Christs Counsel to Poor and Naked Souls, Sermon
A SERMON Preached at Westminster before the Honourable Houſe of Commons at their Publike Faſt, Septemb. 29. 1647.
REVEL. 3.18.
I counſell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayeſt be rich, and white raiment that thou mayeſt be clothed, and that the ſhame of thy nakedneſſe appeare not, and anoint thine eyes with eye-ſalve, that thou mayeſt ſee.
THe Title of the Booke tells you, It is the Revelation of John, and John tells you chap. 1. verſ. 1. It is the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, which he vouchſafed to his Servant John, when he was baniſhed into the Ile Patmos, by the crueltie of Domitian the Emperour: Wherein all things neceſſary to be knowne from that time, to the end of the world are revealed. In which Booke (as in Pauls Epiſtles) many things, nay almoſt all, are hard to be underſtood. Yet that part which containes the Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches, having in it Reproofes, Admonitions, Exhortations, and Counſell, is more eaſie and plaine.
This Text is part of that Epiſtle which was ſent to the laſt of the ſeven Churches viz. luke-warme Laodicea, the particulars charged upon this Church and the reſt, are more eaſie to underſtand. The difficultie is, in determining whether theſe Aſian Churches doe typifie other Churches, and what they are, and where they are planted. For the probabilitie of the opinion, that ſome were aimed at in them, divers reaſons might be alleged, as this, that this Booke is not a bare Narration of things heard and ſeene, but a Prophecie of things that were afterward to come to paſſe. Others would have the ſtate of the Church in generall deciphered out, but with Reference to particular times, as Epheſus points out the purer primitive times, which did retaine their integritie, but yet the myſtery of iniquitie began to worke, ſo that there was need of caution.
Pergamus and Smirna, point at thoſe times when Arianiſme and Popery got up, and did domineere. Thiatira reſembles the times, wherein the Church began to riſe, and get from under the power of Antichriſt; and they being in their riſe, their workes are commended to bee more at laſt than firſt. Sardis and Philadelphia, ſet out the Churches that did not reſt in ſome beginnings of Reformation, but made better progreſſe. Laodicea is the laſt, and typifies a Church, which having eſcaped Babell, did reſt in their Gifts, Calling, and Profeſſion, and did judge themſelves rich, whereas ſhe was poore, blind, and miſerable, and this Church was in a middle way, partly Romiſh, and partly Reformed, not very good, nor extremely bad, ſhe did adhere and cleave too much to Rome, and did pleaſe her ſelfe in her Pompe; therefore ſhe is taxed, and ſecretly threatned to be ſpued out.
The Epiſtle to this Church begins verſ. 14. wherein is the preface or inſcription, containing the Perſon writing; Amen; the faithfull Witneſſe, the beginning of the Creation of God, to the Angell of Laodicea: The matter of the Epiſtle is,
Firſt, A diſcovery of the Sin, verſ. 15.17. Thou art neither cold nor hot, but luke-warme; And thou ſayeſt, I am rich, and increaſed with goods, and haſt need of nothing.
Secondly, The reproofe and threatning, verſ. 16. Becauſe thou ſayeſt ſo, and art luke-warme, therefore I will ſpue thee out of my mouth.
Thirdly, The counſell given, and that is the Text which I have read.
Fourthly, There is a gracious promiſe made to this Church, verſ. 20, 21. If any man heare my voice, and open the doore, I will come in to him, and will ſuppe with him, and he with me.
The forme of my Text is a Counſell.
The Matter is a Dutie which this Church is counſelled unto.
Firſt, The Dutie is to buy.
Secondly, The object of it, or what we are to buy; And that is ſet out three wayes.
Firſt, What it is; And it is a three-fold Commodity.
1. Gold. 2. Raiment. 3. Eye-ſalve.
Secondly, What kind; And they are excellent, as appeares by the qualities of them. 1. Tried Gold. 2. White Raiment. 3. Good Eye-ſalve. This laſt is implyed.
Thirdly, What uſe; And that likewiſe is three-fold:
1. To inrich us. 2. To cloth us. 3. To make us ſee.
The Senſe of the Text.
I counſell thee, &c. This manner of ſpeech is not ſo frequent, for God doth ordinarily command, or reprove, or inſtruct, or threaten, or promiſe, and moſt things in Scripture may be referred to thoſe heads.
But this Text hath another face, and comes in another forme; It is a counſell or wholeſome advice to this Church, which in the precedent verſes, is inſtructed, reproved, and threatned; and here counſell is added to the former, and in it you may diſcerne much Love and Wiſedome; Love deſiring her good, and adviſing her to a way that might prevent her Ruine; Wiſedome likewiſe appeares, in that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, offering to ſell theſe Commodities, doth not command us to buy them, nor force us to have them, but doth, as men that bring their Commodities to the Market, ſhew them, and ſet them forth, commend them, but leave it to their owne choice to buy what they pleaſe; yet if a friend come, they will adviſe him to buy, and give their word, and pawne their credit for the goodneſſe of the Commoditie: So the Lord Chriſt would have you take his word for theſe Wares, and to goe through with the bargaine, and not want them any longer.
And that we may ſee reaſon to buy them, conſider what they are, Gold, Raiment, and Eye-ſalve. We are by nature poore, here is gold to inrich us; and we are naked, here is raiment to clothe and cover us; we are born blind and here is eye-ſalve to cure us; gold for our eſtates, raiment for our bodies, eye-ſalve for the chiefe of our ſenſes.
What pincheth more then Povertie? What ſhames us more then Nakedneſſe? What grieves us more then Blindneſſe? Here is a remedy for every of theſe Maladies, here is a plaiſter for every wound, and by the epithites given, you may perceive that here are no drugs, no counterfeit wares, but all of the beſt, the very beſt that Heaven can afford; tryed gold, pure raiment, excellent eye-ſalve; What more precious then tryed gold? What more glorious then white raiment? What better for a blind man then good eye-ſalve? But I need not ſet forth the goodneſſe of theſe Wares, they will commend themſelves.
Yet a word to tell you what they are, (if I can) but there is ſome difficultie in that.
Laodicea was a true Church, for it was planted in the Apoſtles times, and Paul gave charge that his Epiſtle to the Coloſſians ſhould be read in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that they ſhould reade the Epiſtle from Laodicea, Col. 4.16.
Therefore they had ordinances, and we cannot conceive but that they were pure, for thoſe times did not admit of impuritie in the Ordinances of Chriſt: We cannot thinke they wanted Officers, for the Apoſtles would looke to that in all the Churches; nor can we imagine they wanted Diſcipline and Government; a Church Conſtituted ſo early in the firſt day of the Goſpell could not but be well erected. And in the reproofe of this Church, they are not taxed for want of theſe, or any of them; nay, they write to Paul (as Calvin thinks) and if there had beene ſuch a defect in their Church, the Epiſtle to the Coloſſians would not have ſupplyed that want, for it ſpeakes nothing of Government, and he gives order it ſhould be communicated to them.
Therefore according to the tenor and ſcope of the charge brought againſt this Church, we may ſafely ſay, that their graces and gifts, were not ſo good, ſo rich, ſo right, as ſhould have beene; for their works are challenged, verſ. 15. I know thy workes, and their zeale was not good, it was not hot enough: Therefore I thinke the conſtitution of the members of their Church was not good, …hey were not zealous, not fervent in ſpirit; and if that be a heat ariſing from many graces, or if but one, yet a defect therein proves a want and decay in others, ſo that their graces were not golden but rather copper; and Laodicea being a rich Citie, and dealing in Merchandize, they might rather looke after the materiall gold, and after pure raiment for the body, then theſe golden and ſilver graces. The Chuch in the Conſtitution of it might be good, yet the members reſting in their Church-priviledges, and in the abundance of outward things, might be wanting in their graces, the doctrine of faith might be pure and ſound, and yet the grace of faith might not be good and ſaving in them; their worſhip might be pure, and yet they not zealous for that God they worſhipped. In this great houſe of the Church of Laodicea, the members, many of them, were not veſſells of gold and ſilver, but of wood and earth. 2 Tim. 2.20. therefore they are juſtly reproved.
Other things might be faultie in this Church, but I name this, as being cleare, and it will make way for our better inſtruction.
Let us begin with ſome Obſervations; and firſt, you may ſee plainly in your view, from the beginning of the Text this to be offered.
1. Obſerv. That the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, doth not alwaies command like a King, but ſometimes counſells like a Friend.
We read in Epheſi. 3.10. of the manifold wiſedome of God, foreign multiformis ſapientia, a wiſedome that hath many faces, and lookes variouſly; ſometimes God ſpeakes like a King, and ſometimes like a Judge, and ſometimes like a Friend; In precepts Authoritie, in reproofes Anger, in threatnings Severitie, in counſells Love, and care of our good moſt appeares.
To counſell one, it is to propound ſomething to his conſideration that is fit for him to thinke of, and uſefull for him to doe, and it ſuppoſeth ſome principles in a man whereby he is counſelable; and there is nothing to which we are counſelled, but the ſame things are alſo commanded, onelyonly the manner is more taking, and the matter muſt be of importance, elſe we take it not into conſideration, Prov. 22.20. Have I not written unto thee excellent things in counſells and knowledge.
To counſell us.
Firſt, It is a rationall way, and fit to worke upon a man, and God that tryes alwaies to doe us good, takes this courſe to counſell us, Hoſ. 11.4. I have drawn thee with cords of a man, and bands of love; I have dealt with thee more humane, for man is counſelable, but ſo is not a beaſt; coge pecus, you force a beaſt, but man is to be perſwaded; ſpeake reaſon, and expreſſe love, and you cannot be deſpiſed or ſleighted, reaſon cannot be gain-ſayed; though the man will not confeſſe he is conquered by your argument, yet the underſtanding ſecretly muſt aſſent, and love cannot be contemned; the partie may, but love cannot; but when the Wiſe God ſhall ſpeake reaſon, and manifeſt his love, we ſhould not deſpiſe his counſell: Nay, many joyne together in this coonſell, ſo the word imports, foreign to counſell with others, foreign, conſilium quod aliqui ſimul ineunt, God counſells you, his Spirit counſells you, his Meſſengers counſell you, and your owne Conſciences counſell you. For as foreign is a knowing together, ſo foreign is conſelling together; divers ſit in counſell together about the good of man; and hereby it appeares how we ſhould eſteeme of the kindneſſe of God; the word is Mat. 12.14. foreign, they held a counſell that was againſt Chriſt, but the bleſſed Trinitie hold a counſell for the good of man; Let us make man, let us redeeme man, and adviſe him for his good.
Secondly, It is very fit and proper for the action of buying, you ſhall not be compelled to buy the Commodities here offered, but you ſhall uſe your reaſon, whether a poore man ſhould not doe all he can to get good gold, and a naked man clothing. But here I muſt needs explain this point, leſt we ſhould thinke that a man were left to his owne liberty in the point of his converſion, and this ſimile of counſelling to buy muſt not be extended beyond the ſcope; and we ſay, That the will of man is over-ruled, and over-powred by the Spirit of Chriſt, ſo as it cannot but come in upon the offer of grace, and the will is determined to one thing, not left to it ſelfe, to take or refuſe what is tendered to it; and it is no abſurditie (whatever Arminians thinke) to ſay, in the converſion of a ſinner there is a violence offered to the corruption of the will, and yet the will not wronged, a ſuſpending of the libertie of the will, and no deſtroying of it.
If you conſider a man affrighted out of his ſinnes in a way of terrour, as the Gaoler, Act. 16.29. who came trembling; you may ſay he could doe no other. Suppoſe a man purſued by a Beare or any ravenous Beaſt, if he have the uſe of his leggs, and of his reaſon, he cannot but runne away from the danger; Hell frights the ſinner, Conſcience flyes in his face, and he cannot but come to Chriſt.
The propenſitie and act of the creature may be ſuſpended, and not deſtroyed; the Lyons could not devoure Daniel, the fire could not burne the three young men; God did ſuſpend the act of thoſe creatures, but their natures were not deſtroyed, for their enemies found the Lyons to be fierce, and the fire to burne; the will of man chooſeth to come, and cannot doe otherwiſe, for it is moved and guided by a ſupernaturall power.
Thirdly, God doth counſell us, for in all things of any importance we take counſell, here is more need, and if we follow our owne counſells we periſh, Prov. 11.14. Where no counſell is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counſellers there is ſafetie, Prov. 20.18. Every purpoſe is eſtabliſhed by counſell, and with good advice make warre. If in other things we take advice and not this, it ſhewes we are more careleſſe of Heaven then our affaires on earth.
1. Uſe. Take counſell of him that is wiſe, and reject it not; leane not to your owne wiſedome, for that will deſtroy you. A man that followes his owne thoughts in matters of Religion, is ſure to miſſe his way, and loſe his hope: The counſell of God is good, we cannot ſay ſo of the wiſeſt man, but his counſell is good at all times, for he knowes all things and all events, which no man doth, Prov. 19.20. Heare counſell, and receive inſtruction, that thou mayeſt be wiſe in thy latter end.
2. If we doe not, we ſet up our owne thoughts and wiſedome above Gods, and we oppoſe Chriſts Propheticall and Kingly Offices.
3. Grace makes us teachable, and men ſhould inquire what they ought to doe, Act. 2.37. Men and brethren, what ſhall we doe? Act. 9.6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to doe? And they obeyed and followed the directions of the Apoſtles; David did bleſſe God for Abigails counſell, 1 Sam. 25.22, 32. And if we receive not the counſell of God, we ſhall in the end bewaile our folly, and read our miſery, ariſing from our own rebellious and deſperate denyalls of grace; and as the Phariſees received the counſell of God againſt themſelves, ſo doe many in theſe dayes.
I counſell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, and while raiment.
…. Obſerv. It is the wiſedome of men to buy grace, and the meanes of grace, whatever they coſt them.Qualis emptio abſ que p…etto? Quomodo hoc convenit magnificentiae Dei ſi emenda eſt illius gratia? parum laudis habet ſons cujus aquae venales ha…entur.
Obj. But how can wee buy? What ſhall wee give to God for theſe rich Commodities? And how can it ſtand with the bountie of God to ſell them to us? And how doth it under-value the grace of God when it is offered to ſale?
Solut. For anſwer to this objection, and for opening of the point propounded, wee muſt know, That the grace or favour of God cannot be bought at all. And wee muſt diſtinguiſh between foreign and foreign, the free grace of God, his good will and pleaſure, which is from all eternitie, and the fruits thereof, the gifts of the Spirit, together with all the meanes by which the Spirit workes in the hearts of Gods Elect: Theſe latter are here offered to you to be ſold, not the former.
We cannot properly buy ſo as to give a valuable conſideration for theſe Heavenly Commodities; to buy, is to give a price to the ſeller, for which he makes over his right to you, and puts you in poſſeſſion of that which was his.
But properly we cannot buy ſo as to give a valuable conſideration: And that becauſe,
Firſt, All things are Gods already, unleſſe it be your ſinnes, the Cattell upon a thouſand Hills are mine, ſaith God, Job 41.11. Whatſoever is under the whole heavens is mine: So that you cannot pay God with his owne, for if I buy of a man I give him ſomewhat that is mine, and receive of him ſomewhat that is his.
Secondly, All things that we have are inferiour to grace, and the meanes of grace, they are but tranſitory and fading, but Heavenly things are laſting and durable, and there is no proportion betweene the largeſt offer of thouſands of Rams, and ten thouſand Rivers of Oile, and the leaſt dram of ſaving-grace, and we muſt not thinke that mony or mony-worth can purchaſe Heaven or grace; nay, to take off our thoughts, the Lord tells us his mind, Iſa. 55.1. Buy wine and milke without money.
But what muſt be done?
Firſt, Buy it with thy prayers and teares, and tell the Lord thou haſt need of them, and cannot live without them; Rome teacheth her children to buy grace with the improvement of parts of nature, and to buy Heaven with their good workes, and tell us of ſuch perfection in ſome workes, that the…e is no ſinne in them; but when they offer ſo largely, God muſt truſt them, for they have no ready money; but we teach our Chap-men to turne poore beggers, and you may get more by begging at the hands of God, then by working, and yet we beg a ſtock of grace that we may goe to worke.
Secondly, Buy it with thy labour and toile, travell for it if thou haſt it not at home; the ſonnes of Jacob goe i…to Egypt if there be no Corne in their owne Countrey, and what paines men take to get the Commodities of the world, they ſhould doe more for Heaven; in former times, before this Parliament ſate, there was a great ſcarcitie, the markets did riſe, there is now more plentie; but the evill of the preſent times is, that there is a price in mens hands, and they have not hearts.
Thirdly, It may be it will coſt thy purſe, if with the Merchant in the Goſpell thou haſt found the Pearle, buy it though thou ſell all, Mat. 13.46. and it would further your accounts, if your Bills of expence for Building, for Purchaſes, for Portions, nay, for Sports and Recreations, (which riſes to great ſummes) you could bring in ſomewhat anſwerable for the Goſpell and Religious uſes.
Whatſoever it will coſt thee, breake not for price, buy it at any Rate.
Firſt, It will inrich thee, you may buy Land too deare, and Gold too deare, but grace and the meanes of grace cannot be bought too deare, nay, the dearer bought the better, you will keepe it the better, and eſteeme it the more: The more it coſts a Chriſtian to get Chriſt, and obtain aſſurance of Gods love, the better it is, Prov. 3.14. The merchandiſe of wiſedome is better then the merchandiſe of ſilver, and the gaine thereof then fine gold, more precious then the rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire are not to be compared to her.
Secondly, It is of generall uſe for all perſons, and at all times, when you ſhall throw away your gold and ſilver, a dram of grace ſhall be in great eſteeme and will comfort your ſoules: Religion is not like a Souldier in time of Peace, or a Chimney in Summer, but of good & neceſſary uſe at all times; in proſperitie to teach you moderation, in adverſity to beare up your ſpirits, in life, in death it is a Crowne to you.
Thirdly, This Bargaine proves better then was conceived; temporall things ſeeme better then they prove, and no man finds that in them which he imagined; but ſpirituall riches afford more to the ſoule then at firſt was beleeved; here that's true, It is naught, it is naught, ſaith the buyer; but when he goeth apart he boaſteth, namely, of his great pennyworth, Prov. 20.14.
Therefore be as the buyer in theſe particulars:
Firſt, find thy need of theſe Commodities, let thy ſoule ſay to God, give mee Chriſt and Faith, or elſe I dye; you muſt not ſo thinke or ſpeake of any thing elſe.
Secondly, See the goodneſſe of them, you cannot know the excellency of them till you be inſtructed and have experience, you cannot ſee till you have this eye-ſalve; and therefore no wonder if the Lord Chriſt offer his Commodities, and put off but little, becauſe men know not the worth of them.
Thirdly, No deceit in this bargaine, you ſhall not be over-reached, faire and plaine dealing to them that will buy the truth; Rome ſells you ſophiſticated and adulterated Wares, and her Tradeſmen have darke Shops, and falfe Lights, and will not have the people to know, or be able to judge of theſe Commodities; they muſt not looke into the Scriptures, nor underſtand the Doctrine of Faith, but take all upon their word, and beleeve as the Church doth; but the Text offers tryed gold; And wee muſt try all things, and hold that which is good.
Mat. 6.20. O…ponit Dominus caelam terrae qu…ſ…os vel… filios à terrenis ad veram Patriam deſtinat ubi debeant perpetuò manere. Muſc. Quid minus ratione conſentaneum eſt quam bona ſua locare ubi vel ſponte pereant vel rapiantur ab hominibus?Fourthly, Theeves cannot breake through and ſteale theſe Commodities; As there is a greater excellency, ſo more certaintie in them. In all the troubles and perſecutions in the world, if you keepe your courage and reſolutions, and would not part with your riches, neither Devills nor men can rob you of them; you may have the gold and ſilver in your Cheſts taken from you by violence, and your eſtates wrung out of your hands, but your graces cannot be loſt unleſſe you conſent to loſe them; and they being of ſo high a nature, and ſo great worth, get them whatever they coſt you, and keepe them carefully as you doe your gold.
Firſt, The more to perſwade you to this, conſider further of this two-fold Simile of tryed gold and white raiment. He that hath gold hath all things vendible, he may have Houſe, Lands, an Office, Honour and Preferment, and whatever (of this nature) he can deſire: for gold will procure it, and gold vertually includes all things that are to be ſold.
1 Cor 3.22.So he that hath Chriſt, and Faith, and other graces, hath all things Heavenly; all are yours, none can ſpeake ſuch Language as Beleevers; other men may have a great deale, Eſau may have enough,Gen. 33 9. but Jacob hath all. None ſo rich as the people of God, they have in their poſſeſſion all the fine gold and rich raiment, they are well clad, and richly furniſhed, and they ſhould live anſwerably; they have got ſuch a bargaine at the hands of Jeſus Chriſt as hath made them for ever, and they ſhould rejoyce in their condition; rich men pleaſe themſelves in telling their gold, and thinking of their wealth; let the Chriſtian looke upon his graces and priviledges with delight, and take great contentment in them.
Secondly, He that hath tryed gold needs not feare the touch-ſtone, he that hath tryed graces needs not feare further tryalls; It ought to be the care of every one to ſee that his graces be of a right kind, that he have gold, not braſſe: Many Proteſtants in the Church of England have too much pleaſed themſelves with Copper Faith, or they have taken a guilded gliſtering piece of wood for gold; there is that which lookes like faith, and zeale, and love, but is not ſo indeed. Wee ſhould try all things, wee take not a piece of gold or ſilver but weigh and ring it, becauſe wee would not be deceived; and it were a ſhame for a man to put off his Commodities, and thinke he hath made a good bargaine, when the money that he receives is falſe and counterfeit Coine. It is an evill thing to reſt in a ſhew or forme of godlineſſe, all that comes of it is to be thought by out ſelves and others that wee are Religions: The Phariſees had a name, they were eſteemed by the ignorant people to be devoute; but what will that availe in the day when our workes muſt be tryed by fire? It is onelyonly gold a ſolid metall that will indure the fire, hay and ſtubble, and all light ſtuffe will burne and conſume away.
Luther ſpeakes of one Arſenius that had eminent gifts, and made a profeſſion of Religion, and was more forward then others; who being ſick, his friends and acquaintance viſited him, and for his comfort told him that he could not but have a great deale of joy and peace that was farre before many others in Religion; he anſwered them, That he had not ſo much comfort as they imagined, and he now found it to be with his ſoule, not according to what they thought of him, but according to the judgement that God paſſed upon him, and God judgeth (ſaid he) not after an outward appearance, but with a righteous judgement.
It were a vain thing in a man, that being Arreſted and going to Priſon, ſhould charge the Officers with doing him wrong, becauſe he was eſteemed by all his nighbours a rich man, and worth many thouſand pounds; in ſuch a caſe the name of a rich man will neither free from danger, nor pay debts. But he that hath this tryed gold hath enough to pay his debts, and a ſtock to live upon beſides; he feares no danger, no trouble, no perſecution, not death, no not the fiery tryall, for his tryed gold will hold out and paſſe for currant, when all gilding will waſh off and waſte away. Great then may be the comfort of ſuch as looke after truth and the realitie of graces, they are happy both in life and death, they are rich, and ſhall carry their wealth with them into Heaven: You muſt part with your friends when you dye, and you muſt leave your riches behind you, but your graces ſhall goe with you.Vincent. in Specul. Mora. To ſet out the dignitie of them above your materiall gold, One tells you a Story of a man that had a Suit, and when his Cauſe was to be heard, he applyed himſelfe to three friends to ſee what they would doe with him; one anſwered him, he would bring him as farre on his journey as he could; the ſecond promiſed him to go with him to his journeys end; the third ingaged himſelfe to goe with him before the Judge, and to ſpeak for him, and not to leave him till his Cauſe was heard and determined. Theſe three are a mans Riches, his friends, and his graces; his riches will helpe him to comfortable accommodations while they ſtay with him, but they may take their wings and flye away from him before he dye. His friends and kindred they will goe with him to his journeys end, bring him to the grave, and interre his body, & then they leave him to his graces;Miſericordia comes deſunctorum. It is true of that and all other graces. Rev. 14.13. they go further, & accompany the ſoule when it goes before God, and ſpeake for him, and doe more for him then the other can doe: Bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord, they reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them
But ſad is the condition of evill men, for when they appeare before God, there will be no Interceſſor for to ſpeak for them, their ſinnes will dogge them even unto the Tribunall Seat of God, and drag them downe to Hell.
Wee have done with the tryed gold, now a word or two of the white raiment; by which is underſtood our Juſtification, and Sanctification, Ordinances and Graces, and to ſhew the glory and puritie of them they are ſet out under white raiment. White is a pure colour, and betokens innocencie; by nature wee are naked, but here is a glorious garment. White is more excellent then Scarlet, for it is a naturall colour, and all naturall beautie is above that which is artificiall;Mat 6 29. Mat. 17.2. Solomon in all his glory was not like the Lillies of the Field. When Chriſt was tranſfigured on the Mount his raiment was white; and the glorious condition of the Saints in Heaven is ſet out in this,Rev. 19.14. that they ſhall be clothed with fine linnen, white and cleane.
No doubt this Church was exhorted to looke after their Juſtification, to joyne nothing with the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt who is ſet out to be white and ruddy,Cant. 5.10. and to preſerve the doctrine of it pure and cleane; and alſo Sanctification is herein compriſed, ſo that the former point is now propounded under another compariſon of white raiment, and wee are to be perſwaded to buy it: And therefore conſider,
Firſt, It is of neceſſitie to have raiment, wee muſt not goe naked; It is a ſhamefull imagination in ſuch as in imitation of Adams perfection will pray, and preach, and heare naked; they ſhould be aſhamed of it:Auguſt. 14. de Civit. dei. c. 12. And wee ſee that nature teaches us to looke for a covering for the body, and the Text perſwades us to get this white raiment for the ſoule; food and raiment muſt be had, and men of quality will have garments anſwerable to their condition; and whereas there is varietie of clothing for the body, nothing will ſerve the turne for the ſoule but this white raiment,Rev. 3. wee muſt have long white robes, the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt is long enough to cover us all over,Rev. 7. but every thing elſe is too ſhort and narrow; he finds us naked, and gives us his owne robes, that our nakedneſſe may not appeare; and he makes a garment for us; he cauſeth inherent graces to grow and abound in us, but wee muſt not thinke that our graces helpe to cover us as a piece to be added, for nothing can adde to our Juſtification, or to our title, wee may as ſoone guild gold with clay, as by any graces or ſervices of ours make our ſelves in a better condition. Wee muſt put on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Rev. 13.14.and that's ſufficient to preſent us faultleſſe and blameleſſe before God.
Secondly, It is for honour and ornament white clothing was uſed in Kings Courts, and he that hath this raiment ſhall be in the Court of Heaven; great men are diſtinguiſhed by their apparell, yet ſome are ſo proud that they care not what they lay upon their backs, and you cannot know by their out-ſide what they are, but this white raiment is onelyonly for the Kings Children, and they are glorious within. Dives baſe in heart, having nothing but rottenneſſe within, yet was clothed with Purple and fine linnen; but the Saints are made glorious and excellent when this raiment is upon them, and in Heaven when no apparell ſhall be upon their bodies, yet that ſtola corporis ſhall be glorious, as that the beames thereof ſhall be much better then any garment to cover them, and no nakedneſſe can appeare to cauſe any ſhame.
1. Uſe. And hence you are to be exhorted to get this white raiment: None but mad-men goe naked, none but beggars goe in patched clothes; here is a garment, and it is glorious; It is made ready for you, and there wants nothing but putting it on. And what contempt will this be, that apparell be brought home to you, laid on the Table by you, and you will not put it on, and weare it, but goe in your owne rags, and live and dye in your ſins?
Secondly, This raiment will fit you, and well become you, and you will appeare glorious, and be ſo indeed: A Stage-Player that perſonates a King hath clothes anſwerable, yet is a baſe fellow; and in the end of the Play, when he puts off his clothes it appeares ſo: but this will befall none that have true faith in Chriſt. Hypocrites will be uncaſed, but all elſe ſhall weare their clothes unto eternitie, and never put them off. Nay, they cannot be without them; this white raiment ſhall never decay, nor be worſe for wearing, it will fit all perſons, and at all ſeaſons; and therefore buy it at any rate.
Thirdly, And if you feare your money will not hold out to make ſuch a great purchaſe, then know, that your God will not ſtand with you for price; hee ſaith not you muſt have ſo much Faith as Abraham had, ſo much Zeale as Phineas, ſo much Courage as David, ſo much Wiſedome as Solomon, or elſe you cannot be ſaved: No ſuch thing is ſaid in Scripture; but if you ſee the uſefulneſſe of theſe Commodities, and deſire them, and will uſe all good meanes to obtaine them, you ſhall certainly have them; nay, you have them already. For this is one difference betweene Temporall and Spirituall things, the evill of the one ſort cleaves to you before.
Fourthly, You have them, you are covetous before you be rich; but in thoſe Heavenly Bleſſings you looke after, you have them, and the good of them, when you firſt make after them. He that really and unfainedly deſires Chriſt, and Faith, and other graces, hath them already in ſome degree, and ſhall have more, for all ſupernaturall deſires come not from nature, but our Union with Chriſt.
Fifthly, And the laſt thing to be urged, is, That ſuch as have this white raiment ſhould carefully keepe it: A ſpot in a pure colour is a great blemiſh, and ſoone diſcerned. It is pittie to ſee Chriſtians walke looſly or indiſcreetly, but worſe if ſcandalouſly;Rev. 16.15. If they bee bleſſed that watch and keepe their garments, what will become of them that defile them? It is a glorious thing to maintaine an unſpotted profeſſion to the end. And in caſe wee have taken a fail, and fouled our clothes let us not lye ſtill, and wallow in the mire, but riſe, and waſh our garments till wee make them white in the blood of the Lambe.Rev. 7.14. Men muſt have clothes though they goe upon truſt, and runne into debt; and when they have them they ſhould keepe them carefully; For the Wiſe man bids you to have your garments white at all times.Eccl. 9.8. How will this condemne many that live in the viſible Church, that have never a ragge to cover their nakedneſſe, and yet are contented with it? Others take up a profeſſion of Religion, and yet keepe not their garments cleane; they goe unhandſomely and ſlovenly.1 Joh. 3 9. It is ſaid, That hee …ha… is borne of God cannot ſinne, he hath another nature given him; and while he is himſelfe, he cannot goe againſt the principles of grace, as a neat cleanly man would not doe a ſlovenly act though no body ſhould ſee him; and a curious workeman cannot bungle, ſo a godly man cannot ſinne and tumble in the mire, for he is a Sheepe, not a Swine. It is reported of the Ermin, which is a neat creature, that if a puddle be on the one ſide, and Dogs on the other, he will chooſe to dye rather then defile himſelfe. I wiſh wee could ſee this cleanlineſſe in Chriſtians; It ought to be ſo, and Schoole-men give a good reaſon for it, becauſe grace workes not by feare onelyonly, but by hatred: A man feares a drawne Sword when the point is ſet againſt his breſt, and it is in the hand of an enemy; but if it lye on the Table, or be in the hand of a friend, it is not feared. Men may feare ſinne when God doth threaten to run them through, but if he put up his Sword their feare is removed; therefore the kindly worke of grace is by way of hatred and loathing; a man would not take a Toade in his hand though he knew the poyſon would not hurt him; this hatred and loathing of all filthineſſe and pollution ſhould be in thoſe that have this white raiment, and then they would keepe their garments cleane.
Uſe. And now give me leave to make a further application to you that are the Great Councell of the Kingdome; and let me tell you, that the people of this Land looke for this pure gold and white raiment, and to purchaſe them they have offered faire; Their Plate, their Money, their Horſes, their Servants, and their Sonnes; they begin to feare they ſhall not have theſe Commodities which they have bidden well for, becauſe in all this time they had little elſe then ends of gold and ſilver; wee will perſwade them to waite longer, and to helpe you by their prayers, that you may become the happie inſtruments of the Kingdomes good, in making the gold and raiment in the Text, as plentifull as the materiall gold was in Solomons time. To effect this, you have need of Solomons wiſedome; the preſent Diviſions and Diſtractions of the time require it; and unleſſe God interpoſe his owne power and wiſedome, wee conceive, wee ſhall bee ſtill under the troubles of Warre, ſuch as were in Davids time; And though you doe well to thinke of building the Temple, and yee contribute ſomewhat towards it, yet wee doubt whether wee that are alive ſhall ſee it done, and injoy the peace and happineſſe of Solomons time; Yet however, let me repreſent unto you the ſtate of the people in this Land, which is much like to theſe Laodiceans, they are poore, and naked, they have thought themſelves rich in their Clergie, and honoured above others in their outward pompe and glory; and for their wealth and goods, they have abounded, and had need of nothing; now they ſee themſelves poore in every kind, and they lament their povertie, they are naked alſo, both in regard of raiment and armour, and Aaron hath made them ſo, Exod. 32.25. They hope that you will take care to inrich them, and provide ſuch as will clothe them. You did purge the Sonnes of Levi, and tooke away many that were no better then droſſe and Tin; you now give over. It is much feared, leaſt many Congregations ſhall ſtill be poore and naked the people deſire a golden miniſtery, ſuch as have … gifts and graces, and then they hope there will be … Chriſtians; and the golden dayes will come, in ſo … as in you lyes, you ſhould pittie and relieve the …me herein, by ſetting up a godly miniſtery, and …nancing it againſt the reproach and contempt of theſe preſent times, which is greater then heretofore hath beene knowne. Wee thought the witneſſes had been ſlain, becauſe it is ſaid, in Rev. 11.3, 7, 9. that after they had Propheſied in ſackcloth a long time, then they were killed, and then they were unburied three dayes and a halfe; There is no doubt but godly Preachers (among others) were the witneſſes that gave teſtimony to the truth, and they have Propheſied mournfully, even in ſackcloth a long time together, and then they were ſlaine, they were ſuſpended, which was a civill death; they were not killed as men, but as Prophets, and they were in the ſtreets as dead men, not ſuffered to execute their Miniſteriall Functions; and this was for three dayes and a halfe, and the time of continuing the ſuſpenſion of many Miniſters by the Biſhops, which was three yeares and a halfe, did fall out ſo pat and punctuall, as it might well be thought to be the ſlaying of the witneſſes in England. It is not neceſſary to make this killing of the witneſſes, to be in all places at the ſame time, but that it fell out among us at this time; the words following in the Text plainly ſhew, for after that time of three dayes and a halfe, the Spirit of Life entred into them, and they lived againe as Prophets, and were reſtored, and great feare fell upon men. Thoſe that were Actors in killing them, deſired them to goe and deſire their freedome, which was quickly and eaſily granted, they were glad to be rid of them:*Ornati ſūmo honore & gloria ad exemplū Chriſti qui poſt mortem debellatam ſublatus eſt in caelum quod autem vox auditur jubens aſcendere eo ſignificatur non aſpiraturas prophetas ad hoc honoris ſuo in arte ſed aliorum authoritate collo candos eſse in iſto faſtigio pu…a Solenni aliqua principum ſanctiore. Brightman in Locum. And further, to confirme this, It followes in the Text, that there was a great voice from Heaven, ſaying unto them, Come up hither. Heaven is the higheſt part of the viſible World, and it reſembles men in higheſt place and power, King, and Parliament; And this great voice from Heaven was from the State; and you ſaid to poore deſpiſed Preachers, Come up hither; You gave them countenance and incouragement, even before their Adverſaries; You ſaid to the proud prelaticall idle Clergie, Come downe hither; and I thinke you ſaid well; But to the godly deſpiſed Miniſters of the Goſpell, you ſaid, Come up, aſcend higher; and you gave them reſpect; But now there is a voice from the Earth, which ſaith, Come downe hither. The people that Petitioned you againſt the maintenance of the Miniſtery, they ſay, Come downe to us, you are too high, doe as wee doe, worke for your living as wee doe. Whether this voice from Heaven or Earth ſhall prevaile? Wee leave it with you and the God of Heaven to determine: OnelyOnly let me give you an Item, to take heed in this caſe of doing, as David did betweene Mephiboſheth and Ziba, 2 Sam 1….3, 4. Hee accuſed Mephiboſheth that hee aſpired after the Kingdome, and looked after great matters; and when the Innocent lame man had opportunitie to make his owne defence, yet David unjuſtly gave away halfe his Land to his Acc…er, 2 Sam. 19.29. They are like enough to ſay of us. Wee would get higher, and wee loo…e after great matters; but take heed of dividing upon ſuch a falſe ſurmiſe; and give one halfe away to ſatisfie their deſires, and leave the other halfe for us to live upon in a poore manner. But I forbeare the further preſſing of theſe things, and in a word returne to the firſt Branch of my Exhortation: I beſeech you give us nothing but gold; let not your Authoritie countenance any thing but what is good and precious; You are Gods Merchants, and you ſhould have put off more then you have done: Many things come before you, little is ſetled. It were an evill thing, for many Cauſes to come before a Judge and nothing to bee determined; The Lord quicken your ſpirits, and guide you in your way. And for you the people of this Land, bee wiſe to judge of things as they are indeed; There is gold to bee had, and white rayment, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt would ſell you theſe; You ſometimes cheapen them, and inquire after them, but you goe not through with the bargaine. Who would want gold in his purſe, and good raiment upon his back, if heecould have them? You may have theſe if you will, and it will bee a horrid thing in the day of your account, to render and returne poore naked ſoules before God, that might have beene inriched and clothed.
FINIS.
PAge 9. l. 3. read rejected for received. p. 14. l. 15. … with …. …. … l. 13. leave out Fourthly, and read the two lines together.
End of the text · Thomas Valentine, Christs Counsel to Poor and Naked Souls (1647)