Advice to a Friend, Imprimatur
IMPRIMATUR
Sam. Parker, R. Rmo in Chriſto Patri ac Domino Dno Gilberto Divinâ Providentiâ Archi. Ep. Cant. à Sacris Domeſticis. Maii 14. 1673. Ex Aed. Lambeth.
ADVICE TO A FRIEND.
My Friend,
MAN bears ſome reſemblance, and may not unfitly be compared, to a Diamond or ſuch like precious ſtone; whoſe darker parts confeſs that it is of the earth, but the brighter look as if it had borrowed ſome rayes from the Sun or Stars. He is a ſubſtance (I mean) conſiſting of a terreſtrial Body, and celeſtial Spirit: with his Feet he touches the earth, but with his Head he touches Heaven. Though the neighbourhood knows whence his Body came, and remembers the time perhaps when it lay in the dark Cell of his mothers womb; yet his Soul doth abſolutely deny that it is of ſo mean extraction: And, caſting its eyes upward, calls to mind its high deſcent and parentage; and takes it to be no preſumption to affirm that, we are the off-ſpring of God.
He cannot therefore but find in himſelf propenſions and deſires, not only different from, but contrariant to each other. For ſince two worlds meet in him, and he is placed in the confines of heaven and earth, his will muſt needs hang between two widely diſtant goods: the one propounding pleaſures to his body, and the other to his mind. And though once there was a time when theſe two preſerved ſuch a friendſhip and gave ſuch due ſatisfaction to one anothers juſt intereſts and inclinations, that they did not break out into an open war; yet this peace laſted not ſo long, as to let us feel the bleſſings and happineſs thereof. But that part whoſe kindred and acquaintance was in this world, apprehended the firſt occaſion, that offered it ſelf, to quarrel with the other, whoſe native countrey was not ſo viſible through walls of fleſh; and denying to conſent unto it, plainly rebelled and entred into a ſtate of hoſtility againſt it. This it might do with the more eaſe, becauſe two parts of thoſe three into which the Soul is ordinarily divided, ſtand very much affected to the Body, and its concernments. The Deſiring part, that is always ready to run to any thing and embrace it,foreign which hath the appearance of a bodily good: the Angry part, that is no leſs forward to ſhun, and to make defence againſt, whatſoever ſeems to be a bodily evil: to the Rational is committed the direction and government of theſe; which that it may manage aright, it is to maintain a conſtant converſation with an higher good, to which all the lower deſires and paſſions ought to be ſubordinate and ſubject.
Theſe are handſomely compared by a noble Greek Philoſopher to the Three Ranks or Orders of men, that are in a City:foreign, Proclus L. 1. in Timaeum. The Servants, the Souldiers, and the Magiſtrates. The firſt of which are to do all the work, and make ſuch proviſions as are neceſſary for its ſupport: The ſecond ſerve for a guard to protect and defend it from all dangerous aſſaults: And the third ſits in Counſel, pronounces Judgment, iſſues out Orders, makes Rules, and gives direction how both ſhall be employed. But ſo it falls out, that as the Slaves and the Souldiers ſometimes prove mutinous and unruly, and combining their forces together make themſelves maſters of the Conſervators of the true peace and liberty: ſo have the violent deſires that are in us of enjoying a ſenſual good, and of avoiding all outward evils, and inconveniencies, grown to ſuch a headſtrong and unbridled humor; that they have overtopt reaſon, and refuſe to hearken to the authority and to obey the dictates of our underſtanding.
Many wayes have been tryed both by God and Man to reduce them to a good agreement again: But though all fair ſatisfaction hath been offered, and is allowed, to the lower part, it would not yield to a ſurrender of that power and ſoveraignty, which it hath uſurped. As a company of Factious people that ſtrive for ſuperiority over their Governours, when they have compaſſed their deſigns and poſſeſſed themſelves of the throne, are with more difficulty ſuppreſſed, than they were before kept in ſubjection: So it is with the multitude of mens furious luſts and paſſions, now that they have dethroned reaſon, advanced themſelves into the ſeat of Government. Having taſted very ſtrongly of a ſenſual good, and felt the ſweetneſs (as they take it) of being abſolute; they are loth to be denyed the licenſe which they have ſo long enjoyed, and will by no means grant any obedience to be due to an higher power.
God was pleaſed therefore to manifeſt himſelf in our fleſh, to countenance the claim and aſſert the title of our Mind and Underſtanding; and by ſhewing its undoubted right of Government, to take up this controverſie, and put an end to theſe ſad conteſts, which have hapned to the ruin of mankind. In the Lord Jeſus there appeared ſuch an abſolute and conſtant dominion of the Spirit, as in the firſt Adam, after his fall, there did of the Fleſh. And he came not only to give us a glorious Example, to overawe all unruly motions in us by his divine Authority, and to inſpire our feeble Spirits with ſome courage, by his great and precious promiſe of eternal life: but to comfort us (by his Death, Reſurrection, and Exaltation at the right hand of the Majeſty on high) with the hopes of a mighty power from above to aid and aſſiſt us in our Chriſtian conflict with all unreaſonable deſires. This he actually ſends into our ſouls, to give them ſufficient force and ability, for the doing of their duty, redeeming themſelves from this ſlavery, and recovering their ancient rights and liberty.
And in all thoſe who attend unto his holy Counſels, and receive his Divine grace, and are renewed and led by his good Spirit, there appear many happy tokens of the Souls victory; and they are daily winning new conqueſts over the fleſh with all the affections and luſts thereof. The heavenly good ſeems ſo great in their eyes that they cannot (upon any terms) think of ſubmitting their ſouls any longer, to attend wholly or chiefly upon the pleaſures and ſatisfactions of the lower man. The mind is furniſhed with ſuch right opinons, the Will is become ſo tractable, and compliant with their reſolutions, the Affections grow ſo ſubject and obedient to the orders and commands of both; in ſhort, God and his will is ſo ſeriouſly loved, and their Spirit ſtrives ſo earneſtly after the ardors and fervent Devotion of love; that the ancient Government is again reſtored, its loſt authority, rights and royalties are manifeſtly recovered, and they live in good hope to be more than conquerors, over all temptations from the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; aſpiring to an humble rejoycing, glorying and triumph over all theſe enemies.
But notwithſtanding all this, theſe men remain ſtill both fleſh and ſpirit. The Body is not deſtroyed, the goods wherein it delights have not altered their nature, its habitation is not removed from their neighbourhood; and it retains the ſame inclination to them, and they are often remembring it of its forepaſt fruitions, and, which is worſt of all, the Soul cannot preſently recover its perfect health and ſoundneſs; but feels the maimes and the bruiſes that it got, when it was formerly beaten down and oppreſſed by them. Hence it comes to paſs that, for ſome time at leaſt, there are many motions made for a revolt; and every thing in the world is tampering with the heart, to corrupt and bring it over again to their party; and the mind it ſelf, in ſome fits, almoſt wearied with their importunity, may be ready to lend half an ear to theſe ſolicitations. There is not ſuch a perfect peace eſtabliſhed, but there will be ſome endeavours of the fleſhly part to reſume its power, and get into its hand its pretended liberty. Yea, by the violence of many outward accidents, the mind may ſometimes fall into a dream, and be tempted to muſe whether there be ſufficient reaſon to prefer thoſe future and unſeen goods, before preſent enjoyments: The Will may begin to bend it ſelf to ſome civil carriage and fair complyance with the fleſh: the Affections, being much wooed and complimented, may feel themſelves in danger to be inveigled; or the heat, at leaſt, and livelineſs of Devotion may, in ſuch a condition, be much abated and impaired.
And indeed it is not to be expected that the Body ſhould go along as nimbly as the Spirit would have it, towards a good with which it is not acquainted. All that the Mind can do, is to take a very great care, that it move it ſelf with as ſlow a pace towards that good to which the other is moſt inclined. That we love theſe outward things cannot be blamed: but it will require much diligence to keep our hearts from doting on that, for which we naturally have no ſmall affection. That we hold ſome acquaintance with them, can by no means be avoided: but that we grow not too familiar with them ought to be our prudent care, and cannot without ſome difficulty be prevented. There will ſome kindneſſes paſs between us, and we cannot deny the Body theſe ſenſible pleaſures: but that our Souls ſhould thereby ſuffer themſelves to be undermined and their intereſt betrayed, there is no ſmall danger. For while the Good of the body is near at hand and the Good of the ſoul is at ſome diſtance, while that which is near ſeems great and that which is remote ſeems ſmall, while the one is preſent and the other future, while things preſent call upon us and we muſt earneſtly call for things future, while the one is alwayes before us and the other comes but at certain ſeaſons, while the one is of old and the other but of a late acquaintance (we having been bred up with the one and being but brought to the other, the one coming firſt and the other thereby prejudiced) as long, I ſay, as there are theſe plain advantages on the one ſide, if we uſe not attentive diligence to give the ſoul juſt and true information, they will prevail with it inconſiderately to ſlight the far greater advantages on the other. Juſt as you ſee ſometimes a wild-headed and unthrifty Heir, though there be no compariſon between his future inheritance and a ſmall ſum of preſent money, yet, for the pleaſing of a violent paſſion, ſells the reverſion of an eſtate, which, after ſome years, would make him very rich and happy: So do ſouls that are not ſerious and deliberate, heedleſly reſign, for mere trifles, their apparant title to ſuch things as are of moſt importance to their true and laſting felicity. Though the poſſeſſions of the other world be as far beyond all our enjoyments here, as this world is above nothing; yet becauſe theſe things here are preſent, and becauſe they are ever ſoliciting and offering themſelves to us, and becauſe they entertain our deſires with pleaſure, and becauſe they put us to little pains to give our ſelves the fruition of them, they are wont to prevail with ſleepy and careleſs minds to purchaſe them, though they part with all their intereſt in the other world, as the price of the bargain.
From hence there grows a neceſſity of that precept of vigilance and watchfulneſs, which our Lord Chriſt hath given his Souldiers; leſt through ſubtle inſinuations, or frequent and violent aſſaults, this old enemy get up again, and eſtabliſh it ſelf in a new and more grievous tyranny. Auguſtus deſervedly reproved the folly of Alexander, who, as the ſtory goes, was troubled in his mind for want of imployment after the conqueſt (as he imagined) of the whole world; for he ſhould have conſidered (ſaid that great Emperour) that there is no leſs pains and wiſdom requiſite to keep a poſſeſſion, than there is to win it. We muſt not think that we have ended our warfare, when we have reduced the fleſh to ſome terms of obedience and peace; but the ſtrongeſt ſoul will find it neceſſary to keep a conſtant guard: or elſe that enemy, whoſe weakneſs conſiſts in our watchfulneſs, will ſucceed in its indeavours to get all into its hands once more, and ſettle it ſelf in that throne from whence it was ſo happily depos'd. Whenſoever we grow remiſs, the experience of all the world tells us, our ſouls loſe as much in a week as they have been acquiring by a whole years labour. To fall down is very eaſie and we tumble apace: but we cannot climb the hill without difficulty, and by little ſteps and ſlow motions we advance towards the upper world and the celeſtial bleſſedneſs; which will coſt us much patience and unwearied induſtry before we approach it.
But what will keep the Mind, may you demand, from this remiſneſs? what remedies can you preſcribe to preſerve a feeble ſpirit, from being ſtupified and lull'd aſleep ſometimes with theſe gaudy Poppies, theſe fair and ſoft enjoyments which appear every where, and continually ſurround us? who is able to keep a perpetual watch and never take a nap? In ſuch a long work who can chuſe but be ſometimes weary? When I conſider my own infirmity and the enemies ſtrength, my natural love to theſe worldly things and their reſtleſs importunity, the length of my journey, and my aptneſs to be tired, and eſpecially when I ſee ſo many ſeeming Champions that have been overcome, ſo many that did run well who have grown ſlack or retired, I am afraid may your heart ſay, that I ſhall never hold out to the end, and maintain the ground ſtedfaſtly on which I ſtand.
And indeed it muſt be confeſſed, that the ſpirit is not alwayes alike able to make a valiant reſiſtance and couragious oppoſition. But what through the defect and diſorder of the bodily inſtruments which it uſes, and what through ſtrange occaſions and unuſual accidents that it meets withal to ſurpriſe it, and what through the ſtrength of ſome one object either of joy or grief or ſuch like, that ſeiſes mightily upon the imagination, and what through its own timorouſneſs which makes the enemy grow confident, and what through the want now and then of thoſe delectable motions of Gods good Spirit, and thoſe heavenly conſolations wherewith it hath been tranſported; it may fall into ſome liſtleſneſs and dulneſs, and grow ſo faint, that it hath but little heart to maintain its Chriſtian warfare.
But yet for all this you ought not to deſpond nor be quite diſcouraged at the thoughts that you may poſſibly one day find your ſelf in theſe unhappy circumſtances. You are not left without a Remedy, either for the preventing of the fall of your ſoul into this condition; or for the delivery and raiſing of it up, ſhould it chance to ſlide into it; or for its ſafety and preſervation, that it may receive no harm whilſt it lies therein, and can for the preſent meet with no means to rid it ſelf of ſo great a burthen. This little Book comes to bring you ſome relief, and lend you ſome ſupport and aid in ſuch a caſe. It hath no other buſineſs, but to give your ſoul the beſt aſſiſtance that mine can afford it for its ſecurity: that whatſoever aſſault may be made upon you, whatſoever weakneſſes you may feel in your ſelf, and whatſoever advantage the enemy may make of them, the fleſh notwithſtanding may never be able to draw you back again underits power; but your Spirit may ſtand faſt in its pious reſolution, and come off with victory and triumph at the laſt.
And let the Divine Spirit of Wiſdom and Grace, I humbly beſeech the Father Almighty, ſo guide my Pen, that your Soul may receive no leſs benefit by the reading of theſe Papers, than mine doth contentment in the writing of them, and that the Good they do you may be proportionable to the Love from whence they come. Amen.