Works, Chapter 4 · Section
Good Wish about a Christians Carriage in Good Company, wherein the former heads are applied.
The Introduction.THe Father of mercies, and onelyonly wise God, who hath appointed …he way in which I should walk, during the time of my Pilgrimage, and understandeth the multitudes of rubs and hinderances that I shall encounter with, the power and policy of those enemies which will beset me therein, as also how weak I am, and unable to hold out; how weary I shall soon be, and ready to give over if I should travail alone, having out of his boundless grace and goodness, called me to the communion of Saints, that I might be directed by their counsel, and encouraged by their company, notwithstanding all opposition, to run the ways of his commandements: I Wish that I may esteem his precept herein as my glorious priviledge, improve their society to the greatest advantage, both for my own welfare, and my Gods honour and delight, to converse with those brethren here, with whom I hope to dwell in my Fathers house for ever; What an inestimable dignity doth my God invest me with, in imposing on me so sweet a duty! How wretchedly ungrateful should I be, if his paths should not be the more pleasant to me for such companions! The worth and riches of this society, may well invite me to trade with them, and give me hopes of profiting by them. All the companions on earth, of the highest Callings, are but a rabbel of Cennel-rakers, to this noble society. The Prince of this Senate is the Heir of all things, the blessed and glorious Potentate; such a Soveraign, whose dominion is universal, from Sea to Sea, whose Kingdom is eternal, throughout all Generations, and even the highest have gloried in being his Subjects. The Charter and Priviledges of this Society, are the inestimable Covenant of Grace, exceeding great and precious Promises, wherein pardon of sin, peace of conscience, new natures, adoption, justification, the love of the blessed God and eternal life are granted to them, and entailed on them for ever. The Servants of this Corporation, are all the creatures, in their several places, striving which shall do them the greatest kindness; They are in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field, (though never so ravenous by nature) are at peace with them; The glorious Angels pitch their Tents about them, and count it their honour to wait upon them, both living and dying. The Livery in which this company is attired, is the Royal Robes of Christs righteousness, which renders them without spot or wrinkle, and far more beautiful and amiable then Adam in his estate of unspotted innocency. Their Garments smell of Myr…he, Aloes, and Cassin, and for their richness infinitely surpa… that cloathing which is of wrought gold. Their food is hidden Manna, such meat as endureth to eternal life, the bread that came down from Heaven, the flesh of the Son of God, which is meat indeed, and the blood of the Son of God, which is drink indeed. Their inheritance is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, a Crown of life, Rivers of pleasures, an eternal weight of glory. Some Societies have boasted, that Kings and Lords have been Free of their Company; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, is both Freee and Head of this Society; they are his Hephzibah, his delight; his Segullah, his peculiar treasure. Ah! who would not have communion with them whose communion is with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son! Lord, let my ambition be to be enrolled a Citizen of Sion, and to walk amongst them, worthy of that vocation wherewith thou hast called me, since the communion of thy Saints here, is some weak resemblance of Heaven, where all thy chosen shall glorifie and worship thee without fault and faintness; teach me to hallow thy name, by doing thy will on earth, as it is in heaven.
Motives to mind the Communion of Saints. 1. The profit of Christian Society.I Wish that the gain which I am sure to reap by joyning with Christians in their common stock, may make me more diligent at this spiritual trade. The greatest priviledges are granted to Corporations, not to particular persons; The greatest victories are obtainted by Regiments and Brigades, not by Souldiers engaged singly against their enemies. That Oyntment which yeilded so grateful a savour as to delight God himself, was compounded of several spices, Exod. 30. 23, 24, 25. My God hath ordained the communion of the faithful, for the building up one another in their most holy faith; and if I expect his blessing, it must be in his own way. The body thrives best when all the members concur to perform their distinct and proper offices, for the good of the whole. Men make the most ravishing musick, when many joyn in consort. The two Disciples travelling together, found the blessed Jesus to make a third, and to warm their hearts with the fire of his heavenly Doctrine. How many vessels going in company have returned in safety, richly laden with the unsearchable riches in Christ! If I am in doubts, good Companions will advise and direct my feet in the ways of peace. If I fit in darkness, and see no light, by their counsel and comfort, I may learn the way out of the mist. If I am perplexed in any labyrinths, they may help me to unty that knot of which I have been labouring long in v…in to find an end; If I be falling, they will be props to support me; if I wander, they will be guides to reduce me; if I be dull, they will be whet-stones to quicken me; if I do well, they will be fathers to encourage me; whatever my want be, they will endeavour to supply me; and whatever my condition be, they will be like-minded, both weeping with me in my sorrows, and rejoycing with me in my joys; Besides, if I expect the presence of my God, who is rich in mercy, and the God of all consolations, where can I find him sooner then in his Temple! they are the Temple of God, and I will dwell in them. 1 Cor. 6. ….His Saints on Earth, are his lesser Heaven, wherein he takes up his abode. O my soul, what an Argument is here, to perswade thee to fellowship with the Saints! Theirs is the onelyonly good fellowship; Their Communion is a Conjunction in the service of thy God, and tendeth abundantly to thy spiritual advantage and edification; Thy Redeemer calls them the light of the world, and they will guide thee in the way which he hath cast up; The salt of the earth, and they will preserve thee from corruption; Their conversations are living Commentaries upon that word which is thy rule, and so will both plainly teach thee thy duty, and powerfully provoke thee to do it. Their expressions will by savoury, and help thee to learn the language of Canaan. The tongue of the just is a tree of life, and beareth excellent fruit. The lips of the righteous feed many; Besides, amongst these Children, thou mayst be sure to meet with the everlasting Father. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them. Though but two or three, that the wicked despise them for their paucity though two or three; never so low and mean, that the world scorns them for their poverty; yet if gathered together in his name, they shall not fail of his presence; Surely nothing will prevail more with a faithful Spouse, to joyn with any company, then this, She shall meet with her beloved Husband amongst them. O, of what great price is this one promise, I will be in the midst of them! His presence like the nearer approaches of the Sun in the Spring, will refresh their hearts with the warm beams of his love, when they are chill, and almost dead with the cold of frights and fears, and cause in their souls a new shooting of grace, that notwithstanding any foregoing winter of barrenness, they shall now abound in the fruits of righteousness. What can they, or thou, O my soul, want, which his presence will not supply? Art thou laden with sin? he can give thee rest; art thou full of sorrows? he is the con…olation of Israel; art thou poor in grace? with him is durable riches and righteousness; art thou dull and dead in spirituals? he is the Lord of life, and can quicken thee; He hath power enough to subdue all thy lusts, he hath wisdom enough to resolve all thy doubts, he hath grace enough to pity all thy weaknesses, and mercy enough to pardon all thy unworthiness; He is able to save to the uttermost; Nay, thou hast not only his Promise to meet thee in his Garden, amongst his people, but thou hast also his Performance of it, for thine encouragement; Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewd unto them his hands and his side; then were the Disciples glad when they had seen the Lord; Then said Iesus unto them again, Peace be unto you; As my Father hath sent me, so send I you; And he breathed on them, and said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. O the value of those Jewels which are lockt up in this Cabinet! All the Crowns and Scepters of the world, had they been thrown in amongst the Disciples, could not have caused the thousandth part of that comfort, nor have brought any degree of that profit, which the Disciples had by the presence of the holy Jesus. Consider his words, Peace be unto you; peace be unto you. Never did sweeter words, or more melodious musick, ever sound in humane ears. What tidings could be more welcom to them that had known the terrors of an angry God, and felt the curses of his righteous Law? Didst thou never see a poor debtor arrested by severe Serjeants, and hailed to the Goal (in which nasty miserable place he was like to continue whilst he lived) with wringing of hands, and watering of cheeks, and doleful screeches, and afterwards upon the payment of his debts by some loving Surety, with what clapping of hands, and gladness of heart he was enlarged! If so, thou hadst some poor resembl…nce of that exuberancy of joy which the Disciples felt when they saw the Lord, and heard those blessed words, Peace be unto you. They were all liable every moment to the arrest of divine justice, for those vast sums which they owed to the Holy and Jealous God, and in continual danger to be hurried by Divels his Officers to the Prison of Hell, whence they could never have come out. Now his appearance to them did evidence that the Law was satisfied, that all their debts were discharged, in that the Surety who took upon him the payment of them, was by order of the Iudge released. What news could find more acceptance with those that dreaded the fury of the Lord more then death, and esteemed his favour far before life, then that which did speak him reconciled to them! And farther, observe the work of the blessed Redeemer; And he breathed on them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; As if he had said, I know your unbeleiving hearts will think the news of a reconciled God, and of peace with him, too good to be true; behold therefore his love-token; Receive the earnest of his favour, his holy Spirit, who knoweth his mind fully, and was at the Council-Table of Heaven, when all your names were engrost in the book of life, and all the methods of grace and good-will towards poor sinners were debated and concluded, and is sent to you on purpose to reveal them to you, and assure you of them, and therefore is an unquestionable evidence that he is at one with you. This O my soul, was the blessed Heavenly Banquet, which the Redeemer entertained his Disciples with when they met together; and wouldst thou miss such a feast for all the World? Lord, thou lovest the Assemblies of thy Saints; they are the habitations of thy glorious Majesty, and the place where thine honour dwelleth; There thou makest the largest discoveries of thy self, and grantest the fullest communications of thy grace. O let me take sweet counsel with thy people, and go to serve and honour thee in their company.
I Wish that the Confederacy of the wicked in sin, 2Motive, Wicked men joyn togeth…r.may provoke me to a league with the Israel of God, for a free trade and commerce in holiness. Shall they whose lusts are often contrary, and set them at variance, unite against God and his holy ways! and shall not we, whose graces are ever alike, and of a cementing nature, not joyn together for God and his Worship? Do they conspire to defile and destroy each others souls, as if vitiated nature did not lead them fast enough to sin, or as if they could not run singly quick enough to Hell! and shall not we encourage one another in the Worship of the living God, and provoke one another to love and to good works? O how much do the servants of Satan by their conjunctions in evil, shame the Children of God for their backwardness in good. Their Master is the Prince of darkness, a cruel Tyrant, a roaring Lyon, that goeth about, seeking whom he may devour; Their work is far worse then any Turkish slavery, its bondage to corruption … the service of unrighteousness; the diversity and contrariety of their Lords, their lusts tearing them as it were in pe…es, for the promoting of their particular interests; Their wages is the vengeance of the eternal fire, the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never goeth out, after all their vassallage to their barbarous Masters, and hardships which they have been put to, in making provision for, and gratifying such opposite furies, they are recompenced with extremity, and eternity of torments; yet they can unite their hearts, and hands, and heads, for the advancement of so hellish a Lord, about the prosecution of so base and divelish a work, and to earn so miserable a reward; when the Souldiers of Christ, whose Captain is the Lord of Hosts, the most courteous and compassionate General, whose combats and contests which they are called to, are Noble and Heroick, and whose Crown and Garland will be beyond all comparison and apprehension, blessed and glorious, do rather fight against themselves, then against their enemies, or for their endless happine…! Ah foolish Christians, who hath bewitched us! May we not well blush that Satan should even out-boast the living God, in the unity of his Subjects, that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then the children of light! Alas, is it a time for Mariners to be quarreling, when their enemies are joyned in discharging their Cannons against them, and the Bullets flie thick amongst them! Is it a time for Christians to be wrangling, when their Adversaries are united in a confederacy to destroy them all! Lord, thou hast promised that thy people, in the days of the Gospel, shall no more envy one another; that the Wolf and the La…b shall feed together, and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock, and dust shall be the Serpents meat; that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all thy holy mountain. Thy dear Son, when leaving an ungrateful World, left Peace as one legacy to his Children, not onelyonly peace with thee, but also among themselves, thou knowest how much his heart was set upon it, when he begd so hard, so earnestly, so affectionately of thee this blessing, a little before he went to lay down the price of it; Let it please thee for thy Promise sake, to make all thine of one heart, and one way; for because thou hast spoken it, therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee this day. Let it please thee for thy Sons sake (whom thou hearest always) to take away all envyings and wrath, and emulation, and strife, out of the hearts of thy people, and heal thy Sion in its breaches, for thou seest it shaketh.
I Wish that the injury I do my self by unnecessary solitariness, 2Motive. The evil of needless solitariness.may make me the more in love with good society; My God hath told me, Wo to him that is alone; David was alone, when Satan drew him to defile his Neighbours Wife. Whilst the Sheep flock together, they are safe, as being under the Shepherds eye; but if one stragle from the rest, its quickly a prey to the ravenous Wolf; Its no hard matter to rob that house that stands far from Neighbours. The cruel Pyrate Satan, watcheth for those Vessels that sail without a convoy. The order is observable in the narration of Demas his Apostacy, Demas hath left us, and hath embraced this present World. He first left the Company of the faithful, and then openly denyed the faith. Christian conference is a good help to perseverance; but they that forsake the communion of Saints, will quickly disown the profession of sanctity. If Rabbits keep within the Pales amongst their fellows, there is Law to secure them against the violence of strangers; but if any wander from the Warren, they are a lawful prize for any man, and prey to any Dog. What an ill case is he in, that travelling in a dark night falls, and hath none to help him up; that wanders, and hath none to shew him the right way; that is set upon by Theives and Murderers, and hath none near him, to defend and secure him! Such is the condition of those that neglect the communion of Saints. Hence it is that our great and sworn enemy raiseth the dust of dissention and strife amongst Christians, to make them keep aloof from each other, knowing that much of their welfare and safety doth depend upon their keeping together; He knoweth its best fishing in troubled waters. O my soul! Now thou beholdest in these wicked days the high winds of divisions and passions amongst the Children of God, how ready they are to Martyr one anothers names, and its to be feared to Murther one anothers bodies, if infinite power did not over-rule and prevent it, thou mayst gather assuredly that Satan was the Conjurer to raise them. I have read of a Tree, that if some of the boughs of it be cast into a Ship, they cause a mutiny betwixt the Passengers and Mariners, to the ruine of both. Dost thou not think that Satan hath cast some such branches into the Vessel of the Church at this day, that instead of uniting their strength against him and his Kingdom, and instead of joyning their power to improve every gale for their furtherance towards their blissful Haven, they might fall together by the ears, destroy one another, and save their enemies a labour! O that for the divisions of Sion I could have great searchings, great sorrows of heart! Lord, thy Saints in the Primitive times, were famous for their love to each other. Their very enemies would with admiration cry out; See how the Christians love one another! Thy Jerusalem heretofore was a City compact together, at unity within it self; Why is it now divided, and the walls broken down, and the inhabitants all in all in an uprore, that all that go by waste it, and laugh at it, saying, Is this the beautiful City! Is this the Church of Christ! Aha! so would we have it. O look down from Heaven and pity mount Sion, where thou wast wont to dwell. Should thy children fall out by the way, to the gratifying thine enemies, dishonouring thy name, and wounding their own souls? Should the members of the same body, cut, and lance, and tear each other? Though Dogs and Wolves, the wicked of the world, tear out one anothers bowels, yet the Sheep of Christ should live together in love. How long shall it be, before thou biddest (with a word of power) thy people return from pursuing their brethren? Shall the Sword devour for ever? Thou knowest it will be bitterness in the end. For thy names sake unite the hearts of all thy chosen, not onelyonly by faith to thy dear Son, but also by unfaigned and forbearing love, each to other.
I Wish that my great coldness and backwardness to what is good,4Motive. The backwardnes… of our hearts. may invite me to associate with them who will warm and quicken me. How averse is my flesh to every work of Christianity? how weak is my spirit in their performance? how untowardly doth it enter upon them? how formally doth it go through with them? my carriage in them is wholly unsutable to their weight and worth, and what need then do I stand in, of help from others? As in a material house the walls need support from the strong timber, and the timber needs even the nails and spikes to fasten it together: So in the Spiritual Temple, the weak Christians need the strong to support and uphold them, and the strong need the weak, if for nothing else, yet to call forth those gifts of counselling, and that grace of pity, and compassion which they owe to them. If the strongest want each other, that the eye, the most knowing Christian, cannot say to the hand, the most active, I have no need of thee; much more do those that are weak want supply and support from others. Nature teacheth me this lesson; The weakest creatures amongst Fish, or Fowls, or Beasts, go usually in flocks and Companies. The Ivy and Vine, and Hop, not being able to bear up themselves, will by a natural instinct, …ling about the Tree, or Pole, or Hedge, or Wall that is near them. Were I but as sensible of my own weakness as I ought to be, I should both earnestly desire, and heartily accept the assistance of others. It is the Wisdom of my God, to let none of his Children have all things about them, or a sufficiency to live of themselves, without being beholden to their Neighbours; to invite and necessitate them to mutual commerce. Those that are very able to advise others, do yet in their own cases take advice from others. The Lawyer will not trust himself in a case of his own estate, nor the Physitian in a distemper in his own body, but will both desire counsel and direction from their friends. A stander by doth many times see more then an actor, and is more fit to judge the action then the Agent. We are too near our selves to see our own doings, and to be right in our judgements of our selves; Those that stand at a due distance from us, see more clearly, and judge more truly. Self-love so blinds us, that we judge those diseases not unpleasing in our selves, which we loath in others. O that I might be so affected both with my ignorance of the right way, and my proneness to allow my self in my wandrings, that I may make use of those Guides which free grace affordeth me. Lord, give me such sense of my unskilfulness in the wiles and devices of Satan, of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of my own heart, and of my inability to steer the vessel of my soul aright amongst those shelves, and sands, and storms, which I am sure to encounter that I may take up those Pilots which thou providest for me at every Port, and so at last arrive in safety at thy glorious City.
I Wish that I may watch my self amongst the godly, Caution in good company.as well as amongst the wicked, lest Satan do me that injury by a friend, which he could not by an enemy; Davids familiar fri…nd conspired his ruine; the Son of David was betrayed with a kiss from his friend; and though my charity to my friends, for…ids me to think them as bad as either, yet my charity to my self, commands me to stand upon my guard. Anglers for Fish, do frequently catch one fish with another, as the greater with the smaller. Sure I am, Satan is subtile enough to bait his hook with that which is most likely to take, and hath too often caught one Christian with another. The best friends are but men, and have flesh in them as well as Spirit; and what know I but the wicked one may tempt them to tempt me, as not ignorant of their prevalency over me! None was so likely to deceive the Prophet of the Lord, as the Old Prophet, that pretended a commission from the same power, and himself a Servant of the same Master. Who can so probably perswade me to a work of darkness, as he that is, or at least transformes himself into an Angel of light! Besides, I am apt to be the more careless, when I am amongst (them that I judge) true Christians. In a crowd, where Cheats usually resort, and execute their hellish Trade, I look to my money; but when I am amongst them whom I suppose to be honest, I think that care needless, and so may the easier be deceived. Lord, thou hast commanded me to keep my heart with all diligence; I acknowledge I have been too secure, when amongst thy Saints, as beleiving their work to be onelyonly to advance thine (not Satans) interest, in the World. O give me to Consider that when the Sons of God gather together, Satan is also amongst them, and he is both policick and active to defile me, that he may destroy me; that I may even amongst them, watch and pray, and so not enter into temptation.
I Wish that I may never spend my precious time amongst Christians,1Beware of those sin… that good men are too guilty of, when they meet together. as the Athenians (who never understood the worth of that commodity, used to waste it) onelyonly in telling and hearing of n…ws, but as Christ amongst his Disciples, in discoursing of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. 1In spending time vainly.O what pity is it, that a thing of such infinite value should be spoiled and laid out to little purpose! I s…ould befool him that should throw down pails of Bezerwater, to wash common sinks or gutturs, which would serve for such excellent use as to comfort our vitals, and to refresh and revive drooping and fainting Spirits; Who would not abhor that vanity of Nero, in shooing his Horses with precious gold, and causing that costly mettal to be trampled under foot in the dirt, which was worthy to be the materials of a Crown, for the highest …ead on earth! Am not I a greater fool then the former, and more vain then the latter, if I spend that time (which is infinitely more costly then gold or Bezer, as having relation to eternity) wholly in worldly talk, which might be imployed in declaring and admiring the boundless perfections of the blessed God, in furthering that curious work of grace, in my own and others souls, and in preparing us for our unchangeable bliss in the other World? My God hath not onelyonly a book of remembrance for every good word, but also a book of observance and account for every idle word. Lord, within a few days, I shall go the way that I shall not return; thine Angel may say concerning me, That time shall be no more; Thou wilt never trust me with another life, nor afford me another day of grace; this is the onelyonly time that I shall have to provide against the coming of my Lord. Nay, whilst I live, thou mayst part me from thy people, and deny me that happy priviledge of their society that I now enjoy; For the Lords sake help me to work whilst it is day, and to walk whilst it is light, because the night is coming, wherein I can neither work nor walk.
2In censuring the good.I Wish that my tongue may never be so set on fire of Hell, as to speak evil of those that are the Heirs of Heaven. It were better for me to be sick and solitary in my bed, then to be censuring or reflecting upon the Lords Servants. The Divels themselves (though for their own ends) could sometimes speak of righteous ones with a seeming awe and reverence. These men are the Servants of the most High God, and shew unto us the way of salvation; And shall I at any time, be worse then a Divel at some times! Such impotency in my tongue would be too great a sign of impurity in my heart. Those that have a blemish in their eyes, judge the Skie to be ever cloudy. Caligula, who was a Monster of obscenity and uncleanness, thought there was never a chaste person in the World. Tis usual with the wicked (measuring others by themselves) to judge all to be ungodly; They render others to be deformed, that their own faces might be esteemed the more fair. Or as the Lapwing, they hope by their false cries against the godly, to divert strangers from finding the nest of their own filthiness. They would have all good men thought to be evil, that themselves who are fullest of evil might be thought good; But though the seed of the Serpent spit their poison against the seed of the woman, should I do so who am one of their brethren? How bad is that Bird that defileth its own nest? How foolish, as well as sinful, is that Child that disgraceth and defameth his own Family? If I speak evil of any of the Saints, I speak evil of my self, and of the Master whom they serve. Though Christ was not upon earth in Enochs days, yet he tells me that he will judge the slanderers of the Saints, as blasphemers of himself; Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince them of their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Iude, vers. 15. It is Satans title, to be the accuser of the Brethren; and my God calleth such men as are guilty of it, by no better name then Devils, 2 Tim. 3. 3. Tit. 3. 2. Would I be willing to resemble the Prince of darkness, or can I do it and escape punishment! O tis dangerous to abuse the King of Heavens Favourites; Such Arrows of slander and censure, shot out of Satans Bow by my hand against the Saints, would as a Shaft shot against a Stone, rebound upon me, and hurt not the Stone or Saint, but him that shot it; He that snuffeth a candle with his bare fingers, doth foul, if not burn his fingers, but makes the Candle to burn the more brightly; If I censure the Children of God, I defile my own conscience, but do not make them the less glorious. O my soul… consider what thy God hath said, Cursed is he that smiteth his Neighbour secretly; And all the people shall say, Amen. Thou mayst smite thy Neighbour as really, and as dangerously with thy tongue, as with thy hand. The wages of both is a Curse from God, from all the People; Surely the breath of so many, would blow down the strongest person, the strongest dwelling; Though the causeless curse shall not come, yet when God and Men both see cause for it, and say Amen to it, there is no way to avoid it. I may build upon my profession, as if that would secure me against such a stormy wind, but it will prove a rotten founda…ion. My God hath told me, What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth; Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit; Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thine own Mothers Son; No pretence whatsoever can prevent my punishment; But I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thee; If God once undertake to reprove, it will be cutting, it will be killing. O let me tremble to think of tearing the names of any of Gods people, lest my God tear me in peices, when there is none to deliver me! Psa. 50. 16, 17, 21, 22. How irrational as well as irreligious is it for me to spend my time in censuring others! If they be guilty of erring, they do but shew themselves to be Men, not Angels; Am I so foolish as to expect Heaven upon Earth, perfection in a polluted and polluting World! If I my self were without sin, then I might throw the first stone. The actions of the best are but a miscellay of good and evil. Moses himself, like the Pillar that conducted him, had his dark side. The cleanest Corn, even after threshing and winnowing, will have some soil in it. There is a tincture of corruption that stains all mankind; Otherwise there are some graces that would rust for want of use, and be given in vain. What wise man will despise or deny a Mine to be Gold, because it hath some dross or bad earth with it? or will throw away a Beast, and say it is not good meat, because it hath guts and garbage in it? The Vermine of sin, may sometimes craul in a cleanly holy person, though they be not allowed there; One act will not prove an habit, nor a few bad actions a bad person. If every sin unsaint a man, Satan will challenge the whole race of mankind as his own peculiar. When I see the course rather good then evil, my charity commandeth me not to think the man other then a Christian; Besides, How frequent is it for the malicious world to lay down false reports of the Saints, and shall I be their Pedler to take them up, and cry their rotten deceitful wares up and down the Country? The Priest under the Law, was not to judge presently of the Plague of Leprosie, but to shut the person suspected up seven days, and then to view him, and if the case were not clear, to shut him up seven days more, and after that, seven days more, before he was condemned; and what is the Gospel of this, but to condemn rash censuring of any, much more of the godly? Hath not my God told me, He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a folly and shame to him? Prov. 18. 13. Lord, thou understandeth what an unruly member my tongue is, how hard to be kept within the bounds of sobriety towards my self, or charity towards others. O be pleased to undertake for me, and keep thou the door of my lips. It is not good to speak evil of those whom I know bad; but its much worse to speak evil of those who may prove good. Should I declare others failings upon certain knowledge, it sheweth some want of charity, but should I publish their faults upon a bare supposition, it would argue a want of honesty. O let me rather erre on the right hand, in my charitable thoughts of those that are bad, then on the left, in my censorious opinion of those that are good; For though he may be evil that speaks good of others upon knowledge, yet he can never be good himself, that speaks evil of others upon suspicion.
3In backbiting the bad.I Wish that I may be so far from speaking ill of them that are good, that I may rather be silent, then without a just cause and call speak ill of them that are evil. Though the wicked like Dogs, fall upon the Sheep of Christ with open mouth, and strive to bury their good names in the open Sepulchre of their wide throats; yet the Sheep of Christ do rather suffer their rage with patience, then render reviling for reviling. My God hath commanded me, to bless them that curse me, and to pray for them that despitefully use me; and how contrary am I to his Precept, if I pay them in their own coin, and open my mouth in backbiting them, because they are forward to slander me? It is enough for them that have not a God to undertake their cause, and revenge their quarrels, to do it themselves. If I be one of Christs members, he reckoneth all the wrongs offered to me, as done to himself, and he will one day vindicate his own honour and mine to the full, when the sinner shall answer for all his treasonable expressions, with Hell flames about his ears; The tongue that now is blistered with blasphemies against God and his people, at that day will be in a light flame, and beg in vain with Dives, for a little water to cool it. I may therefore be quiet in all such cases, and commit my cause to him that judgeth righteously. He that is robbed, may not seek for reparation from the Country, if the Felon at the Assizes be Convicted and Executed. I need not fear but the Iudge of the whole earth, will at the general Assize, do justice upon those Thieves that steal away my credit and good name, and so in the mean time may well be contented. He that is sure of double interest hereafter, may with the more comfort forbear his money at present. Besides, by declaring his faults, onelyonly to fill up a void space of time, I injure both him and my self, whether my report be true or false; if my report be false, I wrong him, by slandering and murdering his name undeservedly; and I wrong my self, by contracting the guilt of so great a sin: If the report be true, I walk contrary to Gods com…mand, speak evil of no man, and so de…ile my own soul, and set him at a further distance from Religion, hardening his heart against any future reproof, as judging it to proceed from malice, and so I do what lyeth in my power to destroy his soul. Besides all this, I may injure my hearers, and make them accessary to my sin. Lord, thou hast given me my tongue, that it might be a trumpet to sound thine honour, and that therewith I might speak good of thy name, and not to speak evil of others. O let my glory sing of thee, and not be silent; open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise; but let me prefer an unprofitable silence, before sinful speaking; Help me to take heed to my ways; that I offend not with my tongue, and to keep my mouth with a bridle, that I duplicate page duplicate page may not wander from thy Commandments.
2Christians should be serviceable to each other.I Wish that I may to the utmost of my power, be serviceable to the souls of my fellow-members. The members of the natural body, are not idle or unprofitable, but give and receive nourishment for the increase of the whole body; They do not seek themselves, or their particular interests apart, but the good of the whole, and their own profit in relation thereunto; Nay, the eye watcheth for all the members, and helpeth to adorn them, and not it self; the hands work to maintain and cover the whole, remaining themselves naked; Why should it not be thus in my Saviours mystical body? My God hath given me and others, graces and gifts for that purpose, and commanded me, Occupy till I come; and should I suffer them to rust, for want of use, I should be found at last but an unprofitable servant. The several creatures, whether superiour or inferiour, do all instruct me by their patterns in this lesson of improving my talents, and forbid me to bury them in the grave of idleness. If I look up to the highest heavens, I may see with an eye of faith, those Sons of God, Angels, his diligent Servants and putting forth those abilities which they have received, both for the glory of their Creatour, and the good of their fellow-creatures. Though they are the eldest house, and (compared with us) the first born of the creation, yet they do not as the eldest sons of some men, plead that priviledge to patronage and cloak sloth and idleness; but as they have higher and more noble natures, so they are more active and industrious then others, as appears both by bearing their parts in the celestial quire, and in being ministring spirits for the good of them that are heirs of salvation. If I look to the natural Heavens, there with an eye of sense I may see the great Candle, and Luminary of the World, not folding up those rayes and cherishing vertues which he hath received, but communicating them freely for the warming and refreshing terrestrial bodies, though he gains nothing by it, but is many times requited with the darkning his glory by earthly vapours. If I look lower, I may observe the earth even wasting and wearing out her self to nourish and inrich others; She hath received a power of fructifying, and giving sap to that which groweth upon her, and loe like a tender Nurse, how liberally doth she give that milk to all that hang on her breasts, though it tend to her own weakening? The various inanimate and irrational creatures, that are upon the earth are serviceable one to another in their places, and are in continual and regular motion to those ends for which they were designed. The most venemous creatures are useful, not onelyonly to their fellows of the same rank, but to man their Master. Nay, if I descend lower, and look into Hell, I may believe the Devils not to be idle and unprofitable to each other… but to conspire together in one, and to be at all times busie and stirring for the propagating of their poison; They go too and fro in the earth, seeking how they may dishonour the name of the glorious God, and destroy immortal souls. O my soul, what sayst thou to these patterns, to these presidents! Shall irrational creatures advantage others, and wilt thou monopolize all to thy self? Dost thou not see how they are all in their stations profitable to man, even to the worst of men? The Fish and Fowles, and some beasts feed him, the Sheep, and wormes… and Bever cloath him, the Horse and Mule carry him; and wilt thou be worse then the Horse and Mule, which have no understanding? Shall inanimate creatures be helpful to others, and wilt thou live onelyonly to thy self? The Fire consumes it self to warm others; the Candle destroyeth it self to enlighten others; Salt wasteth it self to season others; the Fountain sendeth forth its streams to refresh others; the Sun, Moon and Stars, exercise those powers with which they are endowed, to direct and enliven others; and shall these creatures which have neither reason nor sense, rise up in judgement to condemne thee? Do the best and highest of the creation count it no disparagement, but an honour and preferment, to serve the Spouse of Christ, and wilt thou shrink back, and not wait on her in thy place? Surely thou art dull indeed, if so many Masters cannot teach thee this lesson. Thou art blind to purpose, if thou dost not see thy duty, when its Printed in so large a Letter, in so many Volumes. Thou canst not open thine eyes, but thou beholdest this Precept, and that in the likeliest way of learning it, examples. Look upwards, the heavens are thy tutors, they are unwearied in their motion, for the good of the Vniverse; look downwards, and the Devils will teach thee not to jarr with thy fellows, but to uni…e with them, and endeavour their comfort; look inwards, and the parts of the body may be thy Master, they conjoyn for the good of each other; the eye seeth, the ear heareth, the mouth eateth, the stomach digesteth, the hands work, the feet walk, for the welfare of the whole; look outwards, and the earth may be thy monitour, that is fruitful, not for its own, but others benefit; And art thou not ashamed to be barren? Lord, it is thy will,1 Pet. 4. 10. that as I have received the gift, even so I should minister to others as a good Stewa…d of the manifold grace of God; Keep thy servant from ingrossing those spiritual riches to himself, which thou hast given him for the releif of thy poor.Ch…istians must be serviceable 1. In instructing the ignorant. O let me never eat my morsels alone, but according to my estate, cloath thy naked ones, and feed the hungry with good things. When I was blind, thou didst send an Ananias to me, saying, Brother, the Lord Jesus, that great Physitian, hath sent me unto thee, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost; And immediately the scales fell from mine eyes, and I saw the things that concerned my peace; and shall not I pity others ignorance, and with meekness instruct them in the way of life! How dull was I of understanding? how slow to conceive and believe spiritual things? yet thou didst bear with me patiently, and didst give me Precept upon Precept, and line upon line. Why should not I bear with my fellows, since thou didst bear with one infinitely thine inferiour! Thou hast enlivened me when I was dead; enlightned me, when I sat in darkness, and saw no light; supported me in my weaknesses, and supplied me in all my wants and necessities. O strengthen me, that since I am acquainted with the sweetness of thy love, and the greatness of thy power, I may communicate my experiences, and improve my gifts for the counselling, quickening and comforting of others.
2In bearing with one anothers in…irm… ties.I Wish that my God would so strengthen my back, that I may bear with patience the burthens of my brethren; I know unkindnesses will happen between the nearest relations, and between the dearest friends. Whilst there is flesh in us, there will be failings and fallings out among us; Till we come to that place where there is perfect purity, there can be no hope of perfect peace; But how contrary am I to my God, if I do not forbear and forgive them that offend me? Am I better then God? I… unkindness to me, in any measure so hainous as unkindness to God? Their engagements to me, are nothing comparable to their engagements to God, and therefore the least wrong to God, is infinitely greater and more hainous, then the greatest that can be done to me; Yet my God winketh at the weaknesses, and passeth by the peevishness of his people; He seeth no iniquity in Iacob, nor transgression in Israel, though they offer daily affronts and disrespects to him, and that after their sorrow for former miscarriages, and promises of amendment, yet he doth not destroy, but is patient towards them; and shall not I be merciful, as my Heavenly Father is merciful? Besides, I have offended God, much more then my Brother can offend me. I need not say, according to the Worldlings vain pleas and pretences, The injury is great, therefore I cannot pass it by. My offences against my God, are of an higher nature, and a more bloody colour; yet I hope he forgiveth me. Or, This is not the first time, he hath often abused me thus; How often have I sinned against my God! my sins are more then the haires of my head, they are more then can be numbred, yet he forgiveth me freely and frequently, he multiplieth pardons, as I multiply transgressions; Or, But this is expresly contrary to his duty; And is not my disobedience against God, contrary to that which I ought to do? is it not expresly against his dominion over me, and that Allegiance which I owe to him? Or, I am his Superiour. Surely, God is mine much more; O the infinite distance that is between the boundless Majesty of Heaven; and a poor slimy worm… If the whole creation be nothing to him, what then am I to him! Or, But I will have nothing to do with him, I value not his favour, I live by him, not upon him. Doth thy God live upon thee? hath he any need of thee? is he any debtor to thee? wouldst thou be glad he should upon this reason say, He will have nothing to do with thee, to protect, or preserve, or pardon, or save thee, because he can live without thee? When for all thy iniquities and offences against him, and his soveraignty over thee, and independence on thee, he beareth with thee, and forbeareth thee, oughtest thou not to forbear and forgive others? Again, Thou mayst put this question to thy self, Have not I wronged others? Doth not the righteous God now pay me in my own coin? May I not say, as Adonibezek, As I have done to others, so God hath requited me? Nay, possibly others offend me ignorantly unawares, or through some violent temptation, but I have offended others knowingly, wilfully, and upon weaker inducements. O what cause have I to forgive, who am so prone to offend! Lord, teach me to obey thy precept, in forbearing my brethren that offend me, and so to imitate that blessed pattern of thy Majesty, who art pleased daily to requite evil with good, that I may be able, comfortably to pray, Forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive them that trespass against me.
3In com…orting the sorrowful.I Wish that I may, according to my poor ability, be helpful to the weak and tender members of Christ, by administring Cordials, sutable to their conditions. My duty is, not onelyonly to counsel the doubtful, but also to comfort the sorrowful; If I saw a body fainting and drooping, I were bound to afford it what assistance I could, and not to hide mine eyes from mine own flesh; Doth not my Neighbours soul, as far more precious, call for more pity, and command my help to my power! If one Sheep be sick, many others will flock about him, and in an hot day, after their manner refresh him, by keeping the scorching Sun from him. The Sheep of Christ should have more sense of others misery, and more knowledge of the means relating to their recovery, and shall they be less diligent for others health? To him that is afflicted, pity should be shewn; if I deny this, I forsake the fear of the Almighty; How tender was my Redeemer of broken bones, and sorrowful Saints! When he arose from the dead, he appeared first to mournful Mary, and then takes special care that penitent Peter have speedy notice of that blessed news, Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen. They that have smarted with inward wounds themselves, have the more reason to compassionate others in their sorrows; Lord, the time hath been, that thou didst cast me into the deep, into the midst of the Seas, thy Floods compassed me about, all thy Billows, and thy Waves passed over me; I roared by reason of the anguish of my Spirit, under the sense of thy wrath, and the curse of thy Law. The weight of my sins lay heavy upon my conscience, and I was even sinking under them into the bottomless pit. The sorrows of death compassed me about, the pains of Hell ga… hold of me, I found trouble and sorrow; I knew not which way to turn, nor whither to go for any ease or releif; If I said, My Friends should help me, or my Possessions abate my grief, I soon found them all miserable comforters, and Physitians of no value; If I said, My bed should comfort me, and my Couch ease my complaint, then thou didst scare me with Dreams, and terrifie me with Visions. All the creatures were unable to afford me any succour; When I lay thus half dead, they all as the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side; they had neither pity enough for such dreadful wounds, nor power enough to work their cure; Then called I upon the Name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul out of the belly of Hell, cried I unto thee, and …hou didst hear my voice; For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death, mine Eyes from Tears, and my Feet from falling. Thou wast the good Samaritan, that hadst compassion on me, that didst bind up my wounds, pouring in Oyl and Wine, and undertake my cure; Thou didst send a Barnabas, a Son of Consolation to me, to proclaim liberty to me a poor captive, and the opening of the Prison to me that was bound. How beautiful were his feet, that brought the glad ridings of peace to my poor soul? O that I might be able to support the weak, and comfort the feeble-minded, with the same comforts wherewith I my self have been comforted of God!
4In reproving the sinful.I Wish that I may be both faithful and wise, to recover a fallen Brother out of his sin and error; Jonathan, a true friend of David, promised to tell him if there were any danger, and accordingly warned him, whereby he saved his life. I profess my self a lover of my Christian Companions, but I am false in my profession, if I suffer sin to lye upon them. Yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner. The best plaister may be ineffectual, if it be not fitly applied; I can seldom with Moses seek to unit… quarrelling Christians, but one of them with the Hebrew, is ready to quarrel with me, and say, Who made thee a Ruler, or a Judge over us? Men are seldom more touchy then when their sores are searched; and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a Fever or Fury, must handle them with much wariness; I desire that Wisdom, Courage, and Love, may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded. Wisdom, that I may observe the quality and temper of the Offendour, the nature of his offence, and the sittest season and manner of administring the reproof; the quality of the person, if he be my Superiour, that I may do it with reverence, rather exhorting and beseeching, the plainly rebuking; The temper of the offendour; if he be of a fierce nature, that I may so manage my work with meekness, as when I am endeavouring to heal his distemper, I may not increase it; The nature of the offence, If the sin be small, that I may not make it great, by giving stronger medicines then the disease requires; The season of reproving, that I may not give open rebuke for private offences, but observe my Saviours r…le, If thy Brother offend thee, tell him his fault between him and thee. The presence of many, may make him take up an unjust defence, who in private would have taken upon him a just shame; The open air makes sores to wrankle; the more publique rebukes are for Magistrates and Courts of Justice to give. Possibly, it may be my suspicion more then any real fault, as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and Joseph, and then what wrong should I do him, to accuse innocency before a multitude? The manner of delivering it, that I may give him his due praise, as well us his deserved reproof; This will somewhat allay his passion, and make my reproof the more prevalent. The Iron when heated red hot in the fire, is bent and beaten afterwards without breaking which way the Smith pleaseth. When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation, I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success; I would desire courage also, that I may deal faithfully, and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom. Should I dally, I destroy the Patient; If the Of…endour be so bold as to dare God, why should I be so bashful as to fear him! Love, that he may discern my affection to his soul, in my detestation of his sin. If he suspect me to bear ill-will in my heart, he will throw my potion in my face; What man will take Physick from an enemy? Lord, shouldst thou suffer me to go on in sin, and not call me back though by a severe admonition, it were a sign thou didst hate me. Thou didst never strike Ephraim worse, then when thou didst forbear to strike at all, but saidst, Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone; Should I not seek to pluck my brother out of the fire of sin, into which he is fallen, but suffer him to lye there, I hate him, and am in thine esteem a murderer. O deliver me from such blood-guiltiness, thou God of my salvation. Let thy good Spirit so strengthen and direct me, when ever thou callest me to this duty, that I may do it with zeal to thine honour, not daring to jest with such an edged tool as sin is, and with love and wisdom, that if by any means, I may bring back a wandring sheep to thy fold.
3Christians should endeavour to receive what good they can from each other.I Wish that I may receive, as well as do good, by all my converses with those that are good. Christians are trees of righteousness, planted in Gods Vineyard, and its my own fault if I gather not some good fruit from them. My God tells me, The lips of the righteous feed many;1In receiving counsel. if then I rise hungry from the Table, its a sign I am sullen and will not eat; My Father delights to see his Children distributing their spiritual food (as the Disciples the Loaves and Fish to the multitude) amongst their brethren, till they all are filled; He hath acquainted me, that its an argument of wisdom to receive, and folly to refuse counsel; Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser, teach a just man, and he will increase in learning, Prov. 9. 9. The holy Apostle, though high in the School of Christ, and in the uppermost Form, yet hoped to learn somwhat from those that were far meaner Scholars. He writes to the Romans, that he hopes to be filled with their Company. They that are Dwarfes in Religion, may do service to the tallest, if they be willing to accept it. A Rush Candle may give me some light, if I do not wilfully shut mine eyes; A brazen Bell may call me to prayer as well as one of silver, if I do not stop mine ears. The smallest and meanest creatures, were serviceable to the Great God against the Egyptians; and shall my proud heart refuse the help of mean Christians, against the enemies of my salvation? Did a Damsel possessed with a Devil, bring her Master much temporal gain, and may not a poor servant, filled with the holy Spirit, bring me much spiritual gain? What? or, who am I? that none must teach me, but those that are eminent in grace and gifts? I am sure I have nothing (that good is,) but what I have received, and this pride of my heart is too great an evidence that I am but poor in holiness. Those branches that are fullest laden, bend most downward. Those trees that abound in clusters of fruit, do not disdain to receive sap from the mean earth, which every Beast trampleth on. Its no wonder if a soul decline in strength, that refuseth its food, because its not brought by the Steward, but by some inferiour person of the Family. If Satan can keep me in this proud humour, he doth not doubt but to keep me in a starving condition, and to hinder the efficacy of all means for my growth in grace. When this Dropsie once seiseth upon my vitals, I may expect a Consumption of my whole body. Lord, it were my duty to hear thy voice, though it were through the mouth of a Balaam; thou hast sometimes conveyed the water of life through these Pipes of Lead, and sent considerable presents to thy chosen, by contemptible messengers; O suffer me not to be wise i… mine own eyes, and thereby to turn away mine ears from the words of them that are endued with spiritual wisdom; but cause me to hear counsel, and receive instruction, that I may be wise for my latter end.
2In accepting a reproof.I Wish that I may be so much my own friend, as to esteem a bitter admonition better then the sweetest flattery, and never quarrel at any, for waking me out of my spiritual Lethargy. The World indeed is full of them that rage at such as would prevent their ruine, choosing rather to have their wounds fester, though they kill them; then be searched throughly to recover them; Their words to their Neighbours, are like the Jews to the Prophets, Prophesie not unto us right things, Prophesie unto us smooth things, Prophesie deceits, Isa. 30. 10. And their works are like theirs too; If a Stephen deal but faithfully with them, and tell them of their faults, they are presently cut to the heart, and gnash at him with their teeth; Their bones are so out of order, that the smallest disturbance makes them fret and fume. Like Owles, if any offer to lay hold on them, they soon make him feel their claws; Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee; But I have not so learned Christ; Though Toads are no sooner toucht, but they swell and are ready to spit out their poison in the face of him that hindleth them, yet Sheep will be felt and shorn, and suffer their sores to be drest with patience. Though fools hate him that reproveth in the gate; yet, rebuke a wise man and he will love thee, saith God, Prov. 9. 8. O that I might never be so void of love to my fallen brother, as not to give him a serious reproof, nor so void of love to my self, as not to receive a serious reproof. The nipping frosts, though not so pleasant, are as profitable as the Summer sunshine. I deceive my self, if I judge no liquor wholsom but what is toothsom. There is no probable way of curing some diseases, but by Blisters, and …pping-glasses, and painful medicines; Is it not better for me to accept an admonition and amend, then to walk on in a wicked way to my destruction? Will it not be much easier for me to bear a rebuke given in love, and with meekness from my fellow-creature, then to provoke the Iealous God, with eyes full of fury, to take me by the throat, and ask me, what I am doing! How I dare thus slight his Laws, and contradict his Will! O how can my heart endure, or my hands be strong, in the day that he shall deal with me! Well might my God say, He that hateth reproof is brutish. Lord, let me never be so much a beast, as to lye snoring in a nasty kennel of filth, and when any come to wake me, flie in their faces; but let me prefer a sharp admonition, before the smoothest deceits. When any praise me for the good in me, cause me to suspect my self; when any reprove me for the evil in me, let me accept it with thanks; Make me able to say with that sweet singer of Israel, Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oyl, it shall not break my head.
I Wish that I may by no means repine, 4To rejoyce in each others w…lfare.but always rejoyce at the gifts and graces of others. If the other members of the body thrive, the heart doth not grieve, but is glad at it. Its ordinary for younger brothers, to boast and glory in the large estate, and great possessions which their elder brothers have left them by their Fathers. Why should not my soul be joyful at the great share of spiritual riches, which the onelyonly wise God hath given some of my brethren? If a man love sweet smels, the greater degree of them he observeth in any place, the mo…e he is refreshed with them. He that delights in Pictures, if he see one in a room, exactly and exquisitely drawn, above all the rest, that shall have more of his eye and his heart. Is not grace compared to sweet Oynments? and shall not I be comforted the more for the greatness of its savour? Is not the Image of my God amiable in mine eye? and ought I not to delight most in that Copy which is nearest the Original? Surely, if I envy any their spiritual excellencies, I shew my self too like a Child of the Devil; There is hardly any worm that gnaweth that unclean spirit more painfully, then the grace which God gives his Children; Their sins are his utmost joy, their graces are his extream greif. Would I be found in Satans livery at the last? O that I might be so far from murmuring at that double portion of the Spirit, which my God bestoweth upon some of his people, that I might bless God heartily for it, and beg of God to add to it an hundred fold, how great soever it is. The pretty Birds sing the more merrily, the higher the Sun mounteth in the Heavens. I have cause to be the more chearful, the nearer any ascend to Heaven, and the higher they mount in holiness. My love to my God, to my Brother, nay to my self, all command me to it. My love to my God; He that loves his Soverain, will rejoyce that he hath any Subjects eminent above others for duty and loyalty: They that have much spiritual strength, will do my God much spiritual service. The more grace they have, the more glory they bring to God; Its an honour to the Father of Spirits, when his Children keep open house, according to their estates, cloathing the naked, feeding the hungry soul, and relieving liberally such as are in want; I am no Christian if I be not tender of my Gods honour, and joyful when that is exalted in the World. Besides, Love to my brother should quicken me to this duty If I love him as my self, I shall both grieve at his soul-losses, and rejoyce at his spiritual gains; Love delighteth in the welfare of the party loved; The hotter the beames of grace are in the party beloved, the more they rejoyce the heart of the lover. Why should any mans eye be evil towards his Brother, because Gods is good to him? Have others the less, because some have so much? Or, is it not my own fault, that I am not as holy and gracious as he? God is a Fountain of grace, always running over, but he derives it to us according to our capacities; If I go to the Well of Salvation, and receive but little of the water of life, I may know the cause; my Vessel was no bigger. Nay, Love to my self, may make me glad at others gifts and graces. The greater the Saints estate is, the more he will reliev… others; As the Earth; though it sucketh in so much water as will give her self a competent refreshment, conveyeth many springs through her veins, for the cherishing and refreshment of others. So the Saints do not onelyonly advantage their own, but also others souls; Lord, though in Hell there be little else but murmuring and repining at the good of thy chosen, yet in Heaven there is no emptiness in themselves, no envying at others; every Saint there hath his joy doubled for anothers joy, and is glorified in anothers glory; Suffer not thy Servant to make his heart a little Hell, by filling it with grief at the good of thy chosen; But, O make it thy lesser Heaven; be thou pleased to dwell in it, and then I shall begin the work of eternity in time, magnifie and bless thee for thy love to them, and praise and bless them for their likeness to thee.
The Conclusion.Finally, I Wish that I may so carry my self, in all my converses with the Children of God here, that I may meet them in the Fathers house, and sit down with them at the Supper of the Lamb. Lord, if Communion with thy Saints be so pleasant and delightful on earth, how pleasant and delightful will it be in Heaven! Here my communion with them is imperfect, my flesh will not suffer me to receive the good I might from them, nor their flesh allow them to do the good they might to me; But there shall be no evil, no occasion of evil, no appearance of evil; no sin shall clog the chariots of our souls, no flesh shall fetter us from running to embrace and delight in each other; but all shall be free to rejoyce and refresh one another. Every Saint shall be, as it were, a fountain of Communion in the sweetest manner… and fullest measure; from every one shall flow Ri…ers of water of life, and every one enlarged to rellish and receive. If Jonathan beholding a little grace in David on earth, loved him as his own soul, how doth he love him in Heaven? Here our Communion is much lamed by the defects in our bodily organs; we cannot impart our minds without our members, which being defective, make our Communion so; but there we shall be as Angels, seeing each other without eyes, hearing each other without ears, and embracing each other without hands; Here our Communion is interrupted, our particular callings, our eating, our drinking, our sleeping, our many occasions call us from it; But there is no calling but our general calling of worshipping and enjoying our God; no feeding but on the tree of life, that groweth in the midst of Paradise; no drinking but of the Rivers of Gods own pleasures; and no night, no sleeping, but that rest which remaineth for the people of God. O what darkness, what night can be there, where all the righteous shall shine infinitely brighter then the Sun in his noon day lust…e. Here our Communion is hindered by the differences that frequently arise … like Children of the same Father, we quarrel and wrangle; but there they will all be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and one judgement; There indeed Jerusalem is a City compact together, and at unity within it self; There Pauls desire is granted, that they all speak the same thing, they are one in affection, one in opinion, aud one in expression; There Christs prayer is granted, Father, that they may be one as we are one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us; If it be so good and pleasant a thing for brethren here, to dwell together in unity, and it be as a precious Oyntment, and as the Dew which descended upon the Mountains of Sion; where the Lord commanded his blessing, even life for ever. How good and pleasant will it be for those to dwell together in perfect unity there, where the consolation of Christ is perfect, the fellowship of the Spirit entire, the comfort of love compleat? no crying, no complaining, no angry word, no frowning look, no suspicious thought; But as old Gryneus said, There Zwinglius and Luther are well agreed. Our Communion here is but with a few, we are acquainted but with few, and our communion is not so large as our acquaintance; we have seen but few, we have heard but of few, and we have discoursed with fewer. There are but few in the Counties, in the Kingdom where we live, and many of them are wholly unknown to us; But There is a glorious Company of Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, a noble Army of Martyrs, a numberless number of Saints, of all Countries, Callings, Conditions, Relations; a thousand thousand, are before him, and ten thousand times ten thousand, minister to him; If Peter when he saw but two of the Children of God in glory with Christ on Earth, cryed out, Master, It is good to be here; How good will it be to be There, where there shall be a great multitude, which no man can number, of all Nations, and Kindreds, and People, and Tongues, Rev. 7.standing before the Throne, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white robes, and Palmes in their hands, and crying with a loud voice, Salvation unto our God, that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever. O what a blessed time, or rather eternity will that be, when I shall fully understand what the Communion of Saints meaneth! If Solomon could say of militant Saints, As Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart, so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty counsel; How much better might he speak it of Saints triumphant? What is the sweetness and joy of that society… where every soul is a bed of spices, an Orchyard of Pomgranats, a Cabinet of perfumes, for their mutual delight and refreshment! If David was so taken with the beauty of the Church in this World, notwithstanding her blackness, by reason of corruption and affliction, that he saith, If I forget thee, O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Ierusalem before my chief joy; How much is he taken with the Spouse of Christ There, where it is granted unto her to be arrayed in fine linnen, pure and white, which is the righteousness of the Saints, not onelyonly imputed, but also inherent, to be cloathed with the embroydered graces of the holy spirit, perfect knowledge, perfect love, perfect joy, and all the beauties of holiness, without the least spot or wrinkle, or any such thing! there indeed he prefers Jerusalem before his chief joy, wh…lst he beholds her all fair, compleatly conformed to Christ, with such a peculiar resemblance of his glory, as if the name of Christ was written on her fore-head, and her spiritual affinity and kindred manifested thereby. Surely it is a lovely communion, when Saints sit down together at the Lords Table, in this world, and partake of his last Supper, when they see, and hear, and taste, the true pledges of their Fathers infinite grace, and read their Redeemers boundless love, written by himself in his own blood. Their hearts have many a time been so ravished therewith, that they have wished the ordinance might have lasted longer, and that Christ would have lain so all night between their breasts; But O how infinitely short is this Communion, of that which …hey shall have in glory, when they shall be called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb, when they shall eat of the hidden Manna, and drink of the new wine in their Fathers Kingdom! then, then indeed every one may say, I sit under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto my taste; without question that Communion which Adam had with Eve, that short time which they continued in innocency, was exceeding sweet. She was to him as a Crown of glory, a meet help, and the delight of his eyes; What a …air Bride was she whom God himself drest, and deckt with all the ornaments of grace! What joy must there needs be at that Wedding which was celebrated in Paradise, covered with the curious Tapestry of th…se pleasant trees, which the very han… of the most High had planted, and delighted with the ra…ishing noats of those pretty Quitisters which Infinite Wisdom had taught to sing at the Marriage feast… where there was a perfect likeness and love between the Maried Persons, where there was not the least evil, or shew of evil to allay their joy, and especia…y where the God of all consolation was fully and f…ourably present, as Master of the Feast! Adam could not but esteem her his loving Hind, and pleasant R…e, his sweet yoke-fellow, and pleasant play-fellow, the partner and sweetner of all his comforts, he could not but he satisfied with her breasts, and ravished with her love. But even this is far inferiour to the communion of the Saints above; There, in heaven are more glorious bands, and sweeter knots of loving fellowship; then that of Marriage, the attire of the Bride is far richer, the beauty of the Bride far greater, the wedding chamber is the heavenly Paradise, the melody made there will be by celestial Courtiers, Angels themselves; and there the Fountain whence all joy floweth will run more freely, and he will turn that water which Adam had below into the richest wine. Lord, I acknowledge to thy glory, that I have sometimes been refreshed with the company of thy chosen in this world, I have seen thee in them, and heard thee by them, yet how little good have I got by them, in comparison of what I might and ought? Pardon all my weaknesses, and do thou so supply my spiritual wants, that I may both love more and improve better the society of thy Saints here, that so when thou callest me from this imperfect communion with some few, I may be carried to Abrahams bosome, and enjoy perfect fellowship with those thousands that are before thee, where thou art visible in all, every one being thy temple, and every heart being the altar, upon which the fire of thy love is ever burning. O let me praise thee in that great congregation, and my glory sing of thee before much people; for there shall those that mourned for Sion be filled with comfort, and rejoyce for ever with Ierusalem, they shall be born upon her sides, and dandled upon her knees, they shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation, they shall milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory,
Amen.