Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 13
Expoſitions and Obſervations on MATTHEW 19. ult.
But many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt.
THe occaſion of this ſpeech of our Saviour was, there was a young man, a very rich young man that came to Chriſt, and would learn the way to heaven of him. And our Lord he cuts him out a task too hard for his carnall heart, among the reſt, to give all that he had to the poor. The young man was very ſad, and went away, becauſe he was very rich, It may be a poor man might have done it: but the more riches men have, the more loath they are to part with it. Whereupon, ſaith our Lord, you may ſee how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven, A Camell may go thorow the eye of a needle as ſoone. Whereupon his Diſciples replied in a vanting way, crowing over the man, Maſter, what ſhall we have? we have done gallantly, we have forſaken all that we have, and have followed thee; what ſhall we have therefore? Saith our Lord Chriſt, You ſhall have a large reward I confeſſe, I ſay unto you. Ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man ſhall ſit in the Throne of his glory, ye alſo ſhall ſit upon twelve Thrones. And every one that hath forſaken houſes, or land, or children, or father, or mother, or wife for my names ſake; ſhall receive an hundred fold here, and ſhall inherit everlaſting life. For, ſaith he (he puts this correction upon it) here is a large reward, as if he ſhould ſay, if the young man had followed my advice he had been no loſer, nor you ſhall not, but many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. As if he ſhould ſay, I would not have you to be proud, and to crow over that poor man that is run from me, becauſe you are old Diſciples; it may be that man may come back again to me, and be my beſt ſervant when you may run away: for many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. And thereupon our Lord in the next Chapter, on purpoſe to this end to bring down their ſpirits, he expreſſeth himſelf in a whole parable of a man that hired ſervants, and he that came at the laſt hour received as much as he that came at the beginning of the day; he takes down their ſpirits from being too high over poor ſinners. So that is the leſſon that I deſire you ſeriouſly to conſider of, the text it ſelf ſhall be the Doctrine, that
Many that are firſt ſhall be laſt.
I ſay, many ſinners, and ſlow profeſſors, ſhall be firſt, and formoſt in the ways of godlines; and many old profeſſors that have been once zealous, ſhall be laſt, and loweſt in the formes of Religion and godlineſſe.
I need not tell you that there are ſeverall formes of godlineſſe. There are (as Iohn ſaith) fathers, and young men, and children; there is the weak, and the ſtrong, the ſpirituall, and the carnall. Now God (I ſay) hath caſt it ſo that ordinarily the weak ſhall outrun the ſtrong, the childe ſhall go before his father, the young, green, ſlow profeſſors; ſhall be in heaven, and the way to heaven before the old profeſſor, and they that were firſt ſhall be laſt, and they that were laſt ſhall now be firſt. For the opening of it, it is to be underſtood two ways.
Firſt of all you are to underſtand this, that the firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt firſt, not as an univerſall, generall rule, that every young profeſſor ſhall outſtrip an old: but the way to Heaven is ſo narrow, that in the profeſſion of Religion, abundance of them do fall away. And few men fall away at the firſt: but when the tryall comes, when the Sun ariſeth, as our Lord ſaith. So a learned expoſiter upon it ſaith, that it may be thirty, or fourty, or fifty, or ſixty yeers among profeſſors, there may be many hypocrites, and there are more that have but a common work of the ſpirit of God: thereupon our Lord ſpeaking onelyonly to profeſſors ſuch as they were, Matt. 13. where he ſaith three of the four were rotten, and come to nothing, and the fourth only hold out. Some mens ſins are open before (ſaith Paul) and ſome follow after. We ſee it by ſome men ſetting out in Religion, they never come to any thing: but ſome mens ſins follow after. Some men go far, and walk gloriouſly, and afterward are diſcovered. And truly, it is a rule among the beſt of our miniſters, that ſeldome or never, hypocrites go out of this world undiſcovered: And hence it comes to paſſe by the falls of hypocrites, and thoſe that have not a ſaving work of grace, that great ones fall away, and little, low ones outſtrip them.
Secondly, it comes to paſſe that the firſt are laſt, and the laſt firſt, becauſe the Lord for reaſons beſt known to himſelf for the moſt part ſo caſts it, that even among true profeſſors, true Saints, the moſt part of them when they grow ancient (in Religion eſpecially) they take a napp before they go hence. They go as travellers in the way, that go out betime in the morning, but take a baite of two or three hours in the way, and ſo ſlow travellers get before them. There is not one in ten ordinarily, but hath a ſhrewd napp when he is ancient in Religion, before he go hence. Thereupon we ſee the ten Virgins, Matt. 25. The wiſe Virgins ſlept as well as the fooliſh, they all ſlept: but the wiſe Virgins awaked in time, and got up again, and the fooliſh ſlept it out. And while they are napping and ſleeping, the firſt becomes laſt, and the laſt firſt. For we may not think that all ſuch ancient profeſſors, that they have no grace. We ſee now, are there not ſome Magiſtrates, and many Miniſters, old non-conformiſts, that are now generally napping, and ſleeping, that you would think there were nothing of God in them? we may not think that they belong not to the Lord, and that they have no grace. This is the time when many ſimple ſouls get into Chriſt, and the knowledg of Chriſt, and have further enjoyments of ſpirit, and communion of ſpirit with him, then thoſe grave Miniſters, and Common-wealths men, that before held out Religion more then others: yet we are not to think that they have no grace.
Therefore of this briefly, there are theſe four or five practicall leſſons that we ſhould learn.
The firſt is, that all you that are ancient Chriſtians, 1. Vſe to avoid ſecurity.ancient profeſſors, if ye ſtand, to take heed leaſt ye fall. How ſhould this me thinks make an ancient Saint watch? how ſhould he avoid ſecurity, when it is ordinary for old Chriſtians to take a napp, and ſo not to be higher in Heaven; they loſe much of their glory in Heaven; nay they loſe their honour here, ye ſome men think them to be hypocrites. Therefore ſtand on your guard: ſay not, we have been profeſſors, twenty, or thirty, or fourty yeers, as ordinary profeſſors bragg of their ſtanding in Religion. No, but remember this leſſon, there are many firſt that ſhall be laſt: therefore walk watchfully, and circumſpectly. Think with your ſelves, and O that the Lord would open the eyes of ancient Chriſtians in this City, to ſee poor ſouls of a yeer, or half a yeers ſtanding, ſtart up, that have more of Chriſt in them, and more clear knowledge of the Goſpell, and love him more, and his Saints, and do more for him then they do. O look about thee, and conſider with thy ſelf that though thou be ancient, and before that man or woman in Chriſt, yet thou mayſt come a great while after him to heaven for all that. Therefore, ſaith Paul, I preſs hard to that which is before. It is a comparriſon from men that run in a race. As the heathen Poet ſaith, when a man runs in a race, he never looks on the horſes that are behind him, but if there be one before him he looks to that. Beloved, look that if thou be before others, take heed that thou come not to the goale after them.
Secondly, let ancient profeſſors, ancient Chriſtians 2. Not to contemn others.learn not to deſpiſe, and contemn weak Saints, young beginners, nay not ſinners themſelves: I have obſerved it to the grief of my ſoul, with the bleeding of my heart, a great deal of contempt, and diſdaine in the brows of ſome ancient Chriſtians againſt ſome weak Saints: take heed of it: for though thou be firſt, and great now, thou art honoured now as an excellent Prayer in London, as one excellent in a day of humiliation; who knows whether thou that art firſt mayſt not be laſt? Therefore contemn not weak Saints. No, nor ſinners, there is many a man that may be in the Ale-houſe, a drinking, and ſwearing, and whoring, and his quean with him, that may be in heaven before thee, therefore be tender to ſinners, eſpecially if it be a Saint that hath any thing of God in him, conſider he that is firſt may be laſt, and the laſt may be firſt.
Thirdly, let weak Saints, and young beginners, learn 3. Weak ones not to bear themſelves unreverentlyhence alſo, as on the one ſide (that I may put in that caveat) not to behave themſelves unreverently toward the ancient. I would not have old Saints to crow over the young, muchleſſe the young over the ancient: Saith Paul, rebuke not an elder, but rather exhort him. If we in preaching muſt not ſpeak ſo ſharply to ancient Chriſtians, whether elders in Office, or rather in Religion (as I believe it is) we muſt not rebuke him, but ſpeak with reverence, ſo much more young Chriſtians muſt ſpeak reverently, of ancient Chriſtians, and not ſay, there goes ſuch an old profeſsor, and ſuch a one ſaith, the firſt ſhall be laſt; and ſo deſpiſe him. No, but as God hath put the law of nature that the young ſhall obſerve the elder, and the junior ſhall reſpect the ſenior: ſo in grace and Religion, people muſt obſerve their duty. Therefore young women muſt learn of the old, and old women ſhould be teachers of good things to young women, not given to wine, &c. beware of petulant, wanton carriage towards old profeſſors.
So, on the other ſide, be not diſcouraged by ſeeing the Neither to be diſcouraged.graces in ancient, ſtrong Chriſtians. It is an ordinary thing for weak Saints to be more diſcouraged at the graces of ſtrong Saints then at any thing elſe. As a weak eye that looks on the Sun can ſee juſt nothing; ſo many a weak ſoul hath the teſtimony of Gods ſpirit, that he walks uprightly in his family before the Lord: but if he fall into the company of ſpirituall Chriſtians that are full of the Spirit, full of the Holy Ghoſt, he comes home, proclaiming himſelf an hypocrite all the way as he goes. Do not that; for God hath caſt it ſo, that the firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt: therefore though I be weak, who knows but that God may make me equall to that glorious Saint? Therefore as he is not to be ſecure and proud, ſo I am not to be diſcouraged.
Fourthly: learn alſo this leſſon (for it is of eſpeciall uſe in theſe times: for this is the age when old profeſſors 4. Not to judge others.ſet themſelves to ſleep) learn hence, not to judg of Chriſtians, old Chriſtians, old profeſſors to be hypocrites, becauſe that they have taken a napp. I may not think that that man whom I have known to be the firſt man for Religion, of all the Iuſtices of the Peace, of all the Gentlemen in the country, of all the miniſters in the County: becauſe he is now the leaſt and laſt of all the gentry, or miniſtery, or the like, I may not (a… the ordinary faſhion of men is) conclude that there is no grace in him. It is an ordinary thing among us, you have inſtances every where in this caſe: but rather conclude this, that many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt, God hath put the one againſt the other, that we ſhould finde nothing after him.
God delights in variety of works, and he hath caſt it ſo, that ordinarily profeſſors ſhould be like the Angels or Iacobs ladder, ſome up, and ſome down, the young going before the old, and the old coming behinde the young, and as ſouldiers in training, wheele about, and go behinde one another. God in wiſdom hath done ſo; therefore I wil not ſay, ſuch a Magiſtrate, or ſuch a miniſter, or ſuch a Gentleman doth not belong to God, becauſe he is not ſo good as he hath been, he was once the beſt, and now he is the leaſt, he may be the Lords notwithſtanding all this. We muſt remember this, or elſe we ſhall make hypocrites of all the world: for there is no Chriſtian but hath his failings, and if we conclude ſo, then God will have no Saints. It is a bleſſed meanes of meekning the heart towards napping Chriſtians.
Then laſtly; let there be a kind of equality, and ſpirituall 5. To preſerve a correſpondencie and equality.correſpondencie between all Saints (O that God would have it ſo) that as the younger ſhould not carry themſelves unreverently to the elder, ſo the elder ſhould not deſpiſe the younger: but as there was an equality in their gathering of Mannah, they that had much, had nothing to ſpare, and they that had little had no want: ſo the Lord delights in equality among the Saints, God hates to ſee Chriſtians, that have much knowledge, to brow-beat weak Saints, God hates it. Let us love a kinde of equality, and ſpirituall correſpondencie: For we are all one body, and have all one head: the greateſt member cannot ſay to the toe, I have no need of thee: the greateſt Chriſtian; if he be as an eye in the head, he cannot ſay that he hath not need of the weakeſt Saint: there is ſomething that may do him good, if he could ſee it.
To end this, I will give you the expreſſion of Calvin on Rom. 16. 16. Salute one another with an holy kiſs, the Churches of Chriſt ſalute you. The obſervation of Maſter Calvin upon this place is this, that the Apoſtle had before ſaluted a great many ſtrong Saints by name, and commended them for ſome excellencies, one for one thing, another for another, Priſcilla, and Aquila as helpers in Chriſt, and ſuch a one for ſuch a thing he gives commendation; now becauſe he names not all, leaſt the weak ſhould be offended, therefore, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſalute one another with a holy kiſſe. It was their manner before their ſupper, they had feaſts of love, and before their feaſts of love, they did alway ſalute one another with an holy kiſſe; they kiſſed one another, and it was a Ceremony that God appointed to this end, to ſhew that there was a kinde of equality between all the Saints, that the pooreſt could not be kept at a diſtance from the rich, and the youngeſt Saint that the other day was a drunkard, or whoremonger, was not to be deſpiſed, but was kiſsed of the old. So that kiſs linked them together, that though there was difference, yet this kiſſe levelled them.
Beloved, how far, this ceremony ſhould be practiſed by us, or we are bound to it, is more then I can tell, or any that I know: but that is ſignified by it holds, that there ſhould be a bleſſed correſpondencie between all the Saints, and ſome kinde of way, whereby a man that is in Chriſt, be he never ſo weak, may know that Chriſt accepts him, that the greateſt Saint, and moſt glorious on earth, accepts him alſo. And not as the factious cuſtome of diſputing profeſſors is; that never take notice of, but ſcorn hundreds of poor Saints, that have not thoſe gifts, that cannot talk ſwelling, proud words, as Iude ſaith. All that are Chriſts ſhould be dear to us as they are dear to Chriſt, he loves them alike, he paid as much for them as he did for us; and God is their father. And Chriſt provided foreſeeing the diſpoſition of men in latter times, that of all Saints we ſhould take care of the weakeſt: therefore ſaith Chriſt to Peter, Peter, loveſt thou me? loveſt thou me? loveſt thou me? Lord, thou knoweſt all things, Well, I ſee thou loveſt me, as thou loveſt me feed my lambs. We are to feed the ſheep too: for Peter was a Sheperd, but we are to feed the lambs of Chriſt eſpecially. In Mat. 18. you know what care Chriſt takes of his little ones, he compares young profeſsors to little Children, and if any offend one of them, it were better that a Milſtone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. If you ſhould ſee a man in the midſt of the Sea with a Milſtone about his neck, it were a miſerable condition: ſo it is a ſad condition of high, and lofty profeſſors, that brow-beat weak Saints, that will not correſpond, or condeſcend to them of the lower ſort, O, ſaith Paul, who is weak and I am not offended? who is offended and I burn not? I will ſay no more of that, remember many that are firſt ſhall be laſt.