The First Last, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The ſecond and third Ʋſe of the Point, Viz. Terror to the Formaliſt, and diſcoveries of ſuch.
Uſe 2 THe ſecond Uſe may ſerve to pull down the pride and haughtineſs of the ſelf-conceited Formaliſt, and to ſtrike terror into his heart: This Text and Doctrine may be like the fingers and hand-writing to Belſhazzar, Dan. 5.5. And paſſeth the ſame ſentence upon him as that did, Thou art weighed in the ballance, and found wanting. How doth the Formaliſt bleſs himſelf in compariſon of the prophane? He would not for a world be as they are; when alas, he is worſe. If I may ſay of the unconverted, That one is further from converſion then another, (as that Text ſeems to intimate, Mark 13.34. Thou art not far, &c.) then theſe ſurely are at the fartheſt diſtance. That fore-cited Text, Mat. 9.12.13. Chriſt came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; ſeems to hint, that ſuch ſelf-conceitedly righteous perſons, are out of the care and call of Chriſt, and that's ſad. But I cannot expect that any ſhould take home this Terror, till it be charged home upon them; till Conſcience ſay, Thou art the man: we are apt to catch at comforts, and decline terrors; it will be neceſſary therefore, to give ſome Signes and Characters of the Formaliſt (though ſomething hath been already hinted) that ſo being convinced, he may apply it.
This may (if you pleaſe) be a diſtinct Uſe 3 Uſe of Examination. To give you therefore ſome Notes of ſuch:
1. He whoſe duties and perſonal righteouſneſs ſtand in oppoſition, not in ſubordination to Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, is the perſon we ſpeak of: poſſibly his Baptiſm and Education make him affect the name of Chriſtian; but he ſees not the abſolute neceſſity of Chriſts righteouſneſs to juſtifie and ſave him; ſuppoſing he hath enough in his own ſtore. Had this man heard Chriſt ſpeaking of his ſufferings in order to mans ſalvation, he would have been ready with Peter, to ſay, as Mat. 16.22. Maſter ſpare thy ſelf; or as Judas concerning the precious ointment, To what end is all this waſte? He may be a profeſſed enemy to Popery, yet hath in him this Popiſh principle that he can keep the Commandments, and it may be ſupererogate alſo. ſuch a one deals with Chriſt, as thoſe women the Prophet ſpeaks of, Iſa. 4.1. We will (ſay they) eat our own bread, and wear our own apparrel, onelyonly let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach; So they will be cloathed with their own Righteouſneſs; onelyonly they love the name Chriſtian, becauſe its a name of honor: How is it then? the more ſtrict and holy thou ſeemeſt to thy ſelf, doth Chriſt ſeem of leſs neceſſity to thee? do thy duties ſet thee further off, or bring thee nearer Chriſt? doſt thou live more within, and upon thy ſelf? ſurely if ſo, to thee this terror belongs; 'Tis quite contrary with the ſincere Chriſtian, his duties and performances drive him nearer Chriſt: ſee Phil. 3.3.-10. though he grow in inherent holineſs, yet he grows daily more apprehenſive of the neceſſity of imputed righteouſneſs, becauſe he ſees more of Gods holineſs, the laws purity and ſtrictneſs, and the impurity and filthineſs of his own heart: when he hath done all, he cries out, Ʋnprofitable Servant! and woe to me, for my Duties, Prayers, Hearings, Graces, &c. if I had not a Mediator. When he riſes higheſt in Duty or gracious actings, yet his ſuit to Chriſt (as Ruth's to Boaz, Ruth. 3.9.) is, Spread thy skirt over me. 'Tis remarkable, Phil. 3 3.For we are the Circumciſion which worſhip God in the Spirit, and rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus, and have no confidence in the fleſh.
2. (Which is the root of the former) He whoſe Duties and Holineſs are the fuel of Pride, is the man we enquire after; Thus it was with the Phariſees, Iſa. 65.5. Luke 18.11, 12. John 7.48. Formality comes off ordinarily more proud from a Duty, and goes on the next time more ſelf-confident (except perhaps God hath notably cut him ſhort, as to the exerciſe of his gifts:) True, pride may ruſh (as one ſaith) into the heart of a ſincere Chriſtian; but it reſts, grows, is cheriſhed in the heart of a Hypocrite: where Pride leads on in any Duty,Dike on the Hearts Deceitfulneſs. yet Humility brings him off: what the ſincere perſon wants in antecedent directing humility, he makes up in ſubſequent and correcting humility, 2 Chron. 32.26. Hezekiah was humbled for the pride of his heart: a true Chriſtian is humbled for his Pride, an Hypocrite is proud of his Humility: There's a Monitor within the ſincere Chriſtians heart, that's often jogging him, and brings him down when he begins to ſwell. Try then, is this worm of pride bred and nouriſhed by thy duties? Doeſt thou pray, and hear, and diſcourſe thy ſelf more proud, haughty, ſelf-conceited? 'Tis a ſad ſymtome thou art yet but a Formaliſt: 'Tis ſtoried,Heylin. that the Iſle of Man (the Title being doubted whether it belonged to Britain or Ireland) was adjudged to Britain, becauſe it foſter'd venemous Serpents brought from thence into it: Sure I am, if thy duties foſter and cheriſh this venomous Serpent of Pride, they are the duties of a Formaliſt, not a ſincere Chriſtian.
3. He that is altogether a ſtranger to Godly ſorrow, Humiliation for ſin, (and this is the cauſe of both the former) he that never knew what compunction or contrition meant, whoſe heart was never broken up, and furrowed with the Plow of conviction; who hath had but a ſuperficial work, hath but cleanſed the outſide of the Cup or Platter? 'Tis obſervable, The ſtony ground received the word (foreign) Matth. 13.20. immediately with joy, but ſoon witherered: whereof the Evangeliſt Matthew, Chap. 13.5. gives the reaſon, becauſe it had not depth of Earth: Luke, Chap. 8.6. becauſe it had not moiſture: Both the Evangeliſts, as alſo Mark Chap. 4.16. tells us, They received the Word with joy and gladneſs: What can be underſtood by depth of earth, and moiſture, but heatings and meltings by Humiliation? This the ſtony ground wanted; and therefore they being yet a rock not broken, not humbled, the ſeed though ſuddenly ſpringing up, withers, and comes to nothing: heat and moiſture are joint-cauſes of growth and fruitfulneſs; the latter without the former drowns and ſuffocates the ſeed; the former without the latter doth ſcorch and wither it: and this is the caſe of this ground, they have ſome heat of joy and raptures, which (like the flattering rays of the Aprill Sun) draw forth ſome early bloſſoms; but when ſome cold chilling froſts, or ſcorching heats come in the following Month, they are either nipt by the one, or ſcorched and ſhrunk up by the other: Praemature fruits never come to maturity: The Child that thruſts its ſelf forth into the world before its time, ſeldom proves long-liv'd. Such are Formaliſts, they haſtily catch at Chriſt, before they are humbled for ſin, or melted by godly ſorrow, and therefore do as quickly forſake him: The like may be gathered from that other Parable of the wiſe and fooliſh builders, Luke 6.47, 48. The wiſe Builder, foreign, digged deep, and laid his foundation on a rock; the fooliſh built without a foundation on the Earth; ſurely Humiliation and thorow conviction is (at leaſt in part) the import of that digging deep; and for want of this digging, the building doth, molâ ſuà ruere, fall by its own weight: for want of theſe dews and moiſtures the root is dried up from beneath, and above the bud is cut off, Job 18.16. As the natural, ſo the ſpiritural birth is attended with pangs. Now the Formaliſt is one that never felt theſe, or not to purpoſe; never ſo as to bring him off his own righteouſneſs, or to ſubdue his will to an acceptance of Chriſt upon Goſpel terms. But here I deſire to be rightly underſtood; I preſcribe not ſuch a meaſure of humiliation as neceſſary, nor to all the like meaſure: there is great difference as to the manner, meaſure, and continuance of it; all are not thrown upon the ground, and deprived of their ſight as Paul was; all walk not in the Region of the ſhadow of death, nor go bowed down 18 years with a ſpirit of Infirmity: To ſome God comes in a fire, thunder and whirlwind, to others in a ſtill voice; as God teacheth us to put a difference, Jude 22,23. ſo himſelf doth doth; on ſome he hath compaſſion, others he ſaves with fear, pulling them out of the fire; the convictions and humiliation of ſome are more ſenſible & terrible, like the breaking of ſtones with a hammer; they are brought by the gates of Hell to Heaven; of others, more ſweet, kindly and inſenſible, like the melting of wax before the fire, and Ice or Snow before the Sun. The Souls of ſome are taken by ſtorm, others by a long and tedious ſiege and battery; ſome are ſurprized, as it were, by ſtratagem, and ſome ſurrendred upon Parley; yea, ſome are ſo wrought upon, that the firſt (ſenſible) work they experience, is Grace, drawing them to a voluntary reſignment of their ſouls to God. All theſe worketh our gracious God according to his own Will and Pleaſure; nor can any certain ſtated Rules be laid down about the various workings of God with poor ſouls. Nevertheleſs, theſe two things I conceive may be ſafely aſſerted:
1. That before a ſoul is brought, or upon a ſouls coming over to Chriſt, he hath ſuch a convincing ſight of ſin, and of his own ſin original and actual, with ſuch a meaſure of compunction & contrition (be it leſs or more) as doth make him both ſee an abſolute neceſſity of Chriſt, and willingly cloſe with him upon Goſpel conditions. (I ſpeak here of God's working upon the adult.) 'Tis not meerly the love of Chriſt, or his excellency appehended, that attracts the ſoul to him; but withal, he ſees he ſtands in need of him, and is undone without him. I would fain know of any of thoſe pretended Patrons and Aſſertors of free-Grace, how a ſoul can have any apprehenſions of the love of Chriſt to purpoſe, without ſome praevious apprehenſions and convictions of its own ſinfulneſs and miſery: Is it not the very Emphaſis of the love of Chriſt, that while we were yet ſinners he died for us? Rom. 5.8. That when we were loſt, he came to ſeek and ſave us? take away this ſenſe of ſin and miſery, and you take away the very accent of Chriſt's love. Is not this the language of a Soul under the moſt kindly workings? O infinite Love! that ſuch a vile, ſinful, loſt wretch as I am ſhould be ſought for, inquired after! much like the language of Mephiboſheth to David, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy ſervant, that thou ſhouldeſt look upon ſuch a dead dog as I am? And Ch. 19.28. All my fathers houſe were but dead men before my Lord the King, yet didſt thou ſet thy ſervant among them that did eat at thy table. Here's deep and deep; depth of Miſery, and depth of Mercy; theſe jointly apprehended, melt the heart of a poor ſinner, and make it as water, or rather as wax, fit for any Divine impreſſion: ſo that there is in the ſoul, under moſt ingenuous and kindly workings, ſenſe of ſin, and ſorrow for it, though ſwallowed up in the joyful ſenſe of God's love in Chriſt Jeſus.
2. And after a ſoul is come to Chriſt, the frame of the heart is ſuch, that it's ready to grieve and melt upon the ſight and conviction of a ſin now committed, or the remembrance of a ſin formerly acted: Hezekiah humbled himſelf for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. 32.26. We find Peter in the ſame temper, and David often; the ſtone being taken out of the heart, there is an habitual tenderneſs, ready to exert it ſelf in kindly meltings, upon ſight of any unkindneſſes, and diſingenuous actings towards God, Chriſt, or the Spirit: Now to both theſe, the Formaliſt is a ſtranger: his will was never ſubdued, his heart never molified ſo far, as to go out of himſelf: Bring this note home, and try your ſtate by it, I beſeech you.
4 He is a Formaliſt, who though he is conſtant in the matter, yet is little or not at all conſcientious in the manner of duty: That it be done, he is very careful; but how, he regards not. The Formal Jews were ſo conſtant at their ſacrifices, that there God will not blame them, Pſal. 50.8. The ſincere Chriſtian is no leſs troubled for his careleſneſs, cuſtomarineſs, wandrings and diſtractions in, then for his omiſſions of duty; he accounts that, as not done, which is not done with ſome ſuitableneſs of affection, and exerciſe of grace: he thinks he hath but mockt God, and taken his Name in vain: But this troubles not the Formaliſt; he is a good Church-man (as they call him) conſtant at his Family-duties, &c. and never matters how curſorily and ſlubbringly they are performed: his care is to get it done, the ſincere Chriſtians, to get it well done; thinking himſelf never the better for that Duty that makes him not better; never the nearer for that which brings him not further out of himſelf, and nearer God. Try then; Canſt thou never remember the time when thy heart ſmote thee for thy negligence in, as well as neglect of Duty? Doſt thou go on merrily and confidently in a cold, dull, heartleſs courſe of Religious Performances? 'Tis a ſad ſign thou art yet a Formaliſt, and to thee the Text ſpeaks terror.
5. He is a Formaliſt whoſe Duties do no execution upon his ſins; he Prays, and ſins; Hears, and ſins; goes in a round, as a Horſe in a Mill: Take him at his Prayers, you may hear him perhaps confeſſing his Worldlineſs; but take him in the World, and you find him as covetous, as griping, as apt to defraud as ever: he comes off his duties, as if he had but begg'd leave to ſin; yea, ſin gets ſtrength by his performances: As the Harlot, Prov. 7.14, 15. I have Peace-offerings by me, this day I have paid my vows. Come, let us take our fill of love— So he thinks his morning and evening-Duties procure him liberty to ſin all the day; when he hath heard, though the Word was never ſo pierceing, he never thinks more of it, to reform his heart or life by it; that he hath heard ſatifies him, never thinking what, or to what end he hath heard; hence it is that no execution is done upon his luſts. Now with the ſincere Chriſtian 'tis far otherwiſe; his Duties give ſin a ſhake, looſen it at the root: True indeed, a corruption may out-live many a Prayer, Sermon, Humiliation-day, without any ſenſible decay; yea, may ſeem to get head, and grow more turbulent; yet every Duty rightly performed, doth ſomething towards the mortification of it: as in cutting down a tree, every ſtroak doth not bring it down, yet ſome chips are cut off; and in battering a Fort, every ſhot doth not beat it down, yet makes it weaker, and prepares it for the next. So every Duty doth ſomething weaken ſin, at leaſt thus; for that it increaſes the Soul's hatred of it, and puts upon him a freſh engagement to purſue it to the death: examine then; doth ſin get ſtrength by thy Religious duties? doſt thou grow into more love and liking of thy boſome corruptions? (for that's the ſureſt evidence of ſins growth:) Then haſt thou juſt cauſe to ſuſpect thy ſelf of formality, and to apply this terror to thy ſelf.
6. The Formaliſt is ordinarily full of confidence and ſelf-conceit, very ſupercilious towards poor bruiſed reeds, and doubting ſouls: he looks upon the weak Believer as no body in compariſon of himſelf. Thus you ſee it in the Phariſees, Joh. 7.48. Luk. 18.9— 12. Paul was once of this temper, Rom. 7.9. He was alive without the Law once; i. e. highly conceited, and ſtrongly confident of his good condition: ſo the Formaliſt ſeldom ſuſpects himſelf, never is at a loſs for his Evidences. The Devil befriends him, and helps him up to this Pinacle; he is not more an enemy to true ſaving Faith, then a friend to Preſumption: The ſincere Chriſtian (on the other hand) is very ſuſpitious, often trying, dougbting, ſearching; works out his ſalvation with fear and trembling. 'Tis true ſome healthy, well-complexion'd Chriſtians, (but oh how rare are they!) keep up faith in a lively and conſtant exerciſe; can look within the veil, and are not ſubject to thoſe frequent toſſings and doubtings as others; but then they do not brow-beat, and carry ſcornfully and contemptuouſly towards thoſe that have not attained to their Meaſure: they are very tender towards the weakeſt Lambs in Chriſt's fold, and can ſympathize in their weakneſſes, and help to bear their Infirmities. That ſuppoſed aſſurance that is joined with the contempt of weak ones, and ſeparated from a holy, humble, watchful walking with God, is a ſure note of a Formaliſt. There is fear and jealouſie in the beſt; David, Pſal. 139. 20—end. profeſſes his ſincerity, yet ſuſpects there ma be ſome way of wickedneſs in him: ſo that if thou haſt high preſumptions, and low performances, ſtrong confidence upon weak grounds, and this lifts thee up in thy own conceit above thy weak brethren; conclude thy ſelf but yet a Formaliſt.
7. The Formaliſt hath ſome regard to the matter of the firſt Table, little to the ſecond: Piety, as to the face of it, he practiſeth, but equity and charity he little looks at, perhaps nor ſobriety neither, he thinks his duties towards God may excuſe his deficiencies towards men (And herein by the way, the Moraliſt and Formaliſt differ; the former being onelyonly or chiefly for ſecond table duties, though both do convenire in tertio, agree in this third thing, that they neglect Chriſt, and put confidence in their own righteouſneſs.) This that I ſay of the Formaliſt is evident, Pſal. 50.8. with verſe 18, 19, 20. They were conſtant at their ſacrifices, but deeply guilty of Theft, Adultery, evil-ſpeaking, and falſe accuſations: with the ſame mouth did they bleſs God, or curſe or ſpeak evil of man made after the image of God, Jam. 3.9. ſo Jer. 7.4. They cry The Temple of the Lord. i. e duties, ſacrifices; but verſe 5, 6. They did not execute judgment between a man and his neighbour, they oppreſſed the ſtranger, the fatherleſs, and the widdow, they ſhed innocent blood, &c. ſo verſe 9. They did ſteal, murder, commit adultery, and ſwear falſly. The like you may ſee Iſa. 58.2. They ſeek me daily, and delight to know my waies, &c. yea, verſe 3. They challenge God, and charge him as not having regard to their faſting, and afflicting their Souls: yet theſe, verſe 4. did faſt for ſtrife and debate, and to ſmite with with the fiſt of wickedneſs. See more of their failings towards their neighbour, verſe 6, 7, 9, 10. Where Gods calling for ſuch duties at their hands, ſufficiently intimates their defectiveneſs in them. Poſſibly ſome ſmaller acts of righteouſneſs or mercy they may doe; ſo did the Phariſees, Matth. 23.23. They tithed Mint, Anniſe and Cummin, but the weightier points of the law, judgment, mercy, or faith, (that is, as ſome with good reaſon interpret, faithfulneſs in their dealings with men) theſe they neglected. Yea, by their rare device of Corban, i. e. a gift given to the Prieſt or Temple, that their Parents might be prayed for, diſoblige the child from that neceſſary duty of ſuccouring his neceſſitous Parents: Matth. 15.5.6. with Mark 7.11, 12. Thus making pretended piety towards God, a cloak for neglect of duty towards man: and upon this account how many Formaliſts are to be found amongſt us? are not many, that have ſet up Prayer and reading in their Families, who frequent Ordinances, and ſeem to be eminent in piety, as bad, yea much worſe in ſecond-Table-duties, then the prophaneſt? Who more griping and oppreſive? Who more ready to over-reach in Bargaining? To defraud or abridg their Miniſter of his due? So that (as to the buſineſs of equity, and juſtice of people towards their Miniſter) we could rather deſire to be caſt upon a prophane, ſuperſtitious, ignorant people, then amongſt knowing Formaliſts: Beſides, who more quarrelſome? fuller of ſtrife and debate? more apt to go to Law for trifles, then theſe? Can theſe things conſiſt with ſincertty? are they not plain evidences of a rotten heart, a meer Formaliſt? Surely ſincerity hath an equal reſpect to all God's Commandments, will not knowingly bank any; much leſs make obedience to one, a cloak of diſobedience to another.
8. Add one more briefly: The Formaliſt is regardleſs of his own heart: A ſtranger to that Duty Solomon preſſes, Prov. 4.13. Keep thy heart above all keeping. This is (if I may ſo ſpeak) the very Formalis Ratio, the Eſſence of Formality, that the heart is wanting in all he doth: he hath an eye to his Converſion, (as far as it is obvious to the eye of others) but lets his heart run at liberty. Now the ſincere Chriſtian's work is moſt within; his greateſt care is in weeding, dreſſing, keeping clean, watching over his own heart: he hath a wary eye to every entrance and out-going of the ſoul. Thus you ſee ſome rude draught of a Formaliſt: Judg your ſelves by theſe Characters; and, if you find cauſe, apply the Text and Doctrine to your own hearts; rectifie your miſtakes, and judg of your ſelves as the Word judges of you; it may do you good: for this is not a judgment of final deciſion, but of trial and diſcuſſion, which may bring you into the right way.
4. The fourth and laſt Uſe I ſhall make of the Doctrine, is Exhortation; in which, 1. A word to the Prophane, 2. To the Formaliſt.