Christs School, Class 1 · Part 3
III. Of their ſubmiſſion to Baptiſm, &c.
THE two next things (of the ſix) which follow, are to ſhew not only the Doctrine which was taught to Babes, but alſo their ſubmiſſion thereunto, and are proofs (before men) of their converſion. As to the things themſelves (Baptiſmes and laying on of hands) there is ſome difference, if not Controverſie among Interpreters. Of the Doctrine of Baptiſm, (gr. Baptiſmes) ſome ſay this, That it refers to the ſeveral waſhings uſed by the Jews, one of which was with reference to the admiſſion of Proſelytes, to which Baptiſm ſucceeded; others, that it refers to both the outward and inward Baptiſm, that of water, and this of the Spirit. Of the Doctrine of laying on of hands; ſome ſay, that it refers to confirmation; others, to abſolution; others, to ordination, &c. It ſeems to be the practice of Chriſts Apoſtles after they had Baptized perſons (ſooner or later) to lay hands on them, by which gifts were conferred, Acts 8.17. and 19.4,—6. with many other places: Now, whether the Doctrine of Baptiſmes may not refer to the Baptizing of Gentiles as well as Jews; and laying on of hands alſo refer to both (a thing which the Jews could hardly bear) I ſubmit to the conſideration of others. As to our preſent purpoſe (not to meddle with Controverſies) I do conceive that by theſe two things is noted in general, how Babes do ſubmit and give up themſelves to the obedience of ſuch inſtitutions, duties and ordinances as they are capable and convinced of: And further than this I ſhall not handle the Doctrine of Baptiſmes, and laying on of hands: and this all agree in.
Babes do ſubmit to ſuch ordinances, and duties, as (I ſay) they are capable and convinced of, for of all they are not, nor are they required at their hands, till in a capacity: What ever Doctrine comes under the name of ſtrong meat, they cannot bear. Our Saviour would not put meat into Babes mouths, no more than men would put new Wine into old Bottles; and therefore they were not put upon faſting, (for want whereof in part they could not caſt out one kind of Devils, Mat. 17.19,—21.) till Chriſts departure and the delcent of the Spirit, Mat. 9.14,—17. This duty of faſting (how formally ſoever uſed by the Phariſees) is a duty too ſtrong for Babes to be put much upon. Our Saviour had many things (more) to ſay, which they could not bear till the Spirit came upon them, Joh. 16.12, 13. they could hardly endure the doctrine of Chriſts death, Matth. 16.21, 22. they underſtood it not, Luke 9.44, 45. nor the doctrine of his Reſurrection, Mark 9.9, 10. nor that of his Aſcenſion to the Father and Interceſſion for them, Joh. 16.16,—18. which are the ſtrong meat that grown Believers feed upon (as they alſo afterward did) Rom. 8.34. they were, while Babes, exceeding ſorry at theſe things, Matth. 17.22, 23. which yet were to turn to their greateſt joy after they came to a riper underſtanding of his Love and deſign herein, as Chriſt told them it ſhould, Joh. 16.19,—28. and ſo ſtrong Believers find it, Rom. 8.34,—39. he had ſome things alſo to tell them by way of Command, as that they ſhould go and Preach to the Gentiles, Baptize and lay hands on them alſo, which as yet they could not bear: and while they were under this weakneſs, their firſt Commiſſion was but for the Cities of Judaea. Yea after Chriſts Aſcenſion, Peter himſelf was not convinced but by a Viſion, that they might go to the Gentles; and 'twas a matter of great admiration to the Jewiſh Converts (who generally were but Babes) that to the Gentiles God had granted Repentance to life, Acts 11.18. and as they were Babes in point of gifts (for they were to do greater things after Chriſts Aſcenſion than they could before, Joh. 14.12. viz. ſuch as we read of, Mark 16.15,—20. which was much beyond (both for the perſons to be Preacht to, and things to be done by them in) the firſt Commiſſion, Matth. 10.1.) ſo were they Babes in grace alſo, (they were but of little Faith, Matth. 6.30.) they were very carnal in their apprehenſions of Chriſts Kingdom, as if it had been of this world; they were very dull of hearing the Doctrine of his death, &c. as was toucht even now; there was much ſtrife and envy among them; and a wrathful ſpirit calling for fire from Heaven; they were forward to promiſe, but not ſo to perform, for they could not watch with him one hour, &c. by which it appears they were as carnal and but Babes, not capable of ſtrong meat for Doctrine or duty.
What they (Babes) are, and what they are not capable of or able to bear, I ſhall not undertake to determine, only this I am ſure of, that they are not to be received to doubtful diſputations (if that be the meaning of the place) Rom. 14.1. of which I think the Margent gives a better account. But now, what they are capable of and convinced of, that they ſubmit to and act accordingly, Acts 19. There were Diſciples that had not heard whether there were an Holy Ghoſt or no, but as ſoon as they were convinced they ſubmitted. The Diſciples were not convinced of the Meſſiahs Offices, but in the general notion (without diſtinct apprehenſions of the manner and way) of reſtoring the world; and therefore till after his Aſcenſion, which proved theirs too, they had asked nothing in his name, Joh. 16.24,—26. Chriſt indeed had declared his Fathers name (The Lord gracious) and taught them to Pray, Our Father, and tells God that they had kept his Word, and believed that he came out from him, as ſent by him, Job. 17.6,—8. but a more particular Faith in him, and praying in his name (was to be taught by the Spirit, and) were things they were not yet convinced of.
The great thing I have now to do is to ſhew, how and after what manner theſe Babes attend upon Ordinances and do their duties: which, alas, is in a very poor low way, the weakneſſes whereof God overlooks, and accepts their will for the deed (and better than that) many times.
1. They are more at duty than in it, and uſe Ordinances much, but make little uſe of them, and (if I may ſo ſpeak) are very full of duties, but little dutiful; very little comes of all their attendance upon and addreſſes unto God, they are where and as they were ſtill, little earnings do they make, God knows. They drive a great trade at hearing and praying, &c. hear precept upon precept, and line upon line; heap duty upon duty, but are very bunglers at it, and unprofitable after it. Like young children that make many meals, eat all the day long, and ſpoil as much as they eat, they mangle and crumble what is ſet before them, and dwindle away their time without feeding. Thus it was with the Hebrew-Babes, they did eat and eat, yet were alwaies in need of milk, they do not, cannot walk in the ſtrength of their meat (as the Prophet did) but are hungry again preſently; the Word profits them little becauſe not mixed with Faith, they have a bad digeſtion, and as ill a concoction; ſo that though they eat much, they are lean from day to day. The Diſciples who heard Chriſt Jeſus Preach ſo often were yet (like the Hebrews) dull of hearing, and ever and anon were to know the meaning of this and that very plain and eaſie Similitude and Parable with which Chriſt taught them, and underſtood not this and the other ſaying. They were ſo unacquainted with praying, that they muſt needs have a Form of Prayer, or a Directory ſet before them. Though the Jews faſted often, yet to God not at all or very little; they abound in performances, and keep on the road and round of duties, yet make no riddance not work of it; there is little Faith in their believing, little love in their loving, little obedience in their obeying: there is much of quantity, but little of quality; there is a great bulk of duties, but little of Spirit and life in them: their much is little.
2. They are very apt to place Religion in and to confine it to ſome certain duties, and ſay, 'Tis good to be here (as Peter did) not knowing what they ſay. They are apt to think that nothing is duty (and that they muſt ſcarce do any thing elſe) but to hear and pray: if I may allude to what is ſaid of the Phariſees, Matth. 23.23. they are exact and punctual at poſitives, but defective in morals, they too much neglect the weightier things, as Faith and Love, &c. whereas a grown Chriſtian ſees that the great part of his duty is in a faithful diſcharge of his particular calling, in buying and ſelling, eating and drinking, and doing all he doth (from the higheſt to the loweſt duty) to the glory of God. The Babes are, as I may ſay, hearing and praying Chriſtians, and ſo are the grown Chriſtians alſo, but withall they are doing and practiſing Chriſtians which the Babes are but a little acquainted with. When Jeſus Chriſt had caſt a Devil out of a man, he that had been poſſeſt prayed that he might be with him, but Chriſt had other work for him to do, Mark 5.18, 19. ſo theſe Babes cry to be with him (for ſo they call being at Sermons and Prayers) little conſidering that they may ſerve him better in being elſewhere many times: theſe things ought ye to do, and not to leave the other undone, ſay I to the Babes, as Chriſt did to the Phariſees. Conſtant walking with God, and finiſhing the work he hath given us to do, is the beſt being with him, and therein properly is our communion with him (to which hearing and praying is but relative, as means and helps to ſuch an end) 1 Joh. 1.6, 7. Oh that Babes would learn this. For young beginners think they muſt lay almoſt all aſide in compariſon of hearing and praying, as if following their callings, and doing the work of their places were nothing to this, but (as Spira thought at the beginning) that they muſt lay aſide all and live upon providence: whereas the excellency of a grown Saint is much in this that he divides his work aright, and gives every one its portion in due ſeaſon, for then 'tis beautiful; and ſo is he (in this ſenſe alluding to 2 Tim. 2.15.) approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be aſhamed.
3. They are apt to place more in Ordinances and duties, and to look for more from them, than God hath placed and put in them. They go to them as Rachel to Jacob, Give me Children or I die; but they may Anſwer (as he did her) Am I in Gods ſtead? if God ſhut who can open? Poor Babes, if they have not what they have a mind to, they take pet, are ſullen and diſcontented; what ſhould I hear, pray and wait for? they did look for joy, but none came; they went to hear the joyful ſound, but heard it not; they went to the Lords Feaſt, as to a ſealing ordinance, but found no impreſſions of its Seal: and therefore are apt to complain, why ſhould I go any more? but let me tell you this is your Babiſheſs: as that King ſaid to the Woman who came to him for help, ſo may Ordinances ſay to you, how can we help if God do not help? God hath not called Ordinances and duties your comforters, but his holy Spirit is the comforter; the partaking of the Lords Feaſt doth not Seal, 'tis the Spirits office: God never intended that you ſhould make Gods and Saviours of his Ordinances, but that you ſhould look through them and above them, while you uſe them; grown Saints do ſo: they go to (and alſo go from) a duty and ordinance to God himſelf: They know 'tis not the man that ſpeaks the word, nor the word that man ſpeaks, but God that works. They go to them as to Gods Wells and Conduit pipes, which they know have no water but from the Fountain, in whom all their freſh Springs are, and from whom all their fruit and increaſe is, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7. Pauls planting, and Apollo's watring comes to nothing, if God do not give the increaſe by his bleſſing.
4. Babes (ſome of them) are too prone to think that they deſerve ſomething at Gods hand by what they do (being yet under the bondage of hired Servants, and an Old Teſtament legal frame) they do not ſo much work righteouſneſs, but they as much work for righteouſneſs: they think to pray and weep themſelves into the Love of God, and are as carnal men, who think to be heard for their much and long ſpeaking, they are much for vows and Covenants, they ſet tasks on themſelves; ſo many Chapters, ſo long at Prayers, &c. But if they fail of their expectation, then they are apt to ſay, What profit is there if we keep his Ordinances? and what gain if we draw nigh unto him, and have hands laid on us? and why have we afflicted our Souls, &c. like them in Iſa. 58.2, 3. If they do any thing with inlargedneſs, and as they think better than ordinary, they then conclude (as Leah did, Gen. 30.20.) God hath endowed me with a good Dowry, now will he dwell with me, for I have born him Six Sons; and they call their duties Zebulun's, i.e. dwellings. If they find ſome enlargement in duty and bring forth ſuch things plentifully, then ſay they, ſhall we have ſomething from Heaven to day, a ſmile or a token for good, becauſe we have prayed with ſighs and tears as well as groans to day, and attended upon Ordinances with longings to day; now we ſhall be Gods darlings, ſurely he will make much of us: they being ignorant of Gods (word of) righteouſneſs, go about to eſtabliſh their own, and look for acceptance and manifeſtations of love from their humblings and Prayers (which is to be had in, by and through Chriſt only) and ſo they attain it not, becauſe they ſeek it not by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law, Rom. 9.31, 32. with 10.2.3, 4. Their hopes of Heaven, and thoughts of Gods love do flow and ebbe, are higher or lower, according to the workings of their heart in their duties: They rejoyce in theſe things as the Diſciples did at the ſubjection of Devils, more than (as grown Saints do) that their names are written in Heaven, Luke 10.17,—20.
They promiſe themſelves great matters from their performances, and ſubmiſſion to Ordinances, as if opus operatum the work done did deſerve ſomething: My beloved I ſpeak not theſe things to ſhame you, but (as Paul did to his Corinthian-Babes) as my beloved ones to warn and inſtruct you, 1 Cor. 4.14. and therefore to clear this a little more, I intreat you to obſerve, that when Chriſt had told the young man that if he would leave all and follow him, he ſhould have treaſure in Heaven, Matth. 19.21. almoſt immediately thereupon, Peter ſaid unto him, Verſ. 27. Behold we have left all and followed thee, what ſhall we have therefore? this was a Babiſh expreſſion, as if they had deſerved ſome great matter: pray what was this all he talks of? 'twas a great all indeed! a poor little Fiſher Boat, and an old Net, &c. and was not this worthy to be uſhered in with a behold? and concluded with a what ſhall we have therefore? Alas poor Babes, they thought themſelves very profitable ſervants, as our Saviour intimates to them, Luke 17.7, &c. to what purpoſe doth Chriſt tell them this ſtory, but to let them know that he owes them no thanks, that they are ſervants to whom he is not beholden, for they had done but what was (and not all that was) their duty to do, and therefore makes the Application, verſ. 10. ſo likewiſe ye, when ye have done all things commanded ye to do, ſay (ſit down and write at the end of your accounts) we are unprofitable Servants. Thus he reproved them for expecting a reward as due; Chriſt will reward them, not as debt, but by the gift of grace.
Take now a grown Saint, and he looks upon his all to be ſo little, and his beſt ſo bad, that he knows himſelf in debt to God, and not God in debt to him: he gives God but his own, what he firſt received, and which is ſtill Gods due, and never thinks that he merits by paying his debts and doing what is his duty to do. When ſuch an one hath done any thing for God, he is ſo far from demanding a reward of debt, that he looks for it only as a gift, as Paul did, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. and doth not attribute the reward only to gift and grace, but all the duty and work which he hath done, and thanks God for it too, 1 Cor. 15.10. he looks on himſelf as needing Chriſt Jeſus for his acceptance, not only after his ill doing, but after his well doing, and would not be found in any righteouſneſs but that which is by Faith for all the world, Phil. 3.9. when he hath done all his duty, he looks upon himſelf as an unprofitable ſervant, as well as he doth when he falls ſhort of doing all his duty, or as if he had not done any thing at all, as they Matth. 25.37.
5. They too often value Ordinances according to the diſpenſer and adminiſtrater of them. Some of the Corinthian Babes gloried that they were Baptized by Paul, others that it was by Apollo, others that 'twas by Cepbas, 1 Cor. 1.12,—16. So as to Preaching, they are apt to confine God to ſuch a man or ſuch a ſort of men; and like the ſame truth better if one man deliver it, than if another; and had rather receive the Sacrament (as 'tis called) from ſuch a man, than from ſuch a man: thus Babiſhly partial are theſe poor Babes. 'Tis true indeed God may make one mans Miniſtry more uſeful than anothers, and that doth much indear the man and his Miniſtry to ſuch perſons as have ſate under it and felt it: but when people are divided by this and puſſed up for one againſt another, 'tis then (as carnal) as I ſhall ſhew hereafter, and the Apoſtle chides them for it, as for a Babiſh trick, 1 Cor. 3.4. and 1 Cor. 4.6. When men are not taken with the Ordinance as Gods, but as mans, 'tis Babiſh; as 'tis noble indeed to receive the Word not as mans but Gods, 1 Theſ. 2.13. to overvalue one and undervalue another, or to value the Word of God for the mans ſake, is a fooliſh and Babiſh thing. Take a grown ſpiritual Chriſtian, and ſo he be built up in the holy Faith, and taught the way of God more perfectly, teach him Paul, or teach him Apollo, or Cephas, 'tis all one to him, yea though it be Aquila and Priſcilla, Acts 18.24.—26. Babes cannot ſay ſo, they muſt hear their Paul, Apollo, Cephas, or no body: ſo if they be to joyn in Prayer, they are dull and dead if ſuch or ſuch an one do not pray and be their mouth to God: whereas an intelligent Saint it may be finds more, much more of Gods Spirit breathing in one, that theſe Babes cannot have the patience to hear. Many more ſuch things are with you, poor Babes, but as yet I ſpare you.
6. Theſe Babes are ſometimes ſenſible of their weakneſs and inability as to outward performances, but are not ſo much obſervant and ſenſible of their inward defects, as ſecret pride and confidence in what they ſeem to do well at any time: they ſay, as the Diſciples, Why could not we caſt him out? Matth. 17.19. they were aware that there was a defect of power, for they attempted to do it, but could not: yet when at other times the Devils were ſubject to them, there was a ſpice and tang of pride attended their rejoycing at it, Luke 10.17.21. and though Chriſt thanked his Father for what they had received, yet he calls them Babes, Verſ. 21. this word us, the Devils are ſubject to us, ſeems to take away a ſhare from Chriſt, though they ſay, through thy name. And you ſhall find that after they had received the Spirit and were grown to a more ſpiritual condition, that they wholly lay the us aſide and give all the glory to God in Chriſt, Acts 3.12, 13. why gaze ye on, as if we by our power, &c. God hath glorified his Son Jeſus. Now you ſee the us is laid aſide, and they do not run ſhares with Chriſt as they did before. So 'tis with Babes as to ordinances and duties, they find a weakneſs, they cannot do what they endeavour to do, to will is preſent but to do they have not power, this they are aware of; but now, when they meet with any power and ſtirrings and inlargements, they are apt to be lifted up, and if not to reſt …n them, yet to divide the glory between God and themſelves; till they grow up, and then they ſay, Not I but Chriſt liveth; not I but the grace of God; and not to us, not to us, but to thy name be all the glory. But I paſs from hence to ſpeak a little to theſe Babes by way of
Application.
THeſe things being ſo (which you cannot well deny, poor Babes) let me beſpeak you and exhort you,
1. To Conſider not only what you ought to do, but how you ought to do it, not only the matter but the manner of all duties; and to meaſure your obedience more by the quality than the quantity, the weight than number of it, together with what ends you have in it: 'tis not the bigneſs or juicineſs of the fruit, but the reliſh that gives the commendation, and that is the end you have in doing your duties. If thy obedience have not a good reliſh (ad guſtum Dei) if it do not taſte well, though thy duties be never ſo many and well coloured and full of enlarged affections, they are not acceptable to God, nor a ſweet ſmelling ſavour to him. The uſual queſtion that Babes make is about the what of duty, what ſhall we do? ſay they, Acts 2. what muſt I do, ſaith the Jaylor? Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? ſaith Paul. They mind the matter of duty and ask often about the what: but as we ſhould mind what to hear and do, ſo how to hear and do. We ſhould not only receive the Lords Supper, but ſo as to diſcern the Lords Body; not only pray, but pray according to his Will; not only ſubmit to Baptiſm, &c. but mind the how and why, as Rom. 6.3,—5. Col. 2.11,—13. God doth not look ſo much to the hand as to the heart, to the action as to the Spirit by which, and the end for which 'tis done. The rich men threw in much more for quantity than the Widdow, yet her Mite was more than their abundance: there may be more of prayer in a ſhort Ejaculation, than a long prayer of many words. God is taken more with a little well done, than with much good done: Deus magis delectatur adverbiis quam nominibus; adverbs ſet out God beſt, as all that he did was good exceedingly, and Jeſus Chriſt is not only true, but (foreign) truly bread: ſo adverbs ſet out our beſt, when we do what we do, truly, ſincerely, faithfully, &c. for theſe expreſs the Spirit and end of duties.
A little Gold refined is more worth than much in the Oar, and one Diamond hath more of value in it than a heap of common ſtones. A contracted Prayer may have more in it than a long one; not that I ſpeak againſt the inlargedneſs of any perſons affections in duty, for if God opens who can ſhut? but that none ſhould place the excellency of a duty in length, or meerly in fervency, for many things may occaſion it, when it may not be fervency of ſpirit wrought by the Spirit of God. 'Tis not how much but how well, not how affectionate but how ſpiritual, that God minds: many Lads when they begin to write, ſtrive to write much, but ſaith their Maſter, write me two lines well and I will take it better, than if you ſcrible and ſcrawle a ſide of Paper: Sat' & ſat' cito ſi ſat' bene. 'Tis not worſhipping at Jeruſalem but in ſpirit and truth that God minds; and as 'tis to place, 'tis to bulk, To what purpoſe is the multitude of your ſacrifices? 'Tis a broken heart that I will not deſpiſe. The Apoſtle doth not take care only to pray or ſing, but to do it with underſtanding and his Spirit alſo, 1 Cor. 14.15. ſpiritual things ſhould be done ſpiritually; we ſhould not only do the things which are pleaſing to God, but do them ſo that the doing of them may be pleaſing to him; his Will according to his Will.
2. Conſider what is the true ſtate, condition and deſign of Ordinances and Duties; they are not your food, but the diſhes in which your food is ſet before you; not the water of Life, but the Conduit pipes through which 'tis conveyed to you; 'Tis not the end of Ordinances and duties that you ſhould make them your end; no, they are but means to an end: would you take up with food or Phyſick without health? why then with Ordinances without the power, bleſſing and effects of them? Though I ſpeak not this to take you off from Ordinances and Duties, yet that you may not look for that there which God hath not placed there, not have that value for them and truſt in them which is due to the God of Ordinances: live not without Ordinances, but live above them while you uſe them.
3. Be more univerſal in your obedience and do not confine Religion to certain daies and duties: God is the univerſal good, and we are moſt like him, when we are univerſally ſo: Then ſhall we not be aſhamed, when we have reſpect to all his Commandments, Pſal. 119.6. 'Twas the great commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth, that they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God without blame. They did not pick and chooſe ſome, make ifs and ands as to others; but were indeed lovers of all. And here is love that we keep his commands, viz. all of them, and they (not any of them) are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3. Every creature is good in one or other reſpect, they are particular goods, this or that; but God (as I ſaid) is all good, and doth good to all: all his commands alſo are holy, juſt and good, and we ſhould ſtudy to know, & do all the good and acceptable and perfect Will of God, Rom. 12.2. to be as like God, and to do all that God likes, as much as poſſible.
4. Obſerve the proper ſeaſon of Ordinances and Duties, of Hearing and Praying, &c. every thing is beautiful in its ſeaſon: 'Tis the glory of the Tree planted by Preaching, watred by Baptiſm, bleſſed with the laying on of hands, to bring forth fruit in ſeaſon; for as it follows (Heb. 6.7.) the earth which drinketh in the rain, that cometh oft upon it (precept on precept, and line on line) and bringing forth herbs meet (ſuitable and ſeaſonable) for them by whom it is dreſt, receiveth bleſſing from God; which refers to the Parable of the good ground hearers, as what follows, Verſ. 8. refers to the thorny ground. There is a time for all things, and becauſe man knoweth not his time, his ſorrows are great upon him: 'tis unſeemly for a man to mourn in a time of joy, as 'tis to rejoyce in a time of mourning. To ſpeak more to Babes, 'tis not beautiful becauſe not ſeaſonable to be praying in a time that calls for another duty, or to be hearing when it may be ſome duty in your calling or Family calls upon you to be then and there to mind that. Babes are too apt to rob Peter to cloath Paul, to take from one duty and give to another, therefore I ſpeak thus unto them.
5. Do what you do more out of ingenuity than fear, and more out of thankfulneſs and gratitude than cuſtom or conſtraint. Many carnal ones come as the people cometh, company, cuſtom, and the Bell, more than Conſcience, tolls them to Ordinances; and too often Babes in Chriſt are in this as carnal, that ſometimes they do not ſo properly come as are driven and forced to Ordinances and duties: There is a thing called Conſcience which when 'tis awakened keeps a great deal of do; and when men are convinced of ſin they will do almoſt any thing for caſe and quiets ſake; and when they have been uſed to hear and pray and have found ſome relief by it, they are under a kind of bondage and dare not omit it (though perhaps it be not a ſeaſon) for fear Conſcience ſhould flie in their face, they are afraid 'twill chide and whip them; and therefore to prevent this they will to hear and pray, &c. Yea, but if thou wilt do any thing well, do it from a better nature, from ingenuity, and a child-like ſpirit, as one ſenſible what obligations lie upon thee not to ſin and to be dutiful, though there were no threatnings nor terrors that attended the omiſſion of good nor commiſſion of evil.
6. Go on to attend upon and addreſs to God in the way of his Ordinances and your Duties, though you ſhould not meet with all that incouragement which you look and long for: commit your ſelves to God in all waies of well-doing, though you have not ſuch joyes and raviſhments as ſome have and you deſire. Do not ſerve God meerly for incomes and Revenues, be more generous and noble, and think it a great honour that thou canſt ſerve him and do thy duty. 'Tis true, God hath made all our duties priviledges, and in as well as after keeping his Commands there is great reward, his ſervice is not only a means but a part of our happineſs; yet we ſerve him beſt when we do our duty, more as duty which refers to God, than as priviledge which refers to us: and a generous ſoul will ſerve God and thank him that it may, and more that it can, though it have not a penny for its pains and labour, though it ſhould bear the burden and heat of the day. 'Tis not an ingenuous child that will not be obedient longer than it is allured and bribed by fine things.
'Tis a greater honour to us that we ſerve God, than 'tis to him that we do ſerve him; as 'twas …o Solomon's ſervants more an honour that they waited on him, than 'twas to him to be waited on by them: Bleſſed are thy Servants, ſaid the Queen of Sheba. 'Tis a bleſſing to be dutiful, beſide the bleſſing that is to come after we have been dutiful. Take you care for duty, and God will take care for your comfort: Only, mark that only let your converſation be as becometh the Goſpel, take care for nothing but that, Phil. 1.27. 'tis ſaid of Chriſt, Iſa. 49.3, 4, 5. Thou art my Servant O Iſrael, by whom I will be glorified; Now, though he laboured in vain (as to the Jews) in great part, yet his judgement, work and reward was with the Lord; as the Apoſtles alſo were a ſweet favour unto God, though ſome periſhed, 2 Cor. 2.15. Comfort thy ſelf with this (if thou receive no other comfort) that thou art doing thy duty, the work that God hath given thee to do. Thou haſt been often at Ordinances and duties, and thou haſt ſaid, Oh that I might ſee God as well as ſeek him, and yet he hath not lifted up the light of his courtenance upon thee; well, yet be glad that he hath kept thee in way of duty: thou haſt need of more patience yet (it may be) that after thou haſt done the Will of God thou maiſt enjoy the Promiſe. However do thou go on to ſerve him, and make it appear that thou do… it not out of conſtraint or for lucres ſake, but of a ready, and generous mind, to allude to that, 1 Pet. 5.2. and if thou find any duty too hard for thee, pray as the Diſciples did, when Chriſt bid them forgive ſeven times (a hard duty) Lord increaſe my Faith, Luk. 17.9 much and great Faith will help thee to do much and great work.
7. And laſtly, look to Jeſus Chriſt and rowl thy ſelf on him notwithſtanding thou do all things well. We need not only a Chriſt for the doing of duty, without whom we can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. and through whom we can do all things, Phil. 4.13. But we need a Chriſt for the acceptance of what we do; even our fruits of righteouſneſs are not acceptable, but by him (in whom we are accepted) our moſt ſpiritual ſacrifices muſt be offered on this Altar and by it ſantified, 1 Pet. 2.5. Rev. 8.3. We need a Chriſt not only to bring us to God at firſt, but alwaies and for ever. As our ſin is pardoned, ſo our duties are accepted for Chriſt his ſake. Chriſt is all and in all. Do all thou canſt as if there were no Chriſt, and after that relie on Chriſt as if thou hadſt done nothing, as well as thou didſt or ſhouldſt at firſt when thou hadſt done nothing. In him and with whom, and what's in him, is God well pleaſed.
The ſecond Uſe is for conſolation to theſe Babes: …ough I have in this part ſhew'd your lowneſs and weakneſs, yet I have a word two or three of Conſolation for you. As,
1. God will ſeparate the precious from the vile, the Gold from the droſs, he will pick out the beſt and make much of it, though it be but little: and for what thou judgeſt thy ſelf, thou ſhalt not be judged of the Lord, as the Apoſtle tells his Babes, in 1 Cor. 11.31. in relation to their odd and ill way of attending upon that great Ordinance of the Lords Feaſt, or Supper, as we tender it. He will put thy tears into his Bottle, he will remember thy thinking on his name, when others ſaid, It is in vain to ſerve God, and what profit is there that we have kept his Ordinances, Mal. 3.14,—18. Thou haſt toil'd all day and caught nothing, yet at his command thou haſt caſt in thy Net again, and haſt caught a great draught, but ſome are good and ſome are bad; why, though it be ſo, yet God will ſeparate the good from the bad, he will gather the good into his Veſſels, and caſt the bad away, that I may allude to the ſtory of Peter's Fiſhing, joyned with what is ſaid, Matth. 13.47, 48. In the ſtory of Sarah, Gen. 18.12,—15. what grace could you find there? and yet God doth, and 'tis recorded, 1 Pet. 3.6. that Sarah called her Huſband Lord, which ſhe did at that time, when the Angel chid her both for unbelief and telling a lye too. When the Diſciples failed of their duty and promiſe to Chriſt, he yet picks out this, that their ſpirit was willing, Matth. 26.41. He takes it ill that they did not watch, yet takes it well that 'twas in their heart, and they were willing to watch: and though they had often miſcarried, yet our Saviour puts a better interpretation upon them, than they (or any body elſe) could, and tells his Father, They have kept thy Word, Joh. 17.6. When David prayed God to hear his voice, Pſal. 130.2. he brings in that which (at firſt view) ſeems to be a ſtrange Argument, Verſ. 3. If thou ſhouldſt mark iniquities, who ſhall ſtand? he tells God of his iniquities which might ſtand as a cloud between God and him, But 'tis an excellent way to confeſs our ſins when we make our Prayer, and then they ſhall not hinder good things from us, becauſe God will not mark them, when we do, for Verſ. 4. there is forgiveneſs with him that he may be feared: and for this reaſon and in this way, he doth, Verſ. 7. exhort Iſrael alſo to hope in God, for with him is mercy, yea plenty of it. And ſo he ſayes, Pſal. 103.8. and infers from thence that God will not alwaies chide, Verſ. 9. Yea that as a Father pitieth his (poor, weak and deſective) children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him, for he knows their frame as well as their frailty, Verſ. 13,14.
2. I tell thee this for thy comfort, that though thou ſin in falling ſo ſhort of righteouſneſs, yet thou haſt an Advocate with the Father (both his and thine) Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, who is the propitiation for thy ſin, 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. The firſt deſign of writing this, is, that you may not ſin, but if any man of you that come under the name of (foreign) Sons, though he be but a Babe, if any of you ſin, We (from the higheſt to the loweſt) have an Advocate, who is the Lord our righteouſneſs, and by whoſe righteouſneſs our ſins ſhall be taken away; for he will never give over making interceſſion till he have ſaved to the utmoſt, which he is able to do, becauſe he ever lives to make interceſſion for all that come to God by him. And therefore when the Apoſtle had ſaid in Rom. 8.34. Who ſhall condemn? he doth not barely ſay, It is Chriſt that died, or rather that is riſen again, or moreover that he ſits at the right hand of God, but alſo that be maketh Interceſſion for us: this ſecures all the reſt, 'tis the utmoſt compleating Act of our High-Prieſt, and whereby he ſaves to all intents and purpoſes, perfectly or to the utmoſt.
3. Take this word of Conſolation alſo, there is a Reſurrection and Eternal Judgement to come, after which though thou ſhalt not reſt day or night from ſerving God in a way of Praiſe, Rev. 4.8. yet thou ſhalt reſt from thy labour, and ſerve him no more in a way of pain as now thou doſt, Rev. 14.13. And in the mean time, though thy ſoul lie under the Altar, yet it ſhall not ſleep, though it be at reſt, but it ſhall be clad with white and glorious robes, Rev. 6.9,—11. And the God of all Grace after the ſufferings of the brother-hood (as the word is) ſhall be accompliſhed, this ſame God of all Grace, who hath called you into, will inſtate you in his Eternal Glory by Chriſt Jeſus, and perfect all that concerns you, 1 Pet. 5.9, 10. Then ſhalt thou keep an everlaſting Sabbath or reſt with God, and that without interruption or diſtraction; and ſing Songs with Moſes and the Lamb for ever: Comfort your ſelves and one another with theſe words, 1 Theſ. 4.18. The Reſurrection and Eternal Judgement ſhall come and will not tarry. And this brings me to the next things mentioned as foundation doctrine, and ſome of the Milk which Babes ſuck in, viz.