Sober Singularity, Section 9
SECT. IX.
3. TO provoke and ſtir you up, to be watchful over your ſelves, that you do not follow the multitudes example: I ſhall only put you in mind of three moving conſiderations.
Mot. 1. If you be led by the example of the generality, and walk in their ſteps: It will be a ſure evidence that you are ſtill the children of the Devil, and under his government. For this is one of the properties of ſuch as are dead in ſins, and treſpaſſes, and are acted by the prince of the power of the aire, being children of diſobedience: That they walk according to the courſe of the world, Eph. 2.1, 2.
Mot. 2. If you live no otherwiſe than the multitude live, you will fall ſhort of many that fall ſhort of heaven. Sundry hypocrites have out-gone you. This the unjuſtified Phariſee could boaſt of, that he was not as other men, Luke 18.11. And if your righteouſneſs be leſs than that of the Scribes and Phariſees, who are excluded from the kingdom of Heaven; how will you be able to eſcape the damnation of Hell!
Mot. 3. This argument from the multitude is commonly of no validity in reſpect of outward evils; and why ſhould it prevail as to ſpiritual evils, which are the ſoreſt, and whereby all outward judgments are pulled down upon our heads. The covetous worldling will not caſt away his riches, though all his neighbours are poor and indigent: But he labours to outſtrip them in worldly goods. Take a man that hath his health, when all about him are ſick, impotent or diſeaſed; and he will not deſtroy his health, becauſe he would be like unto others. Why then ſhould you murder your ſouls, becauſe others walk in the path of deſtruction? ſhould we not be more ſtiffe and reſolute in laying up treaſures in heaven, than earth-wormes are to get honour and profits in the earth? They ſeek after but a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible, 1 Cor. 9.25.
4. Let me ſubjoyn a few things by way of Retortion, and ſo ſhut up this diſcourſe. Q1. What uſe ought we to make of the practiſe of the multitude in doing evil; ſeeing we muſt not follow them, nor conform to their example?
Anſw. There is a fourfold ſpecial uſe, to be made of their example; when a multitude combine in a courſe of ſin.
1. Obſerve from hence the ſpecial providence of God, in the preſervation and ſafeguard of his Church and people. Though they are but foreign a little, diminitive flock, an handful, in compariſon of the great numbers of thoſe that ſerve the Devil, and adhere to his intereſt: And though the wicked hate the righteous, with a perfect hatred; and ſeek to root them out from being a people, that the name of Iſrael may be no more in remembrance: Yet they are ſtill kept from deſolation and ruine. Hic eſt digitus Dei. Certainly this is the finger of God. If you ſhould ſee a poor man wage law againſt an hundred, that are rich, and mighty; and be able to make his part good againſt them, ſpending peny for peny, and pound for pound; you would preſently conclude, this poor man hath ſome others to back him; all his expences come not out of his own ſtock, elſe he were no way able to ſtand it out againſt them. Why Sirs, thus it is in reference to Gods peculiar people and children: They are but a ſmall number of poor deſpiſed ones, and yet they are inabled to hold out, notwithſtanding the multitude of the wicked that plot their downfall. Surely there is a mighty one to back them, even the Lord of hoſts: For the wicked walk on every ſide, and the vileſt men are exalted. Well may the Saints of God ſpeak in the language of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 124.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. If it had not been Jehovah who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael ſay; If it had not been Jehovah who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us: Then they had ſwallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled againſt us. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the ſtream had gone over our ſoul. Then the proud waters had gone over our ſoul, Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath not given us a prey to their teeth.
2. Learn from the wickedneſs of the multitude, what pravity and corruption is reſident in your own hearts. Lay your hands upon your breaſts, and ſay, this wickedneſs which they perpetrate, and this vanity which they follow, is radically and ſeminally in my ſoul: and if God had left me to my ſelf, I ſhould have been a partner with them in the ſame abominations. For my brethren, the vile actions of others, are evidences of the vileneſs of our hearts. There is not that horrid wickedneſs, committed in the life of any man, but it is ſeminally in the ſoul of every man. As in water face anſwereth unto face, ſo doth the heart of man to man, Prov. 27.19. How then cometh it to paſs, that we are not actually guilty of the like abominations? Why, becauſe the Lord hath reſtrained and kept you back. Deut. 18.14. For theſe nations which thou ſhalt poſſeſſe, hearkned unto obſervers of times, and diviners: But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not ſuffered thee ſo to do, q.d. If God had permitted, and left you to the natural inclination and bent of your own ſpirits, you would have been conjurers and witches and charmers and fortune-tellers: You would have conſulted with them, and have been in every reſpect, as notorious and execrable wretches, as any others in the world.
3. Endeavour from the conſideration of the ſinfulneſs of the multitude, to keep an holy jealouſy and ſuſpition over your ſouls, leaſt you ſhould miſcarry in the way to heaven. Let him that thinketh he ſtandeth take heed, leſt he fall, 1 Cor. 10.12. If the multitude go down the broad way to Hell, and periſh through their unbelief. Let us therefore fear, leſt a promiſe being left us, of entring into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it, Heb. 3.19. compared with Heb. 4.1.
4. Laſtly, if God hath given you good hopes through grace, that you are converted, and taken near to himſelf by the bloud of the everlaſting covenant; take advantage from the perverſneſs and corruption of the multitude, to adore the unſearchable riches of the grace of God, and to magnifie the abundance of his loving-kindneſſes. Say as David, 2 Sam. 7.18. O Lord, who am I, and what have I deſerved? that thou ſhouldeſt take me from amongſt the multitude of the ungodly, and bring me hitherto, into a ſtate of fellowſhip and communion with thy ſelf? For, as it is, Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord did not ſet his love upon you nor chuſe you, becauſe you were more in number than any people, for ye were the feweſt of all people: But becauſe the Lord loved you therefore he hath ſelected you, and taken you, into covenant with himſelf: Let his name be exalted, and the high praiſes of this God be in your hearts, and lips, and lives for ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · Rowland Stedman, Sober Singularity (1660)