Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 11
REVEL. 3. 1.
That thou haſt a name, that thou liveſt, and art Dead.
WE are come to the ſubject matter of this example; and Firſt, we meet with the reproofe that Chriſt gives to the Church of Sardis; the reproofe is either in generall; I know thy workes, i e. I know them all to be ſtarke naught for the generall; and then in particular, firſt, their hypocriſie, thou haſt a name that thou liveſt; ſecondly, their deadneſſe indeed, and art dead. The generall reproofe we ſpake of the laſt day, I know thy workes, and there ye heard that God knowes all the ſinfull courſes that any man takes; he is privy to every mans ſinnes: though men carry them never ſo cloſely and cleverly, yet he knowes them.
Firſt, he ſees all mens ſinfull actions, as Elihu ſpeakes,1 his eyes are upon the wayes of man, and he ſees all his goings; there is no darkneſſe or ſhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelves, Job. 34. 21. 22. people cannot get out of his ſight, they cannot ſinne ſo in private but he ſeeth them; they may goe into a ſecret roome, and ſhut every living creature out, but they cannot ſhut God out.
Secondly, he knowes every ſyllable that men ſpeake,2 I have heard what the Prophets ſaid, they prophecy lies in my name, Ier. 23. 25. the Lord can tell what men ſpeake under the roſe; looke what the King of Aram ſpake in his bed▪ chamber, he could tell Eliſha. As Enoch ſpeakes; he knowes all the ſpeeches that wicked men ſpeake, and will have them up at the day of judgement againſt them.
Thirdly, he knowes every ſinfull thought that is in mens3. hearts, as Moſes ſayes; God ſaw the wickedneſſe of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, Gen. 6. 5. though mens thoughts be ſlie things, and are out of mens eyes, and Angels eyes, and Devils eyes, yet they are not out of his eye, he ſees what men thinke.
Fourthly, he knowes all that ever a man hath done as4. the woman ſaid of Chriſt; come ſee one that hath told me all that ever I have done, Joh. 4. 29.
Fifthly, he knowes all the evill that ever men will doe5. hereafter; the Lord told Moſes what Pharaoh would doe before he went to him; I know he will harden his heart and will not let them goe, Exod. 3. 19. while the Children of Iſrael were in the wilderneſſe, he knew what they would doe when they came into Canaan; I know their imaginations even now before I have brought them into the Land which I ſware to give them, Deut 31. 21.
Sixthly, he knowes all the evills that men would doe6. in ſuch and and ſuch circumſtances; he knew Abimelech would have taken Sarah, if he had not hindred him; he knew that the men of Keilah would betray David, if David ſhould ſtay there, 1 Sam. 23. 12. he knowes what a rich man would doe if he were poore, what this or that poore man would doe if he were rich; one dies in his infancy, he knowes what he would have done if he had let him live to be a man: her's a man that lives in a good family, and may be carrieth himſelfe very ſquarely, but the Lord knowes what he would doe, if he lived in another place.
Seventhly, the Lord knowes mens diſpoſitions, their7 natures, their qualities, their projects, their intentions; he knowes how many are rotten, though they profeſſe never ſo much; he knowes mens perſons, he knowes vaine men, Iob. 11. 11.
I told you the reaſon of this, Firſt, becauſe he is omniſcient and knowes all things, his underſtanding is infinite, Pſal. 147. 5. let a man ſet as good a colour▪ as he can upon his wicked devices, God can diſcover him, let a man have never ſo many excuſes; though they paſſe for currant among men, yet God ſees what they are; men may pretend what they will, and deny what they will, and ſet an1. impudent forehead and face on the matter, and go unperceived among men, but they cannot goe unperceived by Allmighty God, his underſtanding is infinite.
Secondly, as he is omniſcient, ſo he is omnipreſent, he2. is everywhere; whether can any creature goe from his preſence? if he goe into the ſtreet, or ale-houſe or drabhouſe, or his houſe or his cloſet, or his privy chamber, he can goe nowhere but where God is; and therefore how can he doe ought but God muſt needs ſee him? can any hide himſelfe in▪ ſecret places, that I ſhould not ſee him? doe not I fill Heaven and Earth, ſaith the Lord? Ier. 23. 24.
Thirdly, the Lord hath his providence in every thing,3 nothing is done without his concurrence or ſufferance, if it be good, it is done by his aſſiſtance; if it be evill, it cannot be done without his permiſſion and diſpoſition; therefore he muſt needs know every thing. He knew whether the Devils ſhould enter into the herd of ſwine, for they could not enter in, untill he ſuffered them: he knew all that Iudas, and Pilate, and Herod, and the Jewes and the High Prieſts did againſt Chriſt, becauſe they did nothing but what his hand and counſell had determined before to be done, Act. 4. 28.
Fourthly, the Lord knowes every mans ſinnes, becauſe4 he hath a candle in every mans boſome. The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, ſearching all the inward parts of the belly, Prov. 20. 27, that is a mans conſcience, that's the Lords Candle; well, if Hee have a Candle ſtanding in every mans boſome, what can bee done there in the darke?
Fifthly, becauſe He is judge of the whole World; O Lord 5of Heaſts that judgeſt righteouſly, that tryeſt the Reines and the Heart, Jer. 11. 20. Hee could not judge every man righteouſly elſe. A man may doe well, and yet ſeeme to doe evill; againe a man may doe very evill, and yet ſeeme to doe well; yee know the heart is all in all; now if God did not know all mens hearts, all mens lookes and aymes, and intents, and meanings, the circumſtances, and every thing that men doe, Hee could not judge every man according to his workes, as hee will for a certaine. Hee will judge every man according to his works, and therefore Hee knowes what every mans workes bee.
The uſe of this was, Firſt. To confute Averroes and othersUſe. 1. that ſay that God does not know mens ſinnes; O ſay they, God ſees all things by looking on himſelfe; now there is no ſuch thing to be ſeene in himſelfe. Beloved, here you ſee that this is a blaſphemous Doctrine; for God knowes what ever men are▪ or thinke, or ſpeake, or doe, or have done▪ or ſhall doe, or would doe in any caſe; and though ſinne be not in God, yet the ſuffering of it is in God and Hee may ſuffer it in his juſt judgement and wiſdome; though the commiting of it be wicked, yet his ſuffering of it is good, and juſt. The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good, Pro. 15. 3. But I let this paſſe.
Secondly, to condemne the moſt ſorts of men that doe2 not conſider of this truth; for though men will grant that God knowes all the evill that they doe, yet this vile Atheiſme is lurking in mens hearts, they either make God as the Epicures hold, that hee ſits in Heaven, and regards not what men doe, or at leaſt God will not require it, Pſal. 10. 13. they doe not charge this truth on their hearts; This is the cauſe that men are ſo daring to doe evill.
Thirdly, this is a terror to all that doe evill. This3 is a terror to them that have condemning hearts, as John ſayes, if our heart condemne us, God is greater then our hearts, and Hee knowes all things, 1 Joh. 3. 20. againe this is a terror to all Hypocrites; if God could not ſee a rotten heart, then a Hypocrite ſhould ſpeed as well as the beſt. But God ſees what men are; ſeeme they what they will, He ſees what they be.
Fourthly, this is comfort to good people, for if God4. ſee all mens ſinnes, then Hee ſees all mens goodneſſe; what a comfort is this in Prayer to conſider, That Hee that ſearcheth the Hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit? Romans 8. 27, Hee knowes all thy groanes and ſighes; though thou canſt not utter what thou wouldſt in Prayer, yet Hee knowes what thou wouldſt have. What a comfort is this in temptation, in the midſt of the accuſations of Satan, when a man is pitifully put to it in ſpirituall conflicts, that God knowes what is in us? all our ſecret affections, our mournings after him, our private ſeekings of him, all our hidden meanings to him, all our combats againſt ſinne, all our griefes for corruptions; as Peter ſayes, God thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee, Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it ſoundly at that time, yet this was his comfort that God did know all things; and as Hee knowes more evill by us then our ſelves, ſo He knowes more good by us then our ſelves.
Againe, what a comfort is this againſt the nick-names and falſe judgings of wicked men? Hee knowes all our innocency, when men ſay all manner of evill of us; Hee knowes wee doe that in ſincerity, which men thinke wee doe in Hypocriſy; Hee knowes our. ſimplicity, when men judge that wee doe it out of by and ſiniſter reſpects; what a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as David ſayes, the Lord knowes that I lie not; as David ſayes, I have not refrained my lips from preaching thy Righteouſneſſe, O Lord thou knoweſt, Pſalme 40. 9. little does the World think what the Saints doe every day, what wreſtlings with God, what goings out unto him they have; this is a comfort; the Lord knowes. Againe, what an encouragement is it to ſerve God in theſe bad and ſinnefull times? People generally never looke after God, nor holineſſe, as though God had forſaken the Earth; moſt people are of the minde, that if a man bee preciſe, hee is little the better; and if hee be not ſo preciſe as ſome be, hee ſhall never be the worſe for that, as though God cared for no ſuch matter. Beloved, when wee heare that God ſees all that men doe, and markes and will call all men to an accompt, what an encouragement is this to ſerve God? as David ſayes to Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Fathers, and ſerve him with a perfect Heart, for the Lord ſearcheth all Hearts, and underſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, 1 Chron. 28. 9. This was the firſt pont.
And then the Second point was this. The conſideration of this that God knowes all our workes, is a powerfull meanes to all Gods elect, to doe them good, and to quicken them and to make them take heede of all manner of ſinne; when the Lord would quicken his people here in Sardis, hee uſes this as his firſt meanes to doe it by; I know thy workes; wee may ſee this in David; I have kept thy Precepts and thy Teſtimonies; for all my wayes are before Thee, Pſalme 119 168. when Solomon would convert the whoriſh man, hee uſes this for his argument, why wilt thou O my Son be raviſht with a ſtrange Woman, for the wayes of man are before the Eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his goings, Pro. 5. 20, 21.
The reaſons of this point, are. Firſt, becauſe theReaſ. 1. Lords knowing of our workes is joyned with a marking and a pondering of them too. Hee diligently obſerves what wee doe; Hee ponders and conſiders whence it proceeds, whether it tends; what light we goe againſt, what checks of conſcience wee meete with, what mercies wee abuſe, what prickes wee kick againſt; Hee does not barely ſee what wee doe, but Hee conſiders what wee doe, how hainouſly wee ſinne, what a vile thing it is that wee doe; Hee conſiders how curſed wee are, what a great One wee offend. The Lords Throne is in Heaven, his Eyes doe conſider, and his Eyelids trie the children of men. Pſalme 11. 4. Hee ponders mens hearts, Prov. 24. 12. if God did only ſee what wee doe, it were another matter, but when the ſoule ſhall heare that He markes and conſiders, and that he ponders mens ſinnes, and weighs them how horrible they are, how much againſt his glory, what puniſhments they deſerve, how inexcuſable they be, how juſt it is to damne them, its a ſigne of a deſperate heart when this wil not work.
Secondly, the Lords ſeeing of our ſinnes is with moſt2 holy and pure Eyes, and ſuch Eyes as cannot abide ſuch an object before Him, as the Prophet Habbakuk ſpeakes; Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evill, thou canſt not looke on iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. If God ſaw our ſinnes with ſuch an Eye as men ſee them with, it were no ſuch great thing; many men can endure them well enough, and like us little the worſe; nay may be they will like us the better; but they are infinitely offenſive to God. Hee ſees, them with ſuch an Eye, that if the ſoule did but ſee how God lookes, it would burſt the very heart of it; as when Peter had denyed Chriſt, Chriſt look't upon him; But it was ſuch a looke, that burſt his very heart and made him goe out with ſhame, and weepe bitterly.
Thirdly, the Lords ſeeing of our ſinnes is joyned3 with recording of them; Hee notes them in a Booke that hee may never forget them, as hee told the Iewes, Behold it is written before mee, and I will render it them into their boſome, Iſaiah 65. 6. if God did ſee our ſinnes and there's an end, then indeed this Doctrine of Gods ſeeing of our ſinnes would doe little good, may be God will forget them againe; yea, but when hee ſees them, hee regiſters them too, and hee will never forget them; now when a ſoule ſhall come to conſider them, this will wound it to the quick. O hee will never forget them, hee ſets them on our ſcore, and wee ſhall heare of them another day, except we make our peace with him.
Fourthly, when God ſees our ſinnes, it is even all4 one as if the whole World ſaw them; nay hee will ſhew them before all the whole World, Hee will bring to light things hidden in darkneſſe, 1 Cor. 4. 5. wouldſt not thou bee loth that all the World ſhould ſee all thy thoughts, and heare every word that thou ſpeakeſt, and know all the evill thou haſt done; would it not much bridle thee, if thou couldſt doe nothing, not thinke a thought but all the whole World ſhould ſee it? why man, the Lord ſees thee, and that is all one and more too; for hee will open it before all the World, before hee hath done.
Fifthly, another argument may be taken from our4. diſpoſition; our diſpoſition is ſuch that wee cannot abide our wickedneſſe ſhould be ſeen by any body; which among us when wee pray, would not be aſhamed that any body ſhould ſee how our thoughts rove? which of you that are unſetled and deadhearted would not bluſh that men had a caſement to ſee how dead hee ſits at a Sermon, how dead and blockiſh at a Sacrament, how dead at other of Gods Ordinances? What baſe and uncleane, and blaſphemous thoughts doe ſometimes come into our hearts? if a man did thinke that any man ſhould ſee them, hee would hardly be able to ſhew his face among men: ſhould an Adulterer be but taken in the act by any Man or Woman or Child, O how it would gall him and vex him to be ſeene! as Job ſpeakes, If one know them, they are in the terrour of the ſhadow of death, Job. 24. 27. now beloved if this be our diſpoſition by nature, that wee cannot abide that a man ſhould ſee us doe ſomething that wee doe, nay not a child of ſeven yeares old, then O what a terrour is it that the God of Heaven and Earth ſhould ſee us and know us; that hee ſhould ſee all our luſts, all our noyſome and uncleane affections, all our vile and hideous thoughts! O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart, except it be delivered up to a reprobate ſenſe? The Woman of Samaria ſhee was briske and frolique a great while, till ſhee perceived that Chriſt knew all her villany, this made her aſhamed, and brake her very heart.
The uſe of this was: Firſt, here wee ſee they areUſe 1. deſperate that this point cannot worke on; its certaine they are graceleſſe that can heare that God ſees all their workes, and yet it does not purge them from day to day, its an evident argument that a man contemnes God, and makes nothing of him.
Secondly, is it ſo that this is ſuch a powerfull meanesVſe 2. to worke upon our hearts? O let us not harden our hearts, but let us conſider of it, that it may cut betweene the bone and the marrow; God ſees all our workes. This point ſhould fall upon our hearts, like the Al-mighty hand of God; ſo it did on Jobs. I know thou canſt doe every thing, and that no thought can be hid from thee, Job. 42. 2. ſo much ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of the reproof in generall.
Now wee come to the particulars. And the firſt is in theſe words, thou haſt a Name that thou liveſt, and the other is, and art dead.
That thou haſt a name that thou liveſt; This is the firſt particular whereby the Lord Jeſus, proves that which hee had implyed before, viz. that the works of Sardis were all ſtarke naught, becauſe they had onelyonly a name to live, they reſted in a meere outward name to bee Religious and good Chriſtians, and people of God, and believers and a Church of Jeſus Chriſt; they had the name, and that was all; they had a name to live; well, ſayes hee, for this very thing, I know all thy workes, (i) I know them to be all ſtarke naught. Some thinke this is an alluſion to the Miniſter of Sardis his name, who (they ſay) was called Zoſing, that is Living. Thou haſt a name that thou liveſt, but the truth is, thou art dead; whether that be ſo or no, I know not; but this is the meaning of the words, that both the Miniſter and the Church ſeemed to be alive towards God; hee to be a very good and godly Miniſter, and they very good and godly hearers, they were all profeſſors, they were all very devout and forward in all their duties of Religion to ſee to; Thou haſt a name that thou liveſt.
By name is meant a meere name, as wee ſee by the clauſe following, and art dead; for when a man is dead, the name to live muſt needs be a meere Name.
Firſt, a Name in regard of themſelves, they tooke1 themſelves to be alive; as Paul had a name to live before his converſion, while yet hee was a Phariſee, hee had then a name to live, I was alive without the Law once, Rom. 7. 9. That is, I had a name to live then, I taking my ſelfe to be alive; I thought verily in thoſe dayes that I had true Grace, true Faith, and true Hope, and true Love, and the true feare of God before my eyes. So this Church had a name to live, they thought themſelves to be alive.
Secondly, a name in regard of other godly Churches;2 others in the judgement of Charity conceived they were alive; as the Scribes, the Phariſees, our Saviour Chriſt told them they had a name to live, Woe unto you Scribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites; for yee are like unto whited Sepulchers, which indeed appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, Matthew 23. 27. that is, yee ſeeme to be alive, yee have a name to live, but indeed yee are dead; They had ſuch a great name to live that our Saviour Chriſt had much a doe to keepe his owne Diſciples from over-weening of them; beware of them ſayes hee, q. d. what ever yee may thinke, they have a meere Name to live.
Thirdly, a name among poore ignorant and ſimple3. people; yee know there be abundant of poore ſimple people that are led away with ſhewes, that know not what true Religion is, nay may be hate it, but yet they are led away with the ſhew of it; now they that ſeeme to be religious, they are the onelyonly Men and Women with ſuch; they are held for the only good people in a Country, they are admired, poore ſilly people take them for their Ghoſtly Fathers, if they can have but their Prayers, they thinke their Prayers can do much; when they are ſick, they love a life to have ſuch by their bedſides, they give them a great deale of comfort, like Abſulom that comforted the people that came to him, O your matters are good; ſo the Apoſtle ſhewes that they that had a ſorme of godlineſſe, had a name to live among a company of poore ſilly people, 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6.
Fourthly, a name among the perſecutors of Religion,4 and ſo they are perſecuted too among them that live indeed; for mockers take them to be of the ſame number. So Alexander the Copperſmith, had a name a great while, and the enemies of goodneſſe perſecuted him even as Paul; ſo Demas for a time had a name, and was perſecuted as well as the Apoſtle, till afterwards hee was weary and forſooke him. This is one of your Preciſians, this is one of you purer people, this is one of them that call themſelves the people of God, Theſe are the people of the Lord, Ezek. 36. 20. as a Bat hath a name to be a Mouſe, and ſo the Birds perſecute it, and cannot abide it.
Now the point of Doctrine is this, that it is a horribleDoct. 1. thing to reſt in a meere name of being Religious; it is the argument that Chriſt uſes, to prove that Sardis workes were all ſtarke naught, becauſe they had a meere name to live; ſo when the Lord would declare how the Jewes were growne to be ſtarke naught, hee layes this to their charge, that they had onelyonly a name to bee his people; They call themſelves of the holy City, and ſtay themſelves upon the God of Iſrael, the Lord of Hoſts is his name, Iſaiah 48. 2. that is, they got themſelves a name to bee his people, and there was all; they had not the thing it ſelfe, but they tooke the name; thus hee proved them to bee ſtarke naught.
The reaſons are; firſt, becauſe this is to be fartheſtReaſ. 1. off from Religion; religion is a reall thing, and therefore he that reſts in having the name of it, is fartheſt off from it; as Chriſt ſayes of Nathaniel, Behold an Iſraelite indeed, in whom is no guile, Ioh. 1. 47. ſo when a man is religious indeed, humble indeed, feares God indeed, this is religion; when a man is freed indeed from his ſinnes, and from the power of them, this is religion: if the Sonne ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed, Joh. 8. 36. Now when a man hath only the name, he is fartheſt off from this; Religion is a reall, ſolid, and a ſubſtantiall thing; as Iohn ſayes, my little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth, 1 Joh. 3. 18. what though a man have the name to love God and goodneſſe? how farre is this off from doing of it indeed? a man may goe for one that is converted; but he is converted that is converted indeed; ſo he is godly that is godly indeed; the name is nothing where the thing is wanting; all religion is in deed, to believe indeed, to deny a mans ſelfe every day indeed, to be ſenſible of God indeed in all ones waies; not to ſay ones prayers, but to pray indeed; to give God thankes indeed; to worſhip him indeed; as Paul ſayes, when a man can ſay God is in us indeede, 1 Corinthians 14. 25. when a man hath onelyonly the name, this is a meere fancy and conceit.
Secondly, it is a very blaſphemy to get the name2 for good people, when wee are not good people; indeed the reaſon is this, Religion hath an inward dependance upon God, it unites a man to God, it hath an internall relation unto God, it puts a man in a propriety with God, that God is his God, that hee is borne of God, it puts the very Name of God upon a man; now if a man take the name with out the thing, it muſt neede bee a very blaſphemy as hee ſayes, I know the blaſphemy of them that ſay they are Iewes, and are not, but are the Synagogue Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine.of Satan, Revelations, 2. 9. as if a man ſhould ſay hee were of the blood royall; yee know the blood royall hath ſuch a dependance on the Crowne, that that man that ſhould ſay hee were of the blood royall, and is not, hee muſt needes blaſpheme the King. So beloved, Religion hath a neere dependance on God, and therefore hee is a blaſphemer of God, that gets the name of it, and lets the thing alone; and therefore how ſhoud wee take heede, how wee have the name for Religious people, except wee bee Religious indeed, and holy indeede, and Heavenly indeede, as Ambroſe ſayes; nam …it nomen inane, & crimen immane, a bare name is a horrible blame unto any man, whoſoever he be.
Thirdly, it is a flat lie; when a man hath the3 name for a good Chriſtian, and hath not the thing ſignified by the Name, this is a flat lie; as God ſayes, Note it in a Booke that it may be for time to come, for ever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not heare the Law of the Lord, Iſaiah. 30. 8. 9. that is, they had the name of his children, but they had not the thing ſignified by that name; they would not doe as children ſhould doe, they would not bee ruled by their fathers Lawes, therefore they are lying children, they lie in bearing ſuch a name; the Lord notes it in a Booke, that it might ſtand for ever and ever againſt them at the day of judgement; this was nothing elſe but to lie before God; you goe for my children, what? and will not doe as I bid you? you lie in haveing the name of my children; when a man ſhall have the name of a child of God, or the name of a Miniſter of the Lord Jeſus, or the name of a Chriſtian baptized into Chriſt, hee had need to take heed what hee does; for if he doe not anſwer this name, hee does but play the Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghoſt: Looke into thy generall calling; looke into thy particular, looke into thy carriage; looke into thy manner of good duties, whether thou doe behave thy ſelfe anſwerably to this holy name whereby thou art called, knowing thou doſt but lye to God, if thou doſt not.
Fourthly, it is an unreaſonable thing; when a4. man hath not the thing, there is no reaſon that hee ſhould have the name; when God gave Abram the name of Abraham, hee told him there was a reaſon why hee ſhould bee called by that name; thy name ſhall bee called Abraham, for a Father of many Nations have I made thee, Geneſis 17. 5. ſo it is an unreaſonable thing why wee ſhould have the name of Gods ſervants or Chriſtians, unleſſe there bee ſome reaſon why wee ſhould have the impoſition of this name; now when wee make it a bare title, and doe not obey Chriſt, nor make conſcience of all his holy waies, this is very unreaſonable; as Abigail reaſoned about her Huſbands name; as his name is ſo is hee, Nabal is his name, and folly is with him, 1 Samuel 25. 25. So my brethren, as our name is ſo ſhould we be; if Chriſtian be our name, true Chriſtianity ſhould bee with us; humility, love, meekeneſſe, patience, faith, holineſſe, and all other parts of Chriſtianity ſhould be with us; now if we have the name without theſe things intimated by the name, this is a very unreaſonable thing; nay, it is not onelyonly unreaſonable, but alſo ridiculous; who will not count the names that the Papiſts give to their blockiſh Friers ridiculous? ſubtiliſſimus Doctor, Doctor Angelicus, Seraphicus, theſe are ridiculous, as a drunkard a Chriſtian, a whoremonger a Chriſtian, a worldling a Chriſtian, a vaine man a Chriſtian? what a ridiculous thing it is to call ſuch the Saints of God? ſtrangers here on earth, ſuch as have their converſation in Heaven, ſuch as are buried together with Chriſt in his death; ſuch as are men of another World; mortified, juſtified, ſanctified, crucified to themſelves, loving the things above, and not the things that are here beneath; If theſe things doe not agree with us, what a ridiculous thing is it that wee ſhould bee termed good Chriſtians; here bee Chriſtians indeed? this is a meere mockery.
Fifthly, it is an impudent thing; when we have a5 name to live and to be wrought upon by the word, what an impudent thing is it if we doe not looke to it that wee be ſo indeed; one would thinke wee ſhould bluſh to thinke what a name wee have, and how little wee make good our name, between God and our owne ſoules. When the men of Bethlehem ſaid, is not this Naomi, O how ſhe was aſhamed of her ſelfe; call me not Naomi, call me Marah, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me, Ruth. 1. 20. ſo when wee are named Chriſtians, we ſhould even bluſh, call me not a Chriſtian, call me a wretch, call me a vile creature, a hell-hound, a limme of the Devill, a curſed ſinner; for the Almighty never yet turned my heart; he never yet purified my Soule and life, I never yet have reſembled Chriſt to this very day; I ſay the moſt of us ſhould even be confounded to thinke what a name wee have. I a Chriſtian, and doe no more good, and live no better life? I a Chriſtian, and not humbled, not abaſed yet before God, ſo dull to all goodneſſe, ſo carnall, ſo dead to all Gods Ordinances, ſo voide of all grace, ſo ſenceleſſe of my ſinnes? how can this be? wee are impudent, if wee have our name for naught, our name may upbraide us; the good opinions that others have of us, may fill our faces with ſhame to thinke how ſhort we come of it.
Sixthly, it is an inexcuſable thing; if we have a6. name to be alive, wee are without excuſe if wee be not.
Firſt, becauſe now out of our owne mouthes God1 will judge us; wee ſaid wee were his people, wee tooke the name of his ſervants; why then he will ſay why had I not your ſervice? why would you doe no more for me? why were you coveteous, why were you proud, why were you hardhearted, why were you ſo careleſſe of me? you wore my livery, you ſhrouded your ſelves under my name. So the Lord did with the Jewes that had the name of his children and ſervants; ſee how he judges them out of their owne mouth; a Sonne honours his Father, and a ſervant his Maſter; if then I be a Father, where is my honour? and if I be a Maſter, where is my feare? Malachi. 1. 6. q. d. you ſay I am your Father, and I am your Maſter, and I am your God; well, out of your owne mouthes I will judge you; why then did you honour me no more? why did yee regard mee no more? yee cared not for mee, yee did not looke after mee, you had little or no heart after me; your owne mouthes have even caſt you.
Secondly, ye can have no other excuſe; can you2 ſay you could not beleeve in my name? ye could not forgoe ſuch and ſuch luſts at my command? why then would you goe for my ſervants? you ſhould have ſaid ſo plainely, and not daily have come into my Courts, as if you would obey me; nor taken up the profeſſion of my Worſhip as if you would goe through ſtitch with it; why would you come to my Table, as though my promiſes belonged unto you? if ye could not doe as I bade you, you ſhould not have borne me in hand as though you would; now yee have played the Hypocrites and drawne neere to me with your lips, and taken my name into your mouthes, whereas yee would not be reformed by me; What had you to doe with my Covenant, that you muſt needs he medling with it? Pſalme. 50. 16. if yee would not obey it, yee ſhould have let it alone; ſo that ye ſee, that to have a naked name to live, is an inexcuſable thing.
Seventhly, it is an unprofitable thing; a naked7 name will doe us no good; when the Jewes truſted in the name that they had, O they were the children of Abraham, they were Gods onelyonly people, they had his Covenant, and his Oracles, and his Temple; O the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; they hoped well, haveing thus much to ſay for themſelves; but marke what God tels them, behold you truſt in lying words that cannot profit, Jeremy. 7. 8. this would not profit them one jot, becauſe they did not verifie the name they had. So the Galathians they preſumed mightily on this, that they were Chriſtians; as for making good this holy name, that they gave no heed to at all; they would have the Ceremonies; when Paul told them of their faults, they would not liſten unto him may they counted him their Enemy; they would have the Ceremonies of the Law; well, the Apoſtle told them plainly, that if they would not be ruled, their name would doe them no good. Behold I Paul ſay unto you, that if ye be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing. Galathians. 5. 2, q. d. you beare your ſelves upon Chriſt, and yet will not doe as he would have you doe, yee will doe what yee liſt; but let me tell you, if yee will not reforme, Jeſus Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing; you ſay you beleive in Jeſus Chriſt, I but it ſhall profit you nothing: So when the people there in Iſay reſted in this, they came to Gods houſe, they gave him Sacrifice every morning and evening, they did thus and thus, and ſo they had a name for his peculiar people; the Prophet aſſures them, this ſhould not profit them one whit. I will declare thy righteouſneſſe and thy workes, for they ſhall not profit thee, Iſaiah. 57. 12. Thou prayeſt and doeſt many good duties, and ſo thou gettteſt thy ſelfe a name; yea but if thou doſt not ſoundly and throughly anſwer that name, God will declare all thy righteouſneſſe and all thy profeſſion, and all thy good duties, and none of them all ſhall profit thee; in that day he will declare what rotten things they have been, how heartleſſe, how liveleſſe, how dead-hearted all thy duties have been, and they ſhall doe thee no good; and indeed what good can a name doe a man? true faith alone does juſtifie, not the name of it; true peace of conſcience does comfort, not the name of it; true intereſt in God gives a man a chearefull acceſſe to God, not the name of it.
Eighthly, it is not onelyonly unprofitable, but alſo8. it is hurtfull. It is hurtfull unto others; a bare name I ſay without ſubſtance and truth is hurtfull unto others. It is hurtfull unto them that are without; for when they ſee how lazy ſuch as goe for profeſſors, be, how they have little elſe in them but talking and profeſſing, and prating and hearing, otherwiſe they are as vaine and as covetous and as having as other men, no ſtrictneſſe no pureneſſe, no holineſſe, no humbleneſſe of minde, no love, no forgiving one another, no forbearing one another, no brotherly Kindneſſe, no Union nor Communion, no power in their Prayers, no gravity non authority in their ſpeeches, no Heavenlineſſe in their converſation, no brokenneſſe of heart, this hardens the hearts of them that are without, and makes them all thinke that Religion is a matter of nothing; thus they doe a great deale of hurt unto others; the profeſſing Wife to the prophane Husband, the profeſſing ſervant to his profane Maſter, the profeſſing Neighbour to his prophane Neighbour; whereas if they were godly indeed, and humble indeed, and as their name does import, indeed they would doe a great deale of good, but now they doe a great deale of hurt.
Againe, they doe a great deale of hurt unto commers on; many a man that is ſmitten at the Word, that begins Reformation and amendement and gives good hopes that hee will come to ſomething in the end; when hee lights upon ſuch Sardian Saints, that are ſo in name, but there is no life at all in them, theſe put him backe againe, and make him ſet up his ſtaffe before hee ſees halfe way, like the dead body of Amaſa that made the people ſtand ſtill.
Againe, they doe a great deale of hurt unto the Saints of God, ſometimes by deceiving of their hearts and cooling of their zeale and fervour, or if they cannot doe that; then they hate them, and prove very ſhye of them, and gird them behinde their backs, and doe them much miſchiefe, as Paul complains, hee was in perils among falſe Brethren, 2 Corinthians 11. 26. that is, thoſe that had a name to be Brethren in Chriſt, but were not ſo indeed, hee was in perils many times and often by them; againe they increaſe the diſgraces and ſufferings of Gods true Saints and Children; for while they ſeeme to be Saints good enough themſelves, the other that are Saints indeede, are rejected of all, and thought to be beſides their wits.
Againe, they do a great deale of hurt to themſelves, for it had beene better for them they had never had a name, then having a name not to be as the name does require.
The uſe of this is, Firſt, let mee tell what uſe yee muſt not make of it; namely, to beate downe the having of a name, for all the Lords people ſhould be carefull of having of a name. I will give them a name of Sonnes and Daughters, nay a better name then ſo, Iſaiah 56. 5. yea, and the people of God ſhould make conſcience of a name before men; A good name is betier then pretious Oyntment, Eccles 7. 1. and the ſervants of God have had a name; Demetrius had a good report of all men, yea of the truth it ſelfe too; and therefore they are blacke mouths of Hell that object againſt good people, that they are Hypocrites, they doe thus and thus to have a name. This is no newes, for the World hath alwayes dealt thus with the Saints in all Ages; Paul was counted the great impoſter of the World; O ſayee hee, wee are deceivers and yet true, 2 Corinthians 6. 8. that is, the World gives us a name for deceivers, and yet wee are true; Yee know what was ſayd of Chriſt Jeſus himſelfe, ſome ſayd of him hee was a good man, others ſayd nay, Hee was a deceiver of the people; it was ſayd of David, that Hee was a ſubtle man, a crafty Fox, and that Hee was a meere Polititian, it was Sauls judgement of him. Thus the Saints have a nick name put on them; the World thinkes they are Hypocrites, and that they have ſiniſter ends in what they doe, and whereas they make ſuch a ſhew, it is but in Hypocriſy, that they may deceive, and that they may have a Name for Religious people; ſo that the World would faine duplicate page duplicate page put downe the having of a Name. But that is a Devilliſh uſe; wee muſt not make ſuch a uſe of this point, No; the Lord does not finde fault with Sardis for having of a Name that they lived, but that they had this Name when as they were dead; if they had beene alive, the Name to be alive had beene well; well then what uſe muſt wee make of this point?
The Firſt Uſe then is this, to ſhew the miſeryVſe 1. of the Church of Rome, which hath a Name to live, and in their owne judgement and a great part of Chriſtendome, is the onelyonly true Church, but in the judgement of God it is dead, and therefore ſtarke naught; ſome ſay its a body full of diſeaſes, and whoſe throat is cut, but yet the heart pants, and life is therein; But the truth is, its ſtarke dead, and hath no manner of ſpirituall life, What though they have the Sacrament of Baptiſme? ſo had Edom circumciſion, and yet they were never counted a Church of God; And what's a Seale to a blanke? what though they have the Scriptures among them and the Articles of our Creede? that does not make a Church; for Ptolomy and all Aegypt had the Bible, and yet that did not make them a Church; if the Scriptures might have their owne ſenſe, it were another matter; but they oterturne it with their expoſition, and make it in their ſenſe to be a fardell of Doctrine of Divels; and what though Antichriſt bee ſaid to ſit in the Temple of God? yet his Body is a Synagogue of Satan. There is no life in that Church. But to come neerer to our ſelves.
This may bee ſaid of them, of our Churches too, and of our Congregations; they have onelyonly a Name to live, though wee might live well enough; for wee have the Doctrine of Life, in many places, yet in regard of our converſations for the moſt part, wee may ſay it is but onelyonly a Name. For how does ſinne reigne among us everywhere, Coveteouſneſſe, Profaneſſe, fulneſſe of Bread, Luſt, Security, as it were in Noahs time, deadneſſe of heart, Formality; now where ſuch ſinnes doe abound, there the power of godlineſſe muſt needs bee away; generally our Aſſemblies content themſelves with an outward profeſſion, if they goe ſo farre, they have but a Name to live. True, wee are a Church, ſo was Sardis though ſhee had hardly any thing but a Name, yet ſhee was a Church, as Saint John ſhewes, waſhed in the Bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, Revelations, 1. 4, 5. for they had a few Names that were ſo, but the body had onelyonly a bare name; ſo it is with us, wee are not nullifyed from being a Church, for God hath his choſen among us though they bee very few, here one and there one that live indeede and in truth; yet the Bodies and Bulkes of our Congregations, have onelyonly a Name, if that; no Diſcipline, no good Order, no thorough Reformation nay Cages of uncleane Birds; nay ſuch as profeſſe better then the multitude, little better then titular and morall Chriſtians.
Nay, are not all things almoſt growne to bee a ſole Name? What is the Preaching almoſt but the bare Name of Preaching? For converſion of Soules where is it? the pulling people out of the Kingdome of Satan where it it? a thouſand Sermons may be, and hardly one wrought upon? wee may be ſayd to be fiſhermen; but it is turned only into a name, for when doe we catch any?
So for hearing of the Word. True, it is very common, and yet not ſo common as it ought to bee, for many care little whether they heare or no. But that that is, there's hardly ought left but the Name; for who heares with trembling, who mingles his hearing with faith, who drinkes the Word, as the Earth doth the Raine, who does what hee heares, without which all hearing is no better then an empty Name?
So for comming to the Sacrament, is not that made a name too? ſetting a ſide the Name of a Sacrament now and then, what have wee elſe? who feeds upon Jeſus Chriſt? who comes to the increaſing of his Faith? who hath Faith at all, that it may bee increaſed? Who comes to it with preparedneſſe? who ſits at the Lords Table with a Wedding Garment? who goes away nouriſhed up any more unto eternall Life? without the which all our Sacraments are but naturall things.
So for holy Conference, unleſſe it bee the Name of it, what is there of the thing it ſelfe left? may bee a few curſory words of goodneſſe, before wee part, but no quickning of one another up, no exhorting of one another, no comforting of one another, or admoniſhing one another; nay wee are growne to bee aſhamed of theſe duties; and for Prayer, but that wee take Cuſhions and fall downe on our Knees, and ſay a company of Confeſſions, and Petitions, there is little elſe done.
Come wee to the Graces of Gods Holy Spirit, without the which a man is Dead in treſpaſſes and in ſins, &c. as Faith, Repentance, peace of Conſcience, and Love, &c.
Secondly, another uſe is of terror againſt us;Uſe 2. doe wee thinke that the Lord will endure this at our hands? Hee hath endured it too too long, but Hee will not ſuffer it alwayes. Hee hath a Spirituall thunder-clappe that Hee lets ſlye againſt this ſinne; The vile perſon ſhall bee no more called liberall, nor the Churle bee ſaid to bee bountifull, Iſaiah, 32. 5. That is, the Lord will unmaske all ſuch perſons, Hee will plucke of all their Names, and they ſhall have a Name fit for their natures, and Hee will doe this.
Firſt, in their owne Conſciences, if wee will1. not bee awakened to bee as wee have a Name to bee, the LORD will make our owne Conſciences to call us Reprobates as wee are, and then what will our Name doe us good, when our owne Conſciences ſhall tell us wee are naught, and condemne us in our Boſomes? what ſhall wee bee the better for our Neighbours judging well of us? Our Neighbours may bee thinke wee Pray well; what a poore thing is this, when Conſcience ſhall ſay no? our Neighbours may hope wee ſtand upon good ground, when Conſcience ſhall ſay no; Men call us godly, and Conſcience ſhall ſay nay but yee are not. What a ſhame was it to the Iewes when they were convicted by their owne Conſciences? Joh. 8. 9. It is not the Name of joy and holineſſe that will give their Conſciences true Peace, no, no; Conſcience knowes another name is ſit for us. Unbeliefe, and Ungodlineſſe, and Hardneſſe of Heart.
Secondly, againe Hee will doe it in the judgement2. of others; if wee reſt in a Name, the Lord will detect us at laſt before others; and then what a ſhame will this bee? as David ſayes of Doeg, the Lord would diſcover him; Hee would make all the good people round about ſay of Him, Lo this is the Man, that tooke not GOD for his ſtrength, Pſalme 52. 7. So hee will doe with us. Lo, this is the Man, that had ſuch a Name to Live. Lo, this is the Man; now wee ſee here's a wretch, now wee ſee how hee deceived his owne ſoule; hee never truely ſought GOD in all his life; hee was not the Man that wee tooke him for; hee built upon the Sand, hee did not lay a good foundation, and therefore now hee is tumbled downe, and what is become of his name? Now hee ſhewes himſelfe in his Colours, now wee ſee hee is an Enemy of GOD, hee can ſide with the Times, hee can embrace this preſent VVorld, hee hath no eternall life abiding in him.
Nay, the Lord will not onelyonly doe thus with us, if wee reſt in a Name, but alſo hee will pour his Wrath upon us otherwiſe too; yee may read how that this was the reaſon why the Lord drowned all the old World; not onelyonly the wickedneſſe of them that were without; for if they that profeſſed Religion, had beene ſound, they might have prevented the Deluge, and prayed it away. But they that profeſſed Religion, had only a Name. The Sonnes of GOD ſaw the Daughters of men that they were faire, Geneſis 6. 2. That is, the Sonnes of God, they were onelyonly ſo in Name, their workes plainely ſhewed that they were onelyonly ſo in Name, therefore the Lord ſwept them all away; So the Lord will pour bitter things on us, if wee bee Chriſtians onelyonly in Name, and the ſervants of CHRIST onelyonly in Name, if wee bee not ſo indeede; nay, this is not all, but wee ſhall have a deeper Portion in Hell too then Pagans or Papiſts, or any in our owne Land; the more wee have borne of his Name, the ſurer ſhall our damnation bee, if wee doe not really anſwer the Holy Name wherewith wee are called. Wee may ſee this in the Man in the Goſpell; Friend, how cameſt thou in hither? Binde him hand and ſoote, caſt him into utter darkeneſſe where is weeping, &c. Matthew 22. 12. 13. Come Friend, how came you in hither? marke, hee had the Name of a friend of Jeſus Chriſt; therefore the Text ſayes hee was ſpeechleſſe, hee had nothing to ſay for himſelfe, his damnation had nothing to leſſen it; other people ſhall have ſomething to ſay for themſelves to leſſen their damnation; but thoſe that have a Name to live ſhall not have the leaſt ſyllable.
Thirdly, then let another uſe bee to humbleUſe 3. our hearts, let us goe to God in humiliation of heart, as the poore prodigall Sonne did, and downe on the knees of our ſoules and bodies, and ſay, Lord, I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy, to bee called thy Sonne, Luke 15. 21. So as many of us as are guilty of this ſinne, (as who almoſt is not and that in a horrible manner?) let us ſay, Lord, I have beene called a Chriſtian, I have beene called a child of thine, I have had the Name a good while; but O what a Wretch have I beene! I am not worthy of this Name, I have ſinned againſt heaven and in thy ſight, I have not anſwered the Name I have had, and therefore it were juſt with thee to cut mee aſunder with Hypocrites, and ſo fling mee downe to Hell.