Heaven Upon Earth, Sermon · Direction 1
I. DIRECTION.
If you would be acquainted with God, labour to get a through ſenſe of your great eſtrangment from him, and of the danger of ſuch an eſtrangement. This is that which makes people ſo well contented with their condition, becauſe they ſee no great evil nor danger in it. Men are ready to think very well of their condition, although they be enemies to God, and no Friends to Chriſt. Exnemies to God! they ſcorn your words, though all this while they expreſs the greateſt contempt of him conceivable; though they regard neither his Commands, Threatnings, nor Promiſes, though they value the company of a drunkard, a whore, before the company of God; though they do all that they can againſt God, Love nothing that he loves, though they ſide with Gods greateſt enemies, yet they abhor to be thought to be any others then well wiſhers to Chriſt, and the Friends and Servants of God; though they never come near God, yet they take it very ill if they be not reckoned amongſt his acquaintance, and ſpeciall Friends. Where is the profeſſor almoſt living, that doth not count it a high piece of uncharitableneſs, if one do not Canonize them among the Saints, though they live more like bruites! How hainouſly do they take it, if any one do but queſtion their ſtate? They ignorant of God! They enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, they blind! they unconverted! Who is that man which dare queſtion their condition? They hope to fare as well as any preciſe Puritan of them all, they will hope to be ſaved, ſay what you will then, you ſhall never beat then out of their truſt in God. And though in Faithfulneſs to their Souls, we beg of them to make a more diligent inquiry into the ſtate of their Souls, becauſe we know that the heart is ſo deceitful, and we have very great cauſe to ſuſpect that they know not God; yet they will go on very cheerfully with this confidence, untill Chriſt himſelf ſhew them their miſtake, and tell them plainly that he knows them not, and that he never accounted them any of his Friends. But now did men but throughly underſtand their natural eſtrangement from God, were they but indeed ſenſible of the vileneſs of their hearts, did they but take notice of the Rebellions and Treaſons that are within, the caſe would be far otherwiſe with them then it is. O this, this is the reaſon why ſo many millions of profeſſors miſcarry everlaſtingly, and never come to deſire the friendſhip of God, becauſe they never believed that they were any otherwiſe then friends, they do not ſuſpect themſelves at all, but think that they are rich, and encreaſed in goods, and have need of nothing, whereas the Lord knows, and Chriſtians know too, that they are poor, and blind, and naked. But now, when men begin to be thorowly ſenſible of his enmity that is in their natures againſt God; when they ſee what mutinies and rebellions there are in them againſt their moſt gracious Lord and King; and when they are made to underſtand the conſequences of this War, then how ſenſibly do they cry out, what ſhall they do? was there ever any poor wretched creatures in worſe condition then themſelves? was ever any ones heart worſe then theirs? are there any out of hell that are ſuch Monſters of ſin as they are? O what ſhall they do? they ſee the Fire kindled, and themſelves hanging over everlaſting burnings: now all the world for a Chriſt; they believe now that God and Man are not equals; that there is no contending with the Almighty: who can ſtand before his indignation? and when they ſee Gods Sword drawn, and the poynt of it ſet againſt their heart, when they behold the terrours of the Lord ſetting themſelves in array againſt them, and themſelves like to loſe all, then how welcome would the news of a Parly be? How glad would they be then to hear of a Pardon? Then down go their weapons; they will ſooner come before God with a Halter about their Necks, than a Sword by their ſides; they will fight now with no other weapons but Tears and Prayers: As for their Armour, they break it in pieces, and lay it at the feet of their offended Prince; and O if they might but have any hopes of pardon, it would revive their hearts; if they might have but a look of kindneſs from God, it would be a greater comfort to them than all the whole World beſides could afford them. To whom can a skilful Phyſitian be more welcome, than to the ſick? Chriſt came to ſeek the loſt, and ſuch as theſe we are ſent to encourage: But till the ſoul comes to this paſs, a Chriſt is not valued at all by it: If ſinners be not made thus to underſtand themſelves, why, though we ſhould plead with never ſo much earneſtneſs with them, we do but beat the air; all that we can ſay ſignifies very little. The man thinks his great work is done, though his hands have been all this while in his boſome; he is far onwards in his Journey to Heaven, though he never ſet one ſtep out of his own doors; he hath an intereſt in God, and is very well acquainted with him, and hath an aſſured confidence of his condition, that he ſhall be happy, though he have not one drachm of grace. He is a good Churchman, he hath ſat at the Lords Table, and the like: But O how many are there which ſhall ſee, and know that it is more than poſſible, to come oft before God, and to complement him much, and to ſit oft at his Table, and yet not to be any of his peculiar Friends, and ſpecial Acquaintance; now it ever you would make any thing of Religion, and be made highly to praiſe Gods favour, & to be really acquainted with him; you muſt labour to underſtand your diſtance from him, and the unconceivable hazard that you run, while you are in a ſtate of Separation from God; that there is but one ſtep between you, and the ſtate of the Damned; for what would become of you, if God ſhould ſay to you, this night thy Soul ſhall be required of you. How eaſily can God in a moment ſtop your breath, and ſend your Soul and Body into that lake that burns for ever & ever? & is it not then time for you to look about you? O this ignorance of our ſelves, how doth it expoſe us? (Ar. Epict. l. i. c. 26.) He was not a whit miſtaken, who ſaid, That the not knowing of our ſelves, was one of the chiefeſt cauſes of our ſin and miſery, and that the conſideration of the ſtate of the Soul, and the through underſtanding it's depravedneſs, was the beginning of Wiſdom; for it's weakneſs being well known, a man will not afterwards truſt it in the determination of the greateſt things; but man will be deſirous to conſult that great Oracle, the will of his Maker; and finding his old guide is blind, and hath oft miſled him, thereupon he is the readier to be acquainted with ſuch a one, who may direct him in the way to true happineſs. If you would therefore be acquainted with God, you muſt get well acquainted with your ſelves; you will upon the knowledg of your ſelf be afraid of your ſelf. He was none of the weakeſt men who ſaid, That a true ſenſe of folly is no ſmall ſign of ſome proficiency in wiſdom, Look into thy ſelf, O man, ſearch every corner, behold what abundance of Armour, there is in ſuch and ſuch a dark Celler; but is this Armour ſtrong enough to encounter a God withal? Can'ſt thou with theſe Fig-leaves defend thy ſelf againſt the arrowes of the Almighty? behold what a condition thou art in, if thou ſtirreſt a ſtep further. Yield ſpeedily, and throw down thine Arms, or you are a dead man. Do you know this? do you really believe this? Is it poſſible? what believe that your Treaſon is found out, and that you are within a little of Execution, and yet not tremble, & yet not ſeek nor deſire pardon. When a man throughly underſtands how things ſtand between him & God, and how unable he is to carry on a War againſt him, he will ſpeedily caſt a bout, how he may conclude a Peace upon any terms. As ſoon as Benhadad knew what a condition his Army was in, when he ſaw the Crowns of his thirty Kings ſhaken, and his warlike Captains cut in pieces, or to tremble, & be like women, when inſtead of a mighty Army of gallant Warriors in martial order, behaving themſelves bravely in the field, he ſaw their karkaſes upon heaps, their garments rouled in blood, the Shields of his mighty Ones caſt away, and himſelf woſully deſerted, how ſpeedily doth he ſend away his Servants, with Ropes about their Necks, to beg Peace upon any Terms? When the Gibeonites heard what dangerous fighting it was againſt Joſhuah, they were not long before they made means to make a Covenant with him. So the Soul, when it doth ſeriouſly conſider what a ſad Condition it is in, while it continues in Rebellion againſt God; it's impoſſibility to ſtand it out long, and utter inability to conquer him: When it perceives the deſigns of Satan, who firſt cauſed this difference between the Soul and God, and hath ſtill inſtigated and ſtirred it up to perſecute with all the violence that might be; I ſay, when the Soul ſees this before it is quite too late! O how doth it bewail it's condition, how doth it cry out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me? O what will become of me, if I make War ſtill againſt God? And as for flying, whether ſhall I fly from his preſence, and where ſhall I Hide my ſelf out of his ſight? And how ſhall I look him in the face, whom I have thus deſperately and ungratefully oppoſed? Can ſuch a Traytor as I poſſibly expect any mercy; if the Lord ſhould look upon me, and not immediately caſt me into Hell, it would be a miracle of Patience. And thus the man that begins a little to underſtand himſelf. ſpeaks to himſelf; and after that, he with Ephraim, ſinites upon his thigh, and bemoans his condition exceedingly! O that he ſhould ever take up Arms againſt his gracious Prince? O what ſhall become of him? Well, I have heard that the God of Heaven is a merciful King, I will go and caſt my ſelf at his feet, if I periſh, I periſh. If I continue in this rebellion, there is no hopes; if I fly there is no eſcaping; and if I yield, I can but periſh! O ſad, ſad is my condition, Woe and alas, what ſhall I do in theſe dreadful perplexities: But, why do I ſtay here? The avenger of blood followes after me apace; well, I will go to my God, through Chriſt, and I have heard that this is the only way, and that there is not the leaſt hope in the world, any other way to get a pardon, to eſcape the Wrath to come! O that the precious and merciful Jeſus would pitty me, and ſtand my Frind now if ever! O that he would ſpeak a good word for me, Have mercy upon me, Jeſus thou Son of David have mercy me! O make peace for me, by thy blood; if thou wilt, thou canſt do more with a word ſpeaking, then all the Saints and Angels in the world; if ever any poor Creature in the world had need of mercy, then have I. O mercy, mercy, mercy for thy bloods ſake! But becauſe I ſhall ſpeak to this under another Direction, I ſhall be the briefer. Now when a man is at this paſs, he is in a fair way for peace; but now as long as a man is ignorant of all this, he is quite in another note, he will never buckle, and therefore he ſhall be broken. Therefore conſider well your condition, obſerve the actings of your own Soul; if you be one of the Friends and Acquaintance of God, what means your breaking and hating of his Spiritual Laws? What's the reaſon, if you love God, that you can take no delight at all in his company, no pleaſure in his Sabbaths? If you are a Friend of God, how hap you come no oftner to his houſe, when he dwells ſo near you? Why do you knock no oftner at his door? Why are you ſo rare in your viſits? Is this your kindneſs? Is this like a Friend? How comes it to paſs that there are ſo many Arms found hid in your houſe? What are they all for? What is the meaning of all thoſe Meetings that you give to Gods Enemies? What do all thoſe whiſperings, plots, and projects ſignifie? Is this friendſhip? Can you mean any good by all this? What do you ſay of your condition? Do you ever complain, and that feelingly of your enemy againſt God? Did you ever obſerve what a deſperate wicked ſpirit you have againſt your Maker; and were you ever made ſenſible of the danger of ſuch a ſtate, and aſhamed and grieved to the very ſoul that you ſhould ever engage againſt ſo good a God? why then I am confident you can't but cry out with all the ſtrength and earneſtneſs of your ſoul for a peace, you can't but deſire to meet with your adverſary quickly, while he is in the way. But if you ſee nothing at all of the Treachery and Baſeneſs that is in your heart, ſearch, and ſearch again, it's your Ignorance and Blindneſs, and not the goodneſs of your ſtate, that makes you to know nothing by your ſelf. What, are you better than David? he was ſo jealous of his own heart, that he dared not to truſt to his own Examination of it, but he deſires the great Heart-ſearcher to help him in this work. Are you more excellent than Paul after his Converſion? Had he more reaſon to complain of himſelf than you have? O be at leiſure to look within, and get Davids Candle and Lanthorn to go into thoſe dark corners of your ſoul with it, and it may be you may ſee that within which may make your heart to ake, and your joynts to quiver, and your ſpirits to faint within you. Paul was ſometime as confident as you, he took no notice of the Enmity that was within againſt God, though he was as full of it as an Aſp is of Poyſon; yet before he came acquainted with God, the caſe was altered with him, he was of another mind when that light ſhined about him, & he cried out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? he now thinks it is hard kicking againſt the Pricks, dangerous oppoſing of God, and perſecuting of Chriſt in any of his Members; and he deſires nothing in the world ſo much as to be reconciled to God, and to have him for his friend, whom before he fought againſt as an Enemy.