The Pastors Charge and the Peoples Duty, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The Peoples Duty.
BEar with me while I ſpeak a few words to thoſe whom I mean by the Sheep; the more adult, and aged ſort of profeſſors: Which I ſhall comprize as briefly as I can, in theſe ſix Particulars.
1. Doth Chriſt own you for his Sheeps Should not you then own him for your Shepherd? And if ſo, ſhould you not know his voice, and be able to diſcern it from the voice of a ſtranger? Sirs, your Shepherd is but one, tho your inferior Paſtors and Teachers be many, and his voice in them all is one and the ſame: If they ſpeak not with his Voice, they are not of his ſending. There are many Thieves and Robbers in the world, that come in Sheeps clothing, and wear a rough garment to deceive; and many there are that are deceived by them: 'T was ſo from the beginning, ever ſince Satan hath transform'd himſelf into an Angel of Light; and ſo it will ever be, 'till he be bound, and caſt into the bottomleſs pit. But thoſe that are his, know his voice, and a Stranger will they not follow. This is one of the Propria quarto modo of his Sheep; they have an Ʋnction from the holy one, and know all things; that is, all things that are abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation. Not that they are infallible, as to the Circumſtantials, and leſſer matters of Religion; herein they may be, and too often are deceived. Hence are thoſe diverſities of opinion that are among them, and thoſe ſcandalous unbrotherly diſſentions, that are the effects of them: But this diverſity is not in the Shepherd's Voice, but in their apprehenſions, and the meaſures of their capacities, and attainments: But the more perfectly the Shepherd's Voice is known, the leſs there will be of this diverſity of apprehenſion and ſtrife about it. And yet this variety of opinion in the Circumſtantials, would hardly deſerve to be accounted a blemiſh in the myſtical body, were it not for that ſelfiſhneſs, that is commonly the root, and that uncharitableneſs, that is the fruit of it. But beſides this, it is ſhameful and ſad to conſider, how many there be, that have been all their lives, even to old age flock'd and folded among the Sheep of Chriſt, under the ſame ordinances, and ſpiritual enjoyments with others, and yet underſtand very little of the Shepherds voice, that are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3.7. That for want of Principles, are like children toſſed to and fro, and carried away with every wind of Doctrine; or whoſe minds are like ſieves, that retain nothing, but the earthly groſſer ſort of things. Who for the time, ought to be Teachers, but yet have need that one teach them again, which be the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5.12. Such Sheep are the ſhame of ſuch a Shepherd.
Again; If you are his Sheep, ſhould you not hear, and hearken to his Voice, and delight in his Preſence with you? Should you not come at his Call, and go at his Bidding, and his Word be a Law with you? My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow me, Joh. 10.27.
2. Is he your Shepherd? O how ſhould you love him then? 'Tis natural for Sheep to love their Shepherd; but though in this caſe, it be indeed ſupernatural, yet it is, of all things in the World, the moſt reaſonable. He is not only your Shepherd, to feed, and to protect, and provide; but your Saviour, and Redeemer, to die for you. I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep, Joh. 10.11. We muſt have periſht eternally, but for him. 'Twere endleſs to enumerate all the reaſons we have to love him; which way ſoever we look upon him, in his Perſon, in his Offices, in his Graces; in what he hath done, in what he hath ſuffered, in what he hath purchaſed, in what he hath promiſed, in what he hath prepared for us; he is altogether lovely. Yea, as the Sun is all Light; ſo is Chriſt all Love to his Saints. His Word are his Love-Letters to them; his Ordinances his Love-Feaſts with them; and all his Providences, both Croſſes and Comforts, are the Seals of his Love to them. The more we ſeriouſly think of him, or of our ſelves; the more we ſhall ſee it both reaſonable and neceſſary to love him. We cannot love our ſelves truly, unleſs we love him ſincerely. If any man love not the LORD Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22. One of the moſt accurſed Wretches, that are out of Hell. O love the LORD, all ye his Saints; for the LORD preſerveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer, Pſal. 31.23. 'Tis our Duty; 'tis our Intereſt; and, if we are Saints indeed, 'tis our Property to love him. God is Love; where there is moſt of Love, there is moſt of God, and moſt of a Chriſtian. Where Love dwells, there God dwells; and where God is, there is Heaven. The glorified Life above is a Life of perfect Love. Love will make you a Heaven upon Earth; a Heaven of Holineſs, and a Heaven of Joy and Peace. O in what holy Order is every thing kept, in that heart, where the Love of Chriſt reigns! every inordinate Affection, and irregular Paſſion ſuppreſt; every Temptation eaſily reſiſted and repelled; the whole Frame and Oeconomy of the Soul under the power and ſweet Influences of Love. And O the heavenly Peace and Serenity that is there! what a calm is there, where the Love of Chriſt commands all! What a Banquet of Spiritual Joy is that Soul feaſting on with her Beloved! her heart is at reſt in him; all the burden of her cares and fears are devolved upon him; the poor Soul rides ſafely at Anchor, and is careful for nothing. O Sirs! 'Tis not ſo where the Love of the World, and the Luſts of the Fleſh rule; there's the Hell of vile affections, ſpiritual filthineſs, ungodly counſel, and courſes: There are the ſtorms and tempeſts, the reſtleſs, foaming waves of carnal deſires, and worldly cares, and fears, and fretful diſcontents: 'Tis a miſerable life that the worldling lives. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters cast up mire and dirt, Iſa. 57.20. And 'tis our ſin and folly, that we are ſo like them. The Love of Chriſt would help all this. Yea, do you not profeſs to love him? and would you not be offended with him that ſhould queſtion it? But what is Profeſſion without proof? If you love him, you will obey him, and none of his Commandments will be grievous to you. Love is bountiful; nothing will be too much, or too dear for him: The Love that is genuine, is generous, If you love him, you will love all of him. his Image, his Company, his Ordinances, his Miniſters, his Ways. But I muſt refer you to others, for the Marks of the Sincerity of your Love to him.
3. Are you his Sheep? Should you not then love one another? The Sheep is a ſociable creature, extreamly fond of their fellows. O let not Chriſt's Sheep be Wolves and Tygers to one another. A new Commandment I give you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you; that ye alſo love one another; Joh. 13.34. Be ye followers of God, as dear Children, and walk in love, as Chriſt hath loved us, and hath given himſelf for us; Epheſ. 5.1, 2. See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; 1 Pet. 1.22. We know that we have paſſed from death into life, becauſe we love the Brethren. He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death; 1 Joh. 3.14. There hath been enough ſpoken and written on this Subject. One of the commoneſt Themes, of a moſt contentious Age. But alas! words are wind, and the wind hath but blown the Coals. And Love is no Salamander; it cannot live in the Fire; yea, though it be it ſelf a fire, it is from above, of another nature and original, whoſe flame will not unite, nor conſpire with thoſe heterogeneous ſmothers which are from beneath. How partial and private-ſpirited is the Charity of moſt of the hotteſt Zealots in every Party? that cannot overcome the prejudices of their Ignorance, Intereſt or Education; but with pettiſh Jonah, think they do well to be angry. O that men knew better what ſpirit they are of. The Flock of Chriſt are not all of one complexion, nor of one Drove, nor of one manner of Diſcipline in Circumſtantials. Thoſe that have many Sheep, have ſome fat, and ſome lean; ſome that are kept more ſtrictly in their fenced Fields, others that feed and range at greater liberty, on the courſe, and cold, and ſhort Downs, and Commons; yet have they all but one common Nature, one Name, one Mark, and one Maſter. So it is with the Flock of Chriſt in this their imperfect ſtate: There are ſome that are not ſo clean, nor ſo ſound as others; yet they are Sheep, and his Sheep, and muſt, as ſuch, be loved and pitied, and not hated, or ſcorned, or diſowned by us. I have ſometimes wondered at the reaſon, why Diſſentions on Religious accounts are always wont to be moſt fierce and implacable: It cannot be becauſe Man, in this his lapſed eſtate, is ſo Religious a Creature; no, 'tis the Enemy that hath the moſt deep and miſchievous Deſign in it; 'tis Pride, and Envy, and Superſtition, that is the Fomes of the Mine, to which the Devil lays his Train, under colour of Religion, to blow up Religion, and all that depends upon it in the World. The Enemy fears not much what hurt Religion can do his intereſt in the world, if he can but blow up the charity of thoſe that profeſs it: For what doth Faith ſignify without love, by which it works?
4. Are you his Sheep? ſhould you not then be very tender of your own Lambs? There is hardly any kind of Creature, but is fond of their young; and if in any caſe they will be fierce, 'tis in their defence. Even the Sea Monſters draw out the breaſts, they give ſuck to their young ones, Lam. 4.3. O let not thoſe that are called Chriſtians, be like the Oſtriches in the Wilderneſs, and forget that their poor Children have ſouls as well as bodies to be cared for. Thoſe that are evil know how to give good gifts to their Children. They know how to feed them when they are hungry; how to cloath them when they are naked; how to phyſick them when they are ſick; how to inſtruct them in their worldly buſineſs, and how to beſtow them for their worldly advantage: And herein there are few ſo unnatural, but that they are diligent enough according to their ability and underſtanding; and if this be all you do for yours, what do ye more than others: You rejoice perhaps in that they are born, and you can call them yours, but what can you hope for from them? what comfort can you promiſe your ſelves in them, if they be not new born? If you provide only for their bodies, their baſer and mortal part, what do you for them more than for your Hogs, or Cattel, which you are careful to feed, and make fat for the day of ſlaughter? Can you without terror think of their being damn'd? Should you not do your utmoſt then to prevent it? Do you not know that they are by Nature the Children of Wrath? And that you were the Inſtruments of bringing them into this condition? Are you not bound in Juſtice then, with all your Care and Diligence to endeavour their Deliverance? How can you believe this, and not be concerned for them? 'Tis true, we your Paſtors are bound by the command of Chriſt to feed them; but are not you equally bound both by the Bonds of Grace and Nature, to begin, and to aſſiſt with us in that work? Time forbids me, tho' my bowels urge me to enlarge here. O let not Reformation dye, at half way, with this Generation; but let what we have ſtriven, and pray'd, and ſuffered, and ſo long waited for, be, by Gods bleſſing on your faithful diligence, and utmoſt endeavours conveyed, with advantage, to the next. Tho God can, of Stones, raiſe up Children unto Abraham, yet you may not expect, that he ſhall work Miracles for thoſe, that live in the neglect of known duty.
5. Are you his Sheep, and committed by him, who is both our LORD and Maſter and yours, to us, to feed and to rule for him? Should you not then hearken to us, and own the authority, wherewith we are entruſted for your good? Remember, we muſt give our accounts ſhortly, and ſo muſt you. Whether ever I ſhall meet you again in this Place, God knows; but am ſure, that we ſhall one day meet again in a far greater aſſembly than this. When the ſight of them that have here, or elſewhere, laboured with and for you, will be either very comfortable, or unexpreſſibly terrible, on the account of the Teſtimony, that muſt then be produced by them, either for or againſt you. 'Tis true, we are not Lords over you, nor do we pretend ſo to be; yet are we appointed of Chriſt to be your Officers, not only to teach, admoniſh, reprove, rebuke, exhort, and encourage you; but to lead, and rule, and govern, to warn, and charge and command you in the LORD, in all things that concern our Office. If every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, under the Law of Moſes, received a juſt recompenſe of reward, can you hope to eſcape under the Goſpel? Sirs, it hath been for your ſakes, that we have endur'd the contradictions of men; have been ejected, deprived, baniſhed, impriſon'd reviled, &c. and wherein you your ſelves have ſuffered with us; yet all this we have born with patience, and deſire from our Hearts to forgive and forget; but O let not your hands be now againſt us; this will be worſe, and harder to be born, than all the evil that hath befallen us from our youth, nor can you hope that it will be taken well by our common LORD and Maſter. While we were removed into corners with you, we ſeem'd to be very dear to you; but, let me tell you, if you once more provoke him to remove us, he will, I doubt put us farther from you, where you ſhall never ſee us more. If your Liberty be a Snare to you, you may expect that God ſhall, to your ſorrow, break this Snare for you. We have been your Servants, and ſo we are ſtill, and delight to be, the Servants of your Faith; but God forbid, that any thing ſhould ever tempt us to be the Servants of your Luſts, or of your evil humours; this we are requir'd to declare and proteſt againſt, and to exerciſe the Rod of Evangelical Diſcipline; for our LORD hath put the Keys of his Kingdom, and Rod of his Government into our hands, to rule under him, and for him, in the affairs of your Souls; the Government is His, and not Ours; if you will not that this man ſhall Reign over you; if you will yet kick at his Yoke, and break his bonds; look to it, for, evil is before you. O give glory to the LORD your God before he cauſe Darkneſs, and before your Feet ſtumble on the dark Mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the Shadow of Death, and make it groſs darkneſs. But if ye will not hear it, my Soul ſhall weep in ſecret places for your Pride, and mine Eye ſhall weep ſore, Jer. 13 16, 17. But I hope God will have mercy yet, for his own ſake, upon the Remnant of his People, and will at length bow their Hearts to the obedience of the Goſpel.
6. Once more; Are you his Sheep, whom he hath committed to our Paſtoral care? Let me tell you, We ſhall not, we cannot, be with you always. Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live for ever? There are enough, you know, that wiſh the World were rid of us, in whoſe account we are the troublers of Iſrael. It would ſend our Gray Hairs with ſorrow to the Grave, to think with whom we ſhould leave theſe few Sheep in this Wilderneſs, were there not a proſpect of a Succeſſion. You know where the Curſe of Eli's Houſe lies; Put me, I pray thee, into one of the Prieſts Offices, that I may eat a piece of Bread. But where there is no Preferment, there is no Ambition. There are few that offer themſelves with us, to the work of the Houſe of the LORD, but thoſe that have nothing but an Heart, and a good Will to offer. And indeed, theſe are they, may we but have enough of theſe, that are moſt likely to do Gods Work. Had Avarice and Ambition never found any ſuch thing, as a Bait, or Temptation of this kind, in this Sacred Office, further than the double Honour, that is due to double Merits, it might have been much happier with the Churches, than now it is. 'Twas Worldly Riches and Grandeur, which the Clergy, of all men in the World, are worſt able to bear, as that which is moſt unſuitable to the Nature of their Holy Calling, that was the great Engine; which thro' the Pride and Covetouſneſs of Prelates, and the blind Zeal and Superſtition of Princes and Bigots, firſt overthrew both the Purity and the Peace of the Churches. Nor is the Fire ever like to go out, while the fewel holds. But God hath delivered us from this Temptation; and perhaps this is not the leaſt of the Mercies we have to bleſs him for; at leaſt, if he have taught us therewith to be content, and to live by Faith for our daily Bread. But when we are laid in the Duſt, as ſhortly we ſhall, who are they that ſhall fill our Places? God will provide, but not from among the Dead, nor by Miracle. You know on whoſe Pious Zeal and Ability, under God, this Succeſſion neceſſarily depends. If then you be not weary of us as of your Burden; if you account us faithful, and ſerviceable; that our Light and Labours among you have been of any good Uſe, or Value, to ſave you hitherto from that black Night of Superſtition and Idolatry, that hath ſo long hover'd over us; And if this be a bleſſing, that you would entail to your Poſterities after you; then ſet your Hearts and Hands to this Work, and lay out ſomething, to your power, as God hath bleſſed you, and as you hope for his bleſſing, for the Souls of your Children and Survivors, tho' you ſhould (and yet you have no reaſon to doubt you ſhall) have the leſs to lay up for their periſhing part. O Sirs, 'tis for Chriſt's and for your lakes, that we have deny'd our ſelves, as we have done; had we aim'd at our worldly advantage, and taken up the Miniſtry for a Lively-hood, we were of all men in the World, ſome of the moſt miſtaken and worſt advis'd; we might eaſily have found other ways enough, to have beſtow'd our time, and ſtrength and learning on, to better purpoſe that way; but in the ſervice of your Souls we are ready to Sacrifice theſe our Worldly Intereſts and hope that you will never give us cauſe to repent of it. And if we have laid down our all at your feet; it is but reaſonable and juſt, that you ſhould lay down ſomething, as the primitive Chriſtians did, at the Apoſtle's Feet, for the neceſſary Uſe, and Service of the Church; that ſo when we, who are now grown old, and going out of the Vineyard, ſhall dye, that which you now profeſs to prize as your Priviledge and Happineſs, may not dye with us. 'Tis for your ſakes, and not my own, that I have now mentioned this thing.