The First Last, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Helps or Directions to the formal Hypocrite, in order to his coming out of that condition, and becoming a ſound and thorough Chriſtian.
BUt that I may propound ſomething by way of Cure and Remedy, (for what is it to diſcover a diſeaſe, and leave the Patient in it?) Take theſe helps againſt it.
Direct. 1 Get a convincing ſight (and humbling ſenſe of this ſin) ſight and ſenſe of miſery, is the great ſpur to put us upon ſeeking after remedy: the ſenſleſly ſick, will laugh in the face of the Phyſician; but he that feels his ſickneſs, will embrace the cure: and however, in outward maladies it is not always neceſſary that the Patient be ſenſible in order to cure; yet in ſpiritual, the feeling of our diſtemper is not only a preparative to, but a good part of the Remedy. The will muſt concur to the Cure of Spiritual diſeaſes, in order to which, the underſtanding muſt be convinced. But becauſe it is one thing to ſee ſin, and another to feel it, I ſhall ſpeak to each ſeverally.
1. Then, that thou mayeſt have a convincing ſight of this ſin, and that thy heart may be forced to acknowledg it, (beſides the Notes and Characters before laid down) make uſe of theſe two Directions.
1. Be a narrow vigilant obſerver of thy own heart. The very eſſence of Formality lies in this, That all is done without heart or life. So that if thou findeſt thy heart ſtupid, ſenſleſs, without motion in duty, and this be thy conſtant frame: thence conclude thy ſelf a meer Formaliſt. Were I to deſcribe ſuch a one, I would in ſhort, call him, the Carkaſs of a Chriſtian, one that hath the outward lineaments, but wants the life and ſoul of a Chriſtian; that hath much of Religion in his head, and upon his tongue, but nothing of it in his heart: One that is moved and acted like a Puppet or Engine, not from an inward principle, but by an external poiſe or impulſe. 'Tis true indeed, the beſt of Chriſtians have their dead and cold fits; but theſe, as they are not conſtant, ſo they are their grief and burden, the matter of their complaint and humiliation. If therefore thou art conſtantly dead, and ſo far, as to be ſecure and ſenſleſs in, and of thy deadneſs, this may faſten the conviction of this ſin upon thy heart.
2. Obſerve thy non-proficiency under Means. This is another evidence. A painted Tree or man is always in the ſame ſtate, but the living grows; the living Chriſtian thrives, and gets ground of corruption: Where there is a principle of Life, there will be growth. How did Nicodemus grow in Chriſtian courage? John 3.1, 2. compared with John 7.50, 51. The ſmoaking Flax will become a flame, and the morning-glimpſe come on to a noon-day brightneſs. True, the Chriſtian is not alwayes ſenſible of his growth, nor a fit Judg of it. That of the Orator concerning growth in knowledg, may be fitly appli'd hither; As we ſee the ſhadow of a Dial to have gone, but ſee it not go; and the Herb or Graſs to have grown, but do not ſee it grow; ſo the encreaſe of knowledg, (and the ſame may be ſaid of Grace) becauſe it conſiſts of very ſmall additions, is ſeen only at ſome diſtance: Yet with theſe limitations, I may affirm, That every true Chriſtian is in a conſtant, thriving poſture.
1. That he grows downward (like Trees in Winter) when he ſeems to decay upward: he grows more humble, when he ſeems to be leſs holy; and this is real growth. God in wiſdom ſuſpends his influences as to the growth of other Graces, that there may be a proportionable growth in that. Chriſtians, like the Athenian Students, the more they grow in Grace, the more out of conceit with themſelves: As they at their firſt coming thither, arrogated the Name of foreign, Wiſe men; then foreign, Lovers of wiſdom: Afterwards foreign, Speakers of wiſdom. At laſt foreign, Ideots. So it is with Chriſtians.
2. That he grows more into hatred of ſin, when he ſeems to decay in ſtrength againſt it; when he feels corruption prevail, luſts predominant; he cryes out with the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.15. What I hate, that do I. And v. 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? He more loaths ſin and himſelf, that he cannot conquer it; he abhors the very thoughts of it, and grows more impatient of its yoke.
3. That he grows in depth of Judgment, when he declines in height of Affection: poſſibly when young, he had more leaves and bloſſoms, ſtronger affections, and more ſerverous motions; but now is more ſober and ſolid. At firſt he was ſick of love; now more rooted in love.
But now it is otherwiſe with the Formaliſt; he experiences no ſuch growth, but the contrary; he goes backward, and not forward, Jer. 7.24. grows more proud and ſelf-confident; ſin grows leſs burdenſome, or more delightful to him; as he hath leſs ſtrength, ſo he hath leſs heart then formerly to reſiſt ſin, or perform duty. Conſcience is in a conſumption, and he that would have ſtrain'd at a Gnat, can after ſome time ſwallow a Camel; he loſes his ſeeming love to, and ſavour of Religion. Obſerve then if it be thus with thee; for by theſe thou mayeſt diſcover thy Formality.
2. But it is not enough to get a convincing ſight of this ſin, i e. that thou art a Formaliſt, except thou haſt alſo an humbling ſenſe of it; there's a great diſtance betwixt the eye and heart; a man may clearly ſee that he is a ſinner, yet be little affected with it; the Drunkard, Swearer, &c. cannot but ſee their ſin, yet are far from feeling it: It muſt be therefore our endeavour, in order to the cure of this ſin, to get the heart affected, as well as the Judgment convinced: Sin muſt be our burden, elſe we ſhall never look out for eaſe: To this end therefore it muſt be thy endeavour to view this ſin in its aggravations; to conſider, and dwell upon the conſideration of its hainouſneſs, till thy heart be preſſed with the weight of it. To help thee a little in this, take a few things of many.
1. It is a ſin that turns the greateſt reality in the world into a meer ſhew and ſhadow: Religion is the greateſt reality; all we do in the World, beſides the work of Religion, is but a meer dream; Regeneration, Communion with God, the Spiritual combat, the Life of Faith, Mortification of ſin, &c. theſe are realities indeed: Now Formality turns all theſe into a naked, empty Profeſſion, a vain Theatrical ſhew; (as the Poetical Fiction of the Eccho, metamorphoſd from a real Virgin, to a meer Sound) as the Papiſts have turn'd the true Faſt, into a m…ck-faſt; Repentance and afflicting the ſoul, into laſhings of the Body, and Pilgrimages; the Sacrament of the Supper, into a dumb ſhew; and the whole Worſhip of God into a ceremonious Enterlude: So the Formaliſt turns Prayer, Hearing, Sacraments, &c. into ſhadows; and is this a ſmall ſin, think you? Dwell upon this conſideration; how ſoon would Religion vaniſh into nothing, if there were not a few ſerious ſpirits to uphold it in the power of it? This eats out the kernel, the heart, the life of Religion. It was no leſs ſerious, then witty a diviſion which one gave of that Text, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godlineſs—Here (ſaid he) you have, 1. The Body of Religion, viz. Form. 2. The Soul of Religion, viz. Power. 3. The death of Religion, and that is the ſeparation of the Soul from the Body, Power from Form. This is the effect of thy ſin, it murders Religion.
2. It is a mocking God to his very face; it's a lying to God, and will God endure it? What are your formal Petitions, Confeſſions, Thankſgivings, &c. but meer mockeries? Thou com'ſt to hear, but it is as they in Jer. 42.5, 6, 9. who when they received a Meſſage contrary to their deſigns, tell the Prophet to his face, that he lies; or as Iſa. 58.2. who were but as a people that did righteouſneſs, and forſook not the Ordinances of their God—Or as they are deſcribed in Ezek. 33.31, 32. The Prophet's Preaching was to them as a very lovely ſong of one that hath a pleaſant voice—They heard his words, but did them not: And what greater abuſe can be put upon God, then for men to come, and pretend a deſire to know his Will, yet to take no care of performing it? As to your prayers, I may invert that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 14. 14. Your underſtanding prayeth, but the ſpirit is unfruitful. Your approaches to the Lords Table, are no better than a Judas's kiſs; nor can God take any more pleaſure in your approaches, then he did in the like ſervice of the Jews, Iſa. 1.12-15. & 66.3 You do but complement with God, and that is no better then meer mockery: O think how wretched a thing it is, how highly diſpleaſing! your duties all of them, while you continue in Formality, are ſo many jeers and abuſes put upon God.
3. By this ſin you put a cheat and fallacy upon your own ſouls; you mock God, but deceive your ſelves. Gal. 6.3. If a man think himſelf to be ſomething when he is nothing, [foreign] he deceives himſelf, ſeduces his own ſoul. Jam. 1.22. Bare hearers do foreign, play the ſophiſters, put tricks and fallacies upon themſelves. So v. 26. He that bridleth not his tongue, (and ſuch ordinarily is the Formaliſt, bitter, railing, cenſorious) but deceiving his own heart, his Religion is vain: And what greater madneſs than for a man to cheat himſelf? Lay this home, and aggravate your condition by it: Wretch that I am! I think to deceive God and the world, but I ſhall find at laſt that I have deceived my own ſoul:Pſa. 125.5 Will not God both find me out in theſe crooked wayes, and turn me out with the workers of iniquity? He that perverteth his wayes, ſhall be known, Prov. 10.9. The ſelf-flatterers iniquity ſhall be found hateful, Pſal. 36.21. Can I carry it ſo cloſely, that God ſhall not find me out? Doth not his eye pierce, and his eye-lids try the children of men? Doth he not ſet our ſecret ſins in the light of his countenance? Is there not a wo to them that dig deep to hide their ſins (as well as their counſels) from the Lord?Iſa. 29.15, 16. Thus labour to make thy heart ſenſible of this ſin.
4. It is a ſin of evil influence upon others. Warm and lively Chriſtians are the great bleſſings of the places where they live; their zeal provokes many, 2 Cor. 9.2. But a dead and heartleſs profeſſion (eſpecially if of any eminency in the Church) puts a ſtop to others who are apt to come up to their meaſure, and there to reſt. The whole Army made a ſtand at Amaſa's dead body;2 Sam 20.12. ſo do many at one dead Chriſtian. How may a dead and formal Miniſter or Maſter of a Family, read his own in the Temper of his People or Family? As face anſwers face in a glaſs, ſo for the moſt part doth the complexion and temper of the Followers, anſwer that of their Leaders. Aggravate thy ſin by this conſideration upon thy own heart. Vile wretch that I am! how many do I hinder in heaven's way? how doth my formality give occaſion to ſome to think there is no reality in Religion; and to others to reſt in the ſame temper? Were I a better Leader, my People, Family, Neighbours would be better Followers: If they periſh in that ſin, how juſtly may their Blood be charged upon my head?
5. It is a ſin that inſenſibly hardens the heart; every ſin is of that nature, Heb. 3.13. But as none is (I think) more deceitful, ſo ſcarce any more hardning. One or two duties cuſtomarily and formally done, will be found mightily deadning and indiſpoſing the heart to other duties afterward: By Formality in prayer, you may in time pray away both your Graces and Gifts; ſo you may by cuſtomary hearing, hear your ſelves quite deaf to all Gods counſels.2 Tim. 1.6 This makes the heart of many like the trodden path, or neather Milſtone. Formality is a lazy ſin; it doth not foreign, blow up the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit, and ſo the Fire goes out. Habits of lazineſs are hardly ſhaken off, as we ſee in common Beggars; indulging a lazy temper, (which is the Formaliſts ſin) muſt needs encreaſe it. 'Tis the Formaliſts frame, that of the ſluggard, Prov. 6.10. and 26.14. Yet a little ſleep, Ver. 11.&c.—And what is ſaid of him, may well be applied hither, So ſhall thy poverty come as an armed man—By this lazy, formal temper, ſpiritual poverty invades and ſeizes upon the ſoul. Beſides, this ſin, as it hath a natural, ſo a judiciary tendency to hardneſs of heart; i. e. it provokes God to give up to obduration;Luk. 19.26. From him that hath not (ſo as to improve) ſhall be taken even that he hath, or ſeems to have. God will ſay to ſuch in his juſt Judgment, Sleep on, and take your reſt; and as that great Commander, finding his Sentinel aſleep, run him thorow, ſaying, Dead I found him, & dead I leave him. Thus God deals with the lazy, formal, ſluggiſh Chriſtian. Work this alſo on thy heart.
6. It is a ſin that broodeth, hatcheth, cheriſheth many other; Pride, Self-confidence, Contempt of others, are the natural products of it. Upon account of a conſtant courſe of formal duties, men are apt to encourage themſelves in ſin; ſee Jer. 7.8, 9, 10. 'Tis ſtoried of one (an Italian as I remember) who us'd to patter over his prayers in the morning, and then challenge the Devil to do his worſt. Let but a Formaliſt obſerve his own heart, and he ſhall find, That when he hath done ſomething more then ordinary in a way of duty, he is apt to draw encouragements thence of being more looſe afterward. Set this home: Oh what a Viper have I harbour'd in my boſome! How many ſins hath this one ſin let in, and drawn me into, &c?
7. It's a ſin that brings both the ſureſt and ſoareſt deſtruction. To ſuch is that cutting word of our Saviour directed, Matth. 23.33. Ye Serpents, ye generation of Vipers; how can you eſcape the damnation of Hell? Hypocrites are Leaders in the Black Roll, Matth. 24. laſt. And as diſſembled Sanctity is double iniquity, ſo ſhall it have a double portion of Miſery. Theſe things I have ſuggeſted to help you in aggravating this ſin upon your own ſouls; it were eaſie to add many more, but any one of theſe laid cloſe to the Conſcience, will through the bleſſing of God, make the Soul groan under the weight of this ſin.
This is the ſum of the firſt ſtep which a ſoul is to take in order to cure; Get a convincing ſight, and humbling ſenſe of thy ſin; and would but the Lord bring on the Work thus far; could I but ſee your hands on your loins, could I but find you (Ephraim-like) ſmiting upon your thigh, aſhamed, confounded; were you but throughly convinced of the guilt, and ſenſible of the weight of this ſin, how hopeful might I be of effecting the Cure?
Direct. 2 When it is thus (or rather, that it may be thus) with thee, make thy addreſſes to God in way of humble confeſſion, and fervent petition. But to hint ſomething briefly:
1. Fall down before the Lord in the ſhame and grief of thy own Soul, making ſelf-condemning Acknowledgments, and aggravated Confeſſions of this ſin. Thou that haſt been hitherto a proud Phariſee,Luk. 18.13 now become an humble Publican. Learn Davids poſture, Pſal. 51.3. This is a ſingular way to get thy own heart affected; for indeed, it's a principal end of confeſſion; we do not confeſs ſin to inform God, but to humble and ſhame our ſelves. In confeſſion thou mayeſt uſe the forementioned aggravations.
2. Add Petition to confeſſion; beg a more lively ſenſe of this ſin; for it is not all thy own aggravating this ſin upon thy ſoul, that will make thee feel it to purpoſe, till God take it, and ſet it upon thy Conſcience; 'tis the Spirit of God that muſt to purpoſe convince of ſin, John 16.8. the ſins which look but as Moats, will appear Beams in that Light which the Spirit of God darts into the Soul. Beg Contrition alſo, that acceptable Sacrifice of a broken heart, muſt be of Gods own preparing, the ſorrow which is foreign: according to God, 2 Cor. 7.10—muſt be from God, Zech. 12.10. Beg pardon with the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 51.1. Fitly may you uſe his Petition and Argument, Pſal. 25.11. Pardon my ſin—for it is great; Luk. 18.13and take up the Publicans Poſture and Petition, ſmite on your breaſt, and ſay, The Lord be merciful to me a ſinner. Beg ſtrength againſt this ſin; pray for Truth in the inward parts; pray as Pſal. 119.80. Make my heart ſound in thy ſtatutes, that I may never be confounded. Lord, I have the Lineaments, put into me the Life of a Chriſtian; make me what I ſeem, leſt at laſt I be found what I would not; and here, take heed you be not formal in confeſſing and praying againſt your formality; a hypocrite, that hath got the Art to confeſs his hypocriſie in hypocriſie, and ſeems to be diſpleaſed with himſelf for that ſin, when he is not ſo indeed, may well have [Lord have mercy] written upon his door.
Labour to get thoſe things which are the Direct. 3 very Life and Eſſence of a Chriſtian; thoſe things which are conſtituent of, and difference a Chriſtian from all others. Some of theſe things have been hinted already, in ſhewing what a Formaliſt wants; I ſhall touch upon them here, and add more. In general, Content not your ſelves to act as Chriſtians, or in doing what a Chriſtian doth; 'tis one thing to be and do as a Chriſtian, and another to be a Chriſtian. There are eſpecially five things which conſtitute, and are, as it were, ingredient into the very Eſſence of a Chriſtian.
1. A ſound conviction of, and deep humiliation for ſin. This (as you heard before) the Formaliſt wants; this is the ordinary Foundation of all that ſaving-work which the Spirit of God doth upon the Soul, John 16.8. This is the ordinary forerunner of true ſolid Comfort: Conviction and Contrition are the inlets and preparatives to Conſolation. Here begun the work upon thoſe three thouſand Converts, Acts 2.37. upon Paul, Rom. 7.9. And though its wrought in ſome inſenſibly, or with leſs noiſe and horror; yet it is wrought in all really, who are ſaved in Gods ordinary way, and who are truly wrought upon.
Labour then to feel ſin your heavieſt burden; and that not onelyonly ſome one or few ſins of your life,2 Chron. 32.26. but eſpecially your heart-pollutions; be humbled (with Hezekiah) for the pride of your heart, and ſo for other inward luſts; yea, let your humiliation reach to your very duties; be aſhamed at their deficiency and defilements; labour to ſee and be ſenſible, that all your righteouſneſs is as a filthy rag;Iſa. 64.6. and ceaſe not to follow the ſtreams; until you are come to the Spring-head, viz. the corruption of Nature; and here ſit down and weep, as the Jews by the Rivers of Babylon: Never think your conviction and humiliation right, till you arrive at this, viz. A clear ſight, and deep abiding ſenſe of the univerſal pollution of your nature, and the utter inability to any thing truly and ſpiritually good. Thus you muſt, as it were, begin the work again, raze all other, and lay this as a ſound foundation; he that hath this, hath the root of the matter in him.
2. Labour after a total abnegation of your own righteouſneſs, duties, priviledges, performances—This is eſſential to a Chriſtian; in that brief, but full deſcription of a ſincere Chriſtian, Phil. 3.3. this is one of the three Ingredients, To put no confidence in the fleſh. The firſt Leſſon in Chriſt's School, is Self-denial, Matt. 16.24. We muſt learn that counſel, Luke 17.10. to acknowledg our ſelves unprofitable ſervants; 'tis one of he hardeſt Tasks, but exceeding neceſſary. True Grace, and Chriſtian Religion, is, [perpetua naturae violentia] a doing violence to our ſelves, thwarting our paſſions, depluming our ſelves of all thoſe. Feathers wherewith we are wont to ſtrut, and in which we have prided our ſelves. We muſt learn to acknowledg with the Prophet,Iſa. 64.6. That all our righteouſneſs is but as a filthy rag; that our beſt Duties, or ſeem ng Graces, are in themſelves but a beautiful Abomination; and to truſt in them, is but to go a cleaner way to Hell. And what ſhould hinder from this ſelf-denial? What is thy righteouſneſs more (nay, is it not in many reſpects leſs) then that of the Scribes and Phariſees? Read Luke 18.10, 11—and compare; yet ver. 14. the ſelf-abaſing Publican went away more juſtified than the Phariſee; that is, the Phariſee was not at all juſtified; for there is not magis & minus in Juſtification Away then with all thy proud ſelf-reflections; think but how ſtrict a diſquiſition ſhall be made at the day of Judgment, and how piercing the eyes of the Judg will be; and then conſider whether thou ſhalt be able to ſtand before him in thy own rags; and if thou wilt not be able then to ſtand, why ſhouldſt thou now glory in them? Oh! ſurely God can ſee beams in thoſe duties, where thou canſt not diſcern moats; and will diſcover blemiſhes, where thou conceiteſt there is the greateſt beauty.
3. Endeavour a cordial cloſe with Chriſt upon Goſpel-tearms. Here lies the main to which the two former are preparatory. This was Paul's great deſire,Phil. 3.9. To be found in Chriſt—Get therefore that precious Grace of Faith, which is the hand wherewith thou muſt accept Chriſt; whatever thou haſt, if this be wanting, thou ſhalt certainly periſh; John 3.18, 36. The grand Enquiry at the great Day will be, Whether you believed or no; though it's true, your work will be look't into, but thoſe as the proofs and evidences of the ſincerity of your Faith: There will be no ſtanding before the Judg, except himſelf be thy Advocate; and this he will not be, but upon thy cordial acceptance of him now. On make out for Chriſt; cry out, Give me Chriſt, or I dye. And that you may get Chriſt, you muſt not (as Peter) gird your Coat (your own righteouſneſs) to you; but as Bartimeus, caſt it from you. Neither think that a blind, bold, adventurous ruſhing upon Chriſt, a meer adherence to him, or a confident perſwaſion of his good-will towards you in particular, is the all, or main of this Faith and Acceptance I am preſſing; (this miſtake will, I fear, be the ruine of Thouſands,) There muſt be an abſolute reſignment of thy ſelf to Chriſt, as well as reliance on him: 'Tis a foreign, a groſs and grievous miſtake, to think that the ſtrength of Faith lyes in the ſtrength of a man's Fancy or Imagination, or of his perſwaſion that Chriſt dyed for him in particular: True Faith gives as well as takes; when you ſend for a Phyſician, and he undertakes and promiſes your cure, 'tis ſuppoſed you accept of him, and reſolve to follow his Preſcriptions, elſe you may miſcarry: To accept Chriſt as your Saviour & Soul-Phyſician, neceſſarily includes your giving up your ſelves to follow his Preſcriptions, elſe you but diſſemble with him. This I hint to prevent miſtakes about the nature of true Faith, (which are too ordinary.) Well, if thou who art yet a Formaliſt, wouldſt be a Chriſtian indeed, get out of all, and accept Chriſt as tendred in the Goſpel.
4. See that thou have a thorow change of heart, Eph 4.23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind. 1 Theſ. 5.23. Sanctified throughout, 'Tis not building on the old Foundation, repairing and decking up the old man, will ſerve turn? 'Tis not putting a new piece upon the old Garment; all is depraved in Adam; All muſt be renew'd in Chriſt; it's no leſs then a new Creation, that makes a Chriſtian. That which is born of the fleſh,2 Cor. 5. 17 (even the beſt of it, is no better than fleſh, Joh. 3.3, 6. The beſt of a carnal man, is carnal; no man is born a Chriſtian. There muſt be a putting off the old man, and putting on the new man, Eph. 4.22, 24. Col. 3.9, 10.Pſal. 4 5.10 Bialt. a forgetting and forſaking thy own People and Fathers houſe; that is, as one well gloſſes, Quic quid corruptionis ex utero afferimus aut quaecun que ex placâ inſtitutione nobis adhaerent: Whatever corruption we derived from the Womb, or contracted by Education, &c. Well, ſee that not only the branches of corruption be lopt off, but the root digg'd up; let ſin be not only left, but loath'd; let duty be not only done, but delighted. See that the change be not only in the face of your converſations, but in the frame of your hearts, and bent of your affections; and ſee that it be the whole inward man, not underſtanding only illightned, or affections enlarg'd; but each faculty having its proper work of Sanctification wrought upon it, and above all, the Will brought to a chearful ſubmiſſion to, and compliance with the Will & Commands of God, even in thoſe things that are moſt oppoſite to your natural inclinations. This is a fourth Eſſential in a Chriſtian.
5. Endeavour livelineſs, vigour and ſincerity in every duty; content not thy ſelf, till thou haſt got thy heart engag'd in duty. I bid thee not lay aſide duty; (nay, rather be more frequent) but withall, more fervent and ſerious in it. Hear and practiſe; pray in the ſpirit; turn thy dead and heartleſs confeſſions, into heart-breaking acknowledgments; thy formal petitions, into earneſt groans and breathings of ſoul, &c. and withall, ſee that thy end in all be right, viz. Gods glory, and thy ſouls advantage. Rectitude of ends, is a great piece of ſincerity: Oh, this is very eſſential to a Chriſtian, not onelyonly to do duty, but to be lively, vigorous and right-ended in it; not onelyonly to do it, but to do ſomthing by it, and receive ſomething through it; and that it may be thus, make Conſcience of ſeriouſneſs and livelineſs in the ſmalleſt duties, in thy daily Family-duties, yea, in thy very begging a bleſſing upon the creature. Formality creeps in at our ordinary and leſſer duties, and by degrees mixes it ſelf with our greater; out it (as much as poſſible) of your common and ordinary, and there is leſs danger it ſhould ſpoil your extraordinary duties.
And thus I have in theſe five particulars, included (I think) m…ſt of that which is eſſential to a Chriſtian. Oh that the Lord would perſwade your hearts to endeavour after them, and that they may be found in every ſoul of you! Theſe are they that do ſpecifie and conſtitute a Chriſtian indeed, and that do diſtinguiſh him from, and ſet him above all others in the world; get theſe, and you are more then Formaliſts; but get them all; the third cannot be without the firſt and ſecond; nor can the fourth and fifth, really be without the third; but where all theſe are found in conjunction, that ſoul may undoubtedly conclude its real Chriſtianity.
As a ſingular help to rowſe thee out of Direct. 4 Formality, repreſent to thy thoughts & meditations, the nature of God, eſpecially in thoſe awakening Attributes, his Spirituality, his Omniſcience, Omnipreſence, &c. together with the dreadfulneſs of the day of judgment. Formality is the ſouls ſluggiſhneſs, and therefore it needs thoſe helps that are moſt awakning. And oh how would the lively repreſentation of theſe things, ſtartle you out of this drowſie temper! Is not God a Spirit? and Spirits are active; and how ill do they that are themſelves active & vigorous, brook the lazines of others? Again, Is not Gods eye upon me? Is he not preſent in a ſpecial manner to thoſe that are in his ſervice? and muſt not ſuch a cold and careleſs temper be highly diſpleaſing to him? Again, How ſhall I be able to ſtand before the Tribunal? Will not my Formality be then diſcovered? will not the careleſs performance, as well as total neglect of duty, be enquir'd into, and ſeverely puniſhed at that day? Such workings as theſe will be upon the heart that lies under the lively ſenſe of thoſe things; and they muſt needs put life into thy duties, and put thee out of thy dull and ſluggiſh temper.
Direct. 5 Get a holy jealouſie and ſuſpition of thy own heart; watch it as thou wouldſt watch a lazy or unfaithful ſervant: Our hearts will do no longer then they are watcht, and tasked, and followed; we muſt be winding them higher continually; if we let them ſlacken never ſo little, drowſineſs ſteals upon them; it muſt be a jealous eye, and ſtrict hand over them, that muſt keep them waking. Deal therefore with your hearts, as David, Pſal. 103.1, 2. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me—He calls upon his ſoul, thus muſt we,Prov. 6.9, 10. be often jogging them; ſay not, A little more ſleep, a little more ſlumber—but rather, Why ſleepeſt thou, O ſluggard? When wilt thou ariſe out of thy ſleep? Yea, when they ſeem to be moſt wakeful and active, there is need to watch them, eſpecially after a duty done with more than ordinary fervor; intenſneſs of action, cauſeth wearineſs, and wearineſs inclines to ſleep and ſluggiſhneſs.
Earneſtly beg the continuance of lively Direct. 6 & quickning Ordinances, and beg life and quickning into thoſe Ordinances. 1. Beg lively and quickning Ordinances. They are the means which God hath appointed to beget and keep life in the ſoul; the word is, The immortal ſeed whereby ſouls are begotten to God, 1 Pet. 1.23. But if this and other Ordinances loſe their livelineſs, by a dead, hearteſs, formal management; they will inſtead of rouſing us out, lull us aſleep in our formality. Cor non faciunt quae non habent: How can thoſe Ordinances make hearty Chriſtians, which have no heart in them? Ordinances that are not good,Ezek. 20.25. and ſtatutes whereby a ſoul cannot live, are amongſt the ſaddeſt of judgments: Dead forms are like the ſtone at the foot of the Bird, which hinders it from the firſt uſe of its wing: Alſo how prone is the laſt age of the world to fall into this drowſie temper? We have need of the moſt lively Ordinances, and all too little to keep us waking: Dull, heartleſs Preaching, Prayers, or other Ordinances will charm the Soul into a dead ſleep, and will be as a ſoft Pillow under the elbow of drowſie ſinners; and this (I am perſwaded) is the great reaſon why the multitude dote on their old forms; becauſe they will break no bones, they will not come near the quick: Men love to be rock'd & huſh'd aſleep in their Formality: Oh, but if ever you would get from under this corruption, it muſt be by quickning Ordinances: Oh let us beg of God, that his Worſhip may be diſpenſed in that way that is moſt advantagious to the putting ſouls into, and keeping them in a waking poſture.
2. Beg life and quickning into Ordinances; the beſt Ordinances have no power in them, if they be not quickned by the Spirit. They are but like the Prophet's ſtaff, 2 King. 4.31. We ſhall never ſtand upon our feet, though the Word bid us ſtand, if the Spirit do not enter into us, and ſet us upon our feet, Ezek 2.1, 2. The weapons of our warfare are mighty, but it muſt be through God, 2 Cor. 10.4. If we muſt have heartleſs Ordinances, earneſt Prayer will either procure better, or a bleſſing upon what we have.
Direct. 7 Get into, and frequent the ſociety of warm and hearty Chriſtians: they are like ſticks on fire, which wil kindle others that are put to them, 2 Cor. 9.2. Your zeal hath provoked many: If there be any ſpark under the aſhes, they will help to blow it up: If thou haſt not the opportunity of converſing with living Chriſtians, yet converſe in the Scriptures, and other Records, wh…re the lives of ſuch are Recorded for thy Im…tation, they will ſhame thee out of thy Formality: they will mightily quicken thee, if there be any thing of true piety in thy heart: their zeal, forwardneſs, diligence in duty, their care and conſcientiouſneſs will put thee on in heavens way; Example is often more prevailing then Precepts Therefore the Holy Ghoſt enjoins ſubjection, chaſtity, meekneſs, and other Chriſtian vertues, to the Wife, that if the unbelieving H sband obey not the Word, he may be won by the W…ves converſation.
Think often in what manner you hope to ſerve Direct. 8 God in glory; and how the Angels and glorified Saints do now ſerve him: are they now, or will you then be ſo cold, careleſs and heartleſs as you now a e? Pſal. 103.20 The Angels excel in ſtrength, doing his Commandments; and the glorified Saints, (Rev. 4.8 …5.8, 9, 13.) Reſt not day and night, ſaying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty— Doſt thou hope to be of that bleſſed ſociety, and yet act ſo unlike them now? Should we not labour to be, and act, as we hope one day to be and act? It ill be ſeems him who hopes one day to j in in conſort with that heavenly quire, to be ſo unskilful and heartleſs in the ſervice of God, Phil. 3.11. It was Pauls endeavour and ambition, it by any means, to attain to the reſurrection of the dead, i.e. to that meaſure and perfection which he hoped then to arrive at. True, we are clogg'd with fleſh and corruption; 'tis impoſſible that our ſervices ſhould be ſo pure and undefiled; but we ſhould be aſpiring towards it; we ſhould do violence to the fleſh, that we may ſerve God in the Spirit: How unſuitable are cold, worthleſs and lifeleſs ſervices to the eternal Reward? Let your hopes of Glory, and your expectations to be of that bleſſed ſociety, quicken and wind up you hearts to a high pitch of zeal and fervency; ſo it did the believing Jews, Act. 26.7. To the which promiſe our 12 Tribes inſtantly ſerving God day and night, hope to come.Heb. 6.11, 12. Let us ſhew the ſame diligence to the full aſſurance of hope, unto the end: Let us not be ſloathful, but followers of them, who through Faith and Patience inherit the promiſes. Thus I have propoſed ſome Remedies, which (if the Lord bleſs unto you) may be effectual, both to bring on thoſe who are meer Formaliſts, to become ſincere Chriſtians, and to quicken thoſe that are Chriſtians indeed, to more vigour and livelineſs in the practice of all Chriſtian Duties. It were eaſie to have added many more; but I ſhall intreat you to think of theſe, and work them upon your hearts, and you ſhall, by the bleſſing of God, find them helpful to the end for which they were propounded. And now, Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his Grace,—Act. 20 32.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Oldfield, The First Last (1666)