Works Volume 4, Sermon 1
The I. SERMON.
ISAIAH 2.4.
They ſhall beat their Swords into Plough-ſhares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks.
THE day is the Third of Advent, deſigned by the Church for the Celebration of the cloſer and nearer approach of the Majeſty of Heaven to this lowly ſinful Earth of ours; that foreign, bleſſed coming Kingdom, as 'tis ſtyled Mark 11.10. And the Text is a piece of an Advent Chapter, the very Contents beſpeak it ſo, Iſaiah propheſying the coming, i. e. Advent, of Chriſt's Kingdom. All the unhappineſs of it is, that this part of the Prophecy about transforming of Swords, ſeems not yet to be fulfilled in our ears; that after ſo many Centuries, Chriſt is not yet ſo effectually and throughly born amongſt us, as was here foretold; that thoſe glorious effects of his Incarnation are not yet come to their full date: i. e. in effect, that Chriſt is come to his birth, and with him all the well-natur'd charitable qualities, all the unity and peace and bliſs in the world, and through the contrivances the Enemy-power, there is not liberty or ſtrength to bring forth; all the precious iſſues of Chriſtianity are reſiſted, and obſtructed, and ſtifled in the Womb; the temper of the pretending world being ſo ſtrangely diſtant from the temper of Chriſt, the prophecies of his coming having ſo little of the Sword in them, and the practice of Chriſtendom ſo nothing elſe. Bleſſed Lord! that we might once be able to reconcile theſe contrary foreign, that we might one day celebrate an Advent indeed, and that the completion of the Prophecy of this Text, might be an Ingredient in the Solemnity; that this of ours, might be one of thoſe Nations and People judged and rebuked, i. e. convinced and converted by the Incarnate Saviour: for then would theſe words of the Text be verifi'd of us, They ſhall beat their Swords, &c.
The words are the Character or Effect of Chriſt's Kingdom, of the ſtate and power of his Goſpel in mens hearts: and I ſhall view them, firſt, abſolutely, in the ſeveral parts or branches of this Character; and then relatively, as they are peculiarly verified of the ſtate of the Goſpel, or as they are a character of that.
In the Abſolute view you have, 1. The Swords and Spears on one ſide; 2. The Plough-ſhares and Pruning-hooks on the other: 3. The Paſſage or Motion of one of theſe into the other, by way of Beating.
In the Relative view we ſhall, 1. have occaſion to vindicate the truth of this Prophecy againſt the contrary appearances. 2. To ſhew you how and by what means, Chriſtianity undertakes to work this great work, to beat the Swords, &c.
I begin with the Abſolute view, and in that, with the moſt formidable part of the Proſpect, the Swords and Spears; ſharp, aſſaulting, piercing weapons, found out and forg'd by the paſſions and wits of men, to arm their rage, to ſatisfie their covetings and ambitions, to manage all the quarrels that the carnal or diabolical affections of men have commenc'd or inflam'd through the world. Theſe are the groſs Elements made uſe of by the Prophet, figuratively to expreſs the inſtruments of our Hoſtilities that lie more covertly in our hearts, theſe inviſible Swords and Spears, animoſities, uncharitable, unpeaceable humors, that Chriſt came to allay and temper, to transform and beat into other ſhapes. And to put off the Figure, and give you plain words inſtead of it; Three ſorts there are of theſe quarrels or Hoſtilities, which ſeem all to be comprehended in theſe words.
Firſt, though more improperly, our Hoſtilities againſt God, our rebellions and reſiſtances againſt his will, our contrary walkings to him, the throwing off that yoke of Moral or Chriſtian duties, breaking thoſe bands, caſting of thoſe cords, Pſal. 2. and that, either 1. In an univerſal diſlike of his Government, a direct nolumus hunc, that profeſt Atheiſm that begins to ſet up, to gather Diſciples and Proſelytes abroad in the world, that Chair of the Scorner, that diſclaims Religion as a puſillanimous thing, a ridiculous pedantick quality, that hath in their opinion dis-ſpirited and emaſculated the world: Or elſe, 2. by particular oppoſitions to his commands in the retail, ſinning over all the Precepts on either Mount, taking part with the Law of the Members againſt all the Empires of the Law of the Mind, and under a Chriſtian profeſſion doing as much deſpight unto Chriſt as he that hath ſhut him out of his mouth and brain alſo. And in relation to theſe Hoſtilities it is, that we Miniſters are poſted from Heaven like ſo many Heraulds at the news of a Battery, or approach of the Enemy, to demand a Parley, before men proceed any farther in their giantly foreign, or fighting againſt God: and our Embaſſie is very ſubmiſs, as though God did beſeech you by us, as Lot doth the Sodomites on their aſſault of the Angels, We pray you, Brethren, do not ſo wickedly; We pray you in Chriſt's ſtead that you will not proceed in your courſe, that you will be pacified and reconciled unto God. And ſure theſe are formidable ſlaughtering-weapons, very bloudy threatning Enemies, that make God think fit to ſend out Embaſſies for Treaty, and not venture his Heaven to be ſtormed by them.
A ſecond ſort of Hoſtilities poſſibly here meant, are theſe againſt our ſelves, the fatalleſt and bloudieſt in the world, the piercing, and wounding, and butchering our own poor Souls, deforming and infeebling them with our waſting habits of ſin, exhauſting the very principles of civil ingenuous Nature, leaving never a vital ſpark or ſeed of humanity behind, but violating, and grieving, and quenching all, a direct felonia de ſe, murthering and aſſaſſinating theſe divine creatures, which God had prepared to people Heaven, and caſting them out to the noiſom'ſt dunghills, employing them to the meaneſt offices in the world. Nay, Hoſtilities to the Fleſh it ſelf: thoſe ſins that undertake to ſerve the groſſer part of us, to have ſpecial fidelities and kindneſſes to the fleſh in all their warrings againſt the Soul, are not yet ſo faithful in their performances, work oft the greateſt malices to that very fleſh, caſt it ſometimes into the fire, ſometimes into the water, deſpoil it of all the honour, beauty, ſpirits, joys, and life it ſelf, leave it in the pitiouſeſt, disfigured, rifled, waſted fleſh imaginable, and ſo have their malices and treacheries againſt that alſo. But the truth is, theſe are but the foreign, or foreign, the preluſory lighter brandiſhings of theſe ſwords: The uncharitableneſſes here eſpecially deſigned are, in the third place, thoſe that (as our material ſwords and spears) are ordinarily imployed againſt our Brethren, or fellow-Chriſtians, either upon their Lives, or their Reputations, or their Souls.
1. On their Lives: when either our ambitions, or revenges, or, which is the worſt of all, and the bloudieſt aſſaſſinate (when 'tis ſet on it, when 'tis gotten into the Jeſuite Chamber of meditation) our foreign, bitter envying or zeal, when that, I ſay, like the bloud of the Mulberries to the Elephant, ſhall inflame us to a brutality, a thirſt of our Brethrens bloud, turning the Chriſtian into a Nimrod, a mighty Hunter before the Lord, giving the Church that new notion of Militant, in ſhedding as much of other mens bloud (and triumphing in that effuſion) as in the Primitive times it poured out of its own veins, when the Heathen Perſecutors called for it; when Chriſtians ſhall deſign God Sacrifices, bloudy Cannibal Oblations, and, in that other ſtern ſenſe of the Apoſtle's words, foreign, rational humane ſacrifices, whole Herds and Hecatombs at once, and think to avert judgments, to work expiations, to perform ſupererogating ſervices to God by that means.
2. On their Reputations: whether in the Language of the Slanderer and Reviler, whoſe words are spears and arrows, and his tongue a ſharp ſword, in the Pſalmiſt's dialect, the preparative to that former practiſing on the Life, putting men into wild beaſts Skins, that they may be worried and torn to pieces in their diſguiſes; or whether yet in the higher ſtrain of the cenſorious Anathematizer, that breaths out woes and damnations, paſſes that bloudy ſentence upon all that walk not in his path toward Canaan; this ſpiritual aſſaſſinacy, this deepeſt die of bloud being moſt Satanically deſigned on Souls, and (becauſe they cannot get thoſe into their power) practiſing it in Effigie, ſlaughtering them here in this t'other Calvary, the place for the crucifying of Reputations, turning men (upon any, upon no occaſion) out of the communion of their charity, when they cannot out of bliſs, and no doubt rejecting many, whom the Angels entertain more hoſpitably.
Laſtly, on mens Souls: whether by terrors or by invitations, by the ſharp or by the ſoft weapon, working ruine and deſtruction on them. By the ſharp, forcing them to violate their conſciences in hope to get their bodies or eſtates off from the torture, (as the Engliſhman is obſerved, through impatience of any preſent preſſure, to venture the vaſteſt future danger that will pretend to eaſe or reſcue him at the inſtant, and therefore, they ſay, the uſe of the Rack was ſuperſeded in this Nation.) And they that can be Inſtruments in this ſavage enterpriſe, that can thus operate under the great Abaddon, in this profeſſion of aſſaulting and wounding of Souls, for which Chriſt was content to die, are ſure ſome of the foreign the ſons of blouds, in the plural, as the Hebrews call them. And ſo he alſo that is ſo skill'd at the ſoft weapon, that by the fair inſinuating carriage, by the help of the winning addreſs, the Syrene-mode or meen, can inſpire poiſon, whiſper in deſtruction to the Soul (as the Poetick Preſent that had ſecret Chains in it, fettering and inſlaving of him that was pleaſed with it; foreign, in the Orator, the delight brought ſhackles, the beauty bands along with it, but no man to looſe him that was preſently inſnared by them (he that can tole on the tame, well-natur'd, eaſily ſeducible into all the luxury and the hell, the ſin and the damnation imaginable, he is one of the fair-ſpoken ſword-men that David ſpeaks of, whoſe words are ſofter than butter, and yet are they very ſwords.
You have had a view of the Artillery in the Text, the interpretation of the hoſtile weapons, the ſwords and spears, the furniture of the Heathens Armory before Chriſt's coming: (Good God! that in their travel round about the world, they were not at length all tranſported hither, and, like the Teeth of old, ſowed and ſprung up a whole harveſt of ſwords and spears, of animoſities and uncharitableneſſes in this our land.) I haſten to the more innocent tools, the weapons of the Husband-man's warfare againſt his enemies, barrenneſs and unprofitableneſs, the plough-ſhares and the pruning-hooks on the other ſide, my ſecond particular. The ſignification of theſe Emblems or Hieroglyphicks you will ſoon diſcern, when you but conſider them, firſt, in the general notion, wherein both of them agree, inſtruments of husbandry; and then in their ſeveral particular proprieties. In the firſt they both accord, to expreſs unto us the ſpiritual induſtry and skill, the office and the craft of dreſſing and cultivating of Souls: we are God's Husbandry, his beloved Plantation, intruſted miniſterially under him to our own, to our Brethrens diligence.
1. Every man to take the care of his own field, his own Soul, to help it to all the dreſſing and improving, to water it with his tears, when 'tis a dry ſoil, drain it with action and buſineſs, yea and mix it with new mould, affiance and comfort in Chriſt, when it is too moiſt, (the diſſolving or weeping earth) and when 'tis too beggerly and lean, to inrich it with all the whole mine of fatneſs that lies treaſur'd up to that purpoſe in the Word of God, to ply it through each ſeaſon from the ſeed time of Repentance, (that ſowing in tears) to the harveſt in joy and chearfulneſs, the bringing our ſheaves with us, theſe worthy meet fruits of that Repentance. This earth of ours, I ſay, is thus to practiſe upon it ſelf; or when it can do nothing elſe, (the drieſt, parched, unregenerate Soul,) yet ſtill, with that, to cleave, and open, and gaſp toward Heaven, to be ready to receive and ſuck in thoſe ſhowres, thoſe influences which that is ready to afford us; and after all the planting and watering, to acknowledge all to be God's foreign, his fructifying or giving of increaſe. And not only thus, every man to be his own Husband-man under God, but
2. Every man again to help in his Brother's field, to make his art and trade of husbandry as communicative and gainful as he can: not as the manner is of the covetous Worldling to incloſe his skills, for fear any man elſe ſhould be as proſperous as he; but to diffuſe our charity, and not only, as the Ancients did, write Books of Husbandry, (our ſpiritual Georgicks and Geoponicks) but go bodily, and labour in the Vineyards, by our aid and by our example encourage all the neighbourhood into this Trade of thriving, ſet to that glorious work of civilizing Deſarts, baniſhing Briars and Thorns (to which the Laps'd Adam was condemn'd) quite out of the Country, weed out all the Ferity and Barbarity out of mens minds, bring the whole Region from the neglected Waſte to the trim fruitful Incloſure, from the Wilderneſs to the Garden, and as far as 'tis poſſible to ſome degree of return towards Eden, towards Paradiſe again, I mean, towards the Innocence and Fertility of that. And if ever there was a time when the Province was large, (I would I could ſay, the Harveſt great) and need to pray to the Lord God of the Harveſt to ſend a whole Army of Labourers, not with their military, but their husbandly, Inſtruments, for the foreign, the grand charitable acts, which Cyrus in Xenophon preferr'd before the military, to dreſs a wild People, and plant ſome ſeeds (of Chriſtianity, ſhall I ſay? nay) of honeſt civil nature amongſt Chriſtians, to make men ingenuous Heathens, one pitch above Salvage or Cannibal, to give a little Europe-breed inſtead of a whole Africk of wilder Creatures, and ſo in ſome meaſure to take away Chriſt's reproach, which the moſt unchriſtian lives of the generality of Chriſtians have caſt upon him; this certainly were a ſeaſon for ſuch prayers in Chriſtendom, and all the Plough-ſhares and Pruning-hooks in a Country would be little enough for that purpoſe.
But then ſomewhat is here noted by the particular proprieties of the Plough-ſhares and the Pruning-hooks: The Plough-ſhares, they are for the breaking up our fallow grounds, wounding and tearing aſunder our firm faſt-hardned habits of ſins, that Quarry of Earth and Stone, with the fair green even ſurface over it, fetching up the root of the Weeds and Thorns, our corrupt Cuſtoms of Atheiſm and Profaneneſs, that grew ſo voluntarily and ſo faſt; nay, the very green-ſwart, as we call it, the more innocent, blameleſs face of unregenerate Morality, which, though it have no great hurt in it, muſt yet give place to this ſeed of Chriſt, furrowing and turning it up all, that there may be the bare earth, as it were the ſolum ſubactum, the broken, humble, contrite heart, ready for this new Sower, for the infuſions of Grace, which will never thrive if there be any thing left to encumber or reſiſt, to over-top or wraſtle with it. And ſo you have the Interpretation of Plough-ſhares here, the rending of the impenitent heart, the preparing it for grace, the humbling the proud ſinner, and fitting, and ſoftning, and emptying him for Chriſt.
Then for the Pruning-hooks, if that be the exact rendring of the Hebrew; you have then under that colour the dreſſing of God's plantations, the ſupervenient work of paring and cutting all Excreſcences in the regenerate Child of Heaven, (parallel to the waſhing of his feet, which were cleanſed already, in Chriſt's anſwer to St. Peter) lopping off the Suckers, the luxuriances that will ſtill return as long as we have that root and fomes of fleſh about us, and if they are ſuffered to grow too laviſhly, will ſoon ſuck away all the vital fructifying juice from the Branches, at leaſt exhauſt very much of that heavenly ſtore which would be husbanded at the beſt advantage, every dram more pretiouſly employed.
But if our Margent have made the better conjecture, (as many times it doth) and the Scithes, which you meet with there, carry away the importance of the Original from the Pruning-hooks, you have then, God's calling for his fruits in the time of harveſt, ſending his Mowers into the field, his ſtrict requiring and earneſt expecting the plentiful iſſues of all his care, the growths and fructifyings of his graces; and then, put all theſe together (as indeed the various readings may both ſtand good, or the Hook or Sickle, which may probably be the yet fitter rendring of the word, will ſupply the place both of Text and Margent, be accommodable to either, to both uſes) and then you have here the entire poſitive buſineſs of all Chriſtianity, ſometimes to break up, ſometimes to prune, ſometimes to prepare the fruits for God's barn, to begin, to advance, to perfect that great work of fruit-bearing, that only deſign of all God's methods and diſpenſations amongſt us, the kindly Vintage which he expects ſo paſſionately, Iſa. 5. after all his husbandry. And, O what an exprobration will it be to us, the Ecce labruſcas there, our nothing but wild Grapes, our ſour unſavoury fruits of unrighteouſneſs after all this dreſſing! And let that ſerve for the ſecond particular of the Abſolute view. There is only the third behind, The motion or paſſage from one of theſe to the other, from the Swords to the Plough-ſhares, from the Spears to the Sickles or Hooks, and that by way of beating, They ſhall beat, &c.
The ſame individual metal, which was even now a Sword, having ſuffered ſome change by the fire and anvil, comes out new forged in the other ſhape; the ſame affections that were even now maliciouſly acted by Satan, formed and whet at the Philiſtines forge, foreign, weapons of all the villany in the world, the Diſquieters of the honour and peace of Chriſtendom, the only boutefeux abroad, our paſſions and appetites, let them be but transformed by the Spirit of Chriſt, let the fire and hammer paſs on them and without being deſtroyed in that fire, they come out new moulded, inſtruments of righteouſneſs, zeal for the reforming our own lives, emulation for purity, and for fructifying; that Saul that was even now an Apoſtle or Meſſenger of the Jewiſh Conſiſtory to Damaſcus, and had then ſuch a heart full of Swords and Spears, was ſo furious a Blaſphemer of Chriſt, and Perſecutor of Chriſtians, may continue his metal ſtill, his title, and almoſt his name and office, and be the gallanter Apoſtle of Chriſt, the more abundant Labourer for ever after. Chriſtianity doth not mean ſuch enmity to Nature, ſuch ſcorn and contumely to our humane Souls, as to throw all away as droſs and refuſe, to mortifie any other members upon earth, but thoſe which ſignifie our ſins, fornication, uncleanneſs, envyings, ſeditions, &c. as for the Affections or Faculties themſelves, have they been never ſo profane and unhallowed, a breathing on them, or a conſecrating them anew, a putting them to purer and more honourable uſes for the future, will ſerve the turn; the Cenſers of Corah, with a little change, will become excellent plates for God's ſanctuary. Let that Love that even now was tranſported and laviſht out on the ſenſual object, be baptized with the Holy Ghoſt and with fire, come out a pure ethereal love, faſtened on the beauty of holineſs, (that angelical purity, to be tranſcribed into thine and thy brethrens hearts;) and the more flaming this love is, the more gracious and more acceptable it is like to be. Let but the hoſtility that is now let looſe upon the perſons, the ſins, the perſonal affronts, nay perhaps the graces and vertues of other men, be retrencht and retired, and reflected on our own ſins; and then, let there be as much ſteel in the weapons, as much zeal in the revenges and indignations as ever. May but the ambitions and aſpirings of the Worldling (that like air, pent up in too cloſe a coop, works ſuch foreign and tempeſts, ſuch ſhaking palſie-fits in the regions about us) be faſtened, according to S. Paul's advice, on a new object, transformed into the foreign, purſuing of charity, as of a prize in the Olympick games, into the foreign, taking as much pains, ſtriving as emulouſly to contain himſelf and others in quiet, to reſtore a battered Kingdom to Peace again, as contentious men uſe to put the world into a combuſtion; and then, our Swords may become very edifying weapons, our contentions very excellent, profitable contentions, every man ſtriving to ſurpaſs and exceed the other, in meekneſs, patience, contented taking up the Croſs of Chriſt, (thoſe more than Olympick foreign, to which the incorruptible crown is aſſigned) overcoming men in charity and wel-doing. Do but you enter into the ſchool of Chriſt, (the moſt boiſterous, raw, uncultivated you, that have leaſt of this ſacred temper about you) and that will be able to infuſe it: which brings me to my ſecond general, the relative aſpect of theſe words, as they are a character of the Goſpel-ſtate, of the kingdom of Chriſt, and ſo the fitter for an Advent Sermon.
And in that we are, 1. To conſider what truth there is in that prediction, to juſtifie and vindicate this prophecy againſt all the contrary appearances, They ſhall beat, &c. One Objection 'tis clear there is againſt the truth of this prophecy, (and 'twere more for the credit of Chriſtendom that there were an hundred others, ſo this might be ſuperſeded) The contrary practice of the generality of Chriſtians. Bleſſed Lord! where is this promiſe of Chriſt's coming, this conſequent of his birth, and kingdom among men? For ſince Swords came once into the world, ſince the ſweet of revenge and the advantage of ſpoiling others, was once taſted, ſince that bloudy iſſue once began to break out, what hath all our Chriſtianity done to ſtop or ſtanch it? 'Tis true, what Hiſtorians tells us, that at the time of Chriſt's birth there was a notable ceſſation of Arms over the whole world; and the foreign, Luk. 2.1. (not taxing, but) inrolling, that brought Chriſt's Parents up to Bethlehem, and ſo occaſioned his birth there, was an effect and immediate product of that Ceſſation: and 'twas a remarkable act of providence, that upon a former peace, and ſo command for that in rolling, in the ſame Auguſtus time, proclaim'd at Tarracone in Spain, as Sepulveda tells us, (which if it had ſucceeded, Chriſt in any likelihood had not been born in Bethlehem) there brake out ſome new broils, that deferred the peace and inrolling till this very point of time, when Chriſt was carried up in Mary's womb to obey the prediction of his Birth in Bethlehem. But ſure all this would be but a very imperfect completion of this other prophecy in my Text; this peace was ſoon at an end, and, beſides, was rather the midwife to bring Chriſt into the world, than Chriſt to bring this peace: And yet to ſee how ſome Obſervers have been willing to pitch upon this one paſſage of ſtory, the ſhutting of Janus Temple about the birth of Chriſt, (the Catholick peace in that part of the world at that point of time) as the main thing that was pointed at in this Verſe.
Their reaſon is clear, becauſe as for a long time before, ſo ſince that time, there was never any ſuch completion of it; Chriſt born in an Halcyon hour, had ſcarce ever any one afterwards whilſt he lived: and for his poſterity he makes the profeſſion, he came not to bring peace, but a ſword, that is, he foreſaw this would be the effect of his coming; Chriſtianity would breed new quarrels in the world; ſome men really hating one another upon that ſcore of difference in Religion, (and they ſay, no feuds are more deſperately implacable, no ſwords more inſatiably thirſty of bloud, than thoſe which Chriſt brought into the world) but moſt men making this the foreign, the pretence and excuſe of all their bloudineſs. 'Twas Du Pleſſe's account to Languet, why he had not a mind to write the Story of the Civil wars of France, becauſe if he had ſaid truth, he muſt render new originals and cauſes of theſe Wars, hound that fox to a kennel which would not willingly be acknowledg'd, charge that on an emulation, or rivality of ſtate, which (like the Harlot that, coming freſh from her unclean imbraces, had wiped the mouth) came demurely, and ſolemnly, and ſuperciliouſly, out of the Church, the only ſanctuary to give impunity and reputation (apology at leaſt) to the blackeſt enterprizes; and betwixt the foreign and the foreign, the true and the pretended cauſalities, the effect, God knows, is generally too ſad. Mahomet, that profeſt to propagate his Religion by the Sword, hath not brought ſuch ſtore of theſe bloudy weapons, ſo rich a full-ſtockt artillery into the world, hath not kept them ſo conſtantly imploy'd, ſo ſharp ſet, ſo riotous in their thirſts of bloud, as hath been obſervable in Chriſtendom. I am ſure that Caeſarean ſection, practiſing upon our own mothers, our own bowels, fellow-Chriſtians, fellow-Proteſtants, fellow-Profeſſors (ſhall I add fellow-Saints? but ſure, ſanctity, if it were ſincere, would turn theſe Swords into Plough-ſhares) was never ſo familiar among Turks or Savages; nay, as Eraſmus hath ſweetly obſerved, among the wildeſt beaſts in nature, (which are not beaſt enough to devour thoſe of their own kind,) as it is among Chriſtians of this laſt Age almoſt in every part of the world. Only the bladder of Snakes in Epiphanius hath been our parallel: They were there but few hours together, but one of them had devoured all the reſt; and when (to try the Experiment, how ſolitude and want of prey would diſcipline the devourer's appetite) he was ſhut up alone in the bladder, his vulturous ſtomach lets looſe upon himſelf, and within few minutes more, one half of him devours the other: ſo many divided and ſubdivided enmities, and, when all others are wanting, ſuch bloudy practiſings upon our ſelves, that if it be true which Pſellus ſaith, that the devils feaſt on the vapour that is exhaled from the bloud of men, ſure the Chriſtian devils, and of late the Engliſh, are the fatteſt of the whole herd, the richlieſt treated of any, ſince whole Tables were furniſhed for them of the bloud and fleſh of their worſhippers. And thus far I confeſs my ſelf unable to vindicate this Prophecy in this ſenſe of it, that ſo it ſhould actually prove, that Chriſtianity would really drive Swords out of the world: I ſhould be glad to be ſecured by the Millenary, that ever there would come an age when this Prophecy would thus be completed; but more glad, if this Nation might have the happineſs within ſome tolerable term to enter upon its millennium, that the (Pacem, Domine, in diebus noſtris, Peace in our time, our age, O Lord,) were not ſuch a deſperate, non-licet form, and that for deliverance from battel and murther, as ſcandalous a piece of Litany, as that other from ſudden death hath been deem'd among us.
I have ſufficiently ſhewed you in what ſenſe theſe words have no truth in them; 'tis time I proceed to ſhew you in what ſenſe they have: and that will be either,
1. By telling you that this prophetick form is but a phraſe to expreſs the duty and obligation of Chriſtians; They ſhall beat their ſwords into plough-ſhares, i. e. 'tis moſt certainly their duty to do ſo. Charity is the only precept, Peace the only depoſitum, that Chriſt took any care to leave among them: and then, be there never ſo many ſwords in Chriſtian nations, yet 'twere more obediently and more Chriſtianly done, if they were beaten into plough-ſhares. There is a thouſand times more need of amending mens lives, than of taking them away; of reforming our ſelves, than of hating or killing our Brethren: one broken heart is a richer and more acceptable ſacrifice to God than a whole pile of ſuch bloudy offerings, ſuch Moſaical conſecrating our ſelves to God upon our Brethren. And then,Paedagog. lib. 3. cap. 11. as Clemens ſpeaks of ſeals or rings, that thoſe that have the impreſſions and ſculptures (as of Idols ſo) of Bow or Sword, muſt not be worn by the diſciple of Chriſt, the pacifick Chriſtian; or as the Polonian, being asked concerning two Brethren that deſired to be of his Congregation, (as being of a Trade which was ſuſpected to be unlawful, the making of Images or Faces to put upon Guns or Ordnances) gave anſwer, that he knew no great danger in thoſe Images; if there were any thing unchriſtian, 'twas ſure in the Guns, which they were uſed to adorn: ſo certainly, that Chriſt that came to caſt Idolatry and Heatheniſm out of the World, deſired alſo to caſt out that heatheniſh cuſtome of wallowing in one anothers bloud, of hunting, and worrying, and devouring one another, and with the Chriſtian faith to introduce the brotherly charity into his Church; this being the moſt ſtrict and moſt frequently reiterated command of Chriſt, and that the importance of this Prophecy in the firſt place.
2. The truth of this Prophecy will be moſt clear, if you obſerve the [They] in the front, and the reflection of that, on the former part of the verſe, Chriſt ſhall judge amongſt nations, and rebuke many People: He ſhall ſet up his Kingdom in mens hearts, ſubdue and conquer them; that is the meaning of judging, (as the Adminiſtrators of the Jewiſh Nation, and they that ſubdued their enemies, were called Judges for ſome time:) and he ſhall mould them anew into an Evangelical temper; that is the interpretation of rebuking: And then [They] i. e. theſe ſubjects of this Kingdom of his, theſe malleable, tame, Evangelical new creatures, that are effectually changed by the Spirit and power of Chriſt's doctrine in their hearts, they that are his Diſciples indeed, they ſhall beat their ſwords into thoſe more edifying ſhapes, ſhall profeſs more Chriſtianly Trades; and if they do not, be ſure they are at the beſt, if not Amti-, yet Pſeudo-Chriſtians, either profeſt enemies, or falſe friends of Chriſt. By this ſhall all men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye love one another: no other Character of difference to diſtinguiſh a Diſciple of Chriſt from any man elſe, but the Ecce ut ſe invicem diligunt, Behold how they love, how they embrace, not how they purſue or ſlaughter, one another. And ſo there you have the difficulty cleared, how it comes to paſs, that there is ſo little Charity among Chriſtians; why? becauſe there is ſo little Chriſtianity among Chriſtians, ſo much of the hypocritical guiſe, of the form of Chriſtian piety, but ſo little, ſo nothing of the power of it diſcernable among us. Had but Chriſt the leaſt real influence on our hearts, it would inflame and animate us with love; had we any of that ſalt within us, Mar. 9.50. the only preſervative from putrefaction and rottenneſs of ſpirit, it would be as the Naturaliſts obſerve of it, foreign, unitive, and bring along what our Saviour hath joyned with it, the peace with others. 'Tis the propriety and peculiarity of the Goſpel, where 'tis entertained, to impreſs this well-natured quality; and whereever 'tis not impreſs'd, 'twill not be cenſorious to affirm, in deſpite of all the glorious appearances to the contrary, that thoſe men have received the Goſpel, the name, the grace of Chriſt in vain: which will be demonſtrated to you, if I proceed to my ſecond or laſt particular, to ſhew you by what means Chriſtianity undertakes to work this great work, to beat our ſwords into plough-ſhares, and our ſpears &c. And that is by three ſtrokes, as it were, and impreſſions upon our Souls. 1. By inculcating a peculiar ſtrain of Doctrines. 2. By preſcribing a peculiar Spirit. 3. By ſetting before us a peculiar Example. Every of theſe very proper moral inſtruments to this end, though (God knows) the ſtubborn unmalleable weapons of our warfare have too-too often the honour or reſiſting and vanquiſhing them all.
For the firſt, his peculiar ſtrains of Doctrines, they are of two ſorts: either they are the direct contrary to theſe ſwords and ſpears, or elſe ſuch by way of conſequence and reſult. Directly contrary: ſuch is that of not avenging our ſelves, the foreign, Matt. 5. not retributing of trouble or violence to the injurious, but leaving God and his Vicegerents to work all theſe neceſſary acts of revenge, or repaiment; ſuch is that of loving, bleſſing, praying for enemies; and, let me tell you, not only our own, but (which is worth the conſidering) our God's enemies. For 1. ſuch are all the curſers and perſecutors of Diſciples; the true Chriſtian's enemies there ſpoken of, they are all God's enemies alſo, as Saul's perſecuting of Chriſtians, was the perſecuting of Chriſt: There is no poſſible ſeparating the hatred of the Brethren from enmity to Chriſt. And therefore Polycarpus, an Apoſtolical perſon, and Biſhop, and Martyr, (one of the firſt Angels of Smyrna in the Revelation) commanding to pray for them that perſecute us, takes in not only the Heathen Powers and Princes, the greateſt enemies of God then living, but in plain words, the foreign, the renouncers and enemies of the Croſs, i. e. certainly of Chriſt himſelf. 2. Such were the Samaritans, direct enemies of Chriſt, and yet ſuch 'twill not be permitted the Diſciples to curſe, Luke 9.55.3. Becauſe the commandment of mercifulneſs lying on us proportionably to God's pattern, (to be merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful) 'tis there ſaid, that he is merciful to the evil as well as to the unthankful, to thoſe that have ſinn'd againſt vertue in general, as well as againſt that particular of gratitude: and 'tis clear, God loves his enemies as well as ours, and out of that love gave his Son for thoſe that had ſinned againſt the firſt as well as the ſecond Table, and conſequently ſo are we obliged to do alſo. Laſtly, becauſe St. Paul's reaſon againſt avenging our ſelves is grounded on God's ſole prerogative of puniſhing Malefactors, Rom. 12.19. As it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it, ſaith the Lord. And this priviledge of God's ſure extends to the puniſhing of his own, as well as our enemies. Having named this, I need not mention any more plain Doctrines of direct contrariety to theſe hoſtile weapons. If God hath left us no kind of enemies to hate, neither our own, nor his, the firſt, the ordinary object of our animoſity and revenge, the ſecond, of our very piety and zeal; and ſo the furious and the pious ſword, the Jehu-zeal for the Lord of Hoſts, as well as that other for our ſelves, the ſlaughtering of Chriſt's or the Chriſtian's enemies, be quite excluded out of our Commiſſions; then ſure there is no excuſe for keeping ſo much profitable Metal in that unprofitable, cutting, piercing ſhape: there is far more uſe of thoſe materials in another form, in that of the plough-ſhare and pruning-hook; the work of Repentance being ſtill as neceſſary, as that other of uncharitableneſs is unchriſtian. But then this is not all that Chriſt hath done by way of pacifick Doctrines, ſome other Doctrines he hath as effectually contrary to ſwords and spears, though not ſo directly and viſibly, ſome mines more ſecretly to ſupplant this bloudy temper: Such are his teaching his Diſciples humility, and meekneſs, and patience, and contentedneſs with our own, four graces which, if once received into our hearts, are the breaking the bow, the knapping the ſpear aſunder, the rending up all unpeaceableneſs by the roots. What are the roots of ſtrife and contentions among men? or in St. James his ſtyle, From whence come wars and fightings among you? foreign and foreign, of the greater and leſſer ſize, the piracies of the firſt or ſecond magnitude? are they not from the luſts that war and rage in your members? What be thoſe luſts? Why, the ſpawn of thoſe two great ſenſual principles, anger and deſire, ſometimes pride, ſometimes ſtomach, ſometimes impatience of injuries, and ſometimes and moſt eſpecially covetouſneſs, the deſiring to have ſomewhat which God had not made my lot; and nothing but hudling, and blending, and confuſion of proprieties, throwing the lots into the Helmet again, can give me hope of attaining it. All the irregular ſwords and ſpears in the world are in the hands of theſe luſts, both to forge and manage, and the Graces that Chriſt preſcribes, are ſent to drive theſe all out of the field. The humility that Chriſt preſcribes is directly contrary to that pride; the meekneſs or obedience to Superiors, ſo inculcated in the New Teſtament, is the mortifying that ſtomach; the patience, and taking up the Croſs, and denying my ſelf that helliſh piece of ſenſuality, that of revenge, foreign, is ſent out to duel with that impatience; and contentedneſs with whatever lot, with that of ravening and coveting. O let but the Beatitudes in the fifth of Matthew plant theſe bleſſed ſeeds in us, and our ſwords will preſently be out of faſhion, and within a while aſſaulted and eaten through with the tameſt Creatures, the ruſt that themſelves beget; your carnal Affections will lie uſeleſs by you, or elſe be undiſcernably transformed into calmer and more profitable ſhapes. And that is the firſt part of Chriſt's method in working this change, by a new ſtrain of Precepts or Doctrines.
His ſecond way is by a new kind of Spirit; whether by that we mean the Spirit of Chriſt, or the Spirit of the Gospel.
1. The Spirit of Chriſt, taken almoſt in the Naturaliſts acception of the word [Spirit] for a kind of vital or animal ſpirit. For this flowing from Chriſt our Head, and paſſing freely through all the Members, unites us not only to him, but one to the other alſo in a vital fellow-memberſhip, to which you know nothing is more contrary or deſtructive than the Sword, diviſion, or Separation: and this is the Argument in St. Paul for the ſtricteſt charity, not ſo much as to tell a falſity one to another, (which is ſure leſs than drawing of Swords, calling down fire from Heaven one upon another) becauſe, ſaith he, ye are members one of another; all members are united in one ſpirit. And then though ſome members are ſometimes corrupt and diſeaſed, and therefore offend and grieve the other members; nay, 2. though one member ſometimes work real injury to the other, the petulancy of the hand or tongue bring miſchief to the whole body; and 3. though the members generally differ in opinion one from the other, the Smell liking that which the Taſte utterly diſlikes: yet is neither one nor all of theſe ground ſufficient for any member to bear malice, revenge, any thing but love and tenderneſs of care and bowels towards the other, becauſe of the uniting ſpirit that paſſes through them, and gives them joys and ſorrows in ſympathy one with another, but never animoſities or indignations, underminings or betrayings one of the other.
But then 2. that which I chiefly mean by the new kind of Spirit, is the Spirit of the Gospel. In the 9. of Luke there is a reference to this, (as to a conſideration that all diſciples of Chriſt are much concerned in, and from ignorance whereof, all our bloudy and fiery and thundering deſigns againſt our own or the enemies of Chriſt do proceed) foreign, you know not, or, conſider not, what kind of spirit you are of. The Goſpel-spirit, it ſeems, was peculiarly qualified, a ſpirit of a ſpecial temper, nothing favourable to the propoſals of the Boanerges; and if you would know the kind of it, you ſhall have it, firſt Poſitively, then Negatively. Poſitively the Gospel-spirit is (a Jewel, will you call it? or) an Aſteriſm made up of all thoſe Celeſtial Gems even now touch'd on, Poverty of spirit, mourning, meekneſs, purity of heart, hungring and thirſting after righteouſneſs, not after the Cannibal-feaſt of fellow-Chriſtians bloud; again, of mercifulneſs, peace-making, being perſecuted and reviled, (and foreign, not a piece of Rabſhakeh's railing Rhetorick to be had in hell▪ which is not poured out on them, and indured chearfully by them in obedience to Chriſt.) Put all theſe together, and mix with them ſuch a proportion of Self-denial, and chearful following of Chriſt whitherſoever he leads; and the quinteſſence, the Elixir that by the help of the Limbeck is fetch'd out of all theſe in union or refraction, is, in the Chymiſt's ſtyle, the Spirit of the Goſpel, the Spirit of Chriſtianity. If you will yet more perfectly underſtand it, you muſt then look on it Negatively, as 'tis in that place by Chriſt ſet oppoſite to the ſpirit of Elias. Elias his ſpirit you may diſcern by the five conſiderations or reſpects that his perſon is capable of.
1. Elias was under the Law.
2. Elias was a Prophet.
3. Elias was a Zelot, as the Author of the Book of Maccabees calls him and Phineas; and ſo he was peculiarly in that paſſage to which the Diſciples refer.
4. Elias called for judgments from heaven.
5. That judgment was particularly Fire.
And proportionably to theſe five, Elias his spirit was
A 1. Legal ſpirit. 2. A Prophetick ſpirit. 3. A Zelotick spirit. 4. A Curſing spirit. 5. A Fiery spirit. And by the oppoſition to each and all of theſe five, you will be able to make up the new-qualifi'd ſpirit, the Spirit of the Gospel.
1. The Legal spirit is that which was obſervable in the time of the Law, eſpecially in order to the planting of the Iſraelites in Canaan, and rooting out of the Inhabitants; and that was a rough, bloudy, hating, eradicating spirit: and that Legal is certainly out-dated and aboliſhed now, and in its place the spirit of the Gospel, a ſmooth, loving, planting spirit, quite contrary to that.
2. The Prophetick spirit was that which received immediate directions from heaven: I mean, not from the ſupernatural influences and motions of Grace, preventing or exciting, ſanctifying or aſſiſting in the heart of the regenerate man; but (as the spirit of ſanctification and the spirit of prophecy are very diſtant things, ſo) I ſay, from the extraordinary revelations of his will, by Ʋrim and Thummim, by Viſion, by Dream, by coming of the Spirit, or of the word of the Lord upon them, or to them, foreign, acted and carried by God. And the Gospel-spirit is that, which after the out-dating of Prophecies, pretends to no ſuch ſpecial revelations, to no other direction, or incitation, or impulſion of the Spirit, than that which lies viſible in the New Teſtament, (verbum vehiculum ſpiritus, and foreign, the Word is it that brings and adminiſters the Spirit unto us;) the Spirit that incites us to perform thoſe duties that the Word hath preſcribed us, (and if to any thing elſe contrary to that, hath then need of the exorciſt to bind or caſt out that ſpirit; the Spirit which, when it comes to be tried whether it be of God or no, pretends not, like Mahomet, to be a talking with God, whil'ſt he lies foaming in an Epileptick fit, but is content to be judged and diſcerned by the old plain Doctrines of the Goſpel; a regular, authorized, ordinary, ſober Spirit.
3. The Zelotick Spirit was a thing peculiar among the Jews, introduced and ſettled by the example of Phineas and Elias by way of precedent and ſtanding Law to that Nation, whereby 'twas lawful (when a man was taken in ſome notorious facts, ſpecifi'd by their Law, Idolatry, &c.) to run him through, to kill him in the place, without expecting any Legal proceſs againſt him. This was expreſly commanded by Moſes, Numb. 25.5. Slay ye every one the men that are joyned to Baal-peor, and accordingly practiſed by Phineas upon incitation from God: and when 'twas done ſo by a Jew, in the caſes provided by the Jewiſh Law, and by divine impulſion, and the perſon aſſured that it was ſo, there was then no harm in it; but when that incitation from God was but pretended only, not true, when in any caſe but that preſcribed by the Law, then 'twas perfect butchery and villany even among thoſe Jews: and unleſs in thoſe few precedents of Phineas, and Elias, and the Maccabees, i. e. Zelots (for ſo the word Maccabee ſignifies in the Syriack) 'twill be hard to find either in Scripture or Joſephus (where there were whole multitudes of ſuch men) any one example of this practice juſtifiable even in a Jew. And in oppoſition to, and not compliance with that, is the Goſpel-ſpirit quite contrary to the heights of the Jewiſh practice, never ſheds bloud upon any but regular commiſſions, an obedient, orderly, temperate, cool Spirit.
4. The Curſing ſpirit, that may be of two ſorts: either in paſſing judgments on mens future ſpiritual eſtates, a cenſorious damning ſpirit, ſuch as hath been uſual in all kind of Hereticks almoſt that ever came into the Church; (nos ſpirituales, we the ſpiritual, and, in the King of China's ſtyle, filii coeli, ſons of heaven, and all others animales & pſychici, animal carnal men:) or 2. in wiſhing, praying, calling for curſes either on God's or our enemies. And you may know the Goſpel-ſpirit by the oppoſition to theſe, a hoping, charitable, merciful, deprecating, bleſſing Spirit.
Laſtly, the Fiery ſpirit is a vehement, violent, untractable, unreconcileable ſpirit, ſets all where ever it comes into a flame and combuſtion, and will never have peace with any thing which it can poſſibly conſume; nay farther, it infuſeth warmths and diſtempers and turbulencies into all that come within any reach of it, communicates and diffuſes its violencies to all others: And the Goſpel-ſpirit is direct antipodes to that, an allaying, quenching, quieting, cooling Spirit. And ſo you ſee this new Spirit, the Spirit of the Goſpel, of what a temper it is, in all theſe reſpects, a Spirit more fit than Lightning to melt the ſwords in our ſcabbards, to new forge theſe hoſtile weapons into thoſe that are more civil and profitable; and that was the ſecond courſe by which Chriſtianity was to work this metamorphoſis, to beat theſe ſwords, &c.
3. And laſtly, our Saviour hath contributed toward this great work, by the exemplarineſs of his own practice in this kind: Not only (in the firſt place) in refuſing to have the fire from heaven, that the Boanerges would have help'd him to, againſt the Samaritans (profeſt enemies of Chriſt, and of all that had any kind looks toward Jeruſalem; and beſides, notorious Hereticks and Schiſmaticks, and yet pretenders to the only purity and antiquity, againſt all ſenſe and reaſon, and ſo moſt arrogant Hypocrites alſo: and yet all this, not enough to inflame Chriſt's Spirit into that of Elias's, or to change his temper into any thing of zeal or anger againſt theſe:) Nor only (in the ſecond place) in reprehending and traſhing of St. Peter's zeal, when it drew the ſword in his Maſter's defence againſt the high Prieſt's ſervants, and indeed againſt the very Crucifiers of Chriſt: Nor only (in the third place) in refuſing the aid even of Angels from Heaven (when they were ready upon his ſummons) againſt the Heathens that attach'd him: But fourthly, and above all, by that anſwer of his to Pilate, John 18.36. If my Kingdom were of this world, then ſhould my ſervants fight, &c. (which was certainly part of that good confeſſion before Pilate mentioned with ſuch honour, 1 Tim. 6.13.) inferring, that becauſe his Kingdom was not of this world, becauſe he was not a worldly or an earthly King, therefore his ſervants were not to fight for him againſt a legal power of Heathens, though 'twere but to ſave him from Crucifying. 'Tis clear, 'twas one of his Accuſers main hopes to find him in Judas Gaulonita's Doctrine, That 'twas unlawful for God's people (and ſo for him that undertook to be God's Son) to be ſubject to Idolaters, making advantage of Piety (as the Gnoſticks after did) toward their ſecular ends, the freeing themſelves from ſubjection in this world. But our Saviour every where diſclaims that Doctrine, both Matth. 22.21. vindicating Caeſar's Prerogative by his Coin, and in that good confeſſion to Pilate: From which 'tis demonſtrable, that what was not to be done in defence of Chriſt when he was in that danger and under that perſecution, is no more to be attempted in that caſe for Religion, for Chriſtianity it ſelf. I ſhall ſhut up this by leaving in your hands that moſt glorious lively Image of his whole Soul and Life, delivered to us in one Medal, that [Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you ſhall find reſt unto your Souls.] To which if you add the ſealing and the practiſing of this, in the giving up his Soul, laying down his Life, an Offering of Charity even for enemies, and yet farther, for thoſe enemies Souls; this one Amulet hung about your necks, one would think, were ſufficient to charm all the weapons of our warfare, that are ſo unmercifully carnal, to exorcize and conjure all the ſwords and ſpears out of the world, to work new transfigurations and metamorphoſes among us, to return the Bears and Vultures into their old humane ſhapes again, and proclaim an univerſal truce to all the military affections we carry about us, to our wraths, our covetings, our aſpirings, a Sabbath, a Jubilee of reſt and peace, like that which Jamblichus talks of in the Sphears, a foreign, a catholick conſtant harmony and accord, a preſent pacification of all our inteſtine broils, and ſo a quiet and reſt unto our ſouls: and till this be done, till this Advent Prophecy be fulfilled in your ears, you muſt know, there is little of Chriſtianity among us, little of Evangelical graces or Evangelical Spirit, nothing but Legal at the beſt. That in God's good time there may be more, not in the brain or tongue, to elevate the one or adorn the other, but in the foreign, the depth and ſincerity of the heart, more of the work and power, the ſpirit and vital energy of the Goſpel, God of his infinite mercy grant us all, even for the ſake and through the operation of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, that wonderful Counſellor, that mighty God, that Father of this Evangelical ſtate, that Prince, and that God of peace; to whom with the Father and the holy Ghoſt be aſcribed, as is moſt due, the honour, the glory, the power, praiſe, might, majeſty, and dominion, which through all ages of the world hath been given to him that ſitteth on the Throne, to the Holy Spirit, and to the Lamb for evermore. Amen.