Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 19
REVEL. 3. 1.
And art Dead.
WE are come to ſpeake of this neceſſary point when is a man quickened up towards God and all his holy wayes? We have ſhewed you three things concerning this already. Firſt, what the life of the minde is, Secondly, what the life of the heart is. Thirdly, what the life of the conſcience is. Now there remaines two more, the one is the life of the memory; the other is the life of the affections.
Fourthly then, what is the life of the memory? for the4 memory too may be dead, and the memory may be alive.
Firſt, the memory may be dead; when a man may be1. remembers, if ye aske him a thing, he can tell it; aske him of a Sermon, he can tell the Text and the points, and the particulars that were delivered in the Sermon, but here's all, it's a dead memory, he never remembers it to any purpoſe; this is to remember, even as if a man did not remember; as Moſes ſayes, remember and forget not that thou provokedſt the Lord to anger in the wilderneſſe, Deut. 9. 7. that is, remember it, and doe not remember it with a dead memory. As Balaam remembred that God was angry with him in the way, no queſtion but if a man had askt him about it a weeke or two after, he would have ſhewed that he did remember it, he could tell the place, the time, and the manner, and how it was in his journey, and how the Lord ſtood before him with a drawne ſword. But alas this was a dead memory; for this practice ſhewed plainly that he had forgotten it in effect. I ſay there is a dead memory, a man may have an excellent memory to goe from point to point, nay, a better memory in this ſenſe then many of Gods deareſt Children, and yet this memory be a dead memory.
Secondly, there is a living memory; a memory that2 hath life in it; as God ſayes of penitent Ephraim; I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill, Jer. 31. 20. marke, God did not onelyonly remember him, ſo he does remember all men, he remembers reprobates and all, but he did very earneſtly remember him; ſo when a man does earneſtly remember God; the remembrance he hath of him is earneſt, he remembers his word earneſtly, he is earneſt in the remembring of his will, though there be never ſo many things, to put God out of his thoughts, he is daily tempted to forget himſelfe in ſome thing or other about God, but he is earneſt to remember, when a mans memory is eager after a thing, now it is a live memory.
Now the queſtion is, when the memory is alive, for the handling of this. Firſt, I will ſhew you what the memory is. Secondly; what a great bleſſing of God it is that we have a memory. Thirdly, when the memory may be ſaid to be alive. Fourthly, we will prove it, and then we will make ſome uſes of the point.
Firſt, what memory is. It is the conſervation of what we apprehend, as a man hath many things in common with a beaſt, ſo memory is in his fancy and imagination, for look what a man hath ſeen, or heard, or taſted, or ſmelt, or felt, memory is the conſervation of the ſame; ſome can remember the ſhape of men, of towne; and creatures, we can remember what colour things are of, what a taſte ſuch and ſuch meats have, ſuch a memory beaſts have, as we ſee in the milch Kine, they remembred their Calves, 1 Sam. 6. 12. they went lowing as they went; thus the children of Iſrael remembred the fleſh that they had in Aegypt, we remembred the fleſh, which we did eat in Aegypt, Numb. 11. 5. and this we call a ſenſitive memory.
Secondly, memory, moſt properly, is a faculty of the2 minde, whereby it preſerves the ſpecies of what it once knew and therefore when a man is ſaid to remember he is ſaid to be mindfull, as David ſayes, be ye mindfull alwayes of his Covenant, 1 Chro. 16. 15. that is looke you alwayes remember his Covenant, for when the minde once knowes a thing, memory is a certaine Paper of the minde, to retaine it and to keep it, and therefore it is called the ſoules ſtorehouſe; it is the ſoules treaſury, as our Saviour Chriſt ſpeakes; a good man out of the good treaſury of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evill man out of the evill treaſure of the heart, bringeth forth evill things, Matth. 12. 35. memory is the ſoules cheſt, where it keeps all its Jewels; that look what a man knows, ſpecially if he like it, preſently he layes it up to keep by him, as it is ſaid of Mary, ſtill when ſhe knew any thing of our Saviour, when ſhe knew of any ſaying of his, ſhe kept it in her heart; Mary kept all theſe ſayings, Luk. 2. 19. properly I ſay memory is a faculty of the minde, whereby when it knowes a thing once, it is able to keep it. This we call intellectuall memory.
Thirdly, by conſequent, memory is in the conſcience;3. for the ſoule of man being privy to it ſelfe▪ what it knowes, what its told of God, what notions it hath, what it does, what it hath done, or what it hath not done, it hath a Paper to record this; and therefore in this ſenſe, we call memory the ſoules Regiſter; for thus it is in the conſcience; ſo when the Sonne, of Iacob were privy to themſelves, that they had ſold their brother Ioſeph ye know how their conſcience remembred what they had done, above twenty yeares after. O we are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoule, when he beſought us, and we would not heare. Gen. 42. 21. their conſcience had regiſtred their fact up, and did remember it againſt them, ſo many yeares after. So Adonibezek being privy to himſelf, when he cut off the thumbes & the great toes of threeſcore and ten Kings, and made them to gather ſcraps under his Table, you ſee how his conſcience had regiſtred this, and could remember it againſt him another day, Judg. 1. 7. ſo that memory is by conſequent in the conſcience too. And this memory we call the Booke of a mans conſcience. Theſe three are all the proper memories that we have, becauſe memory can properly be nowhere but where apprehenſion is; either ſenſitive apprehention as in fancie; or intellectuall apprehenſion, as in the minde; or reflective apprehenſion as in the conſcience; they underſtood not thy wonders, neither did they remember them, Pſal. 106. 7.
Fourthly, memory in an improper ſenſe, is in the will4. and heart of a man, becauſe there is ſome retention too of what is paſt and gone; as let a man love or hate his brother, though that act be paſt and gone, yet there is ſome retention of that act againſt another time, for when a man hath hated one heretofore, he is the more ready to hate him afterwards; which is a ſigne that the heart does retaine what it did before; nay, ſayes Ariſtotle, there is memoria in pedibus; there is memory in the feet; there is memory in the hand; as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes; if I forget thee O Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning, Pſal. 137. 5. this is called remembring too in the Scripture; but this is improperly ſo called; this we call a habit or faculty, or a dexterity in acting, by reaſon of precedent actings. Thus ye ſee what memory is. Now this memory is of things that are paſt; for if things be preſent, we are ſaid to ſee them, or behold them, or ſo. But when they are paſt, now if we can ſee them ſtill, this is by way of remembring; indeed we may be ſaid to remember things both preſent and to come, in regard that our knowledge of them is paſt; as the Apoſtle ſayes, Remember them that are in Bonds; as being bound with them; Heb. 13. 3. that is, though the thing be now preſent, yet I would have you remember it; becauſe your warning is paſt; this is a duty, ye have been told in times paſt, therefore looke ye remember it. So Solomon ſayes, Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth, Pſal. 12. 1. That is, though thy creatour be not paſt, yet thy creation is paſt, and thou art not ſo yong but thou haſt been told of thy duty in this thing in times paſt; O therefore remember that; nay, thus a man may remember that which is yet to come, as for example the day of his death, that he muſt dye and come to Judgement; for though the thing be yet to come, yet he hath had warnings of it in times paſt; as Ieremy ſayes of Ieruſalem, her filthineſſe is in her skirts, ſhe remembred not her laſt end, therefore ſhe came downe wonderfully, Lam. 1. 2. the Lord finds fault with her that ſhe did not remember her time to come. The reaſon is, becauſe ſhe was told of it aforehand in times paſt.
Now for the ſecond thing; that this is a great bleſſing,2 beloved it is a great bleſſing of God, that we have ſuch a faculty in us as to remember; it was a naughty ſpeech of Charoone that an excellent memory is needfull for three ſorts of men. Firſt, for great Trades-men, for they having many buſineſſes to do many reckonings, many Irons in the fire, had need of a good memory. Secondly, great talkers; for they being full of words, had need to have a good Store-houſe in their heads to feed their tongues. Thirdly, for Lyars; oportet mendaeem eſſe memorem, for they telling many untruths, had need of a good memory, to be able to remember what untruths they have told, leſt afterward they be taken in their lying, contradicting themſelves. I ſay this a prophane ſpeech, as though a good memory were of no other uſe, then for engroſſers of affaires, and talkative fellowes, and forging companions; whereas memory is a great bleſſing of God, and the more we have of it, the more advantage we have unto our owne eternall good, if we have a heart.
Firſt, it is a great bleſſing that what we once knew, we 1may alwayes know; now this may be by memory; were it not for this, we ſhould be Ignorant againe as faſt as we learne; whence is it that ye ſtill know how to read but becauſe ye remember your letters and ſpelling; whence is it that ye ſtill know your Trades and your callings, which ye were taught ſo long agoe, but ye remember how ye were taught. Ye once knew the grounds of religion, may be ye were taught heretofore; if ye know them ſtill, it is becauſe ye remember them; were it not for memory, we ſhould be as much to ſeek, as if we had never learnt ought; as Iude ſayes, I will put them in remembrance, though ye once knew this, Jude. 5. that is, as ye once knew it, ſo I deſire that ye may know it ſtill; that it may ſtick by you, that you may make it your own; what a mercy is this? we cannot undertake to have alwayes the meanes of knowledge, we may want preaching; God knowes how ſoone; now if we have memory to lay up ſome knowledge, we may have the benefit of it, how ever things goe; may be God gave us a warning, to take heed of ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, now if we have a good memory, this warning may be ſtill preſent with us; we have had ſuch motions, ſuch convictions, ſuch ſights of ſinne, ſuch ſtirrings, ſuch manifeſtations of God to us, what a mercy is it that God hath given us ſuch a thing as memory is? as we had them once, ſo we may have them ſtill if we remember them.
Secondly, memory is a great bleſſing, to bring our knowledge2 to act upon all occaſions. How many thouſand truths doe we know, that we doe not, neither can we actually thinke of; now when we have uſe of thoſe truths, it is a great mercy, that the Lord hath framed a memory in us, where we may have them upon all ſuch occaſions; e. g. we know we ſhould be patient, may be we doe not thinke of this duty for a day together, but now when we have uſe of it, then we may remember it; So for meekneſſe we know it, and for forgiving of wrongs, to reſiſt temptations, to deny our ſelves, to ſhunne the occaſions of evill, we know all theſe things, but our knowledge cannot alwayes be in act; now when we have uſe of theſe truthes, what a mercy is it that we have ſuch a thing as memory is to remember them afreſh? did David actually think of Gods gracious judgements alwayes? no, but when he had uſe of them, when he was at a dead lift, then memory brought him to minde. I remembred thy judgements O Lord and comforted myſelfe, Pſal. 119. 52. may be Peter had no occaſion actually to thinke of thoſe words of Chriſt, that Iohn indeed Baptized with water, but ye ſhall be Baptized with the holy Ghoſt: but having a memory, that gave him the uſe of thoſe words in due time; then I remembred the word of the Lord ſayes he, Act. 11. 16. may be this truth is not thought of a 12. monethmonth together, that ones enemies may be they of our owne houſhold; now perhaps all on a ſuddain; we have uſe of this truth, then we remember it: now is not this a great mercy, that God hath given us ſuch a thing; that we may put up his truths, as a man does his memory in his purſe, to take it out when occaſion is.
Thirdly, it is a great bleſſing to have God alwayes with3 one; this memory is ſuch a faculty, that if a man have a heart, he may have God alwayes with him, and heaven with him; ye know that moſt men are without God in the world, what is the reaſon of it? but becauſe they will not remember him? how many doe know God very much? as the Heathens did, they knew him to be eternall, to be Almighty, to be every where, to be holy and juſt, they knew him, but they did not like to retaine him in their knowledge, Rom. 1. 28. that is, they let him goe away from them, they would not keep him in remembrance, as Nebuchadezer ſayes of his dreame, when he had forgotten his dreame, it is gone away from me, ſayes he, Dan. 2. 5. ſo people forget God, they let God goe away from them; now beloved this makes us without excuſe, when God hath given us a memory, we might have God alwayes with us, if we had a heart; we need not let him goe away. The memory is a deep vault in the ſoule, where it may hide what it hath a mind too, that, nor men nor devils can take it away from us; as the Iſraelites hid their corne from the Midianites, ſo we may hide what ever our heart hath a likeing unto in our memories, that we may have it always with us, if we will; as it is ſaid of the good Merchant, when he had found the rich Treaſure he hid it, Matth. 13. 44. that is, he laid it up in his ſoules ſtorehouſe; as Solomon ſayes, my Sonne if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my Commandements with thee, Prov. 2. 1. I ſay the memory is a deep vault in the ſoule, where a man hides what he hath a minde to, that it may never be taken away from him; ſo that memory is an excellent thing; a man may have God alwayes with him, and heaven and all heavenly things, if ſo he have a minde to them.
Fourthly, it is a great bleſſing, that if a man chance to4 goe out of his way, he may put himſelfe in againe, ſeeing he hath a memory; I ſpeake of a Chriſtian, that hath once heard the wayes of God he cannot goe out, but by memory he may put himſelfe in againe; memory is the ſoules Map; as David ſayes, all the ends of the earth ſhall remember themſelves and turne unto the Lord, Pſal. 22. 27. he ſpeakes of all Gods Elect; marke how they get into the way againe, they ſhall remember themſelves ſo when are a man ſteps aſide by pride, thus he may come in againe by remembring himſelfe; O, God reſiſteth the proud, the Lord ſayes he will give grace to none but the humble; thus he may come in againe; ſo if he ſtep aſide by too much yeelding to the world, thus he may ſet himſelfe to rights, O woe is me, what have I done? now I remember the love of the world is enmity with God; if he chance to have bythoughts at the hearing of the word, let him remember himſelfe, O what a beaſt am I▪ I forgot I was in Gods preſence with him, I remember my ſelfe, that I am before him; and thus he may correct himſelfe; ſo the prodigall Sonne did, when he had fetcht his wilde vagary, at laſt he remembred himſelfe; O how many hired Servants of my Fathers have bread enough? Luke 15. 17. he remembred what a good Father he had runne away from, this fetcht him home againe.
Fifthly, it's a great bleſſing to help a man to beleeve;5 though a man do not beleeve for the preſent; he heares the word of God, he hears that which might do him good, but for the preſent he does not beleeve; yet who knowes but this very word may doe him good another day, memory may bring it to minde, through the goodneſſe of God, and then he may beleeve it; as the Diſciples of Chriſt, ye may read how that Chriſt ſpake ſome words, that did them little good for the preſent. But the Text ſayes, that when he was riſen againe, then they remembred the words that he had ſaid unto them, and beleeved, Ioh. 2. 22. many times we are untoward for the preſent, and then the word does us little good, I but it's a bleſſing that we can remember; the ſame word may be repreſented by our memories to us, and may doe the deed; as we ſee in the ſecond ſonne in the Goſpell; his Father ſaid to him, goe worke to day in my Vineyard; ye know how diſtemper'd he was for the preſent, he anſwered and ſaid, I will not, Matth. 21. 29. I but afterwards he repented himſelfe and went, that is, he remembred afreſh what his Father ſaid to him, and that made him doe it.
Sixthly, it's a great help to better knowledge; it may be at the firſt, when we are taught, the word does not ſink into our hearts, we do not underſtand it. But yet remembring what it was we were told, afterwards through the mercy of God ſome thing or other comes in, that now we can ſay, bleſſed be God, now I underſtand ſuch a truth, ſuch a promiſe, ſuch a commandement; and yet no new teaching, but remembring onelyonly what we read or heard; as ſometime one of the Iewiſh Doctors not underſtanding that place in the Prophet, where it is ſaid, that God would ſweep them away with the beſom of deſtruction, iſa. 14. 23. afterwards ſeeing a maide come with her beſome to ſweep the houſe, now he ſaw the meaning of the place; ſo when Chriſt ſaid to Peter, that before the Cock crowed twice he would deny him thrice; that Peter had a poore weak heart, and that he had a horrible deale of faint-heartedneſſe in him, and that he would deny his own Maſter, Peter underſtood not his words, he ſaw no ſuch thing in his heart, as to thinke thoſe words to be true. But when he had been in the High Prieſts Hall and there had abjured his Maſter, and had heard too the Cock crow twice, and his Maſter look at him, now he remembred his words, and went out and wept hitterly, Matth. 26. 75. that is, now he ſaw the truth of Chriſts words, now he ſaw what a wretched heart he had, and lamented it. I ſay memory is a great help unto knowledge; as God ſayes; O my people, remember now what Balak King of Moab conſulted; and what Baalam the Son of Beor anſwered him from Shictim to Gilgal, that ye may know the righteouſneſſe of the Lord, Mieh. 6. 5. How many things have we heard and ſeene, when we were children, that then we never knew the meaning of? yet afterwards when we come to have more wit, then remembring what they were, we underſtand them; as Chriſt ſaid to Peter, when he went to waſh his feet; what I doe thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter, John. 13. 7. that is, when thou remembreſt it hereafter, then thou ſhalt know my meaning in it.
Seventhly, memory is as excellent helpe for a man to7 preach to himſelfe; Beloved we can but preach to you an houre or ſo, but ſeeing God hath given you memories, ye may preach to your ſelves all the day long; memory may help you to repeate the word every day in your hearts; as the Apoſtle ſays, ſpeaking unto your ſelvs, Ep. 5. 19. ſo by reaſon of this bleſſing of God, ye may ſpeake to your ſelves from day to day.
Nay eighthly, it's an excellent thing, for it may let you8 have the benefit of things before they be; your death is not yet, your laſt ſickneſſe is not yet, your ſalvation is not yet; the day of judgement, the Kingdome of glory, theſe are things that are not yet. I but, you having a memory, ye may have much Benefit by them in the meane time; ye may repreſent them to your ſelves as things preſent, and have a world of good by them; and ſo all the things that are paſt, no act of the ſoule can make them ſtill preſent but memory; your childe-hood is paſt, all the Sermons that ye heard heretofore are all paſt. O how many ſinnes have ye committed in times paſt! and how many dealings have ye had of God in the dayes that are paſt? now having a memory, except ye have graceleſſe hearts, ye may doe your ſelves good by all theſe, even as if they were now before you; if a childe of God be at a loſſe for the preſent, he may helpe himſelfe by memory; as David ſayes, I remembred the dayes of old; I call to remembrance my Song that I have had, Pſal. 77. 5. 6. ſo if any of you beſecure, ye may remember ſome thing or other that is paſt, which may awaken you againe; hath God never ſhewed you your damned eſtate heretofore? were ye never ſick heretofore, and did you not ſee that if ye had dyed in that caſe, ye had periſht; ye may remember that now, and awaken your ſelves; and how if God ſhould take you away in ſuch a caſe as that? It cannot be related what a bleſſing it is that we have a memory.
But let us come to the third thing; and that is this, when may the memory be ſaid to be alive? I anſwer, there be two parts of the memories deadneſſe towards God. The firſt is an aptneſſe to forget God and all his commands. Secondly, an aptneſſe to remember thoſe things that are not ſo good for us; now when thoſe two faults are rectified in ſome meaſure then the memory is alive towards God.
Firſt, There's aptneſſe in your memories to forget God1. and all his commands; ye know God commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy, Exod. 20. 8. how apt are we to forget it? how commonly is it out of our minds? ſo in the 78. Pſalme, and the 7. verſe, God ſayes there, he would not have us ſorget his workes, but that we ſhould keepe his commandements; now O how apt are we to let them leake out of our hearts? we have a helliſh art of forgetfulneſſe; how often doe we forget our ſelves herein, and ſuffer the remembrance of God to be taken away from us? ye have forgotten the exhortation that ſpeakes to you as to Children, Heb. 12. 5. how often doe we forget to keep our ſelves unſpotted? though we be told of the will of God, yet any little thing is enough to put it out of our minds, ſtay them not leaſt my people forget it; though we be told of our miſery, and the infinite danger we are in, may be at the firſt it moves us a little, but how ſoon doe we forget it, and other things take us up? now when this aptneſſe is rectified in ſome meaſure; when God hath a ſound impreſſe on our minds that we muſt needs remember him, and all the things that concerne our peace; when there's a Law in our mindes, that we will not forget God; as ye may ſee there in David, Bleſſe thou the Lord O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefits, Pſal. 103. 2. when our memory is ſanctified, and is made the good Treaſury of our heart; when the Lord hath lifted up our memory unto him, then it is alive.
Secondly, as by nature there's an aptneſſe in our memory2 to forget God, ſo there's an aptneſſe to remember other things that either are not good for us, or not ſo good; we are apt to remember injuries; nay, one injury will be thought one more then many good turns; ſo likewiſe idle tales, we are apt to remember them; whereas good things goe out in our hearts like ſparkes in wet tinder. We may ſee this in the hearing of the word; the Apoſtle tearmes us forget ſull hearers, James 1. 25. if a tale be told us in a Sermon, that we can remember; how many are apt to carry that way; whereas that which is wholeſom, and might doe us more good, how apt we are we to forget that? as a Divine ſayes, our memories are like ſtrainers, all the pure milke runneth through, but if there be any droſſe, that ſtayes behinde; or like a grate that lets the pure water run away, and if there be any ſtrawes and ſtickes and filth and mud, and dregs, that it holds, ſo it is with our memories by nature trifles, and toyes, and worldly things, them we are apt to remember, like the Shepheard in York-ſhire, that could remember all his flock, he kept a thouſand ſheep, and if one ſhould but change one Sheep and put in another, he could tell which it was. But for gratious things our memories does ſoon forget them; like Iſrael, they ſoon forgot all the workes of God, Pſal. 106. 13. now what is this but the corruption & deadnes of our memories towards God? may be we are apt to excuſe it, alas we have weak memories true, if we were as weake memoryed in other things, it were ſomething; but when we can remember our pleaſures, and profits and tales, and any thing; when▪we goe to buy, weel'e be ſure to remember our ſelves there, when to ſell, wee'le be ſure to remember our ſelves there, that we will have to the worth if we can. But in matters of God there we forget our ſelves; this cannot be excuſed. Now when this is rectified in ſome meaſure, then our memory is alive; when we will rather forget any thing elſe then God; rather forget our ſelves in all the world, then forget our duty towards God, when this ſtudy is once ſet up ſoundly in the ſoule in ſome meaſure, now the memory is alive. Thus ye ſee the third thing.
Now for the fourth, that this muſt needs be the life of the memory, I prove it by arguments.
Firſt, becauſe the memory hath hardly any other1 quickening, then the quickening of the man whoſe memory it is, ſo that when the mans mind is quickened together with his conſcience and heart, the memory is quickened too; as the Prophet ſayes, I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou haſt quickened me, Pſal. 119. 93. that is, my memory is quickened up to thy precepts, becauſe with them thou haſt quickened me; for we ſee commonly, that the faculty of memory is much at one after converſion that it was before converſion; if it were a weake memory before; ſo it is after; onelyonly this; as the ſtrength of it was let out towards the world and ſinne, and ſelfe before, ſo now the ſtrength of it is in ſome meaſure let out towards the beſt things. And therefore what can the life of the memory be, but the aptneſſe of a man to remember God?
Secondly, becauſe this is the onelyonly practicall memory;2 ye know a man may have an admirable memory, to remember Sermons, whole Chapters in the Bible, and yet have a dead memory to God; a Sanctified memory, is a practicall memory; as the Lord ſayes, remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy; q. d. ye may remember ſtill when the Sabbath is come, I this is the Sabbath day; that is not it; that's onelyonly a contemplative memory. But I would have you have a practicall memory; not onelyonly to remember the duty, but remember for to doe it; for as the contemplative underſtanding hath a faculty of conſerving its ſpecies; ſo the practicall underſtanding, hath a faculty of conſerving its ſpecies too; as long as a man hath not this practicall memory, it is nothing. Becauſe he remembred not to ſhew mercy, Pſal. 109. 16. marke, the Lord does not ſinde fault with a man for not remembring of that duty, for may be he did remember that, I but he did not remember to doe his duty; this is a live memory, when a mans practicall memory is towards God and his wayes. Now when a man is made againe to remember God and all his holy wayes, now his memory muſt needs be made practicall.
Thirdly, becauſe this is the onelyonly memory that3. repreſents things lively to the ſoule. I ſay when a man is made in ſome meaſure apt and inclined to remember God, then and onelyonly then does his memory repreſent God and his wayes lively to him; ye know reaſon ſayes the life of the memory muſt needs be in this, that it repreſents things lively and powerfully unto us; when it does not onelyonly ſhew us what we doe remember, but it ſhewes it to the life; when it ſhewes it dully and bluntly and obſcurely, that's with a kinde of forgetfulneſſe; then a man remembers it to the full, when a man remembers to the utmoſt of what he once knew; ſo that if a mans memory be alive, it muſt remember to the full in a perfect manner; as David ſayes, I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night, and have kept thy Law; Pſal. 119. 55. that is, I remembred it, and remembred it to the full, I repreſented it powerfully to my ſelfe, ſo that I made my ſelfe to keep thy Law by it. I affected my owne heart by what I did remember; as the Church ſayes, my Ieule hath them ſ…ll in remembrance, & is humbled within me, Lam. 3. 20. well then ye ſee, that a lively memory is it that repreſents things lively to a man; now when a man is made againe to remember God and his wayes, then and never till then does he repreſent God lively to himſelfe. Thoſe that have not this aptneſſe wrought in them, may be they remember God now and then, and the duties now and then, but they never remember them in a lively perfect manner.
The uſe of this is, firſt, if this be the onelyonly lively memoryVſe 1. to be apt to remember God, then let us labour to get this ſame aptneſſe into our mindes to remember God in all our wayes. Let us conſider. Firſt becauſe without this memory, all mens other cryes are nothing. Iſrael had a memory to remember God; they remembred that God was their Rock, and at the high God was their redeemer, Pſal. 78. 35. but that remembrance was nothing. So that if we be not thus mindfull of God, we are yet in our ſinnes; as God tells Iudah. Becauſe thou haſt forgotten me, and caſt me behinde thy back, therefore be are thou thy lewdneſſe, Ezek. 23. 35. if a man were once pulled out of his ſinnes, if he once had that true conviction, and godly ſorrow, and reformation, and faith and amendment of life that is in being converted, the ſoule would have the lively remembrance of it ſtill, to make him goe on as he hath begun, and therefore if we have not this bleſſed remembrance yet in us, it is moſt plaine we are yet in our ſinnes.
Thirdly, thy heart can never retaine Gods commandements2 without this ſame memory; as Solomon ſayes; My Sonne forget not my Law, but let thy heart keepe my Commandements, Prov. 3. 1.
Fourthy, The want of this remembring of God is the3 cauſe of all ſinne; Moſes ſpeaking of all the ſinnes of Iſrael, ſayes he, they have forgotten the God that formed them, Deut. 32. 18. ſo againe in another place; they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the Lord, Jer. 3. 21. ſo againe it is ſaid in the Booke of the Judges, the Children of Iſrael did evill in the ſight of the Lord, and forgot him, Judg. 3. 7.
Fourthly, the want of this memory, is the high way to4 deſtruction, the Lord will deſtroy them, that forget him; that doe not remember to feare him, that doe not preſſe it upon their minds ſtill to regard him; the Lord will in the end, deſtroy all ſuch people; as he ſayes, Iſrael hath forgotten his maker, therefore I will kindle afire, that ſhall devour them, Hoſ. 8. 14. Beloved how doe we looke that God ſhould remembers us, if we will forget him. I will utterly forget you. Jer. 23. 39.
Secondly, another uſe is to ſhew you, how ye may get2 alive memory. There be ſeven cauſes of it.
The firſt, is a true knowledge of God. I told you remembrance1. is moſt properly in the underſtanding; now looke how a man underſtands God, ſo he does remember; if a man know God onelyonly literally, he remembers him no otherwiſe; but if a man know God aright, then he remembers him aright. The underſtanding can keepe no other ſpecies then it hath; if it have a ſaving knowledge of God, then it hath ſaving ſpecies of God; no man can have other money in his purſe, then he puts into his purſe. If he would have Gold in his purſe, he muſt put Gold into his purſe; ſo if we would remember God aright, let us labour to get a right knowledge of him. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayſt remember, &c. Ezek. 16. 62. 63.
Secondly, a new and a true heart; mens memories ever2 follow the nature of their hearts; they ever will remember that their memory is ſet to; let a man be proud, he will ever remember his reſpect; let him doe any thing that ſeemes to deſerve praiſe, he will ever remember to jet himſelfe; let him be at any time diſparaged, he will ever remember to be very much ſtirred; ſo let a man be covetous, he will ever remember his profit, he will remember never to goe againſt his profit, if he can otherwiſe chooſe; what ever he forgets, he will not forget that; ſo let a man be Bookiſh, let a mans luſts be to have learning, he will be ſure to remember that; now if a mans heart be ſet truly towards God, this will draw his minde towards God, now he will remember to pleaſe God, to have his heart in a ſweet frame; if he ſinde any diſtemper in his heart, he will remember to remove that if he can poſſibly; when the heart is upright, it runnes thus; we will remember thy love more then wine, the upright love thee, Cant. 1. 4. ſo that if we would remember God with this alive memory, we muſt get an upright heart.
Thirdly, a cleare and a diſtinct eſtate before God; as long as a man is confuſed in his conſcience, he knowes not3. what to make of himſelfe; this breakes the neck of true memory; methodus eſt mater memoriae, diſtinctneſſe is the mother of memory as we ſay. Let a man be confuſed in his notions, this ſpoileth all memory; ſo it is here, as long as we are confuſed in our conſciences, we know not where we are; we cannot remember God; we know not what to call to minde; his juſtice or his mercy, his promiſes or his threatnings; as David when he was to ſeeke at one time, he could not remember God to any purpoſe, I remembred God and was troubled ſayes he, Pſal. 77. 3. He was troubled horribly in remembring of him; like a man in his wooing, he is troubled to remember ought; now when a man hath cleared up his Eſtate, it's ſtrange to ſee how cleare he is in his Prayers, how cleare in his conſcience, cleare in his apprehenſions, where as another man knows not where he is; ſo that if we would remember God in all our wayes, let us labour to cleare up our eſtates; this will help us to remember him a thouſand times better then ever we did before; then we ſhall ſee his promiſes diſtinctly, and every thing diſtinctly.
Fourthly, a delight in good wayes; this is a very admirable help of memory; what's the reaſon, we are apt to4. forget any thing, but becauſe we do not regard it; the more the mind regards any thing, the more it remembers it; as the Prophet ſayes, I will delight my ſelfe in thy Statutes, I will not forget thy word, Pſal. 119. 16. And ſo for hope too. Pſ. 78. 7.
Fifthly, meditation is another cauſe of this remembring5 of God; meditationes ſalvant memoriam ſayes Ariſtotle. the more a man thinkes of a thing, it is the deeper in his minde; when the good man had ſaid, he would remember Gods workes, Pſal. 77. 11. O ſayes he, I will meditate of them, verſe 12.
Sixthly, the rubbing up of our memories. The memory6. is a very lazie faculty, if it be not every foot rubbed up, it will be forgetfull; therefore we ſhould rub up our minds, if we ſee them ready to let his word ſlip, we muſt call it back againe; as the Lord ſayes, remember this and ſhew your ſelves men, bring it to mind O ye tranſgreſſors, I ſa. 46. 8. our memories are naturally exceeding ſlippery, they are apt to leake out that which is good; and therefore we ſhould take paines with our mindes, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes; therefore we ought to give the more earneſt heed to the things that we have heard, leaſt at any time we let them ſlip, Heb. 2. 1.
Seventhly, and laſtly, which is the maine of all, and that7 is the holy Ghoſt. But the comforter which is the holy Ghoſt, whom the Father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you, John. 14. 26.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Fenner, Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints (1646)