Invisibles Realities Demonstrated in the Life and Death of John Janeway, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Two Letters to Cement differences, and cauſe Love among Chriſtians.
IT cannot be expected that wounds ſhould be healed till their cauſe is removed; that which moveth me to write to you at preſent, and puts me upon intentions of writing again, is, That I may do my utmoſt, by mouth and pen, for the removal of that which is the cauſe of the inward grief and trouble of my ſoul, and, I am perſwaded, of others alſo as well as mine, viz. thoſe diviſions, that I could not but obſerve to be between your ſelf and another Chriſtian friend. I hope, after my asking counſel not only of my own heart, but of God alſo; he hath directed me to that which may be to his own glory, and the good of your ſoul; and not only for the removing of grief, but the rejoycing of the hearts of them upon whom former diviſions had any effect.
I therefore deſire you to entertain theſe following lines, as the iſſues of deep affection to your ſoul, and the honour of Religion: and I beſeech you read them, not only as from me who deſire your good with the ſtrength of my ſoul, but as from God himſelf of whoſe love your good improvement will be a token. That that end which I propoſe to my ſelf, I cannot but perſwade my ſelf, you your ſelf deſign, commend and deſire; which is, Chriſtian charity & that ſweet meek Goſpel ſpirit, which is ſo highly and frequently commended by our Saviour to the practice of his Diſciples. O that, where there hath been any breaches, there might be the nearer union; and that ye might be joyned together in the ſame ſpirit, might keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace.
And for this end that you would remove all old hindrances: watch continually leſt you give, and be careful not to take occaſion of offence. The neceſſity, uſefulneſs, ſweetneſs of true ſpiritual love appears by the word of Gods frequent urging of it, by the ſenſe of Chriſtians, the uncomfortableneſs and deformity of the contrary. Now, that you may in an unintermitted conſtancy injoy peace within and without and rejoyce my ſoul; I deſire you to joyn your own indeavours with the conſideration of thoſe things which I ſhall now and hereafter ſend to you.
Firſt, Conſider that it is a Chriſtians duty to go out of himſelf, to lay down his own ends and intereſts, and wholly to take upon him Gods cauſe; to do all for God, and to act as under God, to be Gods inſtruments in our ſouls and bodies which are Gods: Thus did God create man for His own glory, and not that man ſhould ſeek himſelf. And when man fell, he fell out of God into himſelf; out of that divine order and compoſure of mind in which God had made him, into confuſion; from a love of God, into a corrupt ſelf-love and ſelf-ſeeking. Now if we do but deſcend into our ſouls, & obſerve the actings, intents and contrivances of them, we cannot but obſerve how confuſedly and abominably all work together for the pampering, pleaſing and advancing of ſelf. We are not to think that if we do not preſently diſcover this in our ſelves, that it is not ſo with us: For, in ſome degree it is in every one, even in the truly regenerate; as far as they have the relicks of corruption in them, ſo far they have in their ſouls this ſelf-love. Now this diſorder in our minds whereby they are taken off from their right ends is that very natural corruption and depravedneſs which we received from Adam, and it is, and, to a ſpiritual ſenſe, ought to be, worſe than Hell it ſelf; in as much as the cauſe doth eminently contain all and more evil than the effect.
This is the ſpiritual death, whereby we are dead in ſin, the fruit of the firſt curſe, Thou ſhalt die the death. The ſouls life in this world, is its being in God and living to God, and injoyment of God; and the ſouls eternal life will be, ſo to know God as to be formed into his likeneſs, and to be received into a full participation of, and communion with God. The ſouls death here, is its being fallen off from God, and its being carried into its ſelf; and its eternal death will be, an utter ſeparation from him.
Now mankind being thus fallen from God, Chriſt is ſent for this very end, to bring man back again to God; and then man is brought unto God, when he is brought out of that ſtate of ſelf-love into that ſtate whereby he gives up himſelf wholly to God. Thus the ſoul being quickened by the ſpirit of God, leaveth off living to its ſelf, which was its death; and lives to God, which is its life. Here comes in the great duty of denying of our ſelves for Chriſts ſake; which indeed were no duty, if there were nothing in us contrary to God.
This then is our duty not to ſeek our own things, before the things of God; to lay Gods glory as the foundation of all our actions, and if there be any thing in us contrary to that, to give it no leave to ſtand in competition with God.
Now, were this deeply rooted in our hearts, how would contention, anger, wrath and heart-burning and all things of this nature ceaſe? Such influence would the taking Gods part againſt ſelf have, into the quiet and peace of men, that it cannot be without it.
We ſee, how wiſely God hath ordered things, that the very act of mans being off from God, ſhould be the cauſe of confuſion, war and miſery: and what can be more juſt and equal than this, that God, who is the author of our being, ſhould be the end of our being? O then, that once our minds were again reduced to this frame, To live wholly to God! O that we were wrought into a through prejudice againſt ſelf which ſtands between us and true peace! I beg of you to ſpare ſome time from the world, and retire into privacie, where you may apply this to your own ſoul.
My prayer to God for you, out of the ſtrong yearnings of my ſoul towards you is, that he would make this effectual to its intended end, for the inward peace of your ſoul, for your comfortable walking with God, in this life, and that condition wherein the wiſdom of God hath placed you. I writ theſe lines with the ſtrength of affection; I feel fear, grief, compaſſion, working ſtrongly. O pity me in the midſt of all theſe, whileſt I cannot call to remembrance the cauſe of theſe without a flood of tears. Fulfill therefore my joy in being of one mind: yea, if there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort in love, if any-fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels of mercy; fulfill ye my joy, and be like-minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one mind, Phil. 2. 1, 2. I leave you to the love and mercy of God, and to the working of his ſpirit, which alone is able to put life and power into theſe words. Which that he would do, is the earneſt requeſt and ſervent prayer of yours,
John Janeway.
Now upon a faithful peruſal of this Letter, it pleaſed the Lord to give a meek and more complying ſpirit, and in a great meaſure it wrought its intended effect. The noble deſign of this ſweet peace-maker, took ſo far as to produce an ingenious acknowledgement, and ſorrowful bewailing of the want of that ſelf-denial, humility, meekneſs, and love, which doth ſo much become our ſacred profeſſion. Upon the hearing of this good news, how ſtrangely was this good man tranſported! Upon the receipt of a letter from the former friend, which gave no ſmall ſatisfaction & hopes that his former indeavours were not in vain. And, that he might drive the nail to the head, he ſpeedily backs his for former Letter with a ſecond; which ſpeaks theſe words.
Dear Friend,
MY ſoul is inlarged towards you and my affections work within me; and yet give me leave now to lay aſide thoſe weak flames of natural affection, and to kindle my ſoul with divine love. Here there is no fear of running out too far while all is in Chriſt, and for Chriſt. O that now I could let out the ſtrength of my ſoul, not as to your ſelf but as to God! O that my heart were more inlarged, that it may be comprehenſive of a more full true Chriſtian love! God is altogether lovely, and to be loved for himſelf, and we are ſo far dark, ignorant and blind, as we do not ſee and account him moſt amiable. O let me have ſuch diſcoveries of his excellency, that my heart may pant, thirſt and break for its earneſt longings after the richeſt participations of him; that I may for ever be ſwallowed up of his love! O that I may love him a thouſand times more than I do! That I may rejoyce in him, and take the ſweeteſt complacencie, & delight in him alone; & that I could let out my affections moſt, where I ſee any thing of himſelf, any beams of the image of his holineſs, and that beareth the impreſſion of his ſpirit. Had you viſited me from the dead, could my affections have moved more ſtrongly, or my rejoycings have been greater than they were at the receipt of thoſe lines which I had from you, wherein ſo much of Chriſt in you, and the goodneſs of Chriſt to me did appear. Fulfil my joy in the Lord, refreſh my bowels, and let not my rejoycing be in vain. If it hath pleaſed the Lord to make the imperfect & weak indeavours of his unworthy ſervant, any way ſubſervient to his own glory in you, it is that which I account my ſelf unworthy of, & deſire to receive it from him as a manifeſtation of the riches of his free goodneſs to my ſelf; knowing my ſelf to be unworthy to be his inſtrument in the meaneſt ſervice, much more in ſo great a one as this is. Hoping and perſwading my ſelf of the effectual vvork of my former letter, I am incouraged to write again both becauſe of my promiſe, and your expectation and the vveighty nature of the ſubject that I vvas then upon, vvhichwhich vvas Love. True Chriſtian love, which is a thing ſo comly, ſo beautiful and ſweet, and of ſuch vveighty power in all actions to make them divine & excellent, that there is no labour loſt in indeavouring to get more of it, even in thoſe in vvhom it moſt aboundeth. The Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 4. 9, 10. Though he knew that they vvere taught of God to love one another, and that they did it towards all the Brethren, yet, even them he beſeeched to abound more and more in that grace of love. The former principal out of which this love doth ariſe, (as I informed you in my former Letter) was the putting off our own intereſts and putting on Gods. Now I ſhall proceed in minding you of another Chriſtian duty, which is effectual to the knitting us together in a firm operative love, and that is this; That a Chriſtian is to walk as one that is a member of Chriſt Jeſus. Into what near and cloſe Union are thoſe that are given him by the Father received▪ How hath the Holy-Ghoſt choſen out all the neareſt natural relations to expreſs and ſhadow out the cloſeneſs of that ſpiritual relation that is between Chriſt and his! Chriſt is our King and we his People, he is our Maſter and we are his Servants, he is our Shepherd and we the Sheep of his Paſture, he is our friend and we his, he is our Husband and we are his Spouſe; he is the Vine we the Branches, he our Head and we are his Members; he is in us and we in him, he is our Life. This duty will have influence upon our affections theſe ways.
Firſt, As Chriſt is our Head and we are his Members, ſo he hath an abſolute command over us. And where this relation is real, obedience to the commands of Chriſt is ſweet and without conſtraint and force; now this is Chriſts command that we ſhould love one another; by this ſaith he ſhall all men know you are my Diſciples if you love one another. Thoſe relations into which Chriſt, receiveth his, ſpeak and hold forth a willing cheerful full ſubmiſſion to the commands of Chriſt, and what duty is there in all the Goſpel which is more frequently and earneſtly preſſed than this. A new commandment give I unto you that you love one another as I have loved you, ſo love one another. So full is the whole Scripture of obligations, both upon Conſcience and Ingenuity to this duty, that the whole ſtream of it ſeems to run into this chanel of Love. But Chriſts command is ſuch an obligation as one that hath any ſpiritual ſenſe to feel the ſtrength of it, cannot break. It is Chriſt hath commanded, and ſhall not we obey? Shall not the love of Chriſt conſtrain us? Shall we be ſo unkind to him who hath been ſo kind to us, as to ſtand it out with him in ſo equal a command? Shall not the ſweetneſs of Chriſt overcome us; that ſeeing his love was ſo great, as not to ſpare his life for us, yea, and ſuffer more for us I believe than we think he did, nay, I may ſay than we can conceive he did, and that which commends his love to us is, that he ſhould do and ſuffer ſo much for us, that of his creatures we were become his Enemies? Why ſhould we not then cheerfully ſubmit to him in this one command, love one another? Doth not the very word Love carry in it at the firſt hearing abundance of alluring violence? This is Chriſts yoak, and here we may well ſay, his yoak is eaſie and his burthen is light. What is there in a life of divine love that we need be afraid of? What is there is this command that is grievous? How can this yoak be uneaſLy? What reaſon to be loath to take it on? But ſuch is the baſe degeneracy and unreaſonableneſs of corrupted nature, that when any thing comes in competition with ſelf-love, then all bonds muſt be broken, all yoaks muſt be caſt off, and nothing will then keep us in, but we muſt and will take our own part though never ſo bad. And our own part in the heart of paſſion muſt ſeem beſt, though it be contrary to infinite Righteouſneſs, which is God himſelf. O that we could once learn to lay aſide this natural prejudice, which we have againſt vvhatſoever doth thwart our humours, though it be never ſo juſt, holy and rational. O that we could look more narrowly, and ſearch more exactly into our ſelves vvith a ſpiritual Eye, and then vve could not but ſee that vvhichwhich would make us loath our ſelves, and to become abominable in our own Eyes, and rather take any part than our own, vve ſhould ſee ſo much deceitfulneſs in our ſelves, as that vve ſhould think our caſe bad though it ſeem never ſo good to our natural ſelf, till we apply it to the rule. Rule, nature vvould have none but it ſelf; and though in our better compoſure of mind, vve may receive ſome other rule; yet in our paſſions vve cannot ſpare time to go to any other rule, but we take that vvhichwhich is next to hand, and ſelf vvill be ſure to be that. But we muſt, if vve vvill be true Chriſtians, learn to deny ſelf, and vvholly to ſubmit our ſelves to the Command of Chriſt, as our only Rule. O, let the power of Chriſts love, and command, make us obedient to this command of love.
Secondly, If vve are to walk as Members of Chriſt, vvho is our Head; this hath influence upon our affections to oblige us to love one another, as, from the command vvhichwhich the Head hath over the Members, ſo, from the conformity that is to be in the Members to the Head. The Head and the Members are not of two ſeveral Natures; But, the ſame nature paſſeth from the Head through all the Members: Now, if vve be ingrafted into Chriſt, vve muſt become of the ſame nature vvith him; let us be followers of Chriſt as dear Children, and walk in love, as Chriſt alſo hath loved us. Paul bids us to be followers of himſelf, as he vvas follower of Chriſt; Chriſt then is to be our great pattern: He commands us to learn of him, for he was meek. For us to think to attain unto a perfect conformity to him, is in vain; but, as much as our natures are capable of vve are to ſtrive for it. Chriſts love to us, hath breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth, vvhichwhich paſſeth knowledge. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man ſhould lay down his life for his friend, but herein Chriſt commended his love to us, in that vvhile vve vvere enemies, Chriſt died for us. Behold what manner of love is this, that Chriſt hath beſtowed on us! Hereby perceive vve the love of God (that is Chriſt) becauſe he laid down his life for us, 1 Joh. 3. 16. His inference is there the ſame with mine, and that in a higher degree; we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren. If Life, then ſin; then paſſion and vvrath; then a baſe proud ſelf-pleaſing and contradicting humour. Do vve ſee any Lovelineſs or Beauty in Chriſt Jeſus? Is there no excellency in his ſweetneſs pity, and patience? Is not his loving-kindneſs amiable? And would not ſomthing like this in us, be deſirable? Had he more reaſon to love us than we have to love one another? O, let our ſouls be overcome with the thoughts of this love of Chriſt: Let our hearts be kindled and blown up into a flame of Love, by it. O, when ſhall this dear, precious, pure, eternal love of His, over-power our ſouls? When ſhall it have its proper effect upon us, to make us to deſire earneſtly to be like our beloved! When ſhall we put on his beauty! O how lovely ſhould we then look! Let us put off that deformity that is upon our Souls, which makes us ſo unlike to Chriſt; yea, which makes us loathſome in his Eyes, Pride, Paſſions, Worldlineſs, are thoſe Soul-deformities, which keep Chriſt at ſuch a diſtance from us, and which hinder his more ſweet frequent and intimate converſe with us.
It is only that of Himſelf which Chriſt ſeeth in us, which he delighteth in. For, in Him is the perfection of all Beauty and excellency, and whatſoever lovelineſs is in any thing elſe, comes from him, is like him, and leads to him. Would we know, how much we are beloved of him, let us ſee how much we are like him; for, He cannot but love that which is like himſelf, and if we would be like him, we muſt put on love, for God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and god in him, 1 Joh. 4. 16.
Thirdly, If we ought to walk towards one another as members of the ſame body, whereof Chriſt is the Head, what can ſpeak a cloſer union than commemberſhip? No man ever yet hated his own fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it. But we do not feel the power of this oneneſs, as we ought to do. We are many; and where there is diviſion, there will be diſſention; that we may therefore, be more one, let us be more in putting off our ſelf, and going into Chriſt. Here, let us look into the loathſomneſs of our natures, whileſt off from God; which is the cauſe of all this confuſion, and if we cannot ſee its deformity in its ſelf, let us ſee it in reflection in its bitter effects; and when we ſee our own deformity, we ſhall ſee leſs cauſe to love our ſelves, and more cauſe to love others. Let us look upon our oneneſs in Chriſt, and ſee if we can thence become one in affections. Chriſt ſaith, I and the children which thou haſt given me; we have one ſpiritual Father, we are brethren; let us love as brethren. The cauſe of this union is our being made partakers of Chriſts nature, and baptized into the ſame ſpirit with him: and, if we have at any time experienced the more lively and full incomes of this ſpirit of Chriſt, how did it ſet the heart on fire! The ſoul is then too narrow to contain its own affections; how dearly then could we look upon a Saint! How did pride and wrath vaniſh and melt down into meekneſs, humility and love! Did we never experience what this meaneth? Then, let the remembrance of the ſweetneſs of it, renew it in us. O, a life of ſpiritual love is a life indeed, a Heaven upon earth! This is a good rule; when vve find our ſelves in a ſpiritual temper, let us examine our ſelves then, and inquire how vve like ſuch a frame: Let us remember the Voice of the ſpirit in us, and labour to have our judgment and affections always after, ſo ballanced.
Fourthly, Are vve members of Chriſt, vve do not ſay, vve do not love Chriſt. If vve do indeed love Chriſt, let us love him vvherever vve find Him. Chriſt is in all thoſe, that are His. Let us fear offending Chriſt in his, for vvhat is done to them, He vvill take as done to himſelf. It vvill be ſaid in that great Day, In as much as ye did it unto theſe, ye did it unto me. Let us think vvhat vve vvill of it at preſent, the vvorld vvill find this true to their coſt. And if vve act as in Chriſt, vve ſhall find our ſelves as much concerned for him as for our ſelves, and more too. Oh the vvrongs that are done to him, vve ſhall reckon done to us. If vve are Chriſts, Chriſts intereſt vvill be ours, and his injuries ours. If vve are Chriſts, vve vvill be as fearful of offending of any of his, as of vvronging of our ſelves. Chriſt himſelf is above the reach of our vvrongs, to be touched by them in himſelf; but, in his Members he ſuffers to this very day. If then Chriſt and vve are one, and Chriſt and all his are one; let us love Chriſt in his, let us rejoice in Chriſt in his members, let us indeavour to requite Chriſt in his members: let us fear grieving the ſpirit of Chriſt, in grieving the ſpirits of any of his dear ones. Wound not Chriſt in vvounding the heart of his beloved. O the pretiouſneſs, pleaſure and profit of this love, I beg of God to give you a full injoyment of that ſweetneſs and the joyful fruits of it, the Lord refreſh you vvith a quick and conſtant ſence and ſight of his eternal love towards your ſoul; to vvhichwhich the aſſurance of true Chriſtian love by the effectual vvork of the Comforter, may bring you. By this vve know, that vve are paſſed from Death to Life, becauſe vve love the Brethren. If it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to give me leave to ſee you again, I ſhall come vvith ſtrong expectations, and earneſt deſires of ſeeing a ſweet alteration for the better in you, in your deportment, and carriage towards one that did deſerve better at your hands. And vvhat an effect hopes of this nature fruſtrated, vvill produce; I beſeech you to judge. I pray God fill you vvith peace and joy. My hand is vveary vvith vvriting, but my mind ſtill runs forth in deſires and prayers for you. I hope the Lord vvill take away all cauſe of vvriting any more of this ſubject unto you. Your Letter gave me hopes of a good beginning: I beſeech the Lord to carry on vvhat he hath begun to the glory of his goodneſs, that I may at every ſight of you, ſee more of the image of Chriſt in you, and more of the power and beauty of this grace of love, and that I may find you drawn nearer to Heaven, and ſee you vvith Chriſt in Heaven vvhen time ſhall be no more. I leave you in the Arms of Love.
John Janeway.
By all this you may eaſily perceive what ſpirit acted him, and how much he was troubled for any diviſions amongſt the people of God. Indeed, he was of ſo loving, and lovely a diſpoſition, that he even commanded the affections of moſt that knew him; and ſo humble he was, that he was aſhamed to be loved for his own ſake.
I can never forget a ſtrang expreſſion, that I have heard from him, concerning one that had a very ardent love for him. I know this (ſaith he) that I love no love but what is purely for Chriſts ſake, would Chriſt might have all the love, He alone deſerves it: for my part, I am afraid and aſhamed of the love and reſpects of Chriſtians. He ſaw ſo much pride, peeviſhneſs and diviſion amongſt Profeſſors, that it did not a little vex his righteous Soul, and made him think long, to be in a ſweeter Air, where there ſhould be nothing but union, joy and love. He could not indure to hear Chriſtians ſpeak reproachfully one of another, becauſe they were of different judgments and perſwaſions. There where he ſaw moſt holineſs, humility and love, there he let out moſt of his affections. And he was of that holy mans mind, that it were pity that the very name of diviſion were not buried; and that the time would come, that we might all dearly pay for our unbrotherly nay unchriſtian Animoſities.