Heaven and Hell Epitomized, Title page – To the Christian reader
foreign HEAVEN and HELL EPITOMIZED. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN Characterized. AS ALSO An Exhortation with Motives, Means, and Directions to be ſpeedy and ſerious about the work of Converſion. By George Swinnocke M. A. ſometime fellow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford, and now Preacher of the Goſpel at Rickmerſworth in Hertfordſhire.
I call heaven and earth to record this day againſt you, that I have ſet before you life and death, bleſſing and curſing; therefore chooſe life, that both thou and thy ſeed may live, Deut. 30.19
Accidioſi erubeſcere poſſunt qui non tam diligenter laborant ad impetrandum gaudium coeli, ſicut multi impiorum laborant ad impetrandum poenam inferni. Fabritius indestruct. Vitior. part. 5. cap. 2.
Crede, Stude, Vive, Pinge Aeternitati. Cor. A Lapid.
London, Printed by E. M. for Tho. Parkhurſt, and are to be ſold at the Sign of the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapſide, over againſt the Conduit, 1659.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL And my eſteemed Friend RICHARD BERESFORD Eſquire, Juſtice of the Peace for the Liberty of St. Albans in the County of Hertford, and Clarke of the Pleas in his Highneſs Court of Exchequer.
Worthy Sir,
THis ſmall Treatiſe (part whereof was lately preached in your eares at the Funeral of your dear Mother preſenteth it ſelf to your eyes, not for your protection (Divine Truths deſire none from men, and humane errors deſerve none from any) but for your direction. It containeth that in it, which is able to make you wiſe unto ſalvation through faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus.
You have a double right to the dedication of this book; partly in regard of the occaſion of it; partly in regard of the Authors obligation unto you, which is great, for your liberality, but farre greater for your encouraging of, and exemplarineſs in the truth and life of Chriſtianity.
I did not think my ſelf a little bound to that Providence, which gave you Relation to our Pariſh; and I ſuppoſe not without cauſe, when the power of godlineſs hath few ſuch conſiderable Patrons.There is ſcarce one of a thouſand, cui praeſens faeticitas ſi arriſit, non irriſit. Bern. lib. 2. de conſolat. Men of your rank, though ſometimes (to ſtop the mouth of conſcience, or for their credit) they take up a form and profeſsion, yet do uſually neglect, if not curſedly deride the ſtrictneſs and power of Religion. They are too often like the Moon fartheſt from, and in moſt direct oppoſition unto the Sun of Righteouſn ſſe, when they are at the full of outward plenty, and receive moſt light of Divine bounty from him: their carnal hearts, as the Sea, turn the ſhowers of mercies from heaven, and freſh ſtreams from the earth, into the ſalt waters of corruption. In our natural bodies, the more fat there is, the leſſe blood in the veines, and by conſequence the fewer ſpirits. Greatneſſe and Goodneſs are beautiful and happy,Quies hath no plural number; God ſeldom giveth two Heavens. Tamen aliquando Chriſtus voluit Reginam in coelum vebere ſaith Luther of Eliſabeth Queen of Denmark. Luth. in Epiſt ad Jo Agric. but rare conjunctions. You know who hath ſaid, Not many ſuch are called, 1 Cor. 1.26. And experience teacheth us, that they are like Stars of the firſt Magnitude thinly ſcattered in the Firmament of a Country. How much therefore are you engaged to that diſtinguiſhing love, which enableth you to look after the things of a better life!
I ſhall take the liberty (which I know you will give) to ſpeak a few words to you in your twofold capacity.
Firſt as you are a Chriſtian; and herein my counſel will be, that you would more and more enſure your effectual calling. We ſay, where men intend to live long, they build ſtrong. I am confident all that you are worth, for your endleſs condition in the other world, dependeth under Chriſt upon your inward change. And if ever any wyers had need to be firm and ſtrong, then queſtionleſſe they upon which ſuch heavy weights hang, as your eternal unchangeable eſtate.
You have a large room in the hearts of many that are holy: But alas Sir, the beſt mans confidence of me would prove but a bad evidence for heaven: He is not approved whom man commendeth, but whom the Lord commendeth.
The great affection which you bear to the ſouls of the people, amongſt whom you were born, is worthy of imitation: And ſo is your care and coſt in ſcattering ſome practical home-treatiſes in ſeveral families (whereby ſouls may be converted, and wherein you may have comfort at the day of Chriſt) for ſoul-charity is the ſoul of charity; but the beſt charity begins at home, though it never ends there; your main buſineſs lyeth within your own doors, to make ſure that good work within you, which ſhall be perfected hereafter.
The ordinary ſecurity which moſt men truſt to, will not ſerve when they come in the other life, to lay their claims, and ſhew their deeds for the inheritance of the Saints in light. Many flaws will then be found in their evidences, which now through their wilful blindneſs they neither ſee nor fear.Pa…lens aurum melius eſt qu…m fulgens aurichalcum. Bern. He had need to have armour of proof that would enter the liſt with his enemy Death, and not be foiled. The heart not ballaſted with renewing grace, may hold out in the calm of life, and ſhallows of time; but when it meets with the ſtorm of death, and launcheth into the Ocean of eternity, it ſuffereth a deſperate and everlaſting ſhipwrack. The want of this is the leak which ſinketh many a precious veſſel (ſoul I mean) in the gulph of perdition.
There is as much difference between a nominal and a real Chriſtian, as between a liveleſs picture and a living perſon. True Chriſtianity, which conſiſteth in the ſouls humble unfained acceptation of, and hearty reſolved dedication unto Chriſt, as Saviour and Soveraign, is a Paradox to moſt. There are many Chriſtians (as Salvian complained in his time) without Chriſt,Chriſtiani ſine Chriſto. Salv. but they which know experimentally what the ſanctification of the holy Ghoſt meaneth, are few indeed. The Moraliſt in his beſt dreſſe of civility, the Formaliſt in his gaudy attire of ceremonies, and the hypocrite in all his royalty, is not arrayed like one of theſe. I do not write theſe things as in the leaſt ſuſpecting your ſincerity, but to quicken you to a godly jealouſie over your own ſoul. If the Apoſtles and Diſciples needed ſuch rouſing cautions, Take heed leaſt that day come upon you unawares, Luke 21.34. Take heed leaſt any man fail of the grace of God, Heb. 12.15. then much more you and I, who are more drowſie and prone to ſlumber, do require awakening conſiderations.
Secondly, As you are a Magiſtrate. And that relation calleth upon you to be very exemplary among men, and exceeding active for God▪
Man is a creature which is led more by the eye than the ear, by patterns than precepts. Great men therefore which are copies, after which many write, had need to be exact. You are the looking-glaſſes by which others dreſſe themſelves; the heads of the people, Deut. 1.15. now the whole body will go along with the head.
Qui in excelſo a gunt, eorum facta cuncti mortales n…vere Saluſt. ad Cae…arem.You are like Beacons upon an hill, viſible to all. The Sun may as ſoon go unſeen, as a Juſtice unobſerved. A ſmall Star may be darkened, and none take notice of it; but if the great Luminaries are eclipſed or obſcured, a thouſand eyes will be gazing on them. A little ſpot in ſilk or ſcarlet is more looked on, than a great one in ruſſet or ſackcloth. A crack in a pebble is nothing ſo eyed or prejudicial, as a ſmall flaw in a jewel. Corruptio optimi peſſima. Satan doth therefore plant his ſtrongeſt batteries againſt the Royal Forts of Magiſtracy and Miniſtry (whoever are ſpared, David and Peter ſhall be ſifted) knowing that he gaineth a double advantage by their miſcarriage, example and ſcandal; by which two wings it will ſoar higher, and flie much farther An ordinary Tradeſmon may prove bankrupt without much noiſe; but if an Alderman or Merchant that had a name for a great eſtate breaks, the the City and Country ring of it. The honor of God and credit of the Goſpel are much engaged in the carriage of a Magiſtrate that is a Profeſsor. The many eyes that look upon you, the many feet that follow after you, and the glory of the bleſsed God which is concerned in you, do all call aloud to you, to have your eyes in your head (as the wiſe mans phraſe is, Eccleſ. 2.14. to make ſtraight paths for your feet, and to walk nobly, exactly, worthy of the Lord, even unto all well-pleaſing.
Beſides, your very place is apt to be a ſnare and temptation, and therefore requireth the greater care and circumſpection. Places of honour and power are like ſtrong meats, which being well concocted yeild much good nouriſhment (bring much glorie to God and good to ſouls) but they are of verie hard digeſtion. He muſt have a ſtrong brain that will bear much wine, and he much grace that will walk humbly and cloſely with God in an high condition.
Your Office calleth upon you to be zealous for God, as well as a pattern of piety to your neighbors.*So Mr. Pemble in loc. Eccl. 7.16. Be not righteous overmuch, is the voice of carnal and corrupt reaſon, which inciteth to an indifferencie in good courſes, and politick forbearance of forwardneſs in pietie. Such is the judgement of carnal policie, that our verie dutie is but overmuch and needleſs preciſeneſſe. Moderation is commendable in all things but Religion, becauſe therein there can be no exceſſe. The lukewarm temper is of all others moſt loathſome to the Divine Nature, Rev, 3.16. You ſhould not think it below you, to be diligent in finding out, and ſtrict in puniſhing thoſe that would debaſe God, by the breach of his Laws, prophanation of his day, and abuſe of his Creatures. To ſerve the Lord is your greateſt honour. Jeſus Chriſt humbled himſelf more for you: or O how low had you been laid long ere this!
You have begun well with your honoured*John Beresford Eſquire, one of the Juſtice of the Peace for the ſame Liberty. Uncle, my loving Friend, to beat up thoſe head-quarters of hell, Ale-houſes. I wiſh you both an happie progreſs, and their ungodly diſorders a ſpeedie concluſion. Fooliſh pitie to mens ſins is the greateſt crueltie to their ſouls: Favour or connivence encourageth them in their rebellions, encourageth them in their reb…llions, and encreaſeth their corruptions, and thereby furthereth their damnation; when the faithful wounds of wholſom ſeveritie (if God have any ſanctifying or ſaving merciemercy for …hem) may reform and heal them. You cannot eaſily do them a greater injurie, than to let …hem alone in their enormities. One of the greateſt ſtroaks that ever Iſrael felt from …he hand of God, was not to be ſtricken, Iſai. ….5.
Some Magiſtrates are like Mountains and Cypreſſe trees, high and barren; but God hath …ron hands for Juſtices that have leaden heels, and will ſhortly ſtrike them home for forſwear…ng themſelves to ſpare others. He will be a …error to them, and make them terrors to them…elves, who will not at his command be terrors to …vil doers. They are guilty of all the ſins which they can and do not hinder. They ſin in others, whilſt they ſuffer them to ſin: Vitia aliorum ſi feras, facis tua; And they that are partakers of others ſins, if we will believe the God of Truth, ſhall receive of their plagues, Rev. 18.4. Some ſhew at this day, that they accept ſuch places to honor not God, but themſelves; and they ſhall know one day, that it were better offending all their neighbors, nay all the world, than one God.
I ſuppoſe you do not wonder, that the cruel Lion roareth when he is diſturbed of his reſt, nor that vicious men rage becauſe they may not without ſome rubs ruine their ſouls. Our Naturaliſts obſerve truly, that beaſts hate fire: And ſo do men of heaſtly principles and practices that heavenly fire zeal. The Dogs will bark and flie at the Moon, not alwayes when ſhe ſhineth, but when by reaſon of the clouds hurried under by the winds, ſhe ſeemeth to run faſter than ordinary. The wicked world can well enough endure a curſed neutrality, or (as they term it) a prudential policie;Bona …gere & mala pati Regium eſt. but to ſerve the Lord with fervencie of ſpirit, is not more acceptable to God, than abominable to them.
If they cannot make you wound your conſcience,Didicit ille maledicere, & ego contemnere ſaid the Philoſopher. (according to the ſubtilty of the Serpent) they will wound your credit; but a godly mans name is like an oyled poſt, on which ſuch dirt will not ſtick. Their good word might be a diſgrace to you, and give you cauſe to reflect upon your ſelf (as that Heathen did) and ſay, What evil have I done, that ſuch a graceleſſe fellow commends me? But their bad word… doth no more now, than the treading with dirty feet on figures engraven in braſſe, which are thereby rendred more bright and glorious. And hereafter you ſhall ſee a reſurrectirn of names as well as of bodies, when Chriſt will make the ſinner pay back the ſtoln rep…tation …f his ſeevants with intereſt.
David was the ſong of the drunkards, and the ſcorn of the gluttons; and the Son of David, that pattern of patterns,Luke 2.34. was ſet for a ſign to be ſpoken againſt, and endured the contradiction of ſinners, Hebr. 12.3. I hope you ſet your watch not by the Pariſh clock, but by the dial of ſcripture, which ever goeth true with the Sun of Righteouſneſs.
In a word, your time is little, your work is great; your talents are many, your account will be weighty; your Saviour obſerveth every moment how tender you are of his honor, that was ſo tender of your eternal welfare; how you teſtifie your thankfulneſſe to him, for all the bitter agony, and ignominy, which he ſuffered for you. You ſhall ſhortly never more have the leaſt opportunitie (though you would give a thouſand worlds for it) to do any thing in, for Gods glorie, your own or others good. Work therefore the work of him that ſent you into the world, while it is the day of your life, for the night of death is haſtening on you, wherein you cannot work: Up and be doing, as a Chriſtian, as a Magiſtrate, and the Lord be with you.
Sir, I have no more to ſpeak to you, but that the Hearer of prayers may hear often from you, that I may take heed to the miniſtrie which I have received of the Lord, and fulfil it, and to aſſure you, that my prayers at the throne of grace ſhall be, that you and your religious Conſort may continue to dwell together as fellow heirs of the grace of life; and your hopeful Children may be planted with, and grow up in grace, till they ſhall be tranſplanted into the true Paradiſe, the Kingdom of Glorie. This, through the help of heaven, ſhall be the petition of
Your real Servant in the ever bleſſed Saviour, George Swinnocke. Febr. 15. 1658./9.
Chriſtian Reader,
THere are two thing which ſhould be of higheſt regard with us, a ſerviceable life, and a comfortable death; and they are both ſo inſeparably conjoyned, that in vain do we hope for the one without the other; which of theſe is to be preferred, was a doubt, which put the Apoſtle to an Anxious diſquiſition; on the one ſide there was ſervice, on the other ſide there was gain; if he lived he ſhould preach Chriſt; if he dyed he ſhould enjoy Chriſt; and remain with him for ever; therefore Paul was at a ſtand, and knew not what to determine; Surely he had an holy heart that could thus ſet duty againſt enjoyment, and think his ſervice worthy to come into competition with his ſpiritual and eternal intereſts! that which made Paul ſo indifferent and incurious, as to the means, was the reſolved fixing of his ſcope, his end & ſcope was Chriſts glory▪ now 'twas all one to him how God would uſe him to ſuch a purpoſe, as a man that is reſolved upon a journey, taketh the way as he findeth it, fair or foul, tis enough that it leadeth him to his journeys end; ſo Chriſt might be glorified, either by his Miniſtry; or by martyrdom, Paul was indifferent, 'twas enough that Chriſt ſhould be glorified; none have ſuch an unfeighned reſpect to Chriſts glory, but thoſe that live in the communion of his life; mens tendency is according to the principle by which they are acted, carnal men that act by their own life, and live upon their own root, bring forth fruit to themſelves; water riſeth no higher than its fountain; but thoſe that have life from Chriſt uſe it for him, to them to live is Chriſt, as they live in him and by him, ſo they live for him and to him. We need then to take all occaſions to preſs men to get into Chriſt, that they may live in the communion of his life, and in the ſtrength and influence of it be carryed out to his glory; this is that which will make life ſerviceable, and death ſweet; and to this we need to be preſſed by all kinde of arguments, both thoſe which are taken from Gods relation to us; as alſo thoſe which are taken from our expectations from him, Rom. 14.8. We are the Lords by every kinde of right and title, and therefore owe all manner of ſervice to him, even though nothing ſhould come of it; but they that do the Lords work will not want his wages, though he might require our ſervice out of meer ſoveraignty, yet he condeſcendeth to propound a reward, and that ſo full and ample, that it ſhould raviſh our hearts every time we think of it. Theſe conſiderations which I have here looſely diſcourſed of, are notably improved in the enſuing treatiſe, which being communicated to me by a friend of the Author, I could not but return it with this Character, that 'tis a diſcourſe grave and judicious, and yet quickened with ſuch warmth and vigor of illuſtration, as that it may be of great uſe to awaken men unto more ſeriouſneſs in the great concernments of their ſouls, among which nothing can be more momentous than our living in Chriſt, that we may live to him, and then with him for evermore; this being ſignified, I leave thee to the work it ſelf, (which I cannot but judge to proceed from one, both of a good head and heart) and profeſs my ſelf
Thine in the ſervice of the Goſpel Tho. Manton.