deaths; This would much prevent that Apoſtaſle of many into errors, and following after heretical perſons; Do but remember how wonderfully God was in the ſpirits and lives of many holy Paſtors in the Church, who did bear witneſs againſt ſuch errors, as many now are led aſide with: Who would not deſire to live the lives, and die the deaths of ſuch holy gracious men?
Thirdly, Another object of our memory commended in Scripture is, The former works of Gods Spirit which happily have been upon us, 3. The former work of Gods Spirit upon us.but we have decayed and revolted. This were alone neceſſary for many a man, and eſpecially in theſe times; Remember what love thou didſt once bear to the Ordinances; Remember what delight and ſweetneſs thou didſt once find in them, but now thou haſt caſt them off Thus the Apoſtle remindeth the Galatians, Gal. 4. 15. Where is the bleſſedneſs you once ſpake of? Once they did ſo rejoyce in Paul's Miniſtry, accounted it a bleſſing of an eminent nature, but now began to ſlight it. There are alſo many who have formerly been zealous and active for good things, they manifeſted their good deſires about the things of God to all the world, but now they are become like ſo many clods of earth, they have forſaken the better part, which with Mary once they did chuſe, and are either turned diſſolute or earthly, crawling upon the ground like ſo many worms: Thus theſe flouriſhing trees are quite withered, having neither fruit or leaves: Thus the Church of Epheſus, guilty of partial Apoſtaſie, Revel. 2. 5. is injoyned To remember from whence ſhe is fallen; and this counſel is to be given to many perſons, Remember it was otherwiſe with thee once; Remember it was not ſo with thee, as it is now; The time hath been thy heart hath been much affected with the word of God preached; The time hath been thou hadſt family-duties, and daredſt not to neglect the family-worſhip of God; But now, What is become of all this Religion, You that began in the Spirit, do you not end in the fleſh? Eſpecially your memories are often to be ſtirred up and quickned, who have been under many fears and dangers, who have been at the point of death: Oh what thoughts, what reſolutions have you made againſt ſinne! What bitter thoughts and apprehenſions had you about your former evil wayes? But (alas) how quickly are all thoſe agonies of ſoul forgotten? In this your memories are very much polluted, that all your vows, all your promiſes to God, all your fears and terrors are forgotten: Thou that art now imbracing of thy luſts, entertaining thy Dalilah's again, Oh remember what thou didſt think of theſe things, when thou didſt look upon thy ſelf as a dying man! Oh remember what woes and wounds were upon conſcience! What confident expreſſions, if ever God did recover thee again, if ever thou wert delivered again, all the world ſhould ſee thy repentance and Reformation? Theſe things thou ſhouldeſt remember, and ſhame thy ſelfe, yea be confounded and never able to open thy mouth to excuſe thy ſelf.
Fourthly,4. Our end, and the day of Judgement. The Scripture doth propound to our memory, as a ſpecial object, never to ſlip out of it, The conſideration of our later end, the day of death, the day of Judgement, theſe things are to be conſtantly in our memory. The neglect of this is made by the Prophet Jeremiah a bitter inſtance in his Lamentations concerning the people of Iſrael, Lam. 1. 9. She remembred not her later end, therefore ſhe came down wonderfully; Here the forgetting of her later end is made the cauſe of all thoſe ſtrange and wonderfull judgements which come upon them: Thus Iſa. 47. 7. Babylon is there arraigned for her pride and arrogancy, And ſhe did not lay the judgements of God to heart, neither did ſhe remember the later end of it; And how pathetically is Gods deſire expreſſed, Deut.32. 29. Oh that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their later end; Here you ſee the ſumme of all godlineſs is expreſſed, in conſidering our later end: No wonder then if men who forget their death, and the day of Judgement be violently carried on to all exceſs of riot; For what ſhould ſtop or ſtay them in their paths? Whereas didſt thou remember, (as Solomon adviſeth his young man) That for all this thou muſt die, thou muſt be brought to judgement; This would bind him (as it were) hand and foot; Quicken then up thy memory, whatſoever thou forgetteſt, do not forget that thou art a mortal dying man, that the day of judgement is coming upon thee, which thou canſt not avoid; The memory of this would make thee flie from every enticing ſinne, as Joſeph did from his miſtreſs.
Laſtly,5. The afflictions of others. The Scripture requireth, That we ſhould remember the deſolation and troubles that are upon others, eſpecially the Church of God. So that although it be never ſo well with us, though God give us our hearts deſire, yet the remembrance of the afflictions and ſtraits of others ſhould make us mourn and pray for them: Thus Col. 4. 18. Paul calleth upon them to remember his bonds: So Heb. 13. 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them: What an hard and great duty is this, yet if thou art not a dead member in the body; if ſpiritual life be in thee, thou wilt remember the ſad condition, the afflicted eſtate of many of Gods children, when thou enjoyeſt all thy ſoul longeth for. It was thus with good Nehemiah, he was in the Princes Palaces, he wanted nothing for his own advantage, yet he mourned and was ſad from day to day, becauſe he remembred how it was with Jeruſalem: See how impoſſible a thing almoſt David: maketh it to forget Jeruſalem, Pſal. 137. 5. If I forget thee, O Jeruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I remember thee not, let my tongue cleave to the rooff of my mouth; If I preferre not Jeruſalem above my chief joy; here is a gracious worthy ſpirit; ſee what David reſolveth ſhall be in his memory more then the chiefeſt good in this world; he will forget his own friends, his own joyes, yea his own ſelf, ſooner then the Churches good: now may not even a godly man bewail his forgetfullneſs herein? Thou mindeſt thy own eſtate, thy own family, ſeekeſt thy own ſelf, but how little is thy memory about the affaires of the Church? Thou doſt not remember how many afflicted Joſeph's, how many impoveriſhed, Lazar's there may be in the Church of God? how many exiles and baniſhed perſons; how many deſirous to take up the crums that fall from thy table; Did we remember the afflictions and ſtraights of others, it would put us more upon prayer for them, and it would alſo make us walk more thankfully and humbly for our mercies then we do? And thus you ſee, though the memory be a vaſt treaſure, though it hath infinite receſſes and capacious receptacles, yet the Scripture hath preſcribed matter enough to fill every corner (as it were) and if the memory were thus frighted, if it were ſuch a good ſtore-houſe, how happy would it be? whereas naturally it's like a cage of unclean birds, and a den of thieves. I proceed therefore to ſhew (as it was to Ezekiel about the Jewes) ſtill more abomination in this memory of ours.
SECT. X.
The Memory is polluted in reſpect of its inward vitioſity adhering to it.
SEcondly, As the memory is thus defiled about its proper objects, ſo there is much inward vitioſity adhering to it; And this we may take notice of, as a main one, The dullneſs, ſluggiſhneſs, and ſtupidity of it, eſpecially as to heavenly things: who can give any other reaſon, why good things, holy things, ſhould not be remembered as well as evil and ſinfull things, but only the native pollution of the memory? And from hence it is, that there is ſuch a lethargy (as it were) upon the memory; for if Peter, 2 Pet 3. 1, writing to thoſe who were ſanctified, and that had pure minds, yet he thought it meet to ſtirre them up, a metaphor (as you heard) from men aſleep, who need to be awakened; how much more doth the memory of a natural man need ſtirring and exciting? There is then a wonderfull ſtupidity and ſleepineſs (as it were) upon the memory, it is even ruſty (as it were) and unfit for any uſe; men do not exerciſe and put their memories upon practice, little do they know what they could remember, if they did mind it, and exerciſe themſelves to remember what is good; Thou complaineſt of a bad memory, of a ſlippery memory, No, it is thy lazineſs, it's thy bad heart, it's thy want of diligence; Thy memory would be as good, and as active for holy things, as it is for earthly things, if you did put it in practice more, but the memory being naturally dull and ſtupid, thou letteſt it alone, thou never improveſt it, never awakeneſt it, and ſo through thy forgetfullneſs thou comeſt eternally to periſh; This lethargy upon thy memory, though a ſad diſeaſe, yet might be cured, if thou wert real and induſtrious about it, much praying, and much practiſing of it in holy things, would make it as expedite, and as ready about good things, as ever it was in any evil things.
In the third place, The memory is naturally unſanctified in this particular, that wherein it can or doth remember, ….there it produceth not ſuteable operations, nor doth it obtain its end. The end of remembring what is good, is to love it, to practiſe it, and to imitate it; The end of remembring evil, is to loath it bitterly, to repent of it, and to fly from it: Now herein our memory is groſly polluted, that it never obtaineth this bleſſed and holy end, whereas if our memories were never ſo admirable, as that of Symonides, or Appelonius Thyaneus, when he was about an hundred yeares old, yet if our memory be not effectual, and operative, to make us more holy and heavenly, this is a ſinfull and defiled memory: And for this reaſon it is, that wicked men are ſaid to forget God, becauſe though they do remember him, yet they do not performe thoſe duties, to which their memory ſhould be ſubſervient. For as the end of knowledge, is action, ſo the end of memory alſo is to be doing; and as it is ſaid, If ye know theſe things, happy are ye, if ye do them; ſo when ye remember theſe things, it's a bleſſed thing to put them in practiſe. But how often do we ſee by experience, that where the memory is naturally very good, there morally it is very bad and ſinfull? Do you not meet with many that can remember the Scripture, remember Sermons, yet never remember the practice of them? whereas God hath given us memory, for the ſame end he hath given us a knowledge, which is to direct and help us in our operations. That as in beaſts, they have a ſenſitive memory in them to preſerve their natural being, The Oxe remembreth his Maſters crib; the bird remembreth her ſeaſons, and all this for natural preſervation; The Bee remembereth the place of her hive; The Ant her neſt, (though ſome Philoſophers, becauſe of the great ſiceity of the conſtitution of thoſe creatures, attribute it to a natural inſtinct, rather then memory:) ſo this ſhould be much more true in men, therefore doth God beſtow on us an intellectual memory, that thereby he might ſpiritually preſerve himſelf, making uſe of that which is advantagious to his ſoul, and avoiding all that which is deſtructive. As then we are not to know only that we may know, or to know thereby, making oſtentation that others may take notice of it; ſo neither are we to remember, that we may remember only, or to brag of our memory, that others may wonder to ſee what a ſtrong and retentive memory we have, but that thereby we may be more promoted, and advanced in heavenly things: Let all ſuch tremble under this conſideration, who have very quick and ſure memories about the Scripture and the Sermons they hear, yet are very ungodly in their lives, and walk in a contrary way to all that they do remember. This argueth thy memory is not a ſanctified memory, that it carrieth not on the work of grace in thee; for which end only it ought to be imployed. It is obſerved that two ſorts of men need a good memory; Firſt, The lyar, Oportet mendacem eſſe memorem, now every profeſſing Chriſtian living wickedly, is a lyar, for with words he acknowledgeth him, butin workes he denieth him; inſomuch that thou who lyeſt thus to God, ſhouldſt remember thy profeſſions and obligations, the ſecond ſort is, of greateſt accomptants, ſuch who have great ſummes to caſt up, and to be accountable for, theſe alſo had need of great memories, and ſuch is every man: Oh the vaſt and numberleſs particulars of which he is one day to give an account to God! Oh what a proficient in holineſs might thou have been, if all the good things thou remembreſt were in a practical manner improved, if thou couldſt give a good account to God of thy memory, for that you are to do, as well as of the improvement of other parts of the ſoul! As God at the day of judgement will have an account of every talent he hath given thee, of thy underſtanding, of thy will, how theſe have been employed, ſo likewiſe of thy memory; What is that good, that holineſs, thy memory hath put thee upon? and this alſo you who are young ones and ſervants, living in godly Families, are diligently to attend to, for you think this is enough, if you can remember a Sermon, or Catechiſtical heads, ſo as to give an account to your Governors; if you can ſatisfie them, you think this is enough, but thou art greatly deceived, for therefore art thou to remember, that thou maiſt do accordingly, Thou art never to forget this or that truth, that ſo it may be ready at hand to direct thee in all thy wayes: and this is indeed a divine act of memory. There are thoſe who teach the art of memory, and give rules to perfect a man therein, but divine and holy operation, is the end of the Chriſtian art of our memory.
Fourthly, The pollution of our memory is ſeen, In that it is made ſubſervient to the corrupt frame and inclination of our hearts. We remember what our hearts are ſet upon, what our affections are earneſt for, whereas our memory ſhould precede and go before them, for the intellective memory is the ſame with the mind and underſtanding of a man; for although to remember be not properly an act of knowledge, yet this intellective memory we make the ſame with the mind of a man, as it extends to things that are paſt. The memory then is to make way for the heart and the affections, to be directive to them, whereas now for the moſt part it is made a ſlave to the corrupt heart; for if the underſtanding in it all's hegemonical, and primary actions hath loſt its power, how much more is this true in the memory? For the moſt part therefore the badneſs of the heart makes a bad memory, and a good heart a good memory; men complain they cannot remember, when indeed they will not remember; their hearts are ſo poſſeſſed and inſlaved to earthly things, that they remember nothing but what tendeth thereunto: This is the ground of that ſaying, Omnia quae curant ſenes meminerunt, Old men remember all things, their hearts are let upon, all things, they do earneſtly regard; They can remember their bonds, the place where their money lieth, becauſe their hearts are fixed upon theſe things, but no holy or good things can lodge in their memories: The rule is, Frigus eſt mater obiivionis, Coldneſs is the mother of oblivion, as is partly ſeen in old men; and thus it is even in old and young, their hearts are cold, earthly, lumpiſh, even like ſtones about holy things, and therefore it is no wonder if they remember them no better; ſo that we may generally conclude, That the cauſe of all they blockiſhneſs and forgetfullneſs about divine things, is thy ſinfull and corrupt heart, if that were better thy memory would be better. We have a notable place, Jer. 2. 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me daies without number. Can a bride forget her attire and ornament? it is impoſſible, becauſe her delight and affections are upon it, but (ſaith God) My people have forgotten me, daies without number. Why ſo? becauſe I am not that to them, which ornaments are to a bride (ſaith God) if they delight in me, rejoyce in me, if they did account me their glory, then they would never forget me: By this you ſee, that therefore we forget God, and his wayes, becauſe our hearts are not in love with him; Can he that is powerfully conquered by love of a friend forget his friend? Doth he not alwaies remember him? Is not a friend alter ego? Is not the lovers ſoul more where it loveth then where it animateth? Thus it would be alſo with us in reference unto God; therefore we have bad memories, becauſe bad hearts: It is true, ſome natural cauſes may either deprive us wholly of, or greatly enervate the memory: Thus Meſſalla that famous Orator, judged to be more elaborate then Tully, two yeares before his death, forgot all things, even his own name. Hermogenes alſo that famous Rhetorician, who wrote thoſe Rhetorical inſtitutions which are read with admiration of all, and this he did when he was but eighteen years old, and ſome ſix yeares after grew meerly ſtupid, and ſenſleſs, without any evident cauſe of whom it was ſaid, that he was; Inter pueros ſenex, & inter ſenes puer. Thucidides (as Voſtius reporteth. (Orat. inſtitut. lib. 6.) ſpeaketh of ſuch an horrible peſtilence, that thoſe who did recover of it, grew ſo forgetfull, that they did not know their friends, neither remembred what kind of life or profeſſion they once followed; So that natural cauſes may much weaken the memory; but if we ſpeak in a moral ſenſe, then nothing doth ſo much corrupt the memory about holy things, as a ſinfull and polluted heart.
Fifthly, The pollution of the memory is ſeen, In that it is not now ſubject in the exerciſe of it to our will and power. We cannot remember when we would, and when it doth moſt concern us, whereas in the ſtate of integrity, Adam had ſuch an univerſal Dominion over all the powers of his ſoul, that they acted at what time, and in what meaſure he pleaſed: Thus his affections were ſubject to him in reſpect of their riſe, progreſs and degree; and ſo for his memory, he had all things in his mind, as he would: Some indeed queſtion, Whether Adam did then Intelligere per Phantaſmata? But that ſeemeth inſeparable from the nature of man, while upon the earth, and living an animal life, though without ſinne. No doubt his ſoul being the form of the whole man, did act dependently upon the inſtrumentality of the body, though ſuch was the admirable conſtitution of his body, that nothing could make the operations thereof irregular. Adam then had nothing which could either Phyſically or Morally hinder the memory, but all was under his voluntary command, whereas ſuch an impotency is upon us, that if we would give a world, we cannot remember the things we would; Hence we are force to compel our ſelves, by one thing after another, to bring to our minds what is forgotten, for in remembring there is ſome dependance of one thing upon another; as rings, if tied together, are more eaſily taken hold of, then when they lie ſingly and looſly. And this Auſtin (lib. 10. confeſ.) maketh to be the Etimology of the word Cogito, Cogito à cogo, as Agito ab ago, Factito à facio, as if to cogitate were to force and compell things into our minds. Let us then mourn and humble our ſelves under this great pollution of nature, that thoſe things which are of ſuch infinite conſequence, which are as much as our ſalvation and eternal happineſs are worth, yet we do not, we cannot remember.
Hence in the ſixth place, The memory being not under our command, it falleth out, that things come into our minds, When we would not have them, yea when it is a ſinne to receive them. How often in holy duties, in religious performances, do we remember things, which happily we could not do, when the fit ſeaſon and opportunity was for them? Do not many worldly buſineſſes come into our minds, when we are in heavenly approaches to God, that as Job. 1. when the ſonnes of God came and appeared before God, then Satan came alſo and ſtood with them? Thus when thou art buſie to remember all thoſe Scripture-arguments, which ſhould humble thee in Gods preſence, which ſhould exalt and life up thy ſoul to God, How many heterogeneous and diſtracting thoughts do croud in alſo, ſo that this worldly buſineſs, and that earthly imploiment cometh into thy remembrance? Inſomuch that the people of God, though their memories are ſanctified, and ſo cleanſed in much meaſure from original filth in the dominion of it, yet do much groan under this importante and unſeaſonable remembring of things; for hereby our duties have not that united force and power, as they ſhould have, neither is God ſo glorified in our addreſſes to him, as he ought to be, Pſal. 86. 11. David there prayeth, That God would unite his heart to fear his Name; And the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7. doth therefore ſpeak ſo warily and tenderly in the caſe of marriage, That they might ſerve the Lord without diſtraction; And no doubt dividing and diverting thoughts are as troubleſome to the godly heart in holy duties, as the croaking frogs were to Pharaoh, when they came up into his chamber: Say then with indignation to all thoſe intruding and violent thoughts, which make thee not hoc agere, inſtant in the duty thou art about, ſtand aloof off, and be gone; Bolt the door upon them, as Ammon on Thamar; What doth Saul among the Prophets? How cometh theſe uclean things into the holieſt of holies? Let the fear of God be like the Porter or Watchman, to keep out all things that would then come into thy memory, Liberet me Deus (ſaid he) ab hom…pe unius tantum negotii, when thy heart minds only one thing, when it is God only thy ſoul is fixed upon, and thou art not diverted otherwiſe, ſuch duties are effectual and prevail much. Thus you have at large heard the many waies, wherein this noble and uſefull part of the ſoul is groſly polluted, what a Sepulchre (as it were) it is, wherein are contained nothing but loathſome and abominable things. Come we then to make ſome Uſe of it. And
Vſe 1. Is the memory thus defiled about holy and divine objects? It is ſo forgetfull of what is good? Then we ſee it is no matter of wonder, if the moſt people, who ſit under the continual means of grace do abide, and continue in their wicked waies, as much as if never any Prophet had been amongſt them… For they go away from all Sermons, remembring no more then ſtones in the wall; They are the Apoſtles forgetfull hearers, Jam. 1. and ſo preſently let all things ſlip out of their minds; Thus forgetfulneſs (of which you hear ſo much) is the mother of all that diſobedience and wickedneſs many live in. The Apoſtle giveth a good exhortation, Heb 2. 1. We ought to give the more earneſt heed to the things Which we have heard, leſt at any time we ſhould let them ſlip out of our mind; We muſt give earneſt heed: All your thoughts, and care, and ſtudy ſhould be, how to keep the good truths of God in your mind, and that alwayes, leſt that every thing thou heareſt ſhould faſten upon thee, even till thou comeſt to the grave. The Greek word alſo foreign is emphatical; The Margin maketh it from veſſels that leak; Others from wet and bloached paper, upon which we cannot write anything. Let us then look to our memories more then we have done, pray for the ſanctification of them, ſeeing by the evil thereof the Miniſtry is made ineffectual. And becauſe the memory is thus weak, we ſee the neceſſity and uſefulneſſe of a two-fold cuſtom, of writing of Sermons, and of repeating them afterwards in the Family; of writing (for whatſoever ſome pretend to the contrary, yet) it is a ſpecial means to make a thing be more fixed in our memory; and this was the reaſon why God would have the King of Iſrael, write the book of the Law, and that with his own hand, becauſe hereby he would remember it more tenaciouſly. And as for repeating of Sermons (beſides that it is part of the Sanctification of the Sabbath) it doth greatly help to make the Word ingraſſed into us; So that thoſe Families where there is no repeating of the Word preached, do plainly diſcover, that they regard not the retaining of it in their hearts, and ſo are not afraid to be found in the number of forgetfull hearers.
Vſe 2. If the memory be thus defiled, then this alſo ſheweth the neceſſity of parents duty, in the conſtant inſtruction and teaching of their children in the principles of Religion; children have not underſtanding to ſerve God with, and therefore their memory, which is eaſily quickned in them, muſt be the more drawn out, that ſo they may ſerve God as they are able: It's good ſeaſoning theſe veſſels betimes with wholſome liquor.