A Second Guide to Heaven, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
I might draw some particular Inferences and useful Corillaries from this last Head. But I shall rather choose to press home the truth in particular, to perswade you to look to your selves. You have heard and read much of the dreadful condition of a lost Soul, and the blessed state of a Soul eternally sav'd. Now consider, doth not this highly and nearly concern me, am not I one of the Persons that must perish, or live happily for ever.
Obj. Before I proceed, some may object, at least think, that this Truth thus handled and prosecuted, seems selfish and low, and not rais'd high enough, to act altogether for the promoting self.
Ans. My design herein is to raise you up to God, and above your carnal sensual selves, it's that God might have you wholly to himself, that he might have Head and Heart, Soul and Body, Tongue and Life, and to convince you, that in loving God sincerely, you love your selves most truly; God is graciously pleas'd to join his glory and our own good together. They cannot be separated; God would have you in this World mind your own eternal glory, in seeking his glory. He tells you, it is for your Life, it's for your good, alas! our goodness extendeth not to him, but to our own Souls; as our sins hurt not him, but our selves. Do they provoke me, saith God, do they not provoke themselves to the Confusion of their own Faces. When Christ wept over Jerusalem, was it not that they had lost the things that did belong to their own peace. Christ says, Ye will not come to me, that you might have life, you will not let me save, love, and honour you, and make you eternally happy: you will not suffer me to heal your Wounds, pardon your sins, sanctify your natures, justifie your persons, and save your souls. Why will you dye, says God, and Christ says, come hungry and thirsty to be filled, poor to be enriched, naked to be cloathed, weary and heavy laden to find rest for your Souls. It would be too large to run over the whole Scripture and shew you,Tota scriptura hoc agit, &c. it's all for your good. Luther said, the whole Scripture doth nothing else but shew, that God is, and would be merciful to Sinners; therefore to seek our good and wellfare in the right way, is not sinful, but good and pleasing to God.
1. In obedience to his holy commands, he bids us seek the Kingdom, strive, and run, and fight for Heaven; lay up in Heaven a good foundation.1 Tim. 6.…2, 19. We may be Usurers this way, lend to the Lord, and expect full and large payment? we may have an eye to the recompense of Reward.Omnis amor mercedis non est amor mercenarius. Christ himself had an eye to the Joy set before him, Heb. 12.2. God would have us stedfast and immoveable, and abound in good, with an eye to the reward, 1 Cor. 15. last.
2. It answers God's design and end in all Salvation-work, he was pleas'd in saving your Souls. It pleas'd the Father to bruise, to break his Son, to heal and save you, to kill his Son, that you might live; and this is the very travail of Christs Soul.John 14.1, 2. I go to prepare a place for you. All Christs design in coming into the World, in dying, rising, ascending up into Heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God, is to do you good; certainly then it may be our delight and pleasure. It's Gods end in all his Ordinances; his Word and Spirit, to call, convert, wash, and sanctify, comfort, strengthen, and establish you; Prayer appointed, that you may ask Wisdom, and what you will, the Lords Supper to feed, revive, strengthen, and establish you; all Gods Promises are to fill your Mouths with Petitions; how much mercy lies scatter'd all over the Bible, for you to gather up and plead at the Throne of Grace; and God complains,In sacris non Dicitus quantum. when you will not come and ask freely, that your Joy may be full. This is Gods design in giving his Spirit, and all the blessed Graces, to comfort, and teach, and guide you, Faith, and Love, and Hope, and Joy, all for your good, Nay, Godly sorrow, and mourning for your advantage, 2 Cor. 7.11. All Gods Providences work together for your good,1 Cor. 2.7. and he would have them so improv'd. God's design from all Eternity was to save us and make us happy.
3. The truth is, I cannot find that this everlasting Happiness, is offer'd or promis'd, or will be given any other way, Rom. 2.7. God will give eternal Life to them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for Glory, Honour, and Immortality; and v. 10. Glory, Honour, and Peace, to every Man that worketh good, whether Jew or Gentile. You shall find that God doth cast off, and keep, and shut out all that are slothful, or that slight, neglect, and will not seek after this Glory.
I might propose four grand Enquiries of moment, to be searcht into, and Answer'd.
1. Q. Who or what this Self is, that is to be sav'd or lost?
2. Q. Since nothing is so near and dear, how is it that the most deceive and undo themselves?
3. Q. How great and dreadful is the loss, if Self be lost?
4. Q. How may we save our selves, or prevent this loss?
1. Query. Who or what this Self is, that is to be sav'd or lost.
1. Neg. It cannot be meant wicked sinful Self; it's pity this should be call'd Self; this is wholly to be cast out, cast off, and abhorr'd, or else true Self will be utterly lost. The Apostle, indeed, opposes himself to this, Rom. 7.25. With the mind I my self serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin; therefore comfortably and boldly concludes, v. 17. It is not I, but sin which dwelleth in me; for a wicked man to say so, is to say, It's no more I, but my Self, for he is nothing but a lump of sin; his Head sinful, full of vain wicked, worldly, proud, envious thoughts, he can say as to his Lusts, how many and sweet, (as David does of his God) he does meditate in those lower matters day and night, morn and even, and at noon, seven times a day, from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same, his Head full of the World, Sin, and Vanity, he says to it, when I awake, work, and walk, I am still with thee, his Heart full of Wickedness, Math. 15.19. Evil Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, False-witness, Blasphemies, what a Cage of unclean Birds, what filthy crawling vermine, Gen. 6.5. The Heart evil continually, only so, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, hardned, proud, obstinate, unbelieving, full of mischief, pride, and envy; now all this trash and filthiness must be cast out, and such Self renounc'd; and the Heart must be made of Stone flesh, made pure, clean, tender, broken, teachable, so might I have had shewn, Ears open to Vanity, Eyes full of Adultery, not cease to sin; the Throat an open Sepulchre, Feet swift to evil. But these blind Eyes must be open'd, these deaf Ears unstopped, these Mouths fill'd with Prayers and Praises; it is a whole Body of Sin, Rom. 7.24. This certainly is not the true self.
2. Worldly Self, nor all the things of this Life, that belong to the Body, with all Relations, and dearest and nearest Friends, are not this Self. Though these conduce much to the comfort of our Lives, and to the support of Self; yet all these may be sav'd, and Self lost and perish.
1. There is a sinful worldly Self; when Men seek these things wholly and only apart from God, thus are they said to eat for themselves, and drink for themselves, Zech. 7.6. fast and feast to themselves, v. 5. If they pretend to pray, it's but howling, and crying only for Corn and Wine, Hos. 7 14. This men judge, seeking themselves, it's a mistake. Men are undoing themselves in thus over-loving and over-caring about the World. Here and there some ride full post to Hell in full excess of Riot, but how many go on softly and smoothly to Hell in worldly cares, fears, joys, hopes, or sorrows. This is a self, Soul-destroying sin, without great noise and observation. You may mark out a Drunkard, a Swearer, &c. But a worldly wretch passeth for a sober man, and shelters himself under Scripture, 1 Tim. 5.8. worse than an Infidel, if not provide for himself, his own. Whereas this was spoken against the Widow, that liv'd in pleasure and luxury, v. 6. the Idle that wander from House to House, and eat others labour, 2 Thess. 3.11. It's far from encouraging sinners to mind nothing but Earth, and not mind Heaven, not touch the Bible, or put up one prayer all the Week; nay, be grudging the Lord's day as too long and needless, Amos 8.5. When will the Sabbath be gone. Certainly that is no Self-love, but Self-hatred, else why is the word of God so much against it? Christ says, Math. 6. no less than three times, Take no thought, 25, 31, 34. Love not the world, nor the things of the world, 1 John 2.15. You cannot love God too, v. 15. besides what is in it but the Lusts of the Flesh, the lust of the Eyes, and the pride of Life, v. 16. and it is not of God; that is the love of the excesses, greedy desires and reachings after more gain; and Ambition, Vain-glory, affecting great Honour; it all passeth away, v. 17. and therefore not worth our love, that shall last for ever, if fix'd on God the eternal object. God accounts it Adultery in Men or Women, Jam. 4.4. though men think they may thus love the World and God too. No, you make this your God, and it is Idolatry; you must not labour for the Meat that perisheth?John 6.27. Math. 6.14. nor lay up for your selves treasures on Earth; lay up somewhat you may, but not as treasures, or as what is lasting;Col. 3.1, 2. nor set your affections on things below, if you will sweat, and tug at and after it,1 Tim. 16.9, 10. you will pierce, hurt your selves, most men believe it not, but think they do themselves much good, please, glory and boast themselves in it: You must be content with godliness, and account that great gain, v. 6. Nay, God would not have you set your Eyes on it,1 Cor. 7.29. nor much mind and value them. Now can you imagine that this is true Self-love, that is so pernicious and destructive.
2. There is a loving Houses, Money, Pleasures, Friends, Relations, and that is not this true Self-love. If it be excessive it's dangerous and destructive; loving Wife, Husband, Children, too much, is a great sin, a great snare; when Relations are pleasing, they often lull asleep in sin and security, more than when froward and cross sometimes. How many loving Husbands and Wives, tender indulgent fond Parents and Children hurt and destroy one another, kill with this kindness; many such loving tender Relations spend away their precious hours and days together in sloth, folly, and Idle discourses, and go on together quietly to Hell. Not provoke one another to love God and to good works. What a dreadful ghastly meeting will there be at the last, between careless indulgent Parents, and wicked, loose, idle Children; when the Child shall say, my Father or Mother never watcht over, reprov'd, exhorted me. It's true, I had Meat and Drink and Cloathing from them, but not a word of my sad condition by Nature, of my need of a Saviour, of my danger of thus perishing Eternally.Ephes. 5.22, 25 ch. 6.1. to 9. Col 3.18. ch. 4. beg. How many rules are given to all these Relations? So far as you neglect them, or sin against them, so far you wrong your selves and one another.
To come yet nearer, loving ones own Body apart from the Soul, is not this true Self-love; nay, often Self-hatred, as Flesh and Spirit are oppos'd; this is call'd Self in some sense, as Job 1.12. All that he has is in thine hand, only upon himself lay not thine hand, chap. 2.4, 5. Therefore Satan says, the Cattle and Goods, and Houses not so near, but touch him close to the Skin, v. 5. touch his bone and flesh, so v. 7. he smote him with sore boils. I confess this seems near Self, and it is part of Self; but how many thousands ruine their Souls, that take great care of the Body. All your care may be what to eat, and what to drink, and what to put on, strive, run and ride, rise early, and go to Bed late, spend your strength, and labour hard, Isa. 55.1, 2. and yet perish for want of real Bread, and what will satisfy and do you good. How will these pains, sweating, labours, and contrivances about this poor frail Carcase, that must lye rotting in the Grave shortly, rise up in Judgement against many, the most that could not spend one hour in a week, one quarter of an hour in a day about their … and immortal Souls; and this is th… … earnestly seeking only the things about the Body, Houses, Money, Food, &c. Phil. 2.21. Though they seem to seek their own things, they account it so, it's their mistake. Is that man wise for himself, that lives in a City or a Country for five or six years, and is to remove to another for hundreds and thousands of years, and shall have no provision in that Countrey, but what he now lays up and sends thither whilst here, and yet he spends all his time in building here, and trimming and dressing here. Is he mindful of himself that knows his Soul must out of this Tabernacle, and provides not an House in Heaven. Cannot say, as 2 Cor. 5.1. We know we have one, but say at last,O animala vagula blandula, &c. whither art thou going my dear precious Soul.
2. Why then certainly the Soul of Man is the true self. At first Man is denominated by it, Gen. 2.7. And man became a living Soul. What the Soul of the Man is, that the Man is. Not but that the Body also partakes of this care and happiness. Compare Math. 16.26 with Luke 9, 23. In the former, it is, he looseth his Soul, in the later he looseth himself, or is a cast-away, therefore Christ saith, we should not fear them, that cannot kill the Soul, Math. 10:28. and God bids sinners incline their Ears to him, and hear and their Souls shall live, and their souls shall delight in fatness, Isa. 55.2, 3. all is well, when the Soul lives and prospers. Come unto me, saith Christ, Math. 11 28, 29. and you shall find rest to your Souls. Therefore the Wise man saith, and God by him, Prov. 11.30. He that winneth Souls, is wise. As a man gains or loseth his Soul, so is he blessed, or miserable. What doth an Hypocrite gain? when God taketh away his Soul, Job. 27.8. truly, just nothing. What a Fool was the rich man, Luke 12.19. to say thou hast Goods laid up for many years, therefore Soul take thine ease; alas, poor wretch! his Ground and Barns had not suitable Food for his Soul; but God says, v. 20. Thou fool, this might thy soul shall be required of thee; that must go to another place, and then whose shall all those things be? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, v. 21. and is not rich towards God; that which he mistakes for himself, but is not true Self. When God at first made Adam, Gen. 2.7. God made the Body of the dust, but the Soul was the breath of God, and therefore it is said, Man became a living Soul: That was the Man, that Noble, High, Heaven-born Being. Oh that Men did but know the worth of their Souls, immortal Souls, capable of enjoying God to all Eternity, made by God at first as part of himself, and redeem'd by Jesus Christ, and therefore a Soul is more worth than a thousand Worlds, what give in exchange, nothing, not all the World? And how are these precious souls slighted and despis'd? Each of you have a Soul within committed to your Charge and Care, that is more than if you had an Empire, the care of the whole World. It's what the Soul, is that the Man is; and so all the good that concerns and constitutes that, makes the man. It's observable, Eccles. 12.15. Fear God and keep his commandements, this is the whole duty of man; so we render it in our Translation duty;foreign but in the Hebrew it's only, The whole, This whole man; this is all, and gives them a strong reason, v. 14. for there is a great day of Judgement, when, according to this, Man will be lost or sav'd.
Upon this Head of True Self, I lay down these four Propositions.
1. That most men are apt to loose this real Self.
2. That yet nothing is nearer or dearer than this Self.
3. That if this Self be lost, all is lost.
4. That if this Self be sav'd, all is sav'd.
1. Prop. Most men are in danger of deceiving, undoing, and loosing themselves. Some loose their Money, some their Credit, others their Trade, many their Health, some their Lives; but most loose their Souls, themselves, that are wise and careful to save all other things. They are not sensible of this loss, nor so much afraid of it. Many that will not give you a Penny, nor a Shilling, will give you two or three hours of precious time, more worth than thousands of Gold and Silver. Many that will be watchful you do not pick their Pockets, rob their Houses, cheat them in their dealings, will lock up their Chests, their Houses, watch against Fire and Storms, and yet will let the Devil and the World rob them of their Prayers, of their Reading, hearing, steal away the Word, some not suffer Weeds in their Gardens or Fields, will suffer Cares and Riches to choke the good Word.Math. 13.19, 22. Many that are wise and provident, saving and scraping for the World, are very expensive, lavish, and prodigal of precious seasons, and means of Grace. This is not the condition of one, or a few here and there, but it's indeed the sad foolish condition of the most. Many shall be wise, give good advice about Mens Affairs in the World, and others shall take good counsel and warning about their Estates, their Ground, their Cattle, their Friends; and yet be altogether negligent of their own good, and love not faithful dealing about their Souls. It's strange to observe many, they will feed their Horses, their Oxen, their Hogs, and starve their Souls; save, if possible, all things but themselves. Angry with any that will cheat and cousin them, and in the mean while cheat themselves, and not displeas'd. Nay, many Learned, that understand most Languages, study deep Points, skilful in Arts and Sciences, but ignorant of themselves, careless of their own Souls; know many, most things better than the state of their own Souls.
Many good Husbands, thrifty about their worldly affairs, sober and innocent as to others, and yet wholly negligent in their duties to God, and so cheat their own Souls. Many Women good Housewives, provident and industrious about the World, but never pray to God, nor think seriously of Eternity. You may find the House cleanly, the Food wholesom, and savory, their entertainment courteous, their behaviour obliging, the House well order'd and furnisht with necessaries, and the Soul and Life all out of order, the Head empty of saving knowledge, and the Heart dead and harden'd in sin; not one word of God or Christ with delight and serious enquiry. The Bibles lye in their Windows, but very seldom in their Hands, taken up seldom all the Week, unless on the Lords Day,Prov. 2.1. and then read in a customary careless manner; not search and dig as for a hid treasure, far from crying after knowledge, seldom or never down on their Knees alone one quarter of an hour, to pray for Pardon, or a Kingdom of Glory. Alas! alas! can the most thus delude and deceive themselves, and think this is striving to enter in at the strait Gate, and that this is taking Heaven by violence.
How many Trades-men, Husband-men, Labourers, Servants, Parents, Children, all busie about other matters, and neglect their own Souls, spend two, three, or four hours in idle tattling, it may be sinful and vain, at Cards or Dice, or speaking against their Neighbours, whole Winter Evenings spent in a sluggish, lazy way, telling idle stories by the Fire, not a Chapter read, and if pray a quarter of an hour, that is too long, and they are weary and sleepy, but not a word of those complaints before. Thus all foolishly deceive themselves, and whole Families go quietly to Hell together; some quarrel, and discontented go on in a more broad and open way to Hell. Some spend days and nights in Taverns and Ale-houses, many pretious idle hours and days in Coffee-houses, and such publick places, where men are cheating themselves of time, that is more pretious than all the treasures of the Earth, throw away the Purse, and then throw away the Jewels and mony in it. It's a season to pray in, to love God in, to prepare for Glory in. Yet the most, I had almost said all, are guilty of cheating themselves daily of their best treasure, and yet complain and cry out, when God comes to take it away by death. Why should God continue that, which they know not what to do with, but call their sports their pastimes to wast it away? You will find at last, there was not one hour or day in your whole life, that you could say, This is mine own, and I may do with it what I please. What shall be said or done to convince the most of this folly and madness?
2. Prop. That nothing is so near and dear as Self.
Nothing can be so near and dear as Self. I know Relations and tender Friends may be dear, Rom. 5.7. Scarcely and peradventure dye for a Righteous man; who, where, is the Man or Woman that would lye forty years in torment for another? I have observ'd the loving Wife, the tender Mother, weep and refuse to be comforted, at the death and loss of the belov'd Relation, but such in time return to their food and sleep, and soon forget the Grave. As Abraham says to Sarah, Gen. 23.4. that I may bury my dead out of my sight. This hath been a great snare to make neglect our selves, our great fondness to Relations; Love thy neighbour as thy self supposeth Self dear, and that which hath the preheminence; if I dye, rot, and am undone, what though my Son or Daughter, or any Friends, eat, drink, and laugh? How little are we concern'd about our Grand-fathers, or Grand-mothers, nay, about our Fathers and Mothers, that dyed twenty years ago? Are we thoughtful how 'twas with them the last Night, the last Week, the last year? It may be they pity'd, and wept over us, if we were hurt, or in danger of it. And thus will our Children deal with us; it may be go from the Grave, and either please themselves in what we leave them, or fall out about it, Eccles. 4, 16. they that come after shall not rejoyce in us, Job 14.20. The Father is laid in the Grave, v. 21. His sons come to honour, and he knows it not, or they are brought low, and it's all one to him, but, poor wretch, he is tormented in Body and Soul, v. 22. The Son rants and roars on an Ale-bench, or Tavern, spending that the Father greedily, or unjustly, got, and see roaring in Hell for it. Foolish besotted Creatures, that we do see, and yet cannot see it, so as wisely to consider it. Many Parents are fond of those Children, that at present despise and laugh at them, and will rejoyce at their Death.
3. Prop. That if I am lost, all is lost, as to to me.
When I dye, this Heaven, Earth, and Seas are nothing any more to me. Here I make a great ado about Houses, Estates, &c. 'Twill not be long with me as now 'tis; it's but a little while, and Houses will be no Houses to me, Food and Cloathing nothing to me, I must lye down in the dark, cold, silent Grave, Night and Day, Winter and Summer. These Eyes shut up, these Ears and Mouth stopt with dirt and rottenness. How ghastly is the sight of some dying men? Their Eyes sunk in, their Throats scorcht with drought, their Bowels and Heads rackt, their Limbs failing, their faces gather paleness, it may be their Souls full of horror and confusion; and their Friends stand by, weeping and ringing their hands, but cannot ease their pains, heal their wounds, strengthen their limbs, refresh their bowels, scatter their fears, pardon their sins; it may be, it's terrible to them to see such miserable comforters; it may be, increase their horrour, to think how they have sinn'd with them; but alas, poor wretch! the standers by say, let him alone, disturb him not, leave the Room, let him alone now, what, that dear Friend I so often embrac'd, so much delighted to converse with; ay, be gone, that Tongue must speak no more to thee, he is speechless, he gapes and sweats, groans and shrieks out; what, let him alone, to whom? to cruel Death, he is now in other hands, it may be dragging before an angry God. Now what if a loving Wife, and many tender Children wept over him, if his Heart be not right with God, all about and before him are nothing to him. Well, but he is dead, why then provide to have him out of the way, lay him in a winding sheet, lay him in the Grave, throw dirt upon him, cover him deep enough, that he stink not, away the attenders go, and all the once necessary provisions; but in the mean while, where is the poor Wretches Soul? appearing before God's Tribunal. Now judge seriously, and believe it aforehand, that all the World is nothing to you, if you perish.
4. Prop. On the other hand all is well, if we are sav'd.
We can part with Friends here, to go to better above. Said a good man to one weeping by him, Weep not for me, I am going to a Father that will do me no hurt. How pleasant and comfortable, to see a good man or woman dying with Triumph and Joy; its beyond all the great Things, and Splendour, and Acclamations of this Life. This day of Death is better than the day of Birth. I thank God, I have seen and heard many depart triumphing, and without horror, and amazement, told me, Once Death was terrible, but now it's nothing to me to dye, I long to be dissolved, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Another saying, expressing a great desire and willingness to dye, Was ever weary Traveller afraid coming to his Journeys end too soon, or Heir to his Inheritance; I am as sure of going to Heaven, as that now I see you. Another just gasping out his last, said, The Glory is unexpressible I now see. Another said, I am not afraid to dye, not because I have been such a good Servant, but because I am going to so good and gracious a Master. Now, can any thing be grievous or troublesome to such a one, that is going to rest, and then all is well? It's but a dirty Lane to my Father's Palace, a dark passage to my Heavenly Mansions, it's but shutting mine Eyes, and I am in Heaven, said one dying, to her tender, dear Child, I love you well, but my Christ and Heaven better. Nothing can be so near and dear as Self.