A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. The faults of Church-Members towards thoſe of their particular Congregations.Church-Members miſcarriages.
1. uſeleſsneſs and unfaithfullneſs.YOu have Profeſſed in your Creed to believe the Communion of Saints: You have been admitted to the Priviledges of this Communion: you thought it not ſafe, or good for man to be alone; to live retired from the Society of Saints: you have been inrolled among the Saints in Jeruſalem, which came down from above: you have with ſome Solemnity engaged your ſelves to be faithfull to the Souls of your Brethren: and yet what an unprofitable Hermit haſt thou been in Zion? Like a wild-beast thou comeſt out of thy Den for thy prey, to feed upon the Mountains of Spices, to enjoy the proviſions of Gods houſe; but immediately thou retireſt, and art no way ſerviceable to the Body. It is a wonder to me, how Chriſtians can content themſelves with the Priviledges of Gods houſe, and neglect the mutual duties, that are incumbent on them. A learned man complains of many Miniſters, that they are but Traditional-Preachers: and I fear there are too many Traditional-Chriſtians, who are very zealous for the practiſing of ſome Duties, which they have received from their Fore-fathers, whilſt they can over-look many expreſs Commandements, obliging them to take care, as Members of the Natural Body do, each for other. The Apoſtle tells us, that the meaneſt Members in the Church yet are neceſſary. But alas! How many are there, who ſhut up their Light in dark-lanthornes? who immure themſelves within their own walls? who are ſo involved in worldly buſineſſes, and have ſo little care and zeal for the houſe of God, that they no way profit, no way edifie their Brethren? How can ſuch over-look thoſe plain expreſs requiries of Chriſt by his Apoſtle? Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, Rom. 14.19. 1 Theſ. 5.11.and things wherewith one may edifie another. Wherefore comfort (or exhort) your ſelves together, and edifie one another, I wiſh I could add, as the Apoſtle doth, even as alſo ye do. 1 Cor. 14.12, 26. Epheſ. 4.16.For as much as ye are zealous of ſpiritual gifts, ſeek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. Let all things be done to edifying. From whom (i. e. Chriſt) the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which every joynt ſupplyeth, according to the effectual working in the meaſure of every part, maketh increaſe of the body, unto the edifying of it ſelf in love. v. 29.Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the uſe of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Rom. 15.2, 3.Let every one of us pleaſe his Neighbour, for his good to edification. For even Chriſt pleaſed not himſelf, &c. But exhort one another daily, Hebr. 3.13.while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardened, through the deceitfulneſs of ſin. And let us conſider one another to provoke unto love, 10.24, 25.and unto good works. Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves together, as the manner of ſame is, but exhorting one another: and ſo much the more, as ye ſee the day approaching. Look not every man on his own things, Phil. 2.4, 5.… man alſo on the things of others. … excluded: it is every mans work. … mind be in you, which was alſo in Chriſt …eſus. Hebr. 12.15.Look diligently, leſt any man fail of the grace of God, leſt any root of bitterneſs spring up, trouble you, and thereby many be defile…. If they do not over-look, how dare they …ntemn, all theſe Commandements of our … Jeſus Chriſt? How can they look upon themſelves as no way concerned in theſe duties? … a Lamentation, and ſhould be for a La… … on, that ſo many Church-Members, like … of prey, ſlye alwayes alone; and through … ritual ſloth, through a lothneſs to diſplea… through want of charity and pitty to the … of their Brethren, ſuffer them to periſh in careleſsneſs, ſenſuality, formality, &c. rather than they will labour to quicken, reſtore and ſave them. An Ingroſſer is hateful to men; But of how much ſorer puniſhment ſhall ye be thought worthy, who ingroſs your graces, your gifts, your experiences, wherewith a Church of Chriſt might be edified … Every man is a Steward, (Give an account of …) But you are Stewards in an … meaner: You are Stewards of the … the ſpirit, which are given to profit …. How dare ye hide your Talents in a …. You have a greater truſt committed … others have: You have Souls … to your care; for Church-Member are to care even naturally one for ano…. If God hath two Servants, and he in… one with his Lumber, the other with … children; and if both be negligent: ſure … all ſuffer the higheſt indignation from the Lord, who neglects the Children. What are you afraid, you ſhall have the leſs light, the leſs grace, the leſs comfort from Chriſt, for that others ſhare with you? And therefore will ye turn Ingroſſers and Monopoliſts? O! Know the more uſeful you are to invite the Children to their Father, the more you your ſelves will be inriched and ſupplyed; and whilſt you are dividing your loaves, God will act at a wonderful rate for you: the bread will multiply: you ſhall receive, whilſt you are disburſing: your light and heat will increaſe by your holy diſperſing it.
2. Neglecting godly Conference.How is godly conference neglected even among Church members? What! are you aſhamed of your God? is the ſpeaking of grace and glory ſome kind of diſparagement to your tongues? When Saints come together, … precious time is devoured in back-… undue, unſeaſonable cenſuring of …, who are not capable of making … eſence, or elſe in fooliſh impertinent diſcourſes of worldly matters. Few, like the Diſciples in their journey to Emaus, diſcourſe of ſuch matters, as Chriſt himſelf joyns with them in, and cauſeth their hearts to burn: When do you warm one anothers hearts, and ſit each other to enter into Communion with God in ſecret? How do many complain of you, that their hearts are eſtranged from God by converſes and intimacies with you, and that they looſe their affections by keeping up correſpencies with you? and therefore count it their wiſdom to retire into their cloſets, rather than miſpend precious hours in fooliſh communications with ſuch barren, frothy, empty Profeſſors. How many weak Chriſtians are there, who are not acquainted with the wiles of Satan, and they ſit down penſive and dejected, thinking no condition like theirs, and conclude hereupon that they are none of Gods Children, whom (if you were ſpiritual, pitiful, active, and free to acquaint them with your own experiences, that you have been tempted as they) you might ſuccour under their temptations, and comfort with the comforts, wherewith you have been comforted, and eaſe them by hearkning to their doubts and complaints, and ſhewing them a way how to deliver their Souls; Were you of a Chriſt-like Spirit, you would not break theſe bruiſed reeds, nor quench theſe ſmoaking flaxes; but rather blow up their graces, and labour to ſcatter and diſperſe thoſe fogs and miſts, which over-cloud their Souls: you ſhould be eyes to the blind; but you are not: you ſhould be of a merciful Spirit to all Souls: more eſpecially to the Souls of all Saints, moſt eſpecially to the Souls of thoſe Saints, to whom you are peculiarly related; but you are not. Exod. 23.5. 1 Theſ. 5.14. 1 Cor. 12.7. Mal. 3.16.In the old Law God took care of Aſſes: if they lay under a burthen, Iſrael was to help them. Doth God take care for beaſts? and will not ye for men, for Saints, for the redeemed of the Lord? God requires of you, that you comfort the feeble minded. The manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall. Christ expects his own with increaſe. They that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another, to comfort one another with the promiſes of God made to his people, againſt the flouriſhing of the wicked, and overflowing of ungodlineſs: and the Lord hearkned and heard it, and a book of Remembrance was written before him, &c. the Lord book't that good ſervice, Nihil de Scripturis, nihil de ſalute Animarum agitur; ſed nugae & riſus, & verba proferuntur inventum.he pur it upon record; But though the Lord hearknet… and hears, yet he ſeldom finds us ſo employed: our neglects are ſealed up in his bag. I pray God we may lay it to heart, repent, and reform. Bernards complaint may juſtly be revived: Not a word of the Scriptures, nothing of the Salvation of the Soul; but triſles and to yes, laughter, and words as light as the wind, eat up the time. I know there have been too many Uzza's amongſt us, who have had an itching deſire to be fingring of the Ark, thinking of themſelves more highly than they ought to think, and like the ambitious Sons of Levi, taking too much upon them, whereby the Miniſtry hath ſuffered much contempt. The Lord forgive theſe daring Phaetons, who have ſet the world in a ſlame hereby: But let not us run from one extreme into another. Let us give to the Miniſtry their due; Jude v. 20.and yet not neglect to build up our ſelves in our moſt holy faith. Mutual duties ſhould be exerciſed between Chriſtian and Chriſtian: The Apoſtle is expreſs for it in the places already quoted: I ſhall adde one more, Col. 3.16.Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly in all wiſdom, teaching and admoniſhing one another. O! if God would be with me ſo far, as to make me an inſtrument to prevail with you to go, and viſit one another, and ſtir up one another, that knowing the terours of the Lord, you may perſwade men. O! bewail thy unſerviceableneſs, thy private ſpiritedneſs, thy want of love and bowels to others; eſpecially now, when the Miniſterial help fails to ſuch a degree, and when there is ſo great an Apoſtaſie. Sure, then is no time, wherein Chriſtian-fellowſhip is more called for, and wherein it may be more profitable, than at this time; But alas! How are the wiſe as well as the fooliſh, Virgins aſleep, generally ſecure, without action, no way uſefull to each other, no more than they are, who are faſt aſleep in their beds of reſt? O! how few are there like Jonathan and David? how few enter into a brotherly promiſe to exhort one another, to call one another to account, to tell one another their fears, to know of one another their growth in Religion? We are proud, and loath to have our nakedneſs appear: yea ſome of us have few ſtories to tell of Gods goodneſs and bounty to our Souls, and we hate a diſcovery, how low, earthly, vain; backſliding we are: Hence reſerved to each other; But God will bring forth the hidden works of diſhoneſty.
3. Not admoniſhing, or not aright.How is Fraternal correption neglected or ſpoyl'd in the managing? Some totally neglect reproving their Brethren: Gallio-like, they little care for theſe things, they are little concern'd whether God be honoured, or diſhonoured.
Others delay admonition. Either neglecting it altogether, or delaying it.The Fleſh is backward to this ſelf-denying work, and ſo the many weighty circumſtances, which ſhould bring the Offendor to Repentance, are forgot: The Offendor is alſo hardned in his Sin. He thinks by thy ſilence, thou art altogether like unto him: ſo he judgeth of Gods ſilence, theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilence, Pſa. 50.21.thou thoughteſt I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf: ſo he judgeth of thy ſilence. It's much eaſier to fetch out a ſpot of inck from a cloth the day it is ſtained, than afterwards. Sin like a Mole, will quickly bury it ſelf, and the longer let alone, the harder it is to dig it up. The longer a diſeaſe is let alone, the harder cured: Cronical diſeaſes are ſeldome a credit to the Phyſitian. Beſides if you neglect the Reproof this day or hour, perhaps by the next he will commit the ſame Sin again; for either he knows it not to be a ſin, or in caſe he knows it, yet every new act doth ſtrengthen the habit of ſin. It is the nature of ſin to blind the Mind, to ſtupifie the Conſcience, and to harden the heart. Exhort therefore one another dayly, Heb. 3.13.while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardned through the deceitfulneſs of ſin. If the finner add ſin to ſin, put that to your account for neglecting the Ordinance of God for his reducement: If he loſeth the favour of God, and neglects hereupon all private communion with the Lord, put that to thy account: If at length he becomes impudent in ſin, ſo that, like a Bedlam, he feels not the pricks of ſharp admonition, put all this to your account, becauſe you have delayed to cure, to heal, to ſave the Soul of your Brother. A timely reproof might have ſaved a Soul, and covered a multitude of ſins. Beſides, have you time at your command, that you with Faelix, will do your duty at a more convenient ſeaſon? May'ſt not thou dye? or the Offendor dye? and both in ſin, thou in the ſin of Omiſſion, and he in the ſin of Commiſſion unrepented of, before the day comes, wherein thou art reſolved to tell him roundly of his fault? Why art not thou trembling with fear of blood-guiltineſs? Is Soul-murther no ſin with thee? Or have you the Holy-Ghoſt at command? Without the Holy Spirits a ſiſtances and concourſe, your labour will be in vain, you will get a blot by reproving, the delinquent will flye in your face, hate you for telling the truth, he will add ſin unto ſin, and perhaps put you into a flame too: and muſt the Holy-Ghoſt dance attendance on you? If you obſerve his hour, you muſt go preſently whilſt the wound is freſh and bleeding; but if you neglect his call, it is a queſtion, whether your hour will be Gods.
Others miſcarry in reproving. Some reprove, Or miſcarrying in it, not reproving privately. Matth. 18.15. Prov. 10.12. Si ſolus noſti, et vis coram pluribus arguere non es, Corrector, ſed Proditor. Auguſtin.but not privately; though Chriſt be ſo expreſ… for it, If thy Brother ſhall treſpaſs againſt thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: though the Law of Charity binds us to cover our Brothers nakedneſs, as much as we can. Love covereth all ſins; yet ſome Doeg-like backbite their Neighbour, and tell it to every one ſave him, who ſhould hear of it. How few modeſtly, affectionately and humbly, in the moſt private manner communicate their fears of ſins, decayes, and infirmities to the ſuppoſed delinquents? Are not moſt too forward ſinfully and wickedly to divulge their undue ſuſpicions to others, whereby the names of ſome ſuffer, Souls lye neglected, prejudices and heart-burnings are promoted. Schiſme is made in the body of Chriſt. Though the Law of Wiſdome bind us not to uſe more means than needs muſt, if gentle private reproofs will ſerve to reclaim, not to blazon infirmities, yet Profeſſours through pride, envy… want of Charity, at leaſt want of wit, publiſh on the houſe top what is done in a corner. Herein we do, as we hate to be dealt with, were it our own concernment: Hereby we make the Offendor to hate us, and beget in him due prejudices againſt us, viz. … we th… to draw the blood of his Name… yet how many Church-Members are pe…can… herein? It will be hard to make him believe thou come… to heal … Soul, if thou ha… already wounded his Name. Have not ſome Church-Member … …or bringing it immediately to the …? Hereby innumerable evils enſue, many are grieved, many offended, the party that is impeached ſtands on his guard pleads for his ſin, extenuates it, or is ſtrengthned in his ſin by the uncharitable proceeding, and irregular acting of the Brother, who firſt took cognizance of the miſcarriage, and ſo Judah justifies Samaria.
Others reprove that thoſe injuries that have been offered to the … may be recompenced, Reproveing ſelfiſhly.rather than tha… their Brothers Soul may be healed, and it appears …erein, if the wrong done them may be remidied, little do they heed, whether there be any other Repentance. They reprove not to gain their Brother; but to make gain of him: and therefore Jehu-like, they drive furiouſly in their own caſes, but in Gods they are dumb and dull enough.
Other buſie-bodies would be thought very tender of Chriſts honour, Reproveing only for diſputable things.they tithe Mint and Anniſe, &c. they reprove ſuch things as are diſputable, and neglect to teprove, where there are too many juſt accuſations to lay in. They will be very ſevere in cenſuring their Brethren for their Hair, Cloathes, or ſome controverted recreations; and yet let them alone to live in worldlineſs, ſenſuality, lukewarmneſs, pride, ſloth, &c.
Others are ſo Magiſterial in their reproofs, Reproveing Magiſterially.as if they had forgotten that they are in the body, as if they had no native corruption remaining in them, they want the Spirit of meekneſs, they have forgotten the Apoſtles Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, Gal. 6.1.ye which are ſpiritual, reſtore ſuch an one in the Spirit of meekneſs, &c. O! how haughtily do ſome carry it towards offending Brethren. I wiſh you would ſling the firſt ſtone at your ſelves. If you are not guilty of the ſame offence, yet you are of others, at leaſt you have the ſeed of the ſame Sin within you. O that offending Brethren might know that it is only Conſcience of duty, that brings you to them, and that it is love to their Souls puts you upon ſuch diſpleaſing work to your fleſh; But wo and alas! How few will condeſcend? The work is not managed with that humility as it ought, and therefore no Brother is gained.
Others are ſo light, frothy, Reproveing lightly.and unſerious in this buſineſs, that they ſpoyl all. They do not invocate God to accompany them in the work, they do not cry out, who is ſufficient? They forget it is Soul-work they are imployed in, they forget how abortive ſuch labours have been, they do not ſet upon it with that fear and trembling, which they ſhould. Few rebuke with authority, as having Gods Glory, and mens Everlaſting Salvation in their eye: and hence, when they come off from this work, their Conſcience ſmites them, that they have been no more ſerious and fervent in a matter that concerns life and death.
Few continue their admonitions, Putting an end to Reproof too ſoon.and follow them, till the Delinquent be brought to conjeſſion, repentance and amendment. We ſoon tire, and put the ill names of Doggs and Swine upon our offending Brethren, to excaſe our ſloth, and to take off that diligence about their Sou's, which their dulneſs, and hardneſs of heart calls for. We ſhould in meekneſs inſtruct them, though they oppoſe themſelves: We ſhould bear with their preſent ſtubbornneſs and abuſes, and wait if God peradventure will give them repentance: We forget how many years God waited on us, though we were ſtout, ſtubborn and refractory, how patient and long-ſuffering he was unto us. Though the more we love, the leſs we are beloved; though men even flye in our faces: yet we ſhould do as our Lord, and his Miniſters, not preſently ſhake off the duſt of our feet againſt them.
4. Not bearing Reproof Chriſtianly.How few behave themſelves Chriſtianly under Reproof? When men come to you from the great God, to diſcharge the duties they owe to your Souls, your behaviour is ſuch, that none will meddle with ſuch Patients, to dreſs their wounds, if the Lord had not charged them with this Commiſſion.
How few receive a Reproof kindly and affectionately? Not lovingly.This makes me fear, that there are more H…pocrites in Churches, than we are aware of. It is a great mercy to be reproved, As many as I love … rebuke. Rev. 3.19.To ſin againſt Reproof, is aggravated wickedneſs. The revolters are profound … make ſlaughter, Hoſ. 5.2.though I have been a r…buker of them all. It is an argument of …atred, not to reprove, Levit. 19.15.Thou ſhalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart, thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke thy Neighbour, &c. Yet how are they counted turbulent, pragmatical, void or affection, rig…d and cenſorious, who will not let them goe on in their ſin. He that hates reproof, Prov. 15.10.ſhall ſurely dye. There is not a ſadder Omen, that God hath an endleſs controverſie with thee. I know (ſaith the Prophet to Amaziah) the Lord hath determined to deſtroy thee, 2 Chron. 25.16.becauſe thou haſt not hearkened to my reproof. Others ſeem to earken to the Reprover, and give him verbal thanks for his plain dealing; but from that day their hearts boyl inwardly, and they are fill'd with prejudice, which will expreſs it ſelf, when ever it meets with a fair opportunity. How few do engage ſome Friend, to be a faithful Monitor to them, to be open-hearted to them, in telling them their faults? We are ſo overrun with ſelf-love, that we think no ſtander by can diſcern ſo much as we; and we are ſo unwilling to be cenſured, that we ſtand aloof from having ſuch a Looking glaſs near us, to reflect our ſpots to us: Few, with David, would count it a kindneſs, for the righteous to ſmite them.
How few do amend upon a ſolemn ſerious reproof? How few retire to their Cloſets, Not obediently.and there upon their knees bleſs God for emboldning any to tell them of their Sins, and there beg pardon and ſtrength to reform, and enter into a religious vow by the grace of God to amend whatever is amiſs?
5. Minding only the pl…ing of …mſelves. Rom. 15.1, 2, 3.Moſt Profeſſours ſeek to pleaſe themſelves and not their Neighbour. A man would think they never read, we that are ſtrong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to pleaſe our ſelves. Let every one pleaſe his Neighbour for his good to edification; For even Chriſt pleaſed not himſelf, &c. P…ofeſſours are ſelf-willed, they will walk to the utmoſt of their liberty, and if others be offended, they little care for grieving and ſtumbling their weak Brethren. They will tell you in the pride o… their hearts and loftineſs of their Spirits, the weak muſt be ſatisfied: But what if they cannot? O! how oppoſite are Profeſſours to the Apoſtles condeſcending frame? They think that in different c…cumſtantial things the weak ſhould ſollow the ſtrong, and therefore ſlight what they think of their actions. Gal. 5.13. 1 Cor. 8.1.But what ſaith the Apoſtle? Uſe not liberty for an occaſion to the fleſh. Knowledge puffeth up, but Charity edifyeth. A firm and full knowledge of our liberty in things indifferent, (ſaith a learned man) if it be ſeperated from Charity, is apt to ſwell the mind with Pride, and make men to deſpiſe, and ſet at naught weak, doubting, and ſcrupulous Brethren; but Charity is carefull to avoyd what may ſtumble the weak, and cauſe them to fall into Sin, and therefore judge this …, Rom. 14.13, 22.that no man put a ſtumbling or occaſion to full in his brothers way by the uſe of …differerts. Hast thou faith, concerning the …ullneſs of the uſe of things indifferent (for of them the Apoſtle ſpeaks) have it unto thy ſelf before God, make not a vain publication thereof, to the exaſperating, grieving, or ſtumbling of the weak, who may by thy example, even againſt Conſcience, uſe the ſame liberty that thou doſt, and ſo through thy knowledge ſhall thy weak Brother periſh, 1 Cor. 8.11.i. e. thy uſing this liberty hath a tendency to deſtroy him. You may think this is no great matter; But the ſame Apoſtle informs you, 1 Cor. 8.11, 12. Rom. 14.20.that you hereby ſin againſt Chriſt, you deſtroy the work of God, the Soul of thy Brother, and no man on earth can priviledge you from the wrath of God, if you deſtroy them with your meats (with the uſe of your …iberty) for whom Chriſt dyed, and therefore the Apoſtle profeſſeth, 1 Cor. 8.13.if meat make my Brother to offend, I will eat no fleſh, while the world ſtandeth, leſt I make my Brother to offend. O! that men were ſ…uole as Paul, in the condeſcention of their Charity; But alas! All men ſeek their own things: if they are ſatisfied concerning the lawfulneſs of the things, they look no farther: they little mind the ſouls of their Brethren; but are ſecuring themſelves ſome outward peace, and earthly advantages. Few naturally care for the good of others, for the glory of God, and the edification of their Brethren.
6. Valuing Chriſtians by externals.How are Chriſtians valued and preferred by externals, rather than by internals? By gold-rings, by outward honours and privileges, rather than by their graces? They who ſhould have moſt o… your eſteem, love and reſpect, have leaſt. A rich Formaliſt's company is more prized, than an humble, mortified, poor Chriſtian's. The miſcarriage that was in the Apoſtles dayes, is deſcended to this age, and is a blot upon many of the Profeſſours of it: Jam. 2.1.O my Brethren! Have not the Faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of glory, with reſpect of perſons. How are mens judgements blinded by ſome external glory and appearance, ſo that a little in a great, rich, honourable man, is counted much; and much grace in a poor man is despiſed, 1 Cor. 11.22over-looked, and accounted but littie… How do the rich contemn the poor? How are the poor neglected in viſits? But a rich, though form…l Profeſſour, ſhall have many Friends. How common is it for the rich to enjoy Ordinances together, and exclude the poor? You goe to the houſes of the rich, but ſeldome goe over the threſhold of the poor: and yet what ſaid Chriſt to him that bade him? Luke 14.12, 13, 14.When thou makeſt a Dinner or Supper, call not thy Friends, nor thy Brethren, neither thy Kinſmen, nor thy rich Neighbours, leſt they alſo bid thee again, and recompence be made thee; but when thou makeſt a Feaſt, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou ſhalt be bleſſed; for they cannot recompence thee; but thou ſhalt be recompenced at the reſurrection of the juſt. You do not value men by their eminency in grace, but in parts and worldly endowments: as if gold did ſet men off more than grace. Thoſe who have moſt of Caeſar's Image, are held in higher reputation, than thoſe who have moſt of God's Image. What a reflexion is this upon the great and bleſſed God? 2 Cor. 5.16.Paul durſt know no man after the fleſh; yet dare you eſteem men by their fleſhly greatneſs in the world. When you ſhould fix your affections, where you ſee moſt grace, you are taken where you ſee, either moſt of the world, or moſt gifts, prudence, learning, or moſt morality. You know, 1 Cor. 12.that you beſtow not moſt honour on the uncomely parts, on them who have leaſt of worldly Privileges, though the Apoſtle, yea God expects it. How rough and rigorous are you to poor men, if over-taken in a fault? how is his offence aggravated? how ſeverely is he cenſured? But if a rich mans tranſgreſſion be the ſame, or more to be aggravated from the light it hath affronted, and from the danger of its ſcandal; yet how is it paſt by, extenuated, if not excuſed and pardoned? O! This having mens perſons in admiration, over-reverencing men for worldly things, is a great diſparagement to the grace of God, as if riches and honours were more excellent than Religion and Grace: They who are highly deſcended, or who relate to the Courts of Princes, or who have their ſtores in their houſes, are in greater eſteem than others, who are deſcended from above, who are related to the God of …, who are Favourites in the New Jeruſalem, and who have ſtore of grace in their hearts. O my Brethren! Jam. 2.2, 3, 4, 5.If there come into your Aſſembly a man with a gold ring, and there cometh alſo a poor man in vile rayment, and you have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, &c. are not you partial in your ſelves? Have not you made a difference, a groundleſs difference, a difference grounded on carnal reſpects, and not upon ſolid reaſon? Are not ye become judges of evil thoughts? Have not you made your judgement of ſuch perſons, according to the dictate of your own evil thoughts, and not according to the rule of the Word? O! how ſeldome do Profeſſours value and reſpect as God doth? Let rich Profeſſours be ſick, or under any other ſtroke of Gods hand, what a doe is there? what running to him? what ſending after him? what endeavours to comfort him? But O! how are the poor of the Church deſpiſed? Little ſending to them, though they want neceſſaries for their Bodies, in the time of their Viſitation, and their Souls are ready to ſink, for want of a word in ſeaſon. Your frequent viſiting of ſome, when under Gods hand, and ſeldome reſorting to others, when in the ſame extremity, Jam. 2.6. Hebr. 2.11. John 20.17.evidenceth, that you deſpiſe the poor: Yea, are not you aſhamed to be in the company of a mean Chriſtian? or to call a poor Chriſtian, Brother? to own any ſuch near relation to him? And yet the Lord is not aſhamed to call ſuch, Brethren: Goe to my Brethren, &c. But woe and alas! the ſame mind is not in us, which was in Chriſt Jeſus: Matth. 11.29.Learn of me; for I am lowly. But we are proud and haughty, and we learn of the high and mighty of the Earth to deſpiſe others of a lower condition, than our ſelves. The proud rich man can be content to claim kindred of Abraham, he calls him, Luk. 16.Father Abraham; but you read not that ever he ſaid, Brother Lazarus. It will not ſerve us, nor ſave us (ſaith a late Biſhop of England) to be able to ſay, Abraham is our Father, except we will charitably acknowledge the pooreſt Chriſtian, even Lazarus for our Brother. Beſides how ſoon is a rich Formaliſt admitted to Fellowſhip? How hardly the Godly, if poor?
7. Slighting weak, as well as poor Chriſtians.How do they who count themſelves Chriſtians of the higheſt form, who have had great acquaintance with Chriſt and his wayes, who have had a long experience of Chriſts ſweetneſs, and Satans deceits, keep by themſelves, with the neglect of the lambs, of them who are but of yeſterday, and know little of the mind of God? How do we ſlight them (Chriſt did not ſo) who have but a mite or two for to caſt into the treaſury, I mean, who can contribute but little to their gifts or graces. They that are poor in ſpirit, as well as poor in the world, have but very little reſpect now adayes: whereas we ſhould treaſure and reſpect the ſmalleſt duſt of Gold and Pearl: we ſhould reſemble the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: his greateſt care ſeems to be of the Lambs. Feed my Lambs. The Children in the Cradle, and when they begin to take then feet ſhould then be moſt dandled, ſhould then moſtly be, help up, they then ſhould be never out of hand. If ye are Fathers, ye are unnatural ones, if you throw off the care of all the Children, that need your care, and take care of them who need it not. As grace, ſo growth in grace, is given to edeſie the body of Christ, the eye is not for its ſelf, but for the blind members, to lead them in paths of Righteouſneſs. Your care ſhould be like Gods: his care is for the leaſt ſly, as well as for the greateſt of the creatures. Chriſt did not will the Salvation of one believer more than another, he dyed equally for all, all believers ſtand alike juſtified through the blood of Chriſt, Chriſt knocks at the poor mans door, as well as the rich, if Chriſt makes any difference, it is in this, the poor weak Chriſtian hath more expreſſions of his love and affection, than the ſtrong have, he ſhews moſt pitty to the greateſt objects of pitty, to thoſe that are in greateſt want: yea the young Saint at his firſt Converſion, when he lately dropt from the Womb of the Goſpel, when he is but a Babe in Chriſt, a ſucking-Infant, he hath more kiſſes and embraces, more joy and comfort, than (perhaps) he meets with till he be a grown man, and old man in Chriſt, till he be not only a gracious, but a glorified Saint. The very Philoſopher obſerves that by Nature Parents are ſtill carried with their greateſt affections to the Child that is youngeſt; becauſe that is commonly moſt indigent, that is moſt hug'd in the boſome, dandled on the knee, kiſs'd and ſmiled upon. I wiſh there were more of this Nature even among ſupra-natural Chriſtians. It is lamentable to ſee how little honour is beſtowed upon the weaker Veſſels, and how few there are to be found, that carry the lambs in their boſomes (next their hearts) and gently lead thoſe that are with young.
8. Not compaſsionating fall'n Brethren.How little compaſſion is ſhew'd to fall'n Brethren? to ſuch as are overtaken with a fault, yea with many? When their hearts, like the ſluggards fields, are overgrown with weeds, we do not lend them our Spade, and Mattock and Knife: we do not labour to pull the brands, that are half burnt, out of the fire: to ſave our ſelves this labour, we deem them Ca…-awayes, as if there were no hope of their Reſtitution and Salvation, we never more look after them, to be ſure, we do not as the bleſſed Apoſtle John did, who (as Euſebius relates in his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory) ran after the back-ſlidden Profeſſour, who was turned an High way-man, to take him by holy guile, and to recover him out of the ſnares of Hell. We carry it, as if we held, that ſins committed after Converſion were unpardonable. Art thou a ſtranger to thy own heart? If not, thou knoweſt God pittyeth thee, though thou falleſt ſeven times a day, and it ill becomes thee, who haſt been ſo oft holpen out of the deep ditch, to deny help to thy Brother, that lyes there, and perhaps will periſh, if none be more merciful than thy ſelf. Are there no ſolemn engagements upon thy Soul towards thy Neighbour? Will not God take thee by the throat for thy unmercifulneſs? Mat. 18.32, 33, 34.O thou wicked Servant, I forgave thee all thy debt, becauſe thou deſiredſt me: ſhouldſt not thou have had compaſſion upon thy fellow-Servant, even as I had pitty on thee? Verily, the Lord is wroth with you, and if this be not amended, he will deliver you to the Tormentours, till you ſhall pay all that is due unto him. O! Repent of your defectiveneſs in this thing. Multitudes are haſtening to the Valley of Deciſion, multitudes are departed from their former Profeſſion, ſome of them are become ſcandalous: their ſins will lye at your doors, and their blood too, if you, through unfaithfulneſs, or through negligence, or through fainting, endeavour not to reſtore them, to ſet the bones again, that are unhappily diſlocated. Ye which are Spiritual, reſtore, Gal. 6.1.&c. Are ye all Carnal? are none of you Spiritual? If there be one, here is work for him, as he will anſwer the contrary at his peril.
9. Groundleſs ſeparation.On how uneaſie and ſinful (becauſe unwarrantable) accounts, do many withdraw from the Communion of their Brethren? What, have not they read, or heard, Forſake not the aſſembling of your ſelves together, Hebr. 10.25.as the manner of ſome is? It was then dangerous not to ſeperate; but it was more dangerous to ſeperate: Not to ſeperate was dangerous to the outward … to ſeperate was dangerous to the inward man. When ever you hear of Demas, that he hath left us, the next news you will hear of him, is, he hath embraced this preſent World. If the Devil can, like a ſubtle Cutter on the road, draw thee off from thy company, he will ſoon cut the throat of thy Profeſſion. It's no wonder to hear an houſe is robbed, that ſtands alone from Neighbours. Two are better than one. The Church of God is compared to a City, the weak walls of the houſes therein, would never endure a bluſtering wind; but by their Neighbour-hood and Contiguity, they ſuccour each other: But when one ſtands divided, the next news you may expect to hear of, is a ſall, and if it be a towring-houſe, the fall is great. And yet alas! upon every prejudice and diſcontent, if one Brother falls out with another, preſently the whole Congregation is threatened with the loſs of the prejudiced and diſcontented party's company, and condemned for the miſcarriages of one, and perhaps the ſuppoſed Offendour hath not the liberty to know his Offence, in order to his Repentance, nor the Church regularly acquainted therewith.
10. Not ſeperating from Perſons under Cenſure.The laſt great Evil among Church-Members, that I ſhall mention, is, Their not withdrawing from every Brother that walks diſorderly, when under Cenſure. How ſolemnly is this required by the Apoſtle? Now we command you, Brethren, 2 Theſ. 3.6.in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ye withdraw your ſelves from every Brother, that walks diſorderly. Who can tell what bleſſed effects of Gods own Cenſures their eyes might have ſeen, had not Profeſſours been herein guilty? By a general diſlike the perſon cenſured might ſoon be convinced and humbled. Undoubtedly it was your duty to have added weight unto the Diſcipline of Chriſt, what you could, and to diſcountenance thoſe, whom the Lord had diſcarded. Inſtances are not wanting of ſuch as God hath brought to repentance by the ſtrangeneſs of ſuch as were once their Fellow-members. Poſſibly you may be condemned for ſuch a carriage, but if ever God bring ſuch Cenſured perſons to Repentance, though it be upon their death bed, though it be in a forraign Country, God will not ſuffer them to dye quietly, till they have acquitted, yea juſtified your carriage towards them.